Germany can edge closer to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup by beating Romania in Hamburg on Friday with Chelsea striker Timo Werner under pressure to maintain his goal-scoring run for the national team.The Germans have struggled to find a reliable striker since Miroslav Klose retired in 2014 after setting an all-time record of 16 goals at World Cup finals.Former Germany striker Mario Gomez know what it’s like to be the national’s team go-to guy.”You need a killer instinct upfront. If you don’t have a robust centre-forward, you have to think of other solutions and that’s what Germany head coach Hansi Flick is doing.”Timo Werner has had 16 goals ruled out because of VAR since joining Chelsea. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/ZBaVmQEASg— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) October 5, 2021 Werner has managed only two goals in eight Chelsea games this season, but is on a good run for Germany having hit the net in all three September internationals. A clinically taken close-range goal against Liechtenstein, a tap-in against Armenia, and a scrappy effort that went in off the post late on against Iceland boosted Werner’s record to 19 goals in 45 internationals. Yet his tally of 14 goals in 60 games for Chelsea is a poor return compared to the 95 he scored in 159 matches for previous club RB Leipzig before last year’s transfer to Stamford Bridge. Germany are on the verge of punching their ticket to next year’s World Cup in Qatar. They are four points clear at the top of their qualifying group after winning their last three games under Flick, beating Liechtenstein, Armenia and Iceland by scoring 12 goals in the process and conceding none.Match day! Mali vs @Harambee__Stars. Your predictions? #WCQ2022 #WCQ #WCQUALIFIERS pic.twitter.com/tp23ZEENC8— Mozzart Sport Kenya (@MozzartSportKe) October 7, 2021 Wins over Romania in Hamburg and away to North Macedonia next Monday could secure a World Cup berth before November’s final qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Armenia.Werner arrived in the German camp after scoring his first Premier League goal for Chelsea since April in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton and eager to learn more from Flick, the coach who gives players the impression “that he wants to work with you.””For me, it’s great that Hansi Flick clearly says how you can improve, he’s always very positive, not just critical.”After Leroy Sané, Hansi Flick wants to help Timo Werner get back on track. The coach spoke to Werner for a long time in training explaining how to optimize his runs & positioning. Flick also met Thomas Tuchel when he went to London and they spoke on how to help the striker [Bild] pic.twitter.com/MgzTCC3dUg— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) October 5, 2021 Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff sees time with the national team as a chance for Werner to “gain self-confidence and to show” Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel he is a reliable goal-scorer. Bierhoff insists Flick “thinks the world of” Werner, but the 25-year-old has to repay the faith.Flick can afford to have patience in Werner, because Germany have not struggled to score in recent games with Bayern Munich wingers Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane in impressive form. In Gnabry, Sane, Jamal Musiala, Marco Reus and Thomas Mueller, Flick has “enough players in attack who can score goals”, said Gomez.Werner predicts the German team “will have no problems scoring in the long run”, but “we have to be aware that every chance counts” and, for him, a dry spell for Germany is not an option.FIFA WORLD CUPEuropean qualifyersFriday21.45: (25.0) Latvia (13.0) Netherlands (1.10)21.45: (2.25) Turkey (3.40) Norway (3.45)21.45: (20.0) Gibraltar (12.0) Montenegro (1.12)21.45: (2.45) Estonia (3.10) Belarus (3.40)21.45: (1.70) Czech R. (3.60) Wales (6.25)21.45: (1.13) Germany (10.0) Romania (23.0)21.45: (15.0) Cyprus (6.25) Croatia (1.25)21.45: (2.25) Iceland (3.25) Armenia (3.60)21.45: (22.0) Liechtenstein (9.00) Macedonia (1.15)21.45: (1.87) Russia (3.50) Slovakia (4.80)21.45: (9.00) Malta (4.00) Slovenia (1.50)Saturday16.00: (4.50) Lithuania (3.40) Bulgaria (1.95)16.00: (4.40) Kazakhstan (3.50) B&H (1.95)19.00: (3.80) Azerbaijan (3.05) R.Ireland (2.30)19.00: (3.60) Finland (3.10) Ukraine (2.35)19.00: (1.95) Scotland (3.50) Israel (4.40)19.00: (3.50) Georgia (3.00) Greece (2.45)19.00: (1.37) Sweden (5.10) Kosovo (10.0)21.45: (9.00) Luxembourg (4.60) Serbia (1.43)21.45: (1.35) Switzerland (5.10) N.Ireland (11.0)21.45: (15.0) Faroe I. (6.25) Austria (1.25)21.45: (30.0) Moldova (12.0) Denmark (1.10)21.45: (2.10) Hungary (3.20) Albania (4.20)21.45: (50.0) Andorra (20.0) England (1.02)21.45: (1.01) Poland (30.0) San Marino (60.0)***odds are subject to change
