Beecher Networks - Web Development, Hosting & Domains
Page 5 of 15 FirstFirst ... 34567 ... LastLast
Results 81 to 100 of 288

Thread: 2022 Nations League - Group B1

  1. #81
    Biased against YOUR club pineapple stu's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2002
    Location
    In the long grass
    Posts
    38,099
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4,891
    Thanked in
    3,195 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter View Post
    Good group I think. Good chance of retaining position in that tier, and good tests of where Kenny will be against Ukraine and Scotland. What would people be happy with points wise? Suppose we should be aiming for 12? That'd be home-and-away wins against Armenia, four points at home to the other two, and two away?
    Going unbeaten in the group instinctively sounds unlikely given we struggled to draw at home against Azerbaijan just ten weeks ago, and have never won a Nations League game (along with San Marino, the only nation to hold that "honour").

    The four games in June will be interesting - we'll surely have to use some squad rotation for those? OK, you wouldn't in a major finals, but I can't see clubs being happy with their players playing four Nations League games in ten days. As it stands, we have one competent forward, and to stretch him over four games is a big ask (especially if he gets covid again!) OK, June is six months away, and things could come good for Idah/Connolly/Parrott in the meantime, or Keane/Scully could become options. But I think that four-game stretch will be a test for us. We've also tended to call up four centre-backs for three slots, so that's not leaving much scope for injuries (in the three-game run in September, we did get an injury and didn't call up a replacement). And all our wing-backs (McClean, Doherty, Coleman, Stevens) will be the wrong side of 30, so that's a big ask of them too. We've only what - two friendly games in March to try blood a couple of new options?

    Armenia are better than Azerbaijan and Luxembourg, which isn't a particularly high bar. But they're capable of the odd upset, and Mkhitaryan can play.

    On paper, Scotland are simply a better team with a better manager than us, and their last match was a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Denmark, which is a serious result. They seem to have kicked on from the Euros, when they were a bit toothless up front but otherwise quite unlucky not to do better (the Czechs in particular defended brilliantly and hit them with two sucker counters)

    I don't know a lot about Ukraine's players to be honest (except Zinchenko can't be bad) but while they were awful at the Euros (yet somehow got to the quarters), their qualifying record tends to be decent, and they won at home to Spain and Switzerland in the last Nations League.

    I think the minimum should be seven points - four from Armenia and one win against Scotland/Ukraine. Above that is into a bonus territory.
    Last edited by pineapple stu; 17/12/2021 at 9:18 AM.

  2. #82
    Reserves
    Joined
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    605
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    9
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    243
    Thanked in
    126 Posts
    Fixtures are out.. and they seem a little bonkers to be honest

    Sat 4/6 - Ukraine (H)
    Tue 7/6 - Armenia (A)
    Sat 11/6 - Scotland (H)
    Tue 14/6 - Ukraine (A)

    Fri 23/9 - Scotland (A)
    Mon 26/9 - Armenia (H)

    I'm sure the FAI would have preferred a bit schedule (JD wouldn't have stood for this ), But flying over and back to Armenia midweek between the first two games seems a bit nuts.

    Getting the other big two out of the way early.. what do people think?

  3. #83
    International Prospect passinginterest's Avatar
    Joined
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Tallaght
    Posts
    5,178
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    537
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    687
    Thanked in
    423 Posts
    Fixtures are about as bad as they could be, definitely missed a bit of JD schmoozing there! I think 10 points is probably the reasonable aim, anything more is a bonus, 9 or less and we're still struggling a bit.

    Tallaght Stadium Regular

  4. #84
    First Team Jd2793's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    1,138
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    94
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    167
    Thanked in
    136 Posts
    the scheduling is insane completely unfair on players to be playing and travelling those distances in the space of 10 days for 4(!) games.

