Very good result for us (ended 0 0 )
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Very good result for us (ended 0 0 )
Happy with that. The Czechs have some very good players but wow some real wasters as well. Wales with a full team are a good side. Played some good football in the 2nd half. This group (well 2nd place) is now wide open. Stan is turning into a lucky ****er and with our improving squad we can get that 2nd place.
The Czechs just a point ahead.
My predictions.
Ireland fixtures:
Slovakia (a) - Draw
Czech Republic (a) - Draw
Germany (h) - Win
Cyprus (h) - Win
Wales (a) - Draw
Czech fixtures:
San Marino (a) - Win
Ireland (h) - Draw
Germany (a) - Lose
Slovakia (h) - Win
Cyprus (a) - Draw
Both finish on 22 points but we qualify thanks to the 2 away goals in Czech Republic. ;)
That could well happen. The only thing I worry about is the loss of Duff. Hunt is not Duff but in his own way can be a dangerous player for us. As might Murphy. Kevin Doyle is going to be our key player. If he has another good season then we are going to get that 2nd place.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
I agree about Hunt and I don't know if I'd play him. Doyle up front with Murphy/Long/Stokes/other and Keane the link between midfield and the front 2. The 2 Reid's and Carsley in midfield and the usual defence.
I can't see us getting second without an away win, if not 2, along the way.
We need to have our remaining senior players fit: Given, Doyle, Robbie, Dunne & Finnan. If Steven and Andy Reid regain fitness we'll have options and one of the young turks may prove a wildcard.
I hope Stan doesn't read eirebhoy's predictions as it'll lead to the usual " draw away, win at home" bullsh1t.
Great result for us though. That's two points we can gain that the Czechs didn't. That's how you have to look at it.
Its a good result for us but not a great one. We still have an awful mountain to climb and id imagine we will have to get 2 wins away from home.
We'ill gain those two points and i can see us going for it when we go away.....its a good result today for sure but I have 5-2 tattooed to my brain still....its too soon to let the mistress gain the upper hand...
I definitely don't think we'll need 2 away wins. If we fail to beat Germany we will but I think Germany at home is easier than any of the away games.
Must say I'm pleased, too bad that free kick didn't go in for Wales though. 4 points from the Eastern Bloc tour and we could be in business. The big problem with Eirebhoy's predictions is that our qualification in that scenario is for the Czech's to draw in Cyprus. Although they were in big trouble when they played Cpyrus at home, that fixture is a long time away and the Cyprus team probably wont be up for it at that point and the Czechs will no how important it is.
Steven Reid is to be fit by the end of July. He is the strong midfielder we need.
The thing that gives me hope is the fact that we do have players coming through and the squad is getting better. The Czechs today had at least 3 players who looked out of their depth. And the subs who came on offered nothing. We can beat them away. But I really believe Stan is lucky. The way we have played in most of our games we should be dead and buried in this group. But here we are with a real chance of sneaking 2nd. Its in our own hands which is almost beyond belief. I'm not sure how all the results will go but somehow we are going to get that 2nd spot.
IF we qualify, and it's a big if, would Ireland be the first team to qualify after losing to Cyprus?
Good result but still a lot of football left to play in the group :)
eirebhoys prediction of a germany win is not going to happen, nor is a czech draw to cyprus. be realistic lads. we will do well to not lose one of those eastern bloc away games. i honestly think we have to hope for a germany draw this week against slovakia, that means all teams need to win from now on to be sure. and we have germany at home....plus they have wales who could def get a draw there, which looks more hopeful.
its not so much in our hands as in our hands + others to do us a favour.
Well realistically If we're not capable of beating Germany at home then we're not going to qualify. Realistically the Czechs will be doing well to win in Cyprus. That's my opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Still Germany 0 San Marino 0 at almost half time
Gernamy had one disallowed for offside.
San Marino almost scored when the keeper made a mistake!
Anyway German just scored 1:0
San Marino should have scored after Lehmans mistake. Pity about the goal. 0-0 at HT would have been great. The Germans making the same mistakes as us. Not enough players in the box and tempo too slow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Anywhere to watch it?
As Stan said "San Marino were always going to improve as the group went on"Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
;);)
Just got back to Swansea. Best performance for a long long time-we deserved the win. We made the Czechs look average although we still can't finish our chances which is a big worry.
Glad that Giggs went out on a relative high, I think today showed he is still an excellent player. With him, Koumas and Bellamy linking up we looked a moderately threatening side but I don't see us being a major threat to Germany in our next game because of the importance of Giggs to the side.
Time will tell whether today will be of any significance to the way we play in future or if this is just a one-off because it was Giggs's last game. I really hope it's the former but am not convinced at all unfortunately.
And if we don't play like this in at least 95% of future games the public are not going to be too happy with Toshack.