World Cup Qualifying 2018, UEFA Group D - Opponent Watch

[DeLorean]

BBC - Ramsey ruled out for Wales. (http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37500334)


Fixtures-

Thursday, 6th October 2016
19:45 Austria v Wales
19:45 Moldova v Serbia
19:45 Republic of Ireland v Georgia

Sunday, 9th October 2016
17:00 Wales v Georgia
19:45 Moldova v Republic of Ireland
19:45 Serbia v Austria


A really significant double header for Austria in particular.

[Cymro]

Not just Ramsey, but Jonny Williams too. Two of our best attacking players out, but we do still have Bale, Allen and our solid defence. If we get 4 points from the games it will be a good result.

[pineapple stu]

Qatar 3-0 Serbia in a friendly in midweek. Not sure what sort of team Serbia had out, but hardly a good result.

[Cymro]

I did notice that result too. Serbia have much better players than that result suggests, but maybe (hopefully) they will just be poorly organised and set up throughout this campaign.

[DeLorean]

Qatar 3-0 Serbia in a friendly in midweek. Not sure what sort of team Serbia had out, but hardly a good result.

Nobody of note really. Only Mladenovic started against us, assuming it's the same guy. From a quick look I don't even think anybody else made the squad against us, bar Jovanovic who was an unused sub.

LiveScore.com (http://www.livescore.com/soccer/intl/friendly/qatar-vs-serbia/1-2384066/)

Kljajic
Petkovic (46' Cirkovic)
Milenkovic (46' Kovacevic)
Miletic (46' Urosevic)
Mladenovic (46' Plavsic)
Poletanovic
Ozegovic (46' Gobeljic)
Ristic (46' Stanojevic)
Jovanovic
Maras
Stankovic

[DeLorean]

Not just Ramsey, but Jonny Williams too. Two of our best attacking players out, but we do still have Bale, Allen and our solid defence. If we get 4 points from the games it will be a good result.

I thought Vokes was very good for Burnley the other night against Watford. He really makes it stick and brings others into play. We have a couple of those types too of course but Vokes has a few years on them and seems to be playing at a better level right now.

[Cymro]

Probably we'll start with Robson-Kanu against Austria. I like Vokes, but he offers less in terms of all-round workrate than HRK. HRK also has the occasional outrageous moment of skill up his sleeve. Vokes is a great option to have though.

[Cymro]

Nobody of note really. Only Mladenovic started against us, assuming it's the same guy. From a quick look I don't even think anybody else made the squad against us, bar Jovanovic who was an unused sub.

LiveScore.com (http://www.livescore.com/soccer/intl/friendly/qatar-vs-serbia/1-2384066/)

Kljajic
Petkovic (46' Cirkovic)
Milenkovic (46' Kovacevic)
Miletic (46' Urosevic)
Mladenovic (46' Plavsic)
Poletanovic
Ozegovic (46' Gobeljic)
Ristic (46' Stanojevic)
Jovanovic
Maras
Stankovic

Ah, the usual 6 subs at half time in a friendly. That sort of explains the result. Still, losing 3-0 to Qatar is pretty embarrassing. I bet their coach is getting some stick for that result.

[DeLorean]

Probably we'll start with Robson-Kanu against Austria. I like Vokes, but he offers less in terms of all-round workrate than HRK. HRK also has the occasional outrageous moment of skill up his sleeve. Vokes is a great option to have though.

Yeah I must say I thought Robson-Kanu was the unsung hero of the last qualification campaign. I think he performed better than Ramsey amongst others up until the tournament itself, when obviously some of the bigger names excelled.

[pineapple stu]

Ah, the usual 6 subs at half time in a friendly. That sort of explains the result.
It was 3-0 at half time in fairness; bit harsh to blame the subs!

The game was in Oman too; I wonder how bothered the players were about that.

So maybe it's just not a relevant result.

[pineapple stu]

Actually, just looking at that team list, I think it's a domestic-based Serbian team.

It looks like half the team were making their debuts, and the others had only one cap each.

Or else the entire team was making their debuts, and the wiki articles are so obscure that only half of them are updated yet.

So yeah, I think we can ignore that result actually. Looks ten times worse than our affection for Oman.

[DeLorean]

Things getting a little tetchy between Austria and Wales. Nice subtle comeback by Coleman it must be said!

