There was a thread that might have been worth continuing in the World Cup forum, but I can't locate it.
Anyway, after the 3-0 defeat to Holland last night, Jogi Löw's position is becoming increasingly untenable, even for his supporters. Unless his team can turn things around dramatically against France this week and at home against Holland in November, he'll be gone by December.
Recording just three wins this year -- all of them unconvincing and rather fortunate 2-1s, against Saudi-Arabia, Sweden and Peru -- just isn't good enough. There are all manner of reasons for the decline, which we discussed in the World Cup thread. Lack of talent isn't one of them. Indeed, Germany could have beaten Holland.
There is an obvious lack of self-confidence and tension. Germany were very good up to Holland's goal, but their conversion of good chances is very poor (which points to confidence problems). When Holland scored, from a corner where Neuer and Hummels looked really bad -- you could actually see shoulders drop. It was like Holland had mugged the Germans of their confidence.
Even in the last 20 minutes, Germany had plenty chances (and where denied a penalty -- which they'd have missed). Sloppy play led to the 2-0 in the last minute. By the time of the third, I had switched off.
Löw promised a rebuilding of the team. But that hasn't happened. In part, because there are too few good players coming through. Uth is not the solution to the striker problem. Having said that, it's a mystery why Thomas Müller, out of form for four years, is still being picked ahead of Julian Brandt.
And that is the big problem: the Class of 2014 must go. ter Stegen is a great successor to Neuer, whose body language is no longer that of the imperious leader he once was. Boateng is becoming a liability. Hummels is past his prime. Müller is trying hard, and might be a good impact player, but he is not the Müller from 2010-14. You can't drop Kroos, of course.
It's a mystery why Löw doesn't do the obvious: build a team to use the talent of Leroy Sané to maximum effect. I'm not suggesting to build a team around him, but to use his speed (and that of Werner).
Anyway, after the 3-0 defeat to Holland last night, Jogi Löw's position is becoming increasingly untenable, even for his supporters. Unless his team can turn things around dramatically against France this week and at home against Holland in November, he'll be gone by December.
Recording just three wins this year -- all of them unconvincing and rather fortunate 2-1s, against Saudi-Arabia, Sweden and Peru -- just isn't good enough. There are all manner of reasons for the decline, which we discussed in the World Cup thread. Lack of talent isn't one of them. Indeed, Germany could have beaten Holland.
There is an obvious lack of self-confidence and tension. Germany were very good up to Holland's goal, but their conversion of good chances is very poor (which points to confidence problems). When Holland scored, from a corner where Neuer and Hummels looked really bad -- you could actually see shoulders drop. It was like Holland had mugged the Germans of their confidence.
Even in the last 20 minutes, Germany had plenty chances (and where denied a penalty -- which they'd have missed). Sloppy play led to the 2-0 in the last minute. By the time of the third, I had switched off.
Löw promised a rebuilding of the team. But that hasn't happened. In part, because there are too few good players coming through. Uth is not the solution to the striker problem. Having said that, it's a mystery why Thomas Müller, out of form for four years, is still being picked ahead of Julian Brandt.
And that is the big problem: the Class of 2014 must go. ter Stegen is a great successor to Neuer, whose body language is no longer that of the imperious leader he once was. Boateng is becoming a liability. Hummels is past his prime. Müller is trying hard, and might be a good impact player, but he is not the Müller from 2010-14. You can't drop Kroos, of course.
It's a mystery why Löw doesn't do the obvious: build a team to use the talent of Leroy Sané to maximum effect. I'm not suggesting to build a team around him, but to use his speed (and that of Werner).
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