Monday, June 16th, Germany vs. Portugal at Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador (5pm BST, 12pm ET)
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Day 5: Germany vs. Portugal
- Thread starter gooDevil
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I really do hope Löw picks the right starting formation. The one Bild predicted a few days ago was simply horrible. Now that it is certain that Lahm will start in midfield Boateng is probably the best choice at right FB, even though I don't really rate him, I think he'd do better than Großkreutz. Really don't want to see Höwedes at left back though. That guy is a decent CB but at most mediocre at right back. I really don't know how you can consider him as a left back, sure the only alternative is Durm, but Durm has proven himself more as a left back than Höwedes has, even at his age. He was always up to the challenge when thrown into the cold water, even when playing against Bale in the Champions League. So, I say: Why not trust him? Why play Höwedes ahead of him who was injured most of the season and never played as left back? Durm is way better on the offensive, the only problem I can see is Podolski probably playing on the left wing. Durm doesn't really has the experience playing with a badly defending winger on his side. That's why I'd personally like to see Schürrle play on the left wing. Pereira and Nani is definitely the weaker one of the two wings on Portugals side, which Germany will ahve to take advantage of. Podolski and Höwedes would be bad because one is too offensive while the other one is too defensive. In central midfield I guess it will be playing Khedira alongside Lahm, which I do not like, but I guess you can't do anything against. I mean Lahm - Kroos would be a great central midfield and is proven to work, why not play that? According to the statements Löw made earlier this week Özil will probably play, while Kroos is also a probable starter. Playing both of them would be suicide. Both Özil - Kroos and Özil - Götze does not work because both players occupy the same space. Müller should be playing up front since Klose won't be fit for 90 minutes and would probably make more of an impact if brought on in the last 20 minutes. What I'm really fearing is Özil playing as a false 9 while putting Kroos "behind him". The problem is that if Müller plays upfront you'd either have to play Podolski or Götze and Özil together that's why I have the incredibly optimistic hope that Klose will be at 100%. We just don't have any other strikers (should have taken Lasogga along).
So a lot of worries here. Within one year this went from "the strongest squad in German history" to "hopefully we avoid a catastrophe", which for Germany probably would be going out in the quarters. So many injuries. Gündogan should have been a definite starter at this world cup. He should be the man guiding the German team. Such a shame that he's injured, this could have been his year. Both Benders would have brought a different needed element to the team and Reus alongside Lahm was the only German player this season who was truly world class. Add to that all the players who where injured until just before the tournament started. Khedira, Gomez, Klose, Schmelzer, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Neuer, the list goes on. A lot of people in Germany still think that we will go on to win the whole thing but I am not nearly optimistic enough to agree with them. Making it further than the quarter final would be a big success.
What I hope for
---------------------Neuer--------------------------
Boateng----Mertesacker------Hummels----------Durm
-----------Lahm------------------------------------
--------------------------Kroos----------------------
Müller---------------Götze-------------------Schürrle
---------------------Klose---------------------------
What I'm fearing
-------------------Neuer-----------------------------
Boateng-----Mertesacker-----Hummels--------Höwedes
------------Lahm-------------------------------------
--------------------------Khedira---------------------
Müller----------------Kroos--------------------Podolski
---------------------Özil------------------------------
I predict a rather boring 1:1 draw. Both teams to go through at the end.
So a lot of worries here. Within one year this went from "the strongest squad in German history" to "hopefully we avoid a catastrophe", which for Germany probably would be going out in the quarters. So many injuries. Gündogan should have been a definite starter at this world cup. He should be the man guiding the German team. Such a shame that he's injured, this could have been his year. Both Benders would have brought a different needed element to the team and Reus alongside Lahm was the only German player this season who was truly world class. Add to that all the players who where injured until just before the tournament started. Khedira, Gomez, Klose, Schmelzer, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Neuer, the list goes on. A lot of people in Germany still think that we will go on to win the whole thing but I am not nearly optimistic enough to agree with them. Making it further than the quarter final would be a big success.
