The Irish Football Team Thread

Supposedly is a Hun but a decent prospect. Very energetic and good on the ball..

Isn't ready for the Scotland first squad so quite surprising if Ireland do try and pinch him as he would be nowhere near their's either..

 

Pish

 

He'll be kicked out of the hunhood if he declares for Ireland

 

This. It's only to try to scare Scotland into calling him up.

This is where the source came from: Docherty was speaking at the Topps SPFL Match Attax 2017/18 trading card event

 

Without question..

 

Doherty just changed his picture to him in a Scotland strip.

Don't know why there was such a big outcry about him not being selected to be honest. Seemed to all come after one good game against Hibs.

Even in the play off games he scored a good goal but was hardly a standout.

 

Just looking at the TV schedules for next week. I'd forgotten Wales will have to play before us. Happy about that though hopefully Wales drop points and we get a wee bit of a boost before the Moldova game and have a better idea of what we need to do in our last two games.

 

Kevin Doyle has announced his retirement from football for medical reasons.

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41483358

 

That is massive..

Fancy Georgia to do them anyway..

 

It would be huge boost if Georgia could get a point against Wales then we could jump back into second with a win against Moldova. It will be very interesting to see who starts up front alongside Long for Ireland given Walters is out. Could be one of the new caps getting thrown right in.

 

Wales will drop points at Georgia I think, and they'll be under massive pressure in Cardiff against us to get the win.

Think we've got a real chance now, Bale was literally the only real difference between the two sides, now it's on a knife edge.

 

Martin O'Neill has signed a new deal. Good news.

 

How likely/unlikely is it that we'll make the playoffs if we win both our matches? I know it's only the 8 best runners' up that make it.

 

So just been looking at the possible second place teams and the permuations ( Obviously mostly from an Ireland perspective and here is how it stands ( Remember games against the bottom team in the group don't count.)


Group A
France are 1 point clear in the group with Belarus at home and Bulgaria away to play so you would have to fancy them to win the group.
Sweden are one point behind. They currently have 10 points in the second place table with Luxemburg at home and The Netherlands away to play. Assuming they beat Luxemburg at home Sweden would have 13 points ( in the 2nd place table) before they play in Holland.

Holland could also get 19 ( 13 in the second place table) points if they beat Sweden and Belarus but have 6 goals to make up on Sweden

This group is further complicated by not knowing who will come bottom. Both Luxemburg and Belarus have 5 points. France have already dropped points against Luxemburg so if they are going to come second they would rather they came bottom as proving they beat Luxemburg at home they would then drop 4 points instead of 6.

The second place team here should get a playoff place.

Group B

Straight fight to win the group between Switzerland and Portugal. Switzerland are three clear but they play in Portugal next week.

Again we don't know who will come bottom but both Switzerland and Portugal are guaranteed the playoffs at least.

Group C

Germany need a point in the 6 counties to win the group before their final game.

Narnia already have 13 points ( in the second place table which will probably be enough for a playoff place even if they lose their last two games. Unless the Germans really smash them.

Group D

Another one where we don't actually know who will come bottom but it will likely be Moldova.

Serbia need to win either at home to Austria in Georgia to win the group. Which now seems likely but is not guaranteed.

Austria are all but out of the race for second but not mathematically. If they beat Serbia at home and Moldova away they would finish with 9 points ( in the second place table) which is unlikely to be enough.

Wales could have 8 points in the second place table with Georgia away and Ireland at home to play.

If they win their final two games then 14 points ( in the second place table should be enough)

If they drop points on Friday and Ireland win then they will have to beat Ireland on Monday to come second and even then with 11 or 12 points ( in the second place table it might not be enough)

Ireland have 7 points in the second place table with Moldova at home and Wales away to play.

If they fail to win on Friday they could go into the last game already out.

Assuming they win on Friday they will go into the Wales game knowing whether a draw or a win in Wales is required ( depending on how Wales do in Georgia.) to come second in the group. They would go into the game with 10 points ( in the second place table) So a draw would mean 11 points and win 13 points.

Group E

Poland are 3 points clear of Montengro and Denmark with Montengro at home and Armenia away so are not guaranteed to win the group but are fav's.

Denmark and Montenegro currently have 10 points in the second place table ( although Montenegro lost to Armenia who could still come bottom if Kazakhstan beat them) They play each other in Montenegro so either winning that would take them up to 13 points in the second place table with a game to play which should be enough. Should they draw then they would each go into their final games on 11 points ( in the second place table. Montenegro have to go to Poland ( who may already be through) but Denmark have Romania at home so should either win they would go up to second place at least and be on 14 points in the second place table which should be enough.)