  5. #85
    Biased against YOUR club pineapple stu's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2002
    Location
    In the long grass
    Posts
    38,099
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4,891
    Thanked in
    3,195 Posts
    I think the only way to avoid it would have been to have Ireland v Scotland back-to-back (and Ukraine v Armenia back-to-back as well)? Or else us and Scotland start with two away or home games against Ukraine/Armenia - but then the third round of matches is Irl v Sco and one of us will have started with either three home or three away games.

    Still, fair to say that UEFA's ESG strategy has a ways to go yet.

  6. #86
    Seasoned Pro ifk101's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2003
    Posts
    3,796
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    124
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    575
    Thanked in
    366 Posts
    The scheduling is a mess but otherwise it is a group we are capable of winning. No one team is going to run away with it, every team will fancy their chances, every team will drop points. It suits us as a defensively strong but fluid team that is somewhat under the radar as an unknown quantity.

  7. #87
    Coach tetsujin1979's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Dublin, originally from Limerick
    Posts
    22,239
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,103
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4,992
    Thanked in
    3,286 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by pineapple stu View Post
    we struggled to draw at home against Azerbaijan just ten weeks ago, and have never won a Nations League game (along with San Marino, the only nation to hold that "honour")..
    There's a few, ourselves, Andorra, Iceland (strangely), Northern Ireland, and San Marino
    All goals, yellow and red cards tweeted in real time on mastodon, BlueSky and facebook

  8. Thanks From:


  9. #88
    Biased against YOUR club pineapple stu's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2002
    Location
    In the long grass
    Posts
    38,099
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4,891
    Thanked in
    3,195 Posts
    Really? Didn't think it was that many. Iceland have been in League A both times - got relegated the first year and reprieved, only to get thumped again. Probably not surprising actually. (In fact, looking at the records, they've lost all ten of their games)

    The North is unexpected tbh.

    San Marino haven't even scored a goal in it! 10 games, two draws, but both 0-0s. We're the next worst attack (maybe that's what I was thinking of) with 2 goals in the tournament. Then it's Andorra with 3 and Iceland with 4 (against the big boys)
    Last edited by pineapple stu; 17/12/2021 at 10:43 AM.

  10. #89
    First Team Jd2793's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    1,138
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    94
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    167
    Thanked in
    136 Posts
    iceland have regressed massively, they are poor now. would have been great to get them as a top seed

  11. #90
    International Prospect NeverFeltBetter's Avatar
    Joined
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Gouldavoher
    Posts
    5,175
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    259
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    812
    Thanked in
    581 Posts
    Going to be getting a lot of air miles in June, by the time players get back to their clubs you're talking over 15'000 kms. That has to be a record for Ireland in ten days. That could be a factor by the time we get to Kiev.
    Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).

  12. #91
    The Cheeto God Real ale Madrid's Avatar
    Joined
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Cork
    Posts
    4,054
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    478
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,535
    Thanked in
    772 Posts
    4 games in 10 days is too much for this squad.

    7 points would be a great return.

  13. #92
    First Team
    Joined
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    1,850
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    16
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    890
    Thanked in
    536 Posts
    Flights booked to Kiev for the games, always wanted to go after reading Kurkov. Was due to fly in mid March 2020 with the SO but covid happened... haven't been out of the country since July 2020, counting down the days...

  14. #93
    Biased against YOUR club pineapple stu's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2002
    Location
    In the long grass
    Posts
    38,099
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4,891
    Thanked in
    3,195 Posts
    Kyiv's a fantastic city btw; highly recommended.

    If you can tag on a day tour to Chernobyl, go for it. June will be a busy time I'd say - peak summer. I was there in March on a tour of four people (including the guide). To have a whole city to yourself like that is weird.

  15. #94
    First Team Jd2793's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    1,138
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    94
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    167
    Thanked in
    136 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid View Post
    4 games in 10 days is too much for this squad.

    7 points would be a great return.
    too much for any squad given the travel on top of it all , with players fresh out of a long league season which now looks like it'll have big fixture pile ups in 2022. crazy.

