World Cup Play-Offs

[papereyes]

most of us surely want to see the best teams,even if they haven't been at their best in qualifying like France,Argentina and Portugal.

That doesn't really make sense though, does it?

If they're not the best in qualifying, then they're not the best - they merely have the biggest reputation.

Further to that, Portugal and 'best' wouldn't have been mentioned in the same breath until, what, 2000? If not later than that.

[Thaumagurist*]

Vive La France

Top Kit too.

Looked like they were wearing sports bras

[Archie's penalty]

Vive La France

Top Kit too.

Looked like they were wearing sports bras

Or horse-riding harnesses.

[Victor Meldrew]

most of us surely want to see the best teams,even if they haven't been at their best in qualifying like France,Argentina and Portugal.

That doesn't really make sense though, does it?

If they're not the best in qualifying, then they're not the best - they merely have the biggest reputation.

Further to that, Portugal and 'best' wouldn't have been mentioned in the same breath until, what, 2000? If not later than that.

I think you are splitting hairs a bit there.
Maybe I should have said the better players(rather than teams) like Henry,Messi and Ronaldo rather than Kevin Kilbane and Stephen Hunt.
BTW I saw England just beat a very good Portugal in the 1966 World Cup semi and two years later Benfica in the European Cup Final v Man Utd.
So Portugal haven't just been up there recently.

[Archie's penalty]

Maybe he was a bit but the fact of the matter is Ireland deserved to be in the playoffs no matter what kind of team they have.

Slovakia are already there - name some of their players. Oh you can't? Does that mean they don't deserve to be there?

New Zealand ahem they have Nelsen and Rory Fallon of ahem Plymouth.

[papereyes]

Meh - World Cups always do without some of the best players.

It's football, sometimes shocks happen and that's why we keep coming back.

As for Portugal - that's it, isn't it? A 3rd place in the 60s and nothing until the mid80s (which failed when politics got involved). Do we talk about Turkey being the best for their efforts in 2002? No.

Slovakia are already there - name some of their players. Oh you can't? Does that mean they don't deserve to be there?

Exactly.

[Thaumagurist*]

The seedings should have been based on the qualifying record - e.g. best v worst, not some nampy pampy FIFA rankings.

[TBM]

LOL @ Ireland

Come on France - we want the best teams in the World Cup, not the minnows!

[Thaumagurist*]

If that were the case, then France shouldn't be in it cos they haven't exactly been the "best" in qualifying. They even lost one game, whereas Ireland didn't lose any, FFS.

[Stranded]

If that were the case, then France shouldn't be in it cos they haven't exactly been the "best" in qualifying. They even lost one game, whereas Ireland didn't lose any, FFS.

But if France beat Ireland over 2 legs they are the better team.

[TBM]

If that were the case, then France shouldn't be in it cos they haven't exactly been the "best" in qualifying. They even lost one game, whereas Ireland didn't lose any, FFS.

France = 21pts
Ireland = 18pts

You do know that its all about points, not how many games you win/lose/draw!!?

[Barry the bird boggler]

Greece 0-0 Ukraine
Portugal 1-0 Bosnia-Hercegovina
Rep of Ireland 0-1 France
Russia 2-1 Slovenia

Looks good for France and Ukraine while Bosnia and Slovenia still have a chance to make their presence known...

[Barry the bird boggler]

Maybe I should have said the better players(rather than teams) like Henry, Messi and Ronaldo rather than Kevin Kilbane and Stephen Hunt.

Shame on you for implying Henry, Messi and Ronaldo are better players than Stephen Hunt or Shane Long....

[No Fixed Abode]

Anelka

[Starfish]

Well played France despite Henry and Anelka looking as though it was just a friendly.
Ireland would have contributed nothing to the entertainment value at the World Cup finals where most of us surely want to see the best teams,even if they haven't been at their best in qualifying like France,Argentina and Portugal.

I know what you are saying and understand, of course.

Having said that, if the WC was on in Europe somewhere and I was thinking about going as a neutral, I would much prefer to be in a city where the Irish fans are than the French. This is not a footballing argument perhaps but there you go - the French returned 1000 tickets for the game last Saturday.

[Silver Fox]

Apart from some OK stuff in the first half Ireland were pretty bloody poor really, they can't really blaming the seeding stitch up as I think they'd have struggled to beat any of the other playoff teams playing like that.

BTW the French kit looked like they were all wearing shoulder holsters

[No Fixed Abode]

Can't believe they left Doyle on the bench the whole game.

[Thaumagurist*]

Can't believe they left Doyle on the bench the whole game.

What game were you watching, m9?

[Silver Fox]

Can't believe they left Doyle on the bench the whole game.

I think you meant to post that on a Wolves messageboard chap, your heart just isn't in it these days is it?

[AF1]

BTW the French kit looked like they were all wearing shoulder holsters

sports bras tbf like that hoomed out chelsea kit