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

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Good time for Klinsi to start experimenting...I kinda want to see this type of lineup for the game (provided that Klose will come back from injury):

---------------Lehmann---------------

Friedrich----Merte-Huth----------Lahm

Frings----Ballack-----Borowski----Schweini

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

Thats right!! FLAT midfield! Definitely worth a try.

Discuss.

[scorpio81]

i actually think its time for klinsi to STO experimenting! :o
especially not against a strong team like italy...

i dunno about the flat midfield - i kinda like it - play to your strengths, i say... but i wouldnt put borowski in with ballack to start off... maybe as a replacement or subbed in some way or the other...
or maybe play a stronger defensive player in frings in the middle, who can contribute to both attack and defence but more defensively oriented than borowski...

i really do wish trochowski gets a chance though - maybe even keissling... and i dont want huth to get a start vs italy! :(



lehmann
friedrich merte metz lahm
boro frings balla schweini
klose poldi

subs? keissling for klose, trochowski for either schweini or podolski and give huth some playing time in the end by giving cmetz a break...
deisler in for boro either to begin with or as some added impetus later on in the game...


(this being played away, i assume? since the last game vs italy was at home, iirc)

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Yes it is away...we have a pretty poor record against Italy, we've only won 7 out of 27 times.

But the result is not important here, it's how well we play.

As for the formation, I think it would be a good time to see how Ballack and Borowski can work together. I think it would be good. Seeing how Frings does better on the flanks for Bremen, I think it would be good to start him on the flank now for Germany. We should definitely play to our strength, and one of our NOT strengths is in DM, where the Ambigously Mediocre trio of Frings, Ernst and Kehl are not doing well. I hope that Klinsi will at least call up Kehl.

And I hope our club form will not affect Fathi...he is definitely worth a look (STILL!!) although I concede that it does not look good for him as of right now.

[ForeverRed]

Well just like Frings does awesome on the flank, Tim is pretty much the same. He is as roamin gas you can be, thats why he wouldnt work with Ballack in a flat 4 midfield.

NO HUTH! Non needed...no thanks, Metzelder needs as much playing time with the NT as possible anyways, give him the full 90. Huth can go suck on a portugese lemmon.

I'd like to see how Ballack and Trochowski would play along side each other.

[YankBastard]

Well just like Frings does awesome on the flank, Tim is pretty much the same. He is as roamin gas you can be, thats why he wouldnt work with Ballack in a flat 4 midfield.

NO HUTH! Non needed...no thanks, Metzelder needs as much playing time with the NT as possible anyways, give him the full 90. Huth can go suck on a portugese lemmon.

I'd like to see how Ballack and Trochowski would play along side each other.

What's wrong with Huth?

[Pfeife]

My lineup:

Kahn/Lehmann

Friedrich Merte Wörns Lahm
Frings
Borowski Schweinsteiger
Ballack
Klose Podolski

Wörns has been Germany's best defender besides Merte for the past months, he also has got a lot of experience. He HAS to play.

substitutes:

gk: Hildebrandt

defense:

Owomoyela
Metzelder
Jansen

midfield:

Deisler
Schneider
Kehl
Trochowski

strikers:

Kuranyi
Kießling

[prymetyme]

as much as a bad call it could be, i'd like to see the world cup lineup to see what our gteam really can do. I'd love to see something close to like what we'll see in the world cup to see where we stand among the elite. But at the same time they wont be starting there WC 11 and I dont want to get anyone injured. Heres what i'd like to see-

--------------Kahn---------------------

Friedrich----Merte-Metz----------Lahm

Frings----Ballack-----Diesler----Schweini

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

Subs-
Boro
Kuranyi
Lehmann (to come on at half time)
Jansen
Trochowski
Schneider

[ForeverRed]

What's wrong with Huth?

Where do I begin?

Wel, firstly, I like to believe that making the national team is something special, not something that can be achieved by just anyone, it is extremely prestigious and requires some sort of good form and performance for club. Germany has always prided itself with its defensive qualities as well, even though that might not be their strongpoint in this point in time.

