German football writer Kit Holden picks out the key men in Joachim Low’s provisional squad and assesses their chances in Brazil as they look for their fourth World Cup.

GERMANY

Who’s in (30-man provisional squad)

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Phillipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler, (Schalke 04), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Matthias Ginter (SC Freiburg), Leon Goretzka (Schalke 04), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Andre Hahn (Augsburg), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Max Meyer (Schalke), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (SS Lazio), Kevin Volland (TSG Hoffenheim)

Who misses out?

Mario Gomez, the subject of much discussion due to long term injury and Germany’s dearth of classic centre forwards, is definitely out, as is Gladbach’s Max Kruse, whose form this year had seen him as a strong favourite for the World Cup. Experienced players such as Hamburg’s Heiko Westermann and Rene Adler have also failed to make the grade.

Biggest selection headline

There was practically only one story in the papers after the squad was announced and that was Gomez’ absence.

Low has repeatedly insisted that he exclusively wants players who are in top fitness, so Gomez — who has been injured for nearly a whole season — was always going to be an outside bet.

Nonetheless, he remains a big name, and has just returned to training with Fiorentina. For him to be left out of even the preliminary squad was a shock.

Surprise package

In the absence of Gomez and Kruse, Kevin Volland now has a good chance of making the final squad. The 21 year old Hoffenheim forward has been in fine form this season, and could see a surprising amount of action in Brazil if Low is brave enough to play him over Miroslav Klose.

Danger man

See above. Should Klose be considered fit enough for the first team, he will be poaching as usual, and will surely break even more records at his fourth World Cup.

If not, Volland will be looking to prove his worth on the major stage. Though experiments with a false nine haven’t entirely worked for Low, the attacking talent he has in midfield is certainly to be feared.

The architect

This remains up for debate. At his best, Mesut Ozil creates more space and chances for Germany than anyone, but his form at Arsenal this year has been worrying. Sami Khedira, should he return to full fitness in time, will be the rock around which Low hopes to build his midfield, though that role can be played by Schweinsteiger in the Madrid man’s absence.

The hatchet man

It doesn’t really suit Low’s cashmere-adorned style to use a hatchet, but Jerome Boateng is famed for taking the odd yellow card for the team.

With Lahm and Mertesacker providing the culture, any grubbier work is likely to be taken over by Boateng, whose maturity and focus in defence have vastly improved during his time at Bayern.

The verdict: Does this squad have what it takes to go all the way?

Yes, though they will need a fair bit of luck. Despite his obsession with having a fully-fit team, Low is likely to bring back Khedira if he possibly can, as he knows that Germany struggle defensively without him.

There will be goals a plenty, the question is simply if the side can keep their heads – and their lungs – in the game. Lack of fitness and concentration saw them fail in 2012, but the renewed youth in this squad may help that this time around.

—Daily Mail