Match Prediction

[Duggie]

i just dont know, worse case scenario bulgaria start really well start knocking it about nicely, one two's, hostile crowd. then we could be in for a long hard night. hopefully whelan and andrews put it about a bit in midfield.

looking at it you can see a draw but hopefully we will nick it.
i'll go for a 1-0 to us with robbie knocking away a peno(fingers crossed).

[irishfan86]

1-0, Robbie with the goal, and Folan involved somehow.

[Junior]

Whelan to get one from the edge of the box. not sure if that will get us a result but hopefully a 1-0 or 1-1.........

[livehead1]

2-0 to Bulgaria.

[Kingdom]

Република България 0 - Rep Of Ireland 1

Has to be SSL to score doesn't it?

[Scram]

Can't see us winning. I've predicted before that our luck will run out, we have had an awful lot of it. This could be the night.

Even with Berbatov and Petrov back I am still hopeful of a 1-1 .

Praying for a 0-1 or 1-2 but a draw under the circumstances would have to be seen as a decent result. Look at midfield and show me a leader? I don't see one.

[tommy_c12000]

1-1 with St. Ledger scoring a late equaliser from a set piece

[Duggie]

Can't see us winning. I've predicted before that our luck will run out, we have had an awful lot of it. This could be the night.

Even with Berbatov and Petrov back I am still hopeful of a 1-1 .

Praying for a 0-1 or 1-2 but a draw under the circumstances would have to be seen as a decent result. Look at midfield and show me a leader? I don't see one.

have we though? where apart from the peno decision against georgia ya, but that happens. we've had plenty of those decision go against us through the years.

[ifk101]

1-0 Ireland

Glenn Whelan to score from the halfway line in the third minute of injury time.

[CJTheGull]

1-1 - I think we really are a 'draw' team and Trap just loves picking up the odd point here and there. We should finish at least 2nd and I suppose the Play-Off's is a different kettle of fish although - we'll probably get Russia or Croatia or someone.

[elroy]

0-0

And id be very happy with that. There is always the chance that if its 0-0 late on and Bulgaria probably needing to win the game that we might be able to nick one on the break. I think Traps message will be to keep things as tight as possible at the back and dont give away anything silly early on.

[Duggie]

feck the play off's. we need a result here and beat italy at croker. hopefully ita;y will drop a few points along the way and we top the group. thats what we should be aiming for.

[shep]

1-0 to us....O'Shea with the winner!!!

[youngirish]

have we though? where apart from the peno decision against georgia ya, but that happens. we've had plenty of those decision go against us through the years.

To paraphase an earlier post from yourself that's bull.

We've been lucky all the way through. We were lucky to get Georgia at a neutral venue. Lucky to beat both Cyprus and Georgia at home. Lucky to draw with the Bulgarians. Lucky to grab the equaliser in the last seconds against a ten man Italy we struggled to create anything against in the previous 90 minutes.

What games were you watching? Must have been the ones were McGeady was delivering killer final balls all the way through the match.

[Duggie]

To paraphase an earlier post from yourself that's bull.

We've been lucky all the way through. We were lucky to get Georgia at a neutral venue. Lucky to beat Georgia at home. Lucky to draw with the Bulgarians. Lucky to grab the equaliser in the last seconds against a ten man Italy we struggled to create anything against in the previous 90 minutes.

What games were you watching? Must have been the ones were McGeady was delivering killer final balls all the way through the match.

we will have to disagree on this one mate. thats not luck. luck for me is hitting the post with a shot and it bouncing off the keeper and rolling in over the line.

lucky to get georgia at a neutral venue, well there was a conflict there so dont see how thats luck. ok georgia at home bit of luck but thats football. lucky to draw with bulgaria at home, were we. id say the result was fair. lucky to grab the equaliser in italy ???? eh no we werent.

[weldoninhio]

3-0 to Bulgaria. A walk in the park for them. Stilyan Petrov to run rings around Andrews and Whelan on his own, just like he did in Croker.

Except this time he has Martin Petrov and Dimi Berbatov as outlets.

[irishfan86]

Look at midfield and show me a leader? I don't see one.

Andrews captained MK Dons, and he looked like a leader in the match against Nigeria.

In the few matches he has played for us, he has always shown the courage to take shots on, and go into tackles hard. He has managed to establish himself as a Premier League regular relatively late in his career, even if he finished the season playing out of position.

With regards to Whelan, he started the season on the fringes of the Stoke team, and has since become a regular. Sure he broke into the team because of injury, but he stayed there because of merit.

Remember, this isn't a Stoke side that just barely avoided relegation- this is a Stoke team that comfortably established itself in mid-table.

I don't think I've seen one person call Whelan or Andrews world-class, or even top-class, and in truth, at this stage nobody would describe them as such; but both of these lads are battlers who have overcome adversity in one way or another this season, and are exactly the type of characters I'm willing to put my trust in on Saturday in a hostile away environment.

[Duggie]

i actually prefer whelan of the two of them. i think hes a decent player, good long range shot aswell.

[irishfan86]

I think they're of a similar level, but as a midfield partnership I'm still not entirely convinced.

Thought Miller and Andrews complemented each other very well against Nigeria.

As I say, if we're chasing the game, I'd considering taking off Whelan for Miller.

[Duggie]

I think they're of a similar level, but as a midfield partnership I'm still not entirely convinced.

Thought Miller and Andrews complemented each other very well against Nigeria.

As I say, if we're chasing the game, I'd considering taking off Whelan for Miller.

if were chasing the game bringing miller on wont make no difference.

[Jofspring]

2-1 to Bulgaria i think. Irelands goal coming as a late consolation goal from Robbie Keane.

[jbyrne]

To paraphase an earlier post from yourself that's bull.

We've been lucky all the way through. We were lucky to get Georgia at a neutral venue. Lucky to beat both Cyprus and Georgia at home. Lucky to draw with the Bulgarians. Lucky to grab the equaliser in the last seconds against a ten man Italy we struggled to create anything against in the previous 90 minutes.

What games were you watching? Must have been the ones were McGeady was delivering killer final balls all the way through the match.

we created 4 or 5 chances against italy. only one team pushed on in that match after the 10th min and it wasnt italy.

what about the pen decision (total stonewall pen) we didnt get away to montenegro? what about the disallowed goal in the first half v georgia at home that was later shown to be a bad ref decision? we've had a bit a bit of luck but thats what happens when you're well organised and show some desire. we've also had some things go against us

1-1 at best i feel. think we might lose 2 nil i'm afraid

[DeLorean]

we will have to disagree on this one mate. thats not luck. luck for me is hitting the post with a shot and it bouncing off the keeper and rolling in over the line.

lucky to get georgia at a neutral venue, well there was a conflict there so dont see how thats luck. ok georgia at home bit of luck but thats football. lucky to draw with bulgaria at home, were we. id say the result was fair. lucky to grab the equaliser in italy ???? eh no we werent.

Luck seems to be a controversial topic on this forum anyway, with some people thinkin it doesn't exist - ask Dodge for example:) However I do believe that anything that could possibly have gone our way has gone our way. Starting with the neutral venue against Georgia when every other team in the group had to visit Tblisi. This is a very significant advantage especially considering Bulgaria drew there, and to boot the Georgia keeper threw one into the net for us. I thought we were horrendous in our home match with Cyprus and survived largely due to their inadequecies. The penalty decision against Georgia speaks for itself and the ridiculous sending off of Pazzini was a welcome break as well.

Don't get me wrong long may it continue but these thing are major factors. I agree that we have been robbed so many times over the years that this turnaround is very welcome. Also I would point out that there's no point in getting the breaks without taking advantage of them, and we have done.

Prediction: 1-1 (H/T:0-1)

[Torn-Ado]

2-0 to Bulgaria. Them to score early and midway through the second half.

[Den Perry]

2-0 to Bulgaria. Them to score early and midway through the second half.

I can't believe all the pessimism. Granted, we were poor at home to Bulgaria, but we have drawn away to the world champions and should have beaten them(albeit against ten men). We have a brilliant, shrewd manager and some very good players. I expect us to get a draw worst case scenario. My only worry is a dodgy ref, but read on another thread that he's pretty experienced

[Stuttgart88]

have we though? where apart from the peno decision against georgia ya, but that happens. we've had plenty of those decision go against us through the years.I agree. Saying we were lucky - which we have been at times - is just one side of it. Disallowed good goal in Dublin v Georgia, Doyle tripped in the box in the same game, stonewall penalty not given in Montenegro, narrow misses in Bari, lots of injuries (Duff mainly, Steven Reid, Finnan all missing key games, Doyle for this one...) and so on.

Italy have been way luckier than we have so far - they were blessed to get a result in Cyprus, blessed not to have Canavarro sent off in Montenegro (which would have had him suspended fot Bari) and they got a few other breaks.

[Colbert Report]

We'll be playing for a 0-0 draw but an early goal from Bulgaria means that we need to attack and get caught on the counter, only to score a late consolation goal. 2-1 Bulgaria. Hope I'm wrong.

[Torn-Ado]

I can't believe all the pessimism. Granted, we were poor at home to Bulgaria, but we have drawn away to the world champions and should have beaten them(albeit against ten men). We have a brilliant, shrewd manager and some very good players. I expect us to get a draw worst case scenario. My only worry is a dodgy ref, but read on another thread that he's pretty experienced

Ireland away from home never fills me will confidence. 22 years since we've beaten any half decent opposition on their home turf. We may get a draw but I expect a far better attacking Bulgarian side than the one we seen in Dublin.

[irishultra]

2-0 Bulgaria, they will score within the first 15 and then in the last 10.:(

[Noelys Guitar]

I really like the way we are playing away from home. I can't see Petrov being allowed to dictate the game the way he did in Croker. And as good as the returning players for Bulgaria are they have some very poor players as well. I really fancy us to win this game. I hope the Bulgarians come out with all guns blazing as I feel this will suit us. I always feel the away team has a much better chance against a home team that MUST win the game. 2-0 or 3-1 Ireland

[Stuttgart88]

Assuming Dunne is fit we've got a chance to finally get a meaningful away win again. I think it'll boil down to whether Andrews & Whelan can compete in midfield and allow us to play a lot of the game in their half.

I think if we were in the habit of getting results away I'd be quite optimistic but I never have faith in our ability to win away.

Score draw.

[Dun Laoire]

Take the draw now. Still gives us that 2 point cusion at the very least. If we win we gotta be looking at topping the group.

Anyway for what it's worth i think it will only go two ways. Either we get beaten or a draw, i just can't see us getting all 3 points.

[Wangball]

2-0 win for Ireland

Goals from Keith Andrews and Robbie Keane

C'mon Ireland!!!!!

[Hibernian]

I agree. Saying we were lucky - which we have been at times - is just one side of it. Disallowed good goal in Dublin v Georgia, Doyle tripped in the box in the same game, stonewall penalty not given in Montenegro, narrow misses in Bari, lots of injuries (Duff mainly, Steven Reid, Finnan all missing key games, Doyle for this one...) and so on.

Italy have been way luckier than we have so far - they were blessed to get a result in Cyprus, blessed not to have Canavarro sent off in Montenegro (which would have had him suspended fot Bari) and they got a few other breaks.

Agree with that

When we get a bit of luck we seem to have to apologise for getting it..

But when we are unlucky well its basically just our lack of talent excuses excuses.

Sometimes you make your own luck.. I can tell you plenty of times Ireland have been unlucky down the years..Plenty

As for score tomorrow night if I had to pick winner I go with Bulgaria but think we might nick a 1-1 draw in what could be poor game

[Stuttgart88]

When we get a bit of luck we seem to have to apologise for getting it..

But when we are unlucky well its basically just our lack of talent excuses excuses.
I think that's fair.

All games have incidences where you ride your luck or get a break. If football were more predicatble I wouldn't have half the fascination I have for it.

Were the rugby team heroic grand slam champions or were they lucky Jones' kick fell a few feet short of the bar?

[Hibernian]

Were the rugby team heroic grand slam champions or were they lucky Jones' kick fell a few feet short of the bar?

Thats the difference between success and failure at times. Im sure Ireland would not have got a heros welcome if Jones had snuck that over (and he should have scored was easy enough kick for player like him he expect get 75-85% of those)

[Scram]

have we though? where apart from the peno decision against georgia ya, but that happens. we've had plenty of those decision go against us through the years.

re. Luck

mmm....sending Italian off for a challenge that may not even have been a free kick.....


