Germany V Australia Live Thoughts

Back once again for Sunday’s late game which see’s the German side look to have another good World Cup campaign,  but Australia stand in their way and have enough quality to get the win. I do write these live and spell check when I have a chance, but you may have to excuse some of my spelling and punctuation today as I appear to be suffering from a hangover, after a Saturday night I can barely remember. I certainly don’t remember England’s goal, as thanks to ITV half the country missed it. As ever, comments are welcome and you can follow me on twitter @clusks. Have to get that plug in there:

- The media in England today are all focusing on Rob Green, instead of considering that we got a point against our hardest group opponent, disgraceful really but the sad thing is that loads of people in England buy into this. I’ve also seen a lot of people criticize Emile Heskey, despite the fact he was a goal threat unlike the anonymous Rooney and got us an assist. But of course – he’s just a donkey isn’t he? He didn’t score therefore a rubbish performance! I’m hoping that Rob Green isn’t the scapegoat for England if they go out the World Cup.

- ITV have Edgar Davids, Kevin Keegan and Patrick Viera in the studio. Edgar Davids has the world’s biggest glasses on, he looks a bit like Harry Potter, or if anyone has seen The Wire, he looks like that guy that comes along called Brother something (if anyone can tell me his name please do so!). I didn’t know this, but John Travolta has been hanging about with the Australia team – nobody is quite sure why, but he has a terrible touch of the ball. I’d keep it on the hush Australia.

- Just seen Marcel Desailly’s celebration to Ghana’s goal – he just started shouting out about things like chickens and goats, he was loving it though. North Korea are a bizarre team, on the first day ITV showed them training in a local gym with regular people in at the same time, and now we’ve seen them perform some strange training routine where they all stand in a line while one performs a diving header on the floor through everybody’s legs. Then one player got hit in the lower region. I can’t wait to see them play, did you know Kim Jong Il has refused for the tournament to be broadcast in North Korea unless the team win the cup. What a shame, someone might tell them that they’ve won before they’ve seen it.

- Key man: Well ITV have done very little actual analysis of the game, but that won’t stop me as the national anthems are belted out (I love Germany’s!). Klose is a danger man, but I’ve took a shine to Ozil this season and he looks like a great player in this youthful Germany squad. Tim Cahill starts as a centre forward and it will be interesting to see how that works, as he loves to score from deep as opposed to playing up top.

- Germany…? I don’t see many German’s out there. This will suit Australia, they’re used to playing a load of South African’s in the England cricket team. Australia are massive outsiders here at 6/1, I’m surprised they’re that long but it as an old squad against a team that always plays well at World Cup’s.

Kick Off!

2 Mins: Australia decided to have a go from the kick off to show that they won’t park the bus and they’re here to play!

3 Mins: Panic in the German defence from an Australia corner. It’s headed towards goal and cleared out only to Tim Cahill whose shot is blocked by Lahm, Garcia then has a chance which he should have done better with. It’s not 6/1 anymore!

7 Mins: Australia try to play too fast and in the end Klose get’s a good chance but his shot is poor and straight at Mark Schwarzer, Muller put’s the ball back in but Podolski’s shot is deflected for a corner.

8 Mins: GOAL! PODOLSKI! The Germans are here! Muller is onside as he breaks away just inside the box. He pulls the ball back, which is behind Klose, from the left side of the screen Podolski runs in and blasts the ball which is too hot to handle for Schwarzer. Oh how great it must be to be a German football fan…

12 Mins: Correct me if i’m wrong, but I think that’s the first time we’ve seen a yellow card for diving in this World Cup as Ozil tries to show he’s a true German by tumbling to the floor looking for the free kick.

17 Mins: Germany are looking by far the most impressive team in the World Cup so far. They’re spreading the play well and Podolski just put in a cross that was caught by Schwarzer, but there were around three players waiting for the ball. Take notice – Germany could be playing England or the USA…

19 Mins: A decent chance for Australia. A cross in to Culina is a difficult header due to pressure from Lahm, and it goes over, but Australia still pose a threat here. Ah, there’s former Newcastle United defender Craig Moore. I know this guy – stick all your money on Germany now.

