Per Mertesacker Could Miss Vital Games For Werder Bremen.

During Germany’s European Championship qualifying match against Azerbaijan, towering defender Per Mertesacker received an accidental elbow to the face after challenging for a ball with an Azerbaijani attacker. While at first the knock looked minor, it has been confirmed that Mertesacker will miss up to six weeks of action due to his injury.

It was determined by the German medical staff that Mertesacker fractured the bone just under his left eye, but would not require surgery. Mertesacker’s Werder Bremen side are set to take travel to Bayern Munich in one of the biggest matches of the weekend, a game they would have been depending on Mertesacker to feature in. Should the defender miss six weeks of action, he will also sit out for matches against Mainz, Hannover, Hamburg, Leverkusen, Freiburg and Gladbach.

Veteran defender Mikael Silvestre will likely fill the void left by Mertesacker, but it is unlikely that he will bring the same kind of quality or composure to the Werder Bremen back-line that Mertesacker would. Werder Bremen could face a difficult period without Mertesacker, and especially if Brazilian defender Naldo, who is also injured, takes his time getting back. We could be seeing a center-half pairing of Prodl and Silvestre. Nothing inspires confidence in that pairing. Bayern Munich will have an absolute field day against that pairing, and Werder Bremen could be looking at a very difficult period with both of their first-choice defenders on the sidelines.

Miroslav Klose Scores Two And Lays On Two More As Germany Storm Passed Azerbaijan.

Joachim Loew’s Germany side never had to get out of second gear against a very physical but very poor Azerbaijan team. Goals from Heiko Westermann, Lukas Podolski, Holger Badstuber, a double from Miroslav Klose and an own-goal from Rashad Sadygov capped a very easy performance for Die Mannschaft. Azerbaijan grabbed a consolation through Vagif Dzhavadov, who was arguably Azerbaijan’s most dangerous player on the night. The goal, unfortunately for Azerbaijan, was more down to Manuel Neuer’s poor handling than any great piece of skill from Dzhavadov. If Rene Adler hits form with Leverkusen, Neuer will likely have stiff competition for the number one spot after a mistake like that.

Loew’s side kept the play in the Azerbaijan half of the pitch almost exclusively, and tried to pass their way into the back of the net at every opportunity. The clinical, no-nonsense Germany we’re all so used to seeing was not on display today. They scored six, but they could have scored bundles more if not for trying to be so intricate and fancy against clearly weaker opposition.

The victory was marred by an injury to Per Mertesacker, who took a hefty elbow early on and was subbed off for Germany’s first goalscorer, Heiko Westermann. Mertesacker looked dazed and he was bleeding quite a bit, but it didn’t look anymore serious than that and he should be able to return to action this weekend for Werder Bremen.

Die Nationalelf host Turkey and then travel to Kazakhstan for their next round of qualifiers. If they can win those two games, they can virtually guarantee a first-placed finished in their qualification group.

As a side-note, Miroslav Klose now needs just 14 more international goals to become Germany’s all-time top goalscorer. While it sounds like a lot now, when you think about some of the opponents he’ll be playing against, namely Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in the return leg, it’s all beginning to look very possible for the veteran striker. Good luck to him!

Legendary Berti Vogts Will Battle His Home Nation.

After grabbing a pivotal three points in Belgium on the weekend, Germany host Azerbaijan today in what should be a one-sided goal-fest. While Joachim Loew has called for focus in his pre-match press conference, Germany’s attacking stars should fully take advantage of an Azerbaijani side who are ranked 106th by FIFA.

While the Azerbaijani side harbor no household names, their manager is certainly one any German fan will immediately recognize: Berti Vogts. ‘Der Terrier,’ as he is known, for his undying determination and workrate. Vogts famously marked Johan Cruijff in the 1974 World Cup final which Germany went on to win. Vogts, later on in his career, managed the German national team to a European Championship victory in 1996, but had very little success anywhere else as a manager. That’s probably how he got the Azerbaijan job!

