Euro 2016 qualification

Billy86 · 11-10-2014 9:50pm

So much for the theory some had that we are far superior to Poland and shouldn't be worried about them. Can't remember if it was in here or not, but some were saying it after our Georgia match.

Worst part of this is we now play a pissed off Germany with something to prove. Absolutely terrible result for us all round. Happy for Poland but from an Irish perspective there's really not a (realtlistic) positive spin for us to put in this.

keith16 · 11-10-2014 10:06pm

Great result for Poland!! Delighted for them!!

Zeek12 · 11-10-2014 10:27pm

DubDani wrote: »

I am convinced that the Germans will still win the group comfortably. Poland, Scotland and Ireland will take loads of points of each other, with the Germans now more focused.

It's that part about the Germans being "more focused" that will cause us problems!

There will definitely be a response from them Tuesday night

Beefy78 · 12-10-2014 12:38am

Poland are a decent side and are very strong at home. England struggled there and were lucky to get a point in the last qualifying round. They don't travel great though and I can't see them winning in either Glasgow or Dublin.

Point is I wouldn't be too down tonight about that result if I was Irish. This is a great group and will go all the way to the wire, IMO.

nice_guy80 · 12-10-2014 10:18am

Just shows you need to be positive against the Germans

Andersonisgod · 12-10-2014 10:50am

SlickRic wrote: »

They don't play pure tiki-taka, so they've very much got the message actually.

Most of their goals have come from 5 passes or less this season.

I don't think that's much of an indication at all. Look at their possession stats, infact just look at them play, they couldn't do anything but tiki taka.

ctrl-alt-delete · 12-10-2014 11:03am

Beefy78 wrote: »

Poland are a decent side and are very strong at home. England struggled there and were lucky to get a point in the last qualifying round. They don't travel great though and I can't see them winning in either Glasgow or Dublin.

Point is I wouldn't be too down tonight about that result if I was Irish. This is a great group and will go all the way to the wire, IMO.

I am of the same opinion. I don't think there is much between ourselves, Poland and Scotland. The head to heads involving those three are hard to call.

If Poland go and beat Scotland on Tuesday though, they will have some serious momentum in this group. Do we hope for a draw in that one?

ArmaniJeanss · 12-10-2014 12:07pm

In the absence of citytilidie.
*****
Match Day 3.
Sunday.
Russia v Moldova SkySports 5pm
Austria v Montenegro
Estonia v England ITV 5pm
Ukraine v Macedonia
Belarus v Slovakia
Lithuania v Slovenia
Luxembourg v Spain SkySports 7.45pm
Sweden v Liechtenstein

Monday.
Kazakhstan v Czech Republic Sky Sports 5pm
Bosnia and Herzegovina v Belgium
Andorra v Israel
Latvia v Turkey
Wales v Cyprus SkySports 7.45pm
Malta v Italy
Croatia v Azerbaijan
Iceland v Netherlands SkySports 7.45pm
Norway v Bulgaria

Tuesday.
Denmark v Portugal ITV4 7.45pm
Gibraltar v Georgia
San Marino v Switzerland
Faroe Islands v Hungary
Finland v Romania
Germany v Republic of Ireland RTE/SkySports 7.45pm
Greece v Northern Ireland SkySports 7.45pm
Poland v Scotland SkySports 7.45pm
Serbia v Albania

All other games also available behind the Sky red button.

Alfred Borden · 12-10-2014 12:50pm

We were always in a battle for third with Scotland so I dont get the disappointment last night.

Utopia Parkway · 12-10-2014 2:23pm

Raf32 wrote: »

We were always in a battle for third with Scotland so I dont get the disappointment last night.

Not the way many felt beforehand though. Still don't think Poland are guaranteed 2nd even after winning last night to be honest. They are more than capable of losing a few games in this group along with Scotland and Ireland.

Alfred Borden · 12-10-2014 2:25pm

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Not the way many felt beforehand though. Still don't think Poland are guaranteed 2nd even after winning last night to be honest. They are more than capable of losing a few games in this group along with Scotland and Ireland.

