Second-Tier Germans Survive and Advance

2008-09-10T06:59:45-04:00

2008-06-16T18:12:49-04:00

2008-09-10T06:38:34-04:00

2008-06-17T23:58:47-04:00

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Bayern4Life (redux)

Washington 424410

Oh, and you left off Germany's win over Argentina in the WC. I guess that didn't coun't because it was a shoot out? Does that mean Italy's only won the world cup three times? 2002765

2008-06-17T23:57:54-04:00

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Bayern4Life (redux)

Washington 424410

nelsonorange71, am I tired of hearing how Germany is overrated? Well, I've been hearing it all my life so I'm a little bit numb to it. Always overrated. By the international press, by other fans, and by people who expect them to score goals out of there butts. Seven world cup finals apperances with three wins, 5 European Championships finals with 3 wins. Even if Germany wins the tournament their overrated. I'll tell you whose overrated. The Dutch! Always super, never winners (congrates on Euro '88). I never really expect Germany to win, but I sure am used to it. Euro 2008 final: Germany v. Italy. 2002787

2008-06-17T19:51:34-04:00

275

no_trolling_please

No City 128849

@nelsonorange71 there are no meaningless games at a WC. It is a honor thingy. The same thingy that makes ice hocky players want to play for their national teams (oops), or basketball players (oops again), well, it is a concept well known in the world outside of the usa (and the english national football team). However with Frings out, Lahm, Podolski out, it looks grim 2001702

2008-06-17T13:44:39-04:00

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nelsonorange71

No City 116259

Is Germany overrated? YES!!! They were favorites based on their performance in the World Cup. Lets see; 4-2 against Costa Rica, 1-0 against Poland, 3-0 against Ecuador, 2-0 against Sweden. Then came Italy and Germany were outplayed. Oh yeah 3-1 against Portugal. But did Ronaldo play and I know Figo came off the bench late in the game. And it was a meaningless game which is not played in the Euro because it's MEANINGLESS! So what does this mean? If I'm a betting man, and I sometimes am. Do I bet against Germany? Of course not. Now that we're at the K.O. stage this is when the Germans are more dangerous. 1998313

2008-06-17T12:00:44-04:00

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BruinsWin!

San Francisco 172211

Here's the thing. If Gomez had finished his chance against Austria and not been stupidly caught offsides against Poland half a dozen times on some of those beautiful through balls, we'd all be talking about Germany as one of the teams to beat. Yes, ONE player can make that much of a difference...especially at the front. Podolski and Klose up top with Schweinsteiger backing them up from the left and Kuranyi in reserve...."See you in the Final Deutschland" 1997003

2008-06-17T11:55:50-04:00

Volsfan

Maryland Heights 42649

Gotta go with Portugal. Lehmann hasn't look all that good and in every game but the Poland game, German has looked horrible offensively. Ronaldo will dominate and look for Portugal to end up winning the whole thing. 1996903

2008-06-17T10:12:08-04:00

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Bayern4Life (redux)

Washington 424410

Gomez has to be dropped, Podolski up front with Klose is the way to go. Let Klose provide Podolski with a couple of assists. Schweinsteiger also has to play. Let's be honest here, Portugal's best win was against a weak Czech side. The Czech's no longer have Nedved, were missing their best player Tomas Rosicky and didn't have much to choose from up front, (Baros is usually crap, and Koller is just too old now against top competition.) Germany have not played particularly well, but most of the team has played solidly. If Germany steps up and plays well, they will go through 2-1, if they play like they did against Croatia, they will go home 0-3. Its that easy. I respect the reality that most posted Portugal backers have expressed. Under estimate the Germans at your own risk. They never win as favorites anyway. On a side, Boris Becker usually plays in competitive poker tournaments now. That's kind of become his thing. Oh, and Wahl, you ever get a chance to meet the Prime Minister of the United States? 1995170

2008-06-17T09:56:19-04:00

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bygwyllay

Ypsilanti 428539

Portugal should easily handle the Germans; what you said was right on, Wahl. They simply don't look like a top-tier team. The only game they've played so far in which they have shown any indication of what they can do was against Poland. Those two goals were beautys by any standards. Here's hoping they can conjure up some of that against Ronaldo and Portugal, or they'll be looking at a pretty ugly score line. My prediction: 3-0 Portugal. 1994897