Loew’s side will likely be in full control here, with Azerbaijan sitting back and soaking up the pressure. Germany will look to score goals at every opportunity, and there will likely be lots of opportunities. Klose recently spoke about breaking the German all-time goalscoring record, and there’s no better place to start than against Azerbaijan.

Loew will likely field his preferred eleven;

Neuer — Lahm, Mertesacker, Badstuber, Jansen — Khedira, Schweinsteiger — Mueller, Ozil, Podolski — Klose

Azerbaijan’s squad have only two players that even play outside of the country, and I’m not too sure the Azerbaijani premier league is really up to snuff. This should be a real walk in the park for Germany.

Wags And Woy For Gomez!

Bayern Munich’s forgotten man, Mario Gomez, was the subject of intense transfer rumours during the summer transfer window with a potential move to Liverpool being touted by the press. Unfortunately for Roy Hodgson’s ailing Liverpool side, Bayern Munich rejected the offer on the last day of the transfer period and Gomez remained a Bayern Munich player. Hodgson, though, who has recently succeeded Rafael Benitez at Liverpool after an impressive stint with Fulham, is determined to get his man, and a move for the German striker may be on in January. Mario Gomez, at 25 years old, would of course love to be playing regular first-team football. At Bayern Munich, though, with the competition of the likes of Ivica Olic, Miroslav Klose, and Thomas Mueller, first-team football cannot be guaranteed. Without regular football at club level, Gomez does not have a chance to shine and force into Loew’s national setup. The only look in Gomez seems to get with the national team nowadays is when the cameraman pans over the bench.

A move to Liverpool, for Gomez and for Liverpool, would be a good thing. Liverpool have only two natural strikers in their squad, with Fernando Torres being first-choice and David N’gog because the back-up striker. N’gog is rubbish. He’s a bit pacey, but he really has nothing to offer the side other than that. The thing that concerns most Liverpool fans, is how injury-prone their star striker is. When Fernando Torres is on, he’s really on. He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s very strong in the air, he can create chances for teammates, his finishing is top notch, and he can beat the best of defenders. Obviously a hard player to replace for any player, not just N’gog. Unfortunately, Liverpool can’t always rely on a player like Torres because of his almost constant injury problems. Enter Mario Gomez.

Under Benitez, Liverpool played a single striker in a 4–2-3–1 formation, and Torres was that man. During Benitez’s time at the club, Peter Crouch, Andriy Voronin, Robbie Keane, Craig Belly and Robbie Fowler all failed to break into Benitez’s system and were sold after being purchased for high prices. Under Hodgson, Liverpool will likely field a 4–4-2, the fortmation Hodgson successfully implemented at Fulham. Alongside Torres, there is definitely a place for Mario Gomez. In the Premier League, Mario Gomez’s physicality would allow him to excel, and finally fulfill the potential he showed during his time at Stuttgart.

Gomez should do all he can to secure a move to Merseyside in January, because he has fallen drastically down the pecking order ever since Thomas Mueller decided to become a world class player. A Torres-Gomez partnership, with players like Steven Gerrard and Raul Meireles playing in midfield behind them, would really allow Gomez to hit top form and then finally he could get some real playing time with Die Mannschaft. It’s about time, too, because even Cacau has put himself ahead of Gomez in the national side.

Can you imagine Jamie Carragher and Mario Gomez trying to have a conversation? Classic. Liverpool, frankly, needs him, and he absolutely needs them. If he fails to get regular time at Bayern Munich by the end of the year, then a move to Liverpool would probably be in Gomez’s best interest.

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Kroos’ Inclusion In German National Team Could Change Joachim Loew’s Tactical Setup.

I had just recently discussed with a few BundesligaTalk readers how interesting it would be to see Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil and Marko Marin fill the attacking midfield positions for the German national team. Obviously, we weren’t the only ones who believed Kroos could be playing in that left attacking midfield spot for Germany in the future, as today Toni Kroos himself has announced that that position is the one he aims to compete for in Joachim Loew’s tactical setup.

