The Euro 2016 qualifiers thread

[G-Dragon]

Hahahahaha what a fucking ****. I never said the matches weren't entertaining (except in the Premier League)

I do follow European football but at times I try to avoid it because its not that much fun to watch as South American football

 

[Libertadores FC]

Yeah, please bold where exactly I stated the matches are "boring"

I said it wasn't as fun to watch

 

[Nath]

Relief. Superb footwork from Hendrick.

 

[Master D]

Awful keeping there for N. Ireland. He had flapped at one moments earlier that he should have caught too.

 

[jacobncfc]

Why isn't Carroll playing? Would never have dropped that.

 

[mistermagic]

I see Norn Iron are doing their best to fuck it up.

 

[mistermagic]

They've equalised thanks to my post. You're welcome.

 

[voltage]

Interesting match between Scotland and Germany. Scotland could bring some difficulties to Germany. And Thomas Muller is very skillful, such a highlight player on this qualifiers.

 

[SALTIRE]

Muller is an annoying bastard - always dangerous.

 

[Super_horns]

Well NI grabbed a late equaliser which should set them up nicely for qualifying but going to miss 3 key players by all accounts for the next game.

 

[Leewilson]

The battle for 2nd and 3rd in Germany's group is fascinating.

Ireland vs Germany
Scotland vs Poland
-----------------------------------
Gibraltar vs Scotland
Poland vs Ireland

You'd expect Ireland to lose against Germany but the Scotland vs Poland match is as big as they get. A Scottish win keeps their hopes of qualifying very much alive considering their final match is away to Gibraltar. A Poland win most likely sees them qualify. A draw kills Scotland and puts Poland almost there. The twist is that Ireland travel to Poland in the final match so anything less than a Poland win against Scotland will see Ireland go through automatically in 2nd place if they can win away in Poland. A tough ask but in the pressure situation of a 1 off game, that is some conclusion.

And then the real potentially mental combination. If Scotland and Ireland both beat Poland, then Ireland go through in 2nd and the Scots sneak 3rd (courtesy of them also beating Gibraltar) which would knock the Poles down to 4th. Them draws that Scotland and Ireland picked up against the Poles previously may well be their saviour.

Saying all that, you'd expect Poland to not lose with their form of late but you just never know with Scotland and Ireland, they're capable of absolute shite and pure grit/determination. Typical teams of lower Premier League players I suppose.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Bristol Rovers' Jake Gosling scores for Gibraltar to make it 1-8!

 

[mistermagic]

The battle for 2nd and 3rd in Germany's group is fascinating.

Ireland vs Germany
Scotland vs Poland
-----------------------------------
Gibraltar vs Scotland
Poland vs Ireland

You'd expect Ireland to lose against Germany but the Scotland vs Poland match is as big as they get. A Scottish win keeps their hopes of qualifying very much alive considering their final match is away to Gibraltar. A Poland win most likely sees them qualify. A draw kills Scotland and puts Poland almost there. The twist is that Ireland travel to Poland in the final match so anything less than a Poland win against Scotland will see Ireland go through automatically in 2nd place if they can win away in Poland. A tough ask but in the pressure situation of a 1 off game, that is some conclusion.

And then the real potentially mental combination. If Scotland and Ireland both beat Poland, then Ireland go through in 2nd and the Scots sneak 3rd (courtesy of them also beating Gibraltar) which would knock the Poles down to 4th. Them draws that Scotland and Ireland picked up against the Poles previously may well be their saviour.

Saying all that, you'd expect Poland to not lose with their form of late but you just never know with Scotland and Ireland, they're capable of absolute shite and pure grit/determination. Typical teams of lower Premier League players I suppose.

Reckon it's a foregone conclusion, Lee. Germany and Poland will get the job done in Ireland and Scotland respectively with Ireland finishing 3rd.

Who finishes where in NI's group however is anyone's guess...

