Tuesday 14 October 2014 08:08, UK
Germany boss Joachim Low says his team are expecting a tough match against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday night in Gelsenkirchen.
The World Cup winners have struggled a touch since they were triumphant in Brazil, having been beaten by Argentina in a friendly before claiming a narrow victory over Scotland and then losing 2-0 in Poland on Saturday.
That defeat ended Germany’s 33-match unbeaten run in qualifying and they will now play host to an Ireland side who have won their first two qualifiers.
Low said: “If you ask me what the mood is like now, fury is the wrong word, anger is the wrong word.
“But, what you can feel is some kind of determination, that we really badly want these three points against Ireland.
"But there is no incredible disappointment in the team. That would be wrong to say.
"We have seen both the Irish games and have analysed them, and we can expect some sort of copy of Poland. There's nothing new to us.
“The Irish are good fighters, they have commitment and fantastic fighting spirit, and they know how to defend.
They are a very well organised team but, at the same time, they have excellent players, like Robbie Keane, who is very experienced and has an eye for goal.
"They are a very well organised team but, at the same time, they have excellent players, like Robbie Keane, who is very experienced and has an eye for goal, Aiden McGeady, James McClean, and other players who come from the wings and are very good at dribbling around their opponents.
"Like Poland, they are very fast on the counter, coming from the wings and putting dangerous crosses in.
"They come to Germany with self-confidence and, with three teams being able to qualify from this group, they are in with a more than reasonable chance of actually making it to France."
Low added that his team are used to playing against sides who raise their game for the occasion.
We used to be the hunter, now we are the prey.
"The difficulties we are experiencing at the moment are of a type that we have experienced many times before,” he said.
“But, generally speaking, I don't think the position now is any more difficult than it's always been.
"We used to be the hunter, now we are the prey.
“We know that teams like Scotland will play with incredible motivation against us, but that was true even after (the World Cup in) 2010 and (Euro) 2012.
"We know the situation, we know how to get by it, but it's no different now than it used to be."
Watch Germany v the Republic of Ireland live on Sky Sports 5, with coverage from 7pm on Sky Sports 5 on Tuesday.
