World Cup Qualification Group D Thread

Strazdas wrote: irelandfan wrote: Austria   I'd Expect us to take 2 points out of 6 If we're lucky,they dismantled us in the last campaign and made a decent well organised Swedish side look average in this current campaign.  Wales  4 points out of 6 at the least it's hard to know how this group of players will look after the Euros if Wales don't perform well at the summer like their expecting we could see a very different side to what's being shown now. Bale and Ramsay seem passionate and willing to play for and perform for Wales, something Giggs and to a lesser extent Bellamy, we don't play them till March 2017 so a lot will depend on how the trips to Belgrade and Vienna go. Serbia.  4 points out of 6 Belgrade will be a tough place to go, as mentioned we haven't had a big away win still under MON can't see it happening next September,but here's an unfortunate positive situation in their past two groups the Serbians have been docked points could easily happen again given their history and their fans.  Georgia I'll go for 6 out of 6 but not certain, the unfortunate time about playing these is the fixture dates away in September 2017 around the same time they put the Scots out of the group, mark my words these will takes points of either ourselfs, Austria or Serbia,Wales a very tough place to go.  Moldova  6 out of 6 straight forward. Did they though? Drew 2-2 in Dublin with a 93rd minute equaliser and had to wait until the 84th minute to beat us 1-0 in the return leg in Vienna and that was in a campaign where we weren't even playing well.

GreenDodger93 wrote: Strazdas wrote: irelandfan wrote: Austria   I'd Expect us to take 2 points out of 6 If we're lucky,they dismantled us in the last campaign and made a decent well organised Swedish side look average in this current campaign.  Wales  4 points out of 6 at the least it's hard to know how this group of players will look after the Euros if Wales don't perform well at the summer like their expecting we could see a very different side to what's being shown now. Bale and Ramsay seem passionate and willing to play for and perform for Wales, something Giggs and to a lesser extent Bellamy, we don't play them till March 2017 so a lot will depend on how the trips to Belgrade and Vienna go. Serbia.  4 points out of 6 <span style="line-height: 1.4;">Belgrade will be a tough place to go, as mentioned we haven't had a big away win still under MON can't see it happening next September,but here's an unfortunate positive situation in their past two groups the </span>Serbians have been docked points could easily happen again given their history and their fans.  Georgia I'll go for 6 out of 6 but not certain, the unfortunate time about playing these is the fixture dates away in September 2017 around the same time they put the Scots out of the group, mark my words these will takes points of either ourselfs, Austria or Serbia,Wales a very tough place to go.  Moldova  6 out of 6 straight forward. Did they though? Drew 2-2 in Dublin with a 93rd minute equaliser and had to wait until the 84th minute to beat us 1-0 in the return leg in Vienna and that was in a campaign where we weren't even playing well. We were severely outplayed in Vienna, can't remember the home game too well mind in terms of how they game went but as you said they only managed a draw with the last kick of the game.

irelandfan wrote: Austria   I'd Expect us to take 2 points out of 6 If we're lucky,they dismantled us in the last campaign and made a decent well organised Swedish side look average in this current campaign.  Wales  4 points out of 6 at the least it's hard to know how this group of players will look after the Euros if Wales don't perform well at the summer like their expecting we could see a very different side to what's being shown now. Bale and Ramsay seem passionate and willing to play for and perform for Wales, something Giggs and to a lesser extent Bellamy, we don't play them till March 2017 so a lot will depend on how the trips to Belgrade and Vienna go. Serbia.  4 points out of 6 Belgrade will be a tough place to go, as mentioned we haven't had a big away win still under MON can't see it happening next September,but here's an unfortunate positive situation in their past two groups the Serbians have been docked points could easily happen again given their history and their fans.  Georgia I'll go for 6 out of 6 but not certain, the unfortunate time about playing these is the fixture dates away in September 2017 around the same time they put the Scots out of the group, mark my words these will takes points of either ourselfs, Austria or Serbia,Wales a very tough place to go.  Moldova  6 out of 6 straight forward.

