Pre-WC Group D First XI

----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------ Schwarzer -----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Ivanovic --------- Vidic --------- Neill ---_------ Lahm --------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Podolski -------- Asamoah-------- Essien ----- Schweinsteiger ---
------------------------------- Appiah -------------------------------
-------------------------------- Klose -------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Substitutes:
GK: Stojkovic, Adler,
DF: Inkoom, John Mensah, Lukovic
MF: Stankovic, Ozil, Annan, Muntari
ST: Cahill, Zigic, Podolski

Nice one. I think I almost fully agree on the line-up. I added some players to the bench, as for the first 11 I fully agree except for Michael Ballack who I have been watching at Chelsea (my favourite team) and he has been extremely poor... week after week I pray for him to be a substitute, so sorry, but he won't be in my team... I would replace him with either Stankovic or Asamoah with no specific preference. I'll put in Asamoah... cuz well... I'm biased

I'll also give Appiah the benefit of the doubt as he's been having a real career rollercoaster, but if in form he would start in any of the four teams.

Right back position would have to be Ivanovic, but I believe Inkoom could compete... But Inkoom is just too young and inexperienced, so he should substitute Ivanovic.

What is apparent in this group is the amount of great midfielders, but lack of top class strikers. I mean Cahill, Podolski, Zigic, Klose or Gomez are good and effective, but they hardly come to mind in the context of 'great football players'.

And there is no Krasic, second Champions League goalscorer and probably Serbia best player atm.

Krasic could make the bench but with the quality in midfield in this group it would be hard to fit him on the field.

I just noticed I have Podolski twice, so I'll put Krasic and Podolski on the bench and place Ozil in place of Podolski on the field.

Starting Eleven

GK SCHWARZER, Mark (Australia)
RB IVANOVIC, Branislav (Serbia)
RCB MERTESACKER, Per (Germany)
LCB VIDIC, Nemanja (Serbia)
LB LAHM, Philipp (Germany)
DM FRINGS, Torsten (Germany)
DM ESSIEN, Michael (Ghana)
AM STANKOVIC, Dejan (Serbia)
RWG ÖZIL, Mesut (Germany)
LWG PODOLSKI, Lukas (Germany)
ST KLOSE, Miroslav (Germany)

------------------------------ Schwarzer ------------------------------
---- Ivanovic ------- Mertesacker ------- Vidic --------------- Lahm ----
----------------------- Frings ---------- Essien ------------------------
-------- Özil ------------------ Stankovic -------------- Podolski -------
--------------------------------- Klose --------------------------------

Bench

GK ADLER, René (Germany)
GK NEUER, Manuel (Germany)
CB NEILL, Lucas (Australia)
CB WESTERMANN, Heiko (Germany)
LB SCHÄFER, Marcel (Germany)
DM MUNTARI, Sulley (Ghana)
DM ROLFES, Simon (Germany)
CM BALLACK, Michael (Germany)
SM SCHWEINSTEIGER, Bastian (Germany)
WG KRASIC, Milos (Serbia)
ST GÓMEZ, Mario (Germany)
ST KIESSLING, Stefan (Germany)

I'd take the whole german team + Vidic and Essien

**********************Schwarzer***************************



**Ivanovic************Vidic********Neill*****************Lahm**


******************Muntari********Essien*********************


**Krasic******************************************K Asamoah


****************Klose*************Podolski*****************


Bench

FW: Zigic, Gomez, Kiessling
MF: Stankovic, Cahill, Ozil, Appiah
DF: Subotic, Mertesacker, Dragutinovic

G: Adler

---------------------------Neuer------------------------------

-------Ivanovic--------Metzelder------Vidic-------Lahm--------

------------------------Essien--------------------------------

-----------Muntari-------------------Cahill--------------------

-----------------------Ballack---------------------------------

------------Klose----------------Podolski----------------------

---------------------------Adler-------------------------------

Ivanovic--------------Mertesacker-----Vidic------------------Lahm

---------------------Ballack--------------Essien

Özil----------------------------------------------------------Schweinsteiger

-------------------Podolski------------Klose---------------------------

-----------------Schwarzer-----------------

--Ivanović----Vidić----Mertesacker----Lahm--

Schweinsteiger---Ballack---Essien---Stanković

---------------Cahill-----Klose---------------

Bench: Neuer, Adler; Pantsil, Friedrich, Metzelder, Dragutinović; Hitzlsperger, Muntari, Bresciano, Trochowski; Podolski, Kewell.

good one

---------------------------Adler-------------------------------

Ivanovic--------------Mertesacker----------Vidic------------------Lahm

---------------------Ballack--------------Essien

Schweinsteiger----------------------------------------------Marin

------------------------------------Özil----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------Klose---------------------------

He's clearly one of the most talented youngbloods in the world and he's U21 Euro Champion. He collected tons of scorer points in the first round of this Bundesliga season and Löw changed his prefered system only because he could use Özil as playmaker, seen in the important qualifier vs Russia.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=479Ga8aS4ls"]YouTube- Mesut Özil - Super Talent[/ame]

First... are you really surprised about Frings?, I think he's a clear option to be in the starting eleven, one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, tireless defending, impeccable being positioned and excellent distribuition, I think he's an obvious option along with Essien.

Meanwhile, I think Özil is probably the attacking midfielder with the best current performance from all the possible options, you can watch him playing in Werder Bremen in a great level and excellent multifunctionality.

Actually, I'm pretty sure he never played during these last qualifyings, always were Hitzlsperger or Rolfes. I think you're right about the most of the German fans, what I'm definitely disagree. I used to watch Werder Bremen matches (especially for the peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro) and seems me Frings is still in a great level and frequently one of the best of his team. I think he's being underrating right now in Germany in spite I'm agree Rolfes is in a very good level also.

I think Özil is making much more in the top level right now playing for Werder Bremen than Appiah playing for Bologna. I feel is clearly over him as an option currently.

Ozil is great and I have him in my squad, but Appiah has had a dire last year with no club (a situation he put himself in). Bologna was a last resort thing. Still there is no doubt in my mind that I would prefer Appiah. And like I said - its not who you play for that matters, but how you play. And Appiah is tremendous in midfield and I am appauled how he almost managed to selfdestruct his career.

I think Appiah is always injured and hasn't been in form for sometime to really consider at the moment. He actually did not even make the Ghana squad for the nations cup due to injury.

---------------Schwarzer----------------

Inkoom-------Vidic-----Ivanovic----Lahm

------Ballack----Essien----Muntari-------

Schweinsteiger----Klose------Podolski----

GK: Adler
RB: Ivanovic
CB's: Vidic & Mertesacker
LB: Lahm

RW: Krasic
CM's: Essien & Ballack
LW: Oezil

ST's: Klose & Podolski

-----------------Schwarzer-------------------

Ivanovic------Vidic------Mertesacker----Lahm

------------Ballack--------Essien-------------

Schweinsteiger-------Özil------------Podolski

-------------------Klose--------------------

Adler, Neuer and Wiese are all better than Schwarzer. In my opinion there is no doubt about that.

Also, which to me seems quite surprising, is that people still seem to rate Klose and Podolski very high. Of course, due to their performances in their past, they are considered to be very good strikers. But currently Germany has at least as strong strikers with Gomez, Kiessling and maybe even Helmes.

-----------------------adler

ivanovic-------vidic-----------neill------lahm



------------------Essien---------------------




Krasic-----------Stankovic------------Ozil



----------Cahill------------Klose-----------

So last year when Schwarzer was statistically the best keeper in the EPL means nothing.No coincidence that Fulham had a brilliant year while Middlesborough got relegated after he switched clubs
Plenty of great keepers in Germany,we all know that but if your so blinded that no Australians qualify for your team then I guess Germany will beat Australia 10-0

Not