Pre-WC Group D First XI

Discussion in 'GROUP D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana' started by Caesar, Dec 16, 2009.

  1. Caesar

    Caesar Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 3, 2004
    Oztraya
    Hey, everyone else is doing it - and I reckon that with the balance amongst teams in this group we can give them a damn good run for their money. I'll have a crack off the top of my head just to get us started:

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ------------------------------
    Schwarzer -----------------------------
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    --- Ivanovic --------- Vidic --------- Neill ---_------ Lahm --------
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---
    Podolski -------- Ballack -------- Essien ----- Schweinsteiger ---
    ------------------------------- Appiah -------------------------------
    -------------------------------- Klose -------------------------------
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Substitutes: Cahill, Asamoah, Muntari, Lukovic, Stojkovic

    (Lineup generator used for this post is courtesy of BS moderator profiled. You can find it at http://notunusual.net/lineup/)
     
  2. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ------------------------------
    Schwarzer -----------------------------
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    --- Ivanovic --------- Vidic --------- Neill ---_------ Lahm --------
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ---
    Podolski -------- Asamoah-------- Essien ----- Schweinsteiger ---
    ------------------------------- Appiah -------------------------------
    -------------------------------- Klose -------------------------------
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Substitutes:
    GK: Stojkovic, Adler,
    DF: Inkoom, John Mensah, Lukovic
    MF: Stankovic, Ozil, Annan, Muntari
    ST: Cahill, Zigic, Podolski

    Nice one. I think I almost fully agree on the line-up. I added some players to the bench, as for the first 11 I fully agree except for Michael Ballack who I have been watching at Chelsea (my favourite team) and he has been extremely poor... week after week I pray for him to be a substitute, so sorry, but he won't be in my team... I would replace him with either Stankovic or Asamoah with no specific preference. I'll put in Asamoah... cuz well... I'm biased :)

    I'll also give Appiah the benefit of the doubt as he's been having a real career rollercoaster, but if in form he would start in any of the four teams.

    Right back position would have to be Ivanovic, but I believe Inkoom could compete... But Inkoom is just too young and inexperienced, so he should substitute Ivanovic.

    What is apparent in this group is the amount of great midfielders, but lack of top class strikers. I mean Cahill, Podolski, Zigic, Klose or Gomez are good and effective, but they hardly come to mind in the context of 'great football players'.
     
  3. hallucinogen

    hallucinogen New Member

    Oct 18, 2009
    And there is no Krasic, second Champions League goalscorer and probably Serbia best player atm. :rolleyes:
     
  4. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Krasic could make the bench but with the quality in midfield in this group it would be hard to fit him on the field.

    I just noticed I have Podolski twice, so I'll put Krasic and Podolski on the bench and place Ozil in place of Podolski on the field.
     
  5. Perú FC

    Perú FC Member+

    Nov 16, 2007
    Lima, Perú
    Starting Eleven

    GK SCHWARZER, Mark (Australia)
    RB IVANOVIC, Branislav (Serbia)
    RCB MERTESACKER, Per (Germany)
    LCB VIDIC, Nemanja (Serbia)
    LB LAHM, Philipp (Germany)
    DM FRINGS, Torsten (Germany)
    DM ESSIEN, Michael (Ghana)
    AM STANKOVIC, Dejan (Serbia)
    RWG ÖZIL, Mesut (Germany)
    LWG PODOLSKI, Lukas (Germany)
    ST KLOSE, Miroslav (Germany)

    ------------------------------ Schwarzer ------------------------------
    ---- Ivanovic ------- Mertesacker ------- Vidic --------------- Lahm ----
    ----------------------- Frings ---------- Essien ------------------------
    -------- Özil ------------------ Stankovic -------------- Podolski -------
    --------------------------------- Klose --------------------------------

    Bench

    GK ADLER, René (Germany)
    GK NEUER, Manuel (Germany)
    CB NEILL, Lucas (Australia)
    CB WESTERMANN, Heiko (Germany)
    LB SCHÄFER, Marcel (Germany)
    DM MUNTARI, Sulley (Ghana)
    DM ROLFES, Simon (Germany)
    CM BALLACK, Michael (Germany)
    SM SCHWEINSTEIGER, Bastian (Germany)
    WG KRASIC, Milos (Serbia)
    ST GÓMEZ, Mario (Germany)
    ST KIESSLING, Stefan (Germany)
     
  6. Caesar

    Caesar Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 3, 2004
    Oztraya
    Peru, could you elaborate a little on your reasons for putting Ozil and Frings in your First XI? Given the large number of quality midfielders in this group I confess I'm a little surprised to see them there.
     
  7. Neutral2

    Neutral2 Member

    Apr 30, 2006
    Germany
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I'd take the whole german team + Vidic and Essien
     
  8. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    **********************Schwarzer***************************



    **Ivanovic************Vidic********Neill*****************Lahm**


    ******************Muntari********Essien*********************


    **Krasic******************************************K Asamoah


    ****************Klose*************Podolski*****************


    Bench

    FW: Zigic, Gomez, Kiessling
    MF: Stankovic, Cahill, Ozil, Appiah
    DF: Subotic, Mertesacker, Dragutinovic

    G: Adler
     
  9. Shakur

    Shakur Member

    Dec 16, 2009
    Spain
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    ---------------------------Neuer------------------------------

    -------Ivanovic--------Metzelder------Vidic-------Lahm--------

    ------------------------Essien--------------------------------

    -----------Muntari-------------------Cahill--------------------

    -----------------------Ballack---------------------------------

    ------------Klose----------------Podolski----------------------
     
  10. Neutral2

    Neutral2 Member

    Apr 30, 2006
    Germany
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    ---------------------------Adler-------------------------------

    Ivanovic--------------Mertesacker-----Vidic------------------Lahm

    ---------------------Ballack--------------Essien

    Özil----------------------------------------------------------Schweinsteiger

    -------------------Podolski------------Klose---------------------------
     
  11. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    -----------------Schwarzer-----------------

    --Ivanović----Vidić----Mertesacker----Lahm--

    Schweinsteiger---Ballack---Essien---Stanković

    ---------------Cahill-----Klose---------------

    Bench: Neuer, Adler; Pantsil, Friedrich, Metzelder, Dragutinović; Hitzlsperger, Muntari, Bresciano, Trochowski; Podolski, Kewell.
     
