World Cup Qualifying 2018, UEFA Group D - Opponent Watch

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Originally Posted by geysir

It was indeed a late goal victory for big Sam and a dropped point for Slovakia.

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Yes, so therefore three points for Big Sam, not one, as you had said. :)

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Originally Posted by geysir

That's superstition.:)

The Slovaks one nil home victory over Slovenia was balanced out by Slovenia's one nil home victory over the Slovaks.

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Well I was talking in the context of your theory that Slovakia can feel unfortunate, and the fact that you sighted the concession of a late own goal in a 1-0 defeat as an example. Surely if they win a match 1-0 with a late own goal it's the exact opposite of their previous misfortune? The fact that they lost the reverse fixture against Slovenia by the same scoreline balanced out the three points alright, but not necessarily the misfortune.

I hadn't seen the Mak incident but I have now. Dumbfounded that you think there's any doubt over it to be honest, as blatant a dive as you're likely to see - https://youtu.be/O-OLBx_gNd8?t=1m36s

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

I hadn't seen the Mak incident but I have now. Dumbfounded that you think there's any doubt over it to be honest, as blatant a dive as you're likely to see - https://youtu.be/O-OLBx_gNd8?t=1m36s

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delighted the ref had the nerve and sense to book him knowing it would lead to a red

Is the seeding for the playoffs confirmed? Some NI fans seem to think they have a chance of being seeded.

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Originally Posted by elroy

Is the seeding for the playoffs confirmed? Some NI fans seem to think they have a chance of being seeded.

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The ranking table isn't being updated officially until Monday but it seems pretty much confirmed by the mathematicians that it'll be Italy, Croatia, Switzerland & Denmark as the four seeded teams. That leaves ourselves, Northern Ireland, Greece & Sweden in the unseeded pot.

Im confused too NI are well ahead of Denmark in the rankings, but im sure the bean counters have it right

It's done on UEFA rankings not on FIFA rankings. That's why eg. the Netherlands are in League A and not League B in the Nations League.

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

It's done on UEFA rankings not on FIFA rankings. That's why eg. the Netherlands are in League A and not League B in the Nations League.

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It'll be based on the FIFA rankings of the 16th of October: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=...r-2906954.html

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Originally Posted by FIFA

The eight teams will be seeded in two pots with the four highest-ranked teams placed in one pot. The ranking will be based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking published on 16 October.

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

It'll be based on the FIFA rankings of the 16th of October: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=...r-2906954.html

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I've read that then it makes no sense?

Any prospective rankings about the place?

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Originally Posted by Diggs246

Im confused too NI are well ahead of Denmark in the rankings, but im sure the bean counters have it right

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You can predict the rankings with this prognosis tool on FIFA's website: http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranki...prognosis.html

NI will fall below Denmark as NI lost their two games (against Germany and Norway) whilst Denmark beat Montenegro and drew with Romania.

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

You can predict the rankings with this prognosis tool on FIFA's website: http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranki...prognosis.html

NI will fall below Denmark as NI lost their two games (against Germany and Norway) whilst Denmark beat Montenegro and drew with Romania.

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Well there's your answer.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

Yes, so therefore three points for Big Sam, not one, as you had said. :)

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"Indeed", meant I was confirming your corrected version.
Anyway the reference to Big Sam was an add on, albeit with incorrect detail.

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Well I was talking in the context of your theory that Slovakia can feel unfortunate, and the fact that you sighted the concession of a late own goal in a 1-0 defeat as an example. Surely if they win a match 1-0 with a late own goal it's the exact opposite of their previous misfortune? The fact that they lost the reverse fixture against Slovenia by the same scoreline balanced out the three points alright, but not necessarily the misfortune.

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Okay, I see now you were referring to the misfortune of an own goal being scored against Slovakia and balancing that with where Slovakia benefited from an og.
I was more referring to that last gasp attack from England that got them a gammy late goal, which I also thought happened to be an og.
However, England's goal was recorded as a regular goal, not only did I shortchange big Sam's intl record, I shortchanged the English goal scorer.

Slovenia beat Slovakia with a goal in the 74th min and Slovakia beat Slovenia with a goal in the 81th min,
that's what I would call a case of two teams cancelling out each other.

If og's were the misfortune criteria, then to balance out Slovakia's og, Scotland scored a late own goal against them. However I just saw that as an effect of a reduced team all tired out, not an mysterious act inflicted upon Slovakia by a hidden force.

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I hadn't seen the Mak incident but I have now. Dumbfounded that you think there's any doubt over it to be honest, as blatant a dive as you're likely to see - https://youtu.be/O-OLBx_gNd8?t=1m36s

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As I said, I have no doubt that there was no contact. I am questioning it being a yellow card offense as he 100% pulled out of the simulation of being hit or being hurt. He did not appeal for a foul and got up instantly to play the ball.
I say that in the context of what referees practice, game in game out, in regards to penalising simulation and their guidelines for doing so. Imo. Zak's interpreted offense was at the lowest end of the scale, a long way off from what is usually penalised and how the guidelines are interpreted.
There are just countless examples of where refs ignore the offense of players who they know are just rolling around in simulated agony. If sometimes a card is brandished, it is usually given by an assured ref to a player who continued with the simulation to the point of lying down/rolling around in feigned hurt or appealing for the (alleged) foul to be given in their favour.

