Group D opponents

[DotTV]

I was just looking at this review of our Group 8 opponents
http://www.simongeary.tv/European_championships_2008_preview.html

Firstly, I'm going to assume we will play much better than we did against Holland considering our best players will be fit and the team will take competitive games more seriously.

I think we should get max points against San Marino, Wales and Cyprus.The Welsh will be well up for it but in reality a lot of their players play in the lower divisions in England and they finished behind Poland,Austria and Norn Iron in their last campaign.
The Czechs have had a few big guns retire and should be weakened by that.Germany are by no means invincible.They shopped two goals to Costa Rica and only beat Poland with a last minute strike.

The real dark horses could be the Slovaks.Their record in world cup qualification was 5 wins 6 draws and 1 loss and that was in a tough group that included Portugal, Russia and Latvia

Thoughts?

[gustavo]

Wales will be a lot tougher than you give them credit for. Agree with all else though

[DotTV]

Sorry, we're in group D, not 8

[Soper]

Wales are finally getting their act together, and a lot of their players would get in our team.Will be difficult, as they are looking stingy in giving goals away, so could be repeat of Israel matches.

[loscherland]

At the moment I reckon the Welsh could well beat us away (But or qualification campaign would probably be long over by that stage anyway if that proves to be the case) - Could see them picking up a point in Croker.
Expect Ze Germans to hammer us on Sat... and can't imagine anything better then a draw at home.
Czechs & Slovacks away could return as little as 1 or even no points...
In a nutshell - We haven't a hope.

[eirebhoy]

I don't know about Stan Varga being Slovakia's key man. :D

Cyprus are improving every year and if you thought we were bad against them, you should have seen the highlights of the Cyprus-Wales match. Cyprus slaughtered them. :) It's a tough group but I'm just delighted we finally get to play against the worst team in Europe. :)

[bwagner]

To be fair i think this is gona be another 4th finish ...i think we will get a lot of draws but a few cruching defeats , any win bar san marino will b a bonus.

[DotTV]

Germany are missing a few players at the weekend, Metzelder, Nowotny and a couple of others and Mick Jagger did us a favour because the pitch is meant to be pure muck after a stones concert.
You know we're clutching at straws when you have to rely on the dinosaurs of rock for help.
I never said Wales would be easy but I think we should get six points from them.Player for player we look much better and they were woeful in their last campaign.We play them away from home last and it could be three points that sends us through.Hopefully it will be similar to Alan McLoughlins strike against Norn Iron that sent us to USA

[eirebhoy]

Germany are missing a few players at the weekend, Metzelder, Nowotny and a couple of others and Mick Jagger did us a favour because the pitch is meant to be pure muck after a stones concert.
Germany's central defense is worse than ours right now and that is no exaggeration. The only position I now really worry about is who to parter Reid in the centre. It's a pity Carsley wasn't called up.

[DotTV]

Yeah, it probably will be O'Shea.
I know he's been brutal for Ireland but he seems to play well for Man U so hopefully he gets the finger out on Saturday.

[shakermaker1982]

O'Shea plays it simple for Man Utd - very simple and it lets the attacking lads like Giggs, Ronaldo and Scholes to concentrate on going forward. If O'Shea was a bit more aggressive in the tackle for us it would help no end.

Steven Reid needs a big game this weekend as well if we are to have any chance. I reckon Stan will put Finnan at left back and Carr at RB - a waste if you ask me.

[wallis]

The key is going to be our home form, we simply have to start beating teams at home and taking the three points. Our downfall in the last few campaigns is our inability to put opponents away in Dublin. We took 2 points out of a possible 9 against Israel, Switzerland and France- simply not good enough.

We have a side capable of picking up points here and there on the away matches.