Predictions for the big Games

**IsMiseSean** · 05/09/2007, 9:50 PM

I'd love to say 4 points, but i reckon we'll only manage 1 and that will come against the Czechs, i cant see us scoring
0-2 and 0-0 (MOM Shay Given)

**Ordinary Fan** · 05/09/2007, 10:17 PM

I am off in the morning and putting on the green colored glasses.

2:1 in bratislava
1:0 in prague

Madness!

**Littlest Hobo** · 05/09/2007, 10:47 PM

I'm sticking my long neck out and saying 1-0 victory over slovakia. They are missing about 4 experienced players, who have played throughout the campaign. Even with Carr and Finnan out, we have enough in defense to stop what little attack they have.
Reckon it'll be a 0-0 stalemate in prague. This will favour the czechs on head to head, but there will still be chance with another 9 points to play for.

**tetsujin1979** · 05/09/2007, 11:56 PM

football365's take on things: http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...709601,00.html

Group D - The End For Stan's Brave Boys?
This weekend could spell trouble for Ireland.

Already lagging behind thanks to that shambolic 5-2 loss to Cyprus in October, Steve Staunton's men face a mother of a struggle in this round of games, with tricky trips to both sides of Czechoslovakia.

While they struggle to a draw or narrow win against Slovakia, the Czech Republic will be filling their boots in San Marino, who have shipped an impressive 37 goals in their seven games, scoring just the one (against Ireland, natch).

And if that wasn't enough, Stan will drag his motley crew to Prague to play the Czechs, a game which could leave them seven points off qualification with three games remaining.

It really isn't looking good for the Irish. In past years they could cling on to third place and sneak in through the play-offs, but that route has been scuppered this time by that pesky dual-hosting business, as both Austria and Switzerland will stroll in to the finals without qualifying.

Germany sit atop the group with 19 points, and they can't mathematically qualify in this round (they play just once while the rest line up twice), but if results go their way then only an epic feat of goalscoring from Ireland (stop laughing) can halt their progress.

**billybunter** · 06/09/2007, 1:40 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

They missed arrowly with a few long rangers at Croker.

80% of those shots were taken by vittek - who is out on saturday.

**theworm2345** · 06/09/2007, 4:16 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Of course Tony Cascerino and David Connolly are a better Partnership than Doyle and Keane.

Finally someone agrees with me

(at least you spelled Connolly right, which still befuddles me how people on this site can get that name wrong (also Morrison, but that is a little more understandable), Cascarino is the correct way though

)

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Connolly is a dick

Thought that was rather unnecessary, liked the other parts of that little passage though...anyway on to the topic. 0-3 against the Czechs with Koller scoring and Rosicky getting 2, 1-0 over the Slovaks with a goal from John O'Shea (don't ask me why).

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

Doyle is very off form though. Hopefully he wil turn it around, but the omens are not good.

I'm very worried about Doyle too, he scored against Slovakia last year during a rough patch maybe he can do it again...don't think he will in either of these games as I said up there though. I'd certain have him over Long still anyday though

**youngirish** · 07/09/2007, 9:27 AM

I'd be a lot more confident with Finnan in the team to be honest. Our full backs are pretty poor and this could cost us. Kelly is quite prone to making mistakes and JOS as we all know is shocking for Ireland. Hopefully Finnan recovers for the Czechs and is fit to play.

Have the Slovaks got any decent players in the wide positions does anyone know?

**Stuttgart88** · 07/09/2007, 9:54 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Have the Slovaks got any decent players in the wide positions does anyone know?

I think that�s a key question.

It�s all well & good to say pick our best XI and go for it, but with a rookie full back on either side and with lightweights ahead of them on the wing we could be inviting trouble. With Finnan out, it makes the task quite a bit harder if they have good wide players.

My recollection in Dublin was that most of their attacking was through the middle. They used the width of the pitch moving the ball around but any efforts on goal were the result of shots or through balls.

In fact I thought they looked vulnerable out wide. Duff played really well and Hunt caused problems when he came on. McGeady got plenty of the ball but didn�t use it well.

I also thought they were vulnerable from set pieces. We scored from a wide free kick and nearly scored when Long�s header from a Hunt corner was cleared off the line.

**ifk101** · 07/09/2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I think that�s a key question.

It�s all well & good to say pick our best XI and go for it, but with a rookie full back on either side and with lightweights ahead of them on the wing we could be inviting trouble. With Finnan out, it makes the task quite a bit harder if they have good wide players.

My recollection in Dublin was that most of their attacking was through the middle. They used the width of the pitch moving the ball around but any efforts on goal were the result of shots or through balls.

In fact I thought they looked vulnerable out wide. Duff played really well and Hunt caused problems when he came on. McGeady got plenty of the ball but didn�t use it well.

I also thought they were vulnerable from set pieces. We scored from a wide free kick and nearly scored when Long�s header from a Hunt corner was cleared off the line.

I thought that Finnan was our weak spot against the Slovaks in Dublin. Seemed he cut in from a left full position on his right foot every time he tried to clear the ball out of defence. This resulted in a hurried clearance down the middle of the pitch and hence why most of the Slovak attacking was through the middle.

Our best player is a winger so I always feel that when Duff gets the ball there is an element of panic in the opposition, regardless of who we are playing.

**tetsujin1979** · 07/09/2007, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I think that’s a key question.

It’s all well & good to say pick our best XI and go for it, but with a rookie full back on either side and with lightweights ahead of them on the wing we could be inviting trouble. With Finnan out, it makes the task quite a bit harder if they have good wide players.

My recollection in Dublin was that most of their attacking was through the middle. They used the width of the pitch moving the ball around but any efforts on goal were the result of shots or through balls.

