So you wanna say Boateng is slow? I bet he's faster than all other options that Germany has for the fullback positions, especially than that mediocre Schmelzer, whom nobody bar hardcore-fans of Dortmund misses in the squad because he was utter shit in almost every game he had for Germany.
Boateng is more than solid as a fullback. His contribution to the offense surely isn't great but at least he is defensively good. Remember the match against Portugal at the Euro 2012 where he played as a rightback and had Cristiano Ronaldo under control for 90 minutes.
Germany's options for the fullback positions aren't great nowadays, so I would say Boateng is the best fullback they have apart from Lahm. Mediocre players like Schmelzer and Jung surely aren't better.
And regarding Mustafi: Making such a fuss of the squad player number 23, who - regardless if it was Mustafi or Volland - won't play a minute in the tournament unless Germany reaches the game for the third place, is beyond ridiculous. Some German fans are really taking their hatred for Löw too far by complaining about vanities that aren't even worth discussing. It was the same with the third goalkeeper. Yeah, I agree that ter Stegen and Leno would have been better choices than Zieler, but who cares about the third goalkeeper? Yet the fuss on twitter and in German forums couldn't have been bigger.
So you tell me I'm making stupid fuss over things that don't matter at all yet you signed up
only to write an angry comment to my post without even really responding to what I actually said?
If you read my post you will clearly see that the scenario I posted features Durm as leftback, and Höwedes, Ginter, and Großkreutz on the bench -> Boateng is the right back in my scenario.
Infact I've wanted Boateng to start as fullback in 2010 and in 2012 and if it's just him starting at FB with Durm at LB then so be it. But the way it's looking now we got 4 defenders who are about 1.90 meters or more, none of them quick on the first meters, 3 of them with slow full speed, all of them bound to struggle vs agile, tricky players.
Boateng is not slow at all, he's got a great top speed but he's certainly not fast on the first meters. Add to that the fact that he usually struggles in 1v1s against small, agile, tricky players with good acceleration. I like Boateng as a player but I've never seen such a good CB who's as useless as soon as the opposing attacker starts doing stepovers.
You mention the match in 2012 and how Boateng had Ronaldo doing nothing for 90 minutes. I disagree...Lahm vs Ronaldo, that's Ronaldo doing nothing for 90 minutes basically every time these two play eachother. But Ronaldo in that game had a couple of good scenes despite not dominating. I remember how Ronaldo kept going at Boateng and Boateng always just contained, and contained and contained while backing up into our own box more and more. Ronaldo didn't get past him a lot but that's because he was hardly ever only 1v1 against him as other German players instantly doubled up on him. He was still able to fizz low crosses into the box or play dangerous cutbacks and had a low shot from about 20 yards out that Neuer struggled with. Had Boateng not been able to slide in with a last ditch tackle in that one scene in the second half Ronaldo would've most likely scored the equalizer. But you're right, Boateng was there in that situation even if it was a close call. Realistically speaking that game could've easily ended 1-1 had Portugal not been so defensive in its approach till about the 75th minute.
But as I said, I don't mind Boateng playing RB all that much even if it's not his best position.
Now, having discussed this whole Boateng issue that you wanted to interpret into my post, lets discuss what I was actually saying.
What sense does it make playing Höwedes at LB and nominating Mustafi as CB when Höwedes never even plays LB, is slow as feck, and Mustafi has no experience whatsoever. Why not keep Höwedes as CB backup and nominate an actual fullback for once. You're saying Jung, who has been impressive in two consecutive seasons and Schmelzer who was good enough for Dortmund to reach the CL final are average, then what is Höwedes as Left Back who might still have nightmares from getting skinned by players like Burak Yilmaz when he was actually playing at CB? I've played as a defender in real life myself actually, and if you had too, you might realize being a good CB doesn't instantly qualify you for the FB positions. Adding to it being new terrain defensively, if Höwedes and Boateng start both of our FBs will most likely offer very little going forward.
What sense does it make taking another CB with no experience who will probably just be a passenger at the World Cup instead of including an actual striker/winger who has just played his 3rd great season in a row and is clearly highly talented. Volland could be a serious alternative for the 36 year old pensioner that is Klose. How often do you watch Volland? Because anyone who regularly sees him will clearly realize he is capable of producing special moments.
You're arguing the 23rd squad member doesn't matter anyway. That used to be the case for sure because Germany didn't have the pool of players that we have now. Currently, if everyone was fit, our 30 best players could all easily come on and make a difference in a World Cup game. Players like Ginter or Mustafi indeed won't make much of a difference because how often do you see CBs coming on to change the game. But when we're trailing in a game that Klose is starting, who is going to come on? Only AMs. Volland played as a CF his whole life prior to his time in Hoffenheim. That's not the same thing as playing Götze up front, don't try to argue that it is.
To win the World Cup the big things and the little things have to be right. What do we have a coach for who's supposed to make the right decisions for a nation of 80 million football loving Germans if we let him screw up big and small decisions at will?
Can you deny that Löw has made MANY questionable decisions in the past? Can you deny that Löw has his darlings who a lot of times started when it really mattered while better players where sitting on the bench or watching from their couches at home? Can you deny that it was Löw's fault in 2012 for picking a ridiculous line up vs Italy with Müller, Reus, Schürrle, and Götze on the bench? Can you deny that Löw as a person in interviews is beyond annoying? There's no denying that and a lot of Germans have had enough of him after 8 years. That's their decision and they have reasons for it just like it's your decision to defend Löw.
By the way I didn't mind Löw opting for Zieler, he performed better for Germany.
I actually think he's by far the most humble out of Ter Stegen, Leno and him and will be a great choice for the third goalkeeper seeing as he won't disrupt the team spirit.