Shadow Scholar Syndicate: WM 2018--Day Fourteen Recap

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Day 14: Recap

Record—

Spread: 16-28

Straight up: 23-15-6

Hot Girl Standings

Country	Tally	Games Played
Sweden	35	3
Brazil	32	3
Iceland	31	3 (finished)
Germany	31	3 (finished)
Mexico	30	3
Russia	29	3
South Korea	28	3 (finished)
Spain	28	3
Argentina	28	3
Nigeria	24	3 (finished)
Croatia	23	3
Iran	22	3 (finished)
Egypt	21	3 (finished)
Switzerland	21	3
Portugal	20	3
Australia	20	3 (finished)
Poland	20	2
Costa Rica	20	3 (finished)
Serbia	19	3 (finished)
Denmark	19	3
Morocco	18	3 (finished)
Peru	18	3 (finished)
Columbia	18	2
Senegal	17	2
Belgium	15	2
Tunisia	15	2
France	15	3
Japan	13	2
Uruguay	12	3
Saudi Arabia	11	3 (finished)
England	11	2
Panama	10	2

Arrant despondency in the Fatherland today. Let down by our treasured Nationalmannschaft just when we needed their uplifting promise the most. Our nightmare has been confirmed. Deep despair and dejection accompanies this disaster. Not only do we exit the Grand Stage earlier than we’ve ever been accustomed to, we do so having played a heartless, meek, and gutlessly unworthy match.

We bow our heads in shame under dark and foreboding skies.

Ach du Scheiße. It hurts. It hurts fiercely. It cuts deep. Your friendly bookie won’t deny this.

A serrated knife twists and shreds our soul as we pack away our flags and ponder an uncertain future for both our country and our team. Such a hurt we’ve not known for many years. We could always rely upon Löw and the boys to afford us some optimism and hope most Summers. Now that hope is lost. Real depression sets in.

That’s the power of this tournament, gentlemen. It can inspire your heart or shatter it into a million pieces. That’s why we cover it such great detail. It’s only a game, but no other game exerts such great influence over the emotions of so many people. The melancholic desolation and unbridled joy that we experience from WM football may pale in comparison to the highs and lows of our actual lives, but it’s still REAL. What you’re reading now reflects your bookie’s real emotional state. He presently finds himself immersed in true heartache and sorrow. He’s forlorn, dispirited, limping through the words and frequently lapsing in concentration.

All of this….over a fucking game! Well what a game it is, gentlemen. People don’t speak reverently about the World Cup without reason. It’s a global spiritual experience. In the most recent Lines section I spoke of “time and space distorting pressure”. In the most recent recap covering the Germans I wrote of an entire nation’s tension and stress as we prepared to reconcile ourselves to defeat. Believe you me, it’s all real gentlemen. It doesn’t get more real than this on a global scale. Nothing engenders more collective feelings and moods all across this planet than this event. Nothing come comes anywhere close. As our species continues to isolate and bury itself in personalized distractions, nothing else will come anywhere close.

This too shall pass…but it’s been a bad fucking day. ; (

S.S.S. Tactical Breakdown

Sixteen plus years of Syndicate coverage available in this small corner of cyberspace. You’ll have to dig very deep to find the last time I covered a German Group Stage Exit. All the way back to Rudi Völler’s catastrophe at the 2004 Euros. Your friendly bookie will do the digging for you.

EM 2004—Round Quarterfinals

https://shadow-scholar-syndicate.blogspot.com/2012/04/em-2004-quarterfinals.html

I’ve not written an obituary for my Mannschaft so early since I was barely of legal drinking age. I could definitely use a drink right about now, but I don’t want to perform as poorly as they did on the pitch today. It’s been the worst “Matchday in the Fatherland” since that brutal loss to the Czechs fourteen years ago.

Lineup—Deutschland—Match One (4-2-3-1) (6/17/18)

Timo Werner

Julian Draxler Toni Kroos Thomas Müller

Sami Khedira Meshut Özil

Marvin Plattenhardt Joshua Kimmich

Mats Hummels Jerome Boateng

Manuel Neuer

Lineup—Deutschland—Match Two (4-3-2-1) (6/23/18)

Timo Werner

Marco Reus Thomas Müller

Toni Kroos Sebastian Rudy

Julian Draxler

Jonas Hector J. Boateng A. Rüdiger Joshua Kimmich

Manuel Neuer

Lineup—Deutschland—Match Three (4-2-3-1) (6/27/18)

Timo Werner

Marco Reus Meshut Özil Leon Goretzka

Toni Kroos Sami Khedira

Jonas Hector Joshua Kimmich

Mats Hummels Niklas Süle

Manuel Neuer

My quarrel isn’t really with Löw. It was more or less the correct selection. Assuming that Goretzka could shine in the same position he did last Summer was reasonable. He just didn’t. Reus was on the upward trajectory on the left flank after the previous match. Every reason to believe he could supply something special in this tournament he’s waited so long to participate in.

