PBP: (EURO 08 Group B) Austria v. Germany [R]

In poland game, i was first to post and we won... in croatia game, i didnt post the first.. and we lost..
Now i am the first one to post here, you know what does that mean?

 

Looks like Poldi will be out injured ....

 

im gonna start celebrating already then! haha!

hurry up monday!

 

same with me....everytime i dont watch a game they lose....i left the room to go to the bathroom in the last couple minutes of the Italy-Germany game and guess who ********ing won...and i had finals yesterday so I didnt watch

 

Revenge will finally be done.

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Jansen has had a scan done on his shoulder, the results have not come back yet but I am hoping they come back positive. Lahm has picked up a calf injury but is expected to play, and Jogi said Poldi had a ankle injury and although he missed training on friday he was hopeful about his chances on playing on monday.

That being said this is what we should put up against the Austrians:

Friedrich--Mertesacker--Metzelder--Lahm
-----------------Frings------------------
Borowski----------------------Hitzlsperger
-----------------Ballack------------------
-----------Poldi-----------Klose-----------

If Poldi can't go i'd say Kuranyi, not Gomez.

 

We definitely won't change our system to a midfield diamond. Either Jogi or Flick have said that we'll continue to play with "two sixes" in midfield (don't remember which one).

Jansen seems to be out for some time, Westermann is also doubtful. If Westermann can play at all, then with a cast on his arm.

With Poldi doubtful, this is what I expect:

------------------Lehmann
Friedrich---Mertesacker--Metzelder----Lahm
------------Frings-------Ballack
Fritz----------------------------Hitzlsperger
---------Gomez------------Klose

 

Now that you mention it I do recall hearing Jogi say it, I think it could work well with our team but "In Jogi We Trust" i suppose.

 

If Lahm doesn't recover I could see Loew playing Hitzlsperger as LB with Trochowski in front of him. And hopefully he realizes that Fritz isn't good enough in RM. Borowski should start there.

 

I have this odd feeling that Austria might get a penalty on Monday. Merte looks a bit like pre-WC and he caused four or five penalties in 2005. Hmmmmmmm.......

 

I hope not
But I don't think so either. He'd rather play Westermann with a cast.

Don't know about that. Sure, he wasn't all that good against Croatia, but then again, who was? Not even Poldi, despite his goal.
He was one of the best against Poland though, so I would trust in Jogi to determine who's best to play in right mid...(Hilbert would have been nice, but well...)

 

The thing is, Loew and Co. have to play Austria fully concentrated and determinted. At the same time, they have to play with one eye on the quarter final game because we've seen the weaknesses and negative aspects of this team in both games so far and he needes to address them not only in trainign but also on the pitch. We can't field one team against Austria and play one set of tactics and then go into the Portugal unprepared and with a new set up.

The reason I prefer Hitzlsperger out there is because I firmly believe he has a better chance of playing the quarters than a Westermann would so why not give him a go? Same goes for Borowski. We would be better off with both of them in midfield than a player like Fritz.

 

Holland just demolished France, after demolishing Italy. Holland is looking pretty spectacular early on, and probably the team to beat. Let's see if they can avoid self-destructing (in typical Dutch fashion).

Then there is Portugal (probably) in the quarter finals (assuming Germany goes through). Just to contain Ronaldo and company, the German defense and midfield have to improve immensely.

Then to beat whomever else in the semis (Czechs, perhaps, who typically give the Germans fits) will prove a stiff test.

And assuming the Germans get to the final, they'll probably face Holland or Spain, and I think Holland. If Holland is not arguing among themselves by then and self destructing, they'll probably demolish their opponent.

In short, my sense of confidence about German victory in these Euros is pretty diminished, based on a crappy performance against Croatia, and just looking at the competition.

Taking my being a Germany fan away, but being a general soccer fan, and wanting the cream to rise to the top, and have a great final, I'd say that a Holland / Portugal final would be ideal. Just think of the fireworks.

