Re: Ze German Thread

[VivaStPauli]

I'm quite pleased with our CB selection atm, I'm honestly fine with whoever out of Hummels, Höwedes, Badstuber, Boateng, Mertesacker plays, as long as they compliment each other.

What would've been funny, though, would have been playing Arne Friedrich and Boateng as the two CBs, if Friedrich hadn't gotten injured and never quite recovered. Two CBs that could outrun 9 out of 10 strikers out there would just be mean.

[Valkyrja]

GK: Neuer, Adler, ter Stegen
DEF: Lahm, Beck, Badstuber, Hummels, Boateng, Howedes, Schmelzer
MID: Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Khedira, Kroos, Gotze, Reus, L. Bender, Holtby
ATT: Muller, Gomez, Klose, Schurrle, Podolski

-------------------Neuer-------------------
---Lahm---Badstuber--Howedes--Schmelzer--
------------Schweini--Khedira---------------
--Muller------------Ozil----------------Gotze--
------------------Gomez------------------------

[VivaStPauli]

No Podolski :vagi:

I like your Höwedes love, though, he's underrated.

[juventus101]

I think Germany should line up the usual way, but with a few small changes.

I would play like this:

--Neuer--
--Lahm-- --Badstuber-- --Hummels-- --Boateng--
--Schweinsteiger-- --Kroos--
--Muller-- --Ozil-- --Podolski--
--Klose--

Gomez may be the best out and out striker in the world today, but Kloses national team form is amazing and he has always performed. Howedes is an excellent defender and normally he would give Badstuber and Hummels a real fight for thst starting spot, but hes too inexperienced for the national team. Mertesacker too would fight for that starting spot, but hes been injured for so long we dont know howhed be. Khedira is great, but on Kroos' current form, its impossible to bench him, so Khedira gets sacrificed. Still, all of those guys obviously make the bench. The bench should look like this: Weidenfeller, Schmelzer, Howedes, Mertesacker, Contento, Khedira, S. Bender, Ballack, Reus, Gotze, Schurrle, Gomez. Ballacks chances of getting called up are slim but i still hope he gets one last hurrah, albeit in a sub role. Also, Sven Bender is in there because from what ive watched i prefer him to Lars, and plus i hate Leverkusen. Either of those guys could be replaced by Holtby or Kehl tho.

[rwo power]

Hm. Neither Roman Weidenfeller nor Michael Ballack will be called up, I'm pretty sure. Ballack and Löw had a severe falling out, and Löw never was a fan of Weidenfeller, but preferred calling up Tim Wiese (which I frankly never understood). I'd prefer Ron-Robert Zieler and Marc-André ter Stegen as 2nd and 3rd GK, but knowing Löw's usual choices, he'll more likely call up Wiese and Zieler.

[juventus101]

I think Wiese is a better choice for the national team at this point in time rather than Ter Stegen. Especially for a big tournament, i feel like the pressure would get to Ter Stegen, whereas Keepers like Wiese, Adler, and obviously Neuer are used to the pressure. Ter Stegen should start getting chances (still 2nd at best to Neuer obviously) for thr national team during friendlies after the Euro ends. If it was my choice though, id say Rensing should be 2nd choice. Didnt deal with the pressure at Bayern so well, but at least knoss what it feels like to be under pressure and has matured alot since then into one of the best keepers in the Bundesliga. Not to mention im a Juve and Koln fan, but anyone thats watched Koln since they signed Rensing knows tat he has developed into a top class goalie.

[rwo power]

*nod* I agree Rensing has matured a lot. Pity he messed up a bit in the last match of Köln, but no one can expected to be 100% error free.

My little problem with Wiese is that I see him as a kind of bad luck charm. I know it wasn't due to him, but whenever Wiese played, the German NT never won (3 losses, 3 draws). So I'd rather have someone else there.

And why not nominate ter Stegen as Nr.3? It is very unlikely that he will play then (even the Nr.2 will likely not play), but he could get a whiff of big competition air nonetheless and train with the NT.

[VivaStPauli]

I think Löw will mostly line up the way Juve posted it anyway, provided that Klose gets fit and Mertesacker doesn't.

If Mertesacker is fit, he probably starts over Hummels, and if Klose takes too long to recover, Gomez starts.

Also, Reus and Götze have been praised by Löw recently, I think if either of Podolski or Müller screws up, one of those two is in.

Considering Löws previous statements, he'll probably play Lahm at LB, and Boateng at RB.

I'm also in favor of ter Stegen, and I have actually come to want Badstuber to start after the past two seasons of him being awesome.

