BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER HAS been named in Germany’s squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Sweden.
The Bayern Munich playmaker missed Germany’s last five internationals through injury but is in line to win his 100th cap if he features in Koln next Friday and in Stockholm four days later.
The Germans can clinch qualification with a win against Noel King’s Ireland but coach Joachim Low is without a host of his stars for the final two games in Group C.
Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose, Marcel Schmelzer, Ilkay Gündogan and Lukas Podolski have all been ruled out.
Borussia Monchengladbach’s Max Kruse, who only has three international caps, is the only out-and-out striker in the side.
Germany currently lead Group C on 22 points, five clear of Sweden.
Germany (vs Ireland and Sweden)
Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Hamburg SV), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Rob-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96).
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg SV), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (Schalke 04), Mario Götze (Bayern Munich), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Özil (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Sidney Sam (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).
Strikers: Max Kruse (Borussia Monchengladbach).
I wonder are the German media reporting Reid/ Gibson are back for us..
Cool Gibsons back your so lucky
There are 5 people in there that DON’T play champions league football…
Should be grand though, we’ve no central defence but we’ve got Andy Reid back.
Correction. 6 players…
Just get a few free kick and let Reid at them
In the last few qualification games, we have had literally no players who are good at taking set pieces nor anyone who can score from them bar Long.
Stephen Hunt, Liam Lawrence, Keith Fahey, Andy Reid, Robbie Brady, James McClean and Kevin Doyle all out of the team/squad for one reason or other; while we have had Glenn Whelan taking set pieces and players like Walters, Cox and Green starting regularly.
What with Trapattoni finally pissing off; the return of Andy Reid, Gibson, Doyle, and the emergence of Brady and Pilkington, our options are looking a bit more promising.
It’s just a pity that we haven’t got a big man in the vein of Stapleton or Quinn; and our defensive options are aging and we don’t have many to replace them; and Reid and Hoolahan are aging; and accommodating Keane is going to stop us from making any tactical progress.
Fairly harsh on Whelan. His set pieces for us have been fairly good. While McClean has done little in an Irish jersey yet to justify the hype that once surrounded him.
A typical example I could give you would be Austria at home. McClean took at least 5 corners, not one beating the first man. Whelan took the next. Goal.
If there is one thing, just one thing,Whelan offers us, its a good delivery from set pieces.
One of the best midfielders out there. He rarely miss places a pass and dictates the speed of play for Germany and Munich. Can’t see nothing but a Germany win, with or without Bastian
Are people actually serious about Andy Reid. Ha ha. Unleash him against Germany. Aye dead on. Whats he going to do? What has he ever done? Irelands saviour. Get a grip. He has had a decent start in a 2nd division thats it. He’s not international class and never was!!!
Coincidentally, Andy Reid was Ireland’s best player when we played Germany in Euro 2008 qualification.
He also has twice as many goals in half as many games as Glenn Whelan.
But you carry on talking nonsense.
Props to Keith Falkiner on Score’s facebook page.
we do have a lot to play for actually. according to uefa’s co-efficients we are currently in the final spot to be seeded number 2 in the next draw for the euro’s (therefore avoiding the possibility of drawing a group including 2 teams, i.e. such as germany & belgium, seeded ahead of us). to remain in that spot we need to win both our remaining games. if we win just one, we have to hope that turkey, norway and slovakia don’t win their final 2 games. so there actually is still a fair bit to play for
Here’s hoping it won’t be days of Schwein and Reuses for the Germans.
Does he play cricket
Ah Jayzus
The German midfield options are frightening.