Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

**tetsujin1979** · 06/09/2011, 9:54 PM

I think it was called "The group that couldn't slow down"

**tricky_colour** · 06/09/2011, 10:05 PM

Russia 17
Ireland 15
Armenia 14
Slovakia 14
Macedonia 7
Andorra 0

7 October
Armenia - Macedonia
Slovakia - Russia
Andorra - Ireland

11 October
Russia - Andorra
Ireland - Armenia
Macedonia - Slovakia

Simplify this by awarding 3 points from Andorra

Russia 9 20
Ireland 9 18
Armenia 8 14
Slovakia 8 14
Macedonia 7
Andorra 19 0

7 October
Armenia - Macedonia
Slovakia - Russia

11 October
Ireland - Armenia
Macedonia - Slovakia

So 4 matches which could go any of 3 ways I think that is 81 combinations?

Worth pointing out that if we lose our last match we can still qualify?

Everything will be decided by the final game.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/09/2011, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Metrostars

Russia 17
Ireland 15
Armenia 14
Slovakia 14
Macedonia 7
Andorra 0

7 October
Armenia - Macedonia
Slovakia - Russia
Andorra - Ireland

11 October
Russia - Andorra
Ireland - Armenia
Macedonia - Slovakia

Let's say Slovakian fails to beat Russia (likely). That means a win in Andorra and a draw against Armenia gets us second.

2 points this week, yet a pivotal advantage over Slovakia. Mad stuff.

We must be overwhelming favourites to get a play-off spot at this stage. Slim chance, but a chance, to win the group.

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For the 1,876th time on foot.ie: I think there's not much wrong with our team that a good central midfield wouldn't change.

Dunne, Sledge & O'Dea all showed their mettle in the last few days. Kelly did well - better than O'Shea imo.

Unfortunately, having a sub-par midfield makes us a poor team. Dogged, but poor.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/09/2011, 10:08 PM

Am I right in thinking that we can't top the group if Slovakia don't beat Russia?

**tricky_colour** · 06/09/2011, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

If we win both our matches we are guaranteed at least second place. If we do that and Slovakia beat Russia we get first.

Oh today's performance by Slovakia the chances of Russia not beating Slovakia are zero.
Fortunately it won't be played today!!

**Stuttgart88** · 06/09/2011, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

(1) Worth pointing out that if we lose our last match we can still qualify?

(2) Everything will be decided by the final game.

(1) Only if Armenia lose to Macedonia (unlikely). If that game is a draw, there's no way Armenia can come behind us I think. Anything worse than 0-1 means they beat us on head-to-head. Even 0-1 means they'll go through on GD, because they scored more goals against Slovakia than we even got corners.

(2) Don't think so.

**tricky_colour** · 06/09/2011, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Am I right in thinking that we can't top the group if Slovakia don't beat Russia?

Yep, if Russian get a point we can only match them on points and that is not good enough as Russia have beat us.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/09/2011, 10:24 PM

Barring a bizarre result, the Armenia game is key. Only if Slovakia beats Russia and we fail to beat Andorra is a play-off out of our hands.

Put another way, we beat Andorra and draw with Armenia = 19 points. Slovakia need to win twice.

As a season ticket holder who has paid upfront, I hereby give my approval to the FAI to undercut my ticket price and offer the bandwagon jumping, instant gratification seeking Irish public a �10 ticket to fill the house. Nah, make that �5.

**tricky_colour** · 06/09/2011, 10:36 PM

If we can't beat Andorra we might as well give up, or at least hope for other results to go our way.

**Crosby87** · 06/09/2011, 10:45 PM

Are the games in OCT also Friday/Tuesday? I hate that ****.

**jbyrne** · 07/09/2011, 8:14 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

As a season ticket holder who has paid upfront, I hereby give my approval to the FAI to undercut my ticket price and offer the bandwagon jumping, instant gratification seeking Irish public a €10 ticket to fill the house. Nah, make that €5.

me also!
but please put them in their own isolated section so i dont have to listen to 90 mins of premiership and celtic talk from those around me

**geysir** · 07/09/2011, 8:25 AM

Also conditional, have a water cannon in place for the first signs of a mexican wave.

