Mario Gomez [Stuttgart] - Page 4 - TalkSoccer

**Trim** · 16-04-2007, 07:01 PM

Trim17: Gomez, don't risk playing yet! This season is almost over, so wait for the new one!

Gomez: If you say so..

**Trim** · 23-04-2007, 06:00 PM

Stuttgart coach Armin Veh remains sceptical about talk of a return before the end of the season for striker Mario Gomez.

The Germany international tore a ligament in his right knee and also broke his hand back at the beginning of March but has since made good progress and he believed he was "two or three weeks" away from making his comeback.

But Veh said: "Even if Mario returns to training soon, he is running out of time. To get back into good shape it normally takes the same length of time that you have been sidelined for."

Gomez is eager to return to the side for the title run-in as Stuttgart are still in with a shout of glory; they currently lie in third place, two points behind Werder Bremen in second and four adrift of leaders Schalke.

Super Mario return doubt - Football - Eurosport

**Oliver_Kahn** · 23-04-2007, 06:39 PM

I just want him to return when Germany needs him

**Oliver_Kahn** · 30-04-2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez has returned to training, and could make a first-team contract before the end of the season.

The 21-year-old Germany international tore a ligament in his left knee in March during his side's goalless draw with Wolfsburg, though could yet play a part in his side's title challenge, or, failing that, the German cup final against Nuernberg on May 26th.

"I am very hopeful about my recovery from injury," he said.

Gomez has already begun ballwork, and will be encouraged to gradually increase the strain he places on the knee over the coming days.

The return of "super Mario", who has hit 13 goals in 23 league games would be a major boost for Stuttgart as they look to secure their first Bundesliga title since 1992.

Gomez eyes swift return - Football - Eurosport

**Trim** · 30-04-2007, 05:12 PM

Nice, good to hear.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 07-05-2007, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Title-chasing Stuttgart have been boosted by the news that German international Mario Gomez will be available as the season reaches its climax.

The 21-year-old sustained a knee-ligament injury in his side's Bundesliga match with Wolfsburg in March, though is now set to return to the squad for Saturday's game at Bochum.

“As long as nothing major happens, then he will be in the squad,” said coach Armin Veh.

Gomez had originally been pencilled in for a return to action at the German Cup final on May 26, when Stuttgart take on Nuernberg.

Captain Fernando Meira, who misses Saturday's game due to suspension, has been negotiating with general manager Horst Heldt and club boss Erwin Staudt over a bonus for winning a possible double.

Local daily Stuttgarter Zeitung reported that a cash bonus of 150000 euros per player would be given to every player should Stuttgart manage to overturn their one-point deficit on leaders Schalke and beat Nuernberg in the cup final.

Gomez set for return - Football - Eurosport

**Oliver_Kahn** · 07-05-2007, 05:18 PM

Great news, hopefully he can win the league for Stuttgart.
It's good for the German NT as well, since Poldi is out and Gomez is a good option to partner Klose

**Trim** · 08-05-2007, 06:44 AM

Definately good news, good points Kahn.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 12-05-2007, 07:40 PM

Bochum 2 - 3 Stuttgart

4' [1 - 0] O. Schröder
25' [1 - 1] T. Hitzlsperger
42' [2 - 1] M. Maltritz
61' [2 - 2] M. Gomez
72' [2 - 3] J. Cacau

**Oliver_Kahn** · 12-05-2007, 07:40 PM

Gomez back in style!

**Trim** · 13-05-2007, 10:19 AM

Goal in return? Can't be better than that. Well done Mario. Great striker.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-05-2007, 12:54 PM

Super Mario is back to win the league for Vfb!

**Oliver_Kahn** · 21-05-2007, 01:27 PM

Stuttgart strikers are having a great season. A key to the success of VfB and their chances of winning the title. bundesliga.de reports.

Stuttgart have been a voracious offensive unit this season. They have scored 59 goals thus far this season, surpassed only by Werder Bremen (74 scores). In 26 of 33 matches, head coach Armin Veh's squad have hit the back of the net at least once.

The strikers have been responsible for over half the goals (55 percent). The table leaders enjoy the luxury of possessing multiple offensive weapons. Mario Gomez and the Brazilian Cacau score practically at will.