What I hope for
---------------------Neuer--------------------------
Boateng----Mertesacker------Hummels----------Durm
-----------Lahm------------------------------------
--------------------------Kroos----------------------
Müller---------------Götze-------------------Schürrle
---------------------Klose---------------------------
What I'm fearing
-------------------Neuer-----------------------------
Boateng-----Mertesacker-----Hummels--------Höwedes
------------Lahm-------------------------------------
--------------------------Khedira---------------------
Müller----------------Kroos--------------------Podolski
---------------------Özil------------------------------
I predict a rather boring 1:1 draw. Both teams to go through at the end.
Is Ronaldo fit for this one?
Germany will win this.
Portugal will be in England's situation of needing to beat the US of A.
Early days but imagine Spain, England and Portugal getting knocked out in the group stages
not sure if that would be a good or bad thing.
Portugal will be in England's situation of needing to beat the US of A.
Early days but imagine Spain, England and Portugal getting knocked out in the group stages
not sure if that would be a good or bad thing.I don't think lack of strikers will prove bad for the Germans, I think goals can come from all around the field.
Ronaldo may or may not be fit, regardless i'm gonna say.
Germany 2-0 Portugal.
Ronaldo may or may not be fit, regardless i'm gonna say.
Germany 2-0 Portugal.
Hope that Ronaldo will tear us apart and the remaining Portoguese have a good day, too. The sooner the Löw area ends, the better.
Tough match to predict. Should be a good match.
I want Germany to win just so spoil Ronaldo's day.
Wait, what?
We have a few "supporters" here in Germany who just want to get rid of Löw at all circumstances, quite ridiculous really...
What a life you must have to cheer for the opponent team purely to get rid of a coach.
Want Ronaldo to suffer, he is having a easy hide lately.
looking forward to this one.
I do agree with you there, but on some level I can understand all the Germans who want the "Nationalmannschaft" to go out early. Having a coach who is actually top class and not just mediocre without an idea of a defensive concept would really help Germany's chances to win something in the near future. It would be a damn shame if this generation didn't get any big international titles. And with Löw in charge this pretty much seems to be out of reach. Löw already has a contract lasting until 2016 and if Germany do the way Germany normally does, which means going to the semis before being eliminated by the first really good side they come across, Löw of course will again be praised for this "fantastic accomplishment" and may even get a contract until 2018. Counting the 2006 world cup where he was virtually in charge this is now Löw's fifth major tournament in charge of Germany. I don't think any German coach has ever gone this long without actually winning anything. I mean Berti Vogts was practically lynched when he didn't win all the games back in the 90's. But somehow with probably the best generation in German football, well except for strikers, we have settled for coming 3rd all the time. And this will most definitely continue as long as Löw is in charge.
So I can see why people would say that they'd rather see Germany go out in the group stages this year and might see them win the Euro 16 than just go the quarters/semis on both occasions. Like the so called "Euro 2000" effect which brought about a change in the youth system, we now do need a change but on the coach position. Most Italians probably don't regret going out in the group stages in 2004 seeing how they won the World Cup two years later.
Still, I just can't hope for my country to lose. That's why I'll still be supporting Germany and I guess I'll just have the slight hope that things with Löw work themselves out, which unfortunately seems unlikely seeing how the DFB mainly consists of a bunch of his friends.
A life, where I want to see the fantastic work of German clubs in terms of youth development being rewarded with some kind of silverware. I´m absolutely certain that we won´t win this tournament. Not just a negative feeling, I´m sure of it. We will get past the group stages on nothing else but individual class of our players and then go out in the KO stages vs. the first team which is around our level in that regard. At a certain point individual class won´t be enough without the proper tactics and system and we will hit a dead end once again. Löw won´t have to answer the hard questions and keep clinging to his spot as national coach.
Let´s face it. As long as nothing drastic happens, nothing will change. I will continue to be frustrated by a national team which consists of players, who largely can´t perform to their club forms because of being forced into a poor system. I will have to watch a mediocre coach in relation to the standart of the Bundesliga for years to come, wasting all the work the German clubs do and the strongest generation of players since the 70ies. So, yeah, if one truly poor tournament results into exposing Löw as the clown he is and some much needed changes in the ranks of the German officials, I´ll take it. I won´t like it, but I´ll take it.
Want portugal to win because of Ronaldo!
You lot are overreacting a little bit...
"Counting the 2006 world cup where he was virtually in charge this is now Löw's fifth major tournament in charge of Germany."
