Loew experiments almost backfired

Germany’s supporting millions might well have wondered in worry. More so as coach Joaquim Loew’s experimentation seemed to back-fire. Luckily for them, Greece could take advantage only briefly before losing 2-4 at the Arena Gdansk in Gdansk.

Mario Gomez, the joint top scorer so far, Tomas Muller, Lukas Podolski were all on the bench. Reus Marco Reus 23, Andre Schurrle, 21, and Mario Gotze 20, who came on later, coupled with a rather error prone, erratic, sloppy and casual Germany went goalless for the first 38 minutes.

Skipper Philip Lahm provided temporary respite to his coach and his supporters. But the worries became bigger as Greece equalised soon after resumption when Girogos Samaras stubbed home a brilliant ball from Dmirtis Salpingidis.

Fortunately for Germany, Sami Khedira latched on to a lob from the right to blast home a rising right-footer, Miroslav Klose sprang up to head home their cushioning and Reus got on to the scoring sheet with another full-blooded volley. Greece were also without their talisman and skipper Giorgos Karagounis who was suspended with two bookings. That saw them on the defensive for long spells but they battled hard against the Germans who failed to produce their normal free-flowing game.

A German trying to go it alone time and again? Well, it was surely uncharacteristic as Bastian Schwensteiger and Sami Kherida displayed. The Germans pushing wrong passes often? Yes, Schwensteiger was the main culprit often giving the ball away without provocation. The Germans pushing ‘hospital passes’ to their colleagues? That’s what Mesut Ozil and Khedira did a number of times. All this resulted in Germany losing their rhythm when on the attack.

They also played at a very slow pace. At times it betrayed a more than casual, even over-confident approach. Add the inexperience and haste of the strikers Reus and Schurrle in finishing off gilt-edged chances that were still created and Germany’s frustration increased by the minute.

They were always in command but then a 1-0 or a 1-1 scoreline is always a dangerous proposition against a battling rival. There was an entire 45-minutes of the second half and then, if needed, 30 minutes of extra time as well. A goal or a winner might have materialised for Germany eventually. But Loew could have avoided all the worry and dismay by bringing on his greenhorns once the team had take a 1-0 or 2-0 lead. Sure, they will be Germany’s stars in the 2014 world Cup and 2016 European Cup. But on the day they were found wanting.

Greece, already indebted to Germany, had their moments of hope but the Mannschaft were far too superior at the end of it all.