[mofo4life]

It looks like this will be our official WM squad, I read it on german videotext.(whats's the english word 4 videotext?)

The only question left is who will be the 4 th CB and it looks like Nowotny will get the nod over M. Friedrich and Sinkewicz.

Goalies: Lehmann , Kahn , Hildebrandt

Defenders: Huth , Mertesacker , Lahm , Owomoyela , Friedrich , Jansen , Metzelder , Nowotny

Midfielders: Schweinsteiger , Ballack , Schneider , Fringst , Ernst , Kehl , Borowski

Strikers: Klose , Podolski , Kuranyi , Asamoah , Neuville

[Psychosis hsv]

expect one suprise may be someone yet to undergo fitness test

[ForeverRed]

Originally Posted by mofo4life

It looks like this will be our official WM squad, I read it on german videotext.(whats's the english word 4 videotext?)

The only question left is who will be the 4 th CB and it looks like Nowotny will get the nod over M. Friedrich and Sinkewicz.

Goalies: Lehmann , Kahn , Hildebrandt

Defenders: Huth , Mertesacker , Lahm , Owomoyela , Friedrich , Jansen , Metzelder , Nowotny

Midfielders: Schweinsteiger , Ballack , Schneider , Fringst , Ernst , Kehl , Borowski

Strikers: Klose , Podolski , Kuranyi , Asamoah , Neuville

If that is the final squad, I'll be really disapointed.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Defense isn't bad, though i wouldn't select Nowotny. It's really a shame that there was that stupid argument between Klinsi and Woerns, because Woerns really is Germany's best CD.

I would go with 4 attackers, not 5 - to leave room for another defender or midfielder : obviously it would be Asamoah who wouldn't be called up. And i think Brdaric or Thurk woulda've deserved a spot more than Neuville, even though Neuville performed well for the German NT and has the experience...

[ForeverRed]

I wouldn't pick Owomoyela over Hinkel either....

Owomoyela has done quite well for Bremen, but I just don't think he has what it takes for the NT. Hinkel is a type of player that can really surprise you and he has the pace that is required on the big stage.

Don't even get me started on Novotny and Ernst...let alone Kuranyi....

tsk tsk..

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Hinkel has had a poor season. I want him on the team purely because he is a VfB player, besides that Owomoyela is the better choice imo.

[meista.de]

Originally Posted by Vfbstuttgartfan

Defense isn't bad, though i wouldn't select Nowotny. It's really a shame that there was that stupid argument between Klinsi and Woerns, because Woerns really is Germany's best CD.

I would go with 4 attackers, not 5 - to leave room for another defender or midfielder : obviously it would be Asamoah who wouldn't be called up. And i think Brdaric or Thurk woulda've deserved a spot more than Neuville, even though Neuville performed well for the German NT and has the experience...

Brdaric wont got the nod because in an interview he said that he doesent care if the teams wins, its a "geiler" feeling to score more goals and tie as a striker. Or something like that.

["Eisenfuß" Eilts]

Originally Posted by ForeverRed

If that is the final squad, I'll be really disapointed.

Why disapointed?

IMHO this would be no surprise,
these are the players, that made most of the test matches.

Klinsmann needs a team and no pigs in a poke.
Sure, everybody has a players, he wants to see in there
and others he dislike, but what we need is a team.

Other countries have better individuals,
so Germanies strength must be the team and
the players not named here don´t have the class
to let the team improve significally.

It´s to late for experiments.
Football is a TEAM sport, at individual sports like tennis or so,
i would agree with you, but this is football, a TEAM sport,
so Klinsi must trust the guys he let play at the test matches.
If they are the right ones we´ll see at the WC.

*btw: team is big, because this is Germanies only (small) chance,
they must be 11 friends on the pitch

[ForeverRed]

Oh I understand the concept of a team EE, believe you me. I am all for team over individual and always have been. I just think he could have done better in terms of selecting players that will suit the game and our chances to actually go far.

Players like Ernst and Novotny won't provide the team with what is needed. The team needs excitement from players like Trochowski. I also don't think Kuranyi will step up. Asamoah is a fighter but where will the goals come from if Klose is marked? That extra flare is needed, and Hanke would fullfill that much better I believe. He is a lot more spontaneous and unpredictable and we can do without him for two games but he could prove very useful later on.

[The Beautiful Frame]

Originally Posted by "Eisenfuß" Eilts

IMHO this would be no surprise,
these are the players, that made most of the test matches. [...] It´s to late for experiments.

I agree. These are pretty much the guys we're stuck with.

I fully support Nowotny over Friedrich and Sinkiewicz. In a tournament like this, you need some veterans. Besides, one "Absteiger" is enough.

As to Hinkel vs. Owomoyela, well, I always liked Hinkel, and I always thought that Owomoyela was kinda overrated, but what I've seen of the latter this season was pretty decent. And when even VfB-Fans agree that Hinkel played poorly this season, the nod has to go to Owomoyela.

In the Midfield I think management should really do some lateral thinking and come up with a creative replacement for Ernst. He sucked ass this season, and there's nothing he can do that Frings, Borowski, Ballack and Kehl can't do anyway. Why not bring on Scholl instead? I'd rather have him coming in for the last 20 minutes once or twice than Ernst riding the bench for the whole tournament. Or somebody like Trochowski, or Simon Rolfes, or Alex Meier, or Albert Streit. But as EE said, time for experiments is over. It's probably too late to integrate a youngster with zero international experience.
Schneider, OTOH, should stay in. He has the vesatility, he still has enough upside, and besides, as I said, you need some veterans.

I'm definitely not happy with Kuranyi being up there. He's the epitome of the lack of depth we have on the offense. A decent Bundesliga striker to be sure, but just not NT material. Off a bad season to boot. But the problem is, who will you replace him with? Brdaric sucks. Lauth had a bad year. Kießling was mostly used as a sub since Meyer took over. Hanke isn't any better than Kuranyi, has had a subpar year as well and won't be able to play the first two matches due to his red in the Confed Cup. Thurk is an overachieving career minor leaguer with zilch international experience. Berbatov isn't german So you're basically stuck with Nutella-Kevin.
Regarding Neuville, he should stay. Why? You guessed it. We need some vets.