Germans abroad: Weekend Round-up
Performance analysis and player ratings: Just Werner, Rüdiger, Havertz, Gündogan, and a few others started this week, with the rest of the abroad legion playing very few minutes.
| Thilo Kehrer and Timo Werner. | Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Timo Werner
Everton 1-0 Chelsea
•65 minutes
•Could not break Everton's defense
•Player Rating: 6.3
The striker from Stuttgart did not enjoy his best game. Everton's intensity and compact defense made it difficult for the striker to find chances to be threatening.
Played in the front two with Havertz, although he moved a lot more to the left.
Werner did find success from time to time when dropping a bit to the midfield to rebound and help the build-up, but could not do more than that.
He was not able to attack the spaces, as Everton were sitting deep, and could not find a crack within the set defense.
Substituted for Ziyech.
Kai Havertz
Everton 1-0 Chelsea
•90 minutes
•Very closely marked, especially by Mina
•Did not have any real clear cut chances
•Player Rating: 6.4
Paired up front once again with Werner, Havertz suffered and looked uncomfortable the whole match, as did his team.
Havertz moved throughout the final third, looking for spaces to create opportunities, but he was very well handled by Everton's defensive scheme.
Whenever Havertz moved to the center and tried to come down to receive the ball, the nearest defender followed him and did not allow the German to turn around.
Usually, this defender would be Yerry Mina, with whom Havertz would have little scuffles during the match. The German international actually ended up being booked fighting Mina.
The forward was not very prolific with the ball and wasn't being able to make a difference, neither with his dribbling nor with his passes; the only time he had some time to receive the ball with relative ease was when he moved down one of the wings.
He did almost assist Mount with a great skill, controlling a cross with his chest and heading the ball towards his teammate, who hit the post with his shot.
Antonio Rüdiger
Everton 1-0 Chelsea
•90 minutes
•Solid with the ball and closing the spaces
•Hard duel with Richarlison
•Player Rating: 6.3
The soon to be Real Madrid player played with the same tone as his team, being a little inaccurate with his long passes and losing some duels, especially against Richarlison.
The defender was very solid on the ball and with his short passes, although he was not able to break the defensive lines with through balls to the midfielders or forwards.
The German was booked early in the 17th minute for a bad-timed tackle against Coleman, which was unnecessary and avoidable.
He almost tied the game after a corner, but he was denied by a very brave and also very lucky block from Pickford.
Pascal Groß
Wolves 0-3 Brighton
•1 minute
•Player rating: N/A
Ilkay Gündogan
Leeds 0-4 Manchester City
•90 Minutes
•played a solid game in the double 6 with Rodri
•Player Rating: 7.5
Pep Guardiola decided to rest some players for the crucial Champions League game against Madrid despite the pressure to win against Jesse March's team.
Gündogan performed very well with Rodri by his side in the double 6 in the 4-2-3-1 formation City displayed.
Playing on his usual left side of the central midfield, Gündogan organized his team's game with and without the ball.
His prolific knowledge of the game allowed him to read Leeds' pressing well. City were very uncomfortable during the first half and weren't able to find spaces in the pockets, having problems at times to get the ball to the German or to Rodri.
The ex-BVB player read this well, moving to the center to offer that first passing option when Rodri dropped between the center-backs, he distributed the ball very well when in possession.
Gündogan got forward as when he plays at the interior of the 4-3-3 once the ball went past through Leeds's defensive midfield line; if the attack did not progress, he would return to the base to organize the attack once again.
Robin Koch
Leeds 0-4 Manchester City
•90 minutes
•Could not do much to stop the goals
•Player Rating 6.3
Koch occupied the center spot in the 5 man defense set by Marsch. He did well to cover Gabriel Jesus or any of City's forwards that went through his area, not allowing them to turn at times.
He also gave a good hand with his staggering to avoid City's overloads and dribbles from the wings through the middle.
He produced good passes and was able to break the lines a couple of times, but he was not a very strong or determined defensive presence.
La Liga
Marc-André Ter Stegen
Barcelona 1-0 Mallorca
•90 minutes
•0 guilt in Mallorca's goal
•Rating 6.5
Ter Stegen had a very easy night except for the goal. He was his usual self with the ball and just had to make one save.