Özil and Khedira may be past their prime, but they’ve worked together so long in that right central pocket that one thought they’d be automatic. It seemed a good idea to rest Müller given his recent form and his yellow card. Brandt had up until now been an incredible joker, so it was best to keep him in reserve. There wasn’t any other choice but Süle to replace Boateng. He’s another one that had a beast of a tournament last Summer and should have been a stellar plug-in.

Werner’s been junk most of the tournament, but what alternative was there really? Draxler’s been shaky too and it would have placed him under too much duress to try him out in a third position in three matches. He’s never been the greatest false-9 anyway. Rudy was still busted up, so one couldn’t move Reus any further up front. Stindl, Peterson, or Sané would have been nice, but we had who we had.

The plan was mostly solid. The execution atrocious. Reus and Goretzka made the same mistakes our purported wingers have been making throughout the entire tournament. They shrunk inward and tried only centralized attacks. Özil played significantly better than he did in the first match, but he just wasn’t confident enough on the ball. Too many delayed touches, backwards passes, and hesitation on the crosses. Kroos upped his defensive game—as he damn well expected to—but wasted far too much time firing wildly inaccurate long range shots that served no purpose.

Credit to the Taeguks, who totally shut down Kimmich on the right flank. By the time he came forward they were all over him in ranks, sacrificing their bodies valiantly with brave tackles to keep him frustrated. They’d later shut down Müller and later Brandt too. They didn’t waver down the stretch. My team did. All around stupid offensive play that featured way too many hopeful long balls and exhaustingly frustrating battles in front of the 18 drained the Jungs of energy and ideas.

Your friendly bookie knew around the hour mark that it was all over. That’s when I packed away my Bundesflagge. Sloppy play from there on out. Misconnections, miscommunications, and a complete lack of ideas from the Jungs. It appeared all of their muscle memory malfunctioned. Hummels, Gomez, Müller, Werner, and Kroos all exhibited unbelievably poor touches and timing. Thought I was watching an amateur team. They weren’t just off, they were off by miles. Whiffs on quality chances. Passes to no one. Ridiculously gratuitous second and third touches in urgent situations.

For lack of a more eloquent phrase, they played like absolute dog shit. No excuses. They deserved elimination on this particular day. Many wondered why I wrote such a bleak and pessimistic column after Kroos’s Wunderstrike in the Day Ten Recap. After the sensational ecstasy of the tournament’s best goal, how could I be so downtrodden?

Your friendly bookie knows his football and he had a faint sense of what was coming. This team was coming apart and it wouldn’t be long until the gears ground to a halt. Admittedly, I didn't think it would come this soon. Yet, here it is….

Time for the grades. A complete picture of quickly unfolding catastrophe. All subs a factor.

GRADES—Deutschland (Match One) (6/17/18)

Joshua Kimmich	A+
Jerome Boateng	A+
Toni Kroos	A
Mats Hummels	A
Julian Draxler	A
Manuel Neuer	A
Julian Brandt	A
Thomas Müller	A-
Marco Reus	B+
Sami Khedira	B
Timo Werner	B-
Marvin Plattenhardt	B-
Mario Gomez	C
Meshut Özil	C-

GRADES—Deutschland (Match Two) (6/23/18)

Manuel Neuer	A
Julian Brandt	A
Marco Reus	B+
Sebastian Rudy	B
Jonas Hector	B
Joshua Kimmich	B-
Mario Gomez	C+
Timo Werner	C
Antonio Rüdiger	C-
Toni Kroos	C-
Jerome Boateng	D+
Ilkay Gündogan	D
Julian Draxler	D
Thomas Müller	D

GRADES—Deutschland (Match Three) (6/27/18)

Manuel Neuer	A
Niklas Süle	A
Jonas Hector	B+
Joshua Kimmich	B-
Mats Hummels	C+
Sami Khedira	C
Julian Brandt	C
Marco Reus	C
Meshut Özil	D
Toni Kroos	D
Mario Gomez	D
Timo Werner	F
Thomas Müller	F
Leon Goretzka	F

Three stars get an absolute failing grade. Gomez probably should have been given an F too, but I’ll up him slightly for the one quality header he got in there. Hummels gets inflated for his hustle. Were I grading merely on his finishing, I’d flunk his ass.

