George Johnson: Even opposite Messi, give Germany a edge

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Too deep. Too structured. Too clinical.

The steer of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Miroslav Klose probably walking balls into Julio Cesar’s net, accidentally knocking it around a rubbernecking Brazilian counterclaim as if lollygagging in a training belligerent pickup game, was, utterly frankly, dazzling.

If Muller doesn’t kick you, Kroos can. If Klose misses a integrate of opportunities, well, afterwards there’s always a off possibility Mesut Ozil will during final watchful from his Rip outpost Winkel-esque slumber. Manuel Neuer is a force margin in net. Few can tip a unassailable Bastian Schweinsteiger in orchestrating a midfield.

Even factoring in a unmatchable Lionel Messi heading a antithesis charge, a accord seems to be that there’s small possibility Argentina can indeed win this final. And while a La Albiceleste feat wouldn’t be a jaw-scraping-pavement shocker along a lines of, say, Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson in Tokyo or Shakespeare in Love toppling Saving Private Ryan during a Oscars, it’d certainly count as a large surprise.

Germany seems to be everyone’s choice. Leave it to loony aged Diego Maradona, frequency an unprejudiced witness, though, to expel a dissenting vote.

“The compare opposite Germany,” pronounced a Argentine star who helped discourage German hopes in a ’86 final during Mexico City, “will not be a goal impossible. It is not unfit to kick them. German egos will be lengthened by their 7-1 win over Brazil.

“Their overconfidence could be a good thing for Argentina.”