It's just baffling to me that the North Koreans aren't using their long shooting weapon. They lose a tactical advantage, in my opinion
Yes they have. the germans put little to no pressure on them when their in the attacking third, but they've been chipping it over the top or slotting in the through ball. I know their #8 has a good foot, but she's been putting in the through ball to their #10
sometimes he just stumbles over his words and starts to ramble...I think sometimes that he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Well done Germany. The late goal in the first half gave them the confidence to systematically break down the Koreans, I think. They've been very good on winning the second ball in the midfield as they are very organized. Now it remains to be seen if they will be consistent.
Didn't seem like they did from the way the defenders were just standing around waiting for the final whistle. The scoreline certainly isn't a good indication of how the match was played, but that's Germany.
one reason is that the german defending tactic was also to minimize opportunities to do that ... this was said in the german tv before the match... ps: another one was to bring the short pass game of north korea in odd situations ...
Yeah, that was really annoying. Good game, better than 3-0 usually indicates. But if they want to keep going, Angerer had better get over her "I will throw a fit if any opposing player gets within a foot of me" attitude, because whichever team plays Germany next will be crashing into her all the time. If I were an opposing coach, I would be telling my forwards to give her little kicks and pushes at every opportunity, just to piss her off. She seems not to take it well.
She clearly is nuts which, IMHO, is a necessary requirement for an awesome keeper (see Rottenberg). But, agreed, she's got to tone it down just a little or else penalty time. Still, I think it's clear to everyone now that the girl can keep the balls out!
Quarter-Final Germany 3-0 Korea DPR attendance: 37,200 # Kerstin GAREFREKES (GER) 44', # Renate LINGOR (GER) 67', # Annike KRAHN (GER) 72'
a good thing is that she had started her official soccer career as striker. so she knows also a lot about the other perspective ...
On another thread a post pointed out that they were members of the military. Explains the 'regulation' haircuts.
I rewatched the game up to the Germany's second goal. Some disconnected observations: 1) this was an excellent , enjoyable game to watch. 2) North Korea did not get off a lot of those long-range shots that we quickly came to expect of them because Germany took away that space. Their defenders seemed to play just a little higher than normal - a couple yards above the 18-yard box in order to contest shots from 5 to 10 yards outside it. Plus the midfielders (especially in 1st half) played just a bit further back - a) to intercept vertical passes from across the centerline to this area approaching the box, and b) to be able to backcheck (a term from hockey, do you use it much in soccer?) - to challenge the attacking player from behind and squeeze the space in front of the backline. This was illustrated even on some free kicks, which NK often tried to play for a shot outside the box instead of lofting it into the box (whwere they had an obvious height disadvantage). NK had to rush those shots because a German player came back to put pressure on the ball. 3) In response, North Korea did the classic thing - they took what the defense gave them. They put balls over the top. They lofted balls over the outside back towards the corner. They played through-balls. And they did a good job at it. They were very dangerous. Which leads to the next observation... 4) North Korea is not a one-trick pony (longer-range shots from in front of the box). They were versatile in the attack. You can argue this because they didn't score. And Germany, you could say, made the correct strategic decision - and it paid off. But I think even Germany's Silvia Neid would say they were highly fortunate that NK didn't score - they had such good opportunities and such close misses. 5) the other consequence of NK's success (in creating chances by playing the ball over the defense to the corner) was this - the German outside backs didn't get forward in their own attack very much. Certainly not nearly what you expect out of Germany. Where were those overlapping runs we expect out of Stegemanm, for example? Couldn't do it - too dangerous. I think that's why Germany's offense struggled to develop during large portions of the game. Tony diCicco mentioned it and added that the midfielders were having to go out wide, where the play often stalled along the sideline. I may bring this up in the USA team forum because this may affect US chances in a potential game against Germany. 6) North Korea is for real. And, boy, I hate having to give credit to a totalitarian nation like that. But they played beautiful soccer. 7) Yes, Group B was the Group of Death. 8) Germany won because they have great finishers, and we're not even talking about Prinz but Garafrekes and Lingor. They've shown time and again that it isn't just Prinz. They didn't even bring along two of their top finishers - Pohlers and Grings but that's another topic (preferably a nice malicious, jinx-laden one like you find in the Rivalry Forum)