The Luck of The Irish
After years of playoff failure, the Irish are seeded in the playoffs. The draw for the playoffs is tomorrow and the seeded teams are Ireland , Croatia, Portugal, and The Czech Republic. The unseeded teams are Estonia, Bosnia, Turkey, and Montenegro. Based on this information, Ireland would want to play Estonia and avoid Turkey.
Even though not all sixteen teams have been determined , The four pots are all but determined for this summer's Euros
POT 1- Ukraine,Poland , Spain, Holland
POT 2 - Germany,Italy, England, Russia
Pot 3- Greece, Sweden,Denmark,????
If Croatia win their playoff matches then they will be in POT 3. If they fail to qualify , then Portugal would be in Pot 3 instead of Pot 4. If both Croatia and Portugal fail to qualify then France would complet Pot 3. The remainder of the teams will be in Pot 4.
Your thoughts gentlemen?
posted by manunitedrules @ 10:59 PM
9 Comments:
The draw has been made and it is good news for the Irish
Draw in Full
Estonia vs Ireland
Turkey vs Croatia
Czech Rep vs Montenegro
Portugal vs Bosnia
The first legs will be played on November 11/12
The second legs will be played on November 15
Estonia have never made a tournament... let's hope that contiues
Still no news on Whacko Wayne
That is good news for the bogtrotters. I'd say that they're odds on to move forward along with the Czechs and Portuguese. The toughie is Turkey v. Croatia. The sale of illegal flares and fireworks before that match will be brisk.
Breaking News
1744: FOOTBALL - England striker Wayne Rooney will miss the Euro 2012 group stage after being banned for three matches for his sending off against Montenegro
I just saw that. Earlier in the week, my feeling was:
1 match ban - include him in the squad.
2 match ban - 50/50 toss up
3 match ban - Roon stays home.
Your thoughts?
Re: Rooney, it really depends on whether some replacement gets hot. If so, then leave him at home. If not, 50/50.
I don't think Bosnia will be a cake walk for the Portuguese, but you're probably right. One of them will throw themselves down and Skippy will convert the free/pen and get through.
Turkey Croatia is a great matchup.
Ireland and Estonia are equally matched
Czechs will go through on one of Harry Pottersky's patented mazy runs and hammer-blow wonder-strikes! Eh?
Ireland should be able to defeat Estonia and qualify for their second Euro.
The Czechs should defeat Montegro and Portugal should defeat Bosnia. I think Portugal and Bosnia met in a World Cup playoff for World Cup 2010 where Portugal were victorious. I expect a repeat.
Turkey vs Croatia will be difficult to predict.They met in the quarters of EURO 2008 where both teams scored at the end of extra time and the Turks won in a penalty shootout. I would not be surprised to see this one go to penalties.
I would not take Roon as England may fail to make it past the group stages. If that happens then taking Roon would be a waste. If England do make it past the group stages then who would be dropped from a successful lineup. Either way, England would want to avoid Spain and Holland in the group stages and hope to be in the same group as Poland or Ukraine. Greece would be a great team to from pot 3.
MUR is spot on about Roon. Let's be honest. The Euros only give sides a maximum of six matches including the final. England are not getting to the final. I would predict that England will have either 4 or at best 5 matches. Thus Roon would be taking up a squad place and would miss more than half of England's matches. Also, if he's around, he's a distraction and even if the side was clicking there would be enormous pressure from the Fleet Street hacks to introduce him into the starting XI ahead of even someone on form. Roon's done himself in with his idiocy - he should watch from his settee.
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