First friendly of the year: Italy v. Germany 3/1/06 [multiple R's]

[Bayerntone]

In the previous match against Holland, Didi didn't play too well and for only 45 minutes. He is better with Liverpool but not a regular.

Also this from Ballack:

"Nothing worked," said the FC Bayern München midfielder. "We weren't aggressive enough, we quickly went 2-0 down and after that Italy could just play their own game. It's a step backwards. Now we will have to work very hard to make sure we are ready in time for the World Cup."

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/WorldCup/news/Kind=1/newsId=400175.html

[Bayerntone]

From what I saw, the match was determined after 10-15 minutes of play.

The boys were a bit loss of concentration or in a state of fright or both. It also appeared from their play, they have another match in mind.

[balla_basti]

I disagree. I think Klinsi should change his formation if he wants to play the aggresive attacking direct style of play that he wants.

I think Klinsi should revert to a 3-5-2 to avoid disaster at the World Cup.

No way can he play a 4-4-2 with such attacking wing backs and such slow center halves and a player who is NOT a DM.

maybe like this:

------------Kahn
-----Merte--Metze--DF
Arne/Frings--------------Lahm
------------Kehl/Borowoski
----------------Borowski/Deisler
---------Ballack
---Klose--------Podolski


a much more compact team and that would conceede far less goals that what they usually do. And its not going to be too hard to revert to such a format.

Positives from yesterday's match was that despite being outplayed by a rampant Italy (and that is just barely saying it) we still managed to create a lot of good opportunities and we could have scored atleast one more goal. 2 goals against any Italia side is great.

["Eisenfuß" Eilts]

Positives from yesterday's match was that despite being outplayed by a rampant Italy (and that is just barely saying it) we still managed to create a lot of good opportunities and we could have scored atleast one more goal. 2 goals against any Italia side is great.

As Bayerntone said, the match was decided after 15 minutes,
then Italy didn´t show they full potential anymore,
otherwise we hadn´t got these chances imo.

[snoooop]

it was.. PEINLICH !

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Bayerntone]

All other teams in Group A lost yesterday:

Iran vs Costa Rica 3-2
US vs Poland 1-0
Holland vs Ecuador 1-0
and Germany suffered the heaviest defeat to a stronge team.

I hope the Team Germany can gain momentum, confidence, playing better and better as the group matches progress on - a similar repeat of WM2002 when prospect of the national team was just as bleak.

As the host nation, Germany in this world cup will surely have an edge over the situation of 2002.

[Herr Wolf]

What a humbling loss for a great soccer nation. I didn't watch the game, I will watch it on Saturday, GOL TV is going to replay it. I hear you guys say that Germany looked as if they were nervous or scared of Italy,I can't understand why? we need to get back the mentality of not being afraid of anyone. The German teams of the past almost had a cocky self assurance in themselves, which I loved. Someone said that losing to Italy is worse than losing to England, are you kidding? the English fans give us no respect, their still bitter about the war. England and Brazil should be considered our footballing enemies. By the way I wasn't impressed with England yesterday, I think Germany could beat them, which would shut them up. A 2-0 or 2-1 result I could have handled, this is an embarrsment to German Football.

[ForeverRed]

All this talk of 3-5-2 next time around but you know Klinsman won't use it....

[Bayerntone]

What a humbling loss for a great soccer nation. I didn't watch the game, I will watch it on Saturday, GOL TV is going to replay it. I hear you guys say that Germany looked as if they were nervous or scared of Italy,I can't understand why? we need to get back the mentality of not being afraid of anyone. The German teams of the past almost had a cocky self assurance in themselves, which I loved. Someone said that losing to Italy is worse than losing to England, are you kidding? the English fans give us no respect, their still bitter about the war. England and Brazil should be considered our footballing enemies. By the way I wasn't impressed with England yesterday, I think Germany could beat them, which would shut them up. A 2-0 or 2-1 result I could have handled, this is an embarrsment to German Football.

What's wrong? Where have all the legends gone and no succession? Where have all those greats gone with whom only the Brazillians can match? Germany, a sleeping giant of soccer nation, time to wake up or NEVER!

[prymetyme]

I completely agree, this should be a hit to Germanys pride. There one of the best footballing nations ever, and this is UNEXCEPTABLE. They need to figure themselves out, Klinsi should let all the supporters into the dressing rooms to tell the players how they feel if things dont get better.

[prymetyme]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=360364&cc=5739

[footyfan1]

What's wrong? Where have all the legends gone and no succession? Where have all those greats gone with whom only the Brazillians can match? Germany, a sleeping giant of soccer nation, time to wake up or NEVER!


You don't seem to like my opinions, but I'll try again here.

I don't think Germany has lost "talent". I feel what Germany has lost is "attitude". I feel the great German teams of the past were never the most talented teams in the world.

However, the German teams of old were RUTHLESS!!!

They continually out-worked, out-hustled and imposed their will on opponents.

I think today's German players are missing that attitude. I think today's German players are soft. They think others will be afraid of them because they are the mighty "Adler". I don't think some of them realize people stopped being afraid of them long ago.

