![]() ![]() Given how frequently he lost the ball, he will not challenge Muller for a slot at the German champions but that's because Goretzka usually plays in the centre of midfield or at number 10, not as a winger. Playing new Bayern team-mate Leon Goretzka in his stead did not. That was controversial but it looked the right call given his form. That he's a key dressing room figure should not be underestimated but within 40 seconds he set the tone for another poor display on the pitch when caught in possession.Īnother of those changes was taking out Germany's top scorer at their past two World Cups in Thomas Muller. When the five changes to face South Korea were announced, the strangest was Khedira's return. It had made sense that he was dropped for Sebastian Rudy against Sweden, having not been quick enough in body or in mind against Mexico. ![]() Individual selections can be questioned, none more so than that of Sami Khedira. When going forward, they generally lacked both the speed and the precision to break down their opponents. The lack of balance in the side was stark as Germany were continually caught on the counter throughout the tournament. He did admit: "I had the feeling that there was perhaps a certain arrogance before the Mexico game - like we would be able to react at the touch of a button when it all starts." Selection problems The warm-up games against Austria and Saudi Arabia hadn't been good but they had talked things through. Still, Low told German public broadcaster ZDF that he had been happy with their preparations. ![]() And, as in the build-up to Russia 2018, there were injury worries to key players as well. Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Ozil having photographs taken with controversial Turkish president Recepp Tayyip Erdogan in May dominated the agenda - but, then, off-field issues had been present going into the 2014 tournament too. The lead-up to this tournament, on the other hand, might not have helped. It contributed to the feeling that German football was on the up. By then, they also had the momentum of a win in the all-German Champions League final at Wembley in 2013. The 2012 Champions League final defeat by Chelsea was burnt into the memories of the six Bayern players who would start the World Cup final. The build-up to the last tournament in Brazil for some players shouldn't be ignored either. Lahm's successor Bastian Schweinsteiger followed suit in 2016. After the 2014 World Cup, captain Philipp Lahm, top scorer in World Cup history Miroslav Klose and key dressing room figure Per Mertesacker all retired. The loss of leaders, or 'Fuhrungsspieler' as they say in Germany, was a factor. More importantly, this was not down to the absence of any single player. And we have an all-new worst performance of the World Cup list ![]()
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