Australia and Germany served up an entertaining 2-2 draw on Wednesday in Kaiserslautern, during an international friendly that was filled with wide-open, attacking football.  

The result is a fantastic outcome for the Socceroos, who came within 10 minutes of beating the defending world champions and thoroughly deserved the tie.

Before the match, OptaFranz shared Germany’s recent record in friendlies played at home, which didn’t look as good as you might expect from the current world champions:

Die Mannschaft had a strong start, however, threatening Mathew Ryan’s goal early. Holger Badstuber connected with a nice cross before Ilkay Gundogan attempted to curl the ball into the far corner, just missing the target.

The Socceroos were somewhat taken aback by the pace of the hosts early, and Ryan needed to produce some technical trickery to deal with pressure from Marco Reus. Mathew Leckie then found some space, beating Benedikt Howedes before placing his shot just wide of the post.

Australia quickly grew into the match, and chances were coming fast and furious. Mario Gotze had some success with the ball at his feet, and Reus nearly opened the scoring with an effort from Sami Khedira, only to be called back for offside. The Borussia Dortmund man was more successful minutes later, again linking up with Khedira.

The New York Times‘ Cristian Nyari was impressed with the way the Germans were linking up, even if it was clear Reus was not at his best:

Reus should have taken advantage of some poor defending from Mile Jedinak to double the lead minutes later, forcing a difficult shot into the side netting when Ryan left more space at the far corner.

Khedira was bossing play in midfield, and Australia had no answer for the soon-to-be free agent. FourFourTwo‘s Alex Chaffer wondered how his performance would play into his value on the market this coming summer:

Jedinak in particular was struggling with the pace but almost made up for his earlier mistake with a superb shot from distance which troubled goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.

The Socceroos thrilled the home crowd by not backing down and playing the world champions head-on, and their approach was rewarded just before half-time. A great cross fell to James Troisi, who powered home a header from close range.

Sure enough, the team’s official Twitter account was excited:

The Germans tried to pick up the pace again to end the half, but Australia comfortably stood firm, ensuring the score would remain 1-1 heading into half-time.

Bleacher Report’s Simon Edmonds noted how the development of Australia’s domestic league has really helped the game tremendously in the past few years, culminating in the Socceroos’ win at this year’s Asia Cup:

Things were about to get even sweeter for the visitors, who took a shock lead after just four minutes in the second half. Jedinak curled home a magnificent free-kick, leaving Zieler no chance:

Cue the memes, courtesy of Bleacher Report AUS:

The Germans were now reeling, and Troisi missed a unique chance at doubling the visitors’ advantage, curling a shot past the far post.

A bevy of substitutions sucked all of the momentum out of the match—and the stadium—until Zieler decided to get adventurous, dribbling the ball right into the feet of Tommy Oar. The stopper was very lucky Oar couldn’t gather the ball in time to take advantage.

Bleacher Report’s Karl Matchett made a reference to team-mate Manuel Neuer:

With the substitutions, the match somewhat collapsed. Howedes appealed for a handball inside the box, although it was unclear where exactly that would have taken place. Lukas Podolski’s introduction added a little boost to Germany’s attack, but it still seemed as if the Socceroos would hold on to their lead easily. 

The Inter Milan man had other plans, however, tying things up with less than 10 minutes left on the clock. Andre Schurrle did all of the hard work, setting his team-mate up beautifully for the easy finish. Chaffer was hardly shocked:

You would forgive the Aussies for parking the bus and playing for a draw at this stage, but the Socceroos had been attacking all night and had no intention of changing that. With Zieler looking shaky in goal at best, a handful of long-range shots were tried in the final five minutes.  

The home fans were not satisfied and made their feelings known, but to no avail. Podolski had one more shot on goal, driving it miles wide.

Fans shouldn’t forget this is just a friendly, and a host of regular starters were on the German bench. But that said, Australia can take plenty of positives from this match. The Socceroos took the game to Germany and arguably had the better chances, a clear signal their attacking approach works and shouldn’t be shunned even against the top sides.