That being said, I am a fan of Huth's potential and his rough style, but Robert is not getting ANY time at chelsea...he has been brainwashed by Mourinho into believeing by staying he will some day get the pay off of being a starter. That will never happen in my opinion. Mourinho gives him pity minutes every 5 games or so or a start every once in a while provided his starters are all INJURED!

Therefore Huth is not developing as a player, he is stuck training with a team but not seeing any actual real game experience, and that simply is NOT good enough to make the German national team. A national team, mind you, that will be HOSTING the world cup. There is a lot of preasure on the host country, especially given Germany's young inexperienced squad. It is absolutley VITAL that Klinsman makes the point that you cannot simply be in the NT without getting any first team action at your respective club.

Huth by the way had his chance, chances actually, to go out on loan with Villa, Nurnberg etc. Those might not be as prestigious as Chelsea but he would have started for sure and could have developed his game for the summer's finals. Huth decided to stay at Chelsea, and since staying has gotten even less playing time.

Just think about it, how absurd would it be for a NT like Italy or England to call on players that get NO playing time at all for their respective clubs, its insanity! ESPECIALLY with the WC around the corner. Plus, there are already players in the NT, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Sinkiewizc who take priority at the moment, who are all getting first team action.

Any questions?

[Mehr]

I also dont think its time to experiment...its too close to the wc. Klinsmann needs to play the team closest to what he is going to use. Especially against a team as good as Italy.

I would go with

-----------------Kahn
Friedrich-----Mertesacker--Metz-----Lahm
Deisler-------Kehl-------Ballack-----Schweinsteiger
---------------klose-Podolski

Please no Huth, that guy is a liability. He has potential but is clumsy and makes really idiotic tackles at times. I would take Fahrenhorst over him any day.

[ForeverRed]

I also dont think its time to experiment...its too close to the wc. Klinsmann needs to play the team closest to what he is going to use. Especially against a team as good as Italy.

I would go with

-----------------Kahn
Friedrich-----Mertesacker--Metz-----Lahm
Deisler-------Kehl-------Ballack-----Schweinsteiger
---------------klose-Podolski

Please no Huth, that guy is a liability. He has potential but is clumsy and makes really idiotic tackles at times. I would take Fahrenhorst over him any day.

Now thats the line up Klinsi needs to work with, with Frings, Schneider and Borrowski as alternates in the midfield.

[YankBastard]

Where do I begin?

Wel, firstly, I like to believe that making the national team is something special, not something that can be achieved by just anyone, it is extremely prestigious and requires some sort of good form and performance for club. Germany has always prided itself with its defensive qualities as well, even though that might not be their strongpoint in this point in time.

That being said, I am a fan of Huth's potential and his rough style, but Robert is not getting ANY time at chelsea...he has been brainwashed by Mourinho into believeing by staying he will some day get the pay off of being a starter. That will never happen in my opinion. Mourinho gives him pity minutes every 5 games or so or a start every once in a while provided his starters are all INJURED!

Therefore Huth is not developing as a player, he is stuck training with a team but not seeing any actual real game experience, and that simply is NOT good enough to make the German national team. A national team, mind you, that will be HOSTING the world cup. There is a lot of preasure on the host country, especially given Germany's young inexperienced squad. It is absolutley VITAL that Klinsman makes the point that you cannot simply be in the NT without getting any first team action at your respective club.

Huth by the way had his chance, chances actually, to go out on loan with Villa, Nurnberg etc. Those might not be as prestigious as Chelsea but he would have started for sure and could have developed his game for the summer's finals. Huth decided to stay at Chelsea, and since staying has gotten even less playing time.

Just think about it, how absurd would it be for a NT like Italy or England to call on players that get NO playing time at all for their respective clubs, its insanity! ESPECIALLY with the WC around the corner. Plus, there are already players in the NT, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Sinkiewizc who take priority at the moment, who are all getting first team action.

Any questions?

Isn't Metzelder an RB?

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Isn't Metzelder an RB?

No he's a CB

Friedrich is our RB

[YankBastard]

No he's a CB

Friedrich is our RB

Oh.... could've sworn I saw him playing RB at Dortmund.

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Oh.... could've sworn I saw him playing RB at Dortmund.

I think he's played there before for Dortmund, but never for the NT, we have better options (other than Friedrich, we could use Lahm, Hinkel or even Volz).

[Snakeater]

Does it worry anyone that Metzelder doesn't seem to be getting any playing time these days? I think he may have lost his place as starting CB to a younger German by the name of Brzenka unless he's injured. Even before that, he'd consistently been getting crap ratings by Kicker (something which I alluded to in another post)

Hey, I'm pulling for Metz like all the rest, but if he can't win one of two central mid spots for Dortmund, should we really be counting on him to play against the best strikers that Brazil, Italy, Argentina and the rest have to offer.

Wouldn't it be something if went into the World Cup with Metz and Huth as our starters, both of whom are not regulars in their clubs. :)

...I think we've got to start thinking outside the box with respect to our CB problem, and I'm confident that that's exactly what Klinsmann is doing.

I hope that Klinsmann keeps all options open with respect to those two center-mid spots right up until the start of the finals. If someone like Fathi or Sinkiewicz really starts to shine, then by all means take the better of the two and pare him with Mertesacker.

...Boy, do I ever miss Linke. :confused:

[Jaison]

Does it worry anyone that Metzelder doesn't seem to be getting any playing time these days? I think he may have lost his place as starting CB to a younger German by the name of Brzenka unless he's injured. Even before that, he'd consistently been getting crap ratings by Kicker (something which I alluded to in another post)

Hey, I'm pulling for Metz like all the rest, but if he can't win one of two central mid spots for Dortmund, should we really be counting on him to play against the best strikers that Brazil, Italy, Argentina and the rest have to offer.

Wouldn't it be something if went into the World Cup with Metz and Huth as our starters, both of whom are not regulars in their clubs. :)

...I think we've got to start thinking outside the box with respect to our CB problem, and I'm confident that that's exactly what Klinsmann is doing.

I hope that Klinsmann keeps all options open with respect to those two center-mid spots right up until the start of the finals. If someone like Fathi or Sinkiewicz really starts to shine, then by all means take the better of the two and pare him with Mertesacker.

...Boy, do I ever miss Linke. :confused:


Yep, Metzelder is in no position to be a starting CB for the NT right now, when he can't start for BVB. I hope he can find his form and change this situation, but I wouldn't count on it.

I think Mertesacker should be a starter, but the problem lies in who should pair up with him. Woerns could, but a Merte/Woerns combination is quite slow, and could cause big problems. Huth's still not getting much action, which really is too bad, since I think a more experienced Huth could be a great partner with Merte. Sinkiewicz has been in quite poor form. Who knows? Fahne and Manuel Friedrich are other possibilities in the future, but untested.

But, I think in the end Klinsi will go with Merte-Huth.

[prymetyme]

I really like the flat midfield, i think it could do wonders for us. Does anyone know what channel this will be on or where to watch? or is it to early.
Ballack and Schweini will be quite the duo. Cant wait to see podolski work along with them as well. This should be a good indication of what Kahn has to offer for the world cup.
Cant wait :)

[scorpio81]

im beginning to feel that borowski and trochowski deserve a starting spot over schweinsteiger... its good to be spoilt for choice like this in the midfield though!

[Fräulein96]

official line-up:

1 Oliver Kahn (Bayern München), 9 Jens Lehmann (Arsenal London)

3 Arne Friedrich (Hertha BSC Berlin),
5 Robert Huth (Chelsea London),
24 Marcell Jansen (Borussia Mönchengladbach),
16 Philipp Lahm (Bayern München),
29 Per Mertesacker (Hannover 96),
25 Patrick Owomoyela (Werder Bremen),
21 Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund)

13 Michael Ballack,
26 Sebastian Deisler,
7 Bastian Schweinsteiger (alle Bayern München),
18 Tim Borowski,
8 Torsten Frings (beide Werder Bremen),
15 Fabian Ernst (Schalke 04),
19 Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)

14 Gerald Asamoah,
10 Mike Hanke (VfL Wolfsburg),
11 Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen),
20 Lukas Podolski (1. FC Köln)

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Hmm seems like Kuranyi got axed....I actually thought Klinsi might also axe Friedrich as well.