2008-06-17T07:50:48-04:00

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FCBarca

New York 199066

Kuranyi should DEFINITELY be playing but this has been well documented that apparently he is out of favor with the NT manager...And was only a last minute addition to the squad...Klose will come around but Gomez is overrated. Anyone else notice Boris Becker cheering there with Shweinsteiger et al after Ballack's goal??...Lonnnng time, no see Becks. Not sure Germany is overrated but apart from Lahm (Who was a beast at LB), that back line of Germany is shaky at best. They HAVE to bring in Schweinsteiger and Kuranyi, IMHO 1994006

2008-06-17T07:21:21-04:00

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Millen

Church Hill 440041

I??m afraid germany will grow into the tourney, and should not be underestimated, like they should never be underestimated, portugal will have a hard match against the germans. I simply hope that the best team wins, and that it will not be decided by tactics or whatsoever... 1993898

Four thoughts from Germany’s 1-0 win over Austria, setting up a much-anticipated quarterfinal on Thursday between Germany and Portugal: • The Germans are still a second-tier team in this tournament so far. That was a nice Jason Kreis impression by Michael Ballack on his thundering free-kick goal, but overall the Germans still lacked the quality we’ve seen from the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal. The front line of Miroslav Klose (zero goals) and especially Mario Gómez (zero goals) has been a disaster, and I’d be shocked if we didn’t see Lukas Podolski take Gomez’s place up top against Portugal with Bastian Schweinsteiger starting as a left-sided midfielder. It’s hard to get a read on the German back line since two of its opponents (Poland and Austria) had such miserable attacks, but Portugal’s should be even more dangerous than the Croatian unit that shredded the Mannschaft in group play. Then again, the Germans are a lot like the Italians: it’s all about surviving and advancing. Now let the knockout rounds begin. • This will forever be known as the “Constant Bickering” game. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen both head coaches get tossed at the same time from any game—until today. I’m sure we’ll hear more details, but the first official word was that Germany’s Joachim Löw and Austria’s Josef Hickersberger got sent to the stands for “constant bickering.” Not sure whether that was for bickering with each other or with the fourth official or with their wives the night before the game, but we got the pleasure of seeing Löw hang out with German prime minister Angela Merkel in the stands afterward and enjoy what looked to be a hot dog or a sausage in the second half. Seriously, though, it was a ludicrous look-at-me call by Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzá****, and it would be doubly wrong-headed if Löw isn’t allowed to coach his team from the bench against Portugal. • Too many high-level soccer referees think the crowd is coming to see them perform. This has been a long-standing problem, actually, and part of it is due to organizers like UEFA itself. I remember having a ticket to the Euro 2000 final in Rotterdam—long story; I was working but didn’t have a media credential—and when I opened the official game program there was page after page devoted not to players but rather to glorifying UEFA referees! Think about it: Pierluigi Collina became such an iconic figure that he actually had an endorsement deal with Adidas. On the night before the famous 2003 Champions League second-leg match between Manchester United and Real Madrid, I happened to eat dinner at the same Manchester restaurant as Collina—who was treated by the locals like some sort of rock star. There’s something wrong about that if you ask me. Like good central defenders, the best referees shouldn’t be noticed. • I’m starting to wonder if Germany is overrated. Is it possible that the Germans got too much credit for reaching the World Cup semifinal in 2006? After all, they were the host nation and got a big bump from that. With several young rising talents on that side, you would have figured that Germany would be even better in Euro 2008, but I feel like the team has taken a step backward since then. Through-balls: Oliver Neuville is about the last person who should be wearing Germany’s No. 10, right? Can somebody explain? ... Separated at Birth: Miroslav Klose and Sean Penn ... Part of me wonders if Klose should take a seat against Portugal alongside Gómez and make way for Kevin Kuranyi ... Today was kind of a bummer after all the Euro excitement the past few days, but let's hope it heats back up for the huge France-italy clash tomorrow. Who do you like in the Portugal-Germany quarterfinal? Please post your comments below, and come back tomorrow for the latest edition of the Euro Blog ... 1327 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/194/315/thumb/wahl_grant.jpg 11 MD

Grant Wahl

Baltimore 194615