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Bayer Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiessling has defended his goalscoring record ahead of his side's trip to Augsburg tomorrow night.

The 27-year-old has managed just one goal to start the new season and lost his place in the Germany squad as a result of a barren spell.

Kiessling feels that the criticism being levelled at him is unfair but insist he has no point to prove against an Augsburg side without a win.

"Anybody who has a clue about football knows how we work as forwards,'' he said in an interview to be aired by Sky television ahead of tomorrow night's match.

"People have got to understand that it is not all about the strikers scoring goals.

"The priority is not to concede and strikers should no longer be judged by how many goals they are scoring nowadays.''

While Kiessling has only scored once in four games to start the campaign, he feels his performances have still been beneficial to the team.

"I cannot understand some reporters who say that I have worked hard again, run a lot, but then been poor in front of goal,'' he added.

"It annoys me when I hear such a thing. I cannot bear it.

"My statistics are fine. I have played over 200 Bundesliga matches and scored, statistically speaking, in every third game.

"For my kind of game, that is okay and I don't care what anybody else says.''

Augsburg coach Jos Luhukay would certainly welcome a player with such a record in his side as the Bavarians seek their first win in the Bundesliga.

They have found the back of the net only three times in their first four games with striker Sascha Molders scoring all of them.

Coach Jos Luhukay hopes new signing from HJK Helsinki, Dawda Bah, can do something to change that record.

"He is definitely an option,'' revealed the Dutch coach.

So too is youngster Akaki Gogia as Luhukay searches for a replacement for the injured Marcel Ndjeng, who has been sidelined for over a month with an ankle injury.

Leverkusen will be without the suspended Michal Kadlec and the injured Rene Adler, but coach Robin Dutt has ruled out making any further changes in view of next week's trip to Chelsea in the Champions League.

"We will only let the anticipation of that game affect us after the final whistle tomorrow,'' he said.

"We are 100 per cent focused on this game in Augsburg.''

FC Augsburg vs Leverkusen Head to Head :

DFB-Pokal ‎(GERC)‎ Sep 23, 2008 FC Augsburg 0 - Leverkusen 2

FC Augsburg vs Leverkusen Probable Lineups :

Augsburg players (from): Oehrl, Mayer, Langkamp, Sinkala, Amsif, Roeck, Verhaegh, Reinhardt, Hosogai, Luhukay, Davids, Bellinghausen, Rafael, Sankoh, Baier, Werner, Bah, Callsen-Bracker, Ndjeng, Brinkmann, Thurk, Mohrle, Molders, Gogia, Jentzsch, Kapllani, Hain, Nebel, Gelios, Jong