So, it’s the start of a new international season, and a World Cup final rematch between the Nationalmannschaft and Argentina in Düsseldorf. It’s a new-look German team with some new combinations as Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw looks to build for the
Dropping like flies again
I have always been in two minds about the international season starting so early, particularly during a World Cup year. Despite it being almost two months after the Nationalmannschaft’s triumph in Rio there is still something of a sluggishness, with
A World Cup encore, then down to business
It has now been over a month since Germany’s historic victory over Argentina in the World Cup final in Rio, and it still seems like yesterday. The memories are still warm, but the time has come for the start of
Germany v Poland: Match Analysis and Player Ratings
Ostensibly billed as a World Cup warmup, what might have been an interesting and testing fixture for the Nationalmannschaft at Hamburg’s Imtech-Arena would be defined by the long list of absentees. With some clubs unable or unwilling to release players
A Cure for Insomnia at the Imtech
Earlier today I described the German side for this evenings meeting with Poland as a C-Elf, and it appears that Kicker Online agrees, calling tonight’s lineup a Dritte Anzug. In my last pre-match post I would name a side with
Germany C v Poland B
With a few hours to go until the friendly in Hamburg between Germany and Poland, here’s my projected line-up for what is effectively a C-Mannschaft. With the experienced Lars Bender now injured, the now-reduced squad of seventeen includes only ten
The Skeleton Squad
There is just over a month until the World Cup begins, and Germany have three warmup matches between now and their opening tournament fixture against Portugal in Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova on 16th June. Having named his preliminary squad of