In fact I thought they looked vulnerable out wide. Duff played really well and Hunt caused problems when he came on. McGeady got plenty of the ball but didn’t use it well.

I also thought they were vulnerable from set pieces. We scored from a wide free kick and nearly scored when Long’s header from a Hunt corner was cleared off the line.

They seemed to tire a lot late on as well, Hunt broke and crossed for Long on the far post and it went over.

**greendeiseboy** · 07/09/2007, 11:19 AM

Hate to be a pessimist but 0-0 tomorrow and 4-0 to the czechs on wednesday.

Sorry

**ofjames** · 07/09/2007, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

football365's take on things: http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...709601,00.html

Group D - The End For Stan's Brave Boys?
This weekend could spell trouble for Ireland.

Already lagging behind thanks to that shambolic 5-2 loss to Cyprus in October, Steve Staunton's men face a mother of a struggle in this round of games, with tricky trips to both sides of Czechoslovakia.

While they struggle to a draw or narrow win against Slovakia, the Czech Republic will be filling their boots in San Marino, who have shipped an impressive 37 goals in their seven games, scoring just the one (against Ireland, natch).

And if that wasn't enough, Stan will drag his motley crew to Prague to play the Czechs, a game which could leave them seven points off qualification with three games remaining.

It really isn't looking good for the Irish. In past years they could cling on to third place and sneak in through the play-offs, but that route has been scuppered this time by that pesky dual-hosting business, as both Austria and Switzerland will stroll in to the finals without qualifying.

Germany sit atop the group with 19 points, and they can't mathematically qualify in this round (they play just once while the rest line up twice), but if results go their way then only an epic feat of goalscoring from Ireland (stop laughing) can halt their progress.

Stan's brave boys? His motley crew?.... The continued arrogance of the british press is astonishing. They refer to us like a team of paralympians, not professional athletes.

Besides, the claim regarding Ireland 'clinging on to 3rd place' is factually incorrect. When has 3rd place ever been awarded a playoff??

Also, the disappearance of the playoff system has absolutely nothing to do with the dual-hosting. Afterall, didnt we lose to Turkey in a playoff for Euro 2000 in Belgium/Netherlands. The dropping of the playoff route is due to the drawing of 7/8 team groups instead of 5/6 team groups, meaning less groups are required, thus allowing each group to be awarded 2 qualifying spots as opposed to 1.5 spots.

Furthermore, I reckon 365 should take a closer look at our recent record in qualifying tournaments before making such lazy comments.

For Euro 2000, in Group 8 (the group of death containing Yugoslavia & Croatia) we finished just a point behind Yugoslavia, and would have topped the group by a point if not for Macedonia's injury time goal in the last minute of the final game of our campaign.

For WC 2002, in Group 2 (again the group of death containing Holland and Portugal) we finished joint top on points, finishing second only be virtue of goal difference.

For WC 2006, only for the two f*ck up's against israel, two games we undoubtedly should have won, we would have topped group 4 by four points with only 3 games left.

**Wolfie** · 07/09/2007, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by ofjames

Stan's brave boys? His motley crew?.... The continued arrogance of the british press is astonishing. They refer to us like a team of paralympians, not professional athletes.

Besides, the claim regarding Ireland 'clinging on to 3rd place' is factually incorrect. When has 3rd place ever been awarded a playoff??

Also, the disappearance of the playoff system has absolutely nothing to do with the dual-hosting. Afterall, didnt we lose to Turkey in a playoff for Euro 2000 in Belgium/Netherlands. The dropping of the playoff route is due to the drawing of 7/8 team groups instead of 5/6 team groups, meaning less groups are required, thus allowing each group to be awarded 2 qualifying spots as opposed to 1.5 spots.

Furthermore, I reckon 365 should take a closer look at our recent record in qualifying tournaments before making such lazy comments.

For Euro 2000, in Group 8 (the group of death containing Yugoslavia & Croatia) we finished just a point behind Yugoslavia, and would have topped the group by a point if not for Macedonia's injury time goal in the last minute of the final game of our campaign.

For WC 2002, in Group 2 (again the group of death containing Holland and Portugal) we finished joint top on points, finishing second only be virtue of goal difference.

For WC 2006, only for the two f*ck up's against israel, two games we undoubtedly should have won, we would have topped group 4 by four points with only 3 games left.

Good points - its not as if England haven't got it all to do themselves.

**billybunter** · 07/09/2007, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by greendeiseboy

Hate to be a pessimist but 0-0 tomorrow and 4-0 to the czechs on wednesday.

Sorry

change that to handleto 'orangeDeiseboy"

**as_i_say** · 07/09/2007, 12:50 PM

I noticed that paddypower bet for 10/1 israel win last night-put a few quid on them to win (even though still hate the baxtards for their cheating antics 2 years ago).

**gustavo** · 07/09/2007, 1:01 PM

draw with slovakia
lose to czech rep

**greendeiseboy** · 07/09/2007, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by billybunter

change that to handleto 'orangeDeiseboy"

in the words of another "great irishman" ....never, never, never

**Stuttgart88** · 07/09/2007, 3:07 PM

RTE says the pitch is in terrible nick, raining for 2 days

**billybunter** · 07/09/2007, 4:33 PM

Originally Posted by as_i_say

I noticed that paddypower bet for 10/1 israel win last night-put a few quid on them to win (even though still hate the baxtards for their cheating antics 2 years ago).

took a bit of that myself... - with a 28/1 double with the boys in green.

**ken foree** · 07/09/2007, 5:54 PM

Originally Posted by ofjames

Stan's brave boys? His motley crew?.... The continued arrogance of the british press is astonishing. They refer to us like a team of paralympians, not professional athletes.

i'm with you but F365 is a bit more tabloidy than other sites. guardian had a decent piece on mcshane's similarity to kevin moran earlier in the week.