Gut Feeling?

**concanta** · 04/10/2005, 6:50 PM

Be honest whats everyones gut feeling on the next week?

I think we will get into the playoff after 2 1-0 victories

Whether we qualify....that depends on who we get

**thejollyrodger** · 04/10/2005, 6:56 PM

i think we will beat cyprus.

but if switzerland beat france we might only come away with a draw.

ive lost a lot of confidence with Ireland to be honest, there is none of the self belief or hunger that we had back in the late 80's or even in the last WC. (not that im critisising anyone)

**mountie** · 04/10/2005, 6:57 PM

To be honest I am more worried about Cyprus than Switzerland. I feel we will struggle on Saturday and might etch out a 2-1 win. I also think we will beat the Swiss a little more comfortably 2-0.

**concanta** · 04/10/2005, 7:00 PM

true about the swiss result but in your heart of hearts can you see the swiss beating the french....for me its not in a million years

the swiss are without key players and the french are missing henry and trezuguet but stil have makele thuram and zidane conpared to the team that faced them in paris.......I think it will be be a french win but yes we have to concentrate on cyprus first or we are well and truly f*cked

it will be gutting ----- unbearable if we dont beat cyprus but you would have to then say that we dont deserve to be there

**concanta** · 04/10/2005, 7:01 PM

i have a lot of time for duff but he needs to stand up and be counted on saturday - he, robbie and shay are key....if they perform and are defense is solid - then we win .....simple

**JimmyP** · 04/10/2005, 7:09 PM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

ive lost a lot of confidence with Ireland to be honest, there is none of the self belief or hunger that we had back in the late 80's or even in the last WC. (not that im critisising anyone)

I agree. I'm clinging on to the belief as much as anyone, but I think my gut feeling has changed since the loss to France. I hadn't a doubt in my mind before then.

As it stands, I think we could make the playoffs and not qualify.
But last night, I had a horribly lucid dream about drawing with the Swiss at Lansdowne...

On the other hand, it feels like we've had such bad luck through the campaign, we're due something to go our way

**ColinR** · 04/10/2005, 7:20 PM

i have absolutly no confidence about saturday. considering how bad cyorus where at lansdowne, we really should have no problems, but after israel and french matches, i honestly think we will have big problems in this game.

how we do on saturday will (obviously) have a big bearing on wednesday. a win and suddenly we are 1 game from the playoffs, and a bit of atmosphere returns to lansdowne and ye never know.

to be honest though, after next wednesday i expect to looking for holidays away from germany next summer

**davey** · 04/10/2005, 8:12 PM

Well you asked for gut feeling - we won't do it. Won't stop me hoping and praying but the way this campaign has gone I see past anything else but

disappointment.

**Tram_14** · 04/10/2005, 8:15 PM

Looking at everyone else's post, I'm beginning to think I'm being naive but I can't see us not beating cyprus, were going to have great support there, barring the suspensions, everyone is fit. I think the whole media thing with Brian Kerr may actually consolidate the team. Once we've beaten cyprus, I think were going to be OK, we will do it.

Just in case I've hexed anything there.. I'd like to say we will probably lose both games really...

**wallis** · 04/10/2005, 8:18 PM

We win the group.

We beat Cyprus 2-0 , the Swiss turn over the injury hit French 1-0 and then we beat the Swiss.

The Swiss really fancy their chances against France (I cant blame them). They didnt see anything in the game against us for them to be worried about and now Henry and Trezeguest are missing and ZZ is not 100% they are convinced they will be coming to Lansdowne only needing a draw.

**thejollyrodger** · 04/10/2005, 8:22 PM

thats the worst thing for me, the choclate makers coming to dublin only needing a draw. They will just set the team up to score 1 or 2 and then defend for the rest of it. It will be incredibly hard for us to break them down :S

**Kowalski** · 04/10/2005, 8:27 PM

I'd take a playoff place now, not hopeful about the Cyprus game at all.

**pineapple stu** · 04/10/2005, 8:32 PM

We'll beat Cyprus. They're a very poor team, even for Cyprus. They're not the team who beat Spain or who drew with Russia (I think) in recent years.

However, the Swiss game is a different story. We're due a win against them, but the bottom line is we haven't beaten them in the last three games, and I don't see why this should be any different...

**wallis** · 04/10/2005, 8:43 PM

I think the key to Cyprus is hoping that their players havent got a bet on ! They are notorious for backing themselves in international matches when they fancy their chances and the odds are right. Their UEFA cup sides are the same.

**sligoman** · 04/10/2005, 8:46 PM

Why are so many people worried about the Cyprus game?

. They're walkovers, easy 3-0 win in my opinion

**Conor H** · 04/10/2005, 8:50 PM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Why are so many people worried about the Cyprus game?

. They're walkovers, easy 3-0 win in my opinion

Agreed.It's cyprus for God sakes.

**oconghc2** · 04/10/2005, 9:15 PM

im brickin it over these 2 games

normally before games I feel we can beat the best of teams. There just seems to be a feeling of doom and gloom about the whole thing!

Im hoping that the players feel that they havnt done themselves justice yet and put in big performances to answer all the critics.

I think this team more than others owe us a big performance or 2! and I dont mean draws or moral victories.

**ccfcgirl** · 04/10/2005, 9:17 PM

Im going to go for a win on Saturday ,Cant see Ireland losing ...........

**Kingdom** · 04/10/2005, 9:28 PM

I don't understand where any of this is coming from at all at all. All this talk of us not beating the Cypriots is all poppycock. Bare in mind that a lot of this worry has been roused by the fcuking wankres that we call Irish journalists. The same poxy cnuts that want Kerr out of a job.
We have never had (much) trouble dispatching minnows, with admirable exceptions to Macedonia and more recently Albania away. Sure enough we've never banged 5 or 6 past any of these teams, but then again that has never been our way.
I've no doubt that we'll win against Cyprus. We have a squad based primarily on the Premiership, and almost certainly we'll have an 11 made up of premiership players. These are not poor players but they do seem poxd with luck. Its about time it turned. The press are making a big deal of the suspensions and injuries but this will be a rallying point for those there now I feel. One man in particular stoked up will be Kav. He has to start. If he doesn't it will be a head scratcher.

I think we will win by two. We have too good a team not to win. Doyle or Elliot to start. As Kerr said last week, we have to go for it now. Who knows he might go with the three up front . Either way Ireland to win by two setting us up nicely for the Swiss. Fcuk all the negativity,

C'MON THE BOYS IN GREEN!!!!