Is booing a poor performance justified?

**Murfinator** · 03/09/2011, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by elroy

I don't like the booing one bit. In fairness I thought it was only for a few seconds followed by applause in sending them off the pitch.

It was which I think sends out the message of "Look lads tonight wasn't good enough and we're disappointed but we're totally behind you so give em hell on tuesday". Which is completely fine in my books.

**mypost** · 03/09/2011, 5:44 PM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Yes, totally.
When they were largely sh*te, they need to be told in no uncertain terms...
It's not as if they're not praised if they do well.

Load of rubbish.

If Dunne's header in injury time had gone in, the players would have been given a standing ovation at the final whistle. Last night we achieved two things. 6 clean sheets in a row, and taking advantage of the result in Slovakia, to give us the head-to-head record over them. Another clean sheet in Moscow, and they'll be flavour of the month again.

But never mind that, you continue to boo.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 03/09/2011, 6:07 PM

No chance, we know rubbish when we see it.
As should you being a Shams man.

**DannyInvincible** · 03/09/2011, 6:24 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Another clean sheet in Moscow, and they'll be flavour of the month again.

Whatever about possible shifts in perception of the vacillating mob, I don't think we can afford go into Moscow thinking that just a clean sheet will suffice, no matter how impressive such a result might be. We don't need impressive in Moscow now; we need miraculous. Unless we win, our fate is out of our own hands - settling for that surely isn't an option - whilst it would also open up the very real and heart-breaking possibility of us finishing third on the same number of overall points as Slovakia and Russia.

**mypost** · 03/09/2011, 7:28 PM

Anything can happen in the last 3 games, apart from the Andorra wins. Last night's results weren't decisive, and next week's won't be either. the other two still have to play each other as well, they can't both win it, so a point for us in Moscow and a win in Andorra would re-jig the group again.

I think asking for a win in Moscow is too optimistic. Even the best sides struggle there, so a point will do me.

**Charlie Darwin** · 03/09/2011, 8:48 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Even the best sides struggle there, so a point will do me.

On the other hand, a team no better than us won there.

**DannyInvincible** · 03/09/2011, 9:56 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Anything can happen in the last 3 games, apart from the Andorra wins. Last night's results weren't decisive, and next week's won't be either. the other two still have to play each other as well, they can't both win it, so a point for us in Moscow and a win in Andorra would re-jig the group again.

I think asking for a win in Moscow is too optimistic. Even the best sides struggle there, so a point will do me.

Of course anything can happen but some things are more likely to happen than others. A point in Moscow allows for us to achieve a maximum of 21 points; at least that one thing would be certain. Realistically, that would allow us, at best and hoping other results went in our favour, a second place finish. We have to assume that we'll pick up 6 in our final two fixtures for obvious reasons.

There's a minuscule chance of winning the group with 21 points but I don't know if it's worth entertaining as it would involve one of or both Slovakia and Russia dropping points in their head-to-head game with any winner from that fixture dropping points in another game on top of that. If Russia and Slovakia draw that fixture, both will also have to drop further points if we're to be certain of finishing above third place. It's safe to assume that Russia will be beating Andorra. If Russia draw with us, lose to Slovakia and beat Andorra, they'll finish on 20. So the only realistic way we can finish above Russia if we draw in Moscow is by them losing to Slovakia. If Slovakia beat Russia but draw against either Armenia or Macedonia whilst winning whichever fixture between those two that they don't draw, they'll finish on 21 and we'd pip them to first position on head-to-head results. I'd rather not rely on those two dropping points though.

Edit: I think I've edited that about 5 times to get it all right, but my head still hurts when I read through it. How did it ever come to this?

**mypost** · 04/09/2011, 1:16 AM

So basically, it's still all ifs, buts, and maybes.

Last night's results have given the Russians a slight advantage, but they still have to face their main rivals before winning against Andorra. Slovakia have the hardest run-in of the three. I wouldn't want to have to go to Skopje needing a result. We did before, and failed. They only just managed to beat them at home ffs.

Moscow is, and always has been a fortress. I believe we've never got as much as a draw in Russia before, so I'll take a point, knowing that our rivals have the tougher last week to come. There's still plenty of points to be won and lost in the group.