So Germany got off to a good start, and the one standout player in what was an almost commanding performance was Mister Toni Montana Kroos. He completely and totally dominated the game from midfield and was the puppet master who orchestrated every German attack. Ukraine could not cope with him and the gulf in class between two teams was exemplified by the way Kroos ran the game.
Toni Kroos has always been a good player, two-footed with the attributes to be the perfect central-midfielder. But having the potential is one thing, actually realising it is another. Moving to Real Madrid where Pep did not fight to keep him looks to have been the best move that he made. His football has been taken to a whole new level since that move and he's gone from a very good footballer to an excellent one.
Watching Germany, I think it's evident that he's the new heartbeat and soul of the team. With the excellent defence, and inventive attack, he's that glue that connects everything and gets the team going. Just like his teammate Modric for Croatia, his importance for Germany is huge. Before it was Schweinsteiger, but it's out with the old and in with the new. Kroos must take over the mantle and be ready to take up the very important responsibility.
For Germany to get the job done in open-play, Kroos has to be willing to play at this high level for the entire match. If the game is too tight for that to happen, then just like Zidane he has to pick that moment to make the critical pass that leads to a goal.
It's what all the great midfielders do. They get it done in a multitude of ways, in different scenarios. And he also has to learn to get a little bit dirty and add a little grit to his game if others try to rough him up.
It's only one game, so he could end up being non-existent in the others. But as of right now, it's looking really good for Germany and they have one of the best central midfielders in the competition already.
And having played in Kroos's position back in the day, if you have a really quality central midfielder who can pop off a pass from any position, it puts your team in a great position to win any kind of match against any opponent. The midfield is the heart of where the football is played and if you win that battle, it goes a long way in winning the war. HH
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