Euro qualifying thread

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Don't forget Malta too, a draw in Bulgaria...

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eh? was mentioned in my first sentence.
Although Bulgaria had most of the possession as you'd expect and a minnow inquisition can happen anywhere/time, but Bulgaria are in one hell of a slump. There were just a 1,000 spectators at that game.
Post match depression with the Iceland players who were really dissatisfied with their performance, apart from a 40 pass sequence of possession in the first half they just couldn't get the better of the Czechs and were forced back time and time again by the incredible work rate of the hosts.
I have to say the Czechs really impressed me, a very well coached, energetic, fit as a fiddle outfit, with a great spirit. Rosicky is their great inspirational character even at his ripe old football age of 34.

Heh, hardly. They've been whipping boys for even longer than the whaleworriers and all these 'johnny-come-latelys'...

Anyway, the fact that loads of dross can qualify has awoken many countries from their slumbers. Albeit, not ourselves...

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Heh, hardly. They've been whipping boys for even longer than the whaleworriers and all these 'johnny-come-latelys'...

Anyway, the fact that loads of dross can qualify has awoken many countries from their slumbers. Albeit, not ourselves...

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Maybe you are confusing Bulgaria with some other team. They have been slipping since after they failed in our group for the 2010 WC.
For that 2010 WC draw they were 2nd seeds, that's hardly the stuff of whipping boys and in that 2010 WC squad were some good players.

I meant Malta FFS...

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

I meant Malta FFS...

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Why the FFS?
Oft times, clarity is absent from your posts AB and one has to make a wild guess as to what you're on about.
Best guess was that you were saying 'hardly (are Bulgaria in a slump), they've been whipping boys for ages.
No other guess qualified.

Oh FFS...
:rolleyes:

FFS geysir...
:confused:

Watching geysir's Iceland in Kazakhstan. They look very good, 2-0 up from the first half and happy to let the Kazakhs keep the ball. Should be 2-1 thought after the Kazakhs hit the post with a free header a couple of yards out.

Wales winning 2-0 against ten men in Israel. Qualification is looking like a distinct possibility for them now.

Northern Ireland well placed to qualify if they get a result tomorrow against a patchy Finland team.

If we don't win tomorrow, there is a possibility we could be the only home nation not in Euro 2016.

What a depressing thought.

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

Wales winning 2-0 against ten men in Israel. Qualification is looking like a distinct possibility for them now.

Northern Ireland well placed to qualify if they get a result tomorrow against a patchy Finland team.

If we don't win tomorrow, there is a possibility we could be the only home nation not in Euro 2016.

What a depressing thought.

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Pardon?

Northern Ireland beating Finland 2-0 at Windsor after a Bergkamp-esque goal and a laser header from Kyle Lafferty. They also had a perfectly good goal ruled out before that.

They had Healy to do the business against the top seeded teams and now they have Lafferty doing it against the top seeded teams when it matters.

Hopefully one of our lads can do the business tonight...

The most incredible story in football since Uruguay beat Brazil to win the Jules Rimet (Gerard Depardieu) in 1930, is now a happening event in Group A.
This evening it was the Icelanders against the mighty Czech Rep.
The Czechs went ahead courtesy of a magnificent strike, after a barca-esque move. The stadium was stunned into silence but awed a the same time, as if to say 'that's what it took to beat us', 'an unworldly goal', the best seen since Eusebio etc.
But comes the need, comes the man and Gylfi stepped up, time after time, went one against 4, one against 5, got his shot in a couple of times and win the corners which he took himself, the crowd were chanting "Gylfi is coming" "Gylfi is coming" with the menace of 'Here's Johnny". The equaliser followed soon after. I even thought, that's good let's hold out. but not Lagerback, he replaced one of the 5 midfielders with a striker and went for the throat and the 2nd goal (the winner) came courtesy of interplay between the 2 frontmen. Apart from one header by the Koller lookalike and a one on one, the czechs did not threaten. They were a well beaten team, beaten physically, mentally and technically by a superior team on the night, as if to say, this is our weight.
The ref was a scot, George Callum, and fortunately for Iceland, he was genetically inclined to favour the team in blue. As the tackles flew in and the Czechs were rolling around in apparent agony, our George was unmoved by such pithy. If it was a 50/50, George favoured blue.

I'm not surprised that Iceland are topping that group even with Holland in it. They have shown over the last 3/4 years that they actually have good players playing at a decent level and have been very competitive in their matches. The U21s a few years ago were really impressive and it looks like they have stepped up to the senior team without too much trouble.

Yeah I thinks there's about 8 or 9 from that u21 team playing for the senior team and one (surplus to requirements) is playing for the USA.
The goalie is the achilles heel, always has been, usually occupied by a barely competent local league standard player.
And by far the best goalie playing in the local league, is the Faroe's reserve goalkeeper.

If Shay was icelandic, he'd be first choice for another 10 years.

Faroes 2 up on Greece with 10 mins to go - they could do the qualification stage double over them!

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Originally Posted by osarusan

Faroes 2 up on Greece with 10 mins to go - they could do the qualification stage double over them!

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They move into 4th ahead of Finland! If Norn Iron beat them in the next game they are guaranteed at least a play-off.

That's a big if.
The Faroes are waiting for this game and traditionally Ni don't do too well when they have to travel towards the north pole.

But NI should get the 3rd spot regardless.

Even the Iceland result was relegated into 2nd place by the efforts of their little brother, the Faroe islands.
The languages are so similar, old scandinavian, unblemished.

Faroes v Greece highlights

It all goes to demonstrate what can happen to the technical ability of a nation's football in the space of 10 years with mandatory educated coaching,down to toddler level and all done through the community/league clubs.
At senior intl level, the transformation can be seen in the different way (with technical ability) they play the game now, as compared to then.
And I don't think they have built their indoor pitches yet, they have about 20 full sized synthetic pitches. And that stadium looks brilliant.

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Originally Posted by geysir

That's a big if.
The Faroes are waiting for this game and traditionally Ni don't do too well when they have to travel towards the north pole.

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How on earth are the Faroes waiting for this game ? Waiting for what ? NI have won in Athens (although thats not saying much) and Budapest - they will be a warm order to beat the Faroes.

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Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

How on earth are the Faroes waiting for this game ? Waiting for what ? NI have won in Athens (although thats not saying much) and Budapest - they will be a warm order to beat the Faroes.

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You don't know much about football outside of the pale, do you? NI have already been there and didn't exactly set the place on fire and the Faroes have a much better team now.
The Faroes will be targeting this game against NI, that's their raison d'etre in international football. This is a serious game for them. Why do do you think they go through all the angst of competing in qualifiers? There are there because they want to compete on an international level and they know they can compete with the likes of NI. They know they can play football just as good as NI, and they have every chance of beating them. They will be putting in an all out effort to win this game.