German handball players practice self-criticism at the World Cup: “The Danes would have rolled over us”

National coach Alfred Gislason praised his goalkeeper (“outstanding game”), but otherwise had a few things to criticize about his team’s performance. During the game he was extremely upset about the many missed throws and technical errors, as well as the way he retreated from attack to defense. “That was far from what we hoped for,” said the Icelander.

Gislason’s team was only able to take control of both World Cup games late on

Left winger Mertens had also observed how the Swiss were able to turn in the opposite direction after a German attack and move towards the goal with little resistance. Defense experts like Johannes Golla and Julian Köster, who otherwise form a globally respected inner block duo, also lacked stability at times. Switzerland scored a lot of easy goals and was still leading in the second half.

“We have to sit down together and talk about the quick withdrawal,” demanded Mertens, before noting that it was probably a lucky coincidence that the German team was there that evening only played against Switzerland and not against one of the bigger opponents in world handball: “The Danes would have overwhelmed us.”

It is not easy to quantify what the Germans can do with their interim results at this World Cup. Two games, two wins, early entry into the main round – that sounds good. Secretly, some people probably thought that the team traveled to Denmark even more solid after the silver medal at the Olympics. And sometimes plays down games against smaller opponents in a relaxed manner. So far, the opposite has happened: In both World Cup games against Poland and Switzerland, the team started the game poorly, was behind and had no chance of gaining security through successful offensive actions in the opening minutes. Instead: lots of mistakes, uncertainty, close results.

Why is that? “I would also like to know,” said Mertens: “We have planned more than what we showed on the record today.” The last preliminary round game against the Czech Republic follows on Sunday (6 p.m., ARD). Afterwards, on Tuesday, world champion and Olympic champion Denmark will probably be waiting for the start of the main round.

In this condition it won’t be easy against the Danes. The German players clearly identify their failures and mistakes. In times like this, it also helps to remember that Gislason traveled to the World Cup with a still very young team. Who on good days can defeat big opponents, like at the Olympics, when first the Swedes, then the French and Spanish were defeated; who, on less good days, has to gnaw hard at her own problems. While the team overperformed at times at the Olympics, it is now showing the normal fluctuations of a young team.

Against Switzerland, Köster finally scored the easy goals from the backcourt

In both World Cup games, Gislason’s team managed to take control of the game late on. Against Switzerland, it was particularly middle man Juri Knorr, who hit the defense with a lot of effort and force, and Julian Köster, who scored most of his seven goals in the final phase. “It was only really good in the last quarter of an hour,” said Gislason. Köster found big gaps in the defense against the Swiss, who were getting more and more tired, which he exploited. “We finally had the goals from the backcourt,” said Gislason.

And Wolff? It wasn’t the first time that he saved his team a game with his saves, that’s what goalkeepers in handball are for. He gladly accepted the congratulations on his achievement; He just didn’t want to confirm that he was very annoyed with the people in front of him and the many holes in the defense. Wolff said he didn’t like “the air temperature in the hall” and he “slept badly.” Hence the bad mood. Clear.