Euro 08 Qualifier: Wales 0 - 2 Germany - Page 2 - TalkSoccer

**Trim** · 06-09-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Why wont Gomez play ?

Gomez is fit, whereas Podolski has just returned to fitness, I doubt he'll get any playing time. Agreed Kuranyi will start, but I'm sure Gomez will play too.

Jansen also just returned to fitness and Pander is on a high atm. I just hope Low doesnt make the same stupid mistake of playing Lahm as DM and Friedrich as RB :S

Gomez was injuried aswell, he got back like 2 weeks ago.

Poldi made his return aswell, he has almost regained full fitness.

I'm sure Loew will play him.

As for Jansen, he'll probably rest.

Yeah, Lahm as DM was a stupid move.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 06-09-2007, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trim17

Gomez was injuried aswell, he got back like 2 weeks ago.

Poldi made his return aswell, he has almost regained full fitness.

I'm sure Loew will play him.

As for Jansen, he'll probably rest.

Yeah, Lahm as DM was a stupid move.

Gomez made his comeback before Podolski did, started the last 2 matches for Stuttgart and scored a goal. I think Podolski will start against Romenia, but atm Gomez is ahead of him, not only considering form but also fitness.

Castro from what I've heard is pretty good, Rolfes is also good. Lahm as DM was a poor choice and Friedrich is crap

**Trim** · 06-09-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Gomez made his comeback before Podolski did, started the last 2 matches for Stuttgart and scored a goal. I think Podolski will start against Romenia, but atm Gomez is ahead of him, not only considering form but also fitness.

Oh, forgot about the friendly.

Well, Gomez has the edge for this one than, thanks to his fitness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Castro from what I've heard is pretty good, Rolfes is also good. Lahm as DM was a poor choice and Friedrich is crap

I think Friedrich is injuried, so he's already out, no?

**Oliver_Kahn** · 06-09-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trim17

I think Friedrich is injuried, so he's already out, no?

No idea, but he is on the call up you posted on the first page

**Trim** · 06-09-2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

No idea, but he is on the call up you posted on the first page

He's back actually.

He missed MD 3 in Bundesliga, but played full time in MD4.

He was lightly injuried in Wembley.

**Trim** · 06-09-2007, 08:09 PM

As you guys got informed, Lahm is out now, so I guess Friedrich is in.

**Trim** · 07-09-2007, 05:32 PM

Germany defender Christoph Metzelder fears the threat posed by Wales striker Craig Bellamy and admits the visitors "will have to take him out of the game" if they are to stop Wales producing a shock in Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier in Cardiff.

Germany are favourites to produce the win that will all but secure their place in next summer's finals in Switzerland and Austria.

But Real Madrid's new signing will take nothing for granted until he has reduced the effectiveness of the Wales skipper.

Metzelder is glad, however, he is facing a far less bruising experience than the last time he faced Wales, and the physical presence of John Hartson.

Said Metzelder: "All I can remember of the last time I placed against Wales is John Hartson. He is tough. All I can say is that we both hurt a lot after that match."

And he knows that West Ham striker Bellamy will be a different prospect, saying: "I know all about Bellamy from watching him in European games and with Liverpool.

"He is not tall or physical, but he is very quick off the mark. We must be on the look-out for him all the time.

"We will have to take him out of the game if we want to reduce the danger that Wales can offer.

"Bellamy is Wales' most formidable asset and we know what he is capable of doing if we give him the chance."

And Metzelder brushed off the theory that Germany should walk away with three points saying: "We always knew that the away games with Wales and the Reublic of Ireland would be the tough ones, they both have great fighting spirit and they will cover every blade of grass.

"But we are not coy or shy, we can be tough too. What we must do is to play our one-two passes and get the penetrative pass through their defence quickly.

"The only way is to keep the ball and keep Wales' defence as busy as possible."

Germany will be without Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings, Bernd Schneider and Philipp Lahm through injury, and have lost Piotr Trochowski and Lukas Podolski to minor leg injuries in the past couple of days.

It means that Simon Rolfes, Robert Hilbert and Kevin Kuranyi are expected to play. Marcell Jansen is recovering from a high temperature.