Portugal have made it after a last-gasp winner by Veloso in Albania. 4th side to have qualified after England, Iceland and the Czech Republic.

 

[Master D]

That Chris Baird thing was weird, never seen anything like that before. I am assuming the ref is allowed to do what he did but it just seems bizarre that a player is still running round on a yellow yet doesn't know it. Let's be honest what a moron he was though, if anything it is 2 straight reds anyway.

 

[Munkiki]

Portugal have made it after a last-gasp winner by Veloso in Albania. 4th side to have qualified after England, Iceland and the Czech Republic.

unlikely I know but can't they mathematically still finish third?

 

[Super_horns]

Yes - Portugal play Denmark in the final game (and have a game in hand..)

 

[mnb089mnb]

That Chris Baird thing was weird, never seen anything like that before. I am assuming the ref is allowed to do what he did but it just seems bizarre that a player is still running round on a yellow yet doesn't know it. Let's be honest what a moron he was though, if anything it is 2 straight reds anyway.

I saw it happen once in a Welsh Premier League game. It was actually a superb piece of refereeing. (Though as you say he could easily have taken a straight red for one of the challenges)

 

[Modernist]

well if Scotland play like they did against germany I can see them beating Poland, but it's a big IF.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Scotland have for a long time raised their game and got results / almost got results against big nations. (Like England )
It's the games they should be winning in order to get into a qualification position that they screw up.
Unfortunately, Scotland's ship has sailed this time around.

 

[GodsGift]

Unfortunately, Scotland's ship has sailed this time around.

Has it? If Ireland lose to Poland (A) and Germany (H), Scotland would only need four points from Poland (H) and Gibraltar (A).

 

[Stevencc]

Yeah we are giving them a game. It'll all end in failure though but we are going down fighting at least.

 

[thespus]

It's a shame Scipio and the other Dutch haven't stuck around to tell all about it. From where I'm standing, Holland look like us under Domenech: terribly talented but no collective cohesion.
2-0 down in Turkey close to half-time. Blind and Depay are both having mares.

Terribly talented seems like an overstatement. They've been overachieving at the last few major tournaments - some luck, some good management, and some fortunate qualification draws. I can't think of one Dutch player that would be in the starting XI for Germany, France, or Spain apart from Robben. How many would even make the squads? It wouldn't surprise me if they don't play in the next two major tournaments.

 

[mistermagic]

unlikely I know but can't they mathematically still finish third?

Ah yes, I see UEFA have reversed the Serbia/Albania result to 3-0 to the visitors and not the hosts. Portugal not through then.

Terribly talented seems like an overstatement. They've been overachieving at the last few major tournaments - some luck, some good management, and some fortunate qualification draws. I can't think of one Dutch player that would be in the starting XI for Germany, France, or Spain apart from Robben. How many would even make the squads? It wouldn't surprise me if they don't play in the next two major tournaments.

Still reckon they have the personel to do better than lose games to Iceland and Turkey. It is an ageing squad though and I'm not sure if the next generation is ready to take the step up (Depay certainly showed that he's a couple of years short) but making a pass at the Euros in order to come stronger for the World Cup seems like the way to go.

Looking forward to watching Slovakia/Ukraine this evening. Looks like a great game on paper.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

There's serious concern among people who follow Dutch youth development that they could be in serious trouble in the near future. Even their best generations aren't really cutting the mustard, and they're just not developing wide players and strikers like they used to.

 

[Alty]

Thank Christ for the Lafferty equaliser. Even someone as pessimistic as I am thinks we're very likely to get through now.

 

[TheArtfulDodger]

Poor old Delph...

 

[AFCB_Mark]

If Ox hits the target there it's in, good chance passed up.

 

[Christian Slater]

Milner has been disruptive to our own play through the middle. He's earned his reputation as a wide player.

 

[Blitzballer]

 

[Stevencc]

Big Jonj™ needs to buck is ideas up.