Spain vs. Germany ***unofficial***

[dazby]

I'd be keen to read people's thoughts on Ozil. He was a passenger in that game.

I think I'll write off the performance though as Schweinsteiger had no space and time to bring him into play. Still, I thought Ozil could have pulled the trigger twice but wanted too many touches to get one off.

[Slim]

The problem that I highlighted on another forum was that the German team were young and with so many youngsters end up inconsistent. Spain had too much quality and knew where to tighten up, as soon as the German's were frustrated they started to drift out of the game and only really came back into it once Spain had scored.

[Knappe]

germany was outplayed by spain in 2008 and that was too much on the players mind.
Everyone over here knows, it is this kind of spanisch football, that Löw wants to teach his young german team (and even the german youth teams should play it) and with that on their mind the players showed far too much respect.

[The Man In Blue]

gutted tbh, was well looking forwards to a netherlands-germany final.

i fucking hate puyol's face too.

[avoidconfusion]

I'd be keen to read people's thoughts on Ozil. He was a passenger in that game.

I think I'll write off the performance though as Schweinsteiger had no space and time to bring him into play. Still, I thought Ozil could have pulled the trigger twice but wanted too many touches to get one off.

Özil was really disappointing, often he looked like he could not be arsed.

Same with Podolski, although one could say that he was practically kicked out of the game in the first half, how Ramos didn't even get a yellow card for his late stamp on his ankle is beyond me but still, until Marcel Jansen came on there was next to nothing happening on our left side.

The only one who looked to me like he really gives a fuck and refused to give up was Schweinsteiger... and Kroos when he came on, he really got involved.

I think we really missed Müller and his clever runs on the right as well, he works a lot better and harder in defense as well.

Not sure what Loew was thinking when he brought Gomez on, he is so terrible at international level for Germany and had a bad season in the Bundesliga as well... He should have brought Cacau or Kiessling on who were both on fire in the League last season.

Ah well. I firmly believe our time will come. The average age of this team is under 25, I reckon we got a good shot at the EC 2012 and possibly the 2014 WC.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

germany was outplayed by spain in 2008 and that was too much on the players mind.
Everyone over here knows, it is this kind of spanisch football, that Löw wants to teach his young german team (and even the german youth teams should play it) and with that on their mind the players showed far too much respect.

Don't know about that. I agree with Slim that it was more down to inexperience. This is extremely young Germany side that might turn out to be all conquering in the future. Defense is slight question mark over long term as Friedrich is old and never was good enough and there seems to be no obvious partner for Mertesacker. Whoever plays alongside Mertesacker needs to be quick and decent on the ball. Aogo could step up as central defender (has looked pretty good to me the few times I've seen him for Hamburg) or Boateng. Other than that the core of this squad will be peaking in next World Cup and I'd already put them as early favourites to win it.

Spain squad on the other hand are on their aboslute peak. Rarely have I seen so many World Class players on top of their careers same time. France 1998 and especially Euro 2000 was like that as well. I always thought that Spain would go on to win the tournament and only Argentine with good manager would've had the chance to challenge them. Such is the superiority of their squad.

[Knappe]

i´m not worried about Friedrich being replaced. Mats Hummels of BVB should have been at the world cup, also Benny Höwedes of Schalke. Both had been in that german U21 squad, where a lot of the current national team come from. Bad luck for both of them, that Badstuber had that great season with Bayern. Badstuber is a CB as Boateng is. One of them will be Mertesacker´s partner. The bigger problem is a striker, otherwise Miro Klose is up there 2014 again :-( Gomez had to restart his complete career and leave Bayern and Kießling is somehow disliked by Löw. And striker talents are rare

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

i´m not worried about Friedrich being replaced. Mats Hummels of BVB should have been at the world cup, also Benny Höwedes of Schalke. Both had been in that german U21 squad, where a lot of the current national team come from. Bad luck for both of them, that Badstuber had that great season with Bayern. Badstuber is a CB as Boateng is. One of them will be Mertesacker´s partner. The bigger problem is a striker, otherwise Miro Klose is up there 2014 again :-( Gomez had to restart his complete career and leave Bayern and Kießling is somehow disliked by Löw. And striker talents are rare

Don't know about that. Thomas Muller for me is the real deal. Will probably play as second striker in the future (I think) and I have him down as next truly World Class players, And that isn't about few appearances in World Cup but what I've seen of him for Bayern. Kiessling is a strange one, I've watched quite alot of Bundesleague on Eurosport 2 during past few seasons (Bundesleague is actually my second favourite competition to watch in the world...... despite Germans reputation as boring, there's rarely a dull game.....always something happening there..... I'd suggest it to anyone who can see it, miles better than Serie A for example) and he has been absolutely deadly in front of goal. And then there's the possibility that Löw can get Gomez playing on his natural level for Germany as well. I think you will be alright on that department as long as Muller keeps progressing at the rate he does right now. None of the strikers mentioned is duffer enough NOT to score bags of goals with Muller playing behind him and Özil there in the midfield as well.

[Ted Hughes]

I'd be keen to read people's thoughts on Ozil. He was a passenger in that game.

