Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

**Jaysus** · 08/10/2011, 5:42 PM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Forget the seeding BS, give me a draw on Tuesday and I'll be happy to live to fight another day. We're a tiny country lads.

Big deal, Armenia are smaller.

**Murfinator** · 08/10/2011, 5:43 PM

Wouldn't concern me at all losing him in current form, may actually enhance our team. If all of our squad strikers aren't capable of getting change from an Armenian defence we might as well not go to the Euros to begin with.

**tricky_colour** · 08/10/2011, 6:02 PM

Originally Posted by Scooby Doo

Armenia are going to be extremely up for this. We are really going to have to be at our best. No mistakes, absolute concentration and doggedness in midfield and ensuring that we don't waste clear chances like we have done enough times already in this group.

Check out the link below. The fans celebrate like they've won the bleedin Euros! That is how much they will want it on Tuesday.

http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24352805.html

It would be their first every major tournament, this is a bigger game for them than it is for us. I'd love for them to make it to the finals however there is one obvious problem with that.

**boovidge** · 08/10/2011, 6:49 PM

They're just happy because they get to play the famous Boys in Green on tuesday.

**Cuyahoga** · 08/10/2011, 7:38 PM

I was watching Football Focus this morning. I heard Gary Mc Allister say Ireland are nailed on for 2nd place and have done well to get to the play off. I wish I was as confident as Gary. Its going to be a tough night on Tuesday I feel.

**geysir** · 08/10/2011, 8:03 PM

Originally Posted by Cuyahoga

I was watching Football Focus this morning. I heard Gary Mc Allister say Ireland are nailed on for 2nd place and have done well to get to the play off. I wish I was as confident as Gary. Its going to be a tough night on Tuesday I feel.

Usually those comments are made without knowledgeable respect for a team like Armenia.
Unlike many of us, I doubt if Gary has sat down in front of his screen and watched Armenia once since we beat them.

But maybe there is something to said about knowledge being a curse.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 08/10/2011, 8:28 PM

Originally Posted by zero

my concern is that the FAI / management team won't even be aware of this seeded / unseeded situation and just figure 'don't lose to armenia and we'll be in the playoffs'.

So why don't we all e-mail/Ph.the FAI to tell them?? Though seriously don't believe even they're that naive.

Their e-mail address is AFAIK, info@fai.ie and Ph. is 01 8999500 with various direct lines as derivations of the main no, but you need to change the last 2 digits.

Given his knowledge of the lingo, if an old Italian gentleman answers, don't bother trying to explain...

**Stuttgart88** · 09/10/2011, 6:52 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Usually those comments are made without knowledgeable respect for a team like Armenia.
Unlike many of us, I doubt if Gary has sat down in front of his screen and watched Armenia once since we beat them.

But maybe there is something to said about knowledge being a curse.

I'd say he hasn't a rashers about Armenia's recent results. Or our recent performances.

**Dvo-Van** · 09/10/2011, 3:35 PM

Armenia has already posted a 4-1 and 2-1 against Ireland U21. Same players on the pitch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

**Irwin3** · 09/10/2011, 7:37 PM

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/091020...p-nations.html

We wouldn't be the only team with inept management at least...

**pineapple stu** · 09/10/2011, 8:31 PM

Brilliant!

**Stuttgart88** · 09/10/2011, 8:35 PM

Could you imagine the furore if anybody else had said "Africa is a jungle"?

**Charlie Darwin** · 10/10/2011, 9:37 AM

Has anybody mentioned yet that this is Armenia's cup final?

**ArdeeBhoy** · 10/10/2011, 9:44 AM

Or told the FAI...

**p2011** · 10/10/2011, 10:47 AM

This is the situation for 2nd place teams at the mo'...
http://www.world-results.net/uefa/ranking.html#2011

Factoring out the teams already qualified gives us this ranking:
Portugal
Croatia
Greece
Sweden
France
Denmark
Serbia
Ireland
...i.e. Seven teams ahead of us.

Three of these teams can very safely be ruled out of the playoffs as one of Greece/Croatia will win a group, one of Portugal/Denmark will win a group, and Sweden/Denmark will very likely be the best second place team. It doesn't matter which team does what, three teams can be ruled out.

So that leaves four teams ahead of us in the rankings. In order to be one of the top four seeds we need one of France or Serbia not be involved in the playoffs... which is likely... i.e. France coming 1st in their group (relegating Bosnia to 2nd), or Serbia not to win in Slovenia (giving Estonia 2nd). Perhaps the combination best would be France qualifying and Serbia losing out to Estonia, giving us the one in four chance of facing Estonia to qualify. ;-)

**p2011** · 10/10/2011, 10:55 AM

Afterthought:
If we fail to get seeded, I think we are doomed. So it's essential we get past Armenia and that either France or Serbia stay out of the playoffs. My reading.

There is a big gap between the non-seeded teams (who look beatable, Czechs/Scots/Estonia/Bosnia/Montenegro...) and the seeded teams (who are all better outfits than us, France/Serbia/Croatia/Greece/Sweden/Denmark/Serbia...).

I know Bosnia and Montenegro and the Czechs are not mugs, but they're beatable.

**Stuttgart88** · 10/10/2011, 11:27 AM

The Serbs don't look as formidable as they were.

**Kingdom** · 10/10/2011, 11:29 AM

Irwin3 and myself conspired to give all the scenarios on another thread, but that's fairly close P2011.

The three big matches of the night that will dictate our seeding status are:
Turkey V Azerbaijan
France vs Bosnia
&
Slovenia vs Serbia.

The other games Denmark v Portugal, Georgia v Greece and Croatia v Latvia, should go to plan.

provided we do our bit and beat Armenia....

**Kingdom** · 10/10/2011, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

The Serbs don't look as formidable as they were.

If it came down to it, would you like to play them?

**p2011** · 10/10/2011, 11:46 AM

@Kingdom:
Yes, now I see that on the other thread. Fair play, good to see we are all barking up the same tree.

I think Turkey will squeeze past Azerbaijan, but Turkey are behind us at the moment. Belgium and Scotland are goosed. Not sure whether I would prefer to see France out (for the ha ha factor) or to see Estonia in. Serbia will be hard pushed to win in Slovenia, but France in a big decider in the Stade de France probably means France will get the result they need...

Important we win tomorrow and stay ahead of the Czechs. Like I say, I think being a 2nd seed would be just too big an ask.

@Stuttgart88: True about Serbia, but still lethal striker (on his day) and proper footballers who can keep the ball and an intimidating away fixture.