Germany – England

Germany and England will be forced to open up in the second half

Germany take on England at home on Tuesday, 7 June. Both teams have made a poor start to the new campaign in the Nations League. The Germans only managed to snatch a draw against Italy. The English team suffered a sensational defeat in Hungary. Gareth Southgate's side are increasingly questioned by the public. England, who have one of the highest quality and depth squads in Europe, play in a pragmatic style. But in terms of attack, the situation worsens with every game. In Hungary, the visitors made four shots on target. The English side somehow regained some momentum after conceding a goal. Before that, there had been one shot on target in 60 minutes. Southgate traditionally minimise risk, but there is no back-up plan in case of force majeure. Such was the case in Hungary when a controversial penalty was awarded to England. Germany are showing a good dynamic under Hansi Flicka. The match against Italy was rather an exception. It's very likely that Germany were relaxed by their opponents' experimental line-up. The Italians fielded a second line-up and played bravely. The Germans even had to salvage a draw. With it the team extended their unbeaten streak. Germany, in contrast to England, tends to act in an attacking manner. The squads are roughly equal in terms of general skill level, but the football is dramatically different. The bookmakers are rightly identifying Germany as the slight favourite. England are clearly going through a difficult time. The players' faith in Southgate is fading, there have been no glorious victories for a long time, and the attacking talents are tormented by defensive schemes. At the same time, the Germans are unlikely to press too high. One of Southgate's main trump cards is quick counter-attacks. The English traditionally have many players with a high starting and spacing speed. The first half promises a relatively cautious start. The English will give the ball to the Germans and keep a close eye on their opponents. It is logical to expect goals after the half-time break. Nobody wants to draw in the current tournament situation. Both teams would like to fight for first place. A peaceful outcome gives the advantage to the Italians. The English, despite the coach's precepts, should play a bit more offensively, at least in the second half. The Germans are not going to be cautious at home with a draw. We should expect a cautious first half and open football in the second half. The teams played each other a year ago. England won 2-0. Both goals were scored in the second half.