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The good:
- Schweinsteiger is back from suspension

The bad:
- Podolski is doubtful with a calf injury suffered during the match against Austria
- Frings is doubtful with a broken rib suffered during the match against Austria
- Loew may be suspended for his sending off during the match against Austria
- Portugal have had 4 days to recover, whereas Germany have 3.

It's not looking so good!

What Germany has to do is put Borowski (maybe the replacement of Frings) as a marksman on Deco. Hopefully, that will decrease the number of attacks of Portugal. Deco is the main dangerman for Portugal. And another thing is to win as many as set pieces as possible since the Portugal's defence is weak at set pieces. Although I hope Loew works on the defence.

I have a feeling that if Frings is out, then Rolfes will play and not Borowski, since Rolfes is a pure DM.

About Frings, Bierhoff said: "If the medics say there is even a slight chance of a serious injury then we won't risk it. But I have to give credit to him. He's eager to play."

And about Podolski, Bierhoff added: "Things have improved greatly over the last 24 hours, but with muscle problems you never know."

Joachim Löw has been banned from the bench following his dismissal against Austria and will be unable to enter the dressing room in half time.

I say that if ballack plays as a marksman on C RONALDO THAN germany can win.He must do wha he did in the CL FINAL. I hope schweini and odonkor/hitzlsperger play from first

I really don't think Ballack would be employed so deep as to man mark Ronaldo. I think it will be Lahm and Friedriech who will be doing it.

Lehmann said that his teammates at Arsenal have found a way to stop Cristiano Ronaldo and he has already told Friedrich about it and will tell the others as well.

The weather predictions for tomorrow:

Thursday
Scattered Clouds. High: 78° F. / 26° C. Wind WSW 11 mph. / 18 km/h.

Thursday Night
Chance of Rain. Partly Cloudy. Low: 55° F. / 13° C. Wind SSW 6 mph. / 10 km/h. Chance of precipitation 20%.

tigercup wrote:I say that if ballack plays as a marksman on C RONALDO THAN germany can win.He must do wha he did in the CL FINAL. I hope schweini and odonkor/hitzlsperger play from first

That would be a waste to put Ballack as a marksman on Ronaldo. Leave the job to Lahm and Friedriech as Mutu said. But Deco is the main dangerman.

mackoy wrote:But Deco is the main dangerman.

Agreed. And we need Frings to mark Deco!

One thing that strikes me as strange is that Bastian was only suspended for the Austria match, but Turkey's keeper has been suspended for two games for basically the same offense. Explanations? Only thing I can think of was that his push was even more off the ball than Schweini's. Not that I'm complaining, but I hope that Low doesn't find out today that Schweini's out for tomorrow. I just hope Bastian starts, I'm sick of watching Fritz suck it up all the time!

MUTU wrote:Portugal have had 4 days to recover, whereas Germany have 3.

Actually the Portuguese first team had 8 days to recover, since it was more or less the second team that lost against Switzerland.

MUTU wrote:

MUTU wrote:Portugal have had 4 days to recover, whereas Germany have 3.

Actually the Portuguese first team had 8 days to recover, since it was more or less the second team that lost against Switzerland.

Well Germany is to blame that they couldn´t rest their team against Austria. 2-0 for Portugal.

FCBinNYC wrote:One thing that strikes me as strange is that Bastian was only suspended for the Austria match, but Turkey's keeper has been suspended for two games for basically the same offense. Explanations? Only thing I can think of was that his push was even more off the ball than Schweini's. Not that I'm complaining, but I hope that Low doesn't find out today that Schweini's out for tomorrow. I just hope Bastian starts, I'm sick of watching Fritz suck it up all the time!

I think Volkan got a two match ban because he pushed Koller with his two hands while Schweinsteiger with only one hand so that gets him only one match.

mackoy wrote:

FCBinNYC wrote:One thing that strikes me as strange is that Bastian was only suspended for the Austria match, but Turkey's keeper has been suspended for two games for basically the same offense. Explanations? Only thing I can think of was that his push was even more off the ball than Schweini's. Not that I'm complaining, but I hope that Low doesn't find out today that Schweini's out for tomorrow. I just hope Bastian starts, I'm sick of watching Fritz suck it up all the time!

I think Volkan got a two match ban because he pushed Koller with his two hands while Schweinsteiger with only one hand so that gets him only one match.

what happens if u push someine with 1 finger?
half a match ban?

Podolski had light training yesterday and he is still doubtful for today. The signs are more positive for Frings, but a final decision will only be announced 30 minutes before the match.

Weather forecasts report that no rain is expected tonight. The referee for the match will be Peter Frojdfeldt, the Swedish referee who has already refereed Holland vs Italy.