**geysir** · 07/09/2011, 8:36 AM

I think it's just our dna level fatalism doesn't really anticipate other results going our way in the crucial run-in, whereas it seems par for the course in general that pressure/exhaustion sets in and contenders trip over themselves. Just that 4 nil is freaky and they are coming our way.
But Slovakia were well knackered by the end of the first half. The game was played at a frenzied pace in the first half, the Slovaks were burnt out in the 2nd half and easy meat for the perky Armenians.

**pineapple stu** · 07/09/2011, 8:40 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Barring a bizarre result, the Armenia game is key.

Yup. But the Armenia game suddenly looks a hell of a lot tougher. We always thought it'd be key while keeping an eye on Slovakia's last game; now, it's key for our opponents as well, who may well be on a roll (assuming they beat Macedonia). Going to be a massive, massive game.

Also, if only Robbie had scored that peno in Bratislava... (And if ifs and buts were candy and nuts...)

It does look a very outside chance that Slovakia will do us a favour and beat Russia.

**shakermaker1982** · 07/09/2011, 8:56 AM

There was me doubting those stats & projections by Castrol that Danny put up the other day!

Win our 2 games and it's at least a play off. I'd have taken that at HT yesterday when we couldn't get out of our own half!

**tetsujin1979** · 07/09/2011, 9:01 AM

Accroding to the wiki article on the group - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Eu...s_and_fixtures - the Slovakia v Russia game kicks off at 8:15 CET, with the Andorra v Ireland game at 9:30 CET (at least that's how I'm reading it) so it'll be into the second half in the other game before we kick off. Could have some idea of what is needed at that stage

**BonnieShels** · 07/09/2011, 9:10 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I think it was called "The group that couldn't slow down"

If ever there was a post that summed it up...

**elroy** · 07/09/2011, 9:11 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

For the 1,876th time on foot.ie: I think there's not much wrong with our team that a good central midfield wouldn't change.

Dunne, Sledge & O'Dea all showed their mettle in the last few days. Kelly did well - better than O'Shea imo.

Unfortunately, having a sub-par midfield makes us a poor team. Dogged, but poor.

Was thinking the same this morning Stutt. Look at our first choice XI
Given, JOSH, Sledge and Dunne. Absolutely no problem, in fact its a damn fine defence. Left back is a problem.

On the wings we have McG, Duff and Hunt (two from that three obviously). Again good options, McG has improved this campaign, still dont think he is as good as some Celtic fans profess but he has improved and defensively he was fantastic yday - not a previous strong point of his.

CM - Problems.

Up front - Keane, Doyle, Long, Cox, Walters, Best. Again a pretty strong/decent array of options here.

The lads on the highlights show last night pointed out some errors in our basic flat 4 midfield system that appeared (worryingly) in both Russian games. They played a diamond system and passed the ball around us - with ridiculous ease. Whos to say Armenia wont try a similar system!!?! Whelan and Andrews though they try very hard and just not good enough at controlling a game or imposing themselves on the game. I think our options are either seek a stronger alternative, McCarthy maybe but honestly Im not sure if one is there. The other option is to play a similar system ourselves, employing Fahey/McCarthy in an attacking midfielder sort of role. Yes it would take from our attack somewhat (But what attack was there yday). It hopefully would help Andrews/WHelan out, give me an immediate option and also also the two wingers to link in and move further up the field. IMO our wingers are our best form of attack. Thoughts?

**pineapple stu** · 07/09/2011, 9:17 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Accroding to the wiki article on the group - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Eu...s_and_fixtures - the Slovakia v Russia game kicks off at 8:15 CET, with the Andorra v Ireland game at 9:30 CET (at least that's how I'm reading it) so it'll be into the second half in the other game before we kick off. Could have some idea of what is needed at that stage

Meh. I think we all know we need to beat Andorra in fairness. Shouldn't need another half-time to tell us that.

**paul_oshea** · 07/09/2011, 9:19 AM

Lads whatever about our midfield being poor, it is not just simply a case of replacing them. Ye are reading it wrong.

When andrews/kelly/hunt put them under pressure they lost the ball twice, i think whelan and andrews made 1 tackle each further up the field we won the ball back.

There was 3 occassions when Tardelli was shouting at Trap because we just sat too deep and literally didn't make any tackles and they played the ball around us. Tardelli was fuming.

The tactics are horribly wrong. We need to be more aggresive in our defending. A wing and a prayer and some terrible finishing by Russia, saved us last night. It wont save us again.

Take yer heads out of the sand and stop covering your eyes.