Group nine only has five teams though. So really it's the second place finishers from the other groupsOriginally Posted by Colbert Report
I don't really think the whole 'top eight of nine runners up' thing is very fair to us. Montenegro is a brand new country and did not deserve to be a sixth seed. I would love it if we topped the group and Italy finished as the ninth best runner up. It would be a nice kick in the teeth for FIFA to have the defending world champions miss the World Cup.
If we are to win the group, we'll have to beat Italy in Dublin come October. They'd also have to drop points in two of their three matches against Bulgaria, Georgia and Cyprus. Not going to happen. We need help to avoid finishing ninth of nine runners up, mainly due to the Montenegro seeding issue.
Group nine only has five teams though. So really it's the second place finishers from the other groups
Its not the 6th seed games that don't count but the games against the team that finishes 6th, I think! This will change dramatically as the groups progress.
Stupid me thought that 2nd was automatic into the play offs, well it should be with the 2 teams with the least points per game average playing each other in a premliary 1 leg neutral venue to progress to the last 8 in the play offs. How good would it be to top the group --- gotta dream lads.
But for the rest of the groups the results against the team that finishes bottom are knocked off, otherwise it would be an unfair advantage.
As for Kerr's comments, whatever you make of Stephen Ireland, it's a bit rich of him to be saying that Trap should be making more of an effort to get him back.
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I agree, definately Noel Hunts goal.
He'd hardly let Keane take the plaudits if he scored it.
Always look on the bright side of life
I agree also Noel hunt got it, weird that RTE didn't pick up on that. Would Dunphy have still slatted trap for bringing on Hunt for Doyle if he knew he actually scored.
Making a case for glory: Hunt claims goal
AS his captain made his way past and towards the team bus at the San Nicola stadium in Bari last night, Noel Hunt staked a claim to the goal that earned Ireland a famous draw with the world champions in their own backyard and kept strengthened the team’s hand in the battle for qualification, writes EMMET MALONE
“I saw the ball coming down and Caleb (Folan) getting the knock down,” said the Reading striker. “Robbie was there and we both went for it but I got a toe to it and it went in. I went one way to celebrate and Robbie went the other after him (Folan).
“Eventually I had to join in with them but I was on top of Robbie shouting down at him: “It’s my goal, it’s my goal,” and he was there just laughing.
“Really, I don’t care, though, the main thing is that we got the point and through the last bit out there it rally felt as if we could go on and win it. We had them pegged back through the second half and with a bit of luck we would have beaten them. As it is, they were down to 10 men but we still had the better of Italy at their place.”
Keane, meanwhile, insisted that the Irish have put themselves right back in contention for the group’s top spot after their hopes appeared to falter at Croke Park on Saturday night.
“It was great to get the goal in the end, but we deserved it,” said the Irish captain, who still seemed to reckon he had just scored the 38th goal of his international career.
“It you go behind to the Italians you know it’s going to be tough but we stuck at it and I don’t think they could have complained too much if we’d got the win.
“We had a lot of possession even it we didn’t do much with it for spells but we got the goal and we’re still hanging in there (contesting first place in Group Eight with Italy).”
That might benefit us as it negates other teams goal difference from hammering the minnows.
can see us going unbeaten for the whole campaign now, which should see us into the playoffs
now that the dust has settled, i have a few comments.
1) great result and a very positive display. If we can reproduce some of that play in our upcoming matches and not invite teams on to us all the time we can win this group potentially. It is a big "if" though. Posibly the best thing we could do is stop scoring early goals! Most importantly we need to be brave and look to kill off teams - our destiny is now actually in our own hands as i do see this Italian team dropping a couple more points along the way.
2) that was a red card offence, the more i see it. The way he jumped up with his arms and elbows out is against the rules. You dont see them given often but by the rules the ref did the right thing.
3) Folan did some sterling work when he came on and how he got his head on that ball for the goal was a great show of determination. I remember being very impressed with him in one of the friendlies (was it Poland?). Id like to see him more involved in the future. He offers us something we havent had since Quinner.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
It looked to be at least reckless endangerment but the ref made a few peculiar looking decisions so I don't know if I can trust his close observation.
Heinze wouldn't have lasted 30 seconds out there.
Sofia will be a different game (deeply profound statement).
Lads I think trap was brilliant with his tactics last night and showed intent, bringing robbie out to the midfield was class(given we hadn't reid)moving oshea out to the right for a more attacking threat, taking off keogh so early realising that in the type of game we were playing and with pazzini gone we needed to exploit it as much as we could. Bringing on hunt for doyle was also a very good move, doyle was shattered by that stage, as was evident by the cross he gave before it he couldn't get any power in it. I Have to say Trap got it very right last night and that is why he is the man he is and won so much, staunton or kerr would never have the gumption to make those changes yesterday, not even sure mccarthy would have had the temperment to do that either. Just brilliant and well done Trap.
Thought we were very good at holding onto the ball yesterday, granted we were given a lot of space which wont happen in bulgaria, but i think with 2 wingers there as well we could have a good chance. I noticed when andrews was taken off he appeared to be doing a whole lot better than whelan but whelan really came into the game when gibson came on, so maybe there is something there that whelan is being told and we dont realise.....
Anyway it felt like we won yesterday, robbie is annoying the way he goes on, with all his cliches as thats all he was capable of learningbut he tried so hard for his country last night and never stopped running, on that alone he deserved the goal. Dunne was class you could see the delight in his eyes and his honesty was refreshing just like the ruggers after the 6 nations win. But I do think we had the opportunity to win it and should have won it.....Buffon is class.
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And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
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This match wasn't available in Scotland, can someone please send me a copy of the match on DVD....I'll pay for any cost's.
Cheer's.
Why don't you just download the torrent off fbtz.com/forum?
I don't see it there.
There is a good quality version available on irishtorrents.
It is on fbtz. Russian commentary though. How do you get a membership for irishtorrents?
Better than usual and won a lot of frees to be fair, but his passing and touch leave a lot to be desired
very good point!!
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