Germany - Poland

mike65

Will the Panzer divisions roll across the plains of Poland or shall we see the Hun held or even overcome through plucky resistance? Ahem (copywrite The Sun)

Mike.

Necronomicon

The contrasting performances on friday point to one result and one result only, but given all the extra baggage that comes with this fixture, who knows!

mike65

from bbc

Skipper Michael Ballack is set to return after missing Germany's opener against Costa Rica with a calf strain.

Ballack is back in training and looks likely to take the place of midfielder Tim Borowski.

Poland have rung the changes after the 2-0 defeat to Ecuador with Miroslav Szymkowiak axed for Ireneusz Jelen.

Bartosz Bosacki replaces Mariusz Jop in the centre of defence but midfielder Kamil Kosowski could miss the clash with a strained hamstring.

Germany (probable): Lehmann, Friedrich, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Lahm, Schneider, Frings, Ballack, Schweinsteiger, Podolski, Klose.

Poland (probable): Boruc, Bak, Bosacki, Zewlakow, Baszczynski, Krzynowek, Zurawski, Mila, Jelen, Sobolewski, Smolarek.

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Mike.

Kingp35

Poland have to win to have any chance of going through so I expect this to be a decent game. Dont think the poles will do it though.

Rikand

A german win all the way

Zapp Brannigan

Shame on OP for reading The Sun.

Yeah I can only see Germany winning this one. Should be nice to watch I think Lahm looks an exciting player (aswell as being an absolute legend in FM2005 )

KdjaCL

pa pa Poland (sung to the tune of the A team with 2 or 6 guys singing the Pa Pa part).


Really annoys my fellow polish workers Add in Yaksiemash pa pa poland for extra effect


There gone but at @7-1 i couldnt not bet on them ,also did Poland/Ger 1st half/2nd half @18-1


But the real bet was for spain draw germany, the above just thoring my winnings about


kdjac

smog

you never know with a fixture like this

Duras

Chance put Germany in a pretty easy group. I doubt Poland will be any trouble.

RuggieBear

KdjaC wrote:

But the real bet was for spain draw germany, the above just thoring my winnings about


kdjac

i've the same bet....Come on Germany

YeatsCounty

Klose couldn't get any closer than that! :eek:

I have a feeling that this could end in a 1-1 draw but with Germany beginning to turn the screw, it's looking more and more likely that they will get the 3 points.

Necronomicon

A lot of tackles flying in....may be a sending off at some stage!

YeatsCounty

Agreed that we'll see a few yellow cards (at least) today. As for my initial prediction, it looks like the only way that Poland will score at the moment is if the Germans turn around and kick it into their own net. :rolleyes:

Ballack and Lahm (FM 2005 legend indeed!) are playing well.

Necronomicon

Klose and Podolski with two missed sitters of the tournament!

mike65

The Poles just wont score against the "old country"!

Mike.

evilhomer

Necromomicon wrote:

Klose and Podolski with two missed sitters of the tournament!

shocking! :eek: :eek: :eek:

total sitters

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

this is dreadful....

YeatsCounty

I'm seriously rooting for Germany now. Poland are dire, they're showing no urgency at all. You're at the World Cup FFS! Play like it! :mad:

Duras

This game is sad. Unfortunately one of these teams (probably Germany) will play more than 3 games in this tournament.

YeatsCounty

Sobolewski sent off for Poland. Come on Germany and eliminate them!

RuggieBear

poles just got a red card....

Necronomicon

Necromomicon wrote:

A lot of tackles flying in....may be a sending off at some stage!

Wish I put a bet on

edit: two unbelievable saves in succession by the Polish keeper!

evilhomer

Yawn!!

RuggieBear

ffs

Necronomicon

****ing hell, hit the crossbar twice in a row! <snip>

YeatsCounty

Germany hit the crossbar twice! How unlucky can you get! :eek:

RuggieBear

yes

YeatsCounty

Thank Christ!!!

G'wan Klose! No more than they deserved. Bye bye Poland, you won't be missed.

Vokes

Thank Christ! Poland so very poor.

BOHSBOHS

thats poland knocked out ... 1st team out!

KdjaCL

YeatsCounty wrote:

Thank Christ!!!

G'wan Klose! No more than they deserved. Bye bye Poland, you won't be missed.

I wish have him for top scorer. Neuville scored and everyone sings !pa pa Polksa!!!! Which translates to "bye bye Poland"

Wasnt a great game had the stamp of a European defence on it, at least thats one gone.


kdjac

Duras

SofaKing wrote:

Thank Christ! Poland so very poor.

And Germany scored only in injury time while Poland were only 10 men... That says alot. I just hope they won't do what they did last time... playing pathetic and reaching the final that is.

mike65

Lets be honest, if this had been Bolton v Wigan on a wet Monday evening at the Reebok most of us would have turned over after 15 mins.

Mike.

RE*AC*TOR

Poland were the most defensive side i've seen in a long time. Germany weren't great, but I'm happy for the good of the tournament, that Poland won't be around much longer.

