why Germany might not win Euro 2008 after all

the number of Nationalmannschaft starters who are only second choice defies belief

I suppose no other serious contender will feature as many players with so little match fitness come Austria 2008

click yourself through

http://www.sportbild.de/slideshow/fussball/20080125/11167/photo_1.htm

add to that an almost insane injury list, featuring players like Frings at the moment

+

guys like Schneider, Gomez, Kuranyi and Co just getting back to action

and you'll quickly understand why Germany might not be ready for Euro 2008

How are Germany lining up at the back at the moment (or at least how do they intend to when everyone is fit)? Will Jansen be a reserve left-back behind Lahm, or might Lahm be moved to the right and Jansen played on the left?

Jansen Metze Merte Lahm

but Metze is second choice at Real and often injured

ditto Jansen at Bayern

then you have the Lehmann situation

and you'll see that there will be ZERO stability at the back

This didn't do Greece any harm last time around, but from a position of thinking "this HAS to be done, and will" I'm getting twitchy myself...

Sheffield: Lahm IS a right-back who can play on the left. So him and Jansen (not sure what his situation is at the moment though), with Fritz as a good option on the right or indeed in midfield. Then Arne, the ultimate "Beamtenfußballer", as some call him, or as Chrissi disgracefully calls him, "Arne Banane"

True, we are gonna win it

Of course the players could benefit from actually not having played 50+ games in a season. No tired legs for the likes of Poldi & Schweini.