20 Mins: Another half chance for Australia, as Emerton slides the ball through to Garcia, whose first touch is poor so he decides to just have a crack at it anyway and it’s gone high and wide. After their early chance, Australia haven’t offered much else in terms of making the Germans panic.

23 Mins: Muller has made himself familiar towards the end of this season and he’s in my books one of the top three young players in the world right now. He loves to get out onto the wings and on this occasion, after receiving the ball from a quick free kick, he attempted to drill it across the goal and nobody could reach it. They look so dangerous every time they get forward.

25 Mins: Ozil is tearing Australia apart here, he plays a beautiful ball into Podolski who passes across goal – Klose is free in the area and hit’s his shot first time but it’s poor. A real chance for the Germans to double their lead.

27 Mins: GOAL! KLOSE! If he’s not careful he’s going to break Ronaldo’s scoring record! Lahm play’s in a cross from about half way in the Australian half, and there is panic at the back for Australia, as a lack of communication between defender and keeper see’s Schwarzer come for a ball he was never  going to get near and an easy goal for Klose. Germany might end up like their bitter rivals the Netherlands – play amazing and then slip up at the vital moment. Although that’s hardly the German way. 2-0.

31 Mins: All too easy for Germany again. Klose plays a delicate ball into Ozil who is onside, and a bad first touch see’s Ozil attempt to dink the ball past Schwarzer, but Lucas Neil is able to clear the ball for a corner before his side find themselves in a real mess.

35 Mins: Well Australia get the ball forward, but Wilkshire’s ball goes behind Tim Cahill who has struggled in this game. Not much is working for them at the moment and the German’s might as well be laughing while they play.

38 Mins: ITV commentator has just said “Muller has made Wilkshire look like a mug”.

39 Mins: Ozil again plays a great ball into Lahm on the right wing, but it’s a somewhat powerful cross that is met by the head of Klose, who can only put it over. Looks like I got my key man prediction spot on, which is surprising considering I’ve not won one bet I’ve put on this World Cup.

41 Mins: Again and again. This time it’s Podolski who passes to Ozil, and the midfielder attempts to round Schwarzer but his first touch is too heavy and goes out of play. The only nation at the World Cup so far that have nothing to worry about.

- As an Englishman this is the first time I can really remember seeing an Australian sports team really struggle. This is a weird feeling.

46 Min: Just the one added minute here, I don’t know what the Australian manager can say at half time. He must be mortified at this. I’d definitely be giving the hairdryer treatment to a lot of those players.

Half Time!

- Nothing. Absolutely nothing I can say to that. Apart from Germany are amazing. Craig Moore is a top trending topic on twitter @fakebenbuckley jokes “Craig Moore lacks the testicular fortitude to play for Australia”. Harsh, but I won’t deny I laughed. Also I’ve just seen Brescia and Torino are playing in Italy right now – what’s all that about?

- Speaking of Italy, I can’t wait to watch them tomorrow, Cannavaro’s still got it, and has recently moved to a Qatari club, saying it was a “dream come true”. Of course, we all dream of hailing the mighty Qatar leagues some day. Maybe he meant it’s a dream come true to earn a truck load of money. Also, Lippi broke my heart a bit by not calling up my preferred Italy squad. No Totti – no party!

- Also I’m wondering if I’m the only person in England, but I’m getting sick of seeing James Corden’s face in everything football related. We get it – you like football.

Second Half Kick Off!

45 Mins: No surprise to see Australia make a change to suggest they’re going to attack. Brett Holman is on for Grella and Australia make a promising start to the second half.

48 Mins: A penalty claim which got a big shout from the Australians, the ball hit’s Mertesacker’s hand although it’s a tough one to call. Some would of given it, some wouldn’t and on this occasion it’s not a penalty.

51 Mins: Breaking news! Australia threaten the Germany goal! Brett Holman, the substitute has a decent shot that see’s Neuer scramble across his goal, but it’s gone wide. Still, it’s been all Australia in the start to this second half; the German’s are having an extended half time break.

54 Mins: Lovely play from Lahm, Podolski and Muller. They link up well and Lahm plays a pass which is stepped over, but Muller gets his shot wrong and it goes over the bar.