Good defensive work from Hector and Süle. That’s about the only positive thing I have to report. Süle couldn’t possibly be expects to fill Boateng’s boots even though he filled his position. The manner in which Boateng directs attacks redefines the centerback position. We sure as shit missed him today. With “Bringschuld Baby” in the lineup we would have likely advanced.

What of the future? It’s time to rebuild. No one really wants to see Jögi go after twelve successful years, but he’ll take his time and make his own decision. There isn’t a replacement lined up anyway. Klopp’s happy in his Merseyside role. Wagner has a way to go with Huddersfield before he can be considered a great German coach. It’s too early to discuss a coaching career for any of the 2014 WM Stars. Most of them are still playing. Many would like to see Jögi stay.

We still shouldn’t minimize the scale of this disaster. Germans expect either the semi-finals or a rigorously earnest effort. We obtained neither this year, exiting on the lowest possible note. Had the team played anywhere close to the level of exertion they showed in the opening loss against Mexico, drastic changes might be delayed. What we saw today was a team devoid of identity, ideas, and impulse. That necessitates a full overhaul, all emotional attachments aside.

Löw’s hybrid use of emerging talents and proven aging players didn’t work at all. The torch must be fully passed to the next generation, just as it was last Summer. There’s no more room for sentimental picks when building the next roster. Özil, Khedira, and Reus have to make way before Euro 2020. Gomez is likely done because of age regardless. Müller is a bit more complicated. He has talismanic properties and can still carry the team if he’s in the right form. He might be the next captain if Neuer can’t go.

Draxler, Werner, Goretzka, Rudy, and Brandt are much better players than their tournament would suggest, but should not be considered the guaranteed core of the Mannshaft’s next incarnation. Gnabry, Weigl, Sané, Max Meyer, Younes, need to be allowed a chance to compete for their spots. Hitherto unknown names like Maximillian Eggestein, Nadiem Amiri, and Marcel Hartel should be given proper looks too.

Well…that about wraps it up for my cherished Fatherland. It’s been a wild ride that ended up crashing in the lake. It seems like an eternity ago that I confidently predicted we would top the group and the Swedes would dance with the macabre. In reality it’s only been twenty-two days. It feels like years ago that I wrote a glowingly optimistic review of their prospects following the hard-fought defeat to Mexico. It’s only been a week and a half.

That’s how fast life in the tournament moves, brothers…….and we have to move on.

German Unity Day Re-unification Germany celebration Germans celebrating flags crowd Worldcup soccer photo by Arne Müseler

Aufwiedersehen, deutsches Vaterland!

S.S.S. Salute to Fallen Comrades

South Korea—“The Taeguk Warriors”

-3 games played

-3 Goals scored

-28 Hot Girls

Way to ruin our dreams, Asian Tigers! Thanks for one of the worst days in German footballing history. The South Koreans now look to once again make a run at the Asian Continental Championship. Finishing atop their weak group actually won't be so easy this time as China PR have put together a promising squad for once. But that's the future. Their program gets a huge boost from today's result; one that fans and team alike will be riding high upon for a long time.

Lineup—South Korea—PROJECTED (5-3-2) (6/5/18)

Son Heung-Min Hwang Hee-Chan

Ki Sung-Yueng

Koo Ja-Cheol Lee Jae-Sung

Park Joo-ho Go Yo-Han

Jang Hyun-Soo Kim Youn-Gwon Lee Yong

Kim Seung-Gyu

Lineup—South Korea—Match One (4-3-3) (6/18/18)

Son Heung-Min Hwang Hee-Chan

Kim Shin-Wook

Lee Jae-Sung Ki Sung-Yeung Koo Ja-Cheol

Park Joo-ho Lee Yong

Jang Hyun-Soo Kim Youn-Gwon

Cho Hyun-Woo

Lineup—South Korea—Match Two (4-4-2) (6/23/18)

Son Heung-Min Lee Jae-Sung

Hwang Hee-Chan Moon Seon-Min

Ki Sung-Yeung Lee Jae-Sung

Kim Min-Woo Lee Yong

Jang Hyun-Soo Kim Youn-Gwon

Cho Hyun-Woo

Lineup—South Korea—Match Three (4-4-2) (6/27/18)

Son Heung-Min Koo Ja-Cheol

Moon Seon-Min Lee Jae-Sung

Jang Hyun-Soo Jun Woo-Young

Hong Chul Lee Yong

Yun Young-Sun Kim Youn-Gwon

Cho Hyun-Woo

Costa Rica—“Los Ticos”

