WALES manager John Toshack admits his side need to start picking up points away from home if they are to have any hope of qualifying for the World Cup.

Toshack goes into battle with Joachim Loew and Germany in Monchengladbach tonight hoping to add to the six points Wales have already picked up thanks to narrow home wins over Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein.

After a brave defeat in Russia last month, Toshack knows that points against the big boys are a must if they want to be in South Africa in 2010.

“I look at this group and I honestly think this is the toughest one we could have got,” he said.

“We have to go away from home and get a positive result against the top seeds because only getting points at home won’t be enough to qualify.”

Wales earned a creditable 0-0 draw in Frankfurt last year and Toshack believes that result will be a help to his young squad tonight.

“If we look at that game, we have Koumas, Bellamy and Bale who weren’t with us then so that gives us confidence this time,” he added. “Psychologically it’s a result we can use and it’s a big positive.

“But we know the Germans well, we played them twice last year and we saw them at Euro 2008.

“We know what a difficult task it is here. This is our most difficult game in the group. We’ve been unlucky away from home in the past but we have to put that behind us and try again.

“This game is massive and a positive result for us would really put the cat among the pigeons in this group.”

Toshack confirmed that Gareth Bale and Carl Robinson are both in contention to start after they recovered from slight knocks.

Lewin Nyatanga is suffering with blisters, however, and that could mean that Newport’s James Collins gets the nod if, as expected, Toshack reverts to a three-man central defence at Borussia Park.

Craig Bellamy will definitely start after showing no ill effects from his 80-minute stint on Saturday but the issue of who will take a penalty for Wales is less clear.

“I don’t know who will take them,” said Toshack after seeing his players miss three spot-kicks in successive matches.

“I hope we don’t get one to be honest with you, it would be a load off my mind.”