England vs Germany: Key Positional Battles

As England line up the chess pieces for this knockout game against old rivals Germany, they receive good news that all 23 players are healthy and available for selection. It's a good problem to have and coach Capello has a lot to think about.


The Centre Back Decision

The good news for Capello is that his only selection problem is at centre back. And really, it's not even a bad problem. Third choice centre back Matthew Upson played very well against Slovenia. He didn't look out of place next to John Terry. He didn't look like a third choice player at all.

If Capello opts for an unchanged lineup, you can't argue with it. The old adage in sports is "don't change a winning team." If it's not broken, don't fix it. 


Fine Rhytym and Chemistry

Anyway, the other choices are Jamie Carragher and Ledley King. King has come roaring back into contention with a quick heal of his groin strain. He is a special player for sure.

But if I were coach, I would go with the same winning lineup and only bring in Carragher or King if Terry or Upson got themselves injured against Germany. Health is one factor. Form and chemistry is just as important.

The team developed a good rhythm against Slovenia with Matthew Upson in that mix and sometimes if you move pieces around unnecessarily it upsets that rhythm. At this stage of the game it's a matter of fine margins and finely tuned rhythm.

The difference between having to think of a move or a pass with an unfamiliar teammate vs. intuitively feeling the pass or move can mean the split second of hesitance or error that an opponent could exploit.


Midfield Balance of Power

England have been relaxed and confident in training for the last few days, basking in the considerable glow of their win against Slovenia. The confidence is back and I'm expecting a good game tomorrow against Germany.

The Germans have a few injury issues of their own. Bastien Schweinsteiger—their midfield lynchpin—is battling the clock to be fit for tomorrow's game. His absence could tilt the balance of power in that competitive midfield that will feature dynamic workhorses like Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry.

Games have been won and lost in midfield. The team that dominates midfield will almost always control the pace and flow of the game.

Ozil, Klose and Podolski

Ozil, Klose, and Podolski are Germany's main attacking threats. They are all capable of scoring quick, snap goals if England give the ball away in deep defensive positions. England have to be tight on all three of them defensively.

England will likely put John Terry on Miroslav Klose and if Upson starts he will likely draw the defensive assignment on Podolski who has speed and mobility.

Mesut Ozil plays as a roaming attacking midfielder and he likes to patrol the space behind the two strikers. This is where Gareth Barry operates in and he'll need to be sharp in the tackle as well as positionally sound if England are to keep the dangerous Ozil quiet.

If Barry tackles poorly and gets into foul trouble, it will affect England's confidence. His role is shaping up to be one of the key positional battles in the game.

Keys to the Game: Foul Trouble

There's lots of optimism for England fans. England have a good chance of winning if they play their game. They have to be careful with tackles and not get into foul trouble. That means no yellow cards, let alone red. Playing a man down against Germany is an almost impossible task.

The Germans are so good at keeping possession and controlling play. There will be lots of tigerish tackling tomorrow. England have to stay disciplined in their tackling and not lose patience when the Germans start to stroke the ball around the field as they customarily do.

Penalties

If the game goes to penalties, England will need to apply all the prep work they've done on studying the Germans spotkicking tendencies. Assistant coach Stuart Pearce has done a lot of research work in this area, trying to break down tendencies into a science as a coaching tool. That's good work.

Penalty success is a combination of study, technique and mental strength. Practising develops confidence in technique and helps the body "feel" the kick at that precise moment, instead of having to "think" the kick.

The designated takers for England—Lampard, Gerrard, Barry, Milner and Rooney—have the biggest responsibility of all the players. England have consistently lost to Germany on penalty kicks and they need to break this streak to advance.

England are four games away from the World Cup Final. These will be the four biggest games of their careers.  Starting tomorrow against Germany.

If England avoid foul trouble, they will win.

I'm predicting a 2-1 win for England or a 1-0 win.

Destiny is in their hands.