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GERMANY TAKING NO CHANCES AGAINST ARMENIA
Bundesliga - official website
June 6 2014
Mainz - 1. FSV Mainz 05's compact Coface Arena is the venue and Armenia
the opponents on Friday (kick-off 20:45 CEST) as Germany get set to
compete in their final friendly before the fast-approaching start of
the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
The immediate objective for Joachim Low is straightforward. "We want to
take our leave of the fans and Germany with a win, a good performance
and a smile," the head coach said at the pre-march conference. The
return to the fray of skipper Philipp Lahm and midfield general
Bastian Schweinsteiger gave Low reason enough to be pleased ahead of
the encounter, as did the increasingly likelihood of keeper Manuel
Neuer being match-fit again as well in good time for the Group G
opener against Portugal on 16 June.
Armenia pose tactical test
"We want to avoid any unnecessary risk, even if it's minimal," the
coach said of FC Bayern's world goalkeeper of the year. Dortmund's
Roman Weidenfeller will thus take his place between the posts again,
as he did in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Cameroon. Lahm and Schweinsteiger,
however, are both set for a run-out at some stage of the encounter,
the proceeds of which are earmarked for the Bundesliga Foundation
and three charitable organisations run by the German FA (DFB).
Explaining the choice of opponents for his team's final warm-up
encounter, Low said, "we opted very consciously for Armenia. They
play a similar style of football to Portugal and they're very good on
the break. Contrary to the general expectation, they're a very strong
team." Not least, of course, in the form of Borussia Dortmund's Henrikh
Mkhitaryan, around whom the Armenians' "strong attack" revolves.
Attacking options aplenty
As to Germany's own gameplan, the coach was keeping mum on the
specifics - including whether Lazio's Miroslav Klose, his sole nominal
out-and-out-striker - would start up front. The ongoing "false 9"
debate was similarly unfruitful territory for journalistic speculation,
other than the aside that, "that's one discussion I won't be taking in
the luggage to Brazil." And why indeed, given that "Reus, Podolski,
Muller, Schurrle and Klose are all forwards. Players focused on
scoring goals and creating opportunities to do so."
After having had to settle for a draw against Cameroon, the players
are determined to head for the finals on a winning note. That said,
maintaining match fitness and rhythm are the priorities at this late
stage. Low himself noted that some of his charges "are still short of
a few training sessions." But when the action kicks off in earnest,
he added, "we'll switch on the World Cup turbo."
Possible line-ups
Germany: Weidenfeller - Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels, Durm - Khedira,
Schweinsteiger - Muller, Ozil, Reus - Klose
Armenia: Berezovsky - Mkoyan, Haroyan, Arzumanyan, Hayrapetyan -
Yedigaryan, Hovsepyan - Manucharyan, Mkhitaryan, Ghazaryan- Movsisyan
http://www.bundesliga.com/en/tournaments/news/2013/0000295641.php
Bundesliga - official website
June 6 2014
Mainz - 1. FSV Mainz 05's compact Coface Arena is the venue and Armenia
the opponents on Friday (kick-off 20:45 CEST) as Germany get set to
compete in their final friendly before the fast-approaching start of
the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
The immediate objective for Joachim Low is straightforward. "We want to
take our leave of the fans and Germany with a win, a good performance
and a smile," the head coach said at the pre-march conference. The
return to the fray of skipper Philipp Lahm and midfield general
Bastian Schweinsteiger gave Low reason enough to be pleased ahead of
the encounter, as did the increasingly likelihood of keeper Manuel
Neuer being match-fit again as well in good time for the Group G
opener against Portugal on 16 June.
Armenia pose tactical test
"We want to avoid any unnecessary risk, even if it's minimal," the
coach said of FC Bayern's world goalkeeper of the year. Dortmund's
Roman Weidenfeller will thus take his place between the posts again,
as he did in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Cameroon. Lahm and Schweinsteiger,
however, are both set for a run-out at some stage of the encounter,
the proceeds of which are earmarked for the Bundesliga Foundation
and three charitable organisations run by the German FA (DFB).
Explaining the choice of opponents for his team's final warm-up
encounter, Low said, "we opted very consciously for Armenia. They
play a similar style of football to Portugal and they're very good on
the break. Contrary to the general expectation, they're a very strong
team." Not least, of course, in the form of Borussia Dortmund's Henrikh
Mkhitaryan, around whom the Armenians' "strong attack" revolves.
Attacking options aplenty
As to Germany's own gameplan, the coach was keeping mum on the
specifics - including whether Lazio's Miroslav Klose, his sole nominal
out-and-out-striker - would start up front. The ongoing "false 9"
debate was similarly unfruitful territory for journalistic speculation,
other than the aside that, "that's one discussion I won't be taking in
the luggage to Brazil." And why indeed, given that "Reus, Podolski,
Muller, Schurrle and Klose are all forwards. Players focused on
scoring goals and creating opportunities to do so."
After having had to settle for a draw against Cameroon, the players
are determined to head for the finals on a winning note. That said,
maintaining match fitness and rhythm are the priorities at this late
stage. Low himself noted that some of his charges "are still short of
a few training sessions." But when the action kicks off in earnest,
he added, "we'll switch on the World Cup turbo."
Possible line-ups
Germany: Weidenfeller - Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels, Durm - Khedira,
Schweinsteiger - Muller, Ozil, Reus - Klose
Armenia: Berezovsky - Mkoyan, Haroyan, Arzumanyan, Hayrapetyan -
Yedigaryan, Hovsepyan - Manucharyan, Mkhitaryan, Ghazaryan- Movsisyan
http://www.bundesliga.com/en/tournaments/news/2013/0000295641.php