Die Mannschaft can certainly do better and have been slumping of late, but this team will easily qualify for Euro 2016 and likely play far better once the chips are down and the regular starters return. 

Relevant Match Grades

Mile Jedinak: B+

He bounced back well after some initial struggles and used his physicality well to break up the German attacks. He was always strong in service of Troisi, who deserves a special mention. He had a superb free-kick to make it 2-1.

Mathew Ryan: B

The Club Brugge man may be slightly undersized for the position, but he more than makes up for it with elite athleticism and fantastic reflexes. Ryan was already a popular name in terms of transfer speculation, and his performance on Wednesday will only add to the chatter.

Sami Khedira: B+

Say what you will about Khedira, but when healthy, he remains one of the most uniquely gifted players in the world. He was excellent in the first half and very good in the second. Whichever team lands him on a free transfer this summer will be conducting some of the best business imaginable.

Post-Match Reaction

Scorer Troisi was understandably ecstatic with the result, noticing the German defenders were under real pressure all night:

Jedinak even thought more could have been achieved:

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Chelsea are ready to rival Arsenal for Palermo striker Paulo Dybala, having reached out to his agent with an eye on a summer transfer, according to the latest rumours.

Sky Italia (h/t Telegraph Sport) believe the Gunners were in pole position to sign the talented youngster, with Palermo holding out for a fee of £28.9 million, but it now seems the Blues are ready to ruin their transfer plans:

Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly locked in a battle to sign Palermo forward Paulo Dybala.

That’s according to Sky Italia, who claim both clubs have made contact with Dybala’s agent to discuss a summer swoop.

Whatever his destination, it seems Dybala is set to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs at the end of the season following a sparkling 18 months.

Apparently, Arsenal did look in pole position, with talks scheduled for next week, but Chelsea have stormed in. Palermo are ready to sell the forward for £28.9 million.

Arsenal have been linked with Dybala for several weeks now and are widely considered favourites for his signature by the British media. The player himself has indicated he would rather stay in Italy for now, however, with Juventus seen as favourites around the peninsula, per Football Italia:

The Bianconeri are reportedly unwilling to meet Palermo’s valuation but will offer a handful of players and roughly half of the transfer fee. Arsenal and Chelsea have tabled bids closer to what the Sicilians want.

The Argentinian has exploded onto the scene during the 2014-15 campaign after a promising first season in Italy, showcasing incredible pace, finishing ability and technique for a side that doesn’t feature a whole lot of talent besides him.

Dybala is raw and flawed as a player—he still needs to learn how to use his right leg, for example—but extremely talented, and with youngsters like Erik Lamela struggling to adapt to the Premier League in recent years, it’s not surprising to hear he prefers an extended stay in Italy, per Gianlucadimarzio.com’s David Amoyal:

That said, Arsenal are still among the favourites to land his signature, particularly if Juventus can’t come up with enough cash to convince Palermo. And while some fans will question Arsene Wenger’s decision to invest heavily in a young, unproven player, Dybala‘s talent and potential warrant a significant transfer fee.

Statsbomb’s Ted Knutson doesn’t think he’s worth £40 million, although Palermo’s asking price is significantly lower, at €40 million, but he still acknowledged the talent Dybala possesses:

The Gunners may not have a particular need for another forward, as Bleacher Report’s James McNicholas noted Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud rank as two of the club’s top players, but Dybala certainly has the talent to rival the latter for playing time at some point in the future:

Dybala is frequently compared with Sergio Aguero, and while he doesn’t have the latter’s strong build, his playing style is quite similar. His blazing speed and nose for goal should serve him well in England, even if he would need some time to adapt to the quicker pace and physicality of the league.

