Will we do it?

[sligoman]

Will Ireland beat the Swiss and get, at least, the playoff?. Simple question, difficult answer. What do you think?

[tricky_colour]

Well the bookies seem to think so as we are 4/5 and 10/11 to win.

Assuming a play off is a 50/50 chance, our overall chance of getting
to Germany is about 1 in 4.

Yes I think we will be beat the Swiss, somehow.

[Plastic Paddy]

Bookies reflect the backers - it's how they win every time.

I'll gladly eat my words if we win well, but I expect us to repeat the timid anti-climax of two years ago.

PP

[tricky_colour]

Yes bookies win by basically paying out less money then they take
in no matter what the result.
TV pundits such as John McCririck who suggest bookies lose when favourites
win are basically lying/misleading.
The odds are probably an acurate reflection of the situation unless there
are thousands of patriotic Irish backing Ireland and on similar activity on
behalf of the Swiss.

I do most of my gambling these playing online poker, the only form of
gambling I can (now) consistantly make a profit at

[dfx-]

I expect us to repeat the timid anti-climax of two years ago.

.....

[Closed Account 2]

I doubt we'll get to Germany we are not good enough anymore. There is something very wrong with our team, we are inept, shaky and have no passion anymore. I don’t know how things have gone so bad, but really we are a weak team now. We cant even outplay teams like the Faeroes and Cyprus.

Sorry to be blunt, and I really hope I've got this spectacularly wrong, but that’s the way I see it.

[Fergie's Son]

The team has given up on the manager. We will not win.

[tetsujin1979]

I want the team to respond in a positive fashion to that debacle in the Mediterranean. I want Brian Kerr to realise that all the technical knowledge in the world won't tell you when a player needs a good kick in the arse and told to press for the ball, and mark his man. I want the defenders to press, I want the midfielders to create, I want the strikers to score, I want the Swiss hoodoo put to bed once and for all. I want to go to Germany thinking we can make an impact at the World Cup, like we have in previous tournaments. But I don't know if we can.

[Qwerty]

If we fail to win on Wednesday it will be the end for Kerr, and we won't see Keane, Cunningham, Breen or Holland play for Ireland again. Can we win? yes, will we win? I don't know but hopefuly the team can overcome inept management and win, I say yes!

[drinkfeckarse]

Originally I had us down for 2 single goal nervous victories. Well we're half way there although after Saturdays performance I'm slighty worried about Wednesday night. When was the last time we actually played well....Paris!!??

[OwlsFan]

We cant even outplay teams like the Faeroes and Cyprus.

Has anyone bothered to look at Cyprus' goal difference. It's roughly -1 for each game they lost. The Swiss only scored in the 88th minute at home against them and France didn't stuff them either. They were no push overs and strange as it might seem they also outplayed us the time we won 0-4!!

A lot of people need to get a grip as opposed to a gripe here. It wasn't a good performance. Big deal.

All that matters now is beating the Swiss by a ball off the shin of Kilbane, a keeper's OG etc etc. Performance counts for nothing at this stage - it's all about points and I believe we'll do it. The Swiss are average as well have no doubt about that. It's now, like the Holland game in 2001, about who wants it the most.

I suspect it's the same people beating their chests that has us looking at a World Cup semi-final a short time ago. Now you've had your dose of reality let's pray for lady luck on Wednesday.

[dr_peepee]

Ireland for a slim win due to a Keane goal. And we'll finnish the game with Keane, Doherty and any one from Morrison, Connolly or Elliot up front as Ireland go all out chasing the late goal.....

[wallis]

We win 1-0.

0-0 with about 10 minutes left , we pile on Doherty and Elliot to join Morrison and Keane up front and somehow , someway we snatch a goal.

We havent had any luck so far in this campaign, I hope we saved it all up for this. (and I dont consider Shays stunning save on the weekend as luck!)

[Rory H]

there will be some praying wednesday...i think we will play well but just come up short

[Kempes1-0]

I think we'll scrape it 1-0, but the longer the game remains scoreless, I can't see us snatching a late one, especially if all we're going to do is pump high balls into the box. I mean, you could'nt blame the swiss keeper for acting like he'd just been shot if anyone challenges him, could you??

[shakermaker1982]

1-1. They score 1st on the counter and then we pile on the pressure. Nab a goal with 10 minutes to go then Doherty, Clinton and Keane all miss chances to wrap it up for us.

[Don Vito]

Hand on heart I just can't see us doing it. I've been waiting for a big performance from the team since Kerr took over and it just hasn't happened. Fair enough the Euro qualifier defeats I'll let go cos Kerr was just in the job but we've been waiting two years now for it to happen and on Saturdays evidence I just can't see it happening. I genuinely expected a big day against the Frence but, along with every match since 2002 it proved an anti-climax. It would be unbearable to lose to the Swiss on Wednesday and see them top the group, a team I believe they are a team we would have whipped before Saipan ripped the heart out of the team (and Mourinho ripped all the excitement out of Duffer). I don't think we will lose on Wednesday, but I can't see us winning. I go for 1-1.

Also can't believe the Swiss are 3-1 to win, obviously a load of Irish money going on-whoever is backing them fair play to them!

[Dillo]

Have to agree with you there Don. I just can't envisage us beating the Swiss. Having watched them against the french on saturday night, they appear to have a very solid look about them. They have a few very consistent performers, none more so than Arsenal's Senderos who has grown on me in the past few months. Yet another of Wenger's shrewd acquisitions he's going to prove a top class centre back in the near future. The Saipan episode has to some degree affected the team's spirit and mental strength. But to say Mourinho has knocked the excitement out of Duffer is a little wide of the mark Don! Since his arrival from Ewood Park Jose has moulded the Duffer into a top class player- his workrate above everything else has improved in leaps and bounds. Duffer's loss is a major blow to the boys in green- arguably the one man in the team who single handedly can break down a defensive rearguard. Like you Don, I also predict a one all draw- I hope i'm wrong though.

[thejollyrodger]

Dillo , duffer is a world class player but in the chelsea world class mould. That doesnt say a lot when you consider what chelsea are all about.

I just listened to Cascarino and lawerson on the radio there and cas was basically saying that he doesnt know how this irish team is going to win. And he is usually very upbeat. Lawerson was having a pop at kerr and stated he couldnt stand the man but was more positive than cas. That was a bit of a turn of the books for me.

Im not overally optimistic either. I kept beliving that we would start to put in good performances but I havent seen anything like an irish performance since kerr took over. Technically the Cyprus were far better than us and how we beat the switzerland remainds a mistery to me.

There is so much negativity on these boards, the print media, radio, everywhere that its sickening. No where is there any hope for us to win. Were going to lose wednesday and lose in humilation with the arrogrant swiss rubbing our noses in it..

[youngirish]

The Swiss at home - Mc Carthy's last game.
The Swiss at home - Kerr's last game.

Lads we've gone backwards in three years with a team of better players in my opinion. In 2002 we were overwhelming favourites to beat the Swiss and deservedly so. In the game itself we at least deserved a draw but could have possibly won it. The Swiss scoring a winner in injury time after large spells of Irish dominance.

Tomorrow most people can't even imagine us getting a win. That says a lot on how the team has progressed under Kerr considering most people thought that we were under performing under Mc Carthy.