  16. #95
    Seasoned Pro ifk101's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2003
    Posts
    3,796
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    124
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    575
    Thanked in
    366 Posts
    The scheduling of four games in June is the same for every team. Not ideal for us but there is more depth and rotation to our squad than previously, and beyond arguably Cullen, we don't have must start players essential to our play. Add to that, we have so few players that are first regulars at their clubs we should be relatively fresh and ready to go come June. :-)

  17. Thanks From:


  18. #96
    International Prospect NeverFeltBetter's Avatar
    Joined
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Gouldavoher
    Posts
    5,175
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    259
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    812
    Thanked in
    581 Posts
    Kenny says he aims to win the thing anyway: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021...e-group-kenny/
    Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).

  19. #97
    International Prospect mypost's Avatar
    Joined
    Dec 2004
    Location
    foot.ie Night Shift
    Posts
    5,118
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    246
    Thanked in
    175 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by pineapple stu
    I think the only way to avoid it would have been to have Ireland v Scotland back-to-back (and Ukraine v Armenia back-to-back as well)? Or else us and Scotland start with two away or home games against Ukraine/Armenia - but then the third round of matches is Irl v Sco and one of us will have started with either three home or three away games.

    Still, fair to say that UEFA's ESG strategy has a ways to go yet.
    Games in the NL are arranged by UEFA, and are never arranged back to back.

    There's no guarantee the away game in Ukraine will be in Kiev. Ukraine is so big, it can be played in several cities. Lviv is one of them, nearer to Warsaw than to Kiev.

    Booking anything at this time is not advisable. There are no guarantees about anything to do with travel now, let alone 6 months time. Restrictions may range from playing behind closed doors to 2 week hotel quarantine upon arrival. Kiev is a great city, but it's not somewhere you want to waste time in.

  20. #98
    Reserves
    Joined
    Jan 2021
    Posts
    372
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    229
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    126
    Thanked in
    95 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid View Post
    4 games in 10 days is too much for this squad.

    7 points would be a great return.
    The tough schedule should be an advantage. It's a youthful squad with good international experience. Molumby, Cullen, Knight, O'Shea, Idah and Bazunu have amassed 69 caps between them. Throw in a bit of time management for Coleman, Duffy, Doherty, Hendrick, Egan, Stevens etc and we look very durable. I believe we're capable of ten points - six from Armenia, three from Scotland and one from what's left. This Nations League is ideal for us - an acid test for players and management.
    Last edited by Snapshot; 20/12/2021 at 2:16 AM.

  21. #99
    Biased against YOUR club pineapple stu's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2002
    Location
    In the long grass
    Posts
    38,099
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4,891
    Thanked in
    3,195 Posts
    I see the South American teams are being invited in from the next tournament. That'll end any promotion hopes surely if there's a rejig of groups? It'll also give the chance of away games in largely empty grounds as the SA teams' games would all be in Europe.

    Typical of UEFA to hit on a decent format for a tournament and then ruin it in the name of money

  22. #100
    First Team
    Joined
    Sep 2021
    Posts
    2,007
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    517
    Thanked in
    416 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by pineapple stu View Post
    I see the South American teams are being invited in from the next tournament. That'll end any promotion hopes surely if there's a rejig of groups? It'll also give the chance of away games in largely empty grounds as the SA teams' games would all be in Europe.

    Typical of UEFA to hit on a decent format for a tournament and then ruin it in the name of money
    Uefa and Conmebol giving FIFA and their biannual world cup the middle finger with this move. If you're in League A it's gonna be good if you draw Brazil or Argentina. Can imagine their games will sell out in whichever country they base themselves.

    It's also hard to see what format they'll use given Uefa use this tournament for qualification to play offs for EC and WC.

Page 5 of 15 FirstFirst ... 34567 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group A
    By pineapple stu in forum Ireland
    Replies: 236
    Last Post: 19/10/2021, 4:48 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •