Germany vs Slovakia - It's about time the season is over

So Germany won tonight's qualifying match against Slovakia 2:1 but this one was horrible to look at. I guess this was the definition of what in German is called an "Arbeitssieg". The German team really worked its way to this win. It wasn't nice and decent football but instead rough but earnest. What was different from the times of Vogts, Ribbeck or Völler was that one was able to see the effort the team was trying to put into the match. But while you were able to see that at the same time the German players seemed to be very exhausted. Always a step too late, not as fresh mentally as they were over the past season. To fine plays scored the goals and that was it. When Slovakia equalized Metzelder was overrun by a Slovakian defender just proving that almost all of the German players desperately need a break. The exception from the rule was one of the older players on the pitch. Bernd "Schnix" Schneider, "the while Brazilian", as the German media likes to call him, was all over the place, running, passing, even trying to score after a nice setup by Klose and Kuranyi.

The 2nd half didn't show any real chances for both of the teams. Nothing really happened, believe me. It seemed like the players just wanted to end this as soon as possible.

So, there definately is progress in German national team football. Where once was plain and uninspired passing there now is the will to win the match by any means necessary. Which leaves the German team undefeated in their qualification group. I personally see this match as what it is: The last game in a long season with way too many games. And compared to England vs Estonia or Italy vs Lithuania (which i was watching on other channels when the German match became too boring) didn't seem to be more exciting.

What really was annoying was the commentary on tv. Where English commentators just comment on what is happening ON the pitch, German commentators seem to be more interested in what is happening OUTSIDE the pitch.