Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

Slovakia have scored in injury time. FCUK

Full time.

Good to see both teams giving up loads of chances. We can exploit both.

So f'n pizzed off it's unbelievable. Watched the whole Slovakia/Macedonia match only for a great result for us to be undone in injury time. Time-wasting Macedonian RB bstard.. gets a second yellow and his team left about 10 minutes a man down to finish the job.

Feck me man.. Slovakia must have put 100 balls into the box today.

Same as last campaign when Italy scored in injury time to beat Cyprus in the first game. You really want your rivals to drop points wherever possible.

Agree with Stutts but in a sense the way i look at it is that basically we not need to match that result. It just means we have to beat Macedonia at home now, which we wouldve expected to do so in any case. Just as Slovakia have to beat Armenia away. Wouldve been a nice bonus though nonetheless.

One or two notable results tonight, great win for NI in Slovenia. Belarus beating france

I'd rather have to beat Macedonia at home than Armenia away. We did well tonight

Well lets hope we do not have to rely on other results to help us, still would have been nice if they drew.
Anyway surely 6 points from our first two games?
We may as well throw in the towel if we can't beat Andorra at home.

Are we rooting for Russia and the Slovies to tie on Tuesday?

A draw or Slovakia win would be preferable.

Draw ideally I reckon, they both lose two points that way.

Originally Posted by MeathDrog

A draw or Slovakia win would be preferable.

I'd go along with that. Don't want the Russians gaining any advantage or superiority at this, or any stage.

Didn't see the game, but I think we are in a great position. Looking a Armenias results over recent years someone will drop points there, but it won't be us now!

Originally Posted by Sullivinho

I'd go along with that. Don't want the Russians gaining any advantage or superiority at this, or any stage.

Are we sure that the team that got beaten over two legs by Slovenia & failed to qualify, rather than the team that won a tricky group last time out, beat Italy at the WC finals and got to the last 16, is the favourite to win this group? I'm not sure myself. Sometimes mid-ranked countries like Slovakia get the knack of qualification, something I don't think Russia ever has.

Originally Posted by backtowalsall

Didn't see the game, but I think we are in a great position. Looking a Armenias results over recent years someone will drop points there, but it won't be us now!

I don't think there was any fixture in our group last time out where we got more than Italy. In every corresponding game they did at least as well as we did. Maybe Armenia away will be one where one of our rivals slips up. Bar the obvious head-to-head games, Macedonia away is the other one where there's an opportunity to outperform.

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Are we sure that the team that got beaten over two legs by Slovenia & failed to qualify, rather than the team that won a tricky group last time out, beat Italy at the WC finals and got to the last 16, is the favourite to win this group? I'm not sure myself. Sometimes mid-ranked countries like Slovakia get the knack of qualification, something I don't think Russia ever has.

I hear that, but I'd still be more concerned about the Russians than the Slovaks. Slovenia's heroics notwithstanding, it's a horrendous place to go. Their home record is immense and we were thumped the last time we made the trip.

Originally Posted by Sullivinho

I hear that, but I'd still be more concerned about the Russians than the Slovaks. Slovenia's heroics notwithstanding, it's a horrendous place to go. Their home record is immense and we were thumped the last time we made the trip.

Thumped? Didn't O'Shea get injured early and Hunt sent off?

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Thumped? Didn't O'Shea get injured early and Hunt sent off?

I was referring to our last trip to Russia. Apologies for the confusion.

Cyprus drawing 4-4 in Portugal ...goes to show Trap did well getting all 6 points last campaign, i think we are getting there bit by bit, another good 3-4 goal win now on Tuesday will be great for moral.

Originally Posted by Sullivinho

I hear that, but I'd still be more concerned about the Russians than the Slovaks. Slovenia's heroics notwithstanding, it's a horrendous place to go. Their home record is immense and we were thumped the last time we made the trip.

I don't think there's any danger of the overconfidence that preceded that performance creeping back in. We'll be firm underdogs going there this time.

We would be doing well to get a point in Slovakia but we would be doing supremely well to get a point in Russia.
Somehow the Russians/SU have been our most difficult away opponents.

Our 1 up formation (i.e. after we score first) still gives me the jitters. In the blink of an eye, there was all this free space in our half, to our first line of defense. I was wondering what this noise was after we scored, then I saw it was my heartbeat rattling my shirt.
Strange enough, Kenny C on RTE was purring with satisfaction at how disciplined we were after we scored.