(http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/chris-coleman-dismisses-notion-that-wales-were-lucky-at-euro-2016-1.2818393)Chris Coleman dismisses notion that Wales were ‘lucky’ at Euro 2016 (http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/chris-coleman-dismisses-notion-that-wales-were-lucky-at-euro-2016-1.2818393)

[Kingdom]

If we get 4 points from the games it will be a good result.

Cymro, given Wales performances of late, and status in the game at present, shouldn't 4 points be the minimum ye expect to get?

[Cymro]

Back from the pub. Obviously I posted the 4 points before the match started, but the result is still satisfactory. However the performance was not remotely good enough, and Austria should probably be the more disappointed team. We just didn't compete in midfield. Ramsey was sorely missed, but it's like we didn't even try to close down in those areas. We sat off basically for the whole game, which was probably OK to start with but then 55 minutes into the game when the Austrians had dominated most of it and we didn't even try to change, was less excusable.

At least we will go into Sunday knowing that a win makes it a very decent start to the group results-wise, and from what I've seen the other teams in what is sure to be a 4-way tussle aren't exactly firing on all cylinders. Austria probably look the best of all the teams right now.

[Stuttgart88]

Have you not seen our games? :)

[DeLorean]

Joe Allen got a goal that Bale would be proud of, great strike. Bale turned all Rory Delap for Wales second with a long throw into the box. Despite the frustration of not holding their leads for very long, Bale and Coleman seemed fairly chuffed with the point afterwards, saying they didn't play very well and rode their luck at times. Great point for them though and probably an okay result for us too in terms of keeping our hopes of winning the group alive, maybe not so good for finishing second. BBC's headline was 'Wales held by Austria in qualifier'... I think it's pretty obvious that should have been turned the other way around.

Austria's goalkeeper, Almer, made the best saved I've seen in a long time from a shot/cross that Bale deflected towards the goal with a header. He went off after 58 minutes too, presumably injured. Himself, Hinteregger, Junuzovic and notably Arnautovic are all on yellow cards going to Belgrade on Sunday so another one there and they'll miss our game against them.

Moldova look very weak defensively against Serbia. They seem to have regressed further from previous campaigns.

[geysir]

Moldova will surely attempt to rediscover their Moldovianess when we come to their town.
For the life of me, I haven't a clue where Moldova is.

[Kingdom]

Not quite Russia, Not quite Romania. But lots of bling.

[DeLorean]

Moldova will surely attempt to rediscover their Moldovianess when we come to their town.
For the life of me, I haven't a clue where Moldova is.

I'm sure we'll do our best to make them appear like their old stubborn selves anyway!

It's sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine.

[Stuttgart88]

Wales 1 up, Georgia just hit the bar. 34 mins gone. Georgia are a tidy outfit, might sneak something from this yet. All very similar to 2 years ago, Scotland looking quite progressive, us scrapping away. It didn't end like that though.

[tetsujin1979]

I'm starting to think the group is looking like the qualifiers for Germany 2006,
Wales - France
Austria - Switzerland
Serbia - Israel
Georgia - Cyprus
Moldova - Faroes

[SkStu]

Get in!

[shakermaker1982]

I have been impressed with Georgia 2nd half. Decent technical side.

If Coleman can get better of Bale then I'd fancy our chances vs Wales.

[tricky_colour]

They are no push over!

Come on Georgia!!

70 mins 1-1

[tricky_colour]

nearly 2-1 Georgia!

[tricky_colour]

nearly 2-1 Georgia!again off bar

[Stuttgart88]

I know my foot.ie :)

[DeLorean]

Georgia were so accomplished on the ball again, deserved to get all three points really. Great result though.

[shakermaker1982]

Georgia should have won that game. We need to capitalise on that slip up. 3 points. Come on Wessi!

[tricky_colour]

Chance to go top :)

But we will no doubt screw that up if possible!!

Austria v Serbia, could well be a draw or Austria win

[SkStu]

1-0 Serbs. Hold onto your hats lads, this could be a long campaign.

[BonnieShels]

I tell ya what, Georgia are gas.

[SkStu]

1-1 now (Mitrovic for Serbia and Sabitzer for Austria)

[tetsujin1979]

2-1 Serbia. Mitrovic with a second

[BonnieShels]

2-2 in Serbia. Yuss.

