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England v Germany: Open Thread

June 27, 2010 — by Sean21

Plenty of history with this one–check out our primer on the conflict–so be ready for a tense affair. England have the pieces to make a deep run in this Cup, but do they have the confidence?  They’ve neither played up to the expectations of their fans, nor up to the abilities of the squad.  See this piece from our Englishman in New York, John Lally, on “What’s Wrong with England?

The expectations placed upon Die Mannschaft were never as lofty as those for the Three Lions, who may not be able to take another defeat by their great nemesis. (For more on the buildup, check out the article in yesterday’s Times, but note: this is only a “greatest rivalry” from England’s direction, the Germans simply don’t care as much, preferring to focus their animosity toward the evil Dutch on their northern border.)

Key players for the Germans are the Werder Bremen midfielder Mesut Ozil, their left back and captain Philipp Lahm, and his teammate at Bayern Munich Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose passing will be key in unlocking a stubborn English defense.

The English need to get the triangle of Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard working in sync. If that can happen, they can break any defensive set with their raw speed and swift passing.

After the jump–to further get the conversation kickstarted–a note we received on Friday, from the inimitable and always opinionated Jonathan Novy.

After that, join us in the comments section.  We are a mere 75mins from kickoff!

Advice from Jonathan Novy to the CultFootball team, and hence to you:

Keep this in mind for Sunday’s England v Germany. Mesut Ozil has bossed each game so far. Pigsticker and the Tunisian German have done a great deal of work in the center of the park, allowing Ozil, the Turkish German, free to create. Given this space, Ozil has been the breakout player of the tournament. If Capello simply plays Gary Barry and Lampard in the middle, the English will be totally overrun. Expect Ozil to look great again. If, however, Pigsticker is injured, and Boateng is replaced by Badstuber (who is just bad), England might have a chance. If the English can get Rooney a lot more touches, and a lot more early touches, which will only be possible if they can get the ball away from the German midfield, then England might indeed take the game.

What Capello should consider is playing a 3 man midfield with Barry, Lampard, and Milner.  Milner can drift outside is he has to.  Gerrard should play with Rooney and Joe Cole as part of a 3 man attack.  England should get their width from Cashley Cole and Glen Johnson, who can’t really defend anyway.  In playing this way, England stands the best chance of not getting overrun in the midfield.

To be fair, this has not been your typical Germany.  They have possessed the ball exceptionally well, and shown some real flair in the attack, thanks mostly to Ozil, Khedira, and Schweinsteiger.  Klose and Podolski, subpar for their clubs this past season, have all of a sudden shown the ability people used to think they possessed.  Germany is younger, faster, and more skilled than in years past.  On current form, England will struggle to beat them.

Anyway, may years ago, my brother, whom I credit for much of my genius analysis, met Peter Schmeichel in an elevator. One of the things that came out of the big Dane’s mouth… “I ….ing hate Germans.”

Ingerland!!!!!!!!!

21 comments

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:13 AM

    Was Rooney offsides (4′?) And how did Eng lose track of Ozil there right after?? Calamity James with the stop!

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:14 AM

    on http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jun/27/world-cup-2010-live-blog:

    “I’m watching the game on ESPN in Hoboken, NJ,” writes Ian Williams. “Steve McManaman and Jürgen Klinsman are the panellists. At the very start of the show they are asked to sum up the significance of the game. Macca jumps in. ‘This is so big. I’m sure that I speak for Jurgen here. This is really big. It’s D-Day.'” Nice one.

  • June

    June 27, 2010 at 10:18 AM

    Why are the England team so jammed in the middle of the field?

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:24 AM

    I’m not sure June..but I’m sure your husband has an opinion on the matter. Isn’t he awake yet??

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:29 AM

    good lord, what happened to the Eng defense on that goal?? was that Terry’s fault? Or Upson’s?

  • hk

    June 27, 2010 at 10:33 AM

    wow!!

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:39 AM

    indeed..via sms from my brother Suvranu: “Eng is not even on the level of Ger!” And Anj: “God needs to save the whole soccer team, just not the Queen”

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:49 AM

    more via sms from Suvranu: “The ref needs to call a makeup PK for Eng”

  • Sean

    June 27, 2010 at 10:50 AM

    Man, I thought that was another Wembley Goal, but the English were robbed!!

