Joachim Low Needs Bayern Munich's Stars to Step Up for Germany Against Ireland

Saturday's 2-0 loss to Poland was a dismal result for Germany, who were defeated for the first time in competitive play since 2010, ending a 33-game unbeaten streak in major tournament qualifiers that dated back to 2007.

Germany's first-ever defeat to Poland was a big disappointment for Joachim Low and company, although the Bundestrainer will have taken some confidence from good performances from relative newcomer Christoph Kramer and debutant Karim Bellarabi.

Otherwise, however, Germany were disappointing. Their more experienced and generally most trusted players were either absent in attack or shockingly culpable at the back. Mario Gotze, Andre Schurrle and especially Thomas Muller never really got into the game. In defense, Mats Hummels looked a player who'd only played one full Bundesliga match prior to Saturday's qualifier; his poor positioning and Manuel Neuer's unwise decision to come off his line resulted in Poland taking a shock lead in the second half.

As German tabloid Bild observed, Jerome Boateng can also consider himself culpable in the opener for being too far away from his central defensive partner.

It was only one qualifier and although third in their group, behind Poland and Ireland, Germany should still have few problems booking their spot at Euro 2016. They will, however, need to turn things around quickly before any real doubt sets in.

Germany have a chance for redemption on Tuesday as they take on Ireland in a match that could see them leapfrog the second-placed team in Group D. And although much attention will be on the squad's newcomers, the expectation will be for Germany's longstanding starters to deliver. This means Low will need a good day from his Bayern Munich contingent.

Throughout Low's tenure, Bayern players have enjoyed a special status. It didn't take long for Muller to find his way into the team and he, like Boateng and Neuer, have rarely been doubted as starters. By contrast, Marco Reus hardly played at Euro 2012 despite a brilliant 2011-12 Bundesliga campaign that saw him named German Footballer of the Year a month after the tournament's end.

Low's preference for Bayern players is rather natural; they traditionally have been under more pressure at club level and typically have more experience in the latter stages of the Champions League than their peers at clubs like Borussia Monchengladbach.

And perhaps because of their tests on Europe's greatest stage, the likes of Muller and Neuer walked into the Germany first team with few problems. It's this kind of stability that is so important to national team coaches and that in many other cases is exceedingly difficult to find.

Although it's true that the tables are turning and that Bayern (who sent eight Germany players to Euro 2012 but now have just five who featured at the 2014 World Cup) have growing competition from Dortmund, Schalke and even Real Madrid for having the most representatives in the German squad, the Bavarians remain decidedly the club most associated with Germany.

The Nationalmannschaft's triumph in Brazil this summer was a bigger celebration for the Bavarians than for any other club, with Muller earning the silver boot and silver ball awards, Gotze netting the winner in the final and Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm widely lauded for their heroics. On the other side of the coin, however, any loss is of greater responsibility for the Bundesliga's record champions.

Having stumbled in Warsaw, Germany need their Bayern stars especially to pick up the slack and deliver the necessary performances to convince against Ireland. That means no more mistakes at the back and more sharpness in and around the penalty area from Gotze and Muller. Unlike Bellarabi and Antonio Rudiger, they know what it's like to play in tournament finals and understand how to lift their performance when it matters most.

Although the Ireland match is not a do-or-die for Germany, Low's men will need a convincing win to assert themselves as world champions. For the Nationalmannschaft's Bayern contingent in particular, the pressure is on.

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