[rwo power]

Provisional Euro 2012 squad (needs to be cut down to 23 still)

GK: Manuel Neuer (26 years, Bayern München), Tim Wiese (30, Werder Bremen), Marc-André ter Stegen (20, Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ron-Robert Zieler (23, Hannover 96)

Defense: Holger Badstuber (23), Philipp Lahm (28), Jerome Boateng (23, all Bayern München), Marcel Schmelzer (24), Mats Hummels (23, both Borussia Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (27, FC Arsenal), Benedikt Höwedes (24, Schalke 04)

Midfield: Bastian Schweinsteiger (27), Toni Kroos (22), Thomas Müller (22, all Bayern München), André Schürrle (21), Lars Bender (23, both Bayer Leverkusen), Sami Khedira (25), Mesut Özil (23, both Real Madrid), Marco Reus (22, Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sven Bender (23), Ilkay Gündogan (21), Mario Götze (19, all Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (18, Schalke 04), Lukas Podolski (26, 1.FC Köln)

Attack: Mario Gomez (26, Bayern München), Miroslav Klose (33, Lazio Rom), Cacau (31, VfB Stuttgart)

Source: http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/em/startseite/568637/artikel_loew-zaubert-draxler-aus-dem-hut.html

[dostoevsky]

I have a personal preference for Kießling over Cacau and pethaps Rolfes might have provided a bit of experience given Ballack's continued absence, however apart from Draxler who will almost certainly be cut it's what I'd have expected.

[Mr Nick09]

4 out: Zieler, Gundogan, Draxler, Schurrle?

[rwo power]

Hm. Zieler or ter Stegen. Maybe even Wiese, as the GK coach said "Neuer is the Nr.1, the rest have to fight it out for the ticket."

[Babun]

Schürrle has to be in the squad. He is the only attacking sub who could change a game. Germany's game in attack is very mobile it isn't suited for Götze on the wings.
We don't need 4 GKs. 2 are enough. I'd take Ter Stegen. Sven Bender, Reus and Draxler are obsolete. Reus isn't ready.

[rwo power]

Well, it is an UEFA requirement that three GKs have to belong to the 23 player squad, so only one of them will stay home. Personally I'd take Manuel Neuer, Marc-André ter Stegen and Ron-Robert Zieler along.

[VivaStPauli]

No huge surprises in there. Cacau was sure to be nominated after he scored off the bench the last time he played for the NT.

I'm pleasantly surprised that Träsch and Aogo are out, I'm just a bit worried that Löw, going by those nominations, seems to be intent to play a CB as a FB, since I don't see him starting Schmelzer.

Everything else looks great, and Löw said one thing, which made me more optimistic: he said he preferred Cacau over Kießling because he sees Kießling as more of a counter-attack oriented player and he expects to have to break down amassed defenses, and I'm really glad Löw seems to be thinking about that, and preparing for it.

Because I have honest worries that, in our "group of death", all our opponents will just try to hold us to a draw and slug it out amongst each other, that way we could well end up with, like, 3 points out of 3 matches, and two of the others going through with 4 points, for example.

So the argument for Cacau was that he is supposedly "better in tight" spaces - who cares? Gomez and Klose are playing anyway, Cacau is only coming on if one of those gets injured, or as a meaningless sub.

And I expect our goals to come from the flanks anyway :p

[VivaStPauli]

Also, I'd take (out of those already nominated):

GKs: Neuer, ter Stegen, Zieler
Defenders: Lahm, Schmelzer, Hummels, Goodstuber, GOATeng, Höwedes (I expect Mertesacker to not be matchfit in time TBH)
Midfielders: Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Khedira, Özil, Götze, Podolski, Müller, Schürrle, Bender, Bender, Reus, Draxler
Strikers: Klose, Gomez

Out:
* Wiese, because f*ck Wiese
* Mertesacker - I love him, but he's just been injured and the others are just as good, and younger. Wouldn't be mad if he started along Goodstuber, Boateng or Hummels, though, I guess that would send Höwedes packing, who is too good to stay home. Weird. Maybe really play a CB at FB and send Schmelzer home, he's easily the worst from that list, and even he is good.
* Gündogan - he's just redundant. Plays the same position as either Piggy/Kroos, or Özil/Kroos/Götze - there's just no need. Not that he's bad, but what for? (Yeah I know, following that argument one Bender would be enough as well, shut up, the double-bender must happen!)
* Cacau - No need for him. He's just as much of a support striker as Schürrle, Müller, and Podolski are, who are counted as midfielders for some reason. Leave Helmut at home, if both of Klose and Gomez really happen to get injured, play Schürrle there, if he can't, play Müller and have Götze cover the right wing.

[Schweinaldo06]

Would love to see this starting 11. Klose still has better movement and passing than Gomez and fits this team better.

