A tantalising battle of wits

German versus German, master against apprentice, charisma taking on clever clogs.

Yes, you’ve guessed it; Jurgen and Jogi are the big attractions in town as the United States and Germany seek to guarantee their passage into the last 16 in Recife. A battle between close friends and compatriots who together helped shape the new-look, attack-minded German side, was always going to be headline news.

However, with results conspiring to set up a scenario where a point takes both of them through, all eyes will be on Messrs Jurgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low. Will they scratch each other’s backs and play for a draw? In echoes of the infamous “Non-aggression pact of Gijon” in 1982, where Germany and Austria carved up a 1-0 scoreline that helped both nations progress at Algeria’s expense, it is certainly not implausible.

Here are four things to look out for in this potentially controversial match:

PARKING THE BUS

I hate the phrase, but until someone comes up with a fresh term for sticking 11 men behind the ball and blocking all routes to goal, I have no choice. With a draw good enough to see them stay in the competition, the USA will spend long periods of this contest camped inside their own half, closing up spaces, forcing their more talented opponents to take a diversionary route towards goal.

Where possible, the Americans will press, but this is a side content to concede possession and camp on the edge of their own box. Germany must move the ball around quickly to open them up.

THE JONES/JOHNSON AXIS

As an attacking force, Klinsmann’s side are limited. Clint Dempsey is a tireless worker up front, but their main creative juices flow down the right-hand side, where full-back Fabian Johnson’s forward runs are often found by the impressive passing of midfielder Jermaine Jones.

Whoever plays down Germany’s left will need to be wary of this tactic.

MIND GAMES

Assuming Klinsmann and Low haven’t agreed on a pact (and I believe they won’t have done), it will be fascinating to see which coach is able to use inside knowledge most effectively.

While Low is regarded as the more astute tactical brain, his former boss does know every single German star inside out. While Low knows how his mate thinks, the USA players will have been fed tonnes of valuable information before kick-off on how to get up the noses of Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller, Philipp Lahm et al. Who will second-guess the other’s tactics best?

EVEN-TEMPERED PERSEVERANCE

After drawing with Ghana, the European favourites will be eager not to let their guard down so easily again. I’ll be amazed if we don’t see an incredibly focused Germany performance.

However, going forward they will need the patience of 11 saints, as the USA will fill the central zone with bodies made for blocking. This shouldn’t faze them too much. Used to it at club level with Bayern Munich, the bulk of Low’s side will push and pull, tease and torment, before slipping their forwards into gaps that appear.

The key to German success will be to not panic if a breakthrough doesn’t come early.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Adrian Clarke is a former Arsenal midfielder who has played at every level of English football. Now an experienced sports journalist, he writes for many publications around the world. Follow him on Twitter @adrianjclarke

Probable team line-ups:

GERMANY (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels, Howedes; Lahm, Khedira; Ozil, Kroos, Gotze; Muller.

USA (4-4-2): Howard; Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley; Beckerman, Zusi, Bradley, Jones; Dempsey, Wondolowski.