Germany 5-1 Scotland Review

Euro 2024/Group A/Round 1

MOTM: Jamal Musiala

Jamal Musiala was brilliant at dribbling through the central spaces, pulling in Scotland midfielders and finding the free man. A hesitant style that forces defenders to commit and double up on him.

Other standout performances include: Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan and Kai Havertz

Notable Stats:

• The first match in European Championship history to see a red card, a penalty scored and an own goal scored.

• Toni Kroos completed 99% of his passes against Scotland (101/102) the highest completion rate on record, since 1980, by any player to attempt 100+ passes in a game at the Euros.

• Scotland conceded five goals in a match for the first time in a competitive match since November 2003, a Euro qualifier against Netherlands (0-6).

• Germany are the first side ever to have two players aged 21 or younger score for them in the same match at the Euros, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.

Match Stats: Germany 5-1 Scotland

• xG: 2.04 - 0.02

• xThreat: 2.08 - 0.37

• Possession: 72.7% - 27.8%

• Field Tilt: 89.5% - 10.5%

• High Turnovers: 8 - 1

• PPDA: 5.7 - 19.2

• Penalty Box Shots: 9 - 1

• 10+ Pass Sequences: 35 - 5

How Did Germany Win?

Here is the starting eleven from Germany and it’s exactly the same as I’ve mentioned in my Euro 2024 preview. Nagelsmann has crafted a set 11 for this tournament over the last few months of friendlies. Playing this starting eleven in three of their last four matches prior to the tournament, which included impressive wins over France (0-2) and Netherlands (2-1).

These are all the International caps Mittelstadt has for Germany, he was brought into the squad by Nagelsmann and fits the specific role his LB needs to play. Providing the width and being intelligent with his positioning to open up the central space. He’s had an excellent season with Stuttgart, under Sebastian Hoeneß, who made it into the Champions League this season.

Toni Kroos was given all the time in the world against Scotland on the ball, a key piece in this Germany team and one that Nagelsmann had to convince to return.

Here are the two starting lineups alongside one another. Scotland set up in a 5-4-1 out of possession and in possession Germany had set up with a 3-1-6 of sorts depending on the full back positioning. The problems should become quite obvious when you look at this as Germany would have time on the ball at the back to buildup. If the Scotland wing-backs track the German full-backs out wide then that leaves 4v3 heading into the box.

For the first goal it all starts with Kroos having the time on the ball to pick out Kimmich out wide, who Robertson left open for the switch and tracks the runners into the box.

Wirtz making a run across the box, picking up the cutback by Kimmich and opening the tournament with his goal.

Scotland did switch to a 5-3-2 which put more pressure on the German defenders so Germany focused on pulling the Scotland wing-backs up and using their width as a decoy of sorts. Musiala and Wirtz running into the space they left. Opening up the middle.

Ilkay Gundogan was in excellent in this game, won’t be the first name for praise given how well Jamal Musiala performed but his intelligent movement brings it all together. For the second goal he receives the pass from Kroos between the lines on the half turn.

Drives forward and picks out this pass to Kai Havertz, splitting the Scotland defense, who then passes back inside to Musiala as he moves across the box to score.

Fulkrug is worth a mention not only for a fantastic finish, after Gundogan making a run into the box, but also for the options he provides Germany. Off the bench you have a striker to dominate physically in the box, hold up the ball and finish chances in the penalty box. A focal point and a target for headers. Havertz was fantastic in the match timing his runs with Gundogan so there was always one dropping deep and one arriving into the box.

You look across the bench to see Thomas Muller capable of scoring late goals with his ability to find space in the final third. Leroy Sane who can be a dynamic 1v1 option out wide and driving into the middle. Not the best performance by him against Scotland and they’ll need him to be sharper. Pascal Gross and Emre Can the two other midfield options for Nagelsmann.

Scotland Were Poor

Whilst there is plenty of reasons to be excited about this Germany team, there is also areas to expose against the better sides which I’ll point out below. There is also the fact this performance was against Scotland. Next up is two teams in Hungry and Switzerland that won’t be as easy to beat.

Not to mention how poor Scotland were last night. Not aggressive enough in their press and unable to get a grasp on what Germany was doing in the final third. You could see the idea behind picking up Musiala, Havertz and Wirtz with their three central defenders but Gundogan joined them in making runs into the box. They each took turns to go in behind and drop into the pockets.

Scotland had too much space between their defensive and midfield lines that Germany exposed time and time again through Gundogan, Musiala and Wirtz. Without CBs that are aggressive enough to close off that space. You had nobody capable of pushing up alongside Adams to win second balls, it’s no surprise they struggled to create any chances.

Kroos would drop into the left channel in the back three to get all the time in the world on the ball. Scotland couldn’t figure out how to press him and when they shifted from a 5-4-1 to a 5-3-2 to put more pressure on the German back line during the buildup, Andrich would rotate with Kroos to keep him free.

Exposing Germany?

Going through the group stages I don’t think you’ll see this Germany team exposed but once we reach the knockout stages it will be one area to watch. Do they make adjustments on the pitch or through personal changes. Kroos is defending the left channel which the likes of Saka (England), Lamine Yamal (Spain), Frimpong (Netherlands), Pedro Neto (Portugal) and Dembele (France) would thrive in.

There is also the other side, getting into the space behind Kimmich may be a target for opposition in the knockout rounds. The impressive 0-2 win by Germany against France earlier this year (23/03/2024) saw this same eleven handle Kylian Mbappe trying to get in-behind Kimmich so it’s not like teams haven’t tried this and Nagelsmann will be aware of it. Plenty of reasons to be excited about Germany but let’s see if he makes those tweaks in the knockouts and how they do against the better sides.

Looking back at a recent match that Germany struggled in was against Greece when they went down 0-1 at half time. The problems for Germany came in the press by Greece with their 4-4-2. Keeping it very narrow, using the two strikers on the CBs and trapping Germany out wide. Closing off passes to the defensive midfielder. Against Scotland by comparison, both full backs for Germany had back passes on to Kroos/Rudiger and it was never closed off. They had the time and space out wide to keep their shape.

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