Fastgoal.com <World Cup 2018> - Group F - Germany Team Review

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Germany

FIFA World Ranking: 1
Qualifying Average Goals Per Match: 4.30
Qualifying Average Goals Against Per Match: 0.40
Qualifying Top Scorer: Sandro Wagner & Thomas Muller (5)
World Cup Best Performance: Winners (1954, 1974, 1990 & 2014)

Group F Opponents: Mexico, South Korea and Sweden


The Manager: Joachim Low
Capped four times as a player for Germany, but only at under 21 level, Low has had a far greater impact on Die Mannschaft in a managerial capacity. Involved with the squad for 14 years now and having been in the hot seat since 2006, ”Jogi” has done an exceptional job. Germany have won an impressive 106 of 160 games under Low, including all ten in qualifying and under his stewardship look like one of the favourites for glory ,as they bid to defend the title they won in such dramatic fashion four years ago.


The Squad:
In a word: Impressive.

Manuel Neuer is just about the best keeper in the world, and even if he isn’t quite up to speed following an injury curtailed season, Marc-André ter Stegen who has been sensational for Barcelona, is a more than able deputy.

At the back Bayern Munich’s Matts Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Wunderkind Joshua Kimmich will be the envy of just about every side in the competition.

When it comes to the midfield, the main problem facing Low is how to choose between, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, Marco Reus, Julian Draxler, Leroy Sané, Ilkay Gundogan and Julian Draxler in what is a sensational array of options.

The centre forward position perhaps isn’t quite as strong as other areas of the team, but that hasn’t stopped the Germans racking up the goals at an almost unprecedented rate. In addition, in Leipzig’s jet-propelled youngster, Timo Werner, they have an emerging talent who looks ready to burst onto the big stage.


Star Man: Toni Kroos
There are probably around seven players who could be selected as Germany’s star man, such is the wealth of talent at Low’s disposal. For us though the most irreplaceable of them all is Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos. Whereas most positions in this side appear to have more than one option in terms of personnel, there doesn’t look to be another player in the squad who can dominate the pace and flow of the game in quite the same way as Kroos. The midfield anchor who steers and guides the brilliance around him, Kroos’s delivery from set pieces is also a major weapon.


Outlook:
So good is German football at the minute that what was effectively a reserve team won the Confederations Cup in good style. The only team in European qualification to win all ten games, they racked up a phenomenal – and record equalling – 43 goals in the process and are deservedly one of the favourites to lift the trophy this summer. Whether they can become the first side to successfully retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962 remains to be seen, but they do look much too good for the competition in this Group.


Group F Prediction: http://fastgoal.com/forum/index.php?topic=2475.0

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