Yeah Sweden look a shadow of their usually efficient selves. I wouldn't be too fussed whether it's them or Bosnia, Hungary the dream ticket and Ukraine the nightmare, but hardly that big a nightmare really.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
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Yeah Sweden look a shadow of their usually efficient selves. I wouldn't be too fussed whether it's them or Bosnia, Hungary the dream ticket and Ukraine the nightmare, but hardly that big a nightmare really.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
There's not a lot of difference between seeded and unseeded.
I'd rate Bosnia the best seeded team there.
i think they were actually top ranked team in their group but started badly.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
for ireland i think having the away leg first is nearly more important than who we draw. could we get trap in to coach the away leg ??
I don't know why Ukraine are regarded a nightmare, they are an average team. If we draw them it's 50/50 imo.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
There are a lot of unknowns here. An injury to Dzeko or Ibrahimovich could massively change our thoughts on playing Bosnia or Sweden
i would argue that a Poland side with a serious in form lewandowski are at least as good as any of the seeded teams
Polish team with Lewandowski is better than all the playoff teams by virtue of the fact that they didnt need a playoff to get through!Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
Can I just point out something with Hungary....they've been bringing through a decent group of youth teams since the Millenium, nothing crazy in the scheme of things, but decent for them, and football does seem to be on the upswing there. They were unlucky in the extreme in the youth world cup, conceding in the last minute to go to extra time against eventual winners serbia. They've had some really notable results underage too, and facing us will not be something they're fearful of.
In the last few qualifiers:
Euro12 a crazy last round saw them edged out for second, WC14 a last minute Romania goal kept them out of the playoffs (which Romania made)
Even this group, they were the better team in Belfast before Lafferty struck late on to equalise, which ultimately kept Romania just ahead.
They're not to be feared either, but they're no mugs.
That should go without saying, otherwise we would say nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by backtowalsall
Hungary finished third in the group of bottlers (Faroes excepted of course).Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Spot on, I wouldn't go as far as saying Hungary are a dream ticket though, but they'd be my pick from that bunch.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
NI managed to beat them in Budapest, although it is over a year ago now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
If we consider last week's 2 games to have been a playoff of sorts we went through on away goals
Germany and Poland will both be stronger than any of those sides
We have at least a 50/50 chance against any of the play off opponents and seeded or unseeded makes little difference. We just have to turn up in fine fettle to take the advantage.Quote:
Originally Posted by backtowalsall
Are the unseeded teams drawn to play at home first in these playoffs
Bucharest
Ukraine - win in Belarus, point in Slovakia
Hungary - Point in Bucharest, Point in Belfast
Sweden - point in Vienna, point home v Russia, 4 points v Montenegro
Bosnia - 4 points from Wales, Point in Bruxelles
Slovenia - win v Switzerland, win in Vilnius,
Norway - 6 points v Bulgaria, home win v Croatia
Denmark - 6 points v Serbia, rescued point away v Albania.
these are some of the nice results the other play-off qualifiers achieved versus their peers. We took a point away to Scotland and at home to Poland.
I'm worried.
Ireland - 4 points from Germany, point in Glasgow
Why leave out the fact we got 4 points against Germany?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
I used the phrase "versus their peers" specifically. We achieved two incredible results versus Germany, in both situations where there was no pressure, and no expectation. The days where there was pressure to beat our peers, Scotland and Poland, we failed on 3/4 ties, the Poland home tie was when we responded. That is what worries me.Quote:
Originally Posted by MeathDrog
we lost in glasgow.Quote:
Originally Posted by backtowalsall