Perspective needed |
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Maccatacca
Ray Houghton Joined: 01 Jun 2016 Status: Offline Points: 4214 |
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Posted: 11 Jun 2019 at 9:53pm |
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People bemoaning our performance against Gibraltar really need a bit of perspective.
We have ten points out of a possible twelve and put in one of our best away performances in over two years against the Danes in Copenhagen. Have a look through the other groups across Europe. There are teams with far superior players than ourselves on paper, who already look like they are out of the running, or who would take the arm off you to be in the position we find ourselves in. Serbia lost 5-0 away to the Ukraine and have four points from three games. Wales lost 1-0 tonight away to Hungary and 2-1 away to Croatia last week - three points from three games against direct rivals mean its a long way back for them. Sweden were battered 3-0 by Spain and will be in a tight race with Romania, with both currently on seven points. Austria (6 points) and Slovenia (5 points) both have a bit to do to catch Poland and Israel. Turkey are back down to earth with a loss to Iceland, just days after beating the world champions. Scotland are out. Greece just lost 3-2 at home to Armenia and have a lot to do, Bosnia had a poor loss away to Finland. Both sides also recently lost to Italy. You could argue that nearly all of the above teams barring Scotland (Maybe) and Iceland have better players than ourselves yet find themselves in worse positions. Of the other pot 3 teams only ourselves, Turkey, Finland and Northern Ireland are in the top two in their respective groups. The North haven't a prayer of getting out of their group. Yes the performance was poor against Gibraltar, but we always struggle as heavy favorites. The performances against teams nearer our level have been promising and whatever happens over the course of the next four games against Switzerland, Georgia and Denmark, you can be sure that we will be in the running going into the last two games. Edited by Maccatacca - 11 Jun 2019 at 9:56pm |
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GB 1HughJarse
Liam Brady Joined: 03 Sep 2015 Status: Offline Points: 2091 |
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Plus Russia only beat Cyprus 1-0 at home. |
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BigStrongMan
Robbie Keane Just Modding Like Joined: 22 May 2009 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 107631 |
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So that was a good performance in Copenhagen in your opinion?
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BigStrongMan
Robbie Keane Just Modding Like Joined: 22 May 2009 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 107631 |
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doherty
Jack Charlton Teenage Kicks, so hard to beat Joined: 30 Mar 2015 Status: Offline Points: 7702 |
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The perspective needed is we have to play the swiss 2 twice and denmark again. The signs are not good but hopefully by the time the next round of games come around we can do enough. Hopefully.
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armahibee
Liam Brady Joined: 11 Apr 2012 Location: belfast Status: Offline Points: 2028 |
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Im not reading to much into yesterdays game. Had all the hallmarks of an end of season game where a win was never in doubt. All the talk of goal difference is a red herring we never pump anyone and where never going to overscore our rivals even if we had of stuck 5 past them. Sure it was dire but september is while away and the fire il be back. As long as we dont lose against the swiss all will be well, hopefully.
Ps odowda needs to start Edited by armahibee - 11 Jun 2019 at 10:02pm |
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The Tribesman
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 09 May 2012 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 336 |
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Your analysis on far better teams coming a croper against sides around our level, is failing to allow that every side, you mentioned, would have stuffed Gibraltar home and away and beaten Georgia well at home!
Edited by The Tribesman - 11 Jun 2019 at 10:05pm |
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thebronze14
Jack Charlton Derry City Til I Die Joined: 22 Feb 2011 Location: Dublin/Donegal Status: Offline Points: 7170 |
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another thread
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GB 1HughJarse
Liam Brady Joined: 03 Sep 2015 Status: Offline Points: 2091 |
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The opening post (did you read it?) is about other teams around Europe (stronger and similar to us) struggling to qualify, with some seeming already fooked. It contains examples of this, Russia scraping past Cyprus at home is another example. |
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Maccatacca
Ray Houghton Joined: 01 Jun 2016 Status: Offline Points: 4214 |
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The signs are completely mixed. Against a team that puts eleven men behind the ball we struggled to create chances. Against one team a good bit better than us (Denmark) and another team a little worse than us (Georgia) we produced several decent goal scoring opportunities. Had we of hammered Gibraltar 4/5-0 we'd be full of false confidence going into Swiss game in September. The lads will be back down to earth after that dross last night. We are undoubtedly underdogs to go through - we have been from the start. But this group will go down to the wire in my opinion, which is probably more than you can expect from this team, considering it is our worst crop of players in years. A draw at home to the Swiss, which is not exactly unlikely, and we'll be in a very good position. Denmark will then travel to Georgia a few days after an away game against Gibraltar. They might have won 5-1 at home, but they won't have it as easy in Tbilisi. There are plenty of better teams around Europe who would be delighted to be in our position - take a quick look on the Welsh forum for one. |
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BigStrongMan
Robbie Keane Just Modding Like Joined: 22 May 2009 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 107631 |
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Absolute pony
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Maccatacca
Ray Houghton Joined: 01 Jun 2016 Status: Offline Points: 4214 |
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Hungary are worse than Denmark, Wales are better than us. This isn't just about Gibraltar and Georgia.
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The O'Shea
Jack Charlton I know everything and I’m NEVER wrong Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 9554 |
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Playing poorly has never stopped us going through before. We were having the exact same discussions in 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2017; on all of those occasions we either qualified or made the playoff. The reality is we haven't played consistently good football in over a decade, but more often than not we still do enough to put ourselves in contention.
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We're decent enough..
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The Tribesman
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 09 May 2012 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 336 |
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And Georgia away and they feel they owe us a big one! It's possible we might pick up as little as 2 points from now on. We may become the only host not to make the finals, though, Scotland and The Lads from Baku (can't spell their nation) may join us on that one!
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doherty
Jack Charlton Teenage Kicks, so hard to beat Joined: 30 Mar 2015 Status: Offline Points: 7702 |
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Forgot about georgia away. Think we will do enough out there again. Somehow.
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Banjaxed
Liam Brady Joined: 21 Feb 2014 Status: Offline Points: 2965 |
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That Welsh team on paper compared to us... Feel sorry for them, cause it's obvious a decent manager would get so much more. Fookin Giggs. Chancer.
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The Tribesman
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 09 May 2012 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 336 |
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We will at least come 3rd in the group and should end up in the playoffs as many above us eg Denmark and Switzerland will most likely have qualified properly.
But aren't those playoffs 1 leg is the semis and a final?
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The Tribesman
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 09 May 2012 Location: Galway Status: Offline Points: 336 |
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Is goal difference against the lowest group team irrelevant in deciding final positions where there is a tie?
It has been so in other qualifiers.
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