In a game where a gentleman's draw satisfies both sides, the USA will look to attack the space behind the Germans' wing defenders, while the Germans will look to resume their frenetic attack.
ADDRESSING THE POSSIBILITY OF A GENTLEMAN'S DRAW
With both sides denying this approach, the chances of a draw remain, less from intentional collusion between friendly coaches, and more from inherent, psychological factors.
With both Germany and the United States at four points, and Ghana and Portugal at one, the only teams that could realistically change places would be Ghana and the United States, or the United States and Germany, with Portugal needing to make up five goals to survive.
If the USA were to lose 1-0 to Germany, and Ghana were to beat Portugal 1-0, the USA would still progress, as they would be equal on both goal differential (0) and goals scored (4), but since USA won the head-to-head match-up they would be through.
Any situation where a Muntari-less and Boateng-less Ghana beat Portugal badly, or the US is beaten badly by Germany, is their nightmare.
So the USA come into the game with a need to not lose by multiple goals, and the Germans only need not lose--and even if they do they will face Belgium, whom they last lost to in 1954.
ATTACKING THE GERMAN FLANKS
This would be an ideal time for Low to experiment with a fix for their one glaring problem: clumsy, converted wing backs who get caught up-field after often fumbling attacking opportunities.
While it's hard to imagine the Germans achieving their tournament ambitions without this issue being resolved, no one has really punished them yet, and so perhaps they will remain with Boateng and Howedes out wide. If Shweinsteiger is fit, he may reclaim his role as the midfield pivot, in which case either of the converted backs would give way to captain Lahm.
If not, surely the USA's eyes are wide open about how they can do what somehow Portugal failed to, despite the quality of their wingers. It will probably be up to Dempsey, Zusi and Bedoya to exploit these spaces, but how quickly the USA gets just-won balls to Bradley or Jones, and how quickly Bradley and Jones get balls into those spaces is decisive.
Again Fabien Johnson is an important x-factor for this peerless group of gringos, and Kyle Beckerman needs to continue to avoid mistakes against a German team that can pounce as well as any team in the tournament.
GERMANY'S ROTATIONAL OFFENSE
Between the first two games Germany's only change was swapping their false nine with their right winger.
With four players who are comfortable playing in the hole in Ozil, Kroos, Gotze and Muller, we have often seen them rotate in or back to occupy this creative space in front of the defense. Only Ozil has seemed shy about vacating his 'position,' and has also recently made wistful comments about wishing he was played as a #10, a wish Low is unlikely to indulge.
With Khedira to sit back and Lahm lurking as a deeper distributor, the USA has an interesting gambit: to halt four, uber-talented, fluid, rotating attackers with five to seven defenders, but without needing to be exceedingly concerned about overlapping runs.
ADDRESSING THE POSSIBILITY OF A GENTLEMAN'S DRAW
With both sides denying this approach, the chances of a draw remain, less from intentional collusion between friendly coaches, and more from inherent, psychological factors.
With both Germany and the United States at four points, and Ghana and Portugal at one, the only teams that could realistically change places would be Ghana and the United States, or the United States and Germany, with Portugal needing to make up five goals to survive.
If the USA were to lose 1-0 to Germany, and Ghana were to beat Portugal 1-0, the USA would still progress, as they would be equal on both goal differential (0) and goals scored (4), but since USA won the head-to-head match-up they would be through.
Any situation where a Muntari-less and Boateng-less Ghana beat Portugal badly, or the US is beaten badly by Germany, is their nightmare.
So the USA come into the game with a need to not lose by multiple goals, and the Germans only need not lose--and even if they do they will face Belgium, whom they last lost to in 1954.
ATTACKING THE GERMAN FLANKS
This would be an ideal time for Low to experiment with a fix for their one glaring problem: clumsy, converted wing backs who get caught up-field after often fumbling attacking opportunities.
While it's hard to imagine the Germans achieving their tournament ambitions without this issue being resolved, no one has really punished them yet, and so perhaps they will remain with Boateng and Howedes out wide. If Shweinsteiger is fit, he may reclaim his role as the midfield pivot, in which case either of the converted backs would give way to captain Lahm.
If not, surely the USA's eyes are wide open about how they can do what somehow Portugal failed to, despite the quality of their wingers. It will probably be up to Dempsey, Zusi and Bedoya to exploit these spaces, but how quickly the USA gets just-won balls to Bradley or Jones, and how quickly Bradley and Jones get balls into those spaces is decisive.
Again Fabien Johnson is an important x-factor for this peerless group of gringos, and Kyle Beckerman needs to continue to avoid mistakes against a German team that can pounce as well as any team in the tournament.
GERMANY'S ROTATIONAL OFFENSE
Between the first two games Germany's only change was swapping their false nine with their right winger.
With four players who are comfortable playing in the hole in Ozil, Kroos, Gotze and Muller, we have often seen them rotate in or back to occupy this creative space in front of the defense. Only Ozil has seemed shy about vacating his 'position,' and has also recently made wistful comments about wishing he was played as a #10, a wish Low is unlikely to indulge.
With Khedira to sit back and Lahm lurking as a deeper distributor, the USA has an interesting gambit: to halt four, uber-talented, fluid, rotating attackers with five to seven defenders, but without needing to be exceedingly concerned about overlapping runs.