Joachim for the Straight Guy
Castrol's football predictor has tomorrow morning's clash as AUS 24% DRAW 29% GER 47%. Pretty happy with those percentages to be honest.
While I have been a tad pessimistic about our hopes of making it through the group, the time getting closer has made me, if not bullish, more hopeful of at least a point.
Where the traditionally ascribed German virtues include a collective togetherness, resilience and toughness, their inherent skill and flair should not be overlooked. Australia's virtues, set in concrete over a shorter period in the international limelight, are also team-centric, and should not be taken lightly by the Germans. The pre-match trash talk by Kyan Douglas lookalike, Joachim Low has been typically dismissive and not worthy of an official response. Verbeek will hardly need any motivation to take it to the Germans in any case.
On the pitch itself, Australia will use pretty much the same formation as used against the USA and Denmark, with the only questions being whether Harry starts and whether to persist with Jesus Kennedy. The German central defensive pairing of Mertesacker and Friedrich will be well accustomed to marking players even as tall as Kennedy, and with the Aussie not possessing the best ground skills, we will rely heavily on Bresciano, Cahill and Emerton for support. Grella and Culina will be charged with muting the pig climber, but for Schweinsteiger there is Mezut Ozil. Moore and Neill will have their hands full with an underdone but dangerous Klose, and Lahm will try and limit Emerton's forays in the overlapping role in attack that he plays so well. Sami Khedira will be trying to nullify any Australian with the ball in the centre of the park. The key is how effective we can be when we do win the ball in the middle third. If Cahill and Bresciano can use space, Kewell and Kennedy could profit. More likely though is the chance for an Australian goal from a set piece.
As a crazy Yougoslav coach from the 80s once told me:
" I no care if ball go in from open or close play, or from head, knee foot or bum. All count same. No double gol because play was pretty..."
Probable formation 4-2-3-1
Schwarzer
Emerton Moore Neill Chipperfield
Culina Grella
Cahill Bresciano Kewell
Kennedy
My prediction, 2:2 after leading 2-1 until the 92nd minute.
im Fußball, immer Angst jemanden mit weniger als sich zu verlieren
(in football, always fear someone with less to lose than yourself)
GP
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