The goal came after a very good free-kick cross that the defense was not able to clear. With the ball reaching the middle of the area being too far for Ter Stegen to go for it, Raillo shot it into the net leaving the German keeper little more to do.
Toni Kroos
Real Madrid 4-0 Espanol
•30 minutes
•Champions of La Liga
•Rating: 6.4
Toni Kroos secured another championship with Real Madrid, playing 30 minutes in a game where Carlo Ancelotti mixed up the squad thinking about City's visit.
The great Kroos played in the holding midfield position again, showing once more it is not the position that suits him best, at least not without a more physical player by his side or with the team pressing higher.
He entered the game with Madrid already 3-0 up, lost a ball inside his own box that almost ends up in goal; aside from that not much relevant.
Ligue 1
Kevin Volland
Monaco 2-0 Angers
•Great form this second half of the season
•Another assist
•Player Rating: 7.7
The German forward keeps being incredibly decisive for Monaco, assisting Wissam Ben-Yedder once more and performing very well.
It is clear he has to push the play forward as much as possible, trying to link up with Ben Yedder and the wingers.
His assist came after a great counter attack from Monaco directed by Golovin, who passed the ball to Volland for him to assist the French striker.
Volland keeps making arguments to have a shot at the list for Die Mannschaft's Nations League matches in June.
Alexander Nübel
Monaco 2-0 Angers
•90 minutes
•5 saves
•Player Rating 7.8.
The keeper responded perfectly when required, making five saves and keeping his team's sheet clean.
Good level by the ex-Schalke goalkeeper.
Ismail Jakobs
Monaco 2-0
•45 minutes
•Starting to gain more confidence and playing time as a left midfielder
•Player Rating: 7.0
The young left-back keeps gaining confidence and impressing Phillip Clement with his performances as a midfielder.
The 21-year-old proved once more that he could be an offensive factor with his constant runs down the wing, linking up well with his teammates as well.
He almost assisted Ben Yedder after some great combination play down the left side, but the shot was stopped by the keeper.
Jerome Boateng
Marseille 0-3 Lyon
•69 minutes
•Good performance but slow in some duels
•Player Rating 6.5
Boateng started in a super intense match visiting the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. The ex-Bayern defender performed well, although he keeps making little mistakes.
He was slow at some duels and covering the spaces. Having to fight against a very physical striker in Milik, the German performed OK, but it is noticeable that he hasn't played a full game since February.
Thilo Kehrer
•Entered in the 89th minute for Hakimi
•Player Rating: N/A
Serie A
Koray Günter
Cagliari 1-2 Verona
•25 minutes
•Great in the aerial duels
•Player Rating: 6.6
After his poor performances the past two games, the centre-back was benched for the game against Cagliari.
He came on just after Cagliari shortened the 2 goal difference, giving his side defensive strength and being a powerful asset in the aerial game.
Nadiem Amiri
Sampdoria 1-0 Genoa
•56 minutes
•Great intensity
•Player Rating 6.7
Amiri enjoyed his first Derby della Lanterna visiting Sampdoria.
The creative midfielder acted more down the left-wing, playing with his usual intensity being very good on the pressing while trying to make a difference on the offensive side.
He played well during the time he was on the pitch, trying to produce combinations and shooting once.
His team is practically relegated to the Serie B.
Abdelhamid Sabiri
•Goal
•88 Minutes
•Player rating: 7.8
The forward, who played as a winger, was the best on his team.
The German scored after entering the box as a pure 9, surprising the defense and hitting the ball into the net after a cross down the left side.
Sabiri also made himself strong in the aerial game, allowing Sampdoria to win second balls and having a solid scape route for Genoa's pressing.
Diego Demme
Napoli 6-1 Sassuolo
•25 minutes
•Entered with the game 5-0
•Player Rating 6.2
Entered with the game more than finished, little relevance except for the good amount of minutes played.
Eredivisie
Phillip Max
PSV 4-2 Willem 2
•90 minutes
•Assist
•Player Rating: 7.8
The left-back assisted Doan for the first goal after overlapping Gakpo and getting to the end line before crossing the ball.
He continued to make great runs, either sticking to the line or attacking the half-spaces; Willem's second goal came after a shot from the player he was marking, but the success of the play was more down to a good effort from the goalscorer than his defending.
