Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

[Stuttgart88]

If it came down to it, would you like to play them?No, I'm rubbish.

[Kingdom]

lol, it's lighter moments like that which make the lead in to an important game durable. That, and whisky.

[boovidge]

Afterthought:
If we fail to get seeded, I think we are doomed. So it's essential we get past Armenia and that either France or Serbia stay out of the playoffs. My reading.

There is a big gap between the non-seeded teams (who look beatable, Czechs/Scots/Estonia/Bosnia/Montenegro...) and the seeded teams (who are all better outfits than us, France/Serbia/Croatia/Greece/Sweden/Denmark/Serbia...).

I know Bosnia and Montenegro and the Czechs are not mugs, but they're beatable.

Alan hansen today described montenegro as 'as good as a pub team'. How do these guys keep their jobs?

[Charlie Darwin]

Because he's voicing the opinions of your average gob****e in a pub who honestly believes England will win the Euros, as he has for every other major championships since he learned to walk.

[geysir]

Didn't Montenegro rest 3 players against England, hedging their bets in case they had to get a result in Switzerland?

[koneinc]

Because he's voicing the opinions of your average gob****e in a pub who honestly believes England will win the Euros, as he has for every other major championships since he learned to walk.

Grating as it is, it does make it all the more enjoyable when the English team implodes

[mypost]

Denmark v Portugal, should go to plan.

What is the plan?

Looks like the classic winner-takes-all, 6-pointer to finish the group to me.

[French Toasht]

The Portugal v Denmark one is an interesting one. Both sides can draw and advance as Denmark would get best second, this is presuming Sweden don't get a result in Holland. I hope Sweden get the best second place. Think they would be a more difficult assignment than Denmark if we end up unseeded.*

*If we end up in the play-offs in the first place.

[mypost]

Sweden are at home. Holland have nothing to play for. If we got them, it would be a menu starter for the next campaign.

[geysir]

Holland don't play a dead rubber game. Sweden will have their work cut out to get a result.

[DannyInvincible]

I've only had the chance to skim through this briefly but am I correct in thinking that if we beat Armenia and France beat Bosnia & Herzegovina then we'll be seeded for the play-off draw? Even if Serbia do manage to beat Slovenia away?

At the minute, of the teams yet to have qualified (with the exception of Russia who should beat Andorra at home and qualify top of our group) ranked ahead of us (http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#2011) for the purposes of seeding, we have seven in Serbia, Denmark, France, Sweden, Greece, Croatia and Portugal. That number will be whittled down to four no matter what happens as three of them will have to qualify automatically from Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Croatia or Portugal. That would leave four ahead of us as things stand in Serbia, France, Greece/Croatia and Portugal/Denmark/Sweden (two of these three must qualify automatically, either as group winners or best overall runners-up, if I'm not mistaken). If France beat Bosnia, we'll move into that fourth slot. Is this correct or have I missed something?

Obviously, if we draw, that will complicate matters and we may have to rely on Slovenia holding or beating Serbia, France beating Bosnia, and Turkey being held by or losing to Azerbaijan. Maybe even the Czechs drawing with or losing to Lithuania?

[BonnieShels]

Yes you are.

[geysir]

Is this correct or have I missed something?

If we do win, afaiu the Czech Rep and Turkey can overtake us in that UEFA ranking table, if they better our winning difference by 2 goals.

[mypost]

Current Seedings

Pot 1
Croatia
Sweden
Ireland
Bosnia

Pot 2
Scotland
Belgium
Montenegro
Estonia

There will probably be a change or two before the final list is known.

[zero]

I've only had the chance to skim through this briefly but am I correct in thinking that if we beat Armenia and France beat Bosnia & Herzegovina then we'll be seeded for the play-off draw? Even if Serbia do manage to beat Slovenia away?

At the minute, of the teams yet to have qualified (with the exception of Russia who should beat Andorra at home and qualify top of our group) ranked ahead of us (http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#2011) for the purposes of seeding, we have seven in Serbia, Denmark, France, Sweden, Greece, Croatia and Portugal. That number will be whittled down to four no matter what happens as three of them will have to qualify automatically from Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Croatia or Portugal. That would leave four ahead of us as things stand in Serbia, France, Greece/Croatia and Portugal/Denmark/Sweden (two of these three must qualify automatically, either as group winners or best overall runners-up, if I'm not mistaken). If France beat Bosnia, we'll move into that fourth slot. Is this correct or have I missed something?

Obviously, if we draw, that will complicate matters and we may have to rely on Slovenia holding or beating Serbia, France beating Bosnia, and Turkey being held by or losing to Azerbaijan. Maybe even the Czechs drawing with or losing to Lithuania?

that's correct i believe. i have not seen this mentioned in any media though, only on web forums.

[zero]

I've only had the chance to skim through this briefly but am I correct in thinking that if we beat Armenia and France beat Bosnia & Herzegovina then we'll be seeded for the play-off draw? Even if Serbia do manage to beat Slovenia away?

At the minute, of the teams yet to have qualified (with the exception of Russia who should beat Andorra at home and qualify top of our group) ranked ahead of us (http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#2011) for the purposes of seeding, we have seven in Serbia, Denmark, France, Sweden, Greece, Croatia and Portugal. That number will be whittled down to four no matter what happens as three of them will have to qualify automatically from Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Croatia or Portugal. That would leave four ahead of us as things stand in Serbia, France, Greece/Croatia and Portugal/Denmark/Sweden (two of these three must qualify automatically, either as group winners or best overall runners-up, if I'm not mistaken). If France beat Bosnia, we'll move into that fourth slot. Is this correct or have I missed something?

Obviously, if we draw, that will complicate matters and we may have to rely on Slovenia holding or beating Serbia, France beating Bosnia, and Turkey being held by or losing to Azerbaijan. Maybe even the Czechs drawing with or losing to Lithuania?

i'm not sure if france need to beat bosnia. a draw will see france top, and bosnia second. we're ahead of bosnia in the rankings so that would remain the case - if we win.

http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#2011

i have not seen this mentioned in any media though, only on web forums.

[geysir]

Won't there be at least one 'upset' as regards getting through to the playoffs out of Armenia, Scotland, Estonia and Belgium?
I wonder which one it will be :)

[Sullivinho]

I fancy Slovenia to torpedo the Serbs, to Estonia's delight.

[geysir]

Then we are off the hook?

[Kingdom]

What is the plan?

Looks like the classic winner-takes-all, 6-pointer to finish the group to me.

A 0-0 wouldn't surprise me.

[Kingdom]

Won't there be at least one 'upset' as regards getting through to the playoffs out of Armenia, Scotland, Estonia and Belgium?
I wonder which one it will be :)

Scotland don't necessarily have to do anything tonight (I can't see them getting anything from Spain) - Czech's are poor and unpredictable, and they play Lithuania in Vilnius, having lost to them already at home. Lithuania have been relatively decent in the recent past, not threatening to qualify or close to it, but pulling off decent results here and there, and it's not beyond possibility that they'll cause a shock tonight against the Czech's. This would in turn lead to your shock referenced above Geysir.

Belgium is a really intriguing one. They have the makings of a fantastic, truly world class team in place at the moment. All they need is a bit of big game experience. To go to Germany and win is about a tough a prospect as they can have, but they'll have to do that. They have the players definitely, but they've handicapped themselves by some strange results in the group. A long shot.

Armenia we know the story.

My money is on Estonia. They don't have to worry about their own game, they've the points on the board and are winning the head to head. Serbia must win in Slovenia. A derby. They've been erratic, but perhaps the play-off all-or-nothing nature of tonight's game might focus their minds. Don't see it myself.

[paul_oshea]

So 3 upsets then kingdom :)

[Kingdom]

So 3 upsets then kingdom :)

nah, just the one in Estonia. Just can't see Scotland or Belgium getting the breaks.

