Euro 2016 Qualifying

[Clyde1998]

If the Netherlands do qualify - we'll be the only side in Western Europe (with a population greater than 500,000) not the qualify. I blame the SFA entirely.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Scottish Football = Human Disaster

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Which official does this forum have to pay to get a Sweden-Denmark playoff matchup? We've certainly earned it after the past week or two.

[YL]

The Dutch are out...

Also in that group, Turkey qualified automatically, but, slightly bizarrely, this could only happen because Kazakhstan beat Latvia.  This is because in the ranking of third placed teams, results against the sixth placed team are discarded.  Turkey did worse against Latvia than against Kazakhstan, so Latvia sinking to bottom of the group gave Turkey extra points in that ranking, allowing them to overtake Hungary.

[Clyde1998]

Pot 1
Germany
Spain
England
Portugal
Belgium
France (Hosts)

Pot 2
Italy
Russia
Switzerland
Austria
Croatia

Pot 2 or 3
Czech Rep

Pot 3
Poland
Romania
Slovakia

Pot 4
Turkey
Iceland
Wales
Albania
Northern Ireland

Seeded in Play-Offs
Bosnia
Ukraine
Sweden
Hungary

Unseeded in Play-Offs
Denmark
Ireland
Norway
Slovenia

[DavidB.]

After this epic Robin van Persie goal it was clear we didn't deserve it this time...

Now I'm figuring out for which team I should root instead.

[Gustaf]

Which official does this forum have to pay to get a Sweden-Denmark playoff matchup? We've certainly earned it after the past week or two.

I think we'd lose that so no thanks. I'll take Ireland though.

(realistically I think we lose either way but whatever)

[Tender Branson]

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... would likely be the easiest group draw for us.

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... would likely be the killer group for us.

[Gustaf]

Pot 1
Germany
Spain
England
Portugal
Belgium
France (Hosts)

Pot 2
Italy
Russia
Switzerland
Austria
Croatia

Pot 2 or 3
Czech Rep

Pot 3
Poland
Romania
Slovakia

Pot 4
Turkey
Iceland
Wales
Albania
Northern Ireland

Seeded in Play-Offs
Bosnia
Ukraine
Sweden
Hungary

Unseeded in Play-Offs
Denmark
Ireland
Norway
Slovenia

Too lazy to check if the playoffs can alter the rankings but as it stands now, Bosnia gets pot 2 if they qualify, Ukraine gets it if they do and Bosnia don't, if they both get knocked out the Czechs get it.

Sweden gets pot 3 if we qualify.

Hungary gets pot 3 unless Sweden, Bosnia and the Ukraine all qualify.

Denmark gets pot 3 as long as only 2 out of Sweden, Bosnia, Hungary and Ukraine qualify.

Turkey gets pot 3 as long as only 2 out of Sweden, Bosnia, Hungary, Ukraine and Denmark qualify.

Ireland gets pot 3 if they qualify and Norway and Slovenia also do.

Norway and Slovenia get pot 4 if they qualify.

After the playoff draw some possibilities may get eliminated of course.

[politicus]

Which official does this forum have to pay to get a Sweden-Denmark playoff matchup? We've certainly earned it after the past week or two.

You got your wish. Luckily we got the second game at home.

Ukraine - Slovenia
Sweden - Denmark
Bosnia - Ireland
Norway - Hungary


First match in Stockholm November 14 at 20.45

Second match in Copenhagen November 17 at 20.45

[RodPresident]

Predictions for playoffs:
Ukraine
Sweden
Ireland
Norway

[politicus]

Predictions for playoffs:
Ukraine
Sweden
Ireland
Norway

Why?

Sweden has lost the last 4 matches against Denmark and failed to score in the last 5 - and we get to play them at home in the last match.

[politicus]

Predictions for playoffs:

Ukraine
Denmark
Bosnia
Norway

[politicus]

Statistics doesn't decide football matches, but its still a fun fact (at least if you are Danish), that Denmark hasn't lost to Sweden since Morten Olsen became head coach in 2000, apart from a "desk defeat" in 2007 after an episode where a drunken Danish spectator ran on the field and tried to attack the referee. The score was 3-3, but got changed to a 0-3 defeat afterwards.

