The Warm-Up: A new Loew for Germany, more Liverpool injury woe

Architect of a thrilling, world-beating team. Now struggling to recreate increasingly distant former glories. All while the powers that be steadfastly refuse to put him out of his misery.

For a long time, Joachim Loew was touted as Arsene Wenger’s successor at Arsenal. And frankly, it would have been too perfect.

Germany lost again last night, for that is what Germany do now. Admittedly this was a different flavour to last week’s shoeing at the hands of the Netherlands. Where that was shambolic, last night they at least upgraded to ‘spirited failure’, losing 2-1 to world champions France in Paris.

Antoine Griezmann scored both French goals and Kylian Mbappe rinsed everyone – including the linesman – for pace, but otherwise it was better.

Loew’s post-match quotes had a ring of late Wenger about them, expressing satisfaction with the performance in the face of another poor result that leaves them staring the indignity of NATIONS LEAGUE RELEGATION in the face.

Yeah, Jogi, and fourth place is a trophy.

Pride in a narrow defeat is the preserve of lesser nations (well, England basically) not Germany, a nation honed over generations into a relentless winning machine.

Admittedly, this is where the Wenger comparison breaks down.

Where Loew’s bad run has lasted all of 13 matches, Wenger’s Arsenal malaise spanned (checks watch) err… (checks calendar) hang on... (checks online football resource) with you in a minute… (drives to library, consults Domesday book) oh my days, 13 years.

Plus, the first three games of Germany’s 3-wins-in-13 sequence were also the tail end of a 22-match unbeaten sequence.

Should he go? Probably. Will he? Well, if you’re going to keep him on despite the shambles that was the World Cup, you really ought to give him time to right the ship.

When Jurgen Klopp called the sainted UEFA Nations League “the most senseless competition in the world of football” karma was obviously only half-listening.

Rather than hand the Liverpool manager a spate of injuries from that tournament, fate misheard and started striking down players on Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duty.

Yesterday Naby Keita was the third – and possibly most serious – victim of the cloth-eared curse, suffering a hamstring injury in Guinea’s game against Rwanda.

He joins Mo Salah and Sadio Mane on the injury list – though Salah is expected to play at the weekend, and one imagines Mane’s broken thumb won’t prevent him from torching defenders and setting up chances for Salah to miss.

More bad news for Schadenfreude fans – Virgil van Dijk’s omission from the Netherlands-Belgium game was precautionary and based on a pre-existing injury.

But hey, it’s fun to imagine the gods punishing Klopp for correctly identifying a pointless endeavour.

You know when the Nations League started, and you saw that explanation of the format? For a few minutes, you understood the difference between the finals and the play-offs, you knew what relegation meant. For one shining moment, you grasped the format with all the clarity of a Nyon-residing UEFA penpusher.

Then you forgot, because you’ve got a life to lead and it didn’t seem like it would come up for a while.

Well, now’s the time to brush up – and we’ve got an excellent explainer video to help you do just that.

With any luck, it’ll stay lodged in the back of your cranium until the group stage reaches its thrilling climax next month.

Or you could just watch the video again.

Who knew that Swaziland was now known as eSwatini?

Germany might be rubbish, but all the evidence suggests their league is the best place to be a promising youngster. Here’s Hoffenheim’s Reiss Nelson – on loan from Arsenal – absolutely pinging a free-kick for England Under-21s.

Hard, frankly, to square Ronaldinho’s easy-going, party-loving public persona with his support of Brazilian presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who is succinctly described by the Guardian’s Said and Done as running on an “evangelical far-right pro-torture, anti-gay, pro-racism, anti-abortion ticket”.

The endorsement has not escaped the attention of Barcelona, who are moving to limit the ambassadorial activities of Ronaldinho and fellow Bolsonaro supporter Rivaldo.

The club described Bolsonaro’s views as “unacceptable” though apparently Brazilians don’t agree. Those keen on profiting from others’ misery can find Bolsonaro priced at 1/10 to win the election.

I feel like we could sign Lionel Messi at the moment and he'd struggle in this team.

Look, we don’t blame you if you have Paul Scholes fatigue. But this is a pretty enjoyable interview with Andy Mitten for ESPN.

Happy 41st birthday Sebastian ‘El Loco’ Abreu, perpetrator of that nerveless World Cup panenka against Ghana and lots more. Enjoy some highlights set to hair metal. You’re welcome.

No football until the weekend, so why not have yourself some snooker instead? The English Open is live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player – fortunately our new Smell-o-vision app has yet to hit the market.