Euro 2020 Qualifiers, Germany 2-4 Netherlands: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#1 Germany struggle to find their identity while Netherlands rediscover their own

Germans looked clueless with regards to their modus operandi once the Dutch established a foothold in the game

At the 2018 World Cup, Germany were acrimoniously dumped out at the round-robin stage. A plethora of accusations were aimed at the brand of football they deployed, with many even hinting that Low was past his prime.

However, the German hierarchy decided to stick with the beleaguered manager, trusting him to oversee Die Mannschaft’s potential rising from the ruins.

Subsequently, Low decided to ditch the possession-based approach in the aftermath of the World Cup, instead relying upon a counter-attacking style with swift forwards upfront.

Though there have been a few promising results after undertaking that shift, there have still been concerns regarding Germany’s ability to use that strategy to outwit Europe’s top teams. And, on Friday, Netherlands exposed that deficiency, rather painfully.

After leading at the break, the hosts lost their way and allowed the visitors to get into the ascendancy. More worryingly, the Germans looked clueless with regards to their modus operandi once the Dutch established a foothold in the game.

Netherlands, on the other hand, have been traversing much better on their road to redemption. After missing out on the World Cup altogether, they decided to dig deep into their ‘Total Football’ philosophy and installed Koeman at the helm.

Under the former Barcelona defender, the Oranje have played some mesmerising football and have been showcasing the flair and flamboyance they’ve been associated with, over the years.

While they still have some way to go before truly cementing their spot as one of Europe’s elite, one reckons that isn’t too far away, especially if they keep churning out performances like the one in Hamburg.

Ironically though, in a game where one team was commended for rediscovering an identity many felt had been lost, the other, despite its fervent search, was unable to conjure one.