A similar incident is probably Sweden's best chance

[DavidB.]

I think Ukraine, Sweden, Bosnia and Norway will make it.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

You just gotta have the right connections to make that work out I'm not surprised

I agree with David's picks actually though I'm not totally confident about any of it. I guess Ukraine would be what I am most sure about.

[politicus]

I think Ukraine, Sweden, Bosnia and Norway will make it.

I agree with David's picks actually though I'm not totally confident about any of it. I guess Ukraine would be what I am most sure about.

Why Sweden?

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I think Ukraine, Sweden, Bosnia and Norway will make it.

I agree with David's picks actually though I'm not totally confident about any of it. I guess Ukraine would be what I am most sure about.

Why Sweden?

It's a coinflip/very very slight advantage Denmark As a fan, you can't help, but root for the storyline of a final Ibrahimovic run after missing out on the World Cup, and I get drawn to the gutsy upset pick. Neither did much in the group stage. Denmark couldn't beat superior teams. Sweden's draw with Austria was the only dent in the Austrian record, yet they also got beat badly too.  Whatever though...national teams mean surprisingly little for me. I wouldn't bet on it, but as a fun pick, I'll go Sweden.

[politicus]

I guess you believe in the Zlatan magic, but he has never scored against Denmark and never played his best against us.

Norwegian FCK coach Ståle Solbakken:

- Denmark is a notch better, but Zlatan can equalize it. If he decides 100% that he wants to be in the European Championship in France, then that may be what determines it. Denmark is a bit better and has the advantage of finishing in the park, but clearly the biggest potential match winner is Sweden's Zlatan. He seems fit again, and he's got the speed back after his injury. It's a monster.

- If Zlatan hadn't been Swedish, but Norwegian, we had been through already and Denmark had been huge favorites.

Without Ibrahimovic Sweden is pretty weak at the moment. The Danish defender Simon Kjær has neutralized Zlatan before and had Ronaldo under control recently.

Obviously I am biased, but I fail to see why Sweden objectively should be favorites with DK finishing on home turf. Of course this could be the first time Zlatan actually plays his A-game against Denmark, but it all hinges on that (which also requires Kjær to be beneath top level). And I think Zlatan would need to be on or close to top level in both matches. Denmark is unlikely to collapse against Sweden, so it won't be a big win if Sweden wins in Stockholm.

[DavidB.]

Yeah, Denmark seems to be quite strong and has quite a good generation, but I think it's a "tossup/tilt Sweden" in Atlas terms, with Zlatan making the difference. If Zlatan wouldn't be in the Swedish team, I'd place my bets on Denmark.

[politicus]

Yeah, Denmark seems to be quite strong and has quite a good generation, but I think it's a "tossup/tilt Sweden" in Atlas terms, with Zlatan making the difference. If Zlatan wouldn't be in the Swedish team, I'd place my bets on Denmark.

Hmm, I think even most Swedish commentators have it the other way round: fairly close, tilt Denmark. Especially with the second match in Copenhagen.

[Gustaf]

Sweden's current team is the weakest in a long time, then again Denmark is pretty rubbish too. Most experts seem to have Denmark as a slight favourite. I think the teams are close enough and football random enough that it's pretty much a tossup but my pessimistic nature makes me suspect Denmark takes it.

(and for the record the guy who ran on stage in the previous Denmark-Sweden game did so in anger over Sweden being awarded a penalty, so likely we'd have won anyway )

[Tender Branson]

Apparently, the ÖFB (Austrian Football Association) badly wants a new national stadium with the successful qualification for the the EURO 2016, because the Happel Stadium is getting really old.

A new posterchild for the ÖFB is the planned 350 Mio. € stadium in Budapest:

[Tender Branson]

There's a new #1 in the FIFA ranking:



Plus: take a look at the new #10 ...

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

right after england, yeah