- I was watching the Serbia V Ghana game earlier and the Serbia manager looks like someone but I can’t quite get the name. I thought it was like a Serbian Steve Bruce, but my brother dismissed it. It will plague me until I get it, any suggestions are welcome.

56 Mins: SENT OFF! CAHILL! The ref has got it wrong. A bad tackle sure, but a red card was a little harsh on the Everton player. Is this the first time ever in the World Cup all three games in one day have had a sending off? Four already for the tournament, the officials want us all to get along nicely it would appear. That’s pretty much killed the game off, the rest of this blog is going to be a grind…

59 Mins: It depends how attacking Germany want to stay now, as Klose has another shot which is saved by Schwarzer.

60 Mins: Another Klose shot, another Schwarzer save, he gets the ball back and attempts to play in Khedira who claims for a penalty as he misses the ball. Big shout, not sure though. What a wonderful German name – Khedira.

61 Mins: Podolski shot – Schwarzer save. I might just keep updating like this from now on with this shot a minute policy.

- Please follow the very funny @sportsoffensive who has this to say on the matter of the sending off, “Well done ref. Looking like a Latin American dance instructor clearly wasn’t getting you enough attention”.

- With no more Cahill is this the end for the Aussies? Ghana will be favourites to go through with the Germans now.

66 Mins: It was Higuain yesterday, its Klose today. Another chance missed by the big man, as he and Podolski link up well , but he can’t quite get the ball out from under his feet as he attempts to hit it first time and it goes wide. Klose could be coming off to be rested here.

68 Mins: GOAL! MULLER! The young man has his first World Cup goal, and he’s deserved it, he’s been brilliant. Very composed as he dummies Chipperfield who’s sliding tackling is in vein and then hit’s a shot past Schwarzer where the ball hits the post before nestling into the back of the net. All three of the front men for Germany have a goal, and Klose is coming off for another born and bred German – Cacau.

70 Mins: Khedira had a chance to play in the fresh Cacau but then decided to blast the ball to no one and it’s cleared nervously by Australia.

71 Mins: GOAL! CACAU! Australia are in ruins here, and the Germans are running through them at will. Ozil is onside and he has an easy pass to play in Cacau to make it 4-0. You can have them in the next round if you like America! Please?

- What do you have to do to qualify to be German? I have some adidas shoes with Franz Beckenbauer’s face on them – can I have a call up please Mr. Low?

74 Mins: Another change, Ozil is rested after a fantastic game and replaced by Mario Gomez. I’m sure Florentino Perez is watching at home in Madrid, digging around his cupboards for some spare change that can snap up Ozil.

79 Mins: I’ll admit it. I’m losing track of this game, but in my defence it’s really died down now.

80 Mins: Wilkshire has a shot and is still putting in the effort, but it must be a terrible feeling being one of those Australian players out there right now. I feel mostly sorry for John Travolta right now, he must be in some state at the moment – don’t worry John there’s still two more games to play!

84 Mins: I apologise as I didn’t even know this guy was on the pitch now, but Rukavytsya has had a decent effort, yet there’s not enough power on it to really trouble Neuer who will be keeping his clean sheet bonus as things stand.

- Back to the Serbia manager, I also thought he had shades of Jay Leno about him, but that may have been a bit off the mark. Maybe he is Steve Bruce and Jay Leno’s love child.

88 Min: Mesut Ozil has been named man of the match. No surprise there, my mate has just texted me saying he’s a good shout for player of the tournament.

92 Mins: Australia are throwing bodies forward from the corners they are getting, trying to get a consolation goal. Another yellow card for diving, this time it’s Cacau. Another terrible dive and the ref has got it right.

Full Time!

- Well, Germany have reminded the rest of the world that they’re in South Africa as well, and a team that wasn’t as fancied as previous generations all of a sudden finds itself the envy of every other country at the tournament. As for Australia, that has to be a massive blow to a country whose first a second sports are rugby and cricket, not sure what this will do to people watching the World Cup over there, and without Tim Cahill it’s an uphill struggle. Ghana, Serbia and Australia will be fighting it out for the second qualifying spot here, and I’m pretty sure the bookies are being hounded by people wanting to put bets on the German team. Thanks for reading!