Problems pile up for Joachim Low as Germany face resurgent France

The last time Germany played France in a match of such magnitude, questions and doubts were swirling like a vortex around Joachim Low. While he bravely claimed to be in a “state of deep relaxation” prior to the 2014 World Cup quarter-final, the reality was that a defeat would have cost him his job and he was in the process of contemplating a fundamental change to his team which he knew would define Germany’s fate in the competition.

Two years on, there has been turmoil again ahead of a Euro 2016 semi-final against the same opposition. Even if, rather curiously, the issues he must resolve this time are almost exactly the opposite of the ones he faced in Brazil.

His position is demonstrably safe; winning the World Cup will do that to your job security. But again, the Germany manager has been plotting out a major realignment to his starting XI. In Brazil the stimulus was the desire to find the right balance, which he achieved by introducing Miroslav Klose up front and switching Philipp Lahm to right-back to accommodate Sami Khedira in midfield; in France, it is a slew of injuries which will necessitate more changes in all areas of the pitch.

The 1-0 defeat in Brazil was France’s last competitive fixture before the start of Euro 2016 so it is unsurprising that it still occupies the thoughts of Didier Deschamps’ squad, who are eager to put it right, even having beaten Germany 2-0 in a friendly in November which was completely overshadowed by the Paris terror attacks. With unusual candidness, midfielder Moussa Sissoko spoke on Sunday night of the residual pain from that result. “It sticks in my craw, that defeat at the World Cup,” said the Newcastle midfielder.

Recounting the quarter-final in his analysis of the process and triumph of Germany’s academy system, ‘Das Reboot’, journalist Raphael Honigstein recalls how the narrow victory was interpreted as a triumph of pragmatism. Suddeutsche Zeitung said “Germany won playing centre-back football”. After Low swapped his usual black shirt for a white t-shirt for his post-match press conference, they claimed: “These Germans are no longer interested in aesthetics. It’s not about looking good any more. It’s only about functionality now.”

This immediately rang hollow when Germany put seven past Brazil in one of the most astonishing matches in World Cup history in the semi-final. Low had not, and has never abandoned the commitment to stylish football which he established with his young team at the 2010 World Cup. But the point was that the win over France was attained thanks to defensive excellence, notably Manuel Neuer in goal and matchwinner Mats Hummels, who scored the only goal from a free-kick and was impeccable at the back.

And so to Low’s first problem for Thursday’s match: Hummels is suspended. The manager's first juggling act is a fairly easy one. Germany will shift back from the unfamiliar three-man defence they employed to mirror Italy in the quarter-finals and Benedikt Howedes - dropped for that World Cup quarter-final but “superb against Italy,” says Low, “(we can) always rely on him” - will shift into a two-man central defence with Jerome Boateng. Joshua Kimmich, employed as a right wing-back against the Azzurri, will drop back to full-back - as Lahm did in Brazil. So far, so simple.

The second question surrounds Khedira again. Two years ago, he was introduced to midfield to replace Lahm but now the Juventus midfielder is almost certain to miss the semi-final, and possibly the final if Germany get there, with injury. To complicate matters further, Bastian Schweinsteiger is unable to replace him as the captain is also struggling badly with his fitness and Low will only contemplate using players who are 100% fit. The likely contenders to slot in alongside the supreme deep-lying playmaker Toni Kroos are Liverpool’s Emre Can and Borussia Dortmund’s young prodigy Julian Weigl, but neither man has played a minute yet at the Euros. There has also been talk of Mesut Ozil possibly occupying a deeper role although this seems desperately unlikely.

The third inversion of Germany’s selection issues two years ago, is that while in Brazil Low took the decision to bring in Klose as a specialist centre-forward, this time he has lost the only one he possesses in his squad with Mario Gomez missing the rest of the tournament due to injury. It has created uncertainty. Mario Gotze started the tournament as a false nine, but Germany looked more convincing when he was replaced by Gomez. Does Low now revert back to a plan which he previously discarded? The more likely alternative is to move Thomas Muller in from the right wing; he is without a goal so far at the Euros and could benefit from a shift to the centre.

Three big issues in three areas of the pitch: it is not the scenario a manager wants to be presented with ahead of such an occasion. With France producing the best attacking performance of the tournament so far in their 5-2 win over Iceland, Low will do well to attain another state of relaxation on the eve of the semi-final in Marseille.

He has found the right answers before; his success in doing so again will determine whether Germany keep alive their dream of a world and European double.