  • amy

    June 27, 2010 at 10:54 AM

    yes sean the english were robbed for sure! but before their 1st goal, germany had control of whole game! enlgand’s midfield was being exploited and was non-existent! their d was horrible! very easy to track strikers, and both scored! wow! the pace was playing catch up to germany, and now they are kind of matching even, but still think the germans are controlling the midfield….england’s goal, and disallowed goal are helping pick up their pace/spirit, but where the hell is rooney?!?!?! he is a huge disappointment! he needs to take note of klose! dude is man of match for me right now!!!

    hi june!!! 😉

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 10:58 AM

    lifted from a friend’s fb status (I believe he’s in Columbo as of today): “50% German, 25% English, and 25% Other (mostly Lankan). Only the English are rooting for the English but they put the Germans to shame in enthusiasm. (Will Germans ever be allowed to root for themselves?)”

  • JSNovy

    June 27, 2010 at 11:03 AM

    This half has had enough drama to support the history of england v germany!!! Terry and Upson beaten by a goal kick. England’s defense shredded repeatedly. And then England fights back through some equally terrible German defending. They should be level on Lampard’s wonderstrike.

    Barry is totally overmatched in the midfield. Players are constantly running by him. England had been compact in the opening minutes, but got well stretched by Germany’s passing, and they have been totally exposed numerous times, as predicted above. Also, it has become painfully apparent here that Barry cannot distribute the ball well enough from the back. He always makes the obvious square pass or turns the ball back to the defense. Were he better at initiating the attack, England could put better pressure on the German defense, who is equally poor.

    When England has made the early pass to the flanks, they have Germany looking confused. When Cole and Johnson can get into the attack, England has created chances. They need to continue to do this, but find a way to give Barry some help in the center of the park.

    Capello should shore up England’s midfield. Bring off Milner, who went on walkabout on Podolski’s goal, bring another winger, and move Gerrard inside allowing Lampard to defend a little more.

  • Sean

    June 27, 2010 at 11:09 AM

    Second crossbar hit! That first one off Defoe’s head should’ve been ruled fair, btw.

  • Ryan Reft

    June 27, 2010 at 11:27 AM

    good god the germans have dropped the hammer …

  • Sean

    June 27, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    What was that about the “stubborn English defense”? This is a travesty! Now the germans are resting their key strikers. Insult to injury with 20 minutes remaining.

  • Suman

    June 27, 2010 at 11:40 AM

    I almost feel sorry for the English squad, the way they’ve been outclassed here in the 2nd half, the abuse they’ll take at home from the British press..but maybe the press will concentrate on “the Bloemfontein (non-)goal”?

    German blitzkrieg was a thing of fearful beauty. We’ll have to break down the film later today…

  • Sean

    June 27, 2010 at 11:42 AM

    Mick Jagger is clearly the jinx here. First he brings down the US, now the mother country…

  • amy

    June 27, 2010 at 11:44 AM

    yes sean talk about insult to injury! the german’s are putting on a clinic for sure! possessing the ball and making the poor britts chase like lil puppy dogs! did you see the monty python fans standing there in utter silence?! priceless!!!! england will go home, and surely, capello will return to itlay where he belongs! honestly, since the blow of the first whistle, england had no business being out there! outplayed and def undeserving in my book!

  • Ryan Reft

    June 27, 2010 at 11:49 AM

    i don’t know what effect of the missed goal is but really … the germans worked england in a bad way …

  • amy

    June 27, 2010 at 11:50 AM

    what was even more priceless: the commentator saying when they added the extra time, that enlgand just needed to be put out of their misery! hahaha! and that germany just picked them apart! i was saying it the whole game! i should have been commentator! haha!

  • amy

    June 27, 2010 at 11:54 AM

    haha! jagger def was the reason! haha! 😉 the disallowed goal was a nonfactor! ryan, you said it, the germans worked england in a horrible way! england was NOT a team of caliber to hold to their level today at all!! they just weren’t good enough! and yes suman, DEF outclassed for sure!

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