What‘s not to like? Even Reus is fit. *Hard jynx is in*I'am not convinced by the German selection this year. They will make this group ofcourse but I don't think they will make it to the final.
I respect Neuer as much as anyone, but ter Stegen is as good as it gets for a number two.I have no gut feeling about how we will be doing. Will need to watch our first one or two matches before making any predictions ^^
We're not the same team as 2014. Some parts of the squad have improved, others have aged, with the resulting strength not yet clear.
Then we're still in the dark about our goalkeeper, and there's also question marks about Boateng, both of which could be huge blows, but don't necessarily have to turn out that way.
There are obviously players who aged but no player is in a bad/critical age. Neuer (32), Boateng (29), Hummels (29), Kroos (28), Khedira (31), Gündogan (27), Özil (29), Reus (28), Hector (27) and Müller (28) are the oldest players and except maybe Khedira they are all still within the "best years" of a footballer. Even Khedira managed to finally have a season without a major injury and is certainly in better shape than 2014 when he hardly played that season.I have no gut feeling about how we will be doing. Will need to watch our first one or two matches before making any predictions ^^
We're not the same team as 2014. Some parts of the squad have improved, others have aged, with the resulting strength not yet clear.
Then we're still in the dark about our goalkeeper, and there's also question marks about Boateng, both of which could be huge blows, but don't necessarily have to turn out that way.
Six. You have to go back to 1990 when they were banned. In '86 they also made it to quarters.Germany and Mexico for me.
Haven't Mexico qualified for last 16 at last five world cups?
Sweden did brilliantly to qualify but don't see them getting out of this group.
They've won every single group stage since 1986 but that was West Germany so technically Germany has won every single group. How is that not doing well?Germany doesn't do well in the group stages and Löw will use some of those matches to try some experimental stuff, like Reus at #9, Draxler/Sane/Neuer in the starting XI, a 352 or smth like that. Points will be dropped.
They've won every single group stage since 1986 but that was West Germany so technically Germany has won every single group. How is that not doing well?
Well because wining a group as top seed isn't really an achievement and lots of these group wins involved losses/draws and very narrow victories.They've won every single group stage since 1986 but that was West Germany so technically Germany has won every single group. How is that not doing well?
My guess is Ter Stegen as #1, Trapp as #2 and Neuer for moral support and to bring his experience as #3. He hasn't played a game in almost a year, he's not up to play a WC for us.Would you guys start Neuer in goal or Ter Stegen? He's the captain but is it a risk to start a goalkeeper who hasn't played in 6-7 months?
Good thing Wagner doesn't travel to Russia and Sane likely won't be starting then?I have some sort of weird feeling that Sweden will top this group.
Germany has looked very anonymous the last couple of games I've watched them. Sweden plays more as a collective and have confidence in carving results out like against Italy.
Not convinced by the Wagner setup at all. Sané is the 'make it happen' guy, but the german team doesn't look as much as a unit the last times I've seen them play.
Say whaaaat, I must have missed something Who will be on top for Germany then? Müller? Surely Sane will be starting though? Great season for City, been one of the most active players for Germany too.Good thing Wagner doesn't travel to Russia and Sane likely won't be starting then?
Someone better knockout Spain before we get to face them thenNo Italy to knock them out, so Germany will probably win the whole thing
I expect:Say whaaaat, I must have missed something Who will be on top for Germany then? Müller? Surely Sane will be starting though? Great season for City, been one of the most active players for Germany too.
Edit: Looks like I've confused Werner with Wagner. Is he still going to be the main-centre forward?
Don't worry, playing Germany second guarantees you some points.We're shit on paper but beat France and Italy. I don't have many hopes but shouldn't underestimate the teams spirit and teamwork i guess.
Werner probably will start as striker.Say whaaaat, I must have missed something Who will be on top for Germany then? Müller? Surely Sane will be starting though? Great season for City, been one of the most active players for Germany too.
Edit: Looks like I've confused Werner with Wagner. Is he still going to be the main-centre forward?
Very few losses in all those games. Also a loss when you've already bagged 6 points (or 4 like it used to be) isn't an indictive of poor performance. Fact is Germany has done well in every single group stage they've participated in. Not doing great is not the same as not doing well. Progressing from the group is all that matters, winning the group is even better. How you do it doesn't really matter.Well because wining a group as top seed isn't really an achievement and lots of these group wins involved losses/draws and very narrow victories.
That's quite the interpretation from one sentence.He wasn't just judging by the sheer outcome of advancing alone, but by the playstyle, confidence, overall form and quality of football in these group stages displayed by the german side. Germany really tends to play pretty badly in these games all things considered (especially the usually weak opposition) yet gets away with it. Simply advancing really is no achievement for this national team.
Drew against Ghana and beat USA 1-0. Became World champions. Finished 2nd in your group in '54 and '74 and you won it. Seems to me that when you don't win the group you're more likely to win the whole thing.It's most likely because I can relate so much to what he said. Germany in group stages usually plays on an average level at best but still manages to pull through. Just advancing as a first seed against weaker opposition without playing well usually is not the best sign.
And you think beating the US 1-0 and drawing Ghana is doing well? Not even for England.Drew against Ghana and beat USA 1-0. Became World champions. Finished 2nd in your group in '54 and '74 and you won it. Seems to me that when you don't win the group you're more likely to win the whole thing.
They won the group so they did well. You can't do better than that. You can play better but that's irrelevant to where you finish in the group. They also won the whole thing so how much did it matter that they didn't finish on 9 points?And you think beating the US 1-0 and drawing Ghana is doing well? Not even for England.
Underwhelming is subjective. Winning the group is as good as it gets in the group stages.Yea well group stages don't determine whether you're winning it or not given you advance, but from my pov Germany really is known for a history of pretty shaky tournament starts (all group stage games taken into account) and a bit of an underwhelming performance considering the individual class.
It's just realistic to expect the difference of quality between squads to also show on the pitch. When you meet some top 20-30 team as a top 1-3 seed and the result is a 50/50 game, then you haven't done well, even though the outcome of the group might be optimal in the end - in 2010 we could've even gone out to the giants of Ghana and Australia if the former had clinical finishing. And FWIW the post you complain about was in response to someone who said Germany will breeze through group stages with 9 points.They won the group so they did well. You can't do better than that. You can play better but that's irrelevant to where you finish in the group. They also won the whole thing so how much did it matter that they didn't finish on 9 points?
It seems very entitled to me that Germany is supposed to beat everyone and preferably with ease and attraction.