Currently, Lukas Podolski is the number one choice for Loew on the left-side of the German midfield. His role is very much that of an inside forward, who will receive the ball in wide positions and drive into space infield, instead of making a run to the by-line to whip a cross in. Off the ball, Podolski moves into channels between defenders and is always ready to chase a through-ball and have a shot on goal. Podolski’s power and pace allows him to really excel in his role. His left foot delivers one of the most powerful long-range shots in the European game, and his pace allows him to cut into space behind opposition full-backs and get into the box for goals. He supplements attacks superbly from a wide position, and he scores plenty of goals. Clearly, he’s a hard player to just replace.

The thing is, Toni Kroos would not fill the same role despite playing in the same position as Podolski. Kroos would act as an advanced playmaker, like a Samir Nasri or a modern-day Ryan Giggs, or even a Luka Modric. He would look to receive the ball in a wide position, and then cut in-field which would open space down the left for an advancing full-back. From an in-field position, Kroos would be looking to deliver a killer pass or a hit a long shot. If he stayed wide, he would look to pull his full-back deep and then cut the ball back across the 18-yard box for a teammate to bang into the back of the net. Kroos’ dribbling ability and creativity would still make him able to beat full-backs and get a cross in, but he’d be more concerned with putting in a telling pass. Kroos is a player who does not depend on his physical attributes, but more on his technical skills. Having another player as creative as Mesut Ozil in the side could do no harm. While Kroos would not directly have the same impact in front of goal that Podolski has, his ability to create chances for his teammates would still allow Germany to bang in the goals because of the amount of chances they would be creating.

Kroos certainly has what it takes to mature into a great player and make himself first-choice on the left-hand side of Germany’s midfield, but we would see a different Germany than the one we are used to with Podolski. Kroos is quoted as saying,

“All the players that play in positions where I can play are my rivals. It’s not news to anyone that I can play on the left-hand side of midfield. It’s normal to show that you’re ambitious. Lukas has earned his place in the side. He’s played in 80 international matches, with impressive statistics in front of goal, and has played in big tournaments. It’s up to me to try and achieve as much in the next five or six years.”

Klose Eyes Legend Status With Top Goalscorer Record In Sight.

Germany and Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose has announced his desire to become Germany’s all-time top goalscorer and take the title that has been held for so long by the legendary Gerd Mueller. In South Africa this summer, Klose had the chance of becoming the World Cup’s all-time top goalscorer, but felt short of the mark at the last hurdle when an unexpected injury ruled him out of Germany’s final fixture.

Now, though, Klose has set himself on reaching and then surpassing Gerd Mueller’s international goal tally, which stands at 68 strikes in 62 appearances. Talk about being prolific. Klose, on the other hand, has 52 goals in 102 appearances, which means he still needs to score 16 international goals to even reach Gerd Mueller’s record. The Bayern Munich striker, however, is confident of his chances.

“I will try to have another good game against Azerbaijan.I would love to score a goal in every match I play. We already know that Azerbaijan will be a tough team to face. When we last played them, we were only 1–0 up at half-time, prior to winning 4–0. It is always nice to be in the top two German goalscorers, but my aim is to see my nation do well. As a team, we are missing at least three of four weeks’ worth of preparation before we will be at full capacity again.”

Klose is already the second most prolific goalscorer in Germany’s history, but the gap between second and first is quite vast. Klose will definitely need to be in top form for at least two more years if he has any chance of coming close to scoring another 16 international goals. Here’s the table of Germany’s all-time top goalscorers.

Will He Ever Stop Scoring? Klose Bags Three Points For Germany Against Belgium.

