It was a very entertaining match. A great watch for the neutral in us, but for Joachim...it was a tactical disaster. Because even though Germany's better and more clinical quality came through....if Poland had better attacking players, Germany could have lost this game. Those losses that I talked about, have shown that there is still work to be done for Germany to be as unbeatable as they were last summer in Brazil.
They are FAR too open and give the opposition far too much space to expect to have a guaranteed win at the Euros in France. Of course, with the players they have they should at least reach the semi-finals, especially in a climate where there are not a lot of heavy-hitters out there. But to put them as the team to beat where they have struggled in a group with Poland and Ireland, would be foolhardy. Improvements need to be made to the team.
The biggest surprise for me had to be Hector. He is a member of the Brick Academy based on his horrific performance in a friendly Germany played earlier. In this game, he was able to connect with the very quick passing system of this German team, and timed his runs to perfection leaving the Polish confused and wondering what time of the month it was. One of those runs managed to setup the perfect pass for the goal-machine Muller to put away. That is very good news for Joachim, but as good as Hector was on one flank, the same cannot be said for Emre Can. Apparently, from Liverpool guys on the streets that I know, right back is not his natural position. So it would be extremely harsh to even begin to start a comparison between him and the retired greatness of Bart Simpson aka Phillip Lahm. Can just never really looked that comfortable in the position, which means the German coach with the 60's haircut has a lot of thinking to do. I've heard playing a three at the back, but how well did that work at the World Cup?
Talent is talent, and I am sure that any system that these German cats are given, they will be able to learn it and do well. They were not hopeless when they had three at the back with Lahm in defensive midfield, but they were not as good compared to when they have the more balanced approach. You have only to look at the match against France where they looked very solid and were able to do professional work against the French with a strong measure of control in that match. It was that control that was missing from this performance against Poland that has me worried. Against the sharpshooting Cristiano, or the likes of Silva and Isco...they won't waste as many of these chances if given to them. Granted, Germany raise their game when the competition comes, but some thinking needs to be done tactically as to how they can control games, keep better possession of the ball and get some mileage out of the two wing backs to offer more attacking options when they go forward.
I have never been a fan of the false-nine philosophy. Perhaps I cling on too much to the past, and I refuse to field a team without at least two strikers. If Germany can somehow use the powers of Zeus, Poseidon or a Nigerian High Chief to give Mario Gomez healing powers and restrict any injury to him, he is a player I would definitely have in the team. Just having that constant presence in the box, keeps defenders occupied and will make their ninety minutes hell because of them having to ALSO track Muller, Gotze, Ozil as well as the marauding full backs. Germany can play this system, but I would just prefer them to keep it a bit old-skool as it will be far more beneficial to them when going into the Euros with the aim of winning the title.
HH