That's only if the Germans don't raise their game and get to the final. There is some real talent in this German side, which may yet excite us (Gomez, Klose, Ballack - we're waiting for you guys to shine!).

Anyway, I expect Germany to play a solid, if not spectacular, game against Austria.

Just to echo a few other posts in this thread, here is how I expect, and want, to be Loew's lineup against Austria:

Lehmann (actually, I'd prefer Addler )
Friedrich-Merte-Metz-Lahm
Borowski-Frings-Ballack-Hitz
Klose-Gomez (I'd prefere Poldi, but he won't be available).

 

Doesn't look good at the moment I've got to agree. But like footyfan1 said in another thread some days back, the quarter finals presents a clean slate and teams can change entirely. Lets see if thats the case for Germany.

 

We could scrape through and battle through somehow, there is some quality in what we have. But the squad and line-up/formation isn't working, necessary parts aren't functioning and from here on it's all about hope.

 

I think Klose said about the Croatia game that they didn't work as a team and that everyone was doing their own thing. We have seen the quality football this team can play in the Czech away game but if they don't click it won't work.

 

Yea thats what Uli's latest article addressed. Most of us here talked about how Germany was tactically defeated yesterday but not many talked about the psychology of the German team against Croatia. Aside from being tactically unprepared and unable to make according changes, they were also mentally unprepared and out of sorts. That was very evident when the camera singled them out screaming at each other in confusion and frustration.

 

Which is sad because the team spirit and unity as been our strength in the past 2-3 years. And back then of course. I think Jogi does what he did when Klinsmann was still there. He was the man behind the tactics and line-ups etc. But maybe we are missing Klinsi as a motivator. Someone who strongly believes in the team and that they are going to win it. Against Croatia they didn't look like they would believe in thenselves. This team can beat anyone when they stick together and believe they can make it. Selfconfidence is the most important thing, otherwise you won't do well, no matter how good you are on paper. Lets hope they can get some faith back in time for Monday's game.

Btw, Ballack and Frings also criticised Schweini pretty openly for his little fit and the gesture afterwards. Doesn't sound too harmonic at the moment.

 

deco's been their best player so far, but as usual the media are hyping up c.ronaldo

I think that's a bit fickle as it's based on just one game.

Let's say we had played like against Poland, or improved on that, against Croatia. Then how would you rate us? What I'm saying is we're very capable of getting to that form in one game. This team has been steady and consistent for 2-3 years. Not saying it WILL happen, but it easily could.

To me Holland have looked very clinical and impressive but the games against Italy and France were a lot closer than the score show. So they aren't THAT good either. The other teams have made a lot of play against them...as much as Holland have to them.


Once the qfs come around - assuming we get there - it's a clean start and it's a knockout from there.

It's quite ironic isn't it to be talking about germany lacking self-confidence...I dunno...I think that when the knockouts come around someone should shove the records intho their faces and show them that germany by and large just DO NOT lose these games (euro record is ridiculous if you take last 2 out of equation and WC record.....). They should get that confidence back.

 

I think the psychology is by far the biggest factor. That's why a team who were agile, clever against Poland were slow and crap against Croatia. Of course Croatia helped put them into that mindset I guess.

 

Or there were other factors that we just aren't aware of.

I think belief is a big part of any team doing well. At the last WC no one was really betting on us ahead of teams like Italy and Argentina. There was not much preasure besides the home aspect but most fans knew this was a new team. This time around we are clear favorites in the minds of many, perhaps the preasure of that got to their heads.

Holland on the other hand weren't exactly expected to top their group and beat both World Cup finalists. They've done so however and have been cruising.

 

Well, I really like Hitz and I think he is underrated. But he should never ever play again as left fullback. That's just asking for trouble.

 

Yea his last performance there didn't exactly inspire much confidence. However, I can see Loew going with him there rather than Westermann in case of Lahm's abscence simply because of experience. Not that it would neccessarily be the right choice.

 

Yeah you are right.

Also I think there is truth in those comments in uli's article that said that germany thought they were already in the qf after the first game.