Joachim Loew’s men opened their European Championship qualification campaign with three points against a very impressive Belgium side who will feel they deserved more from the match. After the controversy and debate surrounding the captaincy of the national side, and Loew’s decision to exclude Michael Ballack from his squad, some may have expected Loew’s side to be a bit disillusioned by all of the media speculation and fail to perform to their usual standards. Fortunately, though, Die Mannschaft got their heads down and focused on the task at hand: a Belgium side who are full of up-and-coming talent and established European players.

Loew picked virtually the same side that finished third in the World Cup, and they once again performed admirably. The only changes from Loew’s World Cup first XI were that Marcell Jansen started in at left-back instead of the injured Jerome Boateng, and Badstuber took Friedrich’s spot in the center of defense, who was also missing due to injury.

Neuer — Lahm, Mertesacker, Badstuber, Jansen — Khedira, Schweinsteiger — Mueller, Ozil, Podolski — Klose

Loew’s side found it difficult to keep the ball and dominate the match because of the physical, hard-working Belgian midfielders who never seemed to let their guard down or lose focus for even half a second. At the end of the day, it was Klose’s goal after a Van Buyten mishap that allowed Germany to march out of Belgium with three points secured.

One Big Belgian: Fellaini’s Physicality Caused Real Problems For Germany.

Leekens’ Belgium side are really a formidable one. Despite the loss, they looked for large parts of the game like the better side and were really unlucky to be on the end of a loss after being so close to scoring themselves. It’ll be a shame if they don’t make the tournament in 2012, because they’re a side with great potential. Here’s how the setup:

Bailly — Alderweireld, Van Buyten, Kompany, Vermaelen — Vertonghen, Simons, Fellaini — Hazard, Dembele — Lukaku

Leekens’ side set up in a bit of a christmas tree formation, where Vertonghen and Timmy Simons hardened the center of the midfield and anchored themselves in right in front of the defense to disrupt and destroy any and all German attacks. Fellaini was in a box-to-box role, where he would win the ball a bit higher up the pitch and then quickly put his side on the counter-attack. His physical presence was massive in this match, and I felt like he really bossed the midfield. He forced Schweinsteiger in particular into a much more defensive role.

Hazard and Dembele sat just behind the lone striker and pulled wide and cut inside and really had free-roles in between Germany’s defense and midfield. Dembele’s dribbling caused all sorts of problems; he has to be my man of the match.

Up top, Lukaku was immense. In size, if nothing else. His physicality caused some major problems for Badstuber in particular. Lukaku is only 17 years old, and he already plays like Didier Drogba minus the real confidence in his own ability. If Lukaku continues to play like he did against Germany, he’ll be the next top striker in a few years’ time. A great performance from such a young player.

Neuer impressed in goal, and without him Belgium may have walked away with a lot more than they finally did. Loew, it seems, was quite right to name him the number one goalkeeper instead of the also super-talented Rene Adler.

Kroos Will Put The Pressure On Podolski For A Starting Spot In Loew’s Squad.

Germany’s attack is what we’re all really interested in, and maybe just because of how many excellent young attackers are currently coming through the ranks in the Bundesliga. For me, it was Toni Kroos who made a big impression when he replaced Podolski late in the match. He’s a far more creative player than Podolski is, and his passing ability makes him a real threat. He’s like Ozil, but on the left-wing. That’s an asset any team would gladly welcome. I think the pressure could really be on Podolski to perform, because if Kroos gets regular playing time with Bayern Munich, he may force himself into that left-wing position for Die Nationalelf.

As an aside, I’d like to see this from Loew’s side in the future:

Neuer — Lahm, Mertesacker, Friedrich(or Badstuber), Boateng — Khedira, Schweinsteiger — Marin, Ozil, Kroos — Mueller

I think playing a trio as creative and as talented as Marin, Ozil and Kroos behind a player like Mueller, whose finishing is astounding and whose link-up play is already superb to watch, could really be the way to go for Germany in the years ahead. Klose is getting older, and Mueller may be the answer up top for Germany. If he can assert himself at Bayern Munich in a more central position, then maybe Loew will try it out. I just think playing him on the right freezes Marin out of the squad, and I don’t think Germany can leave a player with the quality of Marin on the bench, at least not in the long-term.

