Germany’s Loew to experiment against Ukraine, Holland

Germany coach Joachim Loew has said he is eager to experiment with both tactics and different players during the forthcoming friendlies against the Ukraine and the Netherlands.

Germany play the Ukraine on Friday at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium , which will host the Euro 2012 final on July 1, then the Dutch in Hamburg four days later.

Loew has rested captain Philipp Lahm for both games, while vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is out with a broken collarbone.

Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Marco Reus is rated as doubtful after the 22-year-old informed Loew yesterday he is suffering from stomach flu and will not be able to meet up with the team in Hamburg today.

Hanover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler is expected to make his debut in at least one of the games while Real Madrid’s playmaker Mesut Ozil is likely to link up with Dortmund’s teenage star Mario Goetze in midfield.

Loew is also toying with the idea of playing both strikers Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose in a traditional 4-4-2 formation, a change from his usual pattern of playing with a lone striker.

The last time Loew played two strikers was in the 2-2 draw with the Ivory Coast in November 2009.

“The beginning of the main preparations for Euro 2012 are still a long way off, but we only have three games left before that,” said Loew, with Germany also set to host France in a friendly next February.

“We will certainly experiment with tactics and players, but some things are now as automatic for us as a comfortable pair of sneakers.

“For all the ambition we have in terms of getting good results, what I’ll find out after these experiments will be very important.

“I’m planning to make a tactical change in one of the games.”

Germany were the first team to book their place at Euro 2012 through the qualifying groups and finished their campaign with a perfect record of 10 wins from 10 matches.