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They haven't announced the qualifying process yet so the letters are just there as a guide really. I actually think Italy will be top seeds if they qualify. Montenegro will also be in the qualifying so it's 53 teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by cavan_fan
I'd say it might be 5 groups of 7 and 3 groups of 6.
8 group winners qualify. 2 best 2nd placed teams and 3 from the playoffs.
The last WC qualifers had 3 groups of 7 and 5 groups of 6 and the rest same as above.
the last wc had the eight groups thing and i can't see a change. europe had 14 qualifiers (although germany as hosts obviously) last time round but if only 13 this time the 8 group system is what it will be. unless of course they want to continue with 7 groups for the sake of continuity, with worst two runners up in a playoff and the rest qualifying although i think that would be hideously unfair. there will though be 7 groups for euro 2012 as well now it has joint hosts.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
Latest.
Code:World Cup 2006 Euro 2008
Team Played Points Played Points Avg Points
1 A Germany 7 19 2.714
2 A Holland 12 32 6 14 2.556
3 A Sweden 10 24 7 18 2.471
4 A Croatia 10 24 7 17 2.418
5 A Portugl 12 30 7 14 2.316
6 A England 10 25 7 14 2.294
7 A Italy 10 23 7 16 2.294
8 B Poland 10 24 9 19 2.263
9 B France 10 20 7 18 2.235
10 B Romania 12 25 7 17 2.211
11 B Czech 12 27 7 14 2.158
12 B Serbia 10 22 7 14 2.118
13 B Spain 10 20 7 15 2.059
14 B Ukraine 12 25 6 12 2.056
15 C Turkey 12 23 6 13 2.000
16 C Russia 12 23 7 15 2.000
17 C Greece 12 21 6 15 2.000
18 C Israel 10 18 8 17 1.944
19 C Norway 10 18 7 13 1.824
20 C Switz. 10 18 1.800
21 C Denmark 12 22 6 10 1.778
22 D Ireland 10 17 7 13 1.765
23 D Bulgar. 10 15 7 15 1.765
24 D Bosnia 10 16 7 13 1.706
25 D Slovak. 12 23 7 9 1.684
26 D Scotlnd 10 13 7 15 1.647
27 D Finland 12 16 8 14 1.500
28 D Austria 10 15 1.500
29 E N.Irel 10 9 6 13 1.375
30 E Hungary 10 14 7 6 1.176
31 E Albania 12 13 7 9 1.158
32 E Belgium 10 12 8 7 1.056
33 E Belarus 10 10 7 7 1.000
34 E Latvia 12 15 6 3 1.000
35 E Lithua. 10 10 7 7 1.000
36 F Sloven. 10 12 7 4 0.941
37 F Wales 10 8 6 7 0.938
38 F Estonia 12 17 7 0 0.895
39 F Maced. 12 9 7 7 0.842
40 F Georgia 12 10 8 6 0.800
41 F Armenia 12 7 7 7 0.737
42 F Liecht. 12 8 7 4 0.632
43 Cyprus 10 4 6 4 0.500
44 Iceland 10 4 7 4 0.471
45 Azerb. 10 3 8 5 0.444
46 Moldova 10 5 6 2 0.438
47 Malta 10 3 7 4 0.412
48 Kazakh. 12 1 8 6 0.350
49 Andorra 12 5 7 0 0.263
50 Faroes 10 1 8 0 0.056
51 Luxem. 12 0 7 0 0
52 San M. 10 0 6 0 0
Cheers eirebhoy, much appreciated
realistically, why kind of results are we looking at to move into Pool C?
22 points would leave us at a similar seeding. 23 points should move us up a couple of places.
jesus it's so tight.A little bit worried about how the Bulgarians are creeping up behind us. I think there is a big possibility that the cut off point is about 1.8 which is where the Swiss are.
If we get about 8-9 points we should be alright. 11-12 points (not likely I know) and we might just creep into second seeds.
It's crazy how low the Belgians have gone. I never thought I'd see the day when they would be 5th seeds.
Updated now that we know the qualifying format for 2010.
