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Germany coach Joachim Loew may have to continue improvising in European Championship qualifiers next month following his team’s 2-1 victory over Scotland in Dortmund on Sunday. |
The world champions are up against Poland in Warsaw on October 11, followed by Ireland three days later in Gelsenkirchen, when Loew is still likely to be without key players.
Loew had Hoffenheim midfielder Sebastian Rudy playing at right-back for the first time, while Dortmund youngster Erik Durm was earning a third cap at left-back for the Group D opener against a resilient Scotland team.
At the heart of the new-look defence was Benedikt Hoewedes - who played at left-back at the World Cup - and Jerome Boateng.
Loew has players out with injuries - and also saw Marco Reus suffer an ankle injury in stoppage time - while now having to compensate for defenders Philipp Lahm and Per Mertesacker following their post-World Cup international retirements.
“Of course we are missing players at the back who were in the side at the World Cup,” Loew said.
“In midfield we are missing (Bastian) Schweinsteiger, (Sami) Khedira, (Mesut) Oezil who give us stability. (Central defender) Mats Hummels is missing as well of course.
“We will have to improvise a bit in the next few months. Sami Khedira will certainly not return by October, and we will have to see with Marco Reus’s injury.
no headaches
“But it’s not giving me any headaches for the next internationals in October and November because I know that we will manage things when it comes to it.”
Loew saw his side battle to victory thanks to two goals from Thomas Mueller but Scotland caused Germany problems in a second-half revival. Ikechi Anya struck to cancel out Mueller’s first-half header but Mueller netted his second from a poorly defended corner four minutes later.
“I am absolutely satisfied that we got the three points,” Loew said. “It was my only expectation of the team, that we win the game and start the qualifying well.
“It was clear that this would be a difficult game and that Scotland had nothing to lose. In the first half we had the opponents absolutely under control but in the second half we lost the control a bit.”
Loew said he was happy with both full-backs Rudy and Durm, although Rudy was left stranded too far forward when Scotland broke for Anya to score in the 66th minute.
The physical effects of the World Cup are still being felt for the players who took part in Brazil, Loew said in explanation for the second-half display.
“I know August and September are always difficult. In October the players will be fresher,” he said.
Tactically, Loew preferred Mario Goetze as a withdrawn striker, leaving Fiorentina’s Mario Gomez on the bench - likely to be his preferred variation against teams such as Scotland and Ireland who are strong in the air at the back.
Loew has also been mulling playing with three defenders and two wing-backs, but it’s a system that so far remains on the drawing board.
“With three at the back you need players on the flanks who have the qualities in both defence and attack,” he said.
“It’s something that has been going through my mind for some time now but the fact is we have on the wings players like (Andre) Schuerrle, Mueller, Reus or (Julian) Draxler.
“The danger is with three at the back that these players on the flanks, whose great strength is going forward, would be tied down with defensive work. We would lose in quality, power and dynamism.
“This is something that’s not that easy for us. They should keep their strength for up front,” added the World Cup winning coach.
