Printable View
In their recent history, they needed a 90th minute winner to beat Scotland in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, drew 1-1 with the Scots in World Cup 2006 qualifiers, and lost to Wales 2-1 in the qualifiers for Euro 2004. So, they're due at least one bad result in this qualifiers!Quote:
Originally Posted by irishultra
has to be 6 points and no less
A win in the Georgia game is crucuial. There will be a very negative desperate vibe heading into the Montenegro game with anything less.
6 points is an awful big ask. When exactly is the last time ROI won two competitive games on the road against relatively decent opposition?
You only have to look at every group from the Euro 08 qualifiers to see that there's a small chance of Bulgaria and Italy having 4 comfortable wins against these 2 teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by Torn-Ado
From RTE Interview with Shane Long:
Asked if four points would be a creditable return, 21-year-old Long replied: 'Yes, that would be good.
'But if we could get six points...that's what we are aiming for.'
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0903/ireland.html
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by irishultra
Thanks for that. I needed a laugh after the day I've had.
I argued this with a load of Irish around the time of the last qualifiers and the general consensus was that while Ireland have marginally better players man for man there are a significant number of Welsh players who would get into a 'joint XI'.
I also think that even your fans would disagree with you about the 2-2 in Cardiff; heck, even the RTE match report said we deserved the draw.
Want 6, hope for 4, expect 2.Quote:
Originally Posted by davey
Nothing against Trap. and the lads. If he can make Ireland like Jack & Mick did, briefly, capable of beating 'minnows'* away from home, then all well and good.
* Albeit these lesser teams have improved, especially in the context of being obligingly beaten, that only 5-6 teams in Europe could be guaranteed victory against them!
Anything less then 2 would be a poor start :)
not the most optimistic of irish fans are yaQuote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Would definetly be hoping for 3 points against georgia considering its gonna be like a home game for us, would think more so than croker even as genuine fans here in a small stadium should create a great atmosphere and backing for the team.. Hopefully the other teams in the group will have to go to tbilisi later on and drop points..
Monty is unknown territory and will know more about them when they take on the bulgarians saturday night.
It would be nice to be still in with a shout of qualifying after two games this year.
I do feel like anything less than 4 points would be a disaster, although it is always possible to recover from awful starts. But i do also think that we have to be aiming for 6 points as THE acceptable return from these games, especially given that we're only really missing one player from our starting XI. Bearing in mind how rare it is to be able to select an international squad with zero injuries/suspensions, then our team is looking as strong its going to get (although it is a blow to lose Duff, at least we have a number of options on the wings).
It'll be interesting to view our results with retrospect. Lets be honest, we don't really know what to expect from Montenegro as a team, or as a place to go and play. What we do know about Georgia is that its a very difficult place to go and get a win, and as such it is a massive plus that we are playing them on neutral ground.
If we're organised and play generally to our potential then we should achieve two comfortable wins, i'd say 2-0 v Georgia, and perhaps 3-1 v Montenegro, given their apparent 'frailty' at the back.
However i think it will end up tighter than that, particularly in Podgorica.
I see Kevin Doyle said that if the team was offered 4 points now theyd take it. Not the attitude to be having at all, going into two games against weaker opposition! :mad:
I agree I saw the Long interview this morning and I was p*ssed off with that yeah. They should be aiming for 3 points against Georgia, without question. Whatever about it being in Tblisi, certainly now its in Mainz.Quote:
Originally Posted by boovidge
Which means that they'd be happy with a draw in Montenegro.
In all fairness they hardly strike you as an ambitious bunch.
Pessimists are never disappointed :)
6 points aint gonna happen, 4 points would be fantastic.I can't see us losing either game, so I expect 2 points, maybe a 1 1 and a 0 0.
I'm not that fussed what the players say. I prefer them to do their talking with their feet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Half the time words are put in their mouths anyway. Hack: "Would Venables be ok? Player: "yeah". Headline "Player Wants Venables".
In my opinion,you will be able to beat Georgia in Germany(if you had played in Tbilisi i would say X).
I think that neither you or Bulgaria will be able to beat us in Podgorica.
We have very strong offansive with Vučinić(AS Roma),Jovetić(Fioretina) and Vukčević(Sporting Lisabon-scored nice goal against Bolton last year in Uefa cup-they wanted to buy him later for 12 milion euro).
Our middlefield is quite good also with Peković(Mainz),Bošković(Rapid Wien) and Drinčić who plays for Russian team Amkar you probablly never heard of,but believe me he is good enough to play in premier league clubs like Wigan,Sunderland...
We also have good side backs with Pavićević(Cotbus-Germany) and Božović(Rapid Bucuresti).Our main problem are our center backs Tanasijević(Dinamo Moscow) and Batak(Ankaraspor) who are not on top of their performance.
All in all,I think that we have quite strong team esspecially up front.Our defence is weaker part of the team.Surely I cant think off another country that has 700 000 population and that have better team than we do.My predictions for these two games would be:win against Bulgaria 3-1 and win against Ireland 3-2.
I may be wrong,but we will see.
I don't think you'll score 6 goals against Ireland and Bulgaria. But Montenegro does have a reasonable chance of upsetting both us and Bulgaria.Quote:
Originally Posted by Montenegrin