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Sorry lads i don't see a thread for this game? How do you see this going? I know the draw is the best outcome for us and i'd reckon Bulgaria could well nick a draw. Worst case scenario Bulgaria win?? Italy win?? The latter two outcomes to me seems to have both a positive and a negative way of looking at it. So here's hoping for the draw :ball:
Ideal result would be a draw with Italy having several players booked / sent off (especially Buffon). Italy already have lots of yellow cards going into this game... Let's hope it gets heated... and let's hope that Italy haven't found any more Kaladzes!
The best outcome we can hope for is Bulgaria and Italy drawing so it gives us a chance to leapfrog Italy into top spot if we beat them and keeps Bulgaria behind us. I think Bulgaria winning is the worst outcome because it means we have to get a result against Italy to stop Bulgaria going ahead of us.
Aquilani, Pirlo, Palombo, Cannavaro, Grosso, Gattuso, Chiellini, Amelia, Cassetti, Cameronesi and Iaquinta all on a yellow for Italy.
Gattuso and Aquilani are injured for the Bulgaria game anyway.
I'd hope for a booking to Cannavaro, Chiellini, Grosso, Pirlo, Cameronesi in that order. I haven't seen Pirlo play well in ages so not too worried about him but he could obviously have one of his good days.
Ive the rosary beads out already for another yellow for Cannavaro:)Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
having thought long and hard about it and reading all the permutations and opinions in this forum im gonna pray for an Italian win against the Bulgars.
The visit of Italy to Dublin reminds me of Thierry Henry and friends a few years ago (a stuttering team, general unrest and players under performing) and if Bulgaria are out of the equation by then, a narrow loss to the Italians wont cost us as much as the defeat to France did.
I would also fancy our chances of beating Italy more if they have already beaten Bulgaria.
The thing is, we'll have to beat a good team to qualify whatever happens, be it Italy or someone in the play-offs. If Italy beat Bulgaria, a win for us over Italy will be essentially meaningless and it'd be a pity to waste it if it happened. :) We don't lose much ground to Bulgaria if they draw but we have a much better chance of winning the group so a draw would be my preference by a distance. If Italy aren't playing well, we might well have a better chance of beating them and winning the group than we'd have of winning a play off.
i hear you Schumi - theres arguments for and against all the permutations!!
Italy 1-1 Bulgaria
It all depends on what happens in other groups on Wednesday. If Bulgaria draw tomorrow the max points they can get is 18. 18 points still probably won't even make the playoffs anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Anything other than an Italian win would be a major shock.
Italy at 1/3 for the win.
draw 3/1
Bulgaria 15/2
Scotland 2/1, Holland are a steal at 6/5 :)
Edit
I forgot to mention
Italy 1/7 to win the group
Italy are not playing all that well at the moment, they needed 2 own goals to beat Georgia and they failed to score in their previous 3 games. A draw is a liely result.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
One quote in a Guardian srticle that struck me as amusing was from Fabio Cannavaro who ... "was quick to dismiss criticisms, claiming Italy have always played scrappy football but won on the basis of a strong defence. Lippi pointed to the fact that during the qualifying campaign for the 2006 World Cup, his side had scraped past Moldova 1-0 away from home only with the help of Buffon – who made a stunning save to keep out one header on Saturday – and had lost in Slovenia."
Hmm he could be talking about Ireland under Trapp :D Maybe we're doing the usual Iriah thing of seeing the glass half empty. We're in with a great chance of qualifying so quit whinging and be happy and stop campaigning for fringe players to be allowed to save the day :)
try www.atdhe.com or www.justintv.com and you might be able to watch it
I think RTE are showing the gameQuote:
Originally Posted by Get a life
Yep - the game is live on RTÉ2 so fair play to them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Infadel
There'll be some flicking going on tomorrow night I'd say. Italy v Bulgaria, Northern Ireland v Slovakia, Scotland v Holland and to a far lesser extent England v Croatia.
Other huge matches include:
Hungary v Portugal
Latvia v Switzerland
Serbia v France
Slovenia v Poland
Like the majority I'm hoping for a draw in Italy v Bulgaria match. I think it's pretty much a fact that this is the best result. If we can't beat Montenegro at home guarantee staying ahead of Bulgaria then we haven't much business in a playoff anyway. Plus there's every chance Bulgaria could drop more points in Cyprus.
Prediction: Italy 2-0 Bulgaria.
lads i could see italy losing to bulgaria. i cant see italy scoring at the minute, there very average. buffon is keeping them ticking over at the minute with his saves. few twists and turns in this group yet.
So we probably looking for aQuote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Italy/Bulgaria draw
Scotland draw/defeat
Croatia draw/defeat
Hungry/Portugal draw
Latvia/Swiss draw
Serbia/France draw
NI/Slovakia draw
I'm not too bothered about that 2nd place table really, if we do our job we'll be safe enough I'd imagine. Maybe it would be nice for Georgia to overtake Montenegro alright so that our 6pts against them would count. Also if you are worried about that, Serbia beating France would be far better than a draw. I just listed those game because they are huge games within their groups, not necessarily for us.
Italy haven't lost at home in a competitive in 10 years to the week.