Goalkeepers
1) Neuer (injured), 2) Weidenfeller, 3) Zieler
Defenders
CB: 1) Mertesacker, 2) Boateng, 3) Hummels, 4) Höwedes, 5) Ginter
LB: 1) Durm, 2) Großkreutz (also RB)
RB: 2) Lahm (injured)
Midfielders
6/CDM: 1) Schweini (injured), 2) Khedira (back from long-term injury), 3) Kramer
8: 1) Kroos
10/CAM: 1) Özil
LAM: 1) Reus, 2) Schürrle, 3) Podolski, 4) Draxler
RAM: 1) Müller, 2) Götze
Strikers
9/CF: Klose (injured?)
First of all, I'm so relieved that we found ourselves a couple of "real" full backs. Center backs and CDMs had been taking turns filling the vacant position opposite to Philipp Lahm's for many years. It'd never felt quite right though. Kevin Großkreutz is a beast, he's just what we needed. Speaking of Lahm, why the hell is he injured? Why is this happening right now, he is supposed to be invincible!!
I'm not sure how we're gonna pull through without a great CDM duo. Everyone appears to be injured or not quite fit yet. Just a year ago we had Gündogan, the Bender twins, Khedira and Schweini competing for two positions. Now we're stuck with Kroos who knows a thing or two about passing and possessing, but who neither is the defensive midfielder we're looking for, nor qualifies as a bubbly playmaker.
We probably are the national team with the most attacking midfielders in the world. While other countries play with an average of 3 attacking midfielders, we managed to squeeze a total of 5 (Götze, Müller, Özil, Reus, Kroos) into our starting 11 last week. Just to keep everyone happy, you know?
We also are the national team with the least strikers in the world. It's great we got Klose, a living legend, among the team. However, he sure is injury-prone and most likely won't make it to the Euro 2016, he'll be 38 years old. (There's only one Lothar Matthäus.) Doesn't bringing in a young striker - even if he has to sit on the bench this year - sound like a reasonable idea?
I don't believe that we'll win this whole thing, maybe second runner-up once again if we're lucky. It seems like our strongest spell is already behind us and we didn't win anything back then. God of football, please be on our side this time. Löw has done a good job for a decade. After the World Cup I'm backing Klopp or Kahn to be our new coach.
