Euro 2012 Qualifying

[Fireball07]

Scotland are doing what Ireland were doing a few years ago. Dropping silly points, we got our win today and I'm happy.

We have more points than Scotland, France, Romania and Greece. Not that that means anything, but what the hell? :)

[The Iceman of the North]

What a match in Portugal! Cyprus just equalised, 4:4 with a couple of minutes remaining.

[kuroishi]

Your problem has never really been a frail defense though. You simply don't score enough goals!

No, we just don't score any goals at all ! (we didn't score many goals in 2006 either, but at least we could count on a great defense that kept us alive even when the rest of the team failed. That's not been the case since then)

First time since 1937 that France loses 4 matches in a row, but that's no surprise after playing against such world-class act as Mexico, South Africa, Norway and Belarus...:uhoh:...:crying:

[mormont]

Scotland are doing what Ireland were doing a few years ago. Dropping silly points

Nah. Losing would have been 'dropping silly points': a draw isn't. We are not of the standard that we should regard an away win in Lithuania as a formality. Watching the game, that's obvious. The standard wasn't high. And remember, Lithuania beat Austria 2-0 and Serbia 2-1 at home in WC qualifying.

It was quite depressing watching though. The ground resembled a Scottish First Division venue and the match play enhanced the resemblance. Kenny Miller had a free header and put it straight at the 'keeper: Barry Robson squandered a number of free kicks: none of our other forwards looked sharp at all, and we never really looked like scoring. And there are only so many times I can hear commentators saying 'oh, he's unlucky there' when the player's technique is manifestly at fault. Poor technique isn't 'unlucky'. It's being a bit rubbish.

But considering the squad, the venue, etc. a point was OK.

[Slick Mongoose]

England are the greatest again!

Capello is a genius!

Woot!

:cheers:

[Marcelo Rebelo Firqoralas]

No, we just don't score any goals at all ! (we didn't score many goals in 2006 either, but at least we could count on a great defense that kept us alive even when the rest of the team failed. That's not been the case since then)

Well, looking at the statistics over the last couple of years I'd say that France's defense could still be considered as being pretty good. My point is though that that's not where the blame for your poor performance can be placed and it's not the part that is most important to improve.

[kuroishi]

Well, looking at the statistics over the last couple of years I'd say that France's defense could still be considered as being pretty good. My point is though that that's not where the blame for your poor performance can be placed and it's not the part that is most important to improve.

Looking at the stats for the last 12 years, it appears that both the goals scored/matchs played and the goals conceded/matchs played ratios of the last 3 years are the weakest since 2002 so I guess it's a little bit of both (in 2008 we had a mean of 1.14 goals conceded/match and in 2010 it's 1.33 so far, to be compared with the 0.29 of 2003, the 0.4 of 2004 or even the 0.5 of 2007).

Arguably, maybe it's even worse for the goals scored : 0.56 so far in 2010, to be compared to the 2.83 of 2003 or the 2.35 of 2000.

Looking back at the 2003 stats is making me nostalgic... 14 matchs played, 40 goals scored, 3 goals conceded, there was some hot shit going on. Didn't prevent us from making a mess of the 2004 Euro though...

[Black Wizard]

Iceland, Finland, they both end in -land, there's hardly any difference between those countries, are there?

Well considering that the Icelanders speak basically the same language as you and the Finns language isn't indo-European, I'd say there's a big difference.

[Marcelo Rebelo Firqoralas]

Well considering that the Icelanders speak basically the same language as you and the Finns language isn't indo-European, I'd say there's a big difference.

Details. You're just jealous because he didn't include Scotland.

[The Iceman of the North]

Details. You're just jealous because he didn't include Scotland.

I didn't mention Scotland, but everyone knows that Scotland, England, Finland, Iceland and Ireland all are practically identical.

[Jon AS]

I didn't mention Scotland, but everyone knows that Scotland, England, Finland, Iceland and Ireland all are practically identical.

Not to mention Deutschland.

[Xray the Enforcer]

Not to mention Deutschland.

:lol:

The Portugal-Cyprus result also amuses me to no end.

[Renasko]

I don't how they do it, but Cyprus are capable of some good results. As we know personally. They thrashed us 5-2 a few years back in our last Euros campaign. They're a tricky enough team, but then there's hardly any easy games. Our next match is up against Andorra, who're one of the weakest nations in European football. That game should be without difficulty...

