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10 Conclusions: Germany 2-0 Poland

June 9th, 2008 | By: Jan | 18 Comments »

Miroslav Klose - Lukas Podolski 1. Sky Sports chose to title their match report German efficiency, but I’d say there’s still some way to go before this cliché can be applied. Germany played a dominant first 35 minutes, during which they created a few good chances but only scored once. The game was kept open and Poland threatened to take advantage. They had already occasionally exposed a defence, which had yet to find its’ rhythm, during Germany’s dominant spell and then managed to get a better grip on the match late in the first and in the beginning of the second half. So, more efficiency in front of goal would be fine with me.

2. Mario Gomez was a key player in the build up to both of Germany’s goals, which isn’t all that bad for a Euro debut. He also had two great chances to score, which he uncharacteristically squandered though. Otherwise I had the feeling that Gomez wasn’t really on the pitch, until I received confirmation, when Löw subbed him off. Maybe a small case of stage fright.

3. Jens Lehmann added yet another clean sheet to his collection, but it has a few smudges. Jens Lehmann started the match with a blunder, gifting Krzynowek a golden opportunity to score the early lead, and followed it up with another mistake shortly afterwards. But Lehmann clearly improved his game during the match. He was in full command of his box, fished crosses out of the air, collected optimistic long range shots and even pulled off a good reflex save. Hopefully this little training session has helped him return to his old goalkeeping self again.

4. Coming back to the efficiency debate: it looked like Germany’s energy efficiency wasn’t up to environment saving standards. They started the match all guns blazing at a high tempo, which they could maintain for much of the first half but not for the rest of the match. Whether the players had overdone it or whether Poland just managed to control the match better and slow it down is up for debate.

5. Michael Ballack played a good match, but there was still some room for improvement. His performance wasn’t that dominant, especially when you compare it to the recent Serbia friendly. When Poland had broken Germany’s rhythm, Ballack wasn’t able to pick his players up and impose his game on the match again. Germany got back into the game, due to the fact that Poland had to open up more and more as the game progressed, and not because of Ballack’s leadership. The same could be said about Frings.

6. Miroslav Klose could go down in history as a striker who assisted more goals than he scored himself. Even if some of his assists are involuntary, like the miskick that led to Podolski’s second goal.

7. The offside calls went in Germany’s favour. According to Reuters’ video analysis, the situation that led to Germany’s first goal was too close to call and Ebi Smolarek’s chance for Poland in the 62nd minute was fractionally offside. So, at least they were very close calls and as such don’t make very good blame-the-ref arguments. Though, you could surely try, if you are a Poland fan.

8. Lukas Podolski on the left and Clemens Fritz on the right side of the midfield made it all happen for Germany. Fritz looked like the luxury version of David Odonkor, while Lukas Podolski looked like the luxury version of a Bayern Munich substitute.

9. Germany’s central defence was actually quite solid I think. Nothing to win a tournament with yet, but better than what we saw two years ago in the World Cup opener against Costa Rica. But there just has to be one obvious weak link in Germany’s defence each game it seems. And this time it was Marcell Jansen, who has to take the blame. I was under the impression that almost all of Poland’s attacks came through Jansen’s flank.

10. Good thing this match is over. There was too much bad blood and all – off the pitch.

Tags: Clemens Fritz, Euro 2008, Jens Lehmann, Lukas Podolski, Marcell Jansen, Mario Gomez, Michael Ballack, Miroslav Klose, Torsten Frings

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Comments

By Angela | June 9th, 2008 at 11:04 pm

Lukas was definitely the player of the game. I just finished watching this (I had recorded it) and he played his little heart out. It just goes to show what he is capable of when he and everyone on his team, including the coaches, believe in him. His confidence is much higher at the National level. And you can’t help but have a bit of respect for him and his love to both his countries.

I have said this on my Bayern blog, but Miro is often far too unselfish. Even when he should be completely selfish, he rarely is.

Poland, I thought, put up a good fight and if Germany want to beat Croatia on Thursday they’re going to have to play a much better game. Poland was very strong and gave them a good run.

Posted from United States

By harriet | June 9th, 2008 at 11:14 pm

Poldi is great!!!!
I figured out that the 2 goals this match are actually quite similar to the 2 goals Poldi scored way back in 2006 against Sweden. With Miro as assist…
Anyway,so much for Poldi and the fans!I hope he keeps it up!!Be more consistent than he was in Bayern

Posted from Hong Kong

By Nick | June 9th, 2008 at 11:36 pm

Jan,

I still can;t get over how slow Metzelder has been, and was I scared when Lehmann botched the opening minute! (Give Friedrich a chance!) Of course, Germany has always scared me like no other team. Jansen will improve as Germany has no tested starting alternative for left-back. (Clearly Lahm is better on the right.) The Germans still have to rely on the attack as the defense is still more scrappy than World-Class. Then again aside from 1990 when has Germany ever been the clear undisputed favorites?