I was holding out hope we might pip them but know we wont. They are a good bit better than us in fairness. We just need to better Scotland.

Utopia Parkway · 12-10-2014 2:27pm

Raf32 wrote: »

I was holding out hope we might pip them but know we wont. They are a good bit better than us in fairness. We just need to better Scotland.

No point aiming for 3rd already. It was one win but long long way to go in this group yet. Poland could easily lose away to both Scotland and Ireland.

2ndcoming · 12-10-2014 3:40pm

Raf32 wrote: »

We were always in a battle for third with Scotland so I dont get the disappointment last night.

Don't agree with that at all, it's no way clear cut still. That was a shocking result last night and ****e from an Irish point of view, but there is very little between the three going for 2nd and 3rd. Any one could end up filling those spots.

Billy86 · 12-10-2014 4:01pm

I'm a bit lost about Scotland/Poland in a few days... what do people reckon we should be looking for, a draw or Scotland to win? It's in Poland so I guess we should be happy of its a draw, but a Scottish win would at least go some way to negating Poland's win yesterday. Puts us at more risk for missing out on third, but gives us a better chance to get 2nd.

Alfred Borden · 12-10-2014 4:55pm

Sterling not playing today due to tiredness. Its only October. Liverpool will have to start resting him and stop burning him out.

nice_guy80 · 12-10-2014 5:16pm

Georgia will take points off people in Tbilisi.
Scotland and Poland have to go there yet.

It's going to be an interesting group.

Alfred Borden · 12-10-2014 5:33pm

Rooney has been awful so far

Alfred Borden · 12-10-2014 6:31pm

Raf32 wrote: »

Rooney has been awful so far

and he scores :pac:

RQ2013 · 12-10-2014 6:39pm

He's no Robbie Keane!!

DazMarz · 12-10-2014 8:13pm

What a goal from David Silva! Jesus...

klose · 12-10-2014 8:19pm

What a miss from costa then

Andersonisgod · 12-10-2014 9:38pm

Commentator here talking about how tonight is a pivotal night for Spanish football. Following the great team of Xavi, Puyol, Xavi Alonso, Villa, Casillas is as tough a task as you could hope to find in football but tonight a new generation begins to emerge. Sergio Busquets ended the night as captain, Koke, Bartra, De Gea, Costa, Alcacer and others must now follow in the footsteps of the greatest international team ever, I believe you couldn't ask for a better group of players to take on such a task.

AdamD · 12-10-2014 9:44pm

Of course you do

Skylinehead · 12-10-2014 11:03pm

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Commentator here talking about how tonight is a pivotal night for Spanish football. Following the great team of Xavi, Puyol, Xavi Alonso, Villa, Casillas is as tough a task as you could hope to find in football but tonight a new generation begins to emerge. Sergio Busquets ended the night as captain, Koke, Bartra, De Gea, Costa, Alcacer and others must now follow in the footsteps of the greatest international team ever, I believe you couldn't ask for a better group of players to take on such a task.

https://vine.co/v/OAEpVPPuxAh

Andersonisgod · 13-10-2014 12:00am

The big man is off the mark now for Spain and all the vines in the world can't discount his undoubted quality, Costa arrived at Chelsea a champion of Spain, he has taken England by storm.

greendom · 13-10-2014 9:01am

Andersonisgod wrote: »

The big man is off the mark now for Spain and all the vines in the world can't discount his undoubted quality, Costa arrived at Chelsea a champion of Spain, he has taken England by storm.

And with a touch like that, it's easy to see why ! And did you mean to use Brazilian as an adjective, rather than big ?

elefant · 13-10-2014 9:44am

Interesting after so many years of Spanish teams based on players from Barca and Real, the much-changed team last night had much more of an Athletico Madrid and Valencia -grown represntation.

De Gea, Alba, Bernat, Koke, Costa, Silva, Paco all of whom came to prominence at clubs apart from Barca and Real all played last night, and Rodrigo (a Real youth product) now plays for Valencia. That's 8 of 14 players; when's the last time that was the case in a Spanish side?

Good signs for Spanish football I'd say, despite the recent dip.