........................Neuer
Howedes......Badstuber...Hummels.....Lahm
......................Schweinsteiger
................Kroos...............Goetze
Ozil.............................................Reus
........................Klose

[VivaStPauli]

I agree on the Klose bit, but I wouldn't miss the firepower of Podolski and Müller in the NT, and neither would I like to miss out on Özil in a central role... However, I like the creativity that lineup would offer.

Would love to see it tried in a qualifier or friendly, but more along the lines of
-------------------- Neuer
Höwedes --- Badstuber - Hummels ---- Lahm
-------------- Schweinsteiger
Götze --------------- Özil -------------- Kroos
------------------------- Reus
------------------- Klose

Seein as that Reus has played as a deep attacker at BMG, and Kroos was brilliant on the left wing at Neverkusen, this could really work and would have an incredibly creative midfield, with good ball retention skills.

The pressing and overall defense would suffer big time, though.

[McAgger]

I'm hoping both Bender brothers get picked

The four I would personally cut from the group would be one of the keepers obviously (Tim Wiese or Zieler), Ilkay Gundogan, Julian Draxler (way too young, he'll get his chance next Euro's and WC), and Cacau.

I think Low would do something similar but maybe cut one of the Bender's and take Cacau. I really don't think Germany needs another ST, Podolski, Muller, Schurrle, and Reus can all play the ST role as well.

[VivaStPauli]

Well I like Draxler, that's why I kept him in, but TBH he won't get any playing time anyway.

Podolski and Müller will start on the wings, if either of them get subbed off, Götze, Schürrle, and Reus are the obvious choices to get subbed on, maybe even Kroos. Draxler would be so far down the pecking order, he'd onyl get playing time if something horrible happened.
That being said, I do rate the kid. I like his style, can't quite put my finger on what I like about him, I guess he just seems determined. Everything that he does seems like it has some kind of purpose. Doesn't always work of course, but he's a player that's good 1on1, yet doesn't needlessly seek 1on1 situations. That's rare. Even Messi dribbles too often IMHO.

[Schweinaldo06]

Podolski and Müller will start on the wings,

You think so? While I love both players, I honestly think that if Germany want to achieve their full potential, it will be with Goetze and Reus on the pitch.

Schweini, Kroos, Ozil, Goetze and Reus would be a supremely boss midfield.

[Sushi Master]

You lose like half your balls dropping Müller, and your soul dropping Podolski.

Putting out the best 11 available isn't necessarily the best choice. You lose a lot of balance by taking out certain guys. Müller's workrate and offball movement is second to none, plus the physicality of Podolski is always good, as well as his rocket shots for closed games. IMO, I don't like midget filled squads. If you have big, technically skilled guys then have the best of both worlds and use them.

Schweinsteiger ain't a DM. That midfield would fail under counter attacks or against fast, physical sides. Unless you play like Spain or something (please god no:vagi:) I don't see it having any sort of balance.

Another point is that those guys have never played together. The chemistry would be killed, another thing guys seem to forget when building teams.

[ioilersrock448]

Out: Wiese, Gundogan, Draxler, Reus

Wiese has been uncapable of winnig a match for the NT. Gundogan was impressive in the 2nd half however he was far too inconsistent to be relied upon. Draxler still doesn't have much experience and I doubt he gets the nod. Reus is out because it would be cruel to bring 1 Bender twin to Euros and not the other.

I hope we look like:
Neuer
Lahm-Badstuber-Boateng/Mertesacker-Schmelzer
Piggy-Kroos
Goetze-Oezil-Schürrle
Klose

I still believe a fit Per Mertesacker is our best centre back option.

[VivaStPauli]

I'd keep Reus in, rather kick out Cacau, Reus can play that position and he has, what almost no other German forward has: the perfect cool in front of goal.

The little f*cker finishes like an Italian. Almost never misses sitters, sure, there might be other players who got more skill, better positioning etc, but if Reus gets to the ball in a favorable position, he will score.

[VivaStPauli]

BTW I'm still torn about the back four. I want one of Goodstuber or Hummels because of their playmaking, both would probably redundant. And I'm not sure of playing Mertesacker with either of them, rather have a quick partner, like Boateng or Höwedes...

[rwo power]

BTW I'm still torn about the back four. I want one of Goodstuber or Hummels because of their playmaking, both would probably redundant. And I'm not sure of playing Mertesacker with either of them, rather have a quick partner, like Boateng or Höwedes...

Well, normally it would be most sensible to use the Badstuber-Boateng CB partnership as they play together at Bayern, but that leaves the RB side to Höwedes alone. Or Lahm goes there and Schmelzer tries his luck as LB... Hm. Why can't we clone Alaba and give that clone German citizenship?

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