Probable Lineups
Probable Lineups Statistical Comparison
* Values in brackets (x) are overall player statistics in EURO Grp. C.
Missing Players
Germany
Ukraine
Player | Reason | Status | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Antonio Rüdiger | Out | N/A | |
Bastian Schweinsteiger | Doubtful | 6.25 | |
Mats Hummels | Out | 7.52 | |
Jérôme Boateng | Doubtful | 7.2 |
No missing players.
Team News
Germany
Ukraine
- Antonio Rudiger has been ruled out of the Euros and replaced in the squad by Jonathan Tah after suffering a serious knee injury in training on Tuesday.
- Mats Hummels will not feature for Germany until at least the third group game after coming into the tournament with an injury. Bastian Schweinsteiger has been working hard to be fit in time for the Euros but may not be risked so soon. Jerome Boateng is also nursing a knock ahead of the tournament.
- Marco Reus' omission from the squad means Mario Gotze looks favourite to occupy the left forward role unless Low reverts to using Mesut Ozil in that position as he did in the 2014 World Cup.
- If Boateng fails to recover in time then Benedikt Höwedes and Shkodran Mustafi could find themselves starting at the heart of Germany's defence. Julian Weigl could be deployed in front of this defence to provide added protection.
- Ukraine don't have any serious injury concerns ahead of their group opener against Germany and can field their strongest XI.
It seems that Germany very often attacks from the left - just check out the heat map. Was it a strategy, or else too many players on the squad comfortable on that side of the field?
@antonsmith Take a guess! On the right are Müller and Höwedes, how do you want to play " football " with them if they can hardly stop the ball. In general the whole German offense was horrible, like in Brazil. Özil invisible as usual, Götze a joke and Müller non existing. On top of that Löws strategy. Why do you operate with so many flanks if your target men are 1,75?
@antonsmith left is the weak side with draxler, right the strong site with müller. but look heatmap from Höwedes & Hector. the game opening wasnt good!
@wawa Sorry but you have no clue. Draxler was the best man in offense and the most technical gifted one. Müller was the worst on the field ( together with Özil), has the worst technique and had to put up with Höwedes, who is actually a full back.
Kroos darn good, created so many chances. If German strikers finish better, they could have won comfortably.
Not sure why Gomez didn't start. Goetze, as usual, did nothing of note in the striking role. I feel Loew uses the false 9 way too much. When used as a novelty, it can work because it messes up positioning of CBs & CMs when implemented well. Most of the time, however, it isn't that successful. The 4-time German player of the year (who also happens to have created the most chances by a country mile during the league season) had nobody to set up despite being in ideal positions. Gomez has scored 15 goals and assisted 2 in his last 20 matches for club and country and is every bit the #9 Germany call out for. I just don't see how anybody would think Goetze is a better option. Ukraine had chances to level it today despite Germany's dominance and that was partly down to having no real striking threat. Loads of shots, yes, but many were speculative efforts. The German defence isn't good enough to hold out at 1-0 and a better attacking side would've made them pay.
@SteveHyland I agree with everything you said. On top of the fact that the complete offense is harmless as usual, Götze slow and immobile, Özil hiding and Müller just terrible football wise if he is not scoring I didn't understand why Germanys combination play is gone and instead it was tried to hit high flanks on our midget players up front. Made no sense...
@SteveHyland couldnt have said it better
@SteveHyland Agreed. There are too many midfielders in the lineup, and a lack of finishers. With the likes of Klose and Podolski gone, Gomez or Schurrle would fill that hole in the starting lineup.
@antonsmith Why is Podolski gone ?
@neumi17 My mistake, sorry. He's not gone. I wanted to say that in the past, with Klose and Podolski in the lineup, there were two players taking shots frequently. Now there is a lot of players who prefer passing to shooting,
Bastian shweinsteigerrrrrrr i knew he would change the game
No clearance off the line for Boateng?
Boateng should have clearance off the line
@denisgrad- Technically yes, but the ball hit him then travelled to the line rather than him arriving to clear it off the line. Semantics, I'm sure you'll argue but there has to be a line somewhere.
Neuer is a god....
@neumi17- The most important player for Bayern and the national team. Your defence looks as shaky as ours but where you have a keeper who prevents what, at the time, looks for all certainty a goal, we have one who boots the ball at the back of a central defender from a few metres away.
smell over 3.5 here 3-1 or 2-2
goals will be scored a lot here.
The two scariest looking crests in international football.
I think Draxler should start, without him they don't have a player who likes to challenge opposition and who doesn't always choose an easy option. Also Weigl would offer more balance than Khedira which is a big deal since both Germany's preferred CBs may be out. A draw is very possible but Germany are difficult team to beat. 1-1 or 2-1.
I think i would agree with whoscored germany are not in form
both to score, as for 1x2 lottery from 1-1 to 3-1
I think Germany will win 2-1 here. They are the best side in this tournament. But I hope Ukraine proves me wrong. Love Ukraine.
@denisgrad best side? with Gomez, Mustafi, Can? ... one of the better sides, but the best surely not
3-1 Germany
4 goals will be scored 3-1,2-2 but Germany will concede their defense and midfield isn't rock solid.
4 goals will be scored 3-1,2-2 but Germany will concede their defense and midfield isn't rock solid.
4:2 Germany
Germany 1:1 Ukraine