WC Qualifiers 10/09/08

[papereyes]

PoROFLMGDMFCSSOBAOtugaLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

lolz

Christian Poulsen is one of my favourite random players. He's a right dirty bastard.

[prostak]

Holland only beat Macedonia 2-1 which puts Scotland's (2-1 away win Iceland) result in perspective.

Lithuania beat Austria, so maybe Lithuania have a decent player or two coming through.

Lithuania have come on a lot on the last 4 or 5 years, they had some decent results in the last set of qualifiers (beat Ukraine, drew 1-1 with Italy), just beat a decent Romania team 3-0 in Cluj and don't forget Rangers went out of the Champions League to FBK. Their good players are mostly abroad already, Mikoliūnas at Hearts and Danilevičius at Livorno probably the main 'stars'.

Macedonia have, for my money, one of the best coaches of any European national team. He's probably the main reason Slovenia were so good a few years back.

[papereyes]

Macedonia have, for my money, one of the best coaches of any European national team. He's probably the main reason Slovenia were so good a few years back.

I did not know that. I just thought Slovenia relied a LOT on Zahovic.

[earleyroyal]

Couple of late results/ones that haven't been mentioned:

France beat Serbia 2-1, which probably keeps Domenech in a job. Good news for the other teams in their group then.

Italy labour to a 2-0 win over Georgia, De Rossi scoring twice including an 89th minute goal.

As alluded to by RCFC Portugal were beaten 3-2 by Denmark. 1-0 with 82 minutes gone, Denmark equalise (Bendtner), Deco scores (85 minutes), Poulsen scores (89), Jensen scores (90)

Slovenia beat Slovakia 2-1 in what sounds like it should be a local derby, and may well be

Solid 2-0 win for Greece in Latvia

And well done to Liechtenstein who drew 0-0 in Azerbaijan, I seem to remember England scraped a dodgy 1-0 there a few years ago so that's an excellent result. Good day all round for the minnows with Luxembourg winning and San Marino only going down 2-0 to Poland.

[papereyes]

Slovakia is a country to the right and a country to the north of Slovenia.

[prostak]

I did not know that. I just thought Slovenia relied a LOT on Zahovic.

Zahovic was the crux of that team, it's true, but threw an almighty strop at Katanec after being subbed in a warm up game for WC2002, and destroyed any morale and thus the team's chances of any success. I think he shouted something like 'I could buy you, your family and your mountain too' at the coach, then left the team camp. This was undoubtedly the most interesting player/coach dispute of the build up to World Cup that year...

[The whole year inn]

ere we go ere we go ere we go

Go Luxembourg

Awesome, what are the local papers like this morning?

[Silver Fox]

Holland only beat Macedonia 2-1 which puts Scotland's (2-1 away win Iceland) result in perspective.

Not a bad couple of scores after Saturday's problems, got to win the home games and hope to snatch something in Holland

[cmonurz]

Some of the results we are seeing put our 2-0 win over Andorra into a bit of perspective. Whilst we would expect to score a few more than that, the 'minnows' of Europe are improving, Georgia are no push-overs for example, Albania top their group after a win following a draw against Sweden, Macedonia continue to scare 'bigger' sides. And now Luxembourg have gone and won a game.

There just aren't any 'easy' games any more - perhaps 'the whipping boys' are reduced to San Marino, Estonia, Luxembourg and Andorra now.

[Stranded]

Some of the results we are seeing put our 2-0 win over Andorra into a bit of perspective. Whilst we would expect to score a few more than that, the 'minnows' of Europe are improving, Georgia are no push-overs for example, Albania top their group after a win following a draw against Sweden, Macedonia continue to scare 'bigger' sides. And now Luxembourg have gone and won a game.

There just aren't any 'easy' games any more - perhaps 'the whipping boys' are reduced to San Marino, Estonia, Luxembourg and Andorra now.

Haven't you just slightly contradicted yourself there - claiming our 2-0 win over Andorra has been put in prespective but they are still a whipping boy - and including Luxembourg after proclaiming their away win?

[cmonurz]

Not really. Well, a little bit. Just making the general (and I guess obvious) point that when the groups are drawn and we see two or three 'smaller' teams in each group, the reality is that three points from most of those games, especailly the away legs, will be equally as tough as against some of the more established nations.

I'm sure Luxembourg's win is a freak result, and we should have put 4 or 5 past Andorra, but the likes of Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania - these are 'guaranteed' three pointers like they might have been 4 or 8 years ago.

[TBM]

but the likes of Macedonia... - these are 'guaranteed' three pointers like they might have been 4 or 8 years ago.

Like this you mean:

2006/2007
European Championships
England 0-0 Macedonia

European Championships
Macedonia 0-1 England

2003/2004
European Championships
Macedonia 1-2 England

2002/2003
European Championships
England 2-2 Macedonia

[The whole year inn]

Romania scraped a win in the Faroes too

[cmonurz]

but the likes of Macedonia... - these are 'guaranteed' three pointers like they might have been 4 or 8 years ago.

Like this you mean:

2006/2007
European Championships
England 0-0 Macedonia

European Championships
Macedonia 0-1 England

2003/2004
European Championships
Macedonia 1-2 England

2002/2003
European Championships
England 2-2 Macedonia

Yes, exactly like that. Stop your keyboard warrioring, my point is correct, of course there will be anomalies.

[LUX]

Luxembourg won away to Belorus (sp?) in (not) qualifying for Euro 2008.

They also lost home and away to Holland but only one nil each time and it was agreed they deserved at least a draw in both games.

My point is? Er, none really because they also managed to lose 4-0 at home to Liechtenstein.

But 2008 is an exceptional year for Luxembourg sport (three cyclists in top 12 (?) of Tour de France), Gilles Muller getting to QF of US tennis Open, and now this result.

The population is 330 000, but half of those are people like me, ie non-eligible as they are foreigners

[TBM]

but the likes of Macedonia... - these are 'guaranteed' three pointers like they might have been 4 or 8 years ago.

Like this you mean:

2006/2007
European Championships
England 0-0 Macedonia

European Championships
Macedonia 0-1 England

2003/2004
European Championships
Macedonia 1-2 England

2002/2003
European Championships
England 2-2 Macedonia

Yes, exactly like that. Stop your keyboard warrioring, my point is correct, of course there will be anomalies.

So Macedonia aren't whipping boys, neither are they guaranteed 3 pointers!

[readingbedding]

That's exactly what I was thinking.
I hope Capello is making the players more professional and less cocky than what they've been in the past.

[papereyes]

Romania scraped a win in the Faroes too

Apparently/according to one article I read, they're missing 5 or 6 of their Euros team.