Euro 2020 Qualifiers and associated friendlies

[ad hoc]

After their best performance in years in the defeat to Spain last week, Romania reverted to recent form this evening with a laboured 1-0 win at home to Malta

[anton pulisov]

Was Marin any good? He hasn't really hit the ground running at Ajax.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Greece were organised unwatchable, like a well oiled machine. We are huff and puff unwatchable. Greece for stupid people.

This is a stupid age.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Watched Sweden v Norway which was a reasonably entertaining draw between two pretty poor teams. Sweden are maybe as weak as I've seen them in some time. Almost every Swedish fan was wearing some version of the national shirt. For some reason I find that type of fan regalia seriously depressing.

Then watched Finland lose to Italy after a dodgy penalty. A draw would have been fair, but I can't see any of these four teams troubling the later stages of the competition.

[Duncan Gardner]

The Grauniad is shit at updating its tables.

Still unbeaten: England, Kosovo, Ukraine, Portugal, N. Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Italy

Groups that already look done:

And obviously C: Germany, Netherlands unless NI pull off some massive heist.

Covering all your bases there Satch

NI need to get at least 4 points from our remaining games and hope for a favour from Belarus or Estonia. Neither is probable but we're hardly talking the Italian Job here...

[anton pulisov]

Almost every Swedish fan was wearing some version of the national shirt. For some reason I find that type of fan regalia seriously depressing

Conformity. It's the Swedish way

I agree.

[ad hoc]

Was Marin any good? He hasn't really hit the ground running at Ajax.

Nobody played especially well, so he was average within the context of the team.

[seand]

I thought they were randomly selected (subject only to the Dutch having to play the NL finals in June)?

If games ended after 75 minutes, NI would only have 5 points instead of 12

I thought the fixture list was negotiated shortly after the draw, and I assumed that in this case NI were following the usual RoI tactic of front-loading the 'easy' games to keep themselves in the running as long as possible. In the RoI case this is primarily, I believe to maximise attendance at home games.

[seand]

See you know the way that we're not allowed have nice things. What if we're the means by which denmark is denied nice things? Have you ever stopped to consider that? We're almost unwatchable enough, that us winning the european championship would be much worse than when greece won.

You know what's gonna happen. Switzerland will beat the Danes and we'll grind our way to automatic qualification. Then in the Euros we'll sneak a 1-0 against Belarus or whoever comes out of pot D and grind out a heroic 0-0 with Ukraine to make the Last 16 and Mick goes out a hero. When Stephen Kenny has the temerity to lose two World Cup qualifiers by playing football he'll be hounded out and we'll throw a fuckload of money at McCarthy/Mourinho/Trap to go back to basics for Euro20204.

[Nocturnal Submission]

You know what's gonna happen. Switzerland will beat the Danes and we'll grind our way to automatic qualification. Then in the Euros we'll sneak a 1-0 against Belarus or whoever comes out of pot D and grind out a heroic 0-0 with Ukraine to make the Last 16 and Mick goes out a hero. When Stephen Kenny has the temerity to lose two World Cup qualifiers by playing football he'll be hounded out and we'll throw a fuckload of money at McCarthy/Mourinho/Trap to go back to basics for Euro20204.

Long-term planning. I like it.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Conformity. It's the Swedish way

I agree.

The only acceptable Ireland Shirts are about 30 years old and were a fire hazard when made.

[Kevin S]

The Grauniad is shit at updating its tables.

Still unbeaten: England, Kosovo, Ukraine, Portugal, N. Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Italy

Groups that already look done:
B: Ukraine, Portugal
I: Belgium, Russia
J: Italy, Finland

And obviously C: Germany, Netherlands unless NI pull off some massive heist.

Yeah, obviously four wins from four Northern Ireland are not going to qualify. Sheesh.

Rather gutted that the NI v Ger match tonight is on Skeh though as it could be a corker. Highlights are on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10:35 at least, and I think that's streamable on iPlayer.

[Ray de Galles]

I thought the fixture list was negotiated shortly after the draw, and I assumed that in this case NI were following the usual RoI tactic of front-loading the 'easy' games to keep themselves in the running as long as possible. In the RoI case this is primarily, I believe to maximise attendance at home games.

Like others above, I believe the fixtures are no longer negotiated between the associations but centrally drawn up by UEFA.

[Satchmo Distel]

Netherlands were in the Nations League finals so NI couldn't play them in June.

[Ray de Galles]

Kosovo have beaten the Czechs 2-1.

And unbeaten so far, four games played. Away to England next, mind.

A good story on Kosovo's progress here.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Conformity. It's the Swedish way

I agree.

There was a guy with a plastic watering can over his head. I've no idea why but he cheered me up.

[anton pulisov]

You know what's gonna happen. Switzerland will beat the Danes and we'll grind our way to automatic qualification. Then in the Euros we'll sneak a 1-0 against Belarus or whoever comes out of pot D and grind out a heroic 0-0 with Ukraine to make the Last 16 and Mick goes out a hero. When Stephen Kenny has the temerity to lose two World Cup qualifiers by playing football he'll be hounded out and we'll throw a fuckload of money at McCarthy/Mourinho/Trap to go back to basics for Euro20204.

Oh yeah.

Fast forward to Autumn 2021, and Ireland have just lost in the playoff against Spain after finishing runner up in a group with France and Portugal. However, pundits will be saying that it was Ireland's naivety that allowed the Spanish score in the 89th minute in the second playoff leg in Dublin to go through on away goals. Sounness will be especially furious, "Everybody knows that you don't try to close out a match with that many midfielders on the pitch. It's tippy tappy. They should have brought on another centre-back with 20 minutes to go and shut up shop. I feel that Kenny's inexperience has shown here, like in that match against France. Look, Kenny fans can say what they want about Mick, but the reality of qualification doesn't lie."

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

he do well to make it back to the airport alive.

[Lang Spoon]

Stephen Kenny is doomed, the poor bastard. Blank eyed bastard dipso Keane will undermine him from the first, a low rent Giggs Iago impression. With help from his pals like Kilbane/pliant Herald hacks.

[Ray de Galles]

Bloody hell, how big is this Kieffer Moore who is starting up front for Wales?

[Wouter D]

Deadly Belgian counter from a Scottish corner leads to the opening goal.

[Ray de Galles]

Dan James has scored with another cracking finish for Wales in the friendly against Belarus, Jonny Williams did well to set up the goal too.

[Lang Spoon]

Jesus fucking Christ

[Ray de Galles]

Germany denied a pretty clear handball penalty against Norn Iron.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Jesus fucking Christ

Come join us. Come... join us. Rest your weary head. Your troubles are over, You're home now.

[img]https://img.rasset.ie/00110e83-800.jpg[/img]