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Klose Aging, Gomez a Poor Fit, but Germany Don’t Need a Traditional Striker
Published: June 1, 2013
But in the striker position, perhaps there is something missing.
Miroslav Klose may be his country's second-most capped player and second-most prolific scorer, but at nearly 35 years of age, he is nearing the end of his international career. Mario Gomez was found to be a poor fit in the team, and was benched at Euro 2012 after the group stage. Stefan Kiessling has underwhelmed on the international stage in previous years, and Joachim Low continues to neglect him despite the Leverkusen man claiming the top scorer award this season.
Beyond Klose, Gomez and Kiessling, there are no established "classic" German strikers who have a realistic chance of making Low's 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup. Pierre-Michel Lasogga might have had a shot prior to his ACL tear, and in spite of his impressive performance for a woeful Hoffenheim side, Kevin Volland's chances are slim due to his lack of any international experience at club level.
And yet, Germany's lack of out-and-out strikers may not be such a problem after all. On Wednesday, they blitzed Ecuador—currently 10th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola rankings—for four goals in the first 24 minutes whilst using Max Kruse as a striker.
The 25-year-old man is by no means a classic No. 9, and never took a single shot on goal. But his movement and that of the players around him caused all sorts of problems for the Ecuador defense: Lukas Podolski bagged a brace from the left wing and Lars Bender added a pair from defensive midfield.
With respect to Kruse, he was an improbable nomination to Low's team and neither has had nor will have next season the grand stage of the Champions League to prove his value. He is nowhere ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
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