As for the match of the day, Italy played poorly above all else. Materazzi looks suspiciously like Metzelder, and a Germany-Netherlands final looks probable. It was amazing how well the Netherlands passed and combined, though the Italians strung some things together too – only to be either bungled or saved at the last moment. They are not out yet. I sort of feel sorry for them (probably because my first girlfriend was Italian), yet I remember how unpleasant losing the semifinal to their constant falling was. t was nice seeing the referee not falling for their Plan B for once.

That all being said, Loew like most German managers since Herberger (maybe not poor Berti Vogts) knows what he is doing. And hey as the song goes.

Wir haben nicht die höchste Spielkultur.
Sind nicht gerade filigran.
Doch wir haben Träume und Visionen
und in der Hinterhand nen Master Plan.

The Final – Germany 2 – Netherlands , and naturally it HAS to be a comeback win.

By Nick | June 9th, 2008 at 11:55 pm

Germany 2 Netherlands 1 that is.

Croatia will raise their game, but Germany can win if they play slightly better than they did against Serbia. As far as I can tell same tactics for the Croats. After all some of the Croatian players grew up under the old Yugoslav system (Bilic for sure) which was really good in comparison to let’s say East Germany (choked when it mattered all the time).

If we only had a super player like Matthias Sammer, who like Ballack was from East Germany nonetheless!

By Nishit | June 10th, 2008 at 12:00 am

So will Low go for the same formation next game, or will Podolski start upfront?
http://www.troopersblog.blogspot.com

Posted from India

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 12:09 am

Angela
“Poland, I thought, put up a good fight and if Germany want to beat Croatia on Thursday they’re going to have to play a much better game.”

If Croatia play like they did against Austria, we can beat them with a performance similar to the one against Poland. But as I expect Bilic to do his homework as well, you are absolutely right.

Nick
“I still can;t get over how slow Metzelder has been”
and will be. I don’t think Metzelder has ever been particularly fast, has he?

“Jansen will improve as Germany has no tested starting alternative for left-back.”
Lahm pulled off his World Cup 2006 performance on the left side, so he’s a top class alternative. Clemens Fritz is a good right back as is Friedrich.

“It was amazing how well the Netherlands passed and combined”
yup, that was the benchmark. Although Germany played faster and a bit more powerful, but couldn’t match the timing and quality of the passes.

“If we only had a super player like Matthias Sammer, who like Ballack was from East Germany nonetheless!”
Which for me is the much bigger scandal. People always get stuck discussing the so called foreigners on Germany’s team, meanwhile completely neglecting the many communists, who undermine the capitalist purity of the Mannschaft. And that’s with Schneider out injured.

By Jan | June 10th, 2008 at 12:14 am

Nishit: your comment was caught by the spam filter this time around, so I suspect that’s why you weren’t able to comment on the main page. You’d probably have to ask one of the main Euro bloggers like Darly (at worldcupblog.org) to check the spam filters and approve your comments.

I hope he keeps the Gomez/Klose pairing as I expect Gomez to be among the players who will raise their game and make a difference. So Podolski should keep his midfield role.

By Nick | June 10th, 2008 at 12:39 am

Well looking at recent performances Lahm seems to play better on the right side, so keeping him there would probably be better. As for Fritz he proved a good Schneider alternative, with pace, (I noticed how he never chose to shoot though) better as a starter anyway than Schweni. (probably better defender too.) Though Schweni will do well as demonstrated and draw plenty of defenders in a Portugal semifinal. Then again what do we do with Odonkor? Probaly send him on if Germany somehow falls behind.

I have always been suspicious of Metzelder. Why can;t we have another Mertesacker? I honestly don;t remember when Germany had an extremely solid center back since 1996.

I suppose starting Kuranyi would be worst than starting Metzelder, prove me wrong please! Be the man of the tournament and choke for Schalke. On that note no more questioning, more sleep. I believe in them, as I always have! The Hollander may have Cryuff but we a team of eleven players, a chance, and a dream to be champions again. Soon…

By diana | June 10th, 2008 at 10:11 am

Regarding No.1, one of the newspapers here have this – ‘Germans signal intent’. The match report they get is from AFP.

