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Hot-Shot Eastwood To Start For Wales Against Germany
Wales manager John Toshack will give a home debut to Freddy Eastwood
in tonight's Euro 2008 qualifier against Germany.
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After scoring the only goal of the game on his international
debut last month as Wales earned an impressive victory in Bulgaria, striker
Freddy Eastwood is being given the chance to shine at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff as Wales take on runaway Group D leaders Germany.
For Eastwood, 23, this season has started like a dream. As well as scoring
a magnificent solo goal for Wales on his debut, the former Southend United
star has already hit four goals for Wolves this season, and been named
Championship player of the month for August.
Wales manager John Toshack said Eastwood fully deserved to keep his place
in the side.
"We're quite pleased with what we've seen from him," said the
national team boss.
"He obviously scored on his debut against Bulgaria, which was a tough
game for him.
"The Bulgarians pushed hard, and at times we had difficulty getting
players up with him. But he did OK in the 45 minutes he played and scored
his goal.
"We've had a lot of 0-0 draws where we've had chances to win, and
the one chance he had he stuck it away.
"The keeper [Hennessey] as well made some important saves during
that match.
"So two important positions - centre forward and goalkeeper - both
did well in Bulgaria. They will both go in from the start against Germany."
Wales captain Craig Bellamy, who missed training on Friday, is set to
partner Eastwood as Toshack goes with a 3-5-2 formation.
Carl Robinnson and Jason Koumas return to the line-up after missing that
Bulgaria game in Bourgas, easing fears that Wigan midfielder Koumas would
be sidelined by a calf injury sustained in training with the Wales squad
on Wednesday.
Toshack said of Koumas: "He is a key player for us, and since Ryan
[Giggs] has finished, the responsibility on him has become greater."
Spurs left-back Gareth Bale (pictured) will be used by Toshack as a wing-back
against Germany, with Toshack admitting that Joe Ledley can "consider
himself unfortunate to be left out."
Sam Ricketts is expected to continue at right-back, with central defenders
James Collins, Danny Gabbidon and Lewin Nyatanga lining up as the back
line of three.
Simon Davies will probably partner Koumas and Robinson in the centre of
midfield, with Bellamy operating just behind Eastwood.
West Ham striker Bellamy had to leave the squad's training HQ on Thursday
night when he was called to hospital where because of concerns about his
newly born daughter.
But Toshack explained: "I am sure it will not affect him and he will
be able to concentrate fully on the match."
Germany currently boast the best record of any side in the Euro 2008 qualifying
campaign, but are without some key players in Michael Ballack, Torsten
Frings, Tim Borowski, Phillip Lahm and Bern Schneider.
But Wales have an impressive record against Germany in recent games in
Cardiff, with two wins, a draw and one defeat in the last four meetings.
Germany defender Christoph Metzelder said: "We always knew that the
away games with Wales and the Republic 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."
Probable Wales Starting XI:
Hennessey (Wolves);
Collins (West Ham), Gabbidon (West Ham), Nyatanga (loan at Barnsley);
Ricketts (Hull), Robinson (Toronto), Davies (Fulham), Koumas (Wigan),
Bale (Totteham Hotspur);
Bellamy (West Ham), Eastwood (Wolves).
Subs (from): Price (Derby), Coyne (Tranmere), Evans (Wrexham), Morgan
(Peterborough), Crofts (Gillingham), Fletcher (Crystal Palace), M Jones
(Wrexham), Ledley (Cardiff), Llewellyn (Wrexham), Earnshaw (Derby).
Germany Squad:
Robert Enke (Hanover 96), Timo Hildebrand (Valencia), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal),Gonzalo
Castro (Bayer Leverkusen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Manuel Friedrich
(Bayer Leverkusen), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder
Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid), Christian Pander (Schalke
04), Roberto Hilbert (VfB Stuttgart), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart),
Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich),
Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg SV), David Odonkor (Real Betis), Mario Gomez
(VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Cologne), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich),
Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich).
Goal.com,
08/09/2007
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