-3 games played

-2 Goals scored

-20 Hot Girls

We won’t be seeing the Ticos for quite some time. Though your friendly bookie could see himself covering the Copa America someday, nothing CONCACAF related will ever be worth my spare time. Their best players are all set to retire, so hopes for 2022 qualifying will be placed in doubt….unless FIFA expands to 48 teams early. By 2026 they’ll be regular fixtures, along with Azerbaijan and Lichtenstein ; (

Lineup—Costa Rica—PROJECTED (4-5-1) (6/3/18)

Joel Campbell

Christian Bolanos Bryan Ruiz

Celso Borges Yeltsin Tejeda

Bryan Oviedo Christian Gamboa

O. Duarte G. Gonzalez J. Acosta

Keylor Navas

Lineup—Costa Rica—Match One (5-4-1) (6/17/18)

Marco Urena

Bryan Ruiz Johan Venegas

Celso Borges David Guzman

Francisco Calvo Christian Gamboa

O. Duarte G. Gonzalez J. Acosta

Keylor Navas

Lineup—Costa Rica—Match Two (5-4-1) (6/22/18)

Marco Urena

Bryan Ruiz Johan Venegas

Celso Borges David Guzman

Bryan Oviedo Christian Gamboa

O. Duarte G. Gonzalez J. Acosta

Keylor Navas

Lineup—Costa Rica—Match Three (5-4-1) (6/27/18)

Joel Campbell

Bryan Ruiz Daniel Colindres

Celso Borges David Guzman

Bryan Oviedo Christian Gamboa

K. Watson G. Gonzalez J. Acosta

Keylor Navas

Serbia—“The White Eagles”

-3 games played

-2 Goals scored

-19 Hot Girls

In the end none of their vaunted young stars were able to break through. They still feature a very promising generation of up-and-comers, so we can expect to get reacquainted with them soon. As I noted in yesterday’s Daily, the whole Euro 2020 qualifying picture is up on the air until we find out exactly what UEFA wants to do (besides make money) with this Fall’s brand new “UEFA Nations League’ Tournament. In any event, we should see them again in two years.

Lineup—Serbia—PROJECTED (4-5-1) (6/3/18)

Alexsandr Mitrovic

Filip Kostic Dusan Tadic

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Nemanja Matic Alexsandr Kolarov

D. Tosic B. Ivanovich U. Spajic A. Rukavina

Vladamir Stojkovic

Lineup—Serbia—Match One (4-5-1) (6/17/18)

Alexsandr Mitrovic

Adem Ljajic Dusan Tadic

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Nemanja Matic Luka Milivojevic

A. Kolarov D. Tosic N. Milenkoic B. Ivanovich

Vladamir Stojkovic

Lineup—Serbia—Match Two (4-5-1) (6/22/18)

Alexsandr Mitrovic

Adem Ljajic Dusan Tadic

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Nemanja Matic Luka Milivojevic

A. Kolarov D. Tosic N. Milenkoic B. Ivanovich

Vladamir Stojkovic

Lineup—Serbia—Match Three (4-5-1) (6/22/18)

Alexsandr Mitrovic

Filip Kostic Dusan Tadic

Adem Ljajic

S. Milinkovic-Saivc Nemanja Matic

A. Kolarov M. Velikovic N. Milenkoic A. Rukavina

Vladamir Stojkovic

“Riffs of the Day”—Day Fourteen

Reader: FIFA’s Fair Play Rules? I think the Hot Girl Standings should be the group’s Seventh Tiebreaker.

Vicey: Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Bravo, 19-M. Riff of the tournament by far. Why the hell couldn’t I have thought of that?

Fucking ZING!

Reader: The Koreans claim their revenge for 2002!

Vicey: Hopefully other countries won’t be making a habit out if it. We’ve got a target on our neck. No doubt. The Brazilians and Argentines won’t forget their humiliations either. Karma may not swing back our way until the end of the century ; (

Reader: Why aren’t you answering the phone, Vicey?

Vicey: Leave me alone. I needed some “me-time”, 33-M, 56-M, 111-M, 128-M, 136-M, and 164-M. Let a guy grieve in peace, 45-M, 5-M, 154-M, 6-F, 8-F, 3-F, and…of fuck it. Just let me have my moment.

Reader: Why aren’t you answering the phone, Vicey?

Vicey: Let a guy grieve in peace, 45-M, 5-M, 154-M, 6-F, 8-F, 3-F, and…of fuck it. Just let me have my moment. I’ll call you guys tomorrow.

DAY FOURTEEN—PREVIEW

Japan vs. Poland