Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

**geysir** · 29/03/2011, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

That 47% could cause us serious problems in Macedonia though, i think thats the point some are trying to make.

Yes, but you are habituated at looking for miserable outcomes.
Our away performances under Trap put us favourites to at least get a draw there. Our away performances are trademarked by a will to win and enough grit to at least get a draw. Not only will we perform more credibly than in past efforts against Macedonis but we will give Russia a much different game in Moscow.

**Noelys Guitar** · 29/03/2011, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Wolfie

The Belgium game was a tense game with no a major amount of goal attempts. I've a vague recollection of Liam Brady making a break into their box and having a shot blocked on the line?????

Two notable results that were huge for us in that group early on - drew away with Belgium and beat Scotland away.

Slovakia are arguably Scotland and Belgium are Russia in my ridiculously far fetched equation??????????

We may as well crow bar a comparison that doesn't really exist!!

Correct. A great double save from Bonner from Ceulamans helped that day. In the home game against Scotland Stapo missed a great chance with the last kick of the game. Tha ball ended up down on Sanydmount strand.

**tetsujin1979** · 29/03/2011, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

You can call Kingdom a lot of things but don't call him geysir.

or Shirley!

**Wolfie** · 29/03/2011, 1:01 PM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

Correct. A great double save from Bonner from Ceulamans helped that day. In the home game against Scotland Stapo missed a great chance with the last kick of the game. Tha ball ended up down on Sanydmount strand.

It all turned OK in the end, eh?????? How many times have we been able to say that!!!

**paul_oshea** · 29/03/2011, 1:07 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

Yes, but you are habituated at looking for miserable outcomes.
Our away performances under Trap put us favourites to at least get a draw there. Our away performances are trademarked by a will to win and enough grit to at least get a draw. Not only will we perform more credibly than in past efforts against Macedonis but we will give Russia a much different game in Moscow.

I might be but those are the outcomes that have occured most often in the past.

I don't know what you base this Russia away day on, but its not the facts, if they destroyed us here and they are very strong in russia, a draw would be a very good result now.

I see us getting 5 or 7 points from Russia/Macedonia/Slovakia with 5 the more likely. Thats hardly pessimistic.

**geysir** · 29/03/2011, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

but those are the outcomes that have occured most often in the past.

When one refers to the form of past away games, the games are certainly in the past.
The recent past, as in the last away game and the distant past, to the first 2 away games from the last campaign.
Lets not forget the September factor as well.

**Charlie Darwin** · 29/03/2011, 1:19 PM

I think 47% is one of our better possession stats of recent vintage.

**shakermaker1982** · 29/03/2011, 1:20 PM

If we get 7 points from those 3 games we should top the group. I think we'll sneak a win out in Macedonia like we did out in Armenia.

**SwanVsDalton** · 29/03/2011, 1:31 PM

It is one game at a time, but if I was to pin-point a game it'd probably be the Slovakia match. There's a chance Slovakia will have shaken off their post-World Cup hangover by then, but I think we'll win which would virtually guarantee second place. Then fly out to Moscow on a high and with a bit of pressure off, ready to put it up to the Ruskies.

If we don't get a win, or worse lose, against Slovakia then I can't see us raising ourselves for Russia and we'll probably be out.

**geysir** · 29/03/2011, 2:18 PM

It has to be one game at a time.
Lose to Macedonia, then it would be extremely doubtful that we find the 'moral courage' to step up to a higher qualification bar and get a win in Russia.

**Stuttgart88** · 29/03/2011, 2:49 PM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

Does anyone remember the two draws at home to Belgium and Scotland in Jacks first campaign?

Vividly. Which proves that the results are more important than the performances.

I watch as much international football as I can. Rarely to the seeded teams do more than is needed in the banana-skin games. Usually the wins are narrow and influenced by surviving a few scares and maybe getting some breaks. We got some breaks early in the game on Saturday. That's not saying we depended on them to win the game. If it had been 0-0 at 70 minutes we'd have been far more urgent with the ball I'm sure.

**SwanVsDalton** · 29/03/2011, 3:58 PM

Jonathan Wilson outlines the pressure on Russia for The Guardian

**paul_oshea** · 29/03/2011, 4:31 PM

You really would expect Russia to pick up 9 points in these home games:
Armenia, Macedonia and Andorra

Hopefully we can match them, even if one of ours is away.

**Noelys Guitar** · 29/03/2011, 5:19 PM

Russia drawing 1-1 at the moment away to Qatar. Pavlyuchenko scored the equaliser. No idea why he didn't play on Saturday. I don't think Dick Advocat rates him as he rarely starts him.
Link here http://www.stopstream.tv/ch6.html

Finished 1-1. Another mediocre performance from Russia. They really do look poor at the back.

**Stuttgart88** · 29/03/2011, 6:31 PM

I think Dick Advocaat might be our MVP at the end of this campaign.

**SwanVsDalton** · 29/03/2011, 6:31 PM

They're not functioning at the moment - even against us, it's telling they nearly folded completely late on. What's odds Advocaat is gone by the time we roll round to Moscow?

**paul_oshea** · 29/03/2011, 6:36 PM

hopefully the night before.

what's this stupid American mvp term being used all about

**ped_ped** · 29/03/2011, 6:45 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

hopefully the night before.

what's this stupid American mvp term being used all about

Dick Advocaat our MVP? I'm not seeing the similarity, I'll be honest.

**Noelys Guitar** · 29/03/2011, 8:44 PM

Slovakia beaten 1-2 at home by Denmark. Started with their strongest team as well.

**BonnieShels** · 29/03/2011, 8:47 PM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Jonathan Wilson outlines the pressure on Russia for The Guardian

There was all this talk about the Russians being under supreme pressure and going backwards when they played in Lansdowne. I don't buy it that much. We have no idea what will happen between now and then. Let's just get to Moscow and worry about it then. We have more pressing issues like beating Macedonia and Slovakia. If we don't win them the Russia game will be academic.