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The big chance given is the start of a difficult half for Timo Werner (l.)
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ODD ANDERSEN / AFP
Serge Gnabry replied rather reluctantly: "We don't have to rekindle this issue," said the Bayern attacker after the effortless but unspectacular 4-0 victory of the DFB-Elf against Iceland.
Gnabry was asked about the striker situation and whether the national team even needed a classic center forward because of the many flexible offensive players.
Gnabry has many arguments on his side.
The new start under national coach Hansi Flick has succeeded, three to zero victories in seven days is a strong result.
Twelve goals were scored, two against Liechtenstein at the mixed start, six against Armenia in an exciting game and four in Reykjavík.
Twelve goals - other nations would like to have striker problems like this.
And yet the discussions about the ideal cast will not fall silent in the attack.
This is primarily due to the opponents.
Games against Armenia and Iceland are part of the qualification phases, but those who want to develop further with a view to the World Cup in the coming year and position themselves closer to the top of the world need different indicators.
The same goes for the strikers, defender Jon Gudni Fjóluson does not have the level of Giorgio Chiellini.
Werner lacks the determination Flick demands
Despite the dozen goals, a number of major opportunities remained unused.
"We have to improve our resolve in front of the goal," Flick said after the win in Iceland.
He avoided mentioning Timo Werner by name.
But it was precisely this third game in the rebuilding that made Werner's deficits clear.
At the beginning of the second half, the Chelsea striker, standing free, shoved a low shot into the ready-to-catch arms of Icelandic goalkeeper Hannes Thór Halldórsson. A little later, the keeper was long beaten, only Werner did not hit Lukas Klostermann's cross pass properly and shot well over the goal. Even with his goal to make it 4-0, the determination Flick warned was lacking, Halldórsson directed the durable shot to the post, from where it tumbled over the line.
Werner scored a goal in each of the three games.
That's an excellent record for a striker.
So why not just follow Gnabry's request?
Leave out the topic and name the positive things?
In four weeks the next international matches against Romania (October 8th) and North Macedonia (October 11th) are scheduled, then Werner will certainly be there again and can prove himself again.
At Chelsea, Lukaku stands in the way of Werner
It's not that easy.
The 25-year-old Werner is a sensitive professional, he performs at his best when he feels the trust of the coach and can also afford mistakes from time to time.
After great opportunities have been missed, he begins to brood, then even simple things fail and Werner gets into a mental downward spiral.
At Chelsea, he will hardly have a chance to regain confidence in his own strength in the coming weeks and months. After the transfer of Romelu Lukaku, Werner is only a substitute striker and coach Thomas Tuchel also values other professionals more strongly in other positions. Werner finds himself in a vicious circle from which it is currently difficult to imagine a way out. Flick will therefore take a closer look at how much match practice his preferred striker will arrive in October.
Werner himself had identified the burden of the Löw years as the reason for the sluggish start at the beginning of the international match week.
"Jamal doesn't worry as much as those who have been with us for a long time, he just plays straight away, with fun and easy going," Werner said about 18-year-old Jamal Musiala, who had prepared his goal against Liechtenstein.
"We can learn a bit from his youthful ease." Against Iceland, however, it seemed as if Werner had not yet found his ease again.
"Trust in your own strength is important"
In Reykjavík, Flick said a general sentence that can be applied to Werner: "Confidence in your own strength is important." Löw's successor is willing to go through with Werner for as long as possible. Because there is no alternative, that is not new either. Kai Havertz can play center forward, very well, but the national coach sees him a little withdrawn. That also applies to Marco Reus, Thomas Müller and Gnabry, all of them have played at the very front, all of them prefer different roles.
With Karim Adeyemi, a young player comes to the fore who already indicated his potential with the goal against Armenia.
But the U21 European champion is a similar type of striker as Werner, and he also needs time.
Adeyemi will play as a regular in the Champions League for the first time with Salzburg, the burden will be much higher.
The striker discussion in Germany will therefore not be about who will take on the role of the breaker who will keep his head clean on high crosses.
Flick doesn't have such a player at his disposal.
In this respect Gnabry is not wrong.
And yet the debate will continue.
Werner hopes to be the solution.