Australia. Yes, I mean to cause offence, but Australia have NO business giving Germany a close game.
The bells are ringing loudly and things next summer are going to be very iffy for my man Low, if he sticks with this false nonsense system.
No Klose, and Gomez still gets dissed for no acceptable reason, which meant Low had to try again the format he used during the early stages of the World Cup. The ol "Let's play with no striker!" routine.
As the World Cup showed, they were close to losing to Ghana, and America ran them close. In short, Germany were trying to imitate a style that was not their natural flow. It just didn't work, and against Algeria, it could have been a total calamity for Low.
Once Klose came to the team, and Lahm went to right back, it was more balanced and made more sense. It was that France game that you saw a more accomplished team....and we all know what happened against Brazil.
So I wonder why Low even wants to consider the false nine. Yes, it's a friendly but you should always play within the framework and setup of your team, and pretty much use different players within that same system. It just doesn't make any sense to go back to a strategy that never really worked for you.
What makes the false nine work, is if you have amazing passers. That's it. Any midfielder worth their bread can make the right run and finish. But for the system to come to fruition, you need midfielders who can pick out passes that the opposing defence cannot see. Like that Xavi through ball to Alba against Italy in the Final. It was a pass that none of the Italians saw because Xavi tracked the run of Jordi, and unleashed the perfect ball.
Spain gave birth to this system and the reason why it worked so well for them, is based on the players they had. The Barcelona rhythm of that time was predicated on keeping the ball under any condition and chance-creation through passing rather than dribbling.
Germany are not Spain. They are Germans. Passing the ball around and waiting for an opening like the Spanish did in 2010 won't yield any trophies. It's just not in their DNA. German football is about having a striker or two, and playing with a balanced formation.
The problem is Low thinks that based on the talents of Ozil, Reus, Goetze...they are good enough to carve up openings just like that Barcelona team under Pep did. But I am a believer in countries sticking to what they do best. Trying to mimic or copy another country's style will only lead to loss. It's like Brazil, who I'm watching now, playing some defensive weirdo football under the genius Dunga. It will NOT win them a World Cup as it isn't in their DNA to play that way.
For Germany to stand a good chance of claiming the Euros, they need Gomez. Kruse is a second guy who you bring on. Gomez is that dude. So you have the talented midfielders dancing around the 18-yard, but there is also that constant threat IN the box where a cross or through-ball can be put in.
Never go against your nature.
HH