Huntelaar Is Eager To Impress Alongside Raul And Jurado For Schalke.

Our first taste of Bundesliga football this season has been interrupted by an international break where top players from every Bundesliga side travel far and wide to meet up with their national team-mates and battle it out for European Championship qualification. It’s always interesting to see which Bundesliga players find their form during their national break, and how many of them can ride that vein of form back into the Bundesliga season.

New Schalke signing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has yet to make his debut for the Konigsblauen, gave an excellent performance with the Netherlands against San Marino last night. While San Marino aren’t the most formidable of opponents, a hat-trick is always a sign of top form from a striker, or from any player for that matter. Huntelaar was being played sparingly during his time with Real Madrid and then AC Milan, so he will be delighted with the fact that he will be a key man in Magath’s Schalke side this season. If he can continue his form, there is no reason why he can’t be top goalscorer by the end of the term.

Schalke have also signed legendary Spanish striker Raul this summer, but so far Raul has not been banging in the goals that many expected him to. This is more down to the players surrounding Raul rather than Raul himself. Playing alongside Edu is not the same as playing alongside Huntelaar. While Edu is a decent player, he just doesn’t have the quality or the extra bit of class that Huntelaar has. A Raul-Huntelaar duo up top for Schalke looks absolutely deadly on paper, and let’s hope they can produce on the pitch as well.

The service to Schalke’s frontmen must also be top notch for the strikers to perform to perform at their highest levels. The signing of Jose Manuel Jurado, a playmaker with the flair and dribbling ability of a young Deco, will provide just that for Magath’s side. Huntelaar has always thrived on finishing attacking opportunities, not beginning them. If Jurado can get the ball to Raul and Huntelaar in and around the 18-yard box, we’ll be yelling GOAL! before either striker has even taken the shot.

With a front three like Schalke’s, with Huntelaar and Raul sitting up top, and Jurado playing in behind them as a trequartista, there is nearly a guarantee that Schalke will provide some fantastic football. While their defending is really a bit of a let down at present, they’ll not need to worry if they can put the ball in the back of the net at will and outscore their opponents.

Schalke’s next matches are away to Hoffenheim and then away to Lyon in the Champions League. Not the easiest games to be debuting in for Huntelaar, but with the form he’s recently shown with the Netherlands, I expect him to shine regardless of his opponents because of the quality players Schalke now have in attack.

Khedira Confident Of Keeping National Team Place Despite Ballack Challenge.

Sami Khedira has spoken about Joachim Loew’s decision to name him and Schweinsteiger as Germany’s first-choice defensive midfield pairing, and has challenged Michael Ballack for the right to fill the midfield role for the national side. Khedira stepped into the midfield and into the limelight during the 2010 World Cup in Ballack’s stead. The veteran midfielder was ruled out through injury, but has set his sights on a swift return. Khedira, though, will not surrender his position easily.

“In his career, Michael Ballack has done much for German football and has produced several excellent performances at major tournaments. But with all due respect to him, that may no longer matter. I know that I do not have to hide, and can bring to the national team my own style and, hopefully, success.”

If Khedira should continue to impress, then Ballack’s status in German football may not count for much if the ex-Chelsea man can’t perform on the field like he used to years earlier. At 34 years old, Michael Ballack is nearing the end of what has been, without a doubt, a fantastic career. Pushing himself into his best form, and winning back a starting place with his national team, though, may be too big an ask for even a play with the class of Michael Ballack.

Joachim Loew himself has stated that Ballack must fight for his place in the side, regardless of his captaincy or his status. The pressure is on for Ballack, but at Leverkusen where he is surrounded by players who respect him and support him, he may just turn things around and for himself into Loew’s plans once more. His next opportunity would be next month’s European Championship qualifying matches.

