Germany's plan is to avoid extra time, a tense finish and a disappointing outcome when they play underdogs Algeria in their first win-or-bust match at the World Cup. "We don't want the problems other teams are having. We want it done and dusted in 90 minutes. Either we perform, or we go home," declared captain Philipp Lahm prior to Monday's Round of 16 meeting with Algeria in Porto Alegre (live on ZDF from 10 pm CET).
Joachim Löw feels sure his troops have taken on board the urgency of the task and will not stumble against the North Africans. "I sense the team’s on fire. I have a very good feeling. We're approaching the match with great confidence. If we play to our strengths we'll win the game," the coach declared with conviction prior to his side's first knockout fixture. The motto in the camp at the moment reads: cool weather, burning desire!
Quarters or exit, triumph or dismay
These are the games Löw loves more than any other: all or nothing, the quarter-finals or the exit door, satisfaction or deep dismay. "These matches have a special magic and tension. There's no escape hatch. The most important factor is concentration," Löw emphasised, insisting he himself was "absolutely relaxed." The coach is expecting his men to convert the pre-match pressure into positive energy, a view shared by striker Thomas Müller: "Germany have always been a tournament team. I have faith in our quality."
Löw has been working meticulously on a tactical plan for the showdown with the North Africans. He kicked off the process by issuing an unmistakable warning to his men. "If we start thinking we face supposedly easy opponents in the last sixteen and can already turn our attention to the next round we’ll be making a huge mistake," Löw intoned. Potential quarter-final opponents France "are nowhere in our thoughts. You take one step at a time in a tournament."
Algeria gripped by euphoria
Following an extensive video analysis, Löw portrayed Algeria as "compact, extremely hard-running and aggressive. And a wave of euphoria has gripped the nation." For all the understandable elation, the Germany coach said he does not fully understand widespread talk of revenge for the ‘Disgrace of Gijón’ at the 1982 World Cup. Löw dismissed the past as irrelevant: "Why should players who weren't even born go in search of revenge? It doesn't make sense," the coach remarked.
Löw and his staff are busy with much more important things. “I saw plenty of light, but also shade in our group matches," the coach observed. "We have to do our homework now. We need to improve our attacking game in the final third, our finishing and our presence in the box." However, Löw feels this is a matter of “working on the details," because the general approach continues to be right. In any case, he continued, “the big secret at this kind of tournament is to be capable of improvement. It's not a 100m sprint, it's a marathon."
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Germany's plan is to avoid extra time, a tense finish and a disappointing outcome when they play underdogs Algeria in their first win-or-bust match at the World Cup. "We don't want the problems other teams are having. We want it done and dusted in 90 minutes. Either we perform, or we go home," declared captain Philipp Lahm prior to Monday's Round of 16 meeting with Algeria in Porto Alegre (live on ZDF from 10 pm CET).
Joachim Löw feels sure his troops have taken on board the urgency of the task and will not stumble against the North Africans. "I sense the team’s on fire. I have a very good feeling. We're approaching the match with great confidence. If we play to our strengths we'll win the game," the coach declared with conviction prior to his side's first knockout fixture. The motto in the camp at the moment reads: cool weather, burning desire!
Quarters or exit, triumph or dismay
These are the games Löw loves more than any other: all or nothing, the quarter-finals or the exit door, satisfaction or deep dismay. "These matches have a special magic and tension. There's no escape hatch. The most important factor is concentration," Löw emphasised, insisting he himself was "absolutely relaxed." The coach is expecting his men to convert the pre-match pressure into positive energy, a view shared by striker Thomas Müller: "Germany have always been a tournament team. I have faith in our quality."
Löw has been working meticulously on a tactical plan for the showdown with the North Africans. He kicked off the process by issuing an unmistakable warning to his men. "If we start thinking we face supposedly easy opponents in the last sixteen and can already turn our attention to the next round we’ll be making a huge mistake," Löw intoned. Potential quarter-final opponents France "are nowhere in our thoughts. You take one step at a time in a tournament."
Algeria gripped by euphoria
Following an extensive video analysis, Löw portrayed Algeria as "compact, extremely hard-running and aggressive. And a wave of euphoria has gripped the nation." For all the understandable elation, the Germany coach said he does not fully understand widespread talk of revenge for the ‘Disgrace of Gijón’ at the 1982 World Cup. Löw dismissed the past as irrelevant: "Why should players who weren't even born go in search of revenge? It doesn't make sense," the coach remarked.
Löw and his staff are busy with much more important things. “I saw plenty of light, but also shade in our group matches," the coach observed. "We have to do our homework now. We need to improve our attacking game in the final third, our finishing and our presence in the box." However, Löw feels this is a matter of “working on the details," because the general approach continues to be right. In any case, he continued, “the big secret at this kind of tournament is to be capable of improvement. It's not a 100m sprint, it's a marathon."
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Bierhoff welcomes cooler climes
The next stage of the marathon takes place in the cooler south of Brazil, much to the approval of the Germany camp. "We're coming from much warmer weather and that could be an advantage," commented team manager Oliver Bierhoff. Monday's forecast for Porto Alegre predicts temperatures between nine and 16°C.
Lukas Podolski is sidelined with a pulled hamstring, but Löw otherwise declined to reveal details of his line-up, refusing to be drawn on who would partner captain Lahm in central midfield. The candidates are Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger. “I'll take a decision on the day and based on gut feel," the coach advised.
