Can you blame us? Slovakia are the best team we've beaten in 6 bloody years. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Ordinary Fan
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Can you blame us? Slovakia are the best team we've beaten in 6 bloody years. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Ordinary Fan
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Originally Posted by eirebhoy
Not true, you beat us the week before. Such short memories. :p
And let's not forget Sweden at the beginning of Steve Staunton's reign, who would have predicted the results following that?
They're the highest ranked team we've beaten in a competitive game since Holland in 2001. Man that's depressing.
Sorry yeah, forgot to mention the competitive bit. We were one of the best teams in the world under Kerr, in friendlies. ;)
Key thing is, are we traditionally strong in September and will San Marino be an even bigger handful as the group wears on?
Its not inconcievably that we could beat Slovakia in Bratislava, in fact I still think there's enough in the team that we could beat anyone 1-0. However, it is unlikely that we could pull off two wins out of the three big games left. Key one is Czechs away... this may be presumptuous but if we don't score in that game they'll have us on the head to head, no matter what happens, which could be interesting as the group bears on.
As for the empty last day... its hardly Stan's fault, his team doesn't have its own Stadium, I imagine his bargaining power was fairly low. The organising of the last two games paid off for example. It would be sickening to be denied with no hand in the last day, but just like the rugby, by that stage you've already made your bed over a long long time.
However these guys really need to break their pattern of performance level (**** in the first game, get a bollocking from everyone and their Mother, better in the second) and put it up to the Slovakians, win and take it Prague. Drive Rosicky et al back to the brassers!
id say gemany and czech republic will qualify even though id have my doubts about the czechs
The Czechs really are quite dodgy at the moment. I'd say even we've got a chance of a result against them in 2 months' time if we play the way we can.
After those last two results, Ireland now have a great chance of pipping them to second, but I think you'll need to play a lot better than you have been.
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Originally Posted by Cymro
exactly. We have to get this notion that the czechs are still a quality team out of our head. Their time has passed and tey are now in recession. The only game in this campaign in which they looked decent was away in Slovakia. The Czechs are there for the taking in this group
To be fair, saying a team is dodgy is not another way of saying Ireland can put them away. San Marino were more than dodgy but we took all the time we had to put them away!
My point exactly. This group looked strong on paper but all the teams are underachieving apart from San Marino who have no chance, Germany who will walk it and Cyprus, who are just plain unpredictable.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeNiro
So it's there for anyone really.
I still think that some teams will cause problems for the Czechs.
Wales could surprise them at home and the Slovaks too.
This group is wide open. Very few, if any, teams go through qualification campaigns without dropping points. Anyone from Germany down to Slovakia could qualify. I don't think Wales are in the shout anymore, but they'll cause problems for sure. They always get one great result in qualifications!
Mathematically we're still in with a very realistic shout. If our performances hadn't been so s*** of late I might actually still be optimistic, but the manner of the defeat in Dublin pretty much brought it home how poor we are right now.
The mighty Freddy Eastwood is joining our cause though so watch out! :D
Ireland will take four points back across the iron curtain, Wales will scalp Czech Republic at home and we can take second place. Probable? no, possible? very much so.
ireland will qualify. Some people on here are never happy. Good, bad or indifferent and there are quite a few opinions about the level of the recent performances, but the bottom line is we beat 2 of the relatively strong group teams at home - 6 points and no goals conceded. Wales and slovakia are not bad international teams. Roll on september, couple of good results in slovakia and czech rep. and will give us a shout for the german game at home.Throw 70 thousand real fans in the stadium, Let them hang flags in Croker, and we're on the way.....
Wouldn't be too sure about the first of those fellaQuote:
Originally Posted by billybunter
With all your players available, which I know is an ask in itself, Wales can beat anybody in this group. Koumas, Gabbidon and Earnshaw were probably the difference between losing in Dublin and winning there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cymro
Eastwood is a handy player. He'll be gone from Southend this summer too ...quite possibly to the premiership.
Hit the nail on the head there. Look at our big results in recent years-beating Italy and Germany at home, start of Euro 2004 campaign etc. We didn't have injuries or suspensions then. Strength in depth is a real key issue. Part of the reason why we are looking to use the granny rule! Anyone here know of some decent Irish players with Welsh roots perchance? I heard David Forde was eligible for us, but has declared for the ROI......Quote:
Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie
As for Eastwood, wherever he goes I hope it is for first team football. I think a team like Fulham or Wigan would be good. He should at least get games there as they're both rubbish.
Not true, but it's a common mistake, he only qualifies for the RepublicQuote:
Originally Posted by Cymro
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Forde -
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Contrary to popular belief, Forde is not a former Welsh under-21 international. Forde stated, "I'm not sure where that came from, but it's wrong," and continued: "That story started a long time ago when I played for Barry Town and seems to have stuck. I even read that I have a Welsh grandmother, but that's not right. Don't get me wrong because I love it here in Wales, but I am only qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland."
That's strange, because I definitely remember reading he had played under-21s for us. Reliable source too, at least I find it to be most of the time, but it was obviously off the mark on this.
He is making his first start today for Cardiff as Neil Alexander threw a wobbly over his new contract, so he might have a regular starting place there in future. So to be honest we could have done with someone like him!