Russia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers [No Sponsors Necessary]

[John Arne]

Final group stage of the AFC qualifiers, 7th round of CONMEBOL, and first round of EUFA qualifying (oh and some irrelevant CONCACAF guff).

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Times are UTC+7.

http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sam-Allardyce.jpg

[Pen]

Surprised to see that Japan lost to UAE at home. How does the qualifying work in Asia? Is it only these groups and the best ones get to the World cup or is there another group stage after this?

[John Arne]

Apologies for the formatting, by the way. I couldn't find a normal list to C+P.

[John Arne]

Surprised to see that Japan lost to UAE at home. How does the qualifying work in Asia? Is it only these groups and the best ones get to the World cup or is there another group stage after this?

This is the final group stage (having already had prelims and a group stage). This final round is split into two groups of 6. Top 2 teams in each group qualify for the World Cup, two runner-ups play-off for a chance to play the 4th best team in CONCACAF.

Group A: S.Korea, Iran, Uzbeks, Qatar, Syria & China.
Group B: Aus, UAE, S.Arabia, Thailand, Japan & Iraq.

[John Arne]

What a tit. Can an Admin change Qatar to Russia please. I'm 4 years ahead of myself.

[Pen]

Thanks.

So Japan will most likely go through unless they go all Dutch.

[John Arne]

Thanks.

So Japan will most likely go through unless they go all Dutch.

They should do, yes. Iraq, UAE and Saudi can be good on their day (at home), but they just aren't consistent enough. Japan and Aus should qualify, with UAE getting third, for me.

[Disco]

I would like to officially confirm that my avatar predates this thread by several days and the re-use of it here is nothing less than gimmick infringement.

[Pleb]

That Group F in the UEFA competition is pure filth.

[Adamski]

I would like to officially confirm that my avatar predates this thread by several days and the re-use of it here is nothing less than gimmick infringement.

This, the thread title and the stupid local time of each game meaning they're on different days to the actual days. What an utter 'mare.

[John Arne]

Local times for local people.

[Boydy]

Yeah, someone fix those fucking times.

[Amigo]

Be interesting to see if we fall apart now that Lagerbäck has gone.

Ukraine looked dogshit in the Euros but we'll probably lose regardless.

[John Arne]

Come on, it's not rocket science. Just take 7hrs off.

[Adamski]

Come on, it's not rocket science. Just take 7hrs off.

Why didn't you do it then? Majority rules.

[Giggles]

Why didn't you do it then? Majority rules.

You want him to edit every match in a livescore screenshot? That'd be seriously dedicated/sad.

[John]

You can change your timezone on Livescore.

[ItalAussie]

They should do, yes. Iraq, UAE and Saudi can be good on their day (at home), but they just aren't consistent enough. Japan and Aus should qualify, with UAE getting third, for me.

You'd truly hope so, but I'm worried about away legs in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Travel out to the Middle East is our achilles heel. We haven't messed it up enough to be knocked out yet, but it's always on the radar.

[niko_cee]

I'm sure Yev will have enjoyed this (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37252524)

[John]

Lukaku must have had a pop at him after he left. Terry Henry as assistant manager is great too. At least get in someone with a semblance of defensive instinct that they can add to your tactics.

[Adamski]

You want him to edit every match in a livescore screenshot? That'd be seriously dedicated/sad.

What else can he be doing?


You can change your timezone on Livescore.

Yeah Giggles in yo face!

[Giggles]

Why would he change his timezone when he's in Asia? Maybe someone else should have bothered their hole starting the thread.

[John]

Because him doing that would take up much, much less time than everyone who reads the thread subtracting seven hours from all the kick off times. It takes four clicks.

[John Arne]

Create your own bleedin' thread if the time difference bothers you that much.

[John]

It doesn't bother me at all, I already know the kick off times of all the games I'll be bothering with. I was replying directly to Giggles with both posts about it. That said, it is a bit stupid to post a load of fixture lists in which the times will all be completely wrong for every single person who reads them other than yourself.

[John Arne]

Some would say that posting KO times in your own timezone is pretty handy, rather than stupid. Each to their own.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The African qualifiers don't start until next month, but the draw is pretty scenesy. Algeria, Nigeria and Cameroon all in the same group going for 1 place. Likewise Ivory Coast, Morocco and Mali (I'd have the latter down with a good chance of challenging the Coast). On the other hand there are a couple of weak groups ensuring a 'different' qualifier or two, as well as a Ghana v Egypt showdown (these things never end well for Egypt).

[Byron]

Who would be your tip to qualify from the lesser known nations then Jim. Is it worth me betting on the likes of Zambia or The Faso to qualify?

[ItalAussie]

Zambia's surely a non-starter. Their group is a nightmare.

Cape Verde, perhaps? They've pulled off some big results in the recent past, and have an easy group, as they go.

[bruhnaldo]

It doesn't bother me at all, I already know the kick off times of all the games I'll be bothering with. I was replying directly to Giggles with both posts about it. That said, it is a bit stupid to post a load of fixture lists in which the times will all be completely wrong for every single person who reads them other than yourself.

And they say Americans are self-involved.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Who would be your tip to qualify from the lesser known nations then Jim. Is it worth me betting on the likes of Zambia or The Faso to qualify?

Zambia no chance; Burkina have an outside chance, but that group is a crap shoot, as is the Tunisia/DRC/Guinea one.

Oddly I'd say the biggest lock are Algeria, the other big two in that group are a bit of a shambles at the moment.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Just noticed Kosovo have found their way into the World Cup draw. When did that happen? I thought Russia and friends were still opposing their existence.

[John Arne]

Just noticed Kosovo have found their way into the World Cup draw. When did that happen? I thought Russia and friends were still opposing their existence.

I read that 10 of their players still haven't received Intenational Clearence. Quality admin all round.

[John]

They could have a stonking side if FIFA allow players to switch to them. They'd rinse Switzerland in particular, I think Shaqiri, Xhaka, and Behrami would be available.

[mugbull]

Think of how many more they would have had if their male population hadn't been obliterated

[Giggles]

Did they not let players in that region switch before (Bosnia maybe)? Why not now?

[Jimmy Floyd]

They have had quite a few switchers from Switzerland and Albania already. And Valon Berisha from Norway, by the looks of it.

[John Arne]

From what I read, UEFA