Can we Qualify

[Reality Bites]

After Saturdays depressing result, we still can control our destiny and top the group, assumming we beat the Faroes (unthinkable not too) we are in a better position than last WC qualifying campaign when we were due to meet Holland in september to fight it out for second place to a portugese side that were in control of the group, that campaign was a sucessful one but the best we could hope for was second place, in my mind we were a far more convincing outfit 4 years ago and the campaign was almost flawless (except maybe holland away), the portugese were a superior side to the french and the Dutch had way more class than the swiss or Israelis!, so with that in mind we should be confident of qualifying for WC2006, but there now exists that nagging feeling in my head that the current management is unproven and not capable of achieving what is required at this level, I hope i'm wrong and Kerr can turn it around, My heart says we will qualify but my heads says no chance...What is the general feeling at this stage?

[eirebhoy]

It boils down to the France match. Cyprus, Faroes and Switzerland are all relatively easy matches in European terms.

People have to realise that it is not normal for a team to get the amount of luck as the Israeli's did on Saturday. I've never witnessed anything like it tbh.

[pete]

If we win last 4 games will top the group.

Don't know if we can do that though.

[Donal81]

It boils down to the France match. Cyprus, Faroes and Switzerland are all relatively easy matches in European terms.

People have to realise that it is not normal for a team to get the amount of luck as the Israeli's did on Saturday. I've never witnessed anything like it tbh.

I thought beforehand that the Israelis had gotten lucky in almost every game they'd played and assumed they couldn't take it on the road against us. But they did. Throw in some cheating and you've got a decent result, the scum.

Some perspective, I suppose: when we win on Wednesday, we're two points ahead of Israel. So, for all their guff, they'll be behind us and they have to go to Switzerland. If we're all fit, we can beat the Swiss and the French at home. If we don't, then this campaign will have been a miserable failure.

I do believe that the great nights are yet to come.

[Reality Bites]

DONAL81 I hope ur right, it seems like ages since we have had a great Irish night, Robbie's equalisier against Germany in WC2002 or Irish win against Dutch in September 2001 spring to mind, we have suffered long enough, Kerr must deliver in Autumn, or it is another crap summer of made up tournaments with all the other reject nations of the world while the big boys fight it out in Germany, the thoughts of it are just plain depressing..

[Dawn_Run]

I thought beforehand that the Israelis had gotten lucky in almost every game they'd played and assumed they couldn't take it on the road against us. But they did. Throw in some cheating and you've got a decent result, the scum.

Some perspective, I suppose: when we win on Wednesday, we're two points ahead of Israel. So, for all their guff, they'll be behind us and they have to go to Switzerland. If we're all fit, we can beat the Swiss and the French at home. If we don't, then this campaign will have been a miserable failure.

I do believe that the great nights are yet to come.

The swiss match is Israel's last tough game - I'll be lookin for a draw or a swiss win in that one - either way if we beat the swiss we'll overtake them - but if the israeli's win their remaining three games that might pose a problem for us

[Stuttgart88]

Lads, even if we lose to France 19 points ought to get us second. Israel will only get 18 pts at best I think.

I also think a draw with France & 3 wins will be enough to get at least second, very likely first, on 20 points.

I can't see Switzerland winning all of Cyprus away, France at home and Israel at home. They're just not that good a side.

I reckon we've a great chance of getting at least the play off spot. Goals tomorrow night will be a huge help.

I think when it comes to it, if we have everyone available, we'll do the business at home.

[tonycuna]

I think we have to beat FarOer and France. Then when we'll have Cyprus, there'll be Switz-Isr and Switz-france, so we'll go to the last match against swiss, knowing what we can expec and what we have to do

[FarBeag]

The only ones that can stop us from qualifying is ourselves.Lets take one game at a time and see what happens tomorrow evening.It will be a difficult game and we need to get our confidence back. imo if we have all our team available that includes a fit Roy Keane we can do France and the Swiss,my only other worry is Cyprus away.

[thejollyrodger]

there is no way israel can with their 3 remaining games. they will get a draw out in basel. i dont expect anything more ... the swiss will find it tough to see off a team that belives ! look how far we got in italy.

its one step at at time. we have to get a result tomorrow

we can beat any top team on our day. as long as that team is looking for a win.

[Kempes1-0]

The way we're playing, does it matter that much if we qualify or not?? I mean, if we can't put away Israel at home, that puts us down as a poor or, at best, very average european team, the kind that just makes up the numbers at the world cup group stages before the real business takes place. Look at Switzerland and Russia from our last qualifying group, pretty much taken apart in phase 1 of Euro 2004. I don't go along with this whole 'we were unlucky' business in the 2nd half on saturday either. Our tactics after the break where totally predictable...if your going to spend the whole of the 2nd half just hoofing the ball into the opposition penalty area, you have to expect time wasting antics from the opposing keeper and chances are, he'll more than likely follow this up with a few 'heroics' once he has momentum behing him. Unfortunately, take away 1 or 2 of best players and we're woefully short on quality.
Mind you, at least we know we have to win all our games now, rather than coast along for another while and let the Swiss pickpocket us right at the end!

[Dawn_Run]

Poor first post old boy!!

As the song goes - 'there'll be days like this'!

Reading your post, one could argue that Liverpool had no business in the Champions League if they cant get a result against Crystal Palace. Didnt they go on to win it??

Try be a little more optimistic - for eveyones sake.

[eirebhoy]

The way we're playing, does it matter that much if we qualify or not?? I mean, if we can't put away Israel at home, that puts us down as a poor or, at best, very average european team, the kind that just makes up the numbers at the world cup group stages before the real business takes place.
Aye, that basically sums up Henry, Pires, Vieira, Rothen, Wiltord, Guily, Trezeguet, Cisse, Boumsong, Gallas, Sagnol and the rest. :)

[Curtains]

Mind you, at least we know we have to win all our games now, rather than coast along for another while and let the Swiss pickpocket us right at the end!

Good Point Mate! You could see us winning on Saturday there and then settling for a few draws especially against the french. Now we know we basically have no choice but to beat them all!!!

[NeilMcD]

i just did the spreadsheet thing and I have to think that between the top 4 teams there is unlikely to be any away wins. So far there has not even been home wins and I cant see any of the away teams winning. If I was a betting mad I think the swiss may win narrowly against Israel giving them an advantage and putting israel out We will draw with France and then go into the last game knowing that a win will win us the group or a draw will tie us in second with France. I think they will draw with Switzerland in Switzerland. I think at home we will dominate games and we cant be as unlucky as we were on Saturday and I justh hope that Kerr learns that caution does not guarantee keeping a clean sheet.

[Kempes1-0]

"Try be a little more optimistic - for eveyones sake "
Point taken, i am a bit of a depressing ****** after results like that. Its just this whole 'no signifigant result under Kerr' business (don't start me on away results since Hampden'87!!) is starting to annoy my hapiness. I'd say though, we're looking at quality opposition, in the form of France, coming here in the autumn, definitely needing a result. I suppose if we overcome that, a la Holland '01, we'd deserve to go through. Just not confidence inspiring so far...

[Dawn_Run]

We're well overdue a big result. To put a different slant on recent discussions on foot.ie does anyone know how the swiss and french are judging the group at this stage? I mean the Israeli's are probably talking about fluking top spot but I'm interested to know if the French or Swiss are confident of auto qualification??