Group F

England need 2 points from Slovenia away and Lithuania at home to win the group.

Malta are all but guaranteed coming bottom.

Lithuania are in limbo leaving three competing for the second place.

Slovakia have a 1 point advantage over Slovenia and Scotland which puts them in pole position to come second but they still have Malta to play and that result probably won't count in the second place table.

Slovakia currently have 12 points in the second place table but only have 1 game to play.

If they lose to Scotland they finish in the second place table on 12 points
Should they draw in Scotland they finish on 13 points which
If they beat Scotland they will finish the second place table on 15 points.

Slovenia have 8 points in the second place table with England away and Scotland at home to play

So they could end up with 8 points, 9 points, 10 points, 11 points, 12 points or 14 points.

Scotland currently have 8 points in the second place table with Slovakia at home and Slovenia away to play so could end with 8 points, 9 points, 10 points, 11 points, 12 points or 14 points.

So Slovakia avoid defeat in Scotland and it is sorted with a game left.

If Scotland win then they go into their last game with 11 points in the second place table and probably 2nd in the group. So another win would almost certainly mean the playoffs. However as Slovakia's last game is at home to Malta then anything other than two wins is likely to be enough for Scotland to come second.

Group G

Spain need 4 points from Albania at home and Israel away so you would expect to win the group.

Italy go into their last two games with 13 points ( in the second place table) with Macedonia away and Israel at home. They are almost certainly guaranteed the playoffs

Group H

Belgium have won the group.

Gibraltar will come bottom

Bosnia currently have 8 points in the second place table and have Belgium at home and Estonia away to play.

So they will end up with 8 points, 9 points, 10 points, 11 points, 12 points or 14 points in the second place table.

Greece currently have 10 points in the second place table still have Gibraltar to play. Before that they play Cyprus away so will end up with 10 points, 11 points or 13 points ( in the second place table)

If Greece win their last 2 games they will end up second providing Bosnia don't beat Belgium.

Cyprus have a slim chance of coming second if they beat both Greece and Belgium.

Group I

Kosovo are all but guaranteed to come last

Current standings
Croatia 16 points
Iceland 16 points
Turkey 14 points
Ukraine 14 points

Croatia have Finland at home and Ukraine away
Iceland have Kosovo at home and Turkey away to play
Turkey have Iceland and home and Finland away to play
Ukraine have Kosovo away and Croatia at home to play

Some in terms of the second place table Croatia have 10 points and could still end up with 10 points, 11 points, 12 points 13 points ( 16 will probably see them win the group)
Some in terms of the second place table Iceland have 13 points and could still end up with 13 points, 16 points
Some in terms of the second place table Turkey have 8 points and could still end up with 8 points, 9 points, 10 points, 11 points, 12 points or 14 points
Some in terms of the second place table Ukraine have11 points and could still end up with 11 points, 12 points, or 14 points

Pretty straightforward really.

 

I think two wins should be enough ( just.. might even come down to GD. Could really do with putting a few past Moldova tomorrow.)

 

Update on possible second place teams.

Group C

Germany have won the group.

Narnia will finish second and currently have 13 points in the second place table. They have Norway away so will finish with 13, 14 or 16 points.

Group E

Poland need a point at home to Montenegro win the group. Even if they don't get it will finish in second place with 16 points

Denmark could still win the group. If not they already have 13 points in the second place table so will finish with 13,14 or 16 points in that table if they come second.

Montenegro could still come second if they win in Poland and Denmark get beat at home to Romania in which case they would finish with 13 points.

Group F

Brits have won the group.

Slovakia will come second if they beat Malta at home and Scotland don't win and finish with 12 points in the second place table.

Scotland win in Slovenia and they come second with 14 points in the second place table.

Slovenia can only come second if they beat Scotland and Slovakia fail to win at home to Malta in which case they would in the second place table with 11 points.

 

As it stands

 

Here are fixtures we need to keep an eye on.

GROUP H

FIXTURES

SAT, OCT 7

Bosnia v Belgium

Cyprus v Greece

TUES, OCT 10

Belgium v Cyprus

Estonia v Bosnia

Greece v Gibraltar

WHAT WE NEED

Bosnia take four points from last two games in Group H against Belgium and Estonia

Greece drop points in Cyprus in Group H

GROUP F:

FIXTURES

SUN, OCT 8

Slovenia v Scotland

WHAT WE NEED

A draw or a win for Slovenia

 

You forget the bit about winning both our games Gabriel