  12. Pfeife

    Pfeife Member

    Dec 19, 2005
    good one :)

    ---------------------------Adler-------------------------------

    Ivanovic--------------Mertesacker----------Vidic------------------Lahm

    ---------------------Ballack--------------Essien

    Schweinsteiger----------------------------------------------Marin

    ------------------------------------Özil----------------------------------------
    -----------------------------------Klose---------------------------
     
  13. Caesar

    Caesar Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 3, 2004
    Oztraya
    Does someone know something about Ozil I don't? I mean, he's a good young player, but I was under the impression he's still a fringe player with Germany - let alone someone making the First XI in this group.
     
  14. Dage

    Dage Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2008
    Berlin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    He's clearly one of the most talented youngbloods in the world and he's U21 Euro Champion. He collected tons of scorer points in the first round of this Bundesliga season and Löw changed his prefered system only because he could use Özil as playmaker, seen in the important qualifier vs Russia.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=479Ga8aS4ls"]YouTube- Mesut Özil - Super Talent[/ame]
     
  15. Perú FC

    Perú FC Member+

    Nov 16, 2007
    Lima, Perú
    First... are you really surprised about Frings?, I think he's a clear option to be in the starting eleven, one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, tireless defending, impeccable being positioned and excellent distribuition, I think he's an obvious option along with Essien.

    Meanwhile, I think Özil is probably the attacking midfielder with the best current performance from all the possible options, you can watch him playing in Werder Bremen in a great level and excellent multifunctionality.
     
  16. Caesar

    Caesar Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 3, 2004
    Oztraya

    I get the impression he isn't even in the German starting XI any more, as Rolfes has surpassed him, although he's fairly likely to make the squad given the Germans' current lack of quality at DM. The German fans I know seem to view him as declining pretty severely in the last couple of years.


    I like Ozil but given how little he's done at the top level I find it hard to put him ahead of other options like Appiah. That's not to say that this couldn't be a breakout tournament for him.
     
  17. Perú FC

    Perú FC Member+

    Nov 16, 2007
    Lima, Perú
    Actually, I'm pretty sure he never played during these last qualifyings, always were Hitzlsperger or Rolfes. I think you're right about the most of the German fans, what I'm definitely disagree. I used to watch Werder Bremen matches (especially for the peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro) and seems me Frings is still in a great level and frequently one of the best of his team. I think he's being underrating right now in Germany in spite I'm agree Rolfes is in a very good level also.

    I think Özil is making much more in the top level right now playing for Werder Bremen than Appiah playing for Bologna. I feel is clearly over him as an option currently.
     
  18. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Ozil is great and I have him in my squad, but Appiah has had a dire last year with no club (a situation he put himself in). Bologna was a last resort thing. Still there is no doubt in my mind that I would prefer Appiah. And like I said - its not who you play for that matters, but how you play. And Appiah is tremendous in midfield and I am appauled how he almost managed to selfdestruct his career.
     
  19. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    I think Appiah is always injured and hasn't been in form for sometime to really consider at the moment. He actually did not even make the Ghana squad for the nations cup due to injury.
     
  20. jus2nang

    jus2nang Member

    Dec 12, 2005
    North London
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ghana
    ---------------Schwarzer----------------

    Inkoom-------Vidic-----Ivanovic----Lahm

    ------Ballack----Essien----Muntari-------

    Schweinsteiger----Klose------Podolski----
     
  21. KyleS8

    KyleS8 Member

    Jun 3, 2008
    Kanada
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    GK: Adler
    RB: Ivanovic
    CB's: Vidic & Mertesacker
    LB: Lahm

    RW: Krasic
    CM's: Essien & Ballack
    LW: Oezil

    ST's: Klose & Podolski
     
  22. Bengoechea

    Bengoechea Member

    Jul 28, 2005
    São Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    -----------------Schwarzer-------------------

    Ivanovic------Vidic------Mertesacker----Lahm

    ------------Ballack--------Essien-------------

    Schweinsteiger-------Özil------------Podolski

    -------------------Klose--------------------
     
  23. willy_svw

    willy_svw Member

    Sep 27, 2007
    Bremen, Germany
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Adler, Neuer and Wiese are all better than Schwarzer. In my opinion there is no doubt about that.

    Also, which to me seems quite surprising, is that people still seem to rate Klose and Podolski very high. Of course, due to their performances in their past, they are considered to be very good strikers. But currently Germany has at least as strong strikers with Gomez, Kiessling and maybe even Helmes.
     
  24. scoutreporter

    scoutreporter New Member

    Nov 27, 2009
    -----------------------adler

    ivanovic-------vidic-----------neill------lahm



    ------------------Essien---------------------




    Krasic-----------Stankovic------------Ozil



    ----------Cahill------------Klose-----------
     
  25. --X--

    --X-- New Member

    Feb 8, 2010
    Club:
    Melbourne Victory
    So last year when Schwarzer was statistically the best keeper in the EPL means nothing.No coincidence that Fulham had a brilliant year while Middlesborough got relegated after he switched clubs
    Plenty of great keepers in Germany,we all know that but if your so blinded that no Australians qualify for your team then I guess Germany will beat Australia 10-0

    Not:)
     
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