Germany vs. Greece: Picking Germany's Starting 11 for Euro 2012 Quarterfinal

Germany have been utterly impressive in their UEFA Euro 2012 matches thus far. Although they seemed a bit vulnerable against the Portuguese, they completely dominated The Netherlands and ensured a birth in the knockout stage.

Germany might change things around a little bit against Greece, but the core of the squad will remain the same.

Goalkeeper:

Manuel Neuer is an automatic selection for the team, as he has been impressive for the Germans thus far.  Against Portugal, it was Neuer’s heroic save on Silvestre Varela's late-game breakaway shot that saw them escape with all three points.

Against the Dutch, he was composed at all times, and he was effective against the likes of Robin van Persie. Against Denmark, he was relatively quiet and made few errors.

Defenders:

Some questions were raised about Die Mannschaft’s defence before the start of the tournament. However, these speculations have been answered in full.

The German defence has been spectacular. Although there have been times when certain players lost concentration, the back four have been resolute in their defending.

Particularly, Mats Hummels has been stupendous. A man-of-the-match performance against the Portuguese followed by another solid performance against the Dutch means he will be picked for certain.

Likewise, Holger Badstuber has had great games for the Germans. Although he suffers from occasional lapses in concentration and gets beaten too easily, he is a must for the game. He provides a strong aerial threat and thwarts attacks easily.

Philipp Lahm is an automatic choice, while Jerome Boateng will face stiff competition from Lars Bender. Bender was superb against Denmark and scored the vital goal that saw Germany take the lead. Defensively, he was astute and well-positioned in all situations.

Boateng was particularly impressive against the Dutch, as he blocked a Wesley Sneijder shot that seem destined for goal. He also showed great composure against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, frustrating the Portuguese striker on more than one occasion.

Midfielders:

Sami Khedira has played intelligently, holding the ball well and linking well with other attacking players. He also frees up congestion at midfield by moving the ball quickly to his counterparts.

Bastian Schweinsteiger has been Germany’s best player in the group stages, holding and distributing the ball with ease and personifying composure at the center of the park. Against the Dutch, he assisted both goals, made crucial tackles and was an overwhelming presence at midfield. 

In the game against Denmark, though, Schweinsteiger did not shine. However, it was due to the fact that he was playing a bit deeper and allowing Khedira to roam more freely.

Mesut Özil, too, will start. A lot more will be required from him though. Against Portugal he was not the best of players, but he redeemed himself with a great performance against the Dutch. He needs to move the ball a bit more quickly to the flanks and provide that extra bit of spark that might be needed to unlock opposition defence.

For this game, I would like to see Mario Götze or Marco Reus be given a starting place. Both are incredibly talented, especially Marco Reus, who was one of the best players in the Bundesliga this season.

Lukas Podolski redeemed himself with a superb performance against Denmark. Müller, however, has not impressed me thus far, and I would prefer if Löw placed him on the bench for this one game.

Forward:

“Super” Mario Gomez!

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