Veh faces selection dilemma
Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by PA
Wolfsburg coach Armin Veh is facing up to a major selection headache ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League clash against Besiktas with concerns over all three of his strikers.
The German champions' success last season was built around the lethal partnership between Edin Dzeko and Grafite, the pair combining for 54 goals in the German top flight to make them the highest-scoring duo in Bundesliga history.
Veh also brought in Nigeria's former Inter Milan striker Obafemi Martins from former Premier League club Newcastle in the summer as cover.
But the trio have not fired so far this term.
Dzeko has at least shown signs of improvement recently but a thigh injury is set to rule him out of the clash.
"I can only hope it feels better on Wednesday," he told Bild-Online.
Grafite was recently dropped to the bench due to a run of poor form and failed to endear himself to Veh by then accusing the coach of a lack of respect.
Martins, meanwhile, has struggled to adapt to life in Germany and has also been suffering with a shin injury.
The trio all played in Wolfsburg's opening Group B game, a 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow with Grafite netting a hat-trick, but it has been downhill since then.
A subsequent 2-1 defeat at Manchester United has left the pool wide open with Veh urging his side to make home advantage count again tomorrow against the Turks.
"We must win our home games," said Veh, no doubt aware of the fact that away games at Besiktas and CSKA are likely to prove problematic.
Besiktas come into the game following a tempestuous encounter at the weekend which saw them reduced to nine men.
They still managed to see off Kasimpasa 2-1 but did so despite the late dismissals of German midfielder Fabian Ernst and Italian centre half Matteo Ferrari.
Besiktas have lost both of their first two games in the group - at home to United and away in Moscow - and striker Nihat Kahveci is aware their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages could hinge on a positive result at the Volkswagen Arena.
"We need to earn a point or points this time," he said.
"Every away game is difficult. Our opponent is strong and plays well at home."
Besiktas must also reverse a losing habit if they are to take something away with them.
The Turks have met German opposition on five occasions in European competition and lost each time.
Their chances will not be helped by an injury list which contains Filip Holosko, Batuhan Karadeniz, Onur Bayramoglu and Ridvan Simsek.
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