I think the only ones on the team who still possess that ruthless trait are Lehmann and Kahn.

I think if Germany's players find some pride and toughness they will be hard to beat. But as long as they go out there and play with no attitude, I feel they will continue to get spanked by the world's other major footballing nations........ :( :(

[arthur d]

You don't seem to like my opinions, but I'll try again here.

I don't think Germany has lost "talent". I feel what Germany has lost is "attitude". I feel the great German teams of the past were never the most talented teams in the world.

However, the German teams of old were RUTHLESS!!!

They continually out-worked, out-hustled and imposed their will on opponents.

I think today's German players are missing that attitude. I think today's German players are soft. They think others will be afraid of them because they are the mighty "Adler". I don't think some of them realize people stopped being afraid of them long ago.

I think the only ones on the team who still possess that ruthless trait are Lehmann and Kahn.

I think if Germany's players find some pride and toughness they will be hard to beat. But as long as they go out there and play with no attitude, I feel they will continue to get spanked by the world's other major footballing nations........ :( :(

When I think of a tough German team that went further than more talented opponents, the team from 1982 comes to mind. Is that what you mean? Or which other German teams do you have in mind?

Here's the squad from 1982:

Allofs Thomas Sturm 0 0
Breitner Paul Mittelfeld 7 1
Briegel Hans-Peter Abwehr 7 0
Dremmler Wolfgang Abwehr 7 0
Engels Stefan Mittelfeld 0 0
Fischer Klaus Sturm 6 2
Förster Karlheinz Abwehr 7 0
Förster Bernd Abwehr 4 0
Franke Bernd Torwart 0 0
Hannes Wilfried Abwehr 0 0
Hieronymus Holger Abwehr 0 0
Hrubesch Horst Sturm 5 1
Immel Eike Torwart 0 0
Kaltz Manfred Abwehr 7 0
Littbarski Pierre Mittelfeld 7 2
Magath Felix Mittelfeld 4 0
Matthäus Lothar Mittelfeld 2 0
Müller Hans Mittelfeld 2 0
Reinders Uwe Sturm 3 1
Rummenigge Karl-Heinz Sturm 7 5
Schuhmacher Harald "Toni" Torwart 7 0
Stielike Ulrich Abwehr 7 0

I'm afraid there's far more talent in this squad than we have today. So it's not just about attitude, although that also plays a role.

[liverbird04]

how can someone like hamman not be up to it when you have bloody huth in your defence ,at least get better players before you criticse the older ones.

[Wotan]

The past German teams were ruthless & had attitude & toughness----because...they were...................."GERMAN"!!!! I know what i say is NOT "Politically correct"----but--are they any people out there who agree with me? I'm NOT being "racist"...but----too many "non Germans"----ESPECIALLY NON EUROPEANS!! Asamoah is NOT "German"! I don't care what his passport says! Neither is OMO.....! Sorry if i offended anyone---that was NOT my intent! I'm just speaking a cold-hard fact!

[Wotan]

The past German teams were ruthless & had attitude & toughness----because...they were...................."GERMAN"!!!!(Kohler, Effenberg, Ramelow) I know what i say is NOT "Politically correct"----but--are they any people out there who agree with me? I'm NOT being "racist"...but----too many "non Germans"----ESPECIALLY NON EUROPEANS on the team.-
Asamoah is NOT "German"! I don't care what his passport says! Neither is OMO.....! Sorry if i offended anyone---that was NOT my intent! I'm just speaking a cold-hard fact! Hope i get some decent responses.

[arthur d]

The past German teams were ruthless & had attitude & toughness----because...they were...................."GERMAN"!!!! I know what i say is NOT "Politically correct"----but--are they any people out there who agree with me? I'm NOT being "racist"...but----too many "non Germans"----ESPECIALLY NON EUROPEANS!! Asamoah is NOT "German"! I don't care what his passport says! Neither is OMO.....! Sorry if i offended anyone---that was NOT my intent! I'm just speaking a cold-hard fact!

Well, it's good to know that you are not racist. I was worried there for a second.

[Dead Fingers]

The past German teams were ruthless & had attitude & toughness----because...they were...................."GERMAN"!!!! I know what i say is NOT "Politically correct"----but--are they any people out there who agree with me? I'm NOT being "racist"...but----too many "non Germans"----ESPECIALLY NON EUROPEANS!! Asamoah is NOT "German"! I don't care what his passport says! Neither is OMO.....! Sorry if i offended anyone---that was NOT my intent! I'm just speaking a cold-hard fact!

wotan...He is German and you are treading very thin water

[arthur d]

wotan...He is German and you are treading very thin water

Yes very very thin. I prefer to picture him as one of these funny types of fish that flap around in the mud. We call them Schlammspringer in German, don't know the English name.

[footyfan1]

Yes very very thin. I prefer to picture him as one of these funny types of fish that flap around in the mud. We call them Schlammspringer in German, don't know the English name.


"Racist"