At Real Madrid, Khedira will be honing his technique on the field under arguably the greatest manager of this or any decade, Jose Mourinho. Chances are, then, Khedira will continue to impress and improve and Ballack may be up against it to fight his way back into the national setup.

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Vermaelen Is As Hard As Nails.

Joachim Loew’s young German side, who managed a third-place finish at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, will be looking to pick up where they left off against Belgium for Germany’s first round of European Championship qualifying matches. The tournament will be held in Poland and Ukraine in 2012, but before Joachim Loew’s side can set their sights on the trophy, they will need to top a very competitive qualification group where they will be pit against the likes of Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Germany’s qualification campaign starts against a Belgian side who are full of young talent of their own, and will probably be Germany’s main threat for qualification.

Loew’s side will know that their opponents are well equipped and are very capable of beating any opponent on their day. Despite having a relatively low profile on the European and World football scenes, Belgium are a side that continues to improve thanks to the impressive youth setup the domestic league has adopted. Experienced manager Georges Leekens will likely field a lineup capable of attacking Germany while remaining solid in defense. Here’s a possible starting XI:

Bailly — Gillet, Vermaelen, Kompany, Deschacht — Fellaini, Defour, Witsel — Hazard, Lukaku, Dembele

Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Logan Bailly certainly would be a top choice for any national side, and while many would expect him to be severely tested against Germany, the four defenders in front of him are nothing shabby either. Anderlecht duo Gillet and Deschacht may be Belgium’s weak-spot, but they will more than likely tuck back and seldom push forward to support attacks. With Thomas Mueller and Lukas Podolski running at them, they’d be wiser to hold their position than burst forward. At the heart of Belgium’s defense is Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen, dubbed ‘The Verminator’ for his no-nonsense approach, and Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany, whose positional sense and awareness will be key for Belgium.

Don’t Let The Afro Fool You, Fellaini Is One Tough Customer.

In midfield, Belgium have players capable of controlling possession and passing opposition sides to death. Everton’s Marouane Fellaini, who will be Belgium’s destroyer in midfield, will sit behind Standard Liege duo Steve Defour, who will play the ‘Xavi’ role for Belgium, and Axel Witsel, who will look to dribble through the center of the pitch and supplement attacks. Defour’s passing range is vast, and his creativity from deeper positions will be a real threat that Germany will need to be very aware of. Witsel, on the other hand, is a much more attack-minded player. He will look to use his movement and his quick passing moves to link up with Belgium’s front three and carve Germany’s back-line open with quick one-two’s around the 18-yard box.

Up top, Belgium are inexperienced but hugely talented. The average age of Belgium’s attacking players is only 19 and a half, but their quality cannot be denied. Outside-left is Lille wonderkid Eden Hazard, who has been likened to both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi because of his excellent dribbling skills and flair. I personally think he is a player very much in the mould of Franck Ribery, who can cut an opposition defender to ribbons before cutting inside and either picking a pass or trying a shot from the edge of the box. Certainly an immense weapon in Belgium’s arsenal. Wide-right is Fulham’s newest addition, Moussa Dembele. Dembele made his name with AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie where he helped his side to the title in the 2008–2009 season after narrowly missing out under manager Louis van Gaal in the 2006–2007 term. Dembele has already netted for Fulham despite playing only three games for the English side, and has also been their best creative threat since joining in the summer. Through the middle is Belgium’s youngest but arguably most promising player in the form of the towering Romelu Lukaku.

He’s A Beast! Lukaku’s Physical Attributes Alone Will Be A Test For Germany.

Lukaku has just recently broken into Anderlecht’s first-team, but has been extremely impressive despite his very young age. Lukaku’s physical presence is what makes him a real threat in the box, where he will look to get very tangled up with Germany’s center-halves. Think Didier Drogba, but a lot taller.

The match will certainly not be easy for Loew’s side, but if they can snag three points against Belgium — who will probably be their hardest competitors in their qualification group — then they will likely cruise to qualification.

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