Italy v Bulgaria

**Montenegrin** · 09/09/2009, 9:45 PM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

Penalty not given away to Montenegro for me. Most blatant handball I've ever seen. Know we got a soft one against Georgia but still....

It was not a handball!

**elroy** · 09/09/2009, 9:54 PM

I think we can consider ourselves very unlucky that we do not have first place in this group within our control considering our results in this campaign. The only result where we may feel we shouldve done better is probably Bulgaria at home, other than that our results have been very good.

The Italian game probably doesnt carry as much weighting now as before, nonetheless a win for us would certainly make it nervy for them on the last day. Not to the mention the fact that we could do with a big scalp at home. Its not all done and dusted yet we have a bit of work to do but at the same time first place isnt completely out of sight.

Italy looked good tonight but at the same time Bulgaria looked poor at times considering the talent available to them. Berba particularly was very abject.

**jbyrne** · 09/09/2009, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Pauro 76

Off-topic, Jim Beglin commentating on England game. Would it actually kill him to actually mention Italy v Bulgaria game?

Why on earth would he do that during an eng game?

**rambler14** · 09/09/2009, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Pauro 76

Don't know whether to be disappointed or delighted. Off-topic, Jim Beglin commentating on England game. Would it actually kill him to actually mention Italy v Bulgaria game?

Ray Houghton is commentating on the Uruguay vs Colombia game. It's strange........but he hasn't mentioned Italy vs Bulgaria either!

**geysir** · 09/09/2009, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

2-0 now and game over. Just as I stated yesterday!

Sure

As soon as you opened your mouth yesterday the jinx was set in stone.

**Duggie** · 10/09/2009, 8:05 AM

have to admit i got it wrong last night. italy were good in the first half but bulgaria were fairly poor. 2 great goals, especially iaquinta's one, lovely link up play. they did enough to win the game which is something we could learn from. still top spot isnt over yet. we could beat italy at home with cyprus getting a point in italy. im not looking forward to a play off...

reder · 10/09/2009, 8:12 AM

I think we are going to end up in a play off against the North. I dont know why but I have had this feeling since before Italy away. The results of the last week pretty much guarantee 2nd place for us and I think the north will fight and get 2nd. The north will be the last football game in C.P. before we move back to LR. Its destiny!!

**Duggie** · 10/09/2009, 8:14 AM

the north wont make the play off's. we would beat them over 2 games anyway.

**Stuttgart88** · 10/09/2009, 8:51 AM

Originally Posted by elroy

I think we can consider ourselves very unlucky that we do not have first place in this group within our control considering our results in this campaign. The only result where we may feel we shouldve done better is probably Bulgaria at home, other than that our results have been very good.

Tom Humphries wrote a piece last week banging on about how lucky we have been in this campaign, but I still maintain that we've had our spots of bad luck too, not to mention Italy's points haul covering up just how much rub of the green they've had.

I remember a few years back I posted a piece pointing out how many points-per-game you need to get first or second. I can't remember the stats but I'm sure 2 PPG was pretty much the goal. When the draw for the campaign was made we thought it was a tough-ish group. I personally wanted to avoid Eastern European teams and we got a whole bunch of them. Montenegro were no way a last seed, Georgia were a tough team (they runied Scotland's chances), Italy were World Champs and Bulgaria had finished their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign very strongly. We, on the other hand, were a shambles.

**bennocelt** · 10/09/2009, 9:09 AM

Originally Posted by MeathDrog

Beglin is a boring arsehole anyway.

yeah I cant stand the man

**drummerboy** · 10/09/2009, 9:55 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

yeah I cant stand the man

I think he is probably the best co-comentator there is. He knows the game.

**punkrocket** · 10/09/2009, 10:02 AM

[QUOTE]I think we are going to end up in a play off against the North

Ok, so we're not going to get the north which would have been good value, 2 good matches which we'd probably have come out of ahead. Of all the teams currently sitting in second place in their groups I'd fancy our chances against most of them. Our points tally compares favourably as well, apart from Russia. Lot's of eastern europeans in there and so far we've manged all right against them in our group. I'm getting hopeful of getting to south africa now.