[Smoga]

OK...time to avenge the extra time WC 2006 defeat for Poland, or business as usual? As a reminder, Poland has never beaten Germany or West Germany, in a tournament match, qualifiers or in a friendly. (East Germany, yes)

Both coaches have called up preliminary squads, with a couple of players to be dropped from each squad prior to the game:

Germany
Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal FC), Robert Enke (Hannover 96), René Adler (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).

Defenders: Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid CF), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Arne Friedrich (Hertha BSC Berlin), Marcell Jansen (FC Bayern München), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Heiko Westermann (FC Schalke 04).

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea FC), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Jermaine Jones (FC Schalke 04), David Odonkor (Real Betis Balompié), Marko Marin (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach).

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (FC Bayern München), Lukas Podolski (FC Bayern München), Mario Gómez (VfB Stuttgart), Kevin Kuranyi (FC Schalke 04), Oliver Neuville (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Patrick Helmes (1. FC Köln).



Poland
Goalkeepers: Artur Boruc (Celtic FC), Tomasz Kuszczak (Manchester United FC), Łukasz Fabiański (Arsenal FC).

Defenders: Jacek Bąk (FK Austria Wien), Marcin Wasilewski (RSC Anderlecht), Paweł Golański (FC Steaua Bucureşti), Mariusz Jop (FC Moskva), Adam Kokoszka (Wisła Kraków), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warszawa), Michał Żewłakow (Olympiacos CFP), Grzegorz Bronowicki (FK Crvena Zvezda).

Midfielders: Dariusz Dudka (Wisła Kraków), Wojciech Łobodziński (Wisła Kraków), Jakub Błaszczykowski (BV Borussia Dortmund), Mariusz Lewandowski (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Rafał Murawski (Lech Poznań), Łukasz Garguła (GKS Bełchatów), Jacek Krzynówek (VfL Wolfsburg), Radosław Majewski (Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski), Michał Pazdan (Górnik Zabrze), Roger Guerreiro (Legia Warszawa).

Forwards: Euzebiusz Smolarek (Real Racing Club Santander), Maciej Żurawski (Larissa FC), Tomasz Zahorski (Górnik Zabrze), Radosław Matusiak (Wisła Kraków), Marek Saganowski (Southampton FC).

[Lusankya]

I everything goes as it should, Germany will win this.

[squidward123]

Poland are strong and have as good a chance as croatia of qualifying from the group IMO. Not to sound arrogant but I think Germany will come first, so I see either a draw (possibly) or a win (probably) for Germany in this game.

[Dutch Treat]

Normally I'd say this should be a win for Germany. It's Poland's first appearance at the Euro, and that brings a lot of pressure with it. There's going to be a few players not being able to deal with it you'd think.

However, they have Beenhakker as their coach. The guy has so much experience, and is well known for his player management. A true psychologist he is, and able to do wonders with it. He's actually a bit happy that Poland lost against the US, as the Polish were on a high after topping the group above Portugal.

I'd not be surprised if Poland causes a few surprises.

[Buschkauz]

first game is always tough. i expect a tight game, maybe germany wins 1-0 or 2-1.

[Cris 09]

Originally Posted by Dutch Treat

Normally I'd say this should be a win for Germany. It's Poland's first appearance at the Euro, and that brings a lot of pressure with it. There's going to be a few players not being able to deal with it you'd think.

However, they have Beenhakker as their coach. The guy has so much experience, and is well known for his player management. A true psychologist he is, and able to do wonders with it. He's actually a bit happy that Poland lost against the US, as the Polish were on a high after topping the group above Portugal.

I'd not be surprised if Poland causes a few surprises.

Well, Poland beat Ecuador 3-1 (?) in a friendly just a few months before the WC. During the group stages of the WC, they then got schooled by the South American team IN Germany, right over the fence...with a strong polish home crowd. So ya never, ever know with these things. Friendlies mean jack! Look at it like that!

[Marbur66]

Germany is the obvious heavy favourite in this match-up, no question about it. I think they will either wax Poland as the Poles fall apart, or a surprise win for the Poles. It's just a gut feeling. I don't think it will be a draw or a close, late victory for the Germans (like WC 2006).

[Dutch Treat]

Originally Posted by crismerz09

Well, Poland beat Ecuador 3-1 (?) in a friendly just a few months before the WC. During the group stages of the WC, they then got schooled by the South American team IN Germany, right over the fence...with a strong polish home crowd. So ya never, ever know with these things. Friendlies mean jack! Look at it like that!

I know friendlies don't mean a thing. The loss against the US wasn't my point. My point was that Beenhakker can use a loss this close to the tournament to his team's advantage in a way very few can.

[marcin79]

I think that Germany and Poland teams have one thing in common. They are both more valuable as a team than quality of single players could suggest. With all the respect for players like Ballack, Klose etc I think that German squad is personally weaker than for example Italy, Spain, France, Portugal or England. But when it comes to games, they are at least the same level. Similary with Poland, but in other scope. Looking at Polish players, the clubs in which they play, their role in European football - and most notably, Polish clubs place in European football - we shouldn't even be at Euro 2008, we shouldn't win 4 points against Portugal in qualifiers, and we shouldn't finish above Serbia.

So it can be game between teams basing on team spirit, reliability and good tactical approach, short on technical brilliancy and real genius. Both Germany and Poland can't afford making mistakes. Germany have to play perfectly to beat teams with bigger quantity of natural talent, Poland has to do their best to think of qualifying from the group.

If Greece could win Euro 2004, Poland can at least win a point against Germany.

[Lusankya]

Come on. Ok, Germany is probably weaker than France, Italy and Spain if you compare each position. But Italy and even France don't rely too much on the individual talent!

But Portugal? I give you Ronaldo but the others? Almeida stronger than Klose or Gomez? Carvalho or Pepe stronger than Lahm or Mertesacker? Deco or Quaresma stronger than Frings or Ballack? It's pretty even, but Germany has more and better strikers at the moment and doesn't rely on one single player.

[snip]