[Irwin3]

If we do win, afaiu the Czech Rep and Turkey can overtake us in that UEFA ranking table, if they better our winning difference by 2 goals.

If we win 1-0 then Turkey need to win 32-0 and the Czechs need to win 12-0 to overtake us.

[backstothewall]

Anyone got any idea if we are going to be seeded or not???

[BonnieShels]

AT THE moment we are not seeded as France are lying in second in their group.

[geysir]

If we win 1-0 then Turkey need to win 32-0 and the Czechs need to win 12-0 to overtake us.
Is it not 501 points per goal scored and minus 500 per goal conceded?
That's what I read on the file (http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#references) which explains the procedure.

But its 30,000 points for a win. So maybe the Czechs would need a few hatfuls of goals

[backstothewall]

AT THE moment we are not seeded as France are lying in second in their group.

I thought, based on what Irwin 3 said about the Czechs, and the list they gave on RTÉ, we will be seeded??? France, Portugal and Sweden ahead of us? Turkey, Czechs, Estonia and Montenegro behind us?

But anyway, FRANCE JUST EQUALISED!!!

[geysir]

Allez les bleus

[backstothewall]

Allez les bleus

Never thought I would see someone say that on here again.

Vive le France!

[Closed Account]

Is it not 501 points per goal scored and minus 500 per goal conceded?
That's what I read on the file (http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#references) which explains the procedure.
Thats correct on the points per game, but you get 30,000 for a win, so 500 here or there isn't much, and even then that only goes towards your average. So it's plus 500/number of games played (10 or 8)

[backstothewall]

Full Time: Slovenia 1 - 0 Serbia

I think we're seeded, though wouldn't mind a final whistle in Paris

[geysir]

87 minutes, Kostadinov is just coming on for Bosnia.

[geysir]

Ginola has the ball on the wing,
what happens next?

[Stuttgart88]

You wake up out of your coma?

[geysir]

Bosnia are making the French sweat.
4 minutes injury time, 2 mins left

The French hoofing the ball away,
disgraceful way to play the game.

[backstothewall]

anyone got a stream?

[geysir]

Kostadinov didn't have the legs this time.
France get their point

[geysir]

Estonia are through??

[geysir]

Time to start a play off thread, this one is finished.

[backstothewall]

Estonia are through??

God I hope we get them!

[the bear]

Kostadinov didn't have the legs this time.
France get their point

so what's the story are we seeded???????????

[Maroon 7]

so what's the story are we seeded???????????

No according to World Soccer magazine on twitter anyway.

Top seeds would be Croatia, Portugal, Czech Rep and Turkey.

Unseeded are Ireland, Bosnia, Montenegro and Estonia.

[Stuttgart88]

yes, it appears so.

Did the Carling Cup results impact our ranking / seeding? If so, inspired choices by FAI :)

Thanks Norn Iron for sending their U19 Bs.

[Irish_Praha]

No.

Top seeds would be Croatia, Portugal, Czech Rep and Turkey.

Unseeded are Ireland, Bosnia, Montenegro and Estonia.

Lads make up your minds :p

[French Toasht]

No.

Top seeds would be Croatia, Portugal, Czech Rep and Turkey.

Unseeded are Ireland, Bosnia, Montenegro and Estonia.


This is wrong. We are seeded

[AlaskaFox]

According to UEFA, the Czech Republic have overtaken Bosnia. So our possible opponents are Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro, or Estonia

[the bear]

According to UEFA, the Czech Republic have overtaken Bosnia. So our possible opponents are Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro, or Estonia

nice one. come on estonia

[DeLorean]

According to UEFA, the Czech Republic have overtaken Bosnia. So our possible opponents are Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro, or Estonia

Do you have a link to this bit of info?

[Condex]

Don't think we are seeded.

www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/news/newsid=1689808.html#play+draw+krakow