Loew still searching for new highs

At the World Cup, Germany scored 13 goals in six games and were widely hailed as a great attacking side – or rather they were a great counter-attacking side.

Their football was reactive: they sat back, absorbed pressure and struck on the break. Twelve of their goals came in three games – against Australia, England and Argentina. All three sides conceded in the first 10 minutes, all then panicked and left space for Germany to exploit.

The front four of Miroslav Klose at centre-forward, Mesut Ozil just behind him, Thomas Muller to the right and Lukas Podolski to the left worked superbly well together, their movement exemplary and clinical.