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10 Conclusions: Germany 2-1 Serbia

June 2nd, 2008 | By: Jan | 10 Comments »

Joachim Löw, Hansi Flick and Andi Köpke 1. Serbia were leading 1-0 for most of the match, which made me see Germany’s performance more negative than it actually was for most of the match.

2. Germany played a lot of sloppy passes, which were either too slow, too short or not precise enough. Some of them were played from the defence and could have been easily intercepted by a more alert striker.

3. Blame it on lapses of concentration, but plenty of German players often failed to handle basic tasks like stopping a ball.

4. Set pieces are still ineffective and Ballack’s free kick was the exception from the rule. The rule was demonstrated by Bastian Schweinsteiger, when he took his corner kicks and sent them high and wide to the other side of the pitch.

5. Overall the match was still played at a pretty slow pace, but I blame that on the tough training camp and the fact that it was a friendly. Germany temporarily upped the tempo at times though and played out some promising combinations. Only one actually led to a goal, but there’s still time for some fine-tuning.

6. Oliver Neuville justified his selection over Patrick Helmes. He didn’t do anything fancy, he was just at the right spot at the right time and was ready to do a simple tap-in. Kevin Kuranyi didn’t justify his selection. He is hardly ever at the right spot at the right time and tap-ins pose a serious challenge to him.

7. Christoph Metzelder’s spatial awareness could use some more training. He was again in the middle of some awful defending, which led to Serbia’s goal. At least the left and right flank were confidently guarded by Jansen, Lahm and Fritz; not that there was a lot coming their way though.

8. Jens Lehmann needed match practise and the Serbs didn’t give him any. The first time they showed up in front of his goal, they scored and he couldn’t do anything about it. The second time they showed up in front of his goal, they hit the crossbar and he couldn’t do anything about it. That’s mostly it.

9. Jogi Löw put some plan Bs on the pitch in the second half. Plan B for Bastian Schweinsteiger’s position on the left midfield was Lukas Podolski, who looks a much better fit than Schweinsteiger at the moment. Schweinsteiger moved to the right side and proved that he didn’t do any better there either. Bernd Schneider’s absence has really left a hole in that position. Plan B for Christoph Metzelder was Arne Friedrich who played a second half, which can’t be described as anything more than solid, as the Serbs didn’t really show up much in Germany’s half.

10. Michael Ballack is in Euro winning form. That’s very encouraging. What is less encouraging is the fact, that he was the alpha and omega in Germany’s attack and had more efforts on goal than Kuranyi, Gomez and Neuville combined. With our shaky defence, it would probably be better, if he helps out Torsten Frings in the defensive midfield.

Tags: Arne Friedrich, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Christoph Metzelder, Euro 2008, Friendlies, Germany, Jens Lehmann, Kevin Kuranyi, Lukas Podolski, Michael Ballack, Oliver Neuville, Serbia

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Comments

By diana | June 2nd, 2008 at 8:50 am

Regarding No.5 about Neuville, I was streaming the match (it’s on GolTV) and I think one of the two commentators was saying that if this continues two weeks from now, Loew will look like a genius. Something like that.

Maybe you can add a No.11, Jan. Just my take. The GolTV commentators were saying after the match that Jogi Loew is still not really showing his cards yet, adding that the first XI is still up for grabs.

Posted from Singapore

By Juliet | June 2nd, 2008 at 5:00 pm

As usual, Jan, your insight is perfect. And Kuranyi is a waste of space. :-p

Posted from United States

By Intan | June 3rd, 2008 at 4:00 am

I was streaming the match too (I really don’t know why Singapore cable TV refuses to show anything german-related in terms of soccer) and you wouldn’t believe how often I was shouting at the monitor. It was very very frustrating to watch so many chances created and wasted away all within a span of few seconds. I was relieved that we won in the end, but my first post-match thought was: how the hell can we last in euros if the defense is so leaky (Jankovic sliced through too easily to score for Serbia) and if the offense seems reluctant to attack. Second thought: I missed Schneider.

I love Schweini and all, but if he remains so inconsistent, I don’t mind if Podolski have his spot. A little intra-competition might push Bastian to his excellent form again. (:

If Klose was subbed in for Kuranyi, do you think that Germany might score even more?

Posted from Singapore

By diana | June 3rd, 2008 at 8:50 am

Intan, I am from Singapore as well. I also find it strange why this match and the previous one against Belarus wasn’t shown. But most of the time, Germany international matches are shown on the cable. Did you subscribe to the Euro 2008 package, by the way? I have to remind my father a few times before he finally subscribe to it a few weeks back.

‘Second thought: I missed Schneider.’
Me too.

Posted from Singapore

By Intan | June 4th, 2008 at 9:23 am

Oh yeah, I subscribed to that at last minute. XD Same, I’ve been reminding forgetful dad, and in the end, we didn’t get the package at the discounted rate. Oh well.
Actually, I was referring to the (correct me if I’m wrong) lack of Bundesliga in Singapore when I said “german-related stuff”, which is kinda strange because Goal TV shows Ligue 1 (which I enjoy, so I don’t mind), Dutch League and Scottish League, but not Bundesliga, which is usually more ‘elitist’ than these leagues.
So, just wondering: how do you get your fill of Bundesliga during the season? (:

Posted from Singapore

By diana | June 4th, 2008 at 10:16 am

The Internet. My only source. And since we also have Deutsche Welle on the cable in the family (I remember StarHub added a few channels or something since two years ago or something for free and that is one of those), during the Bundesliga matchdays, it has the ‘Bundesliga Kick-Off’ (a preview show) which I always try to watch.

It’s very tough, since the World Cup two years ago. Given that was when it made me interested in the Bundesliga after noticing the German national team and how they play since the 2002 World Cup final. In short, the 2006 World Cup got me interested in the Bundesliga. But then, until StarHub decides to do something… Or I don’t think it will happen very soon, given I used to read in TODAY like the day before or something they don’t have any plans to add any more channels to the sports group (now there’s Eurosport which I watch at times, if I am bored). My heart really sank when I read it.

Posted from Singapore

By diana | June 4th, 2008 at 10:19 am

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/256598.asp

The TODAY report I was talking about. No new sports channels in the short term? Sigh.

Posted from Singapore

By Intan | June 4th, 2008 at 10:06 pm

Of course, one way for Starhub to gain interest in airing Bundesliga is if MioTV decides to somehow (still can’t believe that I won’t be able to catch Champions League next next season unless I subscribe to overpriced MioTV). =) Or we spam the editorial page in Straits Times, give them all the stats that say Bundesliga is a league worth airing. =)
Hey, you’re just like me! I gained interest in Bundesliga ever since I fell in love with German football in WC, too.

Posted from Singapore

By diana | June 5th, 2008 at 10:25 am

No Bundesliga on the overprice (or so you call it) MioTV, please. Unless they do something over the price of subscription. Already my father has ruled out subscribing to that when the Champions League will be on there after the following season. He is more of a Premier League fan and I remembered back then he was not happy when the subscription fees for the sports package increased (but still went along and pay the extra fee given it’s his staple ‘diet’ after work and the real season we had cable was because of football…he even admitted it himself!:P ). I can’t really blame him, though his club Manchester United always appear in the Champions League…and it’s also my club outside of the Bundesliga as well.

‘Or we spam the editorial page in Straits Times, give them all the stats that say Bundesliga is a league worth airing. =)’
I like that. Hang on, Channel 5 does hold the rights to Serie A coverage. Channel 5’s on free-to-air…maybe even more Bundesliga fans. The Bundesliga matches are always shown at reasonable timings.

Already my father told me that I always have an opinion of what The Straits Times is reporting, especially in the Sports section. For a while now, I rather turn to TODAY for sports reports. At least they did have a report on Germany’s 2-1 win over Serbia on Monday. The Straits Times, nothing. When back then Juergen Klinsmann was appointed as the new Bayern Munich coach for the following season, WeekendTODAY reported that and The Straits Times didn’t. It makes me thinking like, come on! Not every football fan in our country only follow the Premier League. Yes, I grew up with that but, I also like to watch German football as well.

Posted from Singapore

By Intan | June 6th, 2008 at 10:17 am

Unfortunately, it IS the universal truth. Even outside Singapore, 99.999999% of people think that soccer consists of only English Premier League, and that there are only 3 clubs in the world: MU, Chelsea and Liverpool (which is really sad because I’m an Arsenal fan xD).
Hang on, Channel 5 broadcasts Bundesliga? Damn, have I been living in a cave or something? =/

Posted from Singapore

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