Mats Hummels Absence Opens Up Defensive Chance for Germany Fringe Options vs USA

Joachim Low may fancy his team's chances this week when Germany take on the U.S., but any hopes he has of a clean, confident win will have to be without central defender Mats Hummels and therefore mean a reshuffling of his back line. 

The Borussia Dortmund star pulled out of the friendly match and this coming weekend's clash with Gibraltar complaining about a hip problem, along with fellow defender Jerome Boateng who will also miss the clash with Jurgen Klinsmann's side.

Against a strong and determined U.S. side, Low will have to be smart and ruthless with how he ends up lining up in defense. Germany may be world champions, but they haven't been above criticism from fans or critics alike since their historic win last summer.

Coincidentally, the German boss has, in fact, spoken about using both fixtures to experiment with the fringe players within his squad. It's a smart move considering just how much talent rests within the German pool once you begin moving past the obvious stars in the starting XI. 

Sami Khedira has been promised 45 minutes as well as a start for Patrick Herrmann in a squad that should be without Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Marco Reus and Benedikt Howedes, according to Low's comments this week (h/t DW).

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Similarly the German boss has alluded to starting both Shkodran Mustafi and Antonio Rudiger in the center of defense in the absence of Boateng and Hummels. Mustafi, a central defender by trade, has played in the center and at full-back for Germany in the World Cup and left little to figure out for his coach or fans of the team, yet Rudiger is still very much a raw talent. 

The 22-year-old Stuttgart talent has long been heralded as the exception to the Swabians' constant decline and forms the heart of the Bundesliga side's defense. He has proven himself as one of the best defenders in the German top flight today. 

With pace to burn and exceptionally talented in the air, Rudiger suits Low’s style of playing with a high line and relying on the speed of his central defenders to chase down strikers whilst also racing up the park to apply pressure when needed.

Interestingly enough, both central defenders have actually spent much of their time playing as either left- or right-backs under Low, meaning their move into the center of the pitch will allow for the German coach to experiment further with new full-backs on either wing.

Although Erik Durm is with the squad, he is unlikely to play due to injury, meaning the tried-and-tested Sebastian Rudy will most likely regain his spot at right-back, but that doesn’t mean this won’t be an entirely untested defensive line.

On the left, we may well see Cologne’s Jonas Hector, which should prove to be immensely popular for any Bundesliga fans, considering the form he has put on for all to see this season.

The 25-year-old has proven himself as a solid defender, and with Durm now playing on the right and Marcel Schmelzer’s stock falling by the day, this may well be the perfect opportunity for the full-back to claim the position as his own.

No matter who ends up playing on the night, such a game should prove to be an exciting one. The USMNT have rarely disappointed in the big games over the past few years, and with such a young, untested squad accompanying Low to this match, it may well be a lot more balanced than previously suggested.