Germany came into UEFA EURO 2008™ as many people's favourites to lift the trophy. They have received some criticism for their style of play but have nevertheless reached their sixth EURO final – largely through their ability to find the net at crucial times.
Four from five
Joachim Löw's side have won four of their five matches, the only exception being their second group game, which they lost 2-1 to Croatia in Klagenfurt. All but the opening match, a 2-0 win against Poland, have been won by a one-goal margin, with each of their two knockout fixtures finishing 3-2 in their favour. It will be a source of some anxiety for Löw and his coaching staff that the team conceded two goals against both Portugal and Turkey – whereas final opponents Spain kept their goal intact in both the quarter-final and semi-final – but against that the six goals they scored in those two knockout encounters was twice as many as Spain managed.
Chances converted
It is Germany's ability to convert their chances that has been the keynote to their qualification for the final. They have scored ten goals from just 23 shots on target in their five matches, a conversion rate that dwarfs those of every other team, including Spain, who have found the net eleven times from 44 efforts on target. Lukas Podolski set the tone by scoring with both of his shots on goal in the opening game against Poland, and the team's ruthless edge in the opposition penalty area was plain for all to see against Turkey when, despite being on the back foot for much of the game, they converted all three of their efforts on goal, the last of them, from full-back Philipp Lahm, arriving in the last minute.
Right-side struggles
In general attacking terms, Germany sit just above mid-table in most of the Castrol performance classifications. The exception is in the number of attacks they have launched from the right – just 14 in total at an average of 2.8 per game, the latter figure bettered by every other participating team bar Sweden. Clearly Germany have problems in this area and it is no coincidence that all six goals they scored against Portugal and Turkey, whether from set-piece or open play, originated from the opposite flank.
Set-piece expertise
Left-back Lahm's ability to get forward, cut inside and swing in accurate right-footed crosses is a danger that Spain coach Luis Aragonés will seek to address, the overriding message to right-back Sergio Ramos being to keep the FC Bayern München defender pinned to the touchline on his left foot. With wide midfielder Podolski, a genuine left-footer, the opposite applies. Germany also have an advantage over Spain at free-kicks, with three of their ten goals having been sourced in this manner – whether with a direct shot, as in Michael Ballack's match-winning thunderbolt against Austria, or with Bastian Schweinsteiger's two deliveries on to the heads of Miroslav Klose and Ballack against Portugal.
Cause for concern
Spain, by contrast, have yet to score from a free-kick but did concede from one against Greece. Germany may no longer be the favourites to reclaim the Henri Delaunay trophy as they prepare to take on in-form Spain in Vienna on Sunday night, but they have attributes that will undoubtedly give their opponents plenty of cause for concern.
No comments:
Post a Comment