Could Niclas Füllkrug Be The Answer?

Among German players, Werder Bremen striker Niclas Füllkrug currently leads the Bundesliga in goalscoring with five goals in seven games. Only Union Berlin forward Sheraldo Becker has scored more goals in the league this season than the 29-year-old Werder forward.

A typical no.9, Füllkrug is one of the few center-forwards in German football able to translate his prolific 2. Bundesliga goalscoring form—the striker managed 19 goals and eight assists in 33 games for Werder last season—into Bundesliga success. That, in turn, has ignited a debate in Germany on whether Hansi Flick could nominate Füllkrug for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

Flick has recently deployed Timo Werner and Kai Havertz in the no.9 role with mixed results. While Werner missed two big chances against England on Monday, Havertz scored twice, including the critical equalizer.

Both, however, are not specialized no.9, a breaker or target man with a physical presence. “You can’t always blame Timo for everything,” Flick said. “The big question is: do we have a central striker? Timo has high quality. He tried again and again against Hungary.”

Due to COVID-19, nations can nominate up to 26 players to their World Cup squad this November and December. Flick has made it clear that he will use the additional three spots available and might very well use one or two spots for specialized players.

It would, therefore, not be a massive surprise if Füllkrug is nominated this fall if he continues his good form for Werder in the Bundesliga. The 29-year-old, after all, not just ranks second in league scoring but is also fourth in the Bundesliga with an xG of 4.05, which is just slightly below his current production, suggesting that Füllkrug could hold his current goalscoring pace.

There are some caveats to Füllkrug’s numbers, however. Two of his five goals have come from the penalty spot. Plus, Füllkrug only ranks 18th with his 25 touches inside the box among Bundesliga players; not an outstanding number if Flick is looking for a typical box player.

In fact, in that regard, Füllkrug’s teammate Marvin Ducksch stands out. The 28-year-old leads the league with 42 touches inside the box and, with 68.18% shots on target, is also the most effective shooter in the league.

Those stats are meaningless, however, if you do not score and Ducksch is yet to score in seven Bundesliga games this season. It is, therefore, the momentum that is clearly on Füllkrug’s side at the moment. Furthermore, at 189cm, Füllkrug fulfills the physical requirements Flick is looking for in a central striker.

Does that mean Füllkrug will be on the plane in Qatar? That will depend on whether the Werder star can keep up his scoring numbers throughout October. Füllkrug will also have to improve his presence in the box and be less reliant on penalty goals. If he can do all this, then the momentum will remain on his side, opening the door to an unlikely World Cup participation.

Manuel Veth is the host of the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Podcast and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth