Just watched the full replay and I beg to differ, just because no goals were scored it doesn't mean that period of the game was automatically boring. Both teams showed ambition in the first half but the defenses displayed solidity and Ghana weren't playing defensively at all. Atsu and A. Ayew were being quite creative, Muntari had some good efforts saved by Neuer and Germany's full backs werel struggling to adapt to their game, probably why J. Boateng was brought off later on.
The issues with Germany are:
1) They're not playing natural full backs, Hoewedes and Boateng are centre backs and are used to playing there regularly for their clubs. They're struggling to get used to the pace and speed of playing at right and left back.
2) Gotze and Ozil are players of similar style, attacking-minded number 10s who are used to playing through the centre for club and country. Ozil isn't quick enough to play down the right side, he was constantly cutting in and running through the centre throughout the game. Gotze has speed but his crossing is poor, he doesn't seem to react quick enough to the opposition full backs.
3) Merte needs a defender who can cover him and he's used to that at Arsenal where Koscielny, a centre back with good pace, is able to compensate for his lack of speed and mobility. Hummels isn't used to providing coverage.
The solutions, in my opinion, are:
-Drop Merte and play Hoewedes instead alongside Hummels at centre back.
-Drop Boateng and play Großkreutz at right back. Großkreutz has always been a consistent performer for BVB in that position, I don't understand why Low refuses to play him.
-Now that Schweini is back play him as the holding midfielder alongside Kroos and let Lahm return to his natural left back position. Side note: Lahm is a proper engine, he's been Germany's best man so far. Always giving 100%, very consistent even when playing out of position. All round fantastic player, deserves a fucking statue in Munich.
-Play Ozil in front of Kroos and Schweini, he's more experienced than Gotze. Sub Gotze for Ozil if Ozil is slowing down later in the game.
-Play Muller out on the right, he has good technique, vision and adaptability. He'll make good runs and moves there.
-Play Poldi on the left, he's pacy, has a wicked cross and is capable of linking with the midfield well.
-Put Klose up front, he's a great poacher and a fantastic header of the ball and damn consistent for club and country. Let him chase that record as well.
Ideally:
-------------------------Neuer------------------
Großkreutz----Hummels---Hoewedes----Lahm
--------------Schweini---------Kroos--------------
---Muller----------------Ozil---------------Poldi---
-------------------------Klose----------------------
