Joachim Low has named an experimental squad for the tournament in Russia, with household names such as Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil and Bayern Munich trio Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller left behind. Low is therefore using the competition as a way to look at some of the younger players at his disposal ahead of next summer's World Cup, which is a sensible policy given the multitude of options available to him. Although Germany will therefore be without many of their world-class players, they still have an excellent chance of glory; die Mannschaft will certainly be competitive in Russia, with most bookmakers considering them favourites to claim the trophy on July 2.
Australia will be up against it in their opening encounter, although they should not be written off despite a difficult group stage draw. Ange Postecoglou's charges booked their place in the competition by winning the Asian Cup on home soil in 2015, while they are currently on course to at least reach a continental play-off in World Cup qualification after a 3-2 victory over Saudi Arabia in their most recent fixture. The Socceroos will welcome the opportunity to test themselves against teams like Germany and Chile in the coming weeks, but it will be a very tough task for them to reach the last four.
Low is likely to employ a 4-2-3-1 formation in Russia, although he did opt for a 3-4-1-2 setup in the recent friendly with Denmark. RB Leipzig frontman Timo Werner, who found the back of the net 21 times in the Bundesliga last term, will lead the line at the top of the pitch, while Julian Draxler could play as a No.10 behind the lone frontman. Niklas Sule and Antonio Rudiger are favourites to start in the heart of the backline, with Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kevin Trapp set to compete for the No.1 jersey.
The Australians will cede possession, pack men behind the ball and attempt to hit their illustrious opponents on the counter-attack. Postecoglou will opt for a 3-2-2-3 configuration, with Manchester City’s Aaron Mooy likely to be an important figure in the final third and captain Mile Jedinak a vital player at the back of midfield. Veteran Tim Cahill is in the squad but will start on the substitutes’ bench, with Tomi Juric ready to start up front.
Taking everything into account, it is difficult to envisage anything other than a comfortable Germany triumph on Monday. Low’s men will surely prove too strong for Australia right across the pitch, but there is little value in simply backing the world champions to win. Instead, consider other markets: a 3-0 success is offered at decent odds, for example, while another option could be backing the Germans to emerge victorious without conceding. In the anytime scorer market, meanwhile, Draxler would be a sensible choice.
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