World Cup winners Germany will not deviate much from their winning recipe when they take on Scotland in their Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday despite missing more than half a dozen key players.
Less than two months after winning the World Cup in Brazil, the Germans will have no problem finding motivation, winger Andre Schuerrle told reporters.
"A lot has been written about us and everything has been great since the World Cup. True we are still a bit in this euphoria but now we have to turn the switch," said Schuerrle. "Yes there are changes to the team but our qualities remain the same despite the players we have at our disposal tomorrow. We want to have possession, a lot of it, and we want play our attractive attacking game and also have a compact defence."
Coach Joachim Loew will be without injured captain Bastian Schweinsteiger as well as Mesut Ozil, Mats Hummels and Julian Draxler among others.
Top striker Miroslav Klose has retired from international football along with former captain Philipp Lahm and defender Per Mertesacker, leaving further gaps for Loew to fill.
His biggest problems, however, are his full-back positions with only a few options available.
"We don't have a lot of options in the full backs at the moment in the squad. There are things we need to improve from Argentina but we also saw some good things," Loew told reporters.
Germany lost 4-2 against Argentina on Wednesday in a friendly rematch of the World Cup final with the South Americans riding roughshod over the Germans down the wings.
"Now obviously there are changes after a tournament and as it stands at the moment we are not the fine-tuned team we were at the World Cup," said the 54-year-old. "Now we are missing seven, eight players. We have to work on our plays.
Loew said he was confident his team would beat Scotland but young players such as left back Erik Durm and defenders Matthias Ginter and Antonio Ruediger would need time to reach world class level.
"We have a good infrastructure but some of our young players still have to take the step towards reaching world class," said Loew. "They need the time to reach this level and it is not that easy but I am confident we will keep developing as a team."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}