Group D - opponent watch!

[Kingdom]

The only solace I have from the Poland result there, is that if teams are going to get anything from Germany, it was always going to be from the home games. If we get nothing on Tuesday, it will be the exact same Scotland got, and I would put money down, it'll be the same that Poland will get. Poland's result tonight means we either have to win the mini-group between us, or we beat Germany at home

In the mini-group between us, Scotland, and Poland, the result of the game between Scotland and Poland is going to be more important than Poland's win tonight. I'd take a draw between the two of them right now.

[back of the net]

BBC match report suggests Germany had loads of possession, loads of shots, 8 on target. It doesn't sound like they were roundly beaten. Anyone have their own synopsis? I didn't see it.

Saw it ---- Germany were on top in the first half - poland started it with a bit of fire in their belly, but once Germany got to grips with the game they had poland on the back foot for most of the first half

Second half, and the goals ...1st due to an error by neuer
Poland then just played on the counter

Final Attempts on target - Poland : 4 Germany 24 with the germans having 62% possesion

Germany didnt deserve to lose it but somehow did

As great a result as it was for poland .....they will change their tactics when they host scotland and ireland and they should open up more as neither of us have the threat of germany , but despite polands win tonight, i am still confident we will get something over there as poland looked quite erratic at times

Scotland were decidely blunt today but equally i wont be surprised if they come away from warsaw with a point on tuesday night

[BonnieShels]

Unbridled sycophancy.
The sensible thing to do when driving past Dortmund is to make sure the windows are shut.

Unbridled?

I think he held back. Wo boy!

They're no Basle I'll give you that.

[BonnieShels]

Are we hoping for Scottish win on Tuesday now?

This group is gonna melt my face.

[Stuttgart88]

A draw might be best?

Either way we're going to need to beat both Poland and Scotland at least once I think. I'd say we'll need at 4 points from each.

[DeLorean]

Yeah, I said anything but a Scottish win before the game last night but the Polish win has changed that completely. Anything but a Polish win is now best, a draw still ideal.

There's no doubt that result was a set back but the most important thing for us is to take at least four points from the Poland games now. That will cancel out their three 'bonus' points last night and put us in the ascendency against them due to the head to head, everything else being equal and assuming we don't beat Germany ourselves. There'll obviously be more twists and turns to stop that being a defining factor but it's likely to be a minimum requirement after yesterday. It's a little bit unnerving talking about needing four points from our group rivals already though, given how inadequate we've been in that regard in recent times. Looking at Scotland's line up, I think we've got a wealth of talent more than they do. If we can't at least finish above them then we really don't deserve anything. I think we will though and at least that would be a playoff to fall back on.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Fecking Polaks, how did they win that by two...grrr.

Still need a draw Tues. Germany to exact a terrible 'revenge'...

[DeLorean]

We don't seem to register in Robert Lewandowski's Group D opponent watch...

Irish Examiner

Lost in translation I suspect.

[tricky_colour]

Klose is Polish, if Paul McGrath is English, or if Ronan O'Gara is American.

I kind of meant in the same way Podolski is Polish, but I don't really know either's background. Just thought he qualified for them or something and that's what Tricky may or not have been thinking of.

Kloses mother played for a Polish national team, I think she is ethnically Polish (her maiden name Jez seem to be of polish origin), but he is ethnically German, I think the bit of Poland he was born in used to be part of Germany but it seems a bit complicated.

he stated that he and his wife speak Polish to their children at home,

That is pretty Polish!!

Anyhow what I am getting at is that even if the Polish connection is not very strong, the German team is so strong (or at least used to be)
that they might be willing to "do Poland a favour", dunno if they have an Irish connections though

[jbyrne]

Germany to exact a terrible 'revenge'...

or maybe not...

[BonnieShels]

Thankfully not

[davidatrb]

What have I always said about Scotland's performances and results against big teams?

It really is absolutely disgraceful that we have come to accept, as a nation, getting hammered by teams like Germany and Spain as a mere formality when teams like Scotland can produce performances like this.

They have looked confident right from the start. We look like a team drained of any belief or bravado.

Interesting to see what happens in this group. I can see Scotland, Poland and Germany all taking points off each other but I think it could get bowling shoe ugly for Ireland based on our performance today.

We got hammered by Portugal in June coincidentally and they are struggling to compete with teams like Albania, as they always do. They'll be wishing they had us instead of Albania in that group. That's the sad thing.

And what do you have to say now, after Scotland scraped a home win against Georgia. And Ireland got an away draw against Germany.

[Fergie's Son]

I think we need to take it a step at a time. Beat Scotland in November then Poland at home and we have every chance of topping the group!

[ArdeeBhoy]

or maybe not...

Thankfully not

Exactly, but we left it fecking late. And if they had, no-one would have been surprised before last night.
They seem to have a few problems just now.

In a way, hope they improve and win the group, because that helps our chances...

[BonnieShels]

The German improvement is only relevant when it comes to our results against Poland and Scotland.

Right now the group is in our own hands. And I want to win the group. Should we come a cropper against Polonia and Ecosse. At that point I'll start wishing for German wins.

[DeLorean]

Yeah that's a fair point BS, and the fixtures seem to be very accommodating with regards knowing what to hope for. Our next three games are against Scotland and Poland. Germany's next three are against Gibraltar and Georgia. It's surely safe to assume that Germany will pick up nine points from those games (you just never know for sure though, right AB?) so it just depends how we do ourselves. Whatever give us the best chance of finishing in the top two is what I'll be hoping for anyway, no point in getting too greedy.

[ArdeeBhoy]

If anyone thinks we can win this group, they're mad...especially on the basis of those first two performances.
We have to have a strategy to win games.
I really don't see one. The Alba/Polska matches can only see scope to add to our notable collection of draws. At best probably.

Germany can/will only improve, though lucky for them they have three 'easy' games next as Bonnie points out.

[BonnieShels]

If anyone thinks we can win this group, they're mad...especially on the basis of those first two performances.
We have to have a strategy to win games.
I really don't see one. The Alba/Polska matches can only see scope to add to our notable collection of draws. At best probably.

Germany can/will only improve, though lucky for them they have three 'easy' games next as Bonnie points out.

Right now we are joint top of the group. So we are in a position where we can win the group without relying on others. Germany are not. Rightly they are still favourites but at the same time why be negative at this remove.

It's hardly mad to think that we can get at least 4 points from Poland and Scotland. I think we'll be the Scots twice to be honest.

[elroy]

I heard Chris Coleman say in an interview the other night that 1.75 points were needed per game to get second place. Based on ten games that means we need 18 points. We have 7 thus far, surely another 3 in the bag with Gibralatar, so we need a total of 8 points from 4 home games and 2 away games. Simples.

From looking at 2012 qualifying the 18 points does seem a little low, might need closer to 20/21.

[DeLorean]

if anyone thinks we can win this group, they're mad

Credibility alert!!

we have no chance in either game v.germany. Get over it!

it's irrelevant...
Deutschland will win.