World Champion Germany: Kingdom for solid defense

Lately Joachim Loew has not made a secret of his dreams. After winning the 2014 World Cup, the German head coach dreamed of an era shaped by German football.

Part of that dream is to win the European Championships in France this summer. Ahead of Europe's most important tournament and their last official friendly against Italy in Munich this Tuesday evening, Loew's dream could, however, well turn into a nightmare as the 2014 World Champion lacks the one thing one wouldn't expect in World Cup winners: Experience.

Looking back at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, pundits are convinced a solid defense was the key to success for Germany. And now the defense is Loew's biggest concern. If Loew and his assistants cannot find a solution by the start of EURO 2016 on June 10, Germany's chances of fulfilling their dreams will decline to near zero.

Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich's captain, was the man on the right side of the defense and he gave it stability. But Lahm retired from international football after the World Cup and since then Loew has been desperately testing new candidates. In addition, he has to hope injured central defender Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) recovers in time. While Lahm is confronted by calls for him to return, like from the former national coach Berti Vogts, to return, Loew's attempts at fixing his defense have failed.

Until now, Lahm has refused to return and it is most likely that he will not change his mind despite the fact that his former coach and teammates are in trouble.

"I know what is in Philipp's mind," said Loew sounding as if there were no hopes for a Lahm return. While Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira seems to be the right man to replace injured Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) as Loew choose him to be German captain and leader instead of Schweinsteiger's usual replacement goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), the puzzle at the back is lacking pieces. Giving away a 2-0 lead against England before losing 3-2, made it clear for Loew it is time to be concerned.

Neither Emre Can (Liverpool), nor Sebastian Rudy (TSG Hoffenheim), nor Matthias Ginter (Borussia Dortmund) or Antonio Ruediger (AS Rome) has solved Loew's back row problem on the right flank. So far Jonas Hector (1. FC Cologne) has done a solid job at left back but has deficiencies going forward. There are too many holes for them to become truly competitive status when games get tight from the quarterfinals on at EURO 2016. It might be no problem when it comes to the group stage, as the first three will make it into the next round -- after that Loew might need some prayers to survive.

Boateng's return is regarded as a life insurance policy. Fixing the right and left back positions is problematical. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Loew came up with the masterplan of four central defenders to shut out opposing forwards and it worked. Now however world football has developed and most big teams deploy fast strikers down the flanks. To defend such a tactical system, you need to create pressure on the flanks which is something Germany has failed to do.

Many now expect 20-year old Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) to be the next candidate for the job on the right. But Kimmich, despite the fact that he has been recently playing as a central defender for his club, is, like the others, not seen as a specialist for left or right back. Can, Rudy, Hector and Ginter have been playing in midfield at their clubs which has meant that they have not been getting any experience in the role they have to play for the national team. 20-year-old Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen) on the other hand will provide good cover in middle for first choice Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund).

The solution could be to choose two defenders from Borussia Dortmund Loew so far was not overwhelmingly fond of. If the problems can't be solved within the next game against Italy Loew might have to change his mind and call for Erik Durm and Marcel Schmelzer. Both have improved their performance in Dortmund on a high level. After Thomas Tuchel took over as coach both rarely make any mistakes and deliver speed and power regarding Dortmund's forwarding game.

"We still have time to solve the problem," said Loew. "We don't have to do it now." But the 56-year-old German head coach knows full well that he will sooner or later run out of time for more experiments. Until now Loew does not seem to be panicking, but he knows at the same time he has to have a solution up his sleeve by, at the latest, the time the Germans start their pre-tournament training camp in Ascona in Switzerland on May 23. Enditem