Germany in unfamiliar territory

Germany players train ahead of the qualifier against Poland. (Source: Reuters)

Germany are in the unusual position of having to challenge for their Euro 2016 qualifying group top spot but coach Joachim Loew said he was confident the World Cup winners could beat leaders Poland on Friday and dampen their enthusiasm.

“Poland are on a high, they are a bit euphoric,” Loew told reporters on Thursday. “They are group leaders and they know they can qualify for a big event again. They have a good harmony and they are enjoying their game. We know we will meet an opponent who is dangerous and it won’t take care of itself automatically.”

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Germany, who lost to Poland 2-0 last year, are a point behind in second place of Group D on 13, with Scotland, whom they face on Monday, third on 11.

“Poland have a clear philosophy,” Loew said. “For example in all games apart from Gibraltar they have less possession than the opponents, even less when they played Georgia. They give the game to the opponent and wait.

For us the issue is what solutions can we find, how do we move in that space, what runs we make. Also how can we stop their counterattacks. These are the two issues which we need to solve tomorrow.”

Loew, who will be without in-form winger Marco Reus, ruled out with a fracture toe, said the team felt no pressure despite being in second place in the group.

“Compared to other qualifications and years it is a bit of a different starting point. We used to be ahead, in pole position in the groups and maintained that,” said the coach.

“But it is not a special pressure situation. We are happy to be in this situation, to have decisive games ahead of us. It is a special challenge that I do not feel as pressure.”

Loew said he had several options to replace Reus, with either Andre Schurrle or Lukas Podolski while also confirming Mario Goetze would play on Friday.

Goetze, who scored the winner over Argentina in the World Cup final last year, has been struggling at Bayern Munich under coach Pep Guardiola in the past two seasons.

Mesut Ozil was also cleared to play after missing training earlier this week with a minor knee injury. “Mesut had problems in training yesterday. But Mesut will play. There are no issues with his knee now,” Loew said.

However, Germany have worries upfront with forward Marco Reus ruled out of the game. after fracturing his toe during a league match, the team said on Thursday, dealing a blow to the World Cup winners who are desperate for points. Reus left the team hotel on Wednesday evening after team doctors diagnosed the injury.

“The painful injury which the 25-times capped international sustained in the Bundesliga match against Hertha Berlin (last week) makes his participation in the two international matches impossible,” the German team said in a statement.

“Further treatment will be undertaken at Borussia Dortmund.” The 26-year-old has had a long list of injuries in his career, one of which ruled him out of the World Cup last year on the eve of the team’s departure for Brazil.

Rooney in focus

Wayne Rooney can break Bobby Charlton’s 45-year-old record and become the first player to score 50 goals for England when Roy Hodgson’s men take on San Marino and Switzerland in their two upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers in the next week. Charlton’s record of 49 goals from his 106 internationals has stood since May 1970 but Rooney, who has 48 in 105 matches, has the perfect opportunity to beat it when England play tiny San Marino in Serravalle in Group E on Saturday.

If he should fail, the England skipper, who has scored in England’s last five qualifiers and has grabbed nine goals in his last 12 England games, will get a second chance when England play Switzerland at Wembley next Tuesday.

Victory against San Marino, who have only avoided defeat in one competitive international in the last 10 years, will virtually ensure England’s qualification for next year’s finals in France, and they will make absolutely certain of their place by beating Switzerland as well.

England top the group with a perfect haul of 18 points from their six matches, with Switzerland trailing them on 12 and Slovenia third with nine.

Even if England win on Saturday there remains the minute mathematical chance they could finish on 21 points with Switzerland and Slovenia, but in real terms, they are virtually home and dry.

And despite a host of injuries, coach Roy Hodgson will certainly hope to see England stretch their unbeaten run in World Cup and European qualifiers to 26 when they take on San Marino.

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, one of the men included in the squad, partly as a result of the injuries to other players but more significantly because of his good early season form for Swansea City, says he will do all he can to help Rooney get the record on Saturday.

Last week, Shelvey, whose only cap came against San Marino in 2012, was in the Swansea side that beat Rooney’s Manchester United 2-1 in the Premier League, but on Wednesday their club allegiances were put to one side.

“For me he is the best English player in England,” Shelvey told a news conference at England’s training base at St George’s Park in the Midlands. “He is a tremendous player, and it speaks volumes of what he is about to do. If I play, I will try and set him up to get the two goals for the record and hopefully he can do it.” England have won all five competitive matches they have played against San Marino with a goal tally of 31-1 and even without the injured Ryan Bertrand, Jordan Henderson, Jack Wilshere, Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck, they are virtually certain to win again.

San Marino coach Pierangelo Manzaroli achieved something of a minor miracle in November when his team drew 0-0 with Estonia, the first time they managed to avoid a competitive defeat in a decade.

He has little chance of repeating that relative success against England who won 8-0 at Serravalle on their last visit there for a World Cup qualifier in March 2013, when Rooney scored once.

He also scored against them in England’s 5-0 win at Wembley last October.