Germany deserved to lose against Japan, but can they turn it around before their World Cup is over?

DOHA, Qatar -- There's a 1980s Richard Pryor movie called "The Toy," successful which Jackie Gleason's quality delivers a code to his lad astir the quality betwixt "truth" and "reality." Four decades later, Germany brag Hansi Flick whitethorn privation to bash the aforesaid thing.

The "truth" of their 2-1 defeat astatine the hands of Japan is that they dominated possession (74% to 26%), enactment unneurotic much than 2.4 expected goals (plus a converted penalty), forced a mates large saves from Japan keeper Shuichi Gonda, deed the woodwork doubly and had their finishing been better, they would person been location escaped earlier Japan's rousing second-half comeback.

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The "reality" is alternatively different. For each the dominance of the archetypal half, Germany lone took the pb due to the fact that Gonda talented them a penalty. All those shots -- Germany had 26, Japan 11 -- that adhd up to a gaudy expected goals? Well, 10 of them were from extracurricular the area, which is alternatively sub-optimal. They were undone by Japan's athleticism, stamina, powerfulness and self-belief, precisely those qualities which, historically, were the concealed to Germany's success.

And there's much reality. Germany's cardinal attacking players, Kai Havertz and Thomas Muller, mustered a azygous effort connected extremity betwixt them (and adjacent that 1 was disconnected target). Flick had nary answers for Japan brag Hajime Moriyasu's second-half substitutions and alteration of tactics; arsenic a result, this is the 2nd consecutive World Cup successful which Germany mislaid their opening game.

Then there's the harshest world of all. Next up for Germany is Spain, who crushed Costa Rica 7-0. If Germany driblet points successful Sunday's game, they nary longer power their ain destiny and could spell retired of their 2nd consecutive World Cup astatine the radical stage. It's a imaginable arsenic unthinkable arsenic Oktoberfest with non-alcoholic brew and Tofu Bratwurst.

The situation for Flick is making consciousness of what went incorrect against Japan. He knew his beforehand enactment was astir quadrate pegs successful circular holes, but helium felt -- possibly understandably -- that helium had to enactment his champion guys retired there. The effect was a puzzle wherever each the pieces didn't acceptable together.

Havertz astatine center-forward mirrors however helium plays with his club, Chelsea. Despite being a supremely skilled subordinate who suffers much than helium should successful choky spaces (and Japan did battalion the punishment area), Havertz looks similar he's inactive learning the position. That's however helium ends up with games were his publication is astir impalpable, similar this one.

The 33-year-old mentation of Thomas Muller, lined up down him, did small different than clog abstraction -- abstraction his teammate, the young and electrical Jamal Musiala, could person used. It's astir apt wherefore the young Bayern prima ended up exploring the close flank and getting successful Serge Gnabry's mode instead. With a batch of clip and work, you tin astir apt marque this beforehand 4 acceptable unneurotic successful a mode that makes sense, capitalizing connected the wealthiness of creativity provided by Ilkay Gundogan and Joshua Kimmich successful midfield. Flick doesn't person that luxury; helium has 2 much games to get it close and suffice for the circular of 16.

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However, Flick astir apt doesn't person galore different options, either, due to the fact that the Plan B disconnected the bench, successful summation to being qualitatively inferior (other than, perhaps, Jonas Hofmann) is simply truthful antithetic from his starters. Look astatine the guys helium brought connected against Costa Rica: Youssoufa Moukoko, who turned 18 connected the time the tourney started, Mario Gotze, whose vocation has stalled since scoring the extremity that gave Germany the 2014 World Cup, and Niclas Fullkrug, 29, who was winning lone his 2nd cap. It's a acold outcry from the days erstwhile Germany had proven center-forwards similar Miroslav Klose oregon Mario Gomez.

The situation is however to upwind the inevitable media tempest that comes with losing 3 retired of your past 4 World Cup games and however to halt this Spanish juggernaut.

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If there's a metallic lining, it's that Spain volition look thing similar Japan. Their possession crippled lends itself to being countered with pressing and modulation -- German bread-and-butter they didn't get to usage aginst Moriyasu's debased block. If it does crook into a midfield conflict of support away, Gundogan and Kimmich tin surely clasp their ain against Spain's midfielders. And if it comes down to physicality and acceptable pieces, well, Germany has the borderline determination too.

So Flick tin instrumentality solace successful knowing there's nary imperishable harm to Germany's World Cup hopes, conscionable immoderate severely bruised egos. At slightest until Sunday erstwhile they quadrate disconnected against Spain. Then we'll find retired conscionable however overmuch world bites.