YeatsCounty

KdjaC wrote:

I wish have him for top scorer. Neuville scored and everyone sings !pa pa Polksa!!!! Which translates to "bye bye Poland"

You're right, it was Neuville who scored. I think the commentator here said "Klose!" when the goal was scored and then I saw him celebrating wildly. H deserved a goal for his performance tonight.

Germany fully deserved the win, they should have won by a couple more. The Polish 'keeper saved them from a hiding. I was pleased with Lahm's performance as well.

mike65

Ballack was pants as was the whole midfield, they are just lucky Poland are such a poor side. I fancy Equador to get something out of thier two remaining games and top the group on goal difference!

Mike.

Anam

Not an amazing performance from Germany,they should have been more clinical,but they made plenty of chances,im definately not writing them off yet and i think the RTE pundits have been a bit harsh about the german side.

I think Lahm has been the player of the tournament so far imho,cant think of anyone who has performed their role so well.I thought Ballack did pretty well too,some very good passes.

KdjaCL

mike65 wrote:

Ballack was pants as was the whole midfield, they are just lucky Poland are such a poor side.

They dont play like that which is why the players/media/everyone german hate Klinsman for making them attack and chase games as all the players picked usually play in a mid with 2 others to play on the break, not all out attackers.


Ballack was pants tho looked unfit, how many "superstars" have looked unfit so far?


kdjac

Kingp35

Two poor sides played out a bad game of football. Im glad Germany won it because they deserved it and it will be good for the tournament but they have no chance of winning this competition. The only player that looked good tonight was Lahm, the rest were poor especially the strikers. Frings did absolutely nothing and if Poland had been a bit more positive then things could have been different.

One poor side out, Germany wont be around much longer either.

Little-Devil

I watched the the game on RTE2 and george hamilton thought Philip Lamb was germany's best player, i then turn to BBC and Alan Hansen thought Ballack was there best player, makes me laugh:). I never liked ballack and dont rate that highly, everytime i see him play he does nothing. Tonight he was brutal, played a few good passes, but no forward runs and dont remember him having a shot on goal. I think chelsea and have wasted a lot on money on a average player who is geting old, i thought they were stronh enough there already, anyways, I like to England get Germany or Ecuador, i'd expect them to beat germany easy enough, but i think id put a bet on Ecuador to beat england, now i know some may laugh, but they beat Brazil and Argentina on the way here and those 2 teams are the favourites

gandalf

Well thats the Irish economy saved, now get back to work you Poles

Germany deserved that win, they were the far better team. Couldn't believe it when they hit the crossbar twice. I doubt they will win the WC based on the first two games thou, I'd say they will get knocked out at the qtr finals.

gimmick

BOHSBOHS wrote:

thats poland knocked out ... 1st team out!

Not quite, i think. If its a draw tomorrow, Poland are out, but if Costa Rica win, and Poland beat them well, and Germany beat Ecuador, Poland are through on goal difference?

Am I the only person who actually really enjoyed that game? I was gutted for Poland at the death. Their keeper didnt deserve that after the game he had.

gandalf wrote:

I doubt they will win the WC based on the first two games thou, I'd say they will get knocked out at the qtr finals.

Well they got to the final last time, and they were a poorer team then. Of course, they had an easy passge then. Unsure will it be the same this time round.

PHB

Well thats the Irish economy saved, now get back to work you Poles

Thank god the old Irish mentality is still going strong aswell.

Vokes

Lahm is decent. But how annoying must it be for the others who have to check their runs when he cuts back onto his right foot to cross. He does it ALL the time.

He'd be much better on the right - Friedrich is v. poor.

Ronan|Raven

I think it _may_ have been in jest, get off your highhorse fub.

evilhomer

Kingp35 wrote:

One poor side out, Germany wont be around much longer either.

I remember saying that in Euro 1996 and WC 2002 about them.
They always seem to get going when they have to, plus they are on home soil.

gandalf

PHB wrote:

Thank god the old Irish mentality is still going strong aswell.

Oops looks like I forgot a smiley

PHB

Oh yeh, me too

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He does it ALL the time.

Indeed, it's cause he's right footed, you'd think that the German players woulda caught on by now, it's nuts

mchurl

I hope the Germans get a decent run, its always good to have the home side doing well. But i dont think this a decent German side, but they do have goals in them.

As for tonight, i missed the game, but by all accounts the Germans shold of won comfortably and would of if it hadnt of been for Boruc. The Poles were a let down once again just like 2002.

Guy:Incognito

mchurl wrote:

But i dont think this a decent German side, but they do have goals in them.

Definately. They have scored in 28 of the 29 games since Klinsmann took over. No mean feat. Just ask the french about scoring in world cups

BOHSBOHS

ur correct gimmick..... i forgot the WC groups go on goal difference before head to head results (which wud put poland out )

..so they still have a VERY slim chance....if all 3 remaining group games go the way u said and by the right amount of goals...