German thread
German thread
Since no one's started this I thought I would. Better late than never.
I've just watched the game vs Croatia, who got things so damned right tactically. High energy and professional enough to close out the game despite Podolski's late goal.
However the German's were a huge disappointment. I think Loew's got in wrong in more than one position.
Metzelder and Mertesacker are not the partnership they were two years ago, partly I feel because of Christoph Metzelder's lack of game time at Real due to injury. They need to make a change here, but the options are limited. Freidrich is the obvious replacement because of his experience, but Heiko Westerman could be worth a look, despite only having a couple of caps. He's been solid since signing for Schalke, he's a big bugger too, a straight replacement for Mertesacker, I'd throw him in for Metzelder.
Otherwise, Lehmann's been a liability all year. Loew had a chance to drop him prior to the finals but didn't, and now has the unfortunate situation, of his own making, of having two back-up keepers with one cap between them. He wouldn't pick Timo Hildebrand for the squad, who admittedly was out of form at Valencia but no more than Lehmann at Arsenal, so he's got virtually no options. Dumb management.
And finally, Mario Gomez up front aint doing it right now. What to do? Replacing him in a straight swap for Kevin Kuranyi would be an obvious move, but with the form Podolski's in I'd stick him up front with Klose and Schweinsteiger wide left. At least I would have had he not got himself sent off. Another option might be to move Lahm into left half, replacing him with Hilzelspeger at left back, or even Hitzelspeger himself coming into left half.
This lack of depth upfront comes I think from an over-reliance on Oliver Neuville, who's way past it (35) and has been playing in the 2nd Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach. He also doesn't seem to rate Kuranyi. He's not alone in this, Klinsmann left him out of the WC 2006 squad, but surely he's a better bet than a misfiring Gomez and Neuville the pensioner.
Comments anyone?
All I can say is ha ha - good job - see Jens you are as sh*t as Arsene thought!
Arsene knows.
I have yet to watch this mornings game, I downloaded it today and will watch it this weekend but it is interesting their defensive setup. Lahm played at left back during the WC with Freidrich at RB even though Lahm is right footed, I am yet to see if Marcel Jansen is as good Freidrich, though I wasn't that impressed with Freidrich at the WC. So I suppose there is the option of switching Lahm to the left and putting Freidrich, even Fritz on the right.
I can't comment too much on the CB pairing as I haven't seen any of the other options playing, but they do lack pace and probably have to sit a little bit deeper against quicker opponents so cant compress the game as much as they maybe did in the WC. Schweinsteiger I suppose is suspended for the next match, but if he wasnt I would have stuck him on the left with Podolski up front with Klose. I am not that impressed with Fritz, his work rate and industry is good but lacks the class that Schneider brought to the team, I can only think of Odonkor coming in to give more pace but he seems one dimensional but supposedly has improved his overall game since being at Betis. Or they go with a narrow midfield with Borowski and Trochowski with the wingbacks giving width, like Brazil have in the past, a 4222/4132
Again for GK, the lack of Bundesliga (Non EPL football in general actually) coverage makes it hard to comment on the back up options.
Should be too good for Austria
I can't comment too much on the CB pairing as I haven't seen any of the other options playing, but they do lack pace and probably have to sit a little bit deeper against quicker opponents so cant compress the game as much as they maybe did in the WC. Schweinsteiger I suppose is suspended for the next match, but if he wasnt I would have stuck him on the left with Podolski up front with Klose. I am not that impressed with Fritz, his work rate and industry is good but lacks the class that Schneider brought to the team, I can only think of Odonkor coming in to give more pace but he seems one dimensional but supposedly has improved his overall game since being at Betis. Or they go with a narrow midfield with Borowski and Trochowski with the wingbacks giving width, like Brazil have in the past, a 4222/4132
Again for GK, the lack of Bundesliga (Non EPL football in general actually) coverage makes it hard to comment on the back up options.
Should be too good for Austria
Odonkor's never impressed me. He seems to promise but never deliver, reminds me a bit of the Dutch wingers in the 80s/90s Gaston Taument and Reggie Blinker. Fritz, like you've said, is a good water carrier but lacks class. He's a ten-a-penny midfielder that most countries, even NZ, have in abundance.
I get some of my "coverage" from reading match reports and I can only go on what I've read regarding the keeper situation. But i think anyone can see that Lehmann's just not up to it. He should never have conceded the Croatian second, you'll see that when you watch the game. Hildebrand should be there, no doubt. It's a 'keeper management cock-up that only the MacLaren/Carson situation can better.
In a nutshell, Germany are favourites for this comp, or they were before it started, probably now it's the Dutch, Spain or even Croatia. But I don't think the German's have the squad depth to win this.
