World Cup qualifying group C

**ArdeeBhoy** · 10/06/2013, 9:22 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...talking-points

**Stuttgart88** · 10/06/2013, 9:44 AM

Guardian guy reckons the Faroes can beat Sweden tomorrow? Interesting view. Good article nonetheless.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 10/06/2013, 9:48 AM

Well, just a different perspective is good to hear.

Don't share his optimism!

**DeLorean** · 10/06/2013, 11:52 AM

It's surprising how positive the English media are about Ukraine's 4-0 win in Podgorica. "England's rivals slip up" was the headline on BBC as well. Do they not realise that Ukraine are only a point behind them and still have to play San Marino twice. They also have England in Kiev to come. If I was English I'd be far more worried now than I was before that result.

**DeLorean** · 10/06/2013, 12:04 PM

I'm not all that bothered about the whole 'worst 2nd placed team' anymore. If we manage to finish 2nd, I think we'll should probably have got enough points to avoid that. Here are the groups/teams in contention for that particular fate...

Group B

Bulgaria	6	2	4	0	11	4	10
Czech Republic	6	2	3	1	6	4	9
Denmark	5	1	3	1	6	5	6

Group C

Austria	6	3	2	1	15	5	11
Republic of Ireland	6	3	2	1	12	10	11
Sweden	5	2	2	1	9	7	8

Group D

Hungary	6	3	2	1	13	8	11
Romania	6	3	1	2	10	10	10
Turkey	6	2	1	3	7	7	7

Group E

Albania	6	3	1	2	7	6	10
Iceland	6	3	0	3	8	9	9
Norway	6	2	2	2	7	7	8

Group E definitely looks our best bet but surely at least one of those three will have a 2nd placed side with less points than ours.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 10/06/2013, 12:34 PM

And another follow-up, not too dissimilar to Stutts's post the other day,
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

**paul_oshea** · 10/06/2013, 2:36 PM

"The Republic will draw the curtain on a long campaign in New York, but minds are already turning to September and the crunch Group C clashes with Sweden and Austria which will go much of the way to determining which of them finishes in second place behind Germany."

May be a case of schrodinger's cat but imagine if we had held on and beaten Austria, we would be in serious control of second place in the group, with 2 draws in September probably being enough, but perhaps had we beaten Austria they wouldn't have beaten Sweden.

**DannyInvincible** · 10/06/2013, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

May be a case of schrodinger's cat but imagine if we had held on and beaten Austria, we would be in serious control of second place in the group, with 2 draws in September probably being enough...

That's true, but we could just have easily lost to Kazakhstan were it not for the exceptionally late comeback. Things tend to even out and we get what we deserve. Still doesn't negate the disappointment of conceding so late to Austria, mind.

**BonnieShels** · 10/06/2013, 3:06 PM

I'm willing to accept that cat is alive. In the bag.

**Stuttgart88** · 10/06/2013, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

"The Republic will draw the curtain on a long campaign in New York, but minds are already turning to September and the crunch Group C clashes with Sweden and Austria which will go much of the way to determining which of them finishes in second place behind Germany."

May be a case of schrodinger's cat but imagine if we had held on and beaten Austria, we would be in serious control of second place in the group, with 2 draws in September probably being enough, but perhaps had we beaten Austria they wouldn't have beaten Sweden.

True, but I suppose we got lucky in Kazakhstan too. Those two kind of balance each other out. Austria have the momentum though.

**jbyrne** · 10/06/2013, 4:19 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

True, but I suppose we got lucky in Kazakhstan too. Those two kind of balance each other out. Austria have the momentum though.

hopefully they lose that momentum over the summer like Slovakia did last qualifying

**tricky_colour** · 11/06/2013, 3:18 AM

Faroe Islands are 12-1 to get a draw tomorrow.
They drew with Austria at home in 2008 but even I am not optimistic enough to predict any else but a hammering (for the Faroes not Sweden!!).

**ArdeeBhoy** · 11/06/2013, 8:07 AM

And of course famously beat them (Austria) in their first ever proper game, albeit in Sweden...

**IsMiseSean** · 11/06/2013, 3:34 PM

If Zlatan gets himself booked tonight he'd be out of the game in Lansdowne in Sept (if my calculations are correct)

**paul_oshea** · 11/06/2013, 3:45 PM

That would be a major plus for us. How is his general record though? He would be pretty stupid to get booked against the faroes.

**DeLorean** · 11/06/2013, 3:55 PM

He's a bit of a hot-head so it's possible alright. He got sent off for PSG against Valencia not so long ago for something fairly petulant. It was stupid as well because I think it was in injury time and he missed the return leg.