Compensating for the loss of Gomez

With 14 goals, Gomez is the current scoring leader, ahead of Cacau who has 13. Who knows how many goals Gomez would have scored had he not gone down with torn ligaments in March, which kept him out of action till the 33rd round. At the time of his injury, his 13 goals made him the Bundesliga scoring leader.

But without Gomez, the other VfB strikers stepped up. Cacau filled the breach more than adequately with four goals in the matches Gomez's injury. Marco Streller (five goals) and Benjamin Lauth (one goal) did their part. The strikers account for 31 of VfB's 59 goals.

Stuttgart scores a lot in play

Cacau has become the most avid goal seeker in the Bundesliga. He's directed his aim a total of 105 times at opponents' goals. 39 attempts were direct shots on goal, 49 went outside the posts and 17 were blocked.

The 26 year-old has definitely had his best season since moving over from 1. FC Nürnberg in 2003. He had never succeeded in scoring 13 times.

Stuttgart are dangerous in the penalty area. 49 scores came from less than 16 meters out. To note is the high number of goals scored in play. 17 scores were the result of flank shots (first in the league), while VfB have yet to score a goal directly from a free kick or penalty shot.

Eight goals in one week

Four goals in one match is the most salient achievement of Veh's squad. In February, they managed this feat twice in one week. Werder Bremen was swept out of their home stadium 4-1.

Afterwards, spectators in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt witnessed a 4-0 thrashing. But it didn't stop there. In the Aachen Tivoli and AOL Arena in Hamburg VfB made their presence known, winning both matches 4-2.

Stuttgart doesn't need that many goals to win their fifth title in the last round on Sunday when they face Energie Cottbus. One goal would suffice - from Cacau or from Gomez or from whoever.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 04-06-2007, 01:46 PM

VfB Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez scored twice as Germany went back to the top of their EURO 2008 qualifying group with a 6-0 win over San Marino in Nuremberg on Saturday night. The 21-year-old had only made a handful of appearances off the bench for his club after an eight-week lay-off with a knee injury at the end of the season, but he made an immediate impact with two goals in as many second-half minutes.

The Czech Republic had briefly topped Group D after they drew 0-0 with Wales in Cardiff earlier on Saturday, but Germany went back to the top of the table for next summer's European Championships as the goals flowed.
"I already had a lot of confidence going into this game, but I am flying high now," said Gomez. "But San Marino aren't the sort of side we are measuring ourselves against." San Marino "keeper Aldo Simoncini was one of the busiest men on the pitch as his defence leaked five second-half goals and Germany now enjoy a two-point lead at the top of the table, but there was still some disappointment in their performance.

"We simply tried a bit too hard out there," said midfielder Torsten Frings, who slotted home a second-half penalty. "We didn't move the ball around very well in the first half and San Marino closed us down quickly. In the second half, we raised the tempo and they had their chances to score."
Although Germany slaughtered San Marino 13-0 last September in the European micro-state, the home side took a long time to hit their stride. Injury played a part as Germany''s coach Joachim Löw was without his injured captain and Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, influentiual midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and striker Lukas Podolski.

Löw: "It was important that we found our rhythm"

Nevertheless, he still named a strong side with the top-scorer at last year's World Cup, Miroslav Klose partnering Schalke 04's Kevin Kuranyi up front in a strike partnership which boosted more than 100 caps between them. "It is always difficult to play against a team like San Marino," said Löw. "They defended well and you have to work hard to break down their defence. San Marino were a sparring partner for us ahead of the game against Slovakia. It was important that we found some rhythm, which we did in the second-half."
Germany had a low-key first-half and it was only 1-0 at the break after Kuranyi headed home on the stroke of half-time. But just after the interval, the home side doubled their lead when San Marino left Bayern Munich's latest signing defender Marcell Jensen unmarked at the back post to enjoy a simple tap in on 52 minutes. And a minute later Germany went 3-0 up after San Marino defender Davide Simoncini earned himself a red card after a second bookable offence for a rugby tackle on Germany's striker Kuranyi.
The referee wasted no time giving the penalty and Werder Bremen's Frings slotted it home. Just four minutes after coming on for Kuranyi, Gomez then made it four when he followed up Frings's free-kick on 63 minutes and won the race to stab the ball home. He grabbed his second - and Germany's fifth - two minutes later when he followed up Jansen's shot before fellow substitute Clemens Fritz made it 6-0 on 67 minutes.
Germany now face Slovakia in Hamburg on Wednesday night in their last EURO 2008 qualifier of the current season.