Coach Joachim Low has been forced to add Real Betis midfielder David Odonkor to his squad, replacing VfB Stuttgart's Serdar Tasci, who has a thigh injury.

Odonkor was in the German squad for last year's World Cup, but picked up a knee injury last August and only made it back into the national squad for last month's win over England at Wembley.

Low had initially called up Odonkor and six other players, including Gerald Asamoah, for fitness tests with the squad and Tasci's injury forced Odonkor's promotion from the Under-21 squad.

Schalke striker Asamoah had to pull out of training in Cologne on Monday night after a food allergy meant he was admitted to hospital.

Germany lead Group D with 19 points from seven matches. The Czech Republic are second with 14 points, while Wales are down in fifth with seven points from six games.

Source

**Oliver_Kahn** · 07-09-2007, 06:20 PM

Dont think Bellamy is that much of a treat, beside his pace he has nothing else in his arsenal.

**Trim** · 07-09-2007, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Dont think Bellamy is that much of a treat, beside his pace he has nothing else in his arsenal.

Yeah. And, one man can't make the difference.

**Trim** · 07-09-2007, 07:27 PM

German trainer Joachim Löw has more injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s Wales clash, with news that Mario Gomez is a doubt.

Germany’s footballer of the year has a fever and was forced to sit out the team’s training session at the Millenium Stadium.

Kevin Kuranyi and Miroslav Klose look set to lead the line against the Welsh as the Germans look to consolidate their at the top of Group D.

Should Gomez be forced to miss the match, then Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski would be the substitute option on the bench for Löw.

Germany have already had their squad disrupted this week after fullback Philipp lahm was ruled out with damaged knee ligaments.

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Gomez Adds To Löwâ€™s Woes

**Vargas_4** · 08-09-2007, 09:17 AM

Man... This injuries suck!

BlackNess · 08-09-2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

........................Lehmann
Lahm....Mertesacker...Metzelder....Pander
..................Castro.......Schweini
Hilbert.....................................Troche
.................Klose....Gomez/Kuranyi

........................Lehmann
Castro....Mertesacker...Metzelder....Pander
.........................???
Hilbert.....................................Schwei ni
.................Klose....Kuranyi

**Trim** · 08-09-2007, 12:47 PM

^ Schweini will play CM!!
And Friedrich will play RB.

**Trim** · 08-09-2007, 12:52 PM

England out of mind, focusing on Wales: the German national team do not want to underestimate today's opponents.

The Wembley heroics are not yet forgotten, but now Germany have to focus on the Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday (20:30 CET).

"We have to be aware"

"We won't underestimate Wales. It's a stadium with a great atmosphere, and the fans will support their team from the first whistle. Wales play different at home, and we have to be aware of that", team manager Oliver Bierhoff warns against complacency.

Wales have proved unpredictable in group D so far. Last October Slovakia hammered them 5-1 in Cardiff, but Wales beat Cyprus (who held Germany to a 1-1 draw) 3-1 and also put in a convincing performance in the goalless draw against the Czech Republic. Germany are top of the group with 19 points from seven matches.

Schneider suspended

Wales coach John Toshack will be able to field his best team, but Germany will be without their best midfielders as well as Philipp Lahm who suffered an inside knee ligament injury in training on Thursday.

Bernd Schneider will serve a one-match ban for picking up too many yellows and striker Mario Gomez (fever) is rated doubtful.

Klose gets the armband

Striker Miroslav Klose will skipper the team in absence of midfielders Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings (both injured). 23-year-old Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern) is set for the role at the heart of the German midfield.

Wembley hero Christian Pander is likely to be handed his second straight start. "Cross Pander, goal Kuranyi. That has already worked once or twice", is the simple plan of the Schalke left-back.

Germany line-up as expected: 1 Lehmann - 3 Friedrich, 17 Mertesacker, 21 Metzelder, 6 Pander - 34 Hilbert, 38 Rolfes, 7 Schweinsteiger, 15 Hitzlsperger - 11 Klose, 31 Kuranyi