Germany, and their lone striker

ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Germany

When I was a nipper Germany used to win everything, World Cups and Euros. Its hard to believe that a nation as strong as Germany, in football, has not won the World Cup since 1990. That’s 24 years ago! Twenty four years is a long time for the Germans to be going without a World Cup victory.

Will they win it this year? I think they have a very strong chance. They have one of the strongest squads in the competition. The world cup games come quick and fast and teams have to rely on their fringe players to get them through to the end. Teams with strong solid squads will do well. Germany fits that bill.

Manuel Neuer is one of the best goalkeepers in the world at the moment. Playing regular top class football with Bayern Munich he has shown to be a solid keeper that makes few mistakes and he has the temperate and steadiness to give his back four full confidence to get on with their own game. Would also fancy him for a penalty shoot out. Top class keeper.

if there is a small weakness it is Germany’s defence. It can go without leave, and get disorientated. Philipp Lahm, the captain and one of Germany’s stars is great for bombing forward and getting the ball into the opposition box, but when he is up the field who is behind at the back? Per Mertesacker? Jérôme Boateng? or the rest? Germany have really struggled to get a central defender of the mold of Beckenbauer, someone who exudes confidence on the ball, sweeping out of central defence, controlling his area. Funny that this is a position that Germany is weak on considering the history of German teams and their usually rock solid defence. It remains to be seen if Joachim Löw has solved this problem.

Midfield is where German are strong. Bastian Schweinsteiger is about as good as you can get for a box to box player, who can ship in for a lot of goals. He has a long season with Munich so it remains to be seen how he will perform with Germany. Mesut Özil is another star of the German midfield, who was a key player from the last World Cup. But this season with Arsenal he has been out of sorts, has struggled and his confidence is very low. Heading into a world cup that’s not good. Thomas Müller is another who has had a mixed season, scoring 13 goals in the league, but under performing in the CL. But could the German stars be waiting for the world cup to correct their season? Its still a very good midfield, with possibly only Spain able to match it in terms of quality and skill.

Up front Miroslav Klose is back and itching to get Ronaldo’s top goal scoring record. He needs two to beat it. At 36 one would wonder if he can get it, but with Löw only bringing the one striker, now that Lukas Podolski seems to be more of an inside forward, he will get chances and game time to beat it. Klose was a world class player, but I am not so sure if he still has the legs and pace to get the goals he needs for the record. He still has a good head for a goal though, literally! It would not be the first time a team has won the world cup with few strikers and a team built around the midfield. France did it in 98, and Argentina did it in 86.

Germany have the ability to steam roll through teams. they are fast going forward and are physically strong. I see them coming first in their group. A tough group but I cant see Germany losing any of those first round games. They will be a struggle but they should get out of the group. Could all rely on the last game against the USA but they will do it.

Coming out of a hard group will give them serious momentum, and they should easily dispatch of Russia/Belgium/Switzerland/France to reach the last eight. They are just teams Germany usually beat. I cant see another Bulgaria here.

So I expect Germany to at least get to the Semi’s. By this stage will their team still be fit and injury free? Against England/Brazil in the semi’s. Would except them to beat England if that was the case, they usually do, but against Brazil it would be a closer game, possibly going to penalties. German have the skill to get into a final. A final where they might meet Spain or Argentina. By then Klose would be tired out, the heat would have gotten to Lahm, Löw has ran out of ideas, and Germany would be too drained to give a good account of themselves in the final. Spain to beat them easy in the final? That’s what my money is on!