Euro 2012 Qualifiers

[Јas]

Does anyone have any idea how to buy tickets to any of the qualification matches? Scotland is coming to play the Czech Republic in Prague in October and I'd like to go. Is there a UEFA website for this?

The tickets would be primarily distributed by the national associations which I presume all have different means of passing on their allocations. So if you're going to try online then the Czech and Scottish football associations might be a better bet than UEFA.

[Јas]

I don't think Ireland is looking good though, despite winning. Sorry Jas.

You mean a 3-1 thrashing of mighty Andorra following a dogged 1-0 victory over Armenia hasn't sent shockwaves around Europe!?

I haven't actually seen anything of either; just been following press reports which have been fairly mixed but generally cautiously pessimistic.

[Јas]

In the last Euro qualifiers Northern Ireland had a strong home record, beating Sweden, Denmark and Spain there. So they're not a team to be trifled with.

NI have been in hellish form recently. Up until the Slovenia game they were 7 games without a goal; and 10 without a win (since, funnily enough, beating Slovenia the last time).

David Healy has stopped scoring goals. If they're going to match their form from the last qualification campaign than something will have to change very soon.

[Јas]

In the last Euro qualifiers Northern Ireland had a strong home record, beating Sweden, Denmark and Spain there. So they're not a team to be trifled with.

NI have been in hellish form recently. Up until the Slovenia game they were 7 games without a goal; and 10 without a win (since, funnily enough, beating Slovenia the last time).

David Healy has stopped scoring goals. If they're going to match their form from the last qualification campaign than something will have to change very soon.

Oh, right. I'm certainly not predicting a similar performance by them this time. Merely pointing out that they have it in them, so to speak.

Yeah, when on form they're not an unreasonable team - and can usually defend well enough.

They are sorely lacking though in the ability to both create and take goal scoring opportunities. Healy was almost doing this himself for a while there, but he's simply not playing well recently. Nor is he getting even first team club football at the minute. Kyle Lafferty has potential - but the team will still struggle to create chances for him as well.

Italy really should be able to take them at a canter.

[Јas]

2-0 is a very heartening result for a second-string Irish side.

Stop the presses! Forget Ireland being up 1-0 over Italy at halftime...Faroe Islands are beating Estonia 2-0 in the second half! This is great!

The Faroes have made not inconsiderable progress under Brian Kerr - and have threatened a couple of wins in this qualifying campaign already.

They had Estonia beaten last year in Tallinn but for 2 second-half injury time Estonian goals; and maybe should've beaten Northern Ireland in Tórshavn (ended 1-1).

[Јas]

I understand Spain losing means the Dutch will become the #1 FIFA ranked team in tomorrow's ranking update.

[Јas]

I understand Spain losing means the Dutch will become the #1 FIFA ranked team in tomorrow's ranking update.

It's awesome to be the ones to knock them off their perch but...ugh...the Dutch.     It seems a little soon for rankings though. Wasn't there an update about two weeks ago?

Ah, checked that - you're right. The update won't take place until the 24th.
Fairly sure it shouldn't make a difference though as there aren't any relevant fixtures between now and then.

It'll be the first time the Dutch have been the top ranked side.

[Јas]

We're on a run of 8 clean sheets (including games against Italy, Russia and Croatia); and we're the only side to have beaten Armenia in Yerevan in this group.

The wheels could certainly come off the wagon tonight (and I do suspect that at least the clean sheet run will probably come to an end), but I don't think it's fair to say that our recent form has been 'playing like crap'.

[Јas]

Seems that I wasn't the only one who thought that Ireland was helped by the referee:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/republic-of-ireland/8821001/Republic-of-Ireland-2-Armenia-1-match-report.html
Since Ireland obviously will not offer Armenia a replay, I know already who to root against in the play-offs (well, if Ireland plays against Turkey, I may think about it). And I hope we won't be hearing any more complaints about Henry's handball.

There is a difference in circumstance, and I would argue level of injustice, between these two cases - a play-off extra-time deliberate double handball and offside goal, and this incident.

At any rate, though I’d have no objection to a replay, presuming such were to become an established norm. (Judging by both our group games against them Armenia don’t present too many problems for our side anyway). However, as the FAI will recall from the France incident, TPTB informed them in no uncertain terms that a replay, even if the French offered one, would be out of the question.

(When was the last time you heard anyone bring up Henry's handball anyway?)

[Јas]

Btw is the controversial scene with Cox' handball-or-no-handball online somewhere? Haven't seen it yet, and nothing on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CdD8QiUBtmk

[Јas]

Btw is the controversial scene with Cox' handball-or-no-handball online somewhere? Haven't seen it yet, and nothing on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CdD8QiUBtmk

Thanks! Yeah it looks pretty much like a handball. But no Henry-material.

On the other hand it seems that the keeper didn't touch the ball with his arms (though he didn't do himself any favors by raising up his arms). And yes, it's not as bad as what Henry did, but the decision favored Ireland and considering how early it came, it was probably decisive.

Seems that I wasn't the only one who thought that Ireland was helped by the referee:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/republic-of-ireland/8821001/Republic-of-Ireland-2-Armenia-1-match-report.html
Since Ireland obviously will not offer Armenia a replay, I know already who to root against in the play-offs (well, if Ireland plays against Turkey, I may think about it). And I hope we won't be hearing any more complaints about Henry's handball.

There is a difference in circumstance, and I would argue level of injustice, between these two cases - a play-off extra-time deliberate double handball and offside goal, and this incident.

At any rate, though I’d have no objection to a replay, presuming such were to become an established norm. (Judging by both our group games against them Armenia don’t present too many problems for our side anyway). However, as the FAI will recall from the France incident, TPTB informed them in no uncertain terms that a replay, even if the French offered one, would be out of the question.

(When was the last time you heard anyone bring up Henry's handball anyway?)

Agree with most of what you said, but not the bolded part. I watched much of the game and for long periods the Armenians seemed more dangerous even with a player down.

And the Henry accident is mentioned constantly. Seems to go together with "Ireland" and "play-off".

Didn't see the game myself - just highlights online and read articles and such. None of the highlights I've seen had Armenia create any clear-cut chances other than their goal. (But then maybe they're not included - just as the [apparently perfectly legal] disallowed goal of Cox 5 minutes before the keeper got sent off is nowhere to be seen.)

At any rate, I won't be building up massive hopes for us in the play-offs. We're often there and we usually lose. I recall losing to Netherlands (E96), Belguim (WC98), Turkey (E00), France (WC10). Only win I can think of was against Iran (WC02).

[Јas]

The Czechs used to be good, so I might be overrating them. They were at least in last Euros. When was Ireland last in a tournament?

Their last tournament was in 2002. I guess the point cuts both ways but I think there is more proof of the Czechs as a declining power and Ireland as a "hot" team.

No worries guys, a [Ukraine/Poland]-Italy-Sweden-Ireland group could be ok with me.

Our record against both Italy and Sweden is pretty good.

Since losing to Italy, in Rome, in the 1990 World Cup Quarter Finals, we've played Italy in 3 competitive games, won 1 (WC 94) and drawn the other two (WC Qualifiers 2009).

We've played Sweden only twice in my lifetime. Both friendlies. We won both (2-0 in 1999 and 3-0 in 2006).

[Јas]

Tough draw. No surprise that we're being written-off. But I don't think clawing our way out the group would be out of the question.

We've gotten out of the groups in 3 of the 4 major tournaments we've been to; and our record against each of Spain, Italy and Croatia is sound. Bring it on.