[Kingdom]

I'm starting to think the group is looking like the qualifiers for Germany 2006,
Wales - France
Austria - Switzerland
Serbia - Israel
Georgia - Cyprus
Moldova - Faroes

Who are we?

[tetsujin1979]

Who are we?

we're us. As we always are.

[SkStu]

3-2 Serbia

[BonnieShels]

That's as good a non-draw there that we could hope for. Serbia are gash and shouldn't beat us at home. Good bit of leeway in the Austria game. They desperately have to beat us now.

[DeLorean]

I don't think they're gash, they've got some decent players especially from midfield up. They were missing Matic tonight as well. That said, having just seen the highlights there, the defending by both themselves and Austria was really shambolic this evening, really atrocious stuff (just to emphasise the point!). Austria's second equaliser was offside but there was still really poor defending in the build up. Tadic's winner was a bit of a fluke, his miscontrol actually took him away from Wimmer. I presume it was flukey anyway otherwise it was an outrageous piece of of skill. I'm not sure I'm mad about the fact that Austria really need to beat us now but I suppose that'll bring its own pressures for a team that can't be too high in confidence.

[SkStu]

Roll on Vienna

#revengefor95

[backstothewall]

Even a draw in Vienna and we are in great shape

[BonnieShels]

I don't think they're gash, they've got some decent players especially from midfield up. They were missing Matic tonight as well. That said, having just seen the highlights there, the defending by both themselves and Austria was really shambolic this evening, really atrocious stuff (just to emphasise the point!). Austria's second equaliser was offside but there was still really poor defending in the build up. Tadic's winner was a bit of a fluke, his miscontrol actually took him away from Wimmer. I presume it was flukey anyway otherwise it was an outrageous piece of of skill. I'm not sure I'm mad about the fact that Austria really need to beat us now but I suppose that'll bring its own pressures for a team that can't be too high in confidence.

Not gash but rubbish? :P


Roll on Vienna

#revengefor95

Toni, it's time!



*(obviously we're ignoring Mr Alaba and the WC2014 Qual. late goals he got against us costing us)

[Fergie's Son]

Toni did a number on us at home and away. He enjoyed playing Ireland.

Great results for us and the group is opening up nicely.

[geysir]

Not gash but rubbish? :P
By dint of our version of crude football we can make another team look even worse than us.
That doesn't mean they are actually worse than us.
Serbia played well in their last 2 games and are now in pole position in the group.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Toni did a number on us at home and away. He enjoyed playing Ireland.

Great results for us and the group is opening up nicely.

We were in poor, poor shape by the time we played Austria in summer and autumn 95. It's not just that the squad was getting old either -the squads attitude was terible too and they were running riot when they'd be in Ireland for games. Jack was barely bothering to manage them at all -outsourcing a lot of it to his son John and Maurice Setters.

Austria just got to take advantage of the mayhem. They got dicked home and away by a Northern Ireland side of whom only one or two would've made our team back then. A desperate pity.

[BonnieShels]

We were in poor, poor shape by the time we played Austria in summer and autumn 95. It's not just that the squad was getting old either -the squads attitude was terible too and they were running riot when they'd be in Ireland for games. Jack was barely bothering to manage them at all -outsourcing a lot of it to his son John and Maurice Setters.

Austria just got to take advantage of the mayhem. They got dicked home and away by a Northern Ireland side of whom only one or two would've made our team back then. A desperate pity.

As I mentioned in a previous thread those Austria results stick out like sore thumbs in my history of watching this team and my hatred for Toni Polster still exists and I was merely 11 when they were played!!!

When you think of how that campaign ended and the difference to how it was at the start and what a couple of more points would have done (4 dropped v the IFA and Liecthenstein). Though we were unfortunate in how we ended up losing to the 4th place team how we did as only 1, 3 and 4 were regarded for the second placed ranking results.

[DeLorean]

It was the porn star Stoger that did all the damage in Vienna really.

Toni had a lovely mullet.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/73/20/bd/7320bd5b05c2f65526b1a0bf49e1035d.png

[BonnieShels]

You...

My FB cover photo for a time was that multiple times defaced with something... I HATE him so much. Almost as much as Kieran Donaghy.

[geysir]

.. I HATE him so much. Almost as much as Kieran Donaghy.

At least us Monaghan lads knew how to deal with Kieran when he got above himself.


http://www.sportsfile.com/winshare/w540/Library/SF425/314471.jpg