Dybala isn’t the only youngster from Serie A the Gunners are reportedly eyeing, and per Metro‘s Will Giles, another Premier League club is preparing to rival Arsenal for one of their targets. He reports Liverpool will launch a bid for Inter Milan‘s Mateo Kovacic:

The Inter Milan star has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal, who hope to tempt him to the Emirates with the prospect of regular Champions League football.

The Gunners are far from the only club interested in Kovacic, though, and reports in Italy now suggest that Liverpool are also eager to add him to their ranks.

With manager Roberto Mancini looking for funds to rebuild his squad, Inter are resigned to losing some of their star names, but are thought to prefer the prospect of selling Kovacic than their sought-after striker Mauro Icardi.

Kovacic has been a popular name when it comes to transfer speculation, despite recently signing a new deal with the Nerazzurri. He arrived in Milan to much fanfare and was already drawing comparisons to current Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, mainly for his versatility and vision in the attacking third.

The Croatia international is seemingly for sale, but not because Inter need the money: Kovacic has spent most of 2015 on the bench, and for good reason, via Amoyal:

Maybe all the 20-year-old needs is a change of scenery, and given his young age, he still has plenty of room for growth. But fans expecting an instant-impact player could be in for a shock, as Kovacic has struggled with retaining the ball all season and simply hasn’t been productive.

The Croatian would be a smart investment if the fee is manageable, but with Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona reportedly all interested, that may not be the case. Inter can hardly afford to offload one of their most talented youngsters, and their willingness to sell now suggests something may be going on that we don’t know about.

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Arsenal have entered talks to sign the “new David Villa.” The Gunners have also received a potential boost after longtime target Sami Khedira appeared to confirm he’ll leave Real Madrid at the end of this season.

First, though, Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger is reportedly keen to add to his options up front. His current target is Sporting de Gijon‘s teenage striker, Carlos Castro.

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (h/t Daily Star reporter Jamie Anderson), the Gunners have started negotiating a possible summer move for the prolific 19-year-old. Anderson detailed Castro’s rapid rise that’s earned him comparisons to a Spanish footballing great:

Though Castro is yet to finish a full 90-minute match for Sporting Gijon, he has still managed to bag seven goals in what equates to eight full games.

The 19-year-old has been compared to former Barcelona and Valencia forward David Villa for his pace, trickery and keen eye for goal.

Wenger‘s team is currently bloated with attacking talent in forward areas, but he’s never been shy about making room for another talented prospect.

Actually, Wenger might not have much choice. The Gunners are likely to wave goodbye to flop Lukas Podolski this summer. The Germany international is currently enduring a rough loan spell with Inter Milan.

Yaya Sanogo is another striker out on loan. The promising but extremely raw and brittle Frenchman is currently honing his craft with Crystal Palace. Sanogo‘s scored just once during two seasons with the Gunners, so doubts about his long-term future are warranted.

Similar doubts exist about Theo Walcott. The fleet-footed England international is stalling over a new contract—a deal he hopes will pay him in excess of £100,000 per week, according to MailOnline writer Chris Waugh.

Wenger‘s even clearing the decks up front by getting ready to send free-scoring reserve Chuba Akpom out on loan. Jeremy Wilson of The Telegraph has named Championship side Nottingham Forest as one of seven clubs keen on the 19-year-old.

A loan is a good way for Wenger to see exactly what he has in Akpom.

But even if the youngster impresses, the question marks surrounding Podolski, Sanogo and Walcott mean another striker would be welcome to support Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck.

Of course, the Gunners could also use a more powerful presence at the heart of midfield. Germany international Khedira certainly fits the bill.

He’s confirmed he will walk away from the Spanish capital when his contract expires this summer, per Marca’s Juan I. Garcia-Ochoa. Khedira is anxious to leave Los Blancos on good terms, saying, “I love Real Madrid, it will be hard to leave this club. I will give everything for this shirt until the last day of my contract, there should be no doubt about that.”

According to the Daily Mirror‘s John Cross, Arsenal have been strongly linked with Khedira since the summer. However, the player has also recently been linked with a return to the Bundesliga to join Schalke 04, per Sky (h/t ESPN FC’s Stephan Uersfeld).

Journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft even recently seemed to confirm that move and rule out Arsenal’s interest:

Despite those claims, Khedira sounds noncommittal about his next destination. His energy, strength and late runs into the box would certainly be major assets to the Gunners.

Ultimately, Arsenal may not move for Khedira, but knowing an experienced international with his talent is available on a free transfer will certainly make Wenger consider a deal. That’s especially true if he’s still intent on spending to add to the riches up front.

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Radamel Falcao has confirmed he will sit down at the end of the season to “find a place” where he can “have continuity,” suggesting he is unlikely to remain with Manchester United.

This will likely catch the interest of Liverpool, who have been linked with signing him on loan from Monaco in the summer, reported by Simon Jones of the MailOnline.

The Colombian striker—who has scored just four Premier League goals this season—admits he needs greater playing time if he’s to remain at Old Trafford, but he is committed to the Red Devils until the end of his temporary spell, per Radio Caracol (h/t ESPN):

I just need to play. I can’t let myself get worried—I need to be prepared to take the opportunity when it comes. I am happy at the club and with how the fans and my team-mates have treated me. I will keep fighting until the end at Manchester United.

[…] 

When the championship finishes, of course I will sit down, analyse things and decide what is best for me. Obviously I need to find a place where I have continuity and where I can play. I am totally focused on the club. There are eight games left and anything can happen.

Falcao admits his personal relationship with United boss Louis van Gaal is “difficult to sum up” due to “different ways of thinking and different philosophies,” per ESPN. He says he possesses a “normal relationship” with the Dutch manager, a review that will hardly fill United fans with confidence he’ll be in Manchester next season.

Nick Sutton of BBC Radio 4 tweeted The Sun‘s suggestion that Falcao could head to Merseyside:

Liverpool were linked with Falcao last summer before United worked quickly to snap him up on the season-long loan. He has scored goals that could turn out to be vital this season—winning five points with his quartet of strikes—currently the gap separating fourth-placed United and Liverpool below them.

Even so, he hasn’t netted since Jan. 31’s 3-1 win over Leicester and will be looking to produce a defining moment to his year across the Premier League’s final stretch. Falcao‘s movement has appeared slow this campaign and his physical ability weak. He’s lost the ability to confidently hold the ball up and bring others into play.

These are attributes Brendan Rodgers will be looking for at the spearhead of his 3-4-2-1 formation, which currently lacks a powerful and responsible central figure. Like Falcao, summer signings Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert have disappointed.

B/R UK’s Sam Tighe believes Falcao is best suited to proving himself in Monaco:

United need a more mobile presence up front, someone with the speed to break beyond the opposition’s defensive line. Liverpool possess this in abundance with Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge often stretching play through their speed alone. What’s missing is someone in the middle to mop up chances.

Brendan Rodgers is excellent at getting the best out of faltering players. Sturridge used to overthink his forward play, but he now moves the ball on quicker. Philippe Coutinho had the opposite problem at Inter Milan but now has the confidence to dart beyond players when necessary. If there’s a manager in the Premier League who can get his team working to Falcao‘s strengths, it’s Rodgers.

Whether Liverpool are willing to pay his reported wages of £265,000 per week remains to be seen. The club cannot chuck money at players like United, particularly if Champions League qualification isn’t secured.

Falcao is committed and cannot be accused of putting in a lack of effort for United. However, he may have missed his chance to make a lasting impression, particularly as his run of 12 starts has been followed by two seven-minute appearances from the bench and total exclusion during the FA Cup loss to Arsenal, per WhoScored.com.

United’s play has dramatically improved without Falcao in the side, something Liverpool became victims of on Sunday. Although Wayne Rooney—his replacement up front—had a poor game, the Englishman’s movement at least put Rodgers’ men onto the back foot. Falcao is yet to manage this in a United shirt.

