This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jun/29/germany-schweinsteiger-khedira-joachim-low-algeria

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Germany’s Schweinsteiger and Khedira conundrum provides cause for concern Germany’s Schweinsteiger and Khedira conundrum provides cause for concern
(about 3 hours later)
Raphael Honigstein Having one of your key midfielders putting in a performance “as strong as a bear”, as one newspaper put it, should not really be a problem, yet it could turn out to be a headache for Joachim Löw in Brazil. Bastian Schweinsteiger impressed everyone – apart from, possibly, Sami Khedira – against the USA as he made his first start of the 2014 World Cup in the 1-0 win but it now means that his coach has a selection problem before Monday’s game against Algeria in Porto Alegre.
Having one of your key midfielders putting in a performance “as strong as a bear”, as one newspaper put it, should not really be a problem yet it could turn out to be a headache for Joachim Löw in Brazil. Bastian Schweinsteiger impressed everyone – apart from, possibly, Sami Khedira – against the USA as he made his first start of the 2014 World Cup in the 1-0 win but it now means that his coach has a selection problem before the game against Algeria in Porto Alegre. The Bundestrainer had devised an ingenious job-sharing plan for Bayern Munich’s Schweinsteiger, a 2013 Champions League winner, and Khedira, who lifted the trophy this year with Real Madrid. Both are only half-fit – the former has been suffering from an inflammation in the knee, the latter was out of action for six months after cruciate ligament surgery – so why not field each of them for only half a game at time?
The Bundestrainer had devised an ingenious job-sharing plan for Bayern’s Schweinsteiger and Khedira, this year’s Champions League winner with Real Madrid. Both are only half-fit – the former has been suffering from an inflammation in the knee, the latter was out of action for six months after cruciate ligament surgery – so why not field each of them for only half a game at time? The calculation proved vaguely sound in the tumultuous 2-2 draw with Ghana. Khedira, the all-action box-to-box tyro to Schweinsteiger’s metronomic pass-master, hustled and bustled until he wilted in the extreme conditions of hot and sticky Fortaleza after 70 minutes. The game had descended into a wide open, somewhat unhinged contest with less tactical discipline than you would expect in a Copacabana kickabout. It took the becalming influence of Khedira’s replacement, the man they call Schweini, to bring back some order.
The calculation proved vaguely sound in the tumultuous 2-2 draw with Ghana. Khedira, 27, the all-action box-to-box tyro to Schweinsteiger’s metronomic pass-master, hustled and bustled until he wilted in the extreme conditions of hot and sticky Fortaleza after 70 minutes. The game had descended into a wide open, somewhat unhinged contest with less tactical discipline than you would expect in a Copacabana kickabout. It took the becalming influence of Khedira’s replacement, the man they call “Schweini”, to bring back some order. At big tournaments, every game is partially played out in response to the one that has gone just before. Löw abhorred the loss of control his Germany team had suffered against Ghana, so he started Schweinsteiger against the USA, with a view of Khedira coming on later. But the Süddeustche Zeitung – Bayern firm – of Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos and Schweinsteiger dominated proceedings in the 1-0 win over Jürgen Klinsmann’s side so thoroughly that Khedira never made it on to the rain-soaked Recife pitch. “He is a strategist – you feel his presence,” the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said of his club-mate Schweinsteiger afterwards. Löw, too, voiced his pleasure with the player’s “good organisation, good situations, good runs”.
At big tournaments, every game is partially played out in response to the one that has gone just before. Löw was abhorred by the loss of control his Germany team had suffered against Ghana, so he started Schweinsteiger against the USA, with a view of Khedira coming on later. But the Süddeustche Zeitung – Bayern firm – of Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos and Schweinsteiger dominated proceedings in the 1-0 win over Jürgen Klinsmann’s side so thoroughly that Khedira never made it onto the rain-soaked Recife pitch. “He is a strategist – you feel his presence,” the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said of his club-mate Schweinsteiger afterwards. Löw, too, voiced his pleasure with the player’s “good organisation, good situations, good runs”. The Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels wisely refrained from joining the pro-Schweini chorus – “If I say something positive about one now, it’ll be interpreted in a negative way as far as the other one is concerned” – but another observer was less diplomatic. “We played too slowly against the Americans, we made it easy for them,” Khedira said. “If we want to go far in this competition, we have to speed things up and have more presence in the box.” It was obvious to whom he was referring.
The Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels wisely refrained from joining the pro-Schweini chorus – “if I say something positive about one (of the two central midfielders) now, it’ll be interpreted in negative way as far as the other one is concerned” – but another observer was less diplomatic. “We played too slowly against the Americans, we made it easy for them,” said Khedira. Die Nationalmannschaft had indeed missed Khedira’s late, energetic runs but that’s a price Löw was happy to pay. The 54-year-old had talked about Germany’s need to vary their game in Brazil, to be more direct, but deep down he is most comfortable with the possession game that the Bayern players have cultivated at club level. His team have played 1,792 passes in the group stage, more than anyone else in Brazil. The tournament average is a mere 1,109.
