Walcott's threat is confirmed by Lehmann
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Your support makes all the difference.Germany are so worried about Theo Walcott they have asked his Arsenal team-mate Jens Lehmann for inside information ahead of a possible World Cup meeting with England.
Jürgen Klinsmann's hosts will take on Sven Goran Eriksson's men in the second round if either side tops their group and the other finishes second in theirs. If Germany dodge Walcott and England in the second round, the next time the rivals could meet would be in the final.
Arsenal's teenager is still a new face to Eriksson - and therefore a completely unknown quantity in Germany. But not so to Lehmann, who spent four months training with the 17-year-old at The Gunners' London Colney training ground after his January move from Southampton.
The Germany centre-back Christoph Metzelder said the Arsenal goalkeeper had already been tipping off his national team-mates about what to expect from Walcott, who is set for his senior debut against Hungary tonight.
"It's possible we could face England in the next round," said the Borussia Dortmund defender. "Wayne Rooney is a very important person for them but they also have other outstanding strikers. Jens Lehmann said although Walcott hasn't yet played for Arsenal in the League, he's a very skilful player. He's trained with him and practised with him. He can now talk more about him, about his skills and speed."
Klinsmann's preparation for the road to Berlin continues tonight as Germany take on Japan in Leverkusen. The Chelsea pair, Michael Ballack and Robert Huth, are both troubled by ankle injuries and could miss out.
"We'll talk to the doctor and see if he can play, or if it's better to wait two or three days," said Klinsmann of Ballack's chances. "But in no circumstances will we take a risk."
Ballack suffered what was originally thought to be just a minor ankle strain in a training match last Thursday but it was sufficiently painful for him to miss Saturday's 7-0 win over Luxembourg in Freiburg.
He was due to return to at least light training early this week but time is running out for him to play in Leverkusen.
Germany will leave their Swiss base this morning and set up camp in Düsseldorf. After a couple of days off, the hosts will then move to their Berlin base on 5 June for the tournament in Berlin.
Klinsmann said he was satisfied with the way the training camps in Sardinia and Switzerland had gone. "You can see we've done a lot of work with the players on tactics and fitness," Klinsmann said. "It's all worked very well."
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