He could be viewed as the bargain of the upcoming summer if he moves cheaply and bangs in the goals, but as Falcao reaches 30, he is becoming more and more of a risk. Rodgers isn’t adverse to taking punts—a certain Balotelli is evidence of that—but it still seems more likely Falcao‘s future resides away from England.

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Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United shouldn’t diminish what Brendan Rodgers has achieved in salvaging Liverpool’s season. Of course, it will now be significantly more difficult for the Reds to finish in this season’s top four, but there was a time when the Anfield club looked like finishing just outside the bottom four.

Indeed, Liverpool’s recovery since the turn of the year has been remarkable. The Reds were as low as 12th in the Premier League standings in November, but they followed up that nadir by winning 12 from 17 league fixtures, losing just once, before Sunday’s clash against United.

So how did Rodgers do it? Liverpool are now outsiders to clinch Champions League qualification this season following Sunday’s defeat, but their campaign won’t be the unprecedented disaster it once threatened to be. 

The Northern Irishman deserves credit for the way he has turned around Liverpool’s season, but from an on-the-pitch perspective no one player has pushed Liverpool towards a top-four place like Philippe Coutinho has. The Brazilian is the spark from which the Reds’ season finally caught light.

Coutinho has taken on the talismanic mantel once held by Luis Suarez at Liverpool. The playmaker operates in a different area of the pitch to the Uruguayan but nonetheless, he is the man bringing creativity and invention—not to mention goal threat—to Rodgers’ side. 

With Suarez in the team Liverpool could afford to be fluid between the lines of midfield and attack, where the Uruguayan operated and thrived. But without the striker their approach lacked structure. It was from here that Rodgers made the decision to recalibrate. 

To arrest his side’s slide into the bottom half of the Premier League Rodgers reverted to the very basics of his tactical mechanism. Liverpool were simply too fluid, without any semblance of structure, in the first few months of the season. Rodgers recognised the need for rigidity. 

A series of conservative 1-0 wins saw Liverpool through December as Rodgers and his side regrouped. But with a more solid basis from which to build on, Coutinho’s importance increased as the former Swansea and Reading boss reintroduced the sparkle that left the club with Suarez.

“It is frightening to know what he could be worth,” gushed Rodgers after Coutinho’s performance in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Manchester City at the start of March, as per ESPN. “He is a kid who has so much ahead of him in the game. He is a sensational footballer.

“He is a player that has always assisted and made the final pass in his career. He is a very selfless player and a very humble young guy and would rather create for others. But his technique is at a high, high level so he is going to score more goals.”

And that is where the biggest improvement in Coutinho’s game can be found this season. While he often flattered to deceive in terms of goal threat upon his arrival in the Premier League, the Brazilian is now a hub of productive attacking activity.

At first Coutinho was something of an indulgence. It was a reputation that eased his exit from Inter Milan, with a series of coaches including Claudio Ranieri, Rafael Benitez, Leonardo and Andrea Stramaccioni all sceptical over the Brazilian’s true worth.

But in England Coutinho has emerged as one of the finest young midfielders in European football. He is developing season-to-season and is now the face of Rodgers’ Liverpool side in a post-Suarez age. 

Rodgers’ switch to a 3-4-2-1 shape has given Coutinho a free role in behind Daniel Sturridge as the central striker. The 5’7” dynamo is now having more shots per game (2.5 shots per game compared to just 1.8 per game last season—as per WhoScored.com) and is averaging nearly three times as many key passes (from 0.5 per game up to 1.4). The question of who would pick up Suarez’s slack this season was asked, and it would seem Coutinho has obliged. 

Of course, Jordan Henderson has also been a factor in Liverpool’s resurgent form in the second half of the season, with the former Sunderland midfielder underlining his candidacy to take over as club captain when Steven Gerrard leaves for LA Galaxy at the end of the season.

The return of Sturridge, who was sidelined for the best part of four months through injury, has also played its part in Liverpool’s recovery, giving Rodgers the attacking focal point he desperately lacked between September and January.