We'll see. Russia only managed to put two goals past them.

Edit: Looking at that France lineup which lost against Belarus...quite a few unfamiliar faces in there. I don't watch French league football, so the likes of Rami, Hoarau, M'Vila and Gameiro are players I've never seen before. Do they have the sufficient ability to help this team to qualification, or is it only a matter of time before Ribery, Nasri, Anelka, Evra, Gourcuff, etc. return?

[kuroishi]

Edit: Looking at that France lineup which lost against Belarus...quite a few unfamiliar faces in there. I don't watch French league football, so the likes of Rami, Hoarau, M'Vila and Gameiro are players I've never seen before. Do they have the sufficient ability to help this team to qualification, or is it only a matter of time before Ribery, Nasri, Anelka, Evra, Gourcuff, etc. return?

Ribery, Evra and Anelka have all been penalized by the French Federation for the strike in South Africa (3 games for Ribery, 5 for Evra and... 18 for Anelka, who will surely never play for France again). Ribery and Evra should come back. As for Nasri and Gourcuff, the former is injured and the latter is still suspended after being sent off in the last WC game. They should come back as well.

Rami, Hoarau, M'Vila and Gameiro are young players and are supposed to be part of the future of the team.

I'm dubious about Hoarau who had a very good season two years ago but has since been plagued with injuries, has yet to regain his best level and is already 26.

Rami is an interesting central back who could turn very well, and Gameiro is a striker and has been interesting for the two last seasons despite playing in a low-profile team.

But the one everyone has his eyes on is currently M'Vila who just turned 20 and has been really impressive during his two matchs with France as a defensive midfielder.

I think the first two will continue playing even when the big names return. Maybe not as a first team player in Hoarau's case, but Laurent Blanc is set on having a Mexes-Rami central defense.

The case of M'Vila is not as clear... He should be behind Toulalan, Lassana Diarra and Alou Diarra but :

-Toulalan is playing as a central defender for Lyon and Blanc told that he wouldn't take him as long as he would not play as a midfielder ;

-Lassana Diarra was not very good against Norway, and he suffered from the comparison to M'Vila ;

-and everybody thought Alou Diarra would play yesterday, but M'Vila played in his stead.

What could help France for qualification in my opinion : the return of Gourcuff and/or Nasri in good shape ; Benzema finally deciding to work hard, be serious and have a good season in Real Madrid (or elsewhere).

[Black Wizard]

Not to mention Deutschland.

And Poland, Thailand and Swaziland.

[Andriy Czarchenko]

And Poland, Thailand and Swaziland.

Followed by Switzerland and New Zealand.

[Black Wizard]

Scotland's team to face Lietchenstein (I can't wait untill this qualifying campain is over so I won't have to attempt spelling that <_< ):

McGregor

Hutton

Weir

McManus

Wallace

Brown

Fletcher

McCulloch

McFadden

Boyd

Miller

I haven't a clue what the formation will be. It could be a 4-4-2 with Darren Fletcher playing on the right and James McFadden on the left, or a 4-3-3 with McFadden and Miller playing wide of Kris Boyd. I'd prefer a 4-4-2 to be honest, if Kenny Miller gets the ball in a wide position then the attack will break down as that man cannot cross the ball. Miller and Boyd were an excellent partnership for Rangers last season anyway, hopefully they can reproduce that form for Scotland.

[Jon AS]

Scotland's team to face Lietchenstein (I can't wait untill this qualifying campain is over so I won't have to attempt spelling that <_< ):

You know, there's this thing called the internet where you can like, look stuff up and shit.:P

I'm not sure what possible problem one could have with Liechtenstein. Unless maybe you have no idea how to pronounce it?

Germany-Azerbaijan promises to be thoroughly unexciting. The biggest question is who will be trying his luck at left back tonight.

[Renasko]

Slovakia managed to beat Russia, away from home, 1-0. Nice! I would've preferred a draw to be fair, but better that Russia lose.

If we don't manage to win tonight, I'll cry. It's shocking tickets for the game are going for upwards of 70 Euro's when we (an ordinary side) are up against a team of amateurs. :thumbsdown:

[Alcibiades]

Looks like Rooney can score on the pitch as well! ba dum, pish