Link – http://www.todayonline.com/pdf_open.asp?id=0906FPG001

‘Which for me is the much bigger scandal. People always get stuck discussing the so called foreigners on Germany’s team, meanwhile completely neglecting the many communists, who undermine the capitalist purity of the Mannschaft.’
Geez.

Jan, we also kind of have this situation here as well (it was once debated in the newspapers at one time). Even our national team have those who were not born in Singapore, but they chose to play for their adopted country. It can only happen if the footballer gets his citizenship. As someone like me being brought and bred in this country, as long as they feel they are part of the country, I have no issue with it.

Posted from Singapore

By Angela | June 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am

Nick: “(Give Friedrich a chance!)” I think I love you.

Posted from United States

By Juliet | June 10th, 2008 at 12:35 pm

I was deeply amused by Otto Rehhegal’s comment about how Greece would play versus the tactics employed by Poland: “We won’t play like Poland and leave 30-metre gaps at the back, thanking the opponents’ striker as he passes to score…. If it’s modern football to play the offside trap then it’s also modern football to lose 2-0.”

Nick, LOL to the Mertesacker-Materazzi comparision! Spot on! Mertesacker was clearly carrying Metze during the match and I am concerned that so much of the responsibility rests with him — more involvement means more chance to get hurt, and he’s the heart of our defense.

Lahm, IMHO, is a top choice on either side. Fritz was tremendous on the right midfield. Though he is a solid choice for right back, I’d like to see Westermann get his chance either on the left or in the center. Poldi was fantastic in left midfield — it’s neat that Loew took a shot at putting him there. I’m terribly disappointed that Schweini was dropped, but as a sub he was tenacious and obviously eager to get back in the XI. And Gomez — wow, I see some deadly determination in him. I think he’s going to get better and better as the tournament wears on.

Posted from United States

By Juliet | June 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm

Sorry, I meant that that to say “Though Fritz is a solid choice for right back…”

Posted from United States

By Denis S | June 11th, 2008 at 4:21 am

CROATIA vs GERMANY

Hey germany i cant wait for the match on thursday! Its gonna be a good one. I think croatia gonna pull out a victory! We have some great changes that slaven bilic has made. Our Ballack of croatia ( niko Kranjcar) will play on a center offensive role/forward against u guys. He is also a very skilled dribbler. And also has an aweseome shot! So yeah, its gonna be a hell of a match!! Plus Ivan Rakitic ( the FC SHALKE #10 ) will be put on the left outside where kranjcar played. So that means kranjcar will touch the ball more. And modric will be right behind him! So yeah….Im very excited!! VERY!!

What do you guys think of croatias team, they’ve been playing pretty shitty lately. I think its just a faze…anyway. I’ll be a good match. Just remember england ( 2-0 ) at home and (2-3) wembley!!

By Jan | June 11th, 2008 at 9:14 am

I hope it’ll be a good match as well. A lot of the players know each other from the Bundesliga, and I don’t know whether that’ll be a good or a bad thing. Some things in Croatia’s team haven’t really clicked yet, especially the offence. Petric hasn’t shown his true class yet. But the same can be said of Mario Gomez.

By Intan | June 11th, 2008 at 11:01 pm

I was pretty happy about the match, but after much thinking I realised that we were facing poland. So, while the defense seemed pretty okay, there is a chance that when subjected to a team with greater attacking prowess (eg. Croatia, Portugal–whom we can meet in the semis if we and Portugal keep on winning), it (especially Jens Lehmann) can crumble. I’m hoping Gomez would get over whatever that stopped him from performing his Stuggart best last match and start cashing in on the chances he’s presented with.
There was a certain “luck” element involved in the Poland game, with Jens Lehmann being so unbelievable lucky that a few balls he could not do anything about just narrowly strayed away from the goal. But I agree with point 3 that Lehmann’s maybe finally finding his form, and that can make all the difference in the coming games.
By the way, with Podolski now probably permanently taking Schweini’s job at the left, is there a chance that Schweinsteiger can be played on the right? I think it would sharpen the offense a little bit if he’s on the field (he did present Poldi with the second goal–although it was meant for Klose but still).

Posted from Singapore

By jasperaldo (ASR) | June 12th, 2008 at 3:29 am

Gomez will shine tonight

Posted from Netherlands

By Soccer Delirium | June 12th, 2008 at 6:15 am

It’s going to be Germany all the way to the final. They won’t have a problem against Croatia and since they will avoid playing Portugal in the QF, they have a really good chance of making it all the way to the final game. Once there, anything can happen.

By vanessa | June 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

Go0o0o0 GErMaNy