And re. luck, off topic but I would say that Brian Kerr had more bad luck than any other manager (mixed with some not so good decisions)

[DeLorean]

feck the play off's. we need a result here and beat italy at croker. hopefully ita;y will drop a few points along the way and we top the group

Can't see Italy dropping too much. Croke Park is obviously their toughest game left. They've pretty much their banana skin matches out of the way with now having played Cyprus, Montenegro and Bulgaria away. 7 points from those 3 was a great return.

[Maroon 7]

Not sure about a score but I think we'll get beat.

[Qwerty]

Last away win against decent opposition: Scotland 87
Last home win against decent opposition: Holland 01

Prediction draw.

Trap really hasn't been able to do any better results wise than Brian Kerr. Bulgaria had a bad start and gifted us a couple of points, we needed to beat them in Dublin and didn't, we'll probably pay the price for that.

But I'm hoping for a win and a new dawn :):D

[Umberside]

1-0 to us....O'Shea with the winner!!!

I don't think he's ever scored for Ireland, has he?:confused:

[tetsujin1979]

I don't think he's ever scored for Ireland, has he?:confused:
Scored against Australia in a friendly a few years ago under Brian Kerr: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2003/aug/20/newsstory.sport2

[DeLorean]

I don't think he's ever scored for Ireland, has he?:confused:

He has he got a header around the time of his first goal for United against Wolves, struggling to remember the opposition but think it was a friendly.

Edit: Australia!!!

[Fitzy]

I think we'll get beat 2-0. It's going to be really hot over there and I think they'll be much better at keeping the ball than we will, especially without Doyle holding it up for us. I'm worried about Martin Petrov tearing us apart down the left wing as well. O'Shea will have to be on his game for us to even get a draw out of this game. If McShane plays at right back we will get pumped by 3 or 4.

I love the misplaced optimism on this site with posters predicting an Ireland win. We haven't done this against a top European side in 42 years, the Czechs in 1967 (I don't count the win against Scotland in 1987). Having said this, we have to win away against one of the top sides in our group one day, let's hope it's tomorrow night. It's long overdue.

[hoop4life]

trap will be cute enough to know that petrov cannot be allowed to run the game the way he did in croker. andrews to man mark him and take him out of the game. as for m. petrov and berbatov, well petrov has hardly played all season and berba has been a shambles for utd, cannot be too high on confidence, richard dunne to take care of him.
my heart says 2-1 ireland but my head says a 1-1 draw which i would take with open arms.

[billybunter]

Andrews captained MK Dons, and he looked like a leader in the match against Nigeria.

In the few matches he has played for us, he has always shown the courage to take shots on, and go into tackles hard. He has managed to establish himself as a Premier League regular relatively late in his career, even if he finished the season playing out of position.

With regards to Whelan, he started the season on the fringes of the Stoke team, and has since become a regular. Sure he broke into the team because of injury, but he stayed there because of merit.

Remember, this isn't a Stoke side that just barely avoided relegation- this is a Stoke team that comfortably established itself in mid-table.

I don't think I've seen one person call Whelan or Andrews world-class, or even top-class, and in truth, at this stage nobody would describe them as such; but both of these lads are battlers who have overcome adversity in one way or another this season, and are exactly the type of characters I'm willing to put my trust in on Saturday in a hostile away environment.

thank you. You're user name is appropriate!

[Closed Account]

trap will be cute enough to know that petrov cannot be allowed to run the game the way he did in croker. andrews to man mark him and take him out of the game. as for m. petrov and berbatov, well petrov has hardly played all season and berba has been a shambles for utd, cannot be too high on confidence, richard dunne to take care of him.
my heart says 2-1 ireland but my head says a 1-1 draw which i would take with open arms.

Pretty much echo this. Everything points to a draw but my heart says ireland by 1. Folan is the key. How he holds it up and brings keane and in particular duffer into the game who i think will put in a good performance. Goals from an unexpected sources like stephen hunt and maybe killer. :ball:

[Delbertt]

Heart says 1-0 Ireland
Head says 1-0 Bulgaria

C'mon IRELAND:ball:

[Stuttgart88]

I know Martin Petrov is a good player, very dangerous on his day. But I've also seen him when he's been totally average at best, nothing whatsoever to fear. I think O'Shea has faced better and done well recently.

[SkStu]

good to see my pessimism is rubbing off on you all.

to buck the trend i will say 2-1 to us. Keane and Andrews.