Maybe Mustafi will get a chance to see what he can do? I would say Draxler and Podolski should get a chance to start against Ireland.
Mustafi had his chance. He played very poorly and then got injured. Where do you want him playing anyway? If its at CB, I think Hummels-Boateng is our set-in-stone partnership barring something drastic for probably the next five years. If it's at FB, there are a lot of players I'd rather try before I try Mustafi, who was a trainwreck at FB during the Cup.
Watched this match in a Hannover bar with my sister as the only Polish fans. GK Boruc had one of the performances of the Tourney. After the match my older sister & I had slight tears in our eyes and we shared a special moment. While around us total chaos erupted with cars hunking (people hanging out of them) and people singing in the streets. 2014 had an amazing group stage and pleasurable finish but 2006 in Deutschland will always feel like losing my WC virginity. It is said and even written (search online) that the 2006 WC represented the first time since the War that Germans openly expressed Nationalism. Even something as simple as showcasing the German flag. As someone that respects and idealizes present day Deutschland, i feel very proud to have seen and been a part of that experience first hand. Today, Germany played undermanned and well enough to Win. At Halftime it was hard enough to imagine getting past Hummels AND Neuer without even Bastian in front. On the flip side this will go down in Polish history given the 'it took 19 tries to Win'. Poland has defeated every noteworthy futbol nation and with a decent record.... Except neighbors Germany. This sort of victory transcends sports. It signifies to Poles around the World that the homeland is on the upswing. I can proudly say, In my lifetime Polska defeated the Niemcy [emoji2]
Missed the World Cup when he was benched after the Algeria game? Didn't look like a mess then. And it's not like Mertesacker guarantees a stable defense in qualifiers. Remember Germany vs. Sweden ending 4:4? That was Mertesacker with Badstuber and Boateng as right back. I'd rather say without a striker the offense is toothless under certain conditions. When the opponent is parking the bus, for example. Klose wasn't a great player anymore recently. But he was there making space for the offensive midfielders. Now, with Gomez out injured, there was no one. That's Löw's fault. He could have just brought Kießling. And don't tell me isn't good enough to play against Poland and Ireland. Especially when players like Rüdiger, Mustafi and Rudy are invited.
"The evening had begun with a remarkable, almost historical gesture. Nationalstadion Warsaw at 20.40: when the German anthem was played in honor of the guest team, first whistles rang around the stands. Spontaneously, the non-whistling Polish fans started applauding. When the anthem had reached the line "blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes, blühe, deutsches Vaterland" almost all of the stadium was applauding and the whistling had stopped. It was a demonstration of respect and friendship to the neighbor." http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/dfb-niederlage-gegen-polen-instinktlos-im-post-wm-blues-1.2169689
Is Kruse's playing style as a central striker really different from Müller's? Isn't he leaving the centre a lot as well and playing more like an offensive midfielder? I'm not sure.
<insert 3,000 posts attempting to conduct a rational discussion with P to the Wee and failing. I should have learned from my kids, 2 year olds (or people with minds like them) are impossible to reason with.> OK, I give up.
I'm not completely sure that Kießling would come if asked. He's said previously he would never play for Löw, mainly because Löw once said that he wasn't the striker that the NT needed. I think Löw tried to get him before the WC but Kießling wouldn't go.
They had that bus parked for the entire match. Nothing really changed after the 1-0. The goal was a comedy of errors. Durm with the idiotic forward header instead of just passing it back to Neuer. Then Hummels completely falling asleep and letting his man run free. Then Neuer with a brain fart. We had 3 chances to completely stop that situation from turning into a goal, and in all three an error was made.
Problem is other than Kiessling, why isnt there another option at CF? Kruse is too similar to Reus n Thomas Mueller in terms of style
There was no need to throw him in earlier cause we had chance after chance already without him. We really had them reeling. We just did not convert those chances.