Crazy for such a reputable publication to troll its readers like that.

As for the no Enrique. Arteta doesn't have a single cap. I think some, not all but some, Spaniards playing abroad get forgotten about.

arteta i can understand given that even cesc barely gets games for spain
LB however is their weakest spot and enrique should be a certain starter in my eyes

Argh, not available in Germany...

Yeah, I kinda feel sorry for Arteta, such an awesome player, he certainly would get caps for every other nation there is...

Just watching highlights again there - the block by Dunne is MANLY stuff. And the Andrews block tackle after your man fires the header straight at Given from five yards is awe inspiring - two other white jerseys diving infront of the shot.

We might not be pretty but my do we have The Big Heart.

That Dunne performance is up there with some of the best I have seen from anyone in an Irish jersey, he just stood above everyone else. I still have no idea how he kept that one out, I already had resigned myself to being 1-0 down. And Yeah the Andrews block was also awesome.

I think you're right that it's flawed btw. Having a pot 6 team in your group is a negative freeroll, because it's the team that finishes bottom of the group that gets taken out of the standings. If the pot 6 team do nothing and lose every game, there's no advantage from having them there, but if they pull a few upsets and finish higher than 6th it's a negative.

Look at Group A. Kazakhstan could lose every game that's not against the pot 6 team. Had Azerbaijan not been in the group as well, their results would have counted in the second place standings. Instead it's the results against the pot 6 team, Azerbaijan, who's taken a few points of the better teams, that counts.

Random bump, but just realised that Spain have won 20 consecutive qualifiers and are 34-2-1 in competitive matches over the last four years.

Sickest run ever?

Germans will sort them out soon enough.

Holland #1 tho

Switzerland tho

Expectation

Holland are 15-0-0 with qualifiers since van Marwijk took over

And I had money on Switzerland

Netherlands and Germany deserve honourable mention for dominating international football over the last four years, though not quite to the level of Spain.

I guess you could add Uruguay to the list in terms of results at major tournaments, though they barely qualified for the World Cup.

Still waiting for Belgium to dominate like some pundits have predicted!

They're never going to dominate but they should at least compete from 2014 onwards (maybe even 2012 if they manage to qualify don't know if that's still possible?)

Germany are improved from 2010 and much better than 2008, but I don't see a match against Spain next summer playing out much differently than the previous encounters have, with Germany being suffocated and strugging to create any chances.

Still will have good equity to win the tournament cause if Spain go out, Germany become the favourites against anyone else, though it's probably by a narrow margin over the Dutch.

They're pretty ****ed for 2012. Draw against Azerbaijan didn't help. Belgium are two points back of Turkey for second place with two matches to go. Both play Germany and a weaker side at home. Bit of a mystery as to Germany's squad and motivation for the final matches now that they're through.

belgium need verminator back
they have been VERY vulnerable at the back without him

Bump for epic week of Irish Sport.

Andorra v Ireland - Friday night
Ireland v Wales - Sat morning
Ireland v Armenia - Tues night (I am going!)

If we follow tradition it will all end in tears but **** tradition. We are winning the group and making the semi final of the Rugby World Cup!

Group B table;

Team	Pts
Russia	17
Ireland	15
Armenia	14
Slovakia	14

OK, so Group B fixtures are as follows;

Friday, 7 October 2011

Slovakia - Russia
Armenia - FYR Macedonia
Andorra - Republic of Ireland

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Republic of Ireland - Armenia
FYR Macedonia - Slovakia
Russia - Andorra

--

So all in all we need a Slovakia win against Russia to put us in pole position to top the group. I am so nervous about our final group game against Armenia. If Slovakia do beat Russia and we somehow manage to **** it up and not win the group I might seriously considering ending my life. There is only so much one person can take.

in b4 Arshavin or whatever to volleyball a goal in against ireland

given recent epic choke-jobs by russia (vs. israel in euro 2008 qualifying and vs. slovenia in WC 2010 qualifying), i'm preparing for the worst (e.g. 1-0 loss to slovakia in 92nd minute, then 3-0 loss to andorra)