“If we want to go far in this competition, we have to speed things up and have more presence in the box”. It was obvious whom he was referring to. Schweinsteiger, named the “emotional leader” of the side by Löw a few years ago, is set to line up against Algeria. The manager will have to find a way to keep Khedira onside, too, however. There are still too many doubts about the Bavarian’s fitness – him being far off the pace in the Euro 2012 semi-final against Italy was one of the key factors in Germany’s elimination – and Khedira is also a hugely important figure in the squad, who must not be alienated.
Die Nationalmannschaft had indeed missed Khedira’s late, energetic runs but that’s a price Löw was happy to pay. The 54-year-old had talked about Germany’s need to vary their game in Brazil, to be more direct, but deep down he is most comfortable with the possession game that the Bayern players have cultivated at club level. His team have played 1792 passes in the group stage, more than anyone else in Brazil. The tournament average is a mere 1109. The 27-year-old brings the various factions and egos together with his positivity; Löw felt his inclusion was so vital that he all but guaranteed him a squad place for Brazil, even if he hadn’t regained his fitness in time. But the mainstay of Germany’s past two tournaments now finds himself worrying about his place in the hierarchy and resorting to politics to counter the Bayern lobby’s pro-Schweinsteiger stance.
Schweinsteiger, named the “emotional leader” of the side by Löw a few years ago, is set to line up against Algeria. The national manager will have to find a way to keep Khedira onside, too, however. There are still too many doubts about the Bavarian’s fitness – him being far off the pace in the Euro 2012 semi-final against Italy was one of the key factors for Germany’s elimination – and Khedira is also a hugely important figure in the dressing room who must not be alienated. A further complication of this delicate situation that Löw must navigate comes courtesy of Schweinsteiger’s media boycott. He is the one member of the German delegation who has resisted all calls and efforts of gentle persuasion to talk to reporters from both print and television. There’s speculation that he sees himself as a victim of a media campaign by Sport-Bild, the influential sister publication of the leading tabloid Bild. Three years ago, Christian Falk, one of their reporters derided him as Chefchen, a mini-boss. Schweinsteiger angrily lashed out in a press conference, insulting the journalist as a “liar”, “arsehole” and “pisser”. The relationship never fully recovered.
The 27-year-old brings the various factions and egos together with his positivity; Löw felt his inclusion was so vital that he all but guaranteed him a squad place for Brazil, even if he hadn’t regained his fitness in time. It’s ironic that the mainstay of Germany’s last two tournaments should now find himself worrying about his place in the hierarchy and resorting to politics to counter the Bayern lobby’s pro-Schweinsteiger stance. This May, another Sport-Bild columnist wrote a damning piece titled “The End of a Football God” in which Schweinsteiger was described as “too slow” and “too inflexible” to fit Pep Guardiola’s system. “But he’s flexible enough to lift the team’s mood by organising a party … nobody is more talented at smiling in front of the cameras after wins,” continued the piece. When Falk was thrown into the team camp swimming pool 10 days ago by Schweinsteiger’s friend Lukas Podolski, it was tempting to interpret it as a contract hit.
A further complication of this delicate situation that Löw must navigate comes courtesy of Schweinsteiger’s media boycott. He’s the one member of the German delegation who has resisted all calls and efforts of gentle persuasion to talk to reporters from both print and television. There’s speculation that he sees himself as a victim of a media campaign by Sport-Bild, the influential sister publication of tabloid Bild. Three years ago, Christian Falk, one of their reporters derided him as “Chefchen”, a mini-boss. Schweinsteiger angrily lashed out in a press conference, insulting the journalist as a “liar”, “arsehole” and “pisser”. The relationship never fully recovered. Podolski will miss out against Algeria with a knee injury but he had not convinced against the USA in any case. It would be a surprise if Schweinsteiger did not start but he will have the shadow of Khedira hanging over him. Time will tell whether Löw can find enough minutes for each of the erstwhile partners in central midfield to keep everybody in line and content. Other coaches would love to have that sort of problem but the national manager is keenly aware of the pitfalls.
This May, another Sport-Bild columnist wrote a damning column titled “The End of a Football God” in which Schweinsteiger was described as “too slow” and “too inflexible” to fit Pep Guardiola’s system. “But he’s flexible enough to lift the team’s mood by organising a party ... nobody is more talented at smiling in front of the cameras after wins,” continued the piece. When Falk was thrown into the team camp swimming pool 10 days ago by Schweinsteiger’s friend Lukas Podolski, it was tempting to interpret it as a contract hit. After stressing the importance of togetherness and team spirit again and again over the past few months, Löw would have much preferred to go into the knockout stages without this increasingly perturbing jockeying for position at the heart of his midfield.
Podolski will miss out against Algeria with a knee injury, but he had not convinced against USA in any case. It would be a surprise if Schweinsteiger did not start but he will have the shadow of Khedira hanging over him. Time will tell whether Löw can find enough minutes for each of the erstwhile partners in central midfield to keep everybody in line and content. Other coaches would love to have that sort of problem but the national manager is keenly aware of the pitfalls.
After stressing the importance of togetherness and team-spirit again and again over the last few months, Löw would have much preferred to go into the knock-out stages without this increasingly perturbing jockeying for position at the heart of his midfield.