Germany took on Switzerland in their opening international friendly and came out the winners. It was a spirited game and remained friendly only on paper. The 3-4 result in favor of Germany was a fair result with the better side going home with the victory. While the Swiss are ranked 8 places below the Germans, they have been a notoriously difficult opponent to beat. The last victory for Germany against them was way back in 2008.
Since the turn of the century, these two opponents have faced each other 9 times (Transfermarkt). During this period, Germany has won four games, lost once and drawn four times against Switzerland. Three of those victories coming before 2010 shows how much of a wall the Swiss have turned into. Germany’s big drop off since winning the World Cup in 2014 has also contributed to the lackluster record. Meanwhile, the squad revamp under Julian Nagelsmann continues to remain a work in progress. The defense and midfield are in tatters and need bolstering as the World Cup is hardly months away.
The game tonight was a reflection of the severe lacking in cohesion and clarity. The attack was productive but often relied on player quality more than tactics. The midfield cannot work without a player who lock down his position and be a pivoting point for the rest of the players. This is something Nagelsmann needs to look into.