Code:World Cup 2006 Euro 2008
Team Played Points Played Points Avg Points
1 A Germany 7 19 2.714
2 A Holland 12 32 6 14 2.556
3 A Sweden 10 24 7 18 2.471
4 A Croatia 10 24 7 17 2.418
5 A Portugl 12 30 7 14 2.316
6 A England 10 25 7 14 2.294
7 A Italy 10 23 7 16 2.294
8 A Poland 10 24 9 19 2.263
9 A France 10 20 7 18 2.235
10 B Romania 12 25 7 17 2.211
11 B Czech 12 27 7 14 2.158
12 B Serbia 10 22 7 14 2.118
13 B Spain 10 20 7 15 2.059
14 B Ukraine 12 25 6 12 2.056
15 B Turkey 12 23 6 13 2.000
16 B Russia 12 23 7 15 2.000
17 B Greece 12 21 6 15 2.000
18 B Israel 10 18 8 17 1.944
19 C Norway 10 18 7 13 1.824
20 C Switz. 10 18 1.800
21 C Denmark 12 22 6 10 1.778
22 C Ireland 10 17 7 13 1.765
23 C Bulgar. 10 15 7 15 1.765
24 C Bosnia 10 16 7 13 1.706
25 C Slovak. 12 23 7 9 1.684
26 C Scotlnd 10 13 7 15 1.647
27 C Finland 12 16 8 14 1.500
28 D Austria 10 15 1.500
29 D N.Irel 10 9 6 13 1.375
30 D Hungary 10 14 7 6 1.176
31 D Albania 12 13 7 9 1.158
32 D Belgium 10 12 8 7 1.056
33 D Belarus 10 10 7 7 1.000
34 D Latvia 12 15 6 3 1.000
35 D Lithua. 10 10 7 7 1.000
36 D Sloven. 10 12 7 4 0.941
37 E Wales 10 8 6 7 0.938
38 E Estonia 12 17 7 0 0.895
39 E Maced. 12 9 7 7 0.842
40 E Georgia 12 10 8 6 0.800
41 E Armenia 12 7 7 7 0.737
42 E Liecht. 12 8 7 4 0.632
43 E Cyprus 10 4 6 4 0.500
44 E Iceland 10 4 7 4 0.471
45 E Azerb. 10 3 8 5 0.444
46 F Moldova 10 5 6 2 0.438
47 F Malta 10 3 7 4 0.412
48 F Kazakh. 12 1 8 6 0.350
49 F Andorra 12 5 7 0 0.263
50 F Faroes 10 1 8 0 0.056
51 F Luxem. 12 0 7 0 0
52 F San M. 10 0 6 0 0
53 F Montenegro ---
Hard to see us catching Israel though I guess we can at least take comfort we're likely to be 3rd. A bit stranded to be honest
We're pretty much certain to be in Pot 3.
if we were third seeds the ideal group in a six team group would be
Poland, Isreal, Us, Lithuania, Estonia and Andorra
Personally, I think the smaller groups are better for us, as it reduces the chance of an almighty **** up against a so called minnow, which we are always capable of.
This format more or less guarantees we'll be third seeds, so overall I couldn't really complain about it.
Give me Greece over Israel any day. Israel will only get better and better imo.
Next season they'll have Benayoun at Liverpool (possibly), Tal Ben Haim and Ben Sahar coming through at Chelsea, in comparison we'll have Finnan at Liverpool, O'Shea at United, and possibly Gibson getting some first team experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
They ran England close at home and I reckon they'll give McClaren's men another fright at Wembley in the autumn
True. They've only lost 1 match over the last two qualifying campaigns as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
Are Ukraine still relying on Rebrov and Shevchenko up front? Will they still be a force in 18 months? And have they anyone coming through? They could be the best of the second seeds to get.
Poland are having a superb qualifying campaign at present; I'd take England from the top section because I think they're the weakest team and we should be up for the game.
D, E and F - much of a muchness, by and large. Maybe Latvia, Estonia and Andorra from a travel point of view. Though somewhere like Georgia, Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan could be fun.
Five matches left in the current campaign and I'm already looking ahead to 2010... :(
at least we won't end up with the Swiss!!!!!
We will still need some points to make sure of a 3rd seed. 4-5 should be enough but it is not totally a done deal. Remember a lot of the teams around us have to play the minnows still. Slovakia and Bulgaria are almost certain to finish ahead of us.
We need 4 points to stay ahead of Austria.
If Northern ireland take 12 points from their last 6 games - wins over Liechtenstein, Latvia, Iceland and Denmark - defeats to Spain and Sweden then we need 5 points to finish ahead of them.
In reality 5 points is the target. It's not a huge one but not guaranteed given our earlier performances even with a world class manager.
Completely agree about the Slovaks still being a potential nuiscance. That was why it was so important that they were beaten by the Germans. I think if we draw in Bratislava, we will finish ahead of them though.
To be honest, in my opinion there is much of a muchness between many of the second and third seed teams with the exception of Spain.
with my optimist hat on I can see us getting another 8 points. The pessimistic one sees us adding only 4/5 points.
My ideal group?
ING GER LAND
Russia
Albania
Iceland - good away trip
Andorra
Montenegro as bottom seeds could be a pain.
Ideal group:
1: Poland
2: Greece
3: us
4: Lithuania
5: Liechenstein
6: Andorra
Group of HORROR
1: Italy
2: Spain
3: us
4: Austria
5: Cyprus
6: San Marino
Austria are terrible I would not be worried by them at all.