QuoteAn away goal is vital in these games (2 would be better)
How do we beat them over two legs? I feel our best chance of winning is actually away from home. Not necessarily winning the match but scoring to match our opponents on their turf. And then taking them back to Croker for a 0-0. We can do this against any European opponent.
An away goal is vital in these games (2 would be better
ive had a feeling for weeks that were going to get portugal..
Agree completely with this. I feel we can hold anyone to a draw while going out and beating them is an entirely different matter. An away score draw followed by a 0-0 at home. I'd take it now! What if we draw Greece and they do the same as us?! Be prepared for the most horrendous two games in playoff history!Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
same as... don't know why but convinced we will.ive had a feeling for weeks that were going to get portugal..
We'll get Russia, I'm convinced of it.
But as Bill would ask, are we haunted to get Russia?
id take russia. dont think there as good as everyone thinks. is people's perception of arshavin clouding a lot of judgements ? look at pavleuchenko cant get near the spurs line up. so what about the cold in moscow, not as if we aint used to it. i think we could do well againt them.
Why does no one want Russia?? Apart from Arshavin, Zhirkov and Pavyluchenko (the latter two would hardly fill you with the fear of God), they're a team of "unknowns" who mainly play in Russia, so there'd be little fear factor there. I appreciate the Hiddink and Moscow things but they'd be my second choice after Greece for sure.
exactly my point. id take russia as i said.
Unknowns does not mean "weak". Russian sides at international and club level have been steadily improving over the last few years
Russia were semi-finalists in Euro 2008 after qualifying unseeded. Lost their opener to Spain, and scraped past Greece 1-0 before Arshavin's return inspired wins over Sweden and the Dutch, before losing again in the semi's to Spain.
Zenit St Petersburg were UEFA Cup winners in 2008, and finished third in their group in the Champions League in 2008/2009 containing Real Madrid and Juventus. In the UEFA Cup they knocked out Stuttgart before losing to Udinese 2-1 over 2 legs.
I really don't fancy going to Moscow in the middle of November to play on a plastic pitch needing to get a result, look at England's result there in the last campaign, completely outplayed andlost
....what he said.
Plus it'd be sh1t to get to, was a horrible trip in 2002 from all accounts with gangs going round battering Irish fans and people ended up being restricted to their hotels. Add the Hiddink factor to the snow, freezing temperature and plastic pitch and it's clear that it would be a nightmare draw.
I know that. But at least we won't have all the "Benzema v St. Ledger" or "Ronaldo v Kilbane" stuff that's spouted everytime we play a strong nation. Or maybe that inspires the players, I don't know.
Personally, I'd like to avoid Russia - in part, due to the fact that Hiddink will have them very well prepared for whoever they will face.
Secondly - has to be considered that their plastic pitch could be difficult to adapt to.
Quoting years at random since 1975
are most people who are planning on attending the away leg going to fly out the day before the game, two nights accomadation and fly home the day after the game.
would it be fair to say if the game is in france or portugal the above should be attained for est €250-€300
Grecce €350
Russia €600
then the price of match tickets and alcohol and food added. Iam definatley going if we draw anyone except russia just try to convince a few of more lads to come on board and if someone could post estimated price for the above. thanks
I've thought that for ages. Not exactly the topic of a football forum, speculating about who we might get based on a feeling, but I think we’ll get Russia away first leg!
1-0 Russia first leg and 0-0 second leg
What odds Paddy Power?!
lads it portugal...i am certain. dont know why but felt it for weeks. i think it cause i want to avoid them the most.
All right ... all right ... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order ... what have the Romans done for us?
I fear Russia more than any of the others. The fact we don't know them should make us fear them more, no?
Tbh, I don't know why FIFA permit synthetic pitches for international matches. Here is a quotation from last night's London evening Standard:
[Tottenham] Club medics are waiting to assess striker Roman Pavlyuchenko after he picked up a muscle problem playing as a second-half substitute against Germany on a plastic pitch in Russia at the weekend. He said: 'I have lost the habit of playing on synthetics - the pains in my muscles told me that'
Quite honestly, if you don't draw Greece, then I personally think you'd be better off with Portugal, who are struggling under Quiroz (a coach rather than a manager), or France, similarly struggling under Domenech (barking).
Whereas Russia have got some excellent players (both abroad and domestically), the country is a genuinely "hard place to get a result", and in Hiddinck, they have got arguably the canniest manager in international football.
Are you a british soccer pundit by any chance?
They are not a team of "unknowns", what nonsense. They made the semi finals of the last euro's, have only been outdone by a strong german side in qualifying and have a strength all over the pitch. Zenit has won the UEFA cup and the super cup. While CSKA have consistently been relatively strong in the champions league.
- Akinfeev is one of the best young goalkeepers in the game. World class.
- Semak and Semshov have valuable experience at the top level.
- Sychev is a lethal finisher
- Their side is for the most part at a very good age, on the early side of mid twenties.
We have ever reason to be very, very afraid of these guys, they've argubly got better strength accross the pitch than either portugal or france who excel in just a couple of positions.
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