2006 WC - we had an amazing tournament, we overachieved with the squad we had.
2008 Euro - How did we even reach the final? Our team was mediocre.
2010 WC - We went into the tournament with a young, inexperienced squad. We surprised the whole world with great attacking football (England and Argentina). Then get knocked out against the later winners Spain, who had a MUCH better squad then us.
2012 Euro - We advance out of the "group of death" with 9 points, but unfortunately crash out against Italy after a poor game.
2012 knock out is honestly Löws fault, but besides that he hasn't disappointed as a coach in the tournaments in my opinion. We were only (arguably) favorites in 2012.
We have a great squad at the moment, but still lack key areas (LB, striker). This is not necessarily a side that HAS to win this world cup.
I don't like the line ups Löw choses for some games, but I'll live with it and support my team. Because I certainly didn't expect Germany to win a trophy in the last few cups. You're all jumping to conclusions before our players have even kicked the ball. Now if he fails in this WC you have every right to criticize him, but those reactions are over the top...
"Counting the 2006 world cup where he was virtually in charge this is now Löw's fifth major tournament in charge of Germany."
2006 WC - we had an amazing tournament, we overachieved with the squad we had.
2008 Euro - How did we even reach the final? Our team was mediocre.
2010 WC - We went into the tournament with a young, inexperienced squad. We surprised the whole world with great attacking football (England and Argentina). Then get knocked out against the later winners Spain, who had a MUCH better squad then us.
2012 Euro - We advance out of the "group of death" with 9 points, but unfortunately crash out against Italy after a poor game.
2012 knock out is honestly Löws fault, but besides that he hasn't disappointed as a coach in the tournaments in my opinion. We were only (arguably) favorites in 2012.
We have a great squad at the moment, but still lack key areas (LB, striker). This is not necessarily a side that HAS to win this world cup.
I don't like the line ups Löw choses for some games, but I'll live with it and support my team. Because I certainly didn't expect Germany to win a trophy in the last few cups. You're all jumping to conclusions before our players have even kicked the ball. Now if he fails in this WC you have every right to criticize him, but those reactions are over the top...
Never underestimate the Germans like you are.
You don't get the point. Which is that with Löw in charge Germany will never win a major title, because they'll never be able to beat an actually very good team. Every time in recent years Germany crashed and burned against the first good team they came across. True, Spain may still have the better squad all around, but that is where the coach comes in. He is the one who should make a difference in these sort of games. Italy didn't have the better squad in 2012, but they had the better coach. That's why they won. There is no way in hell that Netherlands have a better squad than Spain. But it seems that they have the better coach. Germany never in the history of the game had the best squad in the world, but their coaches were mostly top class. Add to that the so called "German spirit" of defying the odds, which the current generation doesn't really seem to have, and you get three World Cup as well as three Euros. Löw will probably never outcoach another manager at the biggest stages, Germany will easily beat opponents that are individually worse than them, but struggle against decent teams as long as Löw is in charge. A semi final isn't a success for a German team. That might sound a little arrogant but it just isn't. But with this coach Germany will never be the overachieving side it used to be. People used to say "Why the hell did the Germans win, they really aren't that good!", they don't anymore. We have a squad that can certainly win a title but we don't have the coach to beat a team that isn't considerably weaker than we are. And that is the problem.
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How do you know? We had no chance against Spain in 2010, compare both line ups and tell me any coach would've been able to beat Spain. They were on top of their game... And if you think Argentina, Netherlands or Portugal aren't top sides then I don't know what teams are.
This Löw-bashing is getting out of hand, I understand that some of you might be unhappy but it's getting to the point where it's a little embarrassing. Not supporting the team and cheering for the opponents, what is this?
He had ONE game where Löw * up, since then he's the scapegoat for everything related to the German national team. I'm not his biggest fan but give this guy a chance. We are not the only team who is able to win the whole thing, we have Brazil, Argentina, Holland, Spain etc. , Germany cannot just steamroll past any opponent.
Wait until a ball is kicked tomorrow, then start bashing Löw again. Now it's just laughable.
