Sunday 19 June 2016 15:45, UK
Germany's World Cup winner Mario Gotze has played down his poor form at Euro 2016, insisting, "sometimes you're the dog, sometimes you're the tree".
Gotze came off the bench to score the winning goal in extra time for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina.
The 24-year-old has spent most of the last two years either injured or on the bench at Bayern Munich, where Pep Guardiola preferred Thiago Alcantara in the attacking midfield role.
The 'false nine' has failed to impress after starting both of Germany's group games in France, which has seen him criticised by pundits in his home country.
In their opening match, the 2-0 win over Ukraine, Gozte did not touch the ball for 18 minutes in the first half.
He had one clear shot on goal in his 90 minutes on the pitch and in the goalless draw with Poland, he managed just two shots in 66 minutes, but Gozte took a philosophical view on the matter.
"So that's football. Sometimes you're the dog, sometimes you're the tree. That part of the business," said Gotze.
Neither he nor or Germany's replacement striker Mario Gomez have scored during the tournament as Germany prepare for Tuesday's final Group C game against Northern Ireland at the Parc des Princes.
Germany require a point to progress to the last-16 and team manager Oliver Bierhoff appeared to offer a defence to his misfiring forwards, suggesting top sides at these finals are having trouble breaking down defences of less fancied countries.
"Teams are having trouble against the smaller nations when they don't maintain their tempo in games or play with sophistication," said Bierhoff.
"We're not a team that uses a crowbar (to break defences down). We have to use our technical skills, attacking the box at fast pace.