Austria - also wouldn't have said they destroyed us last time. We should have beat them in Dublin and got at least a draw in Vienna. They've improved since then so would happily take 2 draws against them.

Georgia - arguably the toughest and most awkward team we could have got from Pot 6 - just ask Scotland!
Joking aside though, look at the hard work we made of beating them in both games, we needed a touch of magic from McGeady to win it in Tblisi and some neat footwork by Hendrick to set up the winner in Dublin. Taking nothing for granted and will happily take 1-0 wins from both games.

Moldova - 6 points, don't think there's much discussion needed there.

So Wales and Serbia will be the key games, hard to know how those games will go tbh, and that's before you even factor in the behaviour of Serbia's fans who I wouldn't be surprised to see costing their side priceless points again with their antics. Let's assume, just for now, their fans don't do anything stupid to drop their team in it again. If the Serbian team take their Euro 2016 form into these qualifiers I would fancy our chances of beating them in Dublin (I'd take a draw over there). Otherwise, with the young talent coming through from the U-20 World Cup that a few others have mentioned here, they could be the bogey side that trips us up. Meanwhile I wouldn't actually be surprised if we draw both games against Wales assuming Bale is fit and on form.

To sum up I think we should still have enough about us to at least make the play-offs. But, as we know, things can easily change between now and next September eg form depending on performances at the Euros, injuries to key players etc. After all, there are quite a few assumptions I've been making here.

I expect a lot of draws.

Serbia v REPUBLIC OF IRELAND - DWales v REPUBLIC OF IRELAND - D

So 18 points and possibly 2nd place depending on GD.

If we perform to a good standard in  Euro 2016, keeping in mind we haven't lost at the Aviva under MON in a competitive game and the potential players we have to step up.

Edited by SByrne24 - 26 Nov 2015 at 1:33am

Trap junior wrote: Jaysus Byrner. We haven't turned into Spain! O'Neills tactics mean we are more inclined to win at home but more likely to lose away.

Edited by SByrne24 - 26 Nov 2015 at 1:39am

Bitored wrote: deise316 wrote: Not sure about the mass retirements, other than the obvious.  Keane, Given , O'Shea will call it a day, the likes of Forde might as well, Whelan retiring is probably wishful thinking by his army of detractors, but he is one of the most committed players we have, be surprised if he did meself. Hoolahan may have the age profile to retire, but given his late international career, may wish to get a bit more out of it, Walters much the same to a degree, Murphy would probably call quits on it alright, he was close to doing so last year.  You're getting a bit too hung up on the word retirement I also said "maintain their current level". That's the big question. It doesn't matter what you're game is be it pace or strength players in their mid 30s need game time managed. Take Walters as an example. It was probably a blessing that he was suspended for the first leg of the play off. He was fresh as a daisy and ready to make a big impact. I've no doubt only playing one game had a big impact on his performance.

None of that was my point SByrne!

It's ridiculous to say that we have lots of options to replace 100+ cap players and then name a lad that regularly pulls out of squads with injuries and another that's in England's international set up and has shown zero interest to the contrary.
As for Twitter I can show you 101 tweets from Jack grealish with shamrocks that's everyone on here was convinced meant he was only going to choose Ireland! The first 200 pages of his thread on here is packed with messages like that.
If I tweet about Scarlett Joahansen does that mean I'm shagging her? By your logic it does!
I can tell you right now what will happen with Redmond. He'll finish up with the u21s, if he's not relegated inside the next couple of seasons he'll dream of an England cap and when/if it doesn't materialise we might and only might cross his mind then when he's in his mid 20s and he realises he's at the back of a long que.


Edited by Bitored - 26 Nov 2015 at 3:45am

Bitored wrote: It's impossible to answer this one as I'd expect a massive swathe of retirements after the Euros. At the moment we've a very top heavy over 30 squad. If even one of the following group stays on/maintains their current form for the WC Qualifiers we'd probably be doing well. Wes, Keane, O'Shea, Murphy, Walters and Whelan. Bar Keane those are all integral first teamers. I'd struggle to name 6 players to replace them.

Edited by Stimpy - 26 Nov 2015 at 10:18am