Yet it is Coutinho’s form that has been the biggest influence on Liverpool’s recent run of positive results, barring Sunday’s defeat to Man Utd. The Brazilian playmaker came close to sparking a second-half comeback against Louis van Gaal’s side, and he will be central if his side is to reboot their Champions League charge.

One should be wary of writing off Liverpool’s top-four challenge. Five points separate the Reds from United in the Premier League table, and considering their streak since the new year it’s a gap that could still feasibly be bridged, especially given the Old Trafford club’s difficult fixture list between now and the end of the season.

Were Rodgers to guide Liverpool to a top-four finish after all that he has had to deal with this season, he would achieve something to outweigh even last year’s success. The Reds boss was handed an incoherent and slap-dash group of new signings to compensate for the sale of Suarez by the club’s infamous transfer committee, and yet he has somehow formed a team on the brink of the top four—with Coutinho at the centre of it all.

The deployment of Coutinho in a new formation hasn’t just changed Liverpool’s play, it has altered the spirit of the team. The lethargy that came to characterise the Reds’ dismal start to the campaign has been thrown off and the excitement that rushed through Anfield last season has been restored. Much of that is down to the Brazilian.

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Arsenal are reportedly set to bid for Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic and will be boosted by the news that Barcelona will be holding talks with Pedro Rodriguez about his future.

According to Jamie Sanderson of Metro.co.uk, “Manchester United and Chelsea are also keen (on Kovacic), but reports in Spain say Arsenal are set to launch a bid to try and get the pass-master signed up.“

Meanwhile, according to Lluis Miguelsanz of SPORT, Barcelona’s director of international football Ariedo Braida has begun planning for next season with Luis Enrique and will discuss Pedro’s future with the club.

Kovacic would be an excellent signing for the Gunners, although, according to Simone Lorini of Tuttomercatoweb (via Lewis Rudd of Metro.co.uk), the youngster’s agent has claimed he is happy at Inter:

He has signed a five-year renewal and believes in the future at Inter. If he had not been happy in Milan he would not have extended the agreement. If he does not play, Mateo is always happy. He is 21-years-old and is a national team player, playing for Inter.

It’s alright I would say. Arsenal? I do not speak with anyone. He is an Inter player and will continue.

Should Arsene Wenger prise him away from Serie A, it will be quite a coup. The Croatian has caught the eye of The Guardian’s James Horncastle with his impressive performances for club and country:

It’s easy to see why:

Per Squawka, Kovacic has won 57 percent of his duels in Serie A, completing 64 percent of his attempts to beat an opponent. His powerful dribbling and willingness to get forward has seen a return of five goals and one assist this season.

Though Kovacic may not be the defensive linchpin that Arsenal need in midfield, he is a promising young player and would serve as a far better option than the ageing Mikel Arteta and the injury-prone Abou Diaby, and he would prove an excellent addition to the Gunners’ squad.

So too would Pedro, who has admitted to having a difficult time of late, per beIN Sports (h/t Sport’s S.Dacal). He said:

It is clear that it is difficult to find a place in this team.

You can see throughout the whole season that I have had very few chances [to play], but I must wait for them and take advantage of them when they come.

I will value my future in the summer and I will talk with the club then. But as for now I am focused on the club, really keen to play and to play well.

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s easy to understand why the Spaniard has seen his time on the pitch restricted.

Despite looking far from his best on occasions and starting relatively few games this season, Pedro has managed to score 10 goals and garner six assists in all competitions.

As noted by B/R’s own Gianni Verschueren, the 27-year-old is a reliable winger, capable of finesse and at home in a possession-based system.

This would serve him well at a club like Arsenal, and with the likes of Pedro and Kovacic, the Gunners would be able to start aiming for higher targets than simply a top four spot.

To truly return to a title-challenging force, however, neither of these players should be a priority based on Wenger’s needs for defensive improvement.

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