Germans who the Socceroos must stop at the World Cup

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

The deadly young Germans who the Socceroos must stop at the World Cup



Tom Smithies From: The Daily Telegraph March 16, 2010 7:04PM

Source: AdelaideNow
WITH less than three months to go until Australia's first World Cup fixture, new figures demonstrate their German opponents' frightening strength in depth.

The latest Castrol Rankings figures show that Germany has 10 players in the world's top 100, and a further 10 in the top 200.

By contrast, Australia's highest-ranked player is Mark Schwarzer at 100, followed by Tim Cahill at 105 and Mark Bresciano at 635.

But German coach Joachim Low faces some testing decisions ahead of the World Cup, with the stars of several of his key men apparently on the wane and a clutch of bright young talent pressing to be given its chance.

The latest round of Castrol Rankings features five of Germany's starting line-up in a friendly last week with Argentina in the top 100, plus a further three who came off the bench.

The highest-ranked is Bayern Munich's forward Mario Gomez at 34, followed by the 20-year-old wunderkind Thomas Kroos, on loan at Bayer Leverkusen from Bayern Munich.


Germany v Australia
What will win when the Socceroos take on Germany at the World Cup? Australia Germany

Kroos, making observers of German football drool with his ability to combine scoring with creating, made his debut in the 1-0 loss to Argentina, and is one of the new brigade whom Low is under pressure to accommodate at the World Cup.

The problem for the German coach is that several of his dependables are in a dreadful run of form, including both his first-choice strikers.

Miroslav Klose, top scorer at the 2006 World Cup, is stuck on the Bayern Munich bench and consequently languishes at 1205 in the rankings.

His international partner Lucas Podolski, meanwhile, has just two goals in 20 games for Cologne this year and is stuck at 347 in the rankings.

Low's apparent preferred alternatives, Gomes and naturalised Brazilian Cacau, both came off the bench against Argentina but neither convinces so far as the sort of ruthless convertor of chances that thrives at international level.

Just behind the strikers, debate continues to rage in the German press about whether playmaker Mesut Ozil can make the No 10 role his own in time for the World Cup, or whether the 21-year-old Werder Bremen midfielder could be superseded by someone even younger in Kroos.

Ozil is 83 in the rankings, the seventh-highest German, but his form in recent months has been patchy at best, and he is under pressure from Kroos and the similarly youthful Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Muller.

Solace for Low - whose own future after the World Cup is uncertain - comes in the form of old stagers Michael Ballack, the Chelsea midfielder ranked at 49, and Per Mertesacker and Philipp Lahm in defence (74 and 84 respectively in the rankings).

But further problems remain in goal, where his first-choice keepers, Rene Adler and Manuel Neuer are ranked at 342 and 219 respectively. Adler is only the fifth-highest German keeper according to the rankings and had an embarrassing game in the loss to Argentina, yet seems certain to be Low's number one in South Africa.

GERMANY'S YOUNG GUNS

- Mesut Ozil (age 21, midfield, Castrol ranking: 83)

Began the season at a storming pace, starring for club side Werder Bremen after lighting up last year2s Euro U-21 championships. Ozil consolidated his place in the full German side to such an extent he seemed a certain starter at the World Cup, but his form since Christmas has fallen away. National coach Joachim Low still has the faith that he will bounce back when it matters.

- Toni Kroos (age 20, midfield, Castrol ranking: 38)

After an explosive start to his career with Bayern Munich aged just 17, Kroos was loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen for an extended period to gain match practice. Nine goals in 23 games this year not only made Leverkusen desperate to sign him permanently - unsuccessfully - but also vaulted him into the national squad. With fellow starlet Mesut Ozil struggling for form, Kroos is the radical alternative for Low.

- Thomas Muller (age 20, midfield, Castrol ranking 189)

Makes veteran German fans misty-eyed thanks to the surname he shares with the country's greatest ever goalscorer, "Der Bomber" Gerd Muller - but Thomas is much more of a creator. Can play on the wings or as an attacking midfielder cum forward. He only made his national debut against Argentina last month, but a stellar season for Bayern Munich has the fans raving.

[DOC]

and marko marin and mats hummels plus kiessling and helmes aren't too old either, along with adler

[Loppermann]

I thought we had to stop all of them?

[DOC]

I thought we had to stop all of them?

thats generally how you win