Germany vs. Poland
Germany definite favorites over the flagging Poles (rim-shot!) but could old enmities come into play?
posted by gooner71 @ 11:31 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Germany definite favorites over the flagging Poles (rim-shot!) but could old enmities come into play?
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
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68 Comments:
Here are the teams for this afternoon's clash:
Germany:
1. Jens Lehmann
16. Philip Lahm
21. Christoph Metzelder
17. Per Mertesacker
2. Marcell Jansen
4. Clemens Fritz
8. Torsten Frings
13. Michael Ballack
20. Lukas Podolski
9. Mario Gomez
11. Miroslav Klose
Poland:
1. Artur Boruc
13. Marcin Wasilewski
14. Michal Zewlakow
6. Jacek Bak
4. Pawel Golanski
5. Dariusz Dudka
18. Mariusz Lewandowski
17. Wojciech Lobodzinski
9. Maciej Zurawski
8. Jacek Krzynowek
7. Ebi Smolarek
There has been some goading by the Polish coach and some argybargy in the streets ahead of this match so the question in everyone's minds is whether things will boil over on the pitch.
I'm tipping Miroslav Klose to be the top scorer of the tournament. He's come off a great season for Bayern where he was second only to teammate Luca Toni in the goalscoring charts and he just seems to have a microchip implanted in his head that's switched on when big tournaments roll around.
Where the hell is the Pigsticker Sebastian Schweinsteiger? Injured?
Still a mighty solid looking German side with Jens Lehman in goal looking to prove a point to Arsene Wenger, Metzelder and Mertesacker anchoring the side, Philip Lamm giving some width, Ballack running the side and Klose the main scoring threat.
And we're off...
Well, well well, the Poles come right out of the traps, a ball is lobbed in, Lehman bobbles it ungracefully and the Polish player at the top of the box hits Row Z. A decent chance.
Ohhh, a huge let-off there for Poland. Klose was played through, he and Gomez were straight in on goal with the Poles playing too high up the pitch, Klose slightly overran the ball, his pass to Gomez was a bit off and Gomez stretching contrived to miss. He really should have put the Germans one up.
A good ball in for the Poles at a free kick. This game has started really well after three fairly dull affairs so far. We've had four goals in three games so I'd really like to see a few rattle in in this one.
Ohhh, another great cross from the Polish winger, who's giving Lamm some real fits. The ball fizzes across the area without any red shirt getting to it. The Poles have started really well here.
A deep cross came over, Klose hits it on the volley not quite cleanly, it bobbles up and is collected by the keeper.
Hey guys, I am here.
I had a game this morning in 90 degree heat and then on to Tom's game.
I am in the air conditioning and ready to follow the footer.
I think we can see in the first ten minutes why Dave and I don't hate the Germans quite as much as we used to. They're not trying to nullify the Polish attack as the Germans of old would have done; they're just playing it about well and allowing the Poles to do the same.
Welcome, Dave! You've tuned in just in time. This one looks to be a cracker - good stuff so far.
Pour yourself a cold one and settle in - this should be good.
Arsene Wenger will not have been convinced by Lehman's efforts so far. He's looked really jittery. To be fair to him, he's had some awkward stuff to deal with but he's looked doubly awkward doing it, as he did there rushing out and kneeing the ball away.
Podolski to swing in a free kick here from the right....
It went to the backpost for Metzelder, who looks suspiciously like the keyboardist from Blue Oyster Cult, but nothing comes of it.
Goal for the Germans!
Was it not offside?
I guess not
GOAL! The Poles get caught out again. Some suspicion again of offside, but Klose runs on to a through ball, slides it over to Podolski, who slots home. Interesting reaction from Lucas - he barely registered it as if this was his eighth goal of the game rather than the first for Germany in Euro 2008. Show some passion, eh!
That goal was coming but the Poles have played well and will no doubt keep going for it. No reason not to. No one expects them to get anything so they could continue to press for the surprise result.
So how did the match go this morning, Dave?
I love having Andy Gray
We had no subs and it was 90 degrees. We lost 4-1. I can't play anymore. I am hopeless. I need to get in better shape.
Hey, mate. It happens to all of us. I'm really only good for the 5 aside these days. Full pitch is no good any more - too much running. Don't beat yerself up too much.
