Ivory Coast, the German national team’s next opponent at the World Cup, has several fast attacking players, especially Leipzig’s Yan Diomande. Joshua Kimmich demands that you “always be wide awake,” otherwise “it can get unpleasant in the race.”
Julian Nagelsmann was surprised by Curacao. On the one hand, the World Cup newcomer played in midfield with a diamond that had long since gone out of fashion, and on the other hand, he attacked the German team much earlier than the national coach had expected.
After the drinking break and a few adjustments, the problems were solved, Germany won 7-1 at the start, and everyone was quick to point out that the next two games would be significantly more difficult.
Diomande as a winger with the most ball contacts
On Saturday the game in Toronto is against Ivory Coast, which also won its first game and impressed 1-0 against Ecuador. One player stood out who is well known in Germany. 19-year-old Yan Diomande plays in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig.
He had 80 touches on the ball against Ecuador, the most of his team. Given his position on the right or left wing, this is very remarkable.
“His start-stop dribbling is exceptional. The way he accelerates, then slows down and accelerates again at a blistering pace is a bit like Kingsley Coman,” DFB captain Joshua Kimmich compared the Ivorian with his former teammate at FC Bayern. Coman’s top speed in the Bundesliga was measured at 35.9 kilometers per hour.
Top speed 36.3 kilometers per hour
Diomande was even faster last season at 36.3. “Those are D trains” said Antonio Rüdiger on Wednesday at the German team’s press conference in Winston Salem. He was referring to striker Nicolas Pepé (FC Villarreal) and Amad Diallo (Manchester United) one who came on as a substitute for Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Touré in the 56th minute and recommended himself for the starting eleven with a strong performance.
“Control counter-attackers”
The residual defense is always an issue, said Kimmich, but the Ivory Coast’s counter-attackers in particular have to “controlled” become: “They’re playing spectacularly on offense.“
Residual defense usually refers to the players who, when in possession of the ball, are closer to their own goal than the ball.
Rüdiger specified on Wednesday how the Ivorian sprinters should be controlled. “I assume that we will have a lot of possession of the ball. This is precisely why it is important to position yourself correctly when it comes to residual defense“, said the central defender, who will initially be back on the bench.
The DFB selection will lose the ball, that’s “quite normal” said Rüdiger, “But if we are well positioned, we can win the ball further up the field and attack again straight away“.
Lack of speed for Kimmich
The plan behind this is counter-pressing, which can be very effective, but poses a high risk if the opponent can outplay it and play a through ball to a striker.
Kimmich has a clear deficit in top speed compared to Diomande with 33.1 kilometers per hour, unlike left defender Nathaniel Brown (35.8).
Although the Leipzig player usually plays on the right, he switched to the left after Amad Diallo was substituted.
The German full-backs usually move into the center when they have the ball. This creates spaces on the wings that could be targeted during counterattacks. Better there than in the center is Nagelsmann’s motto.
“It can be unpleasant in the race”
It will be important for his team that the full-backs are not isolated in duels with the fast attacking players from the Ivory Coast. The correct positioning of the central defenders and central midfielders Aleksandar Pavlović and Felix Nmecha is also important.
Kimmich said: “We must always be wide awake. If you have to defend the space behind you at 50 or 60 meters and are not wide awake in your head, the race can become unpleasant.”