Seeing as england aren't in it and cant thrash the krauts again, good to see Croatia sticking it to em :D
i forgot to write this yesterday but all you germans "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 2-1" hahaha it was a good game
Jansen was poor,he got done by Corluka.
and that guy "BULLION" Jansen started on the left then he came off at halftime and Lahm went to the left, even though he is right footed.If you watched the WorldCup06 you will remember he played at left back
Jansen was poor,he got done by Corluka.
and that guy "BULLION" Jansen started on the left then he came off at halftime and Lahm went to the left, even though he is right footed.If you watched the WorldCup06 you will remember he played at left back
i forgot to write this yesterday but all you germans "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 2-1" hahaha it was a good game
Jansen was poor,he got done by Corluka.
and that guy "BULLION" Jansen started on the left then he came off at halftime and Lahm went to the left, even though he is right footed.If you watched the WorldCup06 you will remember he played at left back[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Bullion]Lahm played at left back during the WC
Jansen was poor,he got done by Corluka.
and that guy "BULLION" Jansen started on the left then he came off at halftime and Lahm went to the left, even though he is right footed.If you watched the WorldCup06 you will remember he played at left back
[QUOTE=Bullion]Lahm played at left back during the WC
Onto the quarters and a cracking match against Portugal
Just watched some highlights from this mornings game, and what a miss by Gomez after some excellent work from Klose, miss of the tournament. It was also disappointing that Gomez didn't even go up for the header and try and knock in his shot. Next game I would like to see Gomez on the bench and either play Podolski up front with Klose and have Schweinsteiger on the left or Neuville up front, keeping Podolski on the left where he is playing pretty well so far.
I was very surprised when Mario Gomez started, I really thought Loew would have seen enough by now. I've got no doubt that Gomez will make the grade at international level - he's got all the raw ingredients - but right now he is pitifully out of form. Why Kuranyi hasn't had more game time I don't know. He should have got on instead of Neuville, and I dare say would have buried that late chance that Neuville spurned.
Yep, the miss was bad, awful, and then as you say he didn't attack the rebound with any conviction, which is what an inform striker would do without thinking twice.
I was kind of looking forward to seeing Gomez after hearing all the hype around him (I'd previously only seen him play against San Marino) but he's been by far the biggest disappointment of the tournament for me so far. I mean there are out-of-form players, everyone goes through that, but he's been abysmally bad. Not just that miss from this morning, but throughout the tournament, he's shown basically nothing. He's not in sync with Klose, is always either a step too early or too late, technically looks ordinary, doesn't seem overly strong in the air, and has no appreciable pace. Is he just woefully out of form and perhaps allowing the big stage to get the better of him, or did he simply enjoy a Kevin Phillips-esque one excellent season before being shown for an average player?
I don't know, but the sooner he hits the pine the better for Germany.el grapadura2008-06-17 15:34:51
I don't know, but the sooner he hits the pine the better for Germany.el grapadura2008-06-17 15:34:51
There was one moment this morning when a burst of pace and power took him onto a through ball and his left-foot shot was fairly comfortably fielded by Jurgen Macho. Just then he showed me at least that the material is there for him to be a lot better, he's just got no confidence whatsoever right now. I actually felt for him when he was subbed, the look on his face said it all. He should be benched for his own good and for the good of the team.
I only saw the highlights of the German game this morning (was watching Croatia v. Poland live) so didn't see that. But I saw the first two German games in the entirety and Gomez really disappointed me.
Do you think he's finding the hype and expectations too difficult to deal with?
Do you think he's finding the hype and expectations too difficult to deal with?
Yeah, could be. He's only young (22) and has scored 6 goals for the national side (at around one in two, the same as his club strike rate) so obviously he is able to do the business. But confidence or lack thereof affects everyone differently and it's rare to see a player so short of it getting a game at this level. I think Loew is doing him more harm than good at the momnet by continuing to pick him, especially with options like Kuranyi and moving Podolski up front available to him.
looking good for a semi-final berth, 2 goals in 4 minutes. goodbye portugal
3-2 well done to the germans, im hoping for a german-dutch final.
Best of both worlds, 5 goals, exciting finish. Apologies to my Portuguese mates, but that was a cracker.
Radio Sport. 9.15 onwards. Ger-Por. Brendan Telfer, unintentionally humourous, full of mistakes - yet smug - as always...talks NZ women football also...
www.radiosport.co.nz
yesterday's game = scorcher. Loved every mimnute of it. Up there with the Turkey v Czech game for entertainment.
Also, always good to see Ronaldo crying.