World Cup Semi-Final Preview - Spain Vs Germany
If you had predicted, before the World Cup began, that Germany and Spain would meet in the World Cup Semi-finals, very few would have refuted your prediction. But had you said that Germany would beat England and Argentina, en route, there could have been a few raised eyebrows. Especially as Germany, a relatively inexperienced team, lost their only experienced player, captain, Ballack, to injury, on the eve of the cup.
Spain were pre-tournament favourites; nobody could have predicted that they would lose their opening group match to Switzerland, or play less fluently than they did at Euro 2008.
This has been a topsy turvy World Cup, with several upsets, beginning from day one. With a young Germany, playing a brand of football nobody has associated the team with, in the past, Spain can no longer be sure of repeating their Euro 2008 final victory over Germany.
Schweinsteiger, all of 25 years of age, is the senior player of this German squad, and expected to fill in for missing seniors like Ballack. Little wonder that Germany have made everyone sit up and pay attention. With the kind of game they have displayed, at this World Cup, even a staunch England or Argentina supporter would be tempted to forget his partisanship, and urge this young team on.
But against Spain, Germany will miss Thomas Muller, suspended being awarded a second yellow card, in the Argentina match. His 4 goals (not to mention his 3 assists) in 5 matches make Muller one of the most valuable players, of this World Cup, and a contender for the Golden Boot.
But with Klose spearheading a 4-2-3-1 formation that coach Loew has so successfully employed, Germany might still manage without Muller, especially with the blossoming of midfielder Oezil as a formidable aly to Klose and the fleet-footed Podolski.
Either Cacau or Piotr Trochowski could come in for Muller, while the back of midfield will remain the watch of Schweinsteiger, aided by Khedera; the pair will give protection to the back-line led by captain, Lahm.
Spain reached their first ever semi-final at the World Cup, after prevailing over Paraguay in a tough match that saw skipper Iker Casillas, in goal, save an Oscar Cardozo penalty kick. Once again, Spain had to rely on David Villa's strike to see them through, 1-0.
In contrast with Villa's fine form-- he is the leading Golden Boot contender with 5 goals-- his fellow striker, Torres, has been disappointing. Against Paraguay, Spain's fortunes were on the wane, until their manager, Del Bosque, replaced Torres with Fabregas. So Torres will probaby miss out on the Germany game.
Similarly, Del Bosque had to bring in Pedro, for an unimpressive Xabi Alonso, though Xabi could still play against Germany, where his defensive skills would be considered de riguer, against a pacy German attack. Gerard Pique will also need to bring his tackling skills, to the party, while the other defenders, Ramos and Capdevilla, must learn from the England and Argentina experience against Germany, and not stray too far ahead, from their beat.
Both teams have had 4 wins and a loss in their five games played, although there's a great deal of difference in the way the two teams obtained those results.
The key battle that could decide the course of this semi-final is likely to be fought by midfielders, Schweinsteiger and Xavi. German forwards Klose and Muller owe their successes largey to Schweinsteiger's creativity, and his ability to find defensive gaps with his incisive passes. Xavi is as crafty, and the Euro 2008 victory was built around his ingenuity, and the Germans could find themselves wrong-footed even as they come to terms with Xavi's guile.
Another battle that should grab everyone's attention could be between David Villa and Lahm. David Villa is the leading goal scorer at this World Cup and he has performed consistently, carrying on from where he left off in Euro 2008. Assuming that Torres does play, Villa is likely to man his favourite left flank, and Germany is likely to rely on Lahm to try and stop him.
Piotr Trochowski coming in for the suspended Muller, is the only perceptible change in the German starting eleven, although there's a question mark over Boateng's fitness, after the Argentina game.
Other than the possibility of Fabregas coming in for Torres, I can not foresee any possible change in Spain's 4-3-3 formation. Iniesta might be given greater initiative, in Bosque's game plan, with flanking assistance from Ramos and Capdevilla.
Spain were pre-tournament favourites; nobody could have predicted that they would lose their opening group match to Switzerland, or play less fluently than they did at Euro 2008.
This has been a topsy turvy World Cup, with several upsets, beginning from day one. With a young Germany, playing a brand of football nobody has associated the team with, in the past, Spain can no longer be sure of repeating their Euro 2008 final victory over Germany.
Schweinsteiger, all of 25 years of age, is the senior player of this German squad, and expected to fill in for missing seniors like Ballack. Little wonder that Germany have made everyone sit up and pay attention. With the kind of game they have displayed, at this World Cup, even a staunch England or Argentina supporter would be tempted to forget his partisanship, and urge this young team on.
But against Spain, Germany will miss Thomas Muller, suspended being awarded a second yellow card, in the Argentina match. His 4 goals (not to mention his 3 assists) in 5 matches make Muller one of the most valuable players, of this World Cup, and a contender for the Golden Boot.
But with Klose spearheading a 4-2-3-1 formation that coach Loew has so successfully employed, Germany might still manage without Muller, especially with the blossoming of midfielder Oezil as a formidable aly to Klose and the fleet-footed Podolski.
Either Cacau or Piotr Trochowski could come in for Muller, while the back of midfield will remain the watch of Schweinsteiger, aided by Khedera; the pair will give protection to the back-line led by captain, Lahm.
Spain reached their first ever semi-final at the World Cup, after prevailing over Paraguay in a tough match that saw skipper Iker Casillas, in goal, save an Oscar Cardozo penalty kick. Once again, Spain had to rely on David Villa's strike to see them through, 1-0.
In contrast with Villa's fine form-- he is the leading Golden Boot contender with 5 goals-- his fellow striker, Torres, has been disappointing. Against Paraguay, Spain's fortunes were on the wane, until their manager, Del Bosque, replaced Torres with Fabregas. So Torres will probaby miss out on the Germany game.
Similarly, Del Bosque had to bring in Pedro, for an unimpressive Xabi Alonso, though Xabi could still play against Germany, where his defensive skills would be considered de riguer, against a pacy German attack. Gerard Pique will also need to bring his tackling skills, to the party, while the other defenders, Ramos and Capdevilla, must learn from the England and Argentina experience against Germany, and not stray too far ahead, from their beat.
Both teams have had 4 wins and a loss in their five games played, although there's a great deal of difference in the way the two teams obtained those results.
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The key battle that could decide the course of this semi-final is likely to be fought by midfielders, Schweinsteiger and Xavi. German forwards Klose and Muller owe their successes largey to Schweinsteiger's creativity, and his ability to find defensive gaps with his incisive passes. Xavi is as crafty, and the Euro 2008 victory was built around his ingenuity, and the Germans could find themselves wrong-footed even as they come to terms with Xavi's guile.
Another battle that should grab everyone's attention could be between David Villa and Lahm. David Villa is the leading goal scorer at this World Cup and he has performed consistently, carrying on from where he left off in Euro 2008. Assuming that Torres does play, Villa is likely to man his favourite left flank, and Germany is likely to rely on Lahm to try and stop him.
Piotr Trochowski coming in for the suspended Muller, is the only perceptible change in the German starting eleven, although there's a question mark over Boateng's fitness, after the Argentina game.
Other than the possibility of Fabregas coming in for Torres, I can not foresee any possible change in Spain's 4-3-3 formation. Iniesta might be given greater initiative, in Bosque's game plan, with flanking assistance from Ramos and Capdevilla.
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