I think I'll write off the performance though as Schweinsteiger had no space and time to bring him into play. Still, I thought Ozil could have pulled the trigger twice but wanted too many touches to get one off.

Özil was really disappointing, often he looked like he could not be arsed.

Same with Podolski, although one could say that he was practically kicked out of the game in the first half, how Ramos didn't even get a yellow card for his late stamp on his ankle is beyond me but still, until Marcel Jansen came on there was next to nothing happening on our left side.

The only one who looked to me like he really gives a fuck and refused to give up was Schweinsteiger... and Kroos when he came on, he really got involved.

I think we really missed Müller and his clever runs on the right as well, he works a lot better and harder in defense as well.

Not sure what Loew was thinking when he brought Gomez on, he is so terrible at international level for Germany and had a bad season in the Bundesliga as well... He should have brought Cacau or Kiessling on who were both on fire in the League last season.

Ah well. I firmly believe our time will come. The average age of this team is under 25, I reckon we got a good shot at the EC 2012 and possibly the 2014 WC.

Ozil froze to some extent & his standards dropped quite a lot due to pressure of expectation, similar to Rooney etc for England. In his defence, it's a different kind of pressure than he's probably used to, unlike the England players. I think he was starting to show up more later in the game & had Germany scored, would have looked a different player. He missed a key pass 2nd half which, had he seen it, would have put Germany clean through on the break & I recon that would have been game over.

Like you say, there are more opportunities to come for that team but I would expect an improvement in standards from quite a few of their competitors, who were pretty much as bad as they've ever been in this tournament.

[Ted Hughes]

i´m not worried about Friedrich being replaced. Mats Hummels of BVB should have been at the world cup, also Benny Höwedes of Schalke. Both had been in that german U21 squad, where a lot of the current national team come from. Bad luck for both of them, that Badstuber had that great season with Bayern. Badstuber is a CB as Boateng is. One of them will be Mertesacker´s partner. The bigger problem is a striker, otherwise Miro Klose is up there 2014 again :-( Gomez had to restart his complete career and leave Bayern and Kießling is somehow disliked by Löw. And striker talents are rare

Don't know about that. Thomas Muller for me is the real deal. Will probably play as second striker in the future (I think) and I have him down as next truly World Class players, And that isn't about few appearances in World Cup but what I've seen of him for Bayern. Kiessling is a strange one, I've watched quite alot of Bundesleague on Eurosport 2 during past few seasons (Bundesleague is actually my second favourite competition to watch in the world...... despite Germans reputation as boring, there's rarely a dull game.....always something happening there..... I'd suggest it to anyone who can see it, miles better than Serie A for example) and he has been absolutely deadly in front of goal. And then there's the possibility that Löw can get Gomez playing on his natural level for Germany as well. I think you will be alright on that department as long as Muller keeps progressing at the rate he does right now. None of the strikers mentioned is duffer enough NOT to score bags of goals with Muller playing behind him and Özil there in the midfield as well.

I agree, the football there is much better than in Italy & considering the entrance fees, standing areas, etc the 'match day experience' (as Cook would say) for German fans is miles better than for those going to PL games. Still don't rate many of the teams as being quality though; entertaining yes.

[avoidconfusion]

i´m not worried about Friedrich being replaced. Mats Hummels of BVB should have been at the world cup, also Benny Höwedes of Schalke. Both had been in that german U21 squad, where a lot of the current national team come from. Bad luck for both of them, that Badstuber had that great season with Bayern. Badstuber is a CB as Boateng is. One of them will be Mertesacker´s partner. The bigger problem is a striker, otherwise Miro Klose is up there 2014 again :-( Gomez had to restart his complete career and leave Bayern and Kießling is somehow disliked by Löw. And striker talents are rare

Loew will realize that Kiessling is the future. And he could even play Mueller or Kroos up front I think.

[Knappe]

the funny thing, that no one rated Muller as a big talent in Bundesliga 3. Don´t know, what van Gaal has seen there. And indeed, there are talents with greater skills. What is all about him is his passion to play and his down-to-earth-attitude, while other young players at this age start to talk about big deals and big clubs, he seems to be just in there to play football. The way, he desperately tried to pass that guards yesterday to get on the pitch to be part of the team (and why on earth FIFA didn´t not allow it after the match!!) showed it all

[avoidconfusion]

the funny thing, that no one rated Muller as a big talent in Bundesliga 3. Don´t know, what van Gaal has seen there. And indeed, there are talents with greater skills. What is all about him is his passion to play and his down-to-earth-attitude, while other young players at this age start to talk about big deals and big clubs, he seems to be just in there to play football. The way, he desperately tried to pass that guards yesterday to get on the pitch to be part of the team (and why on earth FIFA didn´t not allow it after the match!!) showed it all

Totally agree, he is a great player, fantastic talent and a great guy from the sounds of it.

[lets all have a disco]

I just hope over the next decade England can produce some top players,I know the kids have the talent but they need to be brought up on the idea its trophies that matter and not bitches and bling.


Despite me liking bitches and bling.