World Cup 2010: Will Injuries to Michael Ballack and Michael Essien Help Australia?
The Australian socceroos as they are commonly called have been placed in the toughest of groups in the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. If a fan was to enquire about the chances of Australia going into the second round of the 2010 World Cup, they might have responded with sobering words of realism. The situation for Australia has been considered to be a sad one.
Consider the lack of form shown by Pim Verbeek’s men in the recent past along with various other concerns about the form and shape of a number of the national team’s staple stars. All these problems have resulted in a string of poor performances against New Zealand along with their opening group game against Germany – the entire situation looks like a potentially disastrous one to say the least for the Australian players. If the likes of Harry Kewell, Marco Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Craig Moore and Vince Grella are not playing at their best, well in time before the June 13 date, it could all be over even before the second group game against Ghana is played in South Africa. This factor along with the unimaginative style of play in the centre, championed by their Dutch manager, means that the impact Australia has is completely dependent upon the form of their players.
Now, let’s consider the opinions of professional analysts and their perspective on the news about Australia’s chances ahead of the tournament. There can be no doubt that their answer has changed ever so slightly after receiving the two pieces of recent news: the injuries to Germany’s captain Michael Ballack and Ghana talisman Michael Essien. When recently quizzed about their absence, Tim Cahill on both occasions played a conservative media card by insisting that it would not make their respective sides any easier to beat. The reality of the situation is that at the international level, particularly when it comes to a stage as big as the World Cup, football can be defined by the finest of margins. These statements are psychological in nature along with a tactical tinge to it. In that regard, the sheer absence of Essien and Ballack from their respective sides will leave a void that won’t be filled by any other player mostly because of the reputations they hold within their teams.
Of course, when it comes to players of Ballack’s stature, there is no chance of substitution. Still, as the only true box-to-box midfielder is still available in Joachim Loew’s squad, Schweinsteiger most closely fits the mould of his injured compatriot. The Bayern Munich star is a bit more apt to dribble than Ballack and will direct kill Mannschaft’s build-up at a higher tempo, but will otherwise offer the same ball control and distribution that has characterized Germany under Ballack’s captaincy. This was to be Ballack’s last World Cup who at an age of 33 years was a veteran of two World Cups and three European Championships. Aside from his obvious abilities as a footballer, it is his experience that would have proved invaluable in South Africa, especially when one considers the relative youth of their squad.
Whilst Reschke says Ballack doesn’t really command much popularity in Germany for his slightly conservative style on the pitch, the captain has been at his best for the national team in recent times. After losing Ballack, Germany are without a defensive aerial shield in front of their back four – which could be crucial, given the Socceroos mighty front line of Josh Kennedy and Tim Cahill in-behind – while his role as a constructor in midfield was similarly important. Yet the absence of Ballack might turn Germany into a totally different and perhaps more threatening animal.
It seems that Khedira will line up alongside Schweinsteiger in a dual defensive midfield role to compensate for Ballack’s absence, though Reschke says a defensive approach from Loew could even see Germany’s passage from the group stages come under serious threat. The Ghanaians will be buoyed by the fact that they reached the African Cup of Nations final without their talisman but his absence will have a definite psychological impact on the entire squad, particularly its younger members who clearly look up to him.
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