German National Team News & Discussion Thread - Post WC 2010

Making a post worse in every single way is not "fixing" it.

 

It's true, wait and see. That's if Loew fields the A team, which he almost certainly will.

 

I do hope that he experiments in some way. How about a striker besides Klose? Also, I would love to see Kroos partner Schweini.

 

Has a list of probables or a squad been announced for the friendly against Australia?

 

no.

 

Of the month? But what year? 2003????

 

I didn't have a point...I just asked a question?

 

"Goal of the month" is a big thing is Germany.

People vote for them and Poldi has the most which is impressive.

I think Cris just didn't know of this tradition and was confused.

 

Thanks a lot for this compilation Dage. I'm a complete Podolski (NT) fan right from his Euro 2004 debut.

I think the Confederations Cup goals against Mexico and Brazil are his best.

I wanted to ask , why wasn't the 3rd goal against Kazakhstan (Oct 2010, I think) nominated as the goal of the month? Which goal garnered more votes than that?

 

This one:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a0E5BuvZ28"]Goal of the Month 10/10[/ame]

 

My all-time favorite Poldi goal was number 5 on that video. The skill in is first touch and the finish were just world class. He has so much natural ability, its too bad his development has been slow.

I think he is turning into the player we all wanted him to be now that he is taking on a leading role in Koeln.

 

Maybe my previous comments about Lukas will lead some to believe that I'm not a fan of his, but I do really like him. (One of the most powerful strikers out there -- that left foot.) But often times he wasn't living up to all the adulation he received, and he behaved rather childishly, too. And in the last couple of years, he really hasn't had much to show for all the hype that surrounded him right after the 2006 WC to behave like he was behaving.

So, I am really really glad that he's turned himself around. When he had that kerfuffle against Sahin in the Fall, I thought it was just another one of his immature bouts, but since then, he's really produced for Cologne. I support this forward-moving progress, what with all the scoring. I hope he continues, because a confident Podolski playing near his best is just going to a major asset to his club and to the NT. I salivate at the thought of a free-flying Podolski-Oezil-Mueller forward line behind Klose. I can't imagine another team producing a stronger line-up.

Maybe this new role as captain of his club is really putting things into perspective, and a position of responsibility gives him the right kind of pressure to perform well. Whatever it is, there's a couple of NT matches at the end of the month, and I'd really love to see him deliver.

 

The reason his development has been so slow is because he refused to work hard according to Klinsmann and co. Like Balotelli, he thought scoring a few goals would save him a spot on the starting 11, while Klose and Toni continued to bag in many goals for them.

He is getting a lot better now, if he can salvage a few more goals before the end of the season he should be fine.

 

I think it is because he realizes, with all these youth players come up - he might not get a place in the squad. Kroos and Goetze expressed their preference to play on the left, he knows he has to keep scoring if he is to maintain that position on the wing.

 

Australia announce their squad for the friendly against Germany on the 29th of March. Bulk of the squad is the same that played in the WC last year.

QANTAS SOCCEROOS SQUAD – Tuesday 15 March 2011

Tim CAHILL - Everton FC, England 52 (23) FW
David CARNEY -Blackpool FC, England 38 (5) DF
Brett EMERTON - Blackburn Rovers, England 83 (17) MF
Brett HOLMAN - AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands 45 (6) MF
Mile JEDINAK - Genclerbirligi SK, Turkey 24 (2) MF
Harry KEWELL - Galatasaray SK, Turkey 53 (16) MF
Neil KILKENNY - Leeds United FC, England 7 (0) MF
Robbie KRUSE - Melbourne Victory, Australia 4 (1) FW
Mitchell LANGERAK - Borussia Dortmund, Germany - GK
Jon McKAIN - Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia 14 (0) DF
Matt McKAY - Brisbane Roar, Australia 13 (0) MF
Lucas NEILL - Galatasaray SK, Turkey 70 (0) DF
Sasa OGNENOVSKI - Seongnam Ilhwa, Korea Republic 8 (1) DF
Nikita RUKAVYTSYA - Hertha Berlin, Germany 7 (0) FW
Mark SCHWARZER - Fulham FC, England 88 (0) GK
Carl VALERI - U.S. Sassuolo Calcio, Italy 35 (1) MF
Luke WILKSHIRE - FK Dinamo Moscow, Russia 56 (3) DF

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/2009InsideFFA/default.aspx?s=insideffa_newsfeatures_newsitem_new&id=39339

 

I'm curious to see how he performs when Köln lose form again because Podolski tends to do well when things around him work and right now everything at the club is clicking and so many players have stepped up their game.

 

I think him being captain is related to their form. Either way, I don't think he can go on forever playing like shiite at club level, especially with other exceptional players like Goetze, Schurrle, Holtby and Kroos waiting to fill up that midfield. They are all young, consistent and will be really showcasing their talent over the next few years.

 

I'm usually really not someone who defends Podolski but this season he actually delivered even when Köln was rather bad and I'd also say that Kölns current run is also based on his performances.

 

I know, which is why he deserves credit. My concern is if it will last when Köln, inevitably, slump again.

 

You mean like today?

Down 6-1 and he pots one, great goal too.

 

HA! To be fair, the game was long over at that point.

 

Thats usually an excuse for not scoring. He didn't have a terrible game, but the defenders sure as hell did.