Skylinehead · 13-10-2014 10:37am

Andersonisgod wrote: »

The big man is off the mark now for Spain and all the vines in the world can't discount his undoubted quality, Costa arrived at Chelsea a champion of Spain, he has taken England by storm.

You're no fun

GLaDOS · 13-10-2014 10:49am

Spain overcame the mighty Luxembourg I see.

Shanotheslayer · 13-10-2014 11:01am

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Commentator here talking about how tonight is a pivotal night for Spanish football. Following the great team of Xavi, Puyol, Xavi Alonso, Villa, Casillas is as tough a task as you could hope to find in football but tonight a new generation begins to emerge. Sergio Busquets ended the night as captain, Koke, Bartra, De Gea, Costa, Alcacer and others must now follow in the footsteps of the greatest international team ever, I believe you couldn't ask for a better group of players to take on such a task.

Pivital? It was Luxembourg...

Andersonisgod · 13-10-2014 1:00pm

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Pivital? It was Luxembourg...

That doesn't matter, it's what it represented, it's who ended the game on the pitch, who started it on the bench. When the history books are written it'll be told that a new era of Spanish football began in a humble town in Luxembourg.

Optimalprimerib · 13-10-2014 1:05pm

Andersonisgod wrote: »

That doesn't matter, it's what it represented, it's who ended the game on the pitch, who started it on the bench. When the history books are written it'll be told that a new era of Spanish football began in a humble town in Luxembourg.

Its not as if they were in the doldrums of world soccer, before the world cup they were favorites

Skylinehead · 13-10-2014 1:07pm

Andersonisgod wrote: »

That doesn't matter, it's what it represented, it's who ended the game on the pitch, who started it on the bench. When the history books are written it'll be told that a new era of Spanish football began in a humble town in Luxembourg.

And if they lose their next game, ala Slovakia? New era again?

greendom · 13-10-2014 1:08pm

Skylinehead wrote: »

And if they lose their next game, ala Slovakia? New era again?

Some eras are very short-lived.

Shanotheslayer · 13-10-2014 1:12pm

Andersonisgod wrote: »

That doesn't matter, it's what it represented, it's who ended the game on the pitch, who started it on the bench. When the history books are written it'll be told that a new era of Spanish football began in a humble town in Luxembourg.

You talk some dribble mate.

Redo91 · 13-10-2014 2:10pm

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

Its not as if they were in the doldrums of world soccer, before the world cup they were favorites

Were Brazil not favourites?

Andersonisgod · 13-10-2014 4:03pm

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

Its not as if they were in the doldrums of world soccer, before the world cup they were favorites

Not the doldrums but slipping. It's not only about performance but also personnel. Xavi is gone, the greatest player Spain has ever produced, the embodiment of over 30 years of Michel's and Cruyff's system, the hub of the most successful national team ever is gone. Alonso is gone, Puyol is gone, Villa is gone, Casillas is on the way out, for Spain it's a new era.

Skylinehead · 13-10-2014 4:43pm

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Not the doldrums but slipping. It's not only about performance but also personnel. Xavi is gone, the greatest player Spain has ever produced, the embodiment of over 30 years of Michel's and Cruyff's system, the hub of the most successful national team ever is gone. Alonso is gone, Puyol is gone, Villa is gone, Casillas is on the way out, for Spain it's a new era.

Eh, I'm pretty sure that Johan Cruyff himself is the embodiment of Total Football.

Donnielighto · 13-10-2014 7:12pm

Ireland to beat Germany. The poles were allowed to beat the Germans to lower the suspicion. As the papers go with Ireland win in Germany the budget doesn't attract huge flack. Merkel and ends happy.

Moral of the story lump on Ireland/Keane anytime scorer.

SlickRic · 13-10-2014 7:19pm

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I don't think that's much of an indication at all. Look at their possession stats, infact just look at them play, they couldn't do anything but tiki taka.

you have no idea what tiki-taka is.

The fact that Barca mix it up like they do now, by definition, means they're not a tiki-taka team anymore.

Spain are realising it too now.