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Originally Posted by geysir

"Indeed", meant I was confirming your corrected version.
Anyway the reference to Big Sam was an add on, albeit with incorrect detail.

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Good stuff, just keeping you humble. :)

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Originally Posted by geysir

Okay, I see now you were referring to the misfortune of an own goal being scored against Slovakia and balancing that with where Slovakia benefited from an og.
I was more referring to that last gasp attack from England that got them a gammy late goal, which I also thought happened to be an og.
However, England's goal was recorded as a regular goal, not only did I shortchange big Sam's intl record, I shortchanged the English goal scorer.

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An own goal sounded right to me too when you said it but, yeah, I remember Lallana scoring now alright.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Slovenia beat Slovakia with a goal in the 74th min and Slovakia beat Slovenia with a goal in the 81th min,
that's what I would call a case of two teams cancelling out each other.

If og's were the misfortune criteria, then to balance out Slovakia's og, Scotland scored a late own goal against them. However I just saw that as an effect of a reduced team all tired out, not an mysterious act inflicted upon Slovakia by a hidden force.

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All true.

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Originally Posted by geysir

As I said, I have no doubt that there was no contact. I am questioning it being a yellow card offense as he 100% pulled out of the simulation of being hit or being hurt. He did not appeal for a foul and got up instantly to play the ball.

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I agree with Stutts that he only rushed back to his feet because he knew instantly the referee wasn't going to buy it, you see that regularly enough and sometimes it does probably give the referee a get out clause. Jbyrne is spot on though I think, fair play to the referee for not buying it and having the balls to do what every other referee should, when a dive is that blatant.

Ignoring the specifics of some late winners, and whether they were deserved or unfortunate, Slovakia lost four of their ten matches. They got no points from the standout team in the group and only managed parity against their two closest rivals. We only lost one of our ten games and took eight points out of twelve against two of our direct rivals, beating both away from home and only conceding one goal in the four matches.

Across the rest of the groups only Sweden and Northern Ireland come close to Slovakia's four defeats, with three each. Two of Northern Ireland defeats came against the world champions, the other in a dead rubber with their work already done. Sweden had an average enough campaign but it was a decent group and they did manage one really big win against France.

So in conclusion, Slovakia, you are the weakest link. Goodbye. :o:o

Strachan has left the Scotland position - http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish...wsCategoryID=1

Two campaigns running they have bailed us out of a really tricky situation. Fair dues.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

Strachan has left the Scotland position - http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish...wsCategoryID=1

Two campaigns running they have bailed us out of a really tricky situation. Fair dues.

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He was unlikely to be able to sort out Scottish Genetics in another Campaign .

I heard an informed Scotland / Strachan watcher on the radio the other night saying he was having a barbed attack on the media. He has a *****ly relationship with the press and he was handing them a bone to play with his genetics comments.

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

People laughed when i said strachan was doing well and back after the euros that i thought Wales were a team id like us to be.

Scotland have looked like us but much more solid

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But who's laughing again now? :p

In what way did you think Scotland looked more solid? Whatever about our limitations and lack of creativity going forward, I don't think our solidity has really been in question throughout this campaign. We've been pretty solid at the back. We conceded only six goals all campaign. In contrast, Scotland managed to concede twelve (or ten at the time you posted the above), although, in their defence, they did have genetics working against them...

Strachan is gone now and if there was any team for whom he was doing well, it was us; he's bailed us out of potentially missing the play-offs two campaigns in a row now. (Cheers, Gordon!) ;)

As far as Wales are concerned, they crumbled under the pressure in Cardiff and offered little serious threat. Would you still rather we were Wales now?

Nice job DI 😀

http://m.footballseeding.com/interna...orld-cup-2018/

If we qualify looks like we will be a pot 3 team. The North could be a pot two side which could make for a mouth watering game☺

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Originally Posted by Bungle

http://m.footballseeding.com/interna...orld-cup-2018/

If we qualify looks like we will be a pot 3 team. The North could be a pot two side which could make for a mouth watering game☺

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Correct me if I am wrong(maybe I am missing the obvious) but by looking at that site, if we win we will be 2nd seeds. We need to move up two spots & there are 7 playoff teams ahead of us (Peru, 4 seeded UEFA & 2 Unseeded UEFA). If we win we will move up 1 spot by virtue of beating a side placed above us. Also by the fact that there are 2 unseeded teams ahead of us, that means 2 other ties will affect our placing and no matter who wins it, it will eliminate 2 teams above us.

So we need to move up 2 spots but if we win we will move up 3 or 4 spots, depending on the result in Peru/NZ game.

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Originally Posted by WexCar

Correct me if I am wrong(maybe I am missing the obvious) but by looking at that site, if we win we will be 2nd seeds. We need to move up two spots & there are 7 playoff teams ahead of us (Peru, 4 seeded UEFA & 2 Unseeded UEFA). If we win we will move up 1 spot by virtue of beating a side placed above us. Also by the fact that there are 2 unseeded teams ahead of us, that means 2 other ties will affect our placing and no matter who wins it, it will eliminate 2 teams above us.

So we need to move up 2 spots but if we win we will move up 3 or 4 spots, depending on the result in Peru/NZ game.

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I thought that myself. God right now i'd settle for a group of death just to be there😀