My friends tend to describe me as being quite anglophile. What’s that? To keep it short and understandable, I would explain it as someone from outside the United Kingdom who love everything British. In my case that probably come from me staying in England to study for some time, drinking liters of tea, the island being my #1 holiday destination since I was a little child and my love for a certain club in London.
Anyway, I was waiting to watch Germany taking on a British team for ages. I do not mean that I wanted to watch it at home on the TV – no, I wanted to be at the stadium. This dream had never come true until a week ago. Although I would have preferred the Lionesses at the new stadium in Essen because in my eyes that would be a better test prior to this summer’s Euros, I was pretty excited to go there. Finally a team from my favourite island. Finally! But to be completely honest, I did not know that many of their players. I know a very few of them: Kim Little (Arsenal Ladies), Jenny Beattie (Arsenal Ladies), Lisa Evans (Turbine Potsdam) and Emma Mitchell (was: SGS Essen, now: Arsenal Ladies). I know they are great individual players – especially Little is highly skilled – but individuals do not make a good team. A great team takes more than that.
So I drove to Essen last Saturday expecting a goal fest à la Germany vs Kazakhstan – well, not really, I knew it would not finish 17-0 to the Germans. I arrived at the stadium some hours before kick-off and the sun was shining, not for long though because it was raining cats and dogs shortly after. But when the match kicked off the weather was perfectly fine again. Perfect to watch a good match of football without freezing your arse off.
I do not want to write too much about the match itself because I think there are many sources where you can do so, however, I would quite like to give you all my views on it.
First of all, I would like to state that I was surprised by Anna Signeul’s Scottish side – positively surprised. They were defensively really solid, one could say that the girls around Beattie were the Hadrian’s Wall keeping the German offensive force away from their goal. I was quite impressed how long it took da Mbabi and Co to break the deadlock. By preventing the early goal, the Scots showed their defensive strength that can definitely now be denied by anyone.
However, they lacked some offensive sharpness to get through the German backrow. Their game in midfield was alright.. I mean, it is always lovely to watch Kim Little play – she definitely is the Pirlo, the engine of the side, the best player Scotland has ever seen. To be honest, I would not mind having her in the German Frauenbundesliga. Little really os one of those players that really make the game beautiful with her skills.
The third player I want to mention is Turbine’s Lisa Evans. I already knew she was fast, but her pace is incredible. It is like she was made to play on the flanks.
Nevertheless, all of them were not able to upset the reigning European champions. The only few times they could get dangerous was with standards near the goal. We all know that Germany tends to have some weak moments when it comes to defending them and Kim Little scores regular stunners from just outside the box in the FA WSL. Except of those few chances German captain Nadine Angerer had rarely something to do between the posts. At times I felt like going onto the pitch and play a game of cards with her so she does not get too bored.
About Germany: They played not their best match and still have some space to improve. That is quite understandable though with all the injuries. I am really excited now, what the Euros will have on offer for us. Another trophy…maybe???