I never said that I wouldn't support the team, I will, I also find it ridiculous that people won't. I'm just saying that I kind of get why they won't. Even if we beat Portugal tomorrow what will that tell you about the time we come across a top team like Netherlands, Spain or Italy? Right, nothing. The past just shows that with Löw we were never able to beat a team that was above our level in terms of squad quality and got beaten quite a few times by a team that was actually below us. People are just afraid of us crusing through the tournament again before coming across some good opposition in the semis just for Löw to say that we played a good tournament. Rinse and repeat for the next ten years. Germany defied the odds in the past, why can't they anymore, that's what people are wondering. I don't want Germany to go out early, I want them to win, and even though I don't think it's possible, I will be supporting them until they get eliminated. But if things do not improve at this tournament, which they probably won't seeing how Löw had years to incorporate a pressing system and a concept for the defense, Löw will have to go, which he might not seeing how big his support at DFB is unless Germany get a horrible result. That's why people hope for Germany to go out early. And I can see this reasoning, even though I don't agree.
Which games are you referring to other than the Italy game?
Croatia 2008 and to some extent Serbia 2010, but I got to admit that I might have exaggerated a little here. Isn't the main point though.
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The competitions first 0-0 
The pressure is on Ronaldo now. He needs to score against Germany.
****** will score definitely given his form.
Hope Nani has a blinder of a game.
Hope Nani has a blinder of a game.
You don't think his injury will be a factor? We all know the Balon D' Or is what is on his mind. Messi has already taken the lead for the award with his goal against Bosnia, Ronaldo will be feeling the pressure.
I think Ronnie's gonna have a horrible tournament because of this injury to be honest.
Merkel will be there
Off to the World Cup Babes topic!
wait what?
Off to the World Cup Babes topic!
wait what?
I highly doubt scoring a goal against Bosnia will have any effect on the Balon D'Or!!
Messi would have to at least win top scorer or get to the semis for the world cup to influence the balon dor. Ronaldo is way ahead at the moment in that race and if it was handed out in may he would have won it.
I think his injury has been overplayed. Hasn't he been training consistently with the rest of the squad? He himself said he is in good enough condition for the game.
the only possible chance to get rid of löw would be if they failed to make it to the knock-out stage. other than that, he and his entourage will simply continue the business as usual, because INJURIES.
He clearly meant Golden boot/shoe.
I hate Löw just like everybody else does but I have to agree with that other poster above...I don't understand why so many of us want us to fail just to get rid of Löw. This is the last chance for some players who've done well for us and we should back them and hope they'll go far. Just because Löw is shit some of us are giving up on the whole team? The team is more than Löw...infact the team is more than just the squad, this team is Germany. :P So ya'll better get your thoughts straight!
Aside of that, even if we crash, Löw is guaranteed to go till 2016 anyway! I highly doubt he'll go till 2018 and I don't think he'll get another extension. So basically us failing would mean nothing for Löw aside of knowing that he's a failure. But he'd keep his job. Surely the better option would be us doing well if he keeps his job anyway.
Merkel will be there
Off to the World Cup Babes topic!
wait what?
Rousseff & Merkel sextape incoming.
No. I meant Balon D' Or.
If Messi advances further than Ronaldo in this world cup, and scores a few goals in the process, they will give it to him. People want a reason to not have to vote for Ronaldo.
Anyway to get back on topic, my prediction for this match is
2-1 Germany.
2-1 Germany.
So let's hope he wins the cup.
I don't think Messi has any chance unless Argentina wins the WC. Ronaldo has been much much better and that's not even debatable.
i neither wish for, nor do i expect germany to actually fail in their group, it was just my thought on how to possibly get rid of löw. which would be a really interesting situation at least..
i also think that he may even extend his contract in the future, as long they continue to be somewhat "successful" in the löw way, meaning quarterfinals/semis and whoops losing "unluckily while being the better team" (future lahm quote) against top opposition. the löw camp have been sitting very comfortably in their respective chairs since the departure of sammer to bayern and it seems like they're completely in charge of literally everything, from their fluffy cloud that is. i mean, could you imagine a top club aiming for löw as their manager? or would he rather take over at a club like, well, stuttgart or freiburg? dunno really.
on a sidenote: do we want kroos and/or schweinsteiger alongside lahm as the DM pairing? or will löw field a DM of lahm and khedira again?
i'd also like to add that I WANT LIL' ERIK TO PLAY! I'M LOOKING AT YOU, JOGI!
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