Albania and Northern Ireland showing why these Qualifiers are not all as predictable as some seem to think.
I watched Gibraltar v Poland. The first half Gibraltar were great, shame they faded in the second half.
No shame in that scoreline today. They will do better v Scotland, Ireland and Georgia.
They might concede a few away to Poland and Germany but should gradually improve I reckon. Even if they don't they have done so well to make it to UEFA football.
Albania and Northern Ireland showing why these Qualifiers are not all as predictable as some seem to think.
I watched Gibraltar v Poland. The first half Gibraltar were great, shame they faded in the second half.
No shame in that scoreline today. They will do better v Scotland, Ireland and Georgia.
They might concede a few away to Poland and Germany but should gradually improve I reckon. Even if they don't they have done so well to make it to UEFA football.
I'm not sure Poland are the second best team in that group by the way, despite the emphatic win tonight. Their form for the last two or three years has been all over the place, they can be impressive in some matches and then very disappointing in others (both Ireland and Scotland have beaten them in friendlies fairly recently)
I agree about Poland, but look at their results v minnows and they tend to stick plenty away like Germany do.
Don't often see Scotland or Ireland score 5 or more. Hence I believe they will concede less v those.
Poland have score 5 at least 3 times v San Marino in the last 8 years, plus a 10-0 win v San Marino in 2009 and an 8-0 v Azerbaijan 7 or 8 years ago.
They are average, but seem to score a few v minnows.
Yes, if you're saying they're more likely to run in goals against minnows, you may be right. Strangely this may not mean they are the second best team in the group though.....when they come up against decent teams in qualifiers, their results are often all over the place.
Yes, if you're saying they're more likely to run in goals against minnows, you may be right. Strangely this may not mean they are the second best team in the group though.....when they come up against decent teams in qualifiers, their results are often all over the place.
Don't think I ever claimed they were second best in the group, just that Gibraltar would have easier games v the rest (except Germany)
Given that San Marino haven't gotten a result since 2004 (including friendlies), surely that's a pretty good bet? You would have to be pretty unlucky to lose it?
Don't think I ever claimed they were second best in the group, just that Gibraltar would have easier games v the rest (except Germany)
Isn't that the same as saying they're the second best team in the group? I think ROI will thrash them, but Scotland quite often struggle in those type of games.
I wouldn't be surprised if Germany recorded double figures against them home and away.
Isn't that the same as saying they're the second best team in the group? I think ROI will thrash them, but Scotland quite often struggle in those type of games.
I wouldn't be surprised if Germany recorded double figures against them home and away.
I don't think so.
Scotland & Ireland can better Poland in the group, but I see Poland scoring more against Gibraltar. They have a habit of scoring more in games v minnows than Scotland and Ireland do.
Don't think I ever claimed they were second best in the group, just that Gibraltar would have easier games v the rest (except Germany)
Well you would normally think that the two teams most likely to hand out a trashing to the minnows would probably be the best two teams in the group. I'm not sure I'd read too much into Poland's 7-0 win anyway. That was Gibraltar's first competitive game in their history : the same fixture in 12 months' time might have produced a lower scoreline, they were bound to be desperately rusty and inexperienced on their debut.
Well you would normally think that the two teams most likely to hand out a trashing to the minnows would probably be the best two teams in the group. I'm not sure I'd read too much into Poland's 7-0 win anyway. That was Gibraltar's first competitive game in their history : the same fixture in 12 months' time might have produced a lower scoreline, they were bound to be desperately rusty and inexperienced on their debut.
Gibraltar have had some respectable results in some of their friendly matches, a couple of away draws and a home win, so that would suggest that they're not a complete joke.
Hopefully Wales finally qualify for a major tournament, looking at the group third is certainly achievable. Pitch looks questionable, but should have no problems tonight.
Hopefully Wales finally qualify for a major tournament, looking at the group third is certainly achievable. Pitch looks questionable, but should have no problems tonight.
Comments
I watched Gibraltar v Poland. The first half Gibraltar were great, shame they faded in the second half.
No shame in that scoreline today. They will do better v Scotland, Ireland and Georgia.
They might concede a few away to Poland and Germany but should gradually improve I reckon. Even if they don't they have done so well to make it to UEFA football.
I'm not sure Poland are the second best team in that group by the way, despite the emphatic win tonight. Their form for the last two or three years has been all over the place, they can be impressive in some matches and then very disappointing in others (both Ireland and Scotland have beaten them in friendlies fairly recently)
Don't often see Scotland or Ireland score 5 or more. Hence I believe they will concede less v those.
Poland have score 5 at least 3 times v San Marino in the last 8 years, plus a 10-0 win v San Marino in 2009 and an 8-0 v Azerbaijan 7 or 8 years ago.
They are average, but seem to score a few v minnows.
Yes, if you're saying they're more likely to run in goals against minnows, you may be right. Strangely this may not mean they are the second best team in the group though.....when they come up against decent teams in qualifiers, their results are often all over the place.
Don't think I ever claimed they were second best in the group, just that Gibraltar would have easier games v the rest (except Germany)
Usually Anya's finishing is pretty average for us.
Unlucky Scotland and well done to the Irish sides - like to see the home nations and ROI do well.
San Marino 18/1
Draw 6/1
Lithuania 1/6
Given that San Marino haven't gotten a result since 2004 (including friendlies), surely that's a pretty good bet? You would have to be pretty unlucky to lose it?
I wouldn't be surprised if Germany recorded double figures against them home and away.
I don't think so.
Scotland & Ireland can better Poland in the group, but I see Poland scoring more against Gibraltar. They have a habit of scoring more in games v minnows than Scotland and Ireland do.
Approaching HT in this evenings games and not many goals.
Ukraine 0-1 Slovakia
San Marino 0-2 Lithuania
Spain 2-1 Macedonia
Austria 1-1 Sweden
and Luxembourg have just scored to lead Belarus 1-0 as they continue their amazing rise in performance and flying the flag for the minnows.
...and of course at Euro 2020 there will be a Finals Place reserved for one of the bottom 16 Ranked teams in Europe.
It'll be interesting to see if anybody does as badly as Tahiti did in the 2013 Confederations Cup.
People love to ban sides from playing football because they are bad by comparison
Do you take the one or two big trashings only into account?
San Marino 0-2 Lithuania
Luxembourg 1-1 Belarus
Russia 4-0 Liechtenstein
Not bad results and worth considering when asking for Pre Qualifiers. San Marino were in that game.
Well you would normally think that the two teams most likely to hand out a trashing to the minnows would probably be the best two teams in the group. I'm not sure I'd read too much into Poland's 7-0 win anyway. That was Gibraltar's first competitive game in their history : the same fixture in 12 months' time might have produced a lower scoreline, they were bound to be desperately rusty and inexperienced on their debut.
Gibraltar have had some respectable results in some of their friendly matches, a couple of away draws and a home win, so that would suggest that they're not a complete joke.
Why hopefully?
Why wouldn't I hope that
Are you Welsh?
Yeah... even if I weren't though I wouldn't need to justify it.
I'm English and I hope all the home nations qualify. I'm supporting Wales tonight.
Think he may have had a bit of 'work' done on it. :eek: :eek:
Not a frown wrinkle in sight, well not a wrinkle for that matter, and I hardly recognised him either.