At 1.77 meters, Joshua Kimmich is not as imposing as, for example, Paul Pogba with his 1.91 meters. But he can make a lot of impression on the enemy if he puts on the grim look as soon as he goes into battle in a state of high tension. Kimmich’s aggressive encouragement to the teammates, his angry goal and victory cheers have traits of doggedness that borders on obsession, he has long been known for it beyond the borders. Most recently, he mocked the Brazilian bon vivant Neymar for this after the departure of FC Bayern against Paris St Germain. With his caricature, the Brazilian took revenge on this mercilessly ambitious German, who even at the moment of greatest joy looks as if he is about to start a fight.
Of course, the malicious pantomime also expressed respect for a feared opponent. If Neymar received pictures from Munich at home in Brazil on Tuesday, he should have been amazed at this admirably crazy man from Bayern. Where was the high voltage that normally makes Kimmich glow? Where was he, the German monsieur 1000 volts?
Kimmich was often seen in a large shot during the game against France, in the second half he staged a few advances on the right side and hit crosses in large numbers, according to the national coach he – like Robin Gosens on the left – “did an incredible amount on the offensive “. But if the appearance from close-up in the stadium was not deceptive, then all the doing was honorable, but nothing more than a duty to fulfill the role expectation. The radical conviction typical of Kimmich was missing, he followed the instructions to play on the right side, behind which a certain reluctance shone through. Occasionally, contrary to all the manners associated with him, he would slump his shoulders when he properly attended his marginal post.
Kimmich did not comment later about his transfer to the right wing, he only made a general diagnosis against the indulgent tenor prevailing in the team. It was strikingly clear: “The bottom line was that it wasn’t enough because we were too harmless up front,” he said. After consoling phrases, the frustrated Munich man was not in the mood, instead he put a general criticism in the room, which anyone – including the national coach – felt addressed: “We missed taking the risk completely and even more on that Press 1: 1. “
The idea behind Löw’s tactical intervention was of course seductive.
The silence about one’s own situation is like the perception of the right to refuse to testify. Kimmich sees his place in the center, as is well known, he made the unwanted move to the outside track without any noticeable grumbling. The national coach tried to get the impression that the measure had been adopted in a joint dialogue, but in reality it regulated the formula of the good soldier. “Jo,” says Joachim Löw, “plays where it is best for the team.” Whether that was the case in the game against France cannot only be doubted because Kimmich had lost his bearings in the scene that led to the own goal and had moved too far into the middle. The German team got lost without him and a man who forced decisive moments.
The idea behind Löw’s tactical intervention in the role structure was of course seductive. Pushing Kimmich to the line would make way for a center with the duet Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündogan, although not swiftly upward, but with a dexterous ball. Ultimately, this was also a compromise solution to accommodate the best footballers. Ultimately, however, none of those involved became happy. In an effort to find a down-to-earth interpretation of his position, Kroos had to regularly move into hand-to-hand combat; he performed a task that spoke against his nature.
While France is playing from an order that on Tuesday seemed so practiced and established as if it had already existed in the Napoleonic era, Joachim Löw is still on an extremely complicated search for the best possible statics. He could have ordered the fast Lukas Klostermann to the right on Tuesday and rearranged midfield and offensive on a different scale (with only two attackers, for example), but the formation has apparently been in place for a week at the latest – since the 7-1 against Latvia – firmly. But Löw will not be able to avoid reforms if he tinkers with the team against Portugal, because the conditions have now changed. It is no longer enough to put defensive stability in the foreground, as he had proclaimed against France.
The midfield duo actually seeded was called Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka a few weeks ago. His injury in the final stages of the league set a chain of considerations in motion, with partial to holistic significance. Now Goretzka, evidently sufficiently recovered, is about to return to the squad. On Saturday against Portugal he could theoretically play right from the start, says the national coach, then Löw’s constellation puzzle may only really start. From everything is different until everything stays the same, every solution is conceivable. However, this is a perspective that seems more unsettling than stimulating at the moment.
– .