I agree with you about Andy Gray - it classes up the joint no end and he's been pretty gracious to the other clods in the studio.
The fizz has somewhat gone out of this game since Podolski's strike. The Poles have lost a bit of belief.
Good save by Lehman there from another sharp Polish attack.
It is interesting that there are three group winners in this group in Germany, Poland (who edged out Portugal) and Croatia (I won't mention who they edged out since it'll produce a lump in my throat).
I notice that sometimes he catches himself knowing his audience. He makes a comment and then dummies it up. He does a good job
Ballack picks up a free kick from a useful distance and he sets up for it. Ballack then drives it into the ball miserably.
I've noticed that too. He's certainly aware of his audience and what terminology he can and can't use.
Lahm comes charging up the wing again. He really adds a great deal to the German attack.
It's my first real look at "Super" Mario Gomez, who's lit it up for Stuttgart and I'm not convinced yet.
I don't think Germany won their group.
The Czech Republic won it
He should have buried that one
Oh, Zurawski only needed to guide it into the far corner. What a miss! That surely would have got the Poles back into this one.
Sorry about that error, Statto!
I'd love to see one of these Polish efforts fly in.
And Gomez imitates Zurawski at the other end. A bad miss for Super Mario after a great cross and Klose was unlucky with a back flick.
Great hurdle by Fritz, that one should have been put in as well
What the heck is a Gomez playing for Germany?
Fritz is a great outlet for the Germans as well. It's the first time I've seen him and I am impressed.
Yellow card for Smolarek.
Apparently his parents are Spanish but he's German born. It's a multiculti world these days.
I have to disagree with Andy there. He says you can get a yellow for breathing on someone these days. But the first three matches of this tournament had some dangerous fouls on Frei, Simao, and Nani and Pogatetz surely should have gone off for two yellows this morning. I think they've been fairly lenient.
Half time.
Not a bad game. Attacking teams.
Half-time: Germany 1-0.
The Germans will be reasonably satisfied with that first half effort. They haven't had to move too far through the gears to catch the Poles out and should go on to win this one comfortably unless there are some real surprises in the second half.
I thought that was a pen from the first game. Did you?
Is your video pausing?
Yeah, I did think it was a penalty. Tommy Smyth is an idiot.
I haven't noticed anything pausing.
Oh, nearly there but the Polish striker was offside.
That was close
The Pigsticker has come on with a really naff haircut and has picked up a yellow. I'd have started him on a yellow just for the quiff alone.
Ballack went close there but it was a good save from the Polish keeper.
Alright, now the satellite seems to be having some trouble.
The Poles have a free kick but it's easily cleared.
Lehman has gotten more confident as the game has gone on. Another efficient save there from the Mad man.
Great finish!!
Lucky to come to him but he walloped it!!
GOAL! The satellite froze and I missed the second German goal there. Did you see it?
On the replay, it's a good German move that nearly breaks down, Klose whiffs on it and Podolski pounds home his second goal of the match.
So, Dave, who wins a semi final between Portugal and Germany?
Mario Gomez has come off. He was poor today.
Frings burst into the box but the ball from Klose was overhit. Might have been a third goal there.
I would think the Germans would win
Matt just said the Klose looks like Lamps. Do you agree?
Schweinsteiger pulls the trigger again but his effort is tame.
Still time for a third German goal.
I agree with you. And I agree with Matt - it's something to do with their profile and spiky hair when they've been sweating.
Nearly a Polish goal there. There's been enough panic in the German defense to raise the eyebrows of some of the bigger sides. They'll be looking to exploit those weaknesses when it comes to the later stages of the tournament.
Good answer from Andy and the NBA
Of course, we all want Boston
Podolski might have had his hattrick there but he leaned back and hit it well over the bar.
Absolutely, Celtics all the way, despite Andy's Rangers connection.
Kevin Kuranyi's just going to get on for stoppage time replacing a slightly disappointing Klose.
SO, this one is over.
I will be watching the game tonight when I get home from yet another soccer game.
Cheers!!
Full-time: Germany 2-0. Like Portugal yesterday, the Germans had a comfortable start to the tournament. The Poles played well enough to imagine that they might just sneak into the second round with results against Austria next and Croatia in the third match.
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