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Just The Facts

October 8th, 2009 | By: Nick | 11 Comments »

The national team landed early in Moscow ahead of their crucial Group 4 encounter thanks to a tailwind from Germany – perhaps it is a good sign? Here are the facts…

Germany has never lost a World Cup Qualifier away from home.
Germany has always qualified for every World Cup it has entered.
Germany’s biggest margin of victory ever was 16-0 against Russia in 1912.

Finally, a hard fought qualification campaign has always been a good omen for Germany – often foreshadowing the arrival of a great player.

1970 – Germany 3-2 Scotland – Gerd Müller
1990 – Germany 2-1 Wales – Thomas Häßler
2002 – Germany 4-1 Ukraine – Michael Ballack

The nominations…

Tor: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Abwehr: Andreas Beck (1899 Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburger SV), Arne Friedrich (Hertha BSC), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schäfer (VfL Wolfsburg), ~~Serdar Tasci~~ (VfB Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (FC Schalke 04)

Mittelfeld: Michael Ballack (FC Chelsea), Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), ~~Sami Khedira~~ (VfB Stuttgart), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Mesut Özil (Werder Bremen), Simon Rolfes (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV)

Angriff: Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (FC Bayern München), Miroslav Klose (FC Bayern München), Lukas Podolski (1. FC Köln)

Tags: Germany National Team News, Players, World Cup 2010

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Comments | Add your comment

By Michel-Olivier | October 8th, 2009 at 9:44 pm

low should of call thomas muller, howedes, and kiessling

Posted from United States

By Tiju | October 9th, 2009 at 12:42 am

@MO hi MO you are here with the german blog????????

Posted from India

By Jan | October 9th, 2009 at 7:19 am

With Tasci out it’ll be interesting to see whether Löw chooses the experienced out of form Friedrich, the unexperienced in-form Boateng or whether he settles with Westermann who is a bit experienced and a bit in form.

It won’t really matter who is going to play up top I guess, as there is not one striker, who is currently in form.

Also: any bets on whether we’ll see some form of 4-2-2 or a more defensive 4-3-3 variation?

Posted from Germany

By Nick | October 9th, 2009 at 8:11 am

Well if Bild’s spying is anything to rely on then Westermann will be in CB and Boateng in… RB!

Honestly it might be a good idea for Boateng over Beck or Lahm, as Boateng brings a physically bigger defensive presence to his position. Plus any lapses due to inexperience are a little bit more forgivable that way.

Westermann is such a disaster waiting to happen. He’s got poor pass distribution and poor ball control. Right now though Arne is not 100% and Boateng cannot be in two positions at once so… Westermann do not f*** this up for us..!!

It’ll be Klose up front for sure with Podolski (who is in form) on the wing. Cacau was playing midfield against Mainz.

All indications seem to point to a variation of 1-5-4. Knowing Löw it’ll be the 4-2-3-1.

By Jan | October 9th, 2009 at 8:39 am

Interesting. Boateng played a whole season as RB under Huub Stevens and just recently proved his worth on the right side vs Ribery. I’m not sure either about the central defense pairing either. Although I think a lot of the problems in defense also had to do with the lack of running and effort the team as a whole was willing to invest into a match. With everybody on high alert it should be easier to reduce the available space for the Russian players.

Posted from Germany

By A Kap | October 9th, 2009 at 2:57 pm

I’m not sold on Loew’s tactics on sitting back with 11 men (courtesy of fcbayern.de). Russia is creative and strong and Germany could just play into their hands. Hopefully Loew does instruct the team to venture forward without too many risks as well.

By FBL | October 10th, 2009 at 11:29 am

Wow, Loew needs to do something about Boateng, he is now being targeted and his inexperience is starting to show. I’m worried, Loew needs to change something, Russia are getting into the game more now. 20 mins to go……Adler is the undisputed Number 1 now, what a performance so far.

By FBL | October 10th, 2009 at 11:36 am

I blame Loew for that needless red, Boateng should have come off earlier, we better hold on or serious questions on his head.

By g? | October 10th, 2009 at 11:59 am

Woo!

Posted from Iceland