"Germany's shaky September has left us with more questions than answers. Sunday's 3-1 win over Northern Ireland offered a salve after Thursday's shock 2-0 defeat to Slovakia as the world footballing giants have gone from talking World Cup title to realizing they have a qualification battle on their hands. As the clock ticks down towards next summer's Men's World Cup, the whole is looking very questionable, much less the sum of the parts."
"GK Oliver Baumann (TSG Hoffenheim): The 35-year-old looks the unquestioned starter in the absence of Manuel Neuer and the currently jobless Marc-André ter Stegen. He's growing into the role and is a sharp, veteran shot-stopper. Look, at this point, Neuer is probably salivating to make his return and will get to do it. But Baumann's earned his keep. CB Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt): A versatile defender not named Thilo Kehrer, Koch has stuck around the national team setup without ever really making his mark."
Germany suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Slovakia before recovering with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland, leaving qualification concerns despite past World Cup ambitions. Key absences such as Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz opened chances for others to impress. Oliver Baumann has emerged as the likely starter in goal and performed as a sharp veteran shot-stopper. Robin Koch provided a reliable, if unspectacular, presence at center-back. Joshua Kimmich returned to midfield and remains a central metronome despite reduced influence. Nadiem Amiri injected life from the bench and made a decisive impact in the second game.
Read at Bavarian Football Works
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