Levi Rothermund
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has pointed to Eddie Howe and his tactical setup at Newcastle as the primary reason for Nick Woltemade‘s recent dip in performance. The 24-year-old attacker started the campaign in strong form but has failed to find the net in the Premier League since a 2-2 draw against Chelsea in December.
Despite the goal drought, Nagelsmann selected the forward for the Germany squad ahead of international friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana. Speaking with Kicker, the national team coach defended the player’s character while questioning his deployment in England.
“He’s a perfectly pleasant individual with a great sense of humor. He possesses great character. He’s always in a good mood during our calm conversations. He hasn’t had an easy time with Newcastle. He’s stepped up to do a good job for us. His time with us will help him.”
The tactical friction stems from how Newcastle utilizes Woltemade in their system. Nagelsmann suggested that constant rotation and deep defensive responsibilities are stifling the German’s output. Woltemade often finds himself operating in areas typically reserved for a number six, leaving him too far from the opposition box to exert influence.
Nagelsmann argued that Woltemade lacks the 36 km/hr top speed required to be a threat from 80 meters out on the counter. He indicated that expecting a 20-goal season is unrealistic given the current restrictions placed on the player at the club level.
“They don’t have a striker that always plays. Eddie Howe is constantly rotating his strikers. I would be more concerned if Newcastle had three strikers that always played. In my opinion, he’s been playing deep very often and if he’s defending as deep as a six, there’s fewer opportunities for him to score. I can promise you that, with us, he won’t be 80 meters away from goal. He’ll be 30 meters away from goal with us, where he can be dangerous.”
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