Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

**mypost** · 09/10/2010, 7:54 AM

Originally Posted by TrapAPony

Slovakia will be missing Skrtel, Stoch and Vittek which will be a big blow for them. Players like Green, Kilbane & maybe even Whelan need to be ditched for us IMO.

We have our own problems, and we're away on Tuesday as well. Hoping for a point, rather than expecting it.

**Noelys Guitar** · 09/10/2010, 4:29 PM

Don't rule out Macedonia causing an upset against the Russian's on Tuesday. They should have got at least a point in Slovakia (dubious late sending off changed game). And I would put them as only slightly weaker than Armenia. Russia are staying in Dublin over the weekend and are not flying onto Macedonia until Monday afternoon (which I believe is a mistake). No forgone conclusion this match.

**TrapAPony** · 09/10/2010, 4:35 PM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

Don't rule out Macedonia causing an upset against the Russian's on Tuesday.

I wouldn't rule out Macedonia upsetting us either when the time comes.

**paul_oshea** · 09/10/2010, 4:58 PM

terrible result last night, dont let the 2 goals mask how poor we really were, for the last 15 mins we could have played some nice football on teh ground instead we hoofed it forward everytime to absolutely no avail. Green was terrible kilbane was not solely to blame for 2 goals but he was certainly at fault for 2 of them. I honestly think Trap was found out last night, his system against the fitter, sharper, more technically gifted russians was to sit back very deep let them attack us and not keep them further up the field or even harass them, it worked a treat for russia it was like a knife through butter we cut open so easily.

The whole performance was absoloutely terrible, but what was so disappointing was Trap teling given to hit it long everytime, and not to have told us from the off to harass and close them down, hence why they had so much ball,enough time on the ball to pick out the killer passes.

**elroy** · 09/10/2010, 5:24 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

not keep them further up the field or even harass them,

Thats a key point and something I couldnt understand watching the game why we were standing off them and not harassing/putting them under pressure. They were unquestionably technically superior but standing off them was criminal. In contrast any time any of our midfielders got the ball they were surrounded by the Russians.

**Charlie Darwin** · 09/10/2010, 7:35 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

his system against the fitter, sharper, more technically gifted russians was to sit back very deep let them attack us and not keep them further up the field or even harass them, it worked a treat for russia it was like a knife through butter we cut open so easily.

Er, that wasn't the system. At all. The system was to press them up the field and harass them. Green and Lawrence did this. Whelan and McGeady didn't.

**Noelys Guitar** · 12/10/2010, 3:05 PM

http://debilizator.tv/big.cgi?kanal=7 Armenian game on here And what a goal and start for Armenia.

This could be 5 or 6 nil going by the first 10 mins. Armenia look like scoring everytime they get forward

**pineapple stu** · 12/10/2010, 3:34 PM

3-0 now; half an hour gone. I wonder do Armenia have it in them to be serious play-off contenders?

I like the TV schedule -

00:25Наука 2.0. Моя планета.
01:30Вести-спорт.
01:45Моя планета.
02:50Рыбалка с Радзишевским.
03:05Неделя спорта.
03:55Top Gear.
05:00Все включено.
09:00Вести-спорт.
09:15Наука 2.0. Моя планета.
12:00Вести.ru.
12:10Вести-спорт.
12:20Top Gear.
13:25Бильярд. Кремлевский турнир.
15:00Неделя спорта.
15:55Хоккей. КХЛ. Сибирь (Новосибирск) - Ак Барс (Казань). Прямая трансляция.
18:15Вести.ru.
18:30Вести-спорт.
18:55Футбол. Чемпионат Европы-2012. Отборочный турнир. Армения - Андорра. Прямая трансляция.
20:55Вести.ru.
21:10Вести-спорт.
21:25Футбол. Македония - Россия. Перед матчем.
22:20Моя планета.

Good to know some things stay the same wherever you go.

**Spudulika** · 12/10/2010, 6:02 PM

4-0 Armenia. Oh for a 1-0 in Zilina!

**Charlie Darwin** · 12/10/2010, 6:04 PM

Looks like Armenia are going to be this year's Cyprus (or better!)

**rebelmusic** · 13/10/2010, 12:45 AM

I think the table flatters them to be honest. They've beaten andorra, macedonia and caught the Slovaks on a bad day from what we can tell. I don't think Ireland we're on top of their game at all when we played them and we beat them. On the other side of the coin, this campaign will probably be similar in the Armenian's mindset to us in 86 or 92 and it might be the jump off point for a solid investment in their international team. I'd wish them the best on that front because they're not a nasty footballing nation by any means.

**elroy** · 13/10/2010, 3:19 AM

Nonetheless Im glad we dont play them again until our last game, as the wind is well and truly in their sails at the moment.

**Hibs4Ever** · 13/10/2010, 8:35 AM

Originally Posted by rebelmusic

I think the table flatters them to be honest. They've beaten andorra, macedonia and caught the Slovaks on a bad day .

They drew with Macedonia

**Wolfie** · 13/10/2010, 12:58 PM

March 26th 2011

Ireland v Macedonia
Andorra v Slovakia
Armenia v Russia

Macedonia game, obviously a must win for us.

Interesting to see if Armenia can maintain their momentum and give Russia a tough game. They'd pass them on points if they won.

**Kingdom** · 13/10/2010, 1:44 PM

Originally Posted by rebelmusic

I think the table flatters them to be honest. They've beaten andorra, macedonia and caught the Slovaks on a bad day from what we can tell. I don't think Ireland we're on top of their game at all when we played them and we beat them. On the other side of the coin, this campaign will probably be similar in the Armenian's mindset to us in 86 or 92 and it might be the jump off point for a solid investment in their international team. I'd wish them the best on that front because they're not a nasty footballing nation by any means.

Yeah there's merit to this post in a sense, despite the error. I thought Armenia tried to play good football against us, and perhaps our experience got us through. As for their result against Slovakia, I wouldn't agree that they caught the Slovaks off guard at all. Slovakia I feel aren't as good a team as has been made out, and while results are the important part of football, sometimes they don't tell the full story. Slovakia were absolutely poxed lucky to beat Russia, and they needed an injurytime goal plus a ludicrous red card for Macedonia to get the three points, so I don't think it's stretching the imagination too much to say they've had a decent dollop of luck so far, and had we beaten them last night, which we would have fully deserved for the outright chances, then we could be looking at a vastly different table.

Lets just hope we get a bit of it (luck) when we need it.

Does anyone know if the play offs will be seeded?

**paul_oshea** · 13/10/2010, 1:46 PM

Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

They drew with Macedonia

they were unlucky, that macedonia drew level so late on, a more experienced team would have put them away, they would now be joint top and us in 3rd...

they could be dark horses yet, if they even got a draw against russia, they would still be in contention big time.

**pineapple stu** · 13/10/2010, 2:01 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Does anyone know if the play offs will be seeded?

I think they announced at the start that they would be seeded.

**paul_oshea** · 13/10/2010, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I think they announced at the start that they would be seeded.

yep they did.

**SwanVsDalton** · 13/10/2010, 2:10 PM

Take it's too early to start speculating on whether we'd be seeded or not...

Although actually, with our group being this tight already, our group could be in serious danger of having the worst second place team. Let the futile speculation begin!