Timo Werner is the first choice for Hansi Flick in the center of attack. The criticism of the Leipzig return does not change that. The coach of the national team assigned his number 9 to the World Cup.
Frankfurt/Main – After the third failed attempt, Timo Werner shuffled immediately with his head hanging. Missed once, straddled twice. That’s an unsatisfying scoring record for the striker in the training of the national football team in Frankfurt.
Werner freed himself at high speed and then missed the goal. What many critics of the number 9 of Germany can provide arguments, Hansi Flick may not worry too much.
The national coach believes in the qualities of his top striker – even if it is for the lack of options. “He always creates chances in front of the goal. He knows how to free himself,” Flick said ahead of Friday’s Nations League game (8.45 pm / ZDF) in Leipzig against Hungary.
Flick warns: “Players must ensure World Cup form”
Lip Sik. That should be a magical word for Werner when he returns from Chelsea to his former club RB in August ahead of the Bundesliga second leg. Finally left the frustration and sadness behind as a supplementary player in London, especially with the view of the World Cup in Qatar. That is the hope. The change approved by Flick has not yet paid off for the 26-year-old Werner. A goal in six games in a club shirt is not satisfactory for the striker.
Lip Sik. In his last international match at his home stadium, Werner – still a satisfied Chelsea professional – scored twice in a 3-1 win over Ukraine. Back then, like now with Hungary, it was a Nations League game.
Everyone – not just Werner – must ensure World Cup form at the club in the coming weeks, Flick warned. The personal assignment of the national coach to Werner is: “It will be good for him and for us to improve the performance in the final in the week leading to the World Cup.” Werner has not yet scored a goal in the World Cup or European Championship.
DFB-Elf lacks a classic striker
The national team coach has to deal with the fact that classic strikers like Poland’s Robert Lewandowski or England’s Harry Kane are not available in Germany at the moment. Flaws that Bayern’s professional Joshua Kimmich does not want to overestimate. “We have 9 people in Timo. We have Kai (Havertz), who is still playing in the front line in his club, and we have another striker in Lukas (Nmecha). We have many chances,” said the Bayern professional.
which makes Flick calm. The numbers speak for Werner. He scored eight goals in eleven games in the last 13 months as the national coach. More than anyone. In total, Werner has 24 goals in 53 appearances in the DFB jersey, which is a very good number. 20 of those hits came in competitive games – that is, when it mattered.
In 2017, Werner’s star rose internationally. When he won the Confederations Cup in Russia, he won the Golden Boot as the best striker. The rightful successor to DFB and World Cup record holder Miroslav Klose seems to have been found. But in the big tournament, Werner is still zero. No goals for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. No EM goals last year in Munich and London. That will change in Qatar.