Jürgen Klopp has once again sprung a surprise with his Germany squad for the upcoming internationals against Serbia and the Netherlands. With youngsters such as Wael Mohya, Said El Mala, Finn Jeltsch and Lennart Karl, the national team coach is consistently pushing ahead with rejuvenating the side. The call-up for Gladbach’s Mohya, in particular, nevertheless came as a surprise.
For Florian Schmidt-Sommerfeld, this approach takes things too far, at least when it comes to experimenting with youth. He would have preferred to see Karim Adeyemi in the Germany squad instead. “We’re really going to miss that pace,” Schmidt-Sommerfeld stressed on TIPICO’s ‘Die Ansage’, asking: “Who in our squad has Adeyemi’s pace?”
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A look at the world’s best teams shows why: almost all the top nations pose problems opponents simply cannot solve with their relentless transition play and exceptional top speed. Outstanding players such as Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal often make the difference in decisive moments through precisely those qualities.
ADVERTISEMENT: Will Germany miss Adeyemi’s pace? On TIPICO’s “Die Ansage”, Frank Buschmann and Florian Schmidt-Sommerfeld discuss whether Jürgen Klopp should have called up the Barça star! Watch the video to hear their views:
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However, the FC Barcelona winger lacks the consistency needed to compete with the game’s biggest stars over the long term. He is not an undisputed starter for the Catalan club, and he often lacks composure in front of goal. Because as valuable as his pace is, its impact is wasted if he squanders chances as he did in the last Nations League match in the Netherlands.
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A lot has happened since then, and his rivals within the squad have made a strong case for themselves. Chief among them is Gladbach’s Mohya, who also possesses tremendous pace but is absent from the squad for Serbia. Brajan Gruda, Said El Mala and Derry Scherhant also appear to be ahead of the 24-year-old in Klopp’s pecking order at present.
Above all, shortcomings in tracking back are likely to have cost him his place in the 24-man squad. Against Greece, he was simply too slow to switch to defending after possession was lost, according to Roman Weidenfeller. “And Jürgen Klopp really doesn’t like that,” he said on Sky’s “Triple – Der Hagedorn-Fußballtalk”. His omission could therefore be a “little wake-up call”.
His speed should, in fact, be an ideal asset for quick transitions. The problem is that some of his potential goes untapped when he reacts too late defensively. His rivals seem to be doing a better job of that.
The consequences have been swift: instead of threatening the opposition goal in a Germany shirt, the Barça player will have to wait his turn for now. The upcoming matches will show whether Germany lack the necessary threat in behind and proven top speed against Serbia and the Netherlands. One thing is certain: if Adeyemi continues to rely solely on his natural pace and neglects his defensive duties, the national team will move on without him. His young rivals are already waiting in the wings, ready to overtake him for good.
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What do you think? Will Germany miss Adeyemi? Share your opinion in the comments.
This article is produced in collaboration with TIPICO’s ‘Die Ansage’.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.