Die Nationalmannschaft Strengths and Weaknesses

[arthur d]

*putting some coins into coin operated DF, as he's run out and collapsed*

[Dead Fingers]

yes...this crazy forum has me knackered. :o :)

I think a book is calling me? Why, yes...it is.

[Jaison]

Same in Germany, btw. I hate the way German people abuse some English words like handy and (aargh) dressman.

You mean "hendy"? :D

The worst example I can recall were the Alltours commericals.

"It's so easy mit Alltours!"

Blehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........

[Alex_K]

Speaking of commercials... I always thought it would be funny to try and ask Douglas customers in Germany what "Come in and find out" means.

[JeffS]

back to the topic ;)

Strengths - Michael Ballack

Weaknesses - the rest of the team, coach, and the German FA

.... just kidding.

Seriously, the outlook is pretty bleak for Die nationalmannschaft right now.

Central defense is an absolute joke. And Klinsmann, who I'm a fan of, has managed to completely alienate arguably Germany's most solid central defender in Woerns. Sure, Woerns should not whine in the press when he doesn't get selected. But he has a ligitimate beef when he sees young guys, or guys coming back from injury, that aren't even first team selections for their clubs (read Huth and Metzelder), get selected ahead of him, while he has been playing quite well. Mertesacker has potential, but he's still young and unproven. I like Farenhorst, but he makes too many mistakes.

Wing backs are pretty good. The right side is particularily deep with Friedrich, Hinkel, and Owomoyella. The left side is good with Lahm, but he's inexperienced and their isn't anything beyond him.

Midfield is strong with Ballack. Schweinsteiger, Deisler, Frings, and Schneider are all good players. Tim Borowski has been impressing me a lot lately, and perhaps should start ahead of Schweinsteiger on the left (since Borowski is getting first team action and Schwein isn't).

Defensive mid has been a weakness because Klinsmann hasn't been using Germany's better defensive mids available. He's been going with Frings there, who is very good, but I think Frings is more a right sided or attacking mid, which is what he does most of the time with Bremen. Klinsmann should look at Kehl (one of BVB's better players and team leader), Baumann (very solid for Bremen), or Hamann (who's been playing great for Liverpool).

The strikers have become better. Klose is in excellent form for Bremen. Poldolski is a phenom, Asamoah is good and strong and fast, and Hanke has been looking pretty good. However, there is not a world class player in the lot, and any team with a chance to win WC should have a world class striker (and midfielder, and defense, etc).

Goalkeeping is a real strength. Kahn and Lehmann have both been in great form. Then there is Hildebrand, Weise, Weidenfelder, and many other good, solid German goal keepers.

Overall, the team chemistry sucks. They are not playing well with each other, they don't seem to have confidence, and they are not playing as hard as they should. The old stuff about German teams always fighting to the end is a thing of the past. I think that nowadays many German players play their best for their clubs, then stink it up for national team.

It's sad because I'm a long time fan of German soccer - I always liked their effeciency, skill, hard work, power, organization, fighting spirit, and long list of world class players (mostly in the past). Nowadays, the only world class players they have are Ballack and Kahn (and maybe Lehmann). Poldolski, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Borowski all might get their, but not yet.

I'm not real confident about Germany's chances at this point. Some players are going to have to step up their performances, and Klinsmann is going to have to change his tactics (more defensive, maybe a 3-5-2). Otherwise, they are going to get burned in the back, and perhaps not even make it past the first round. I hope I'm wrong, though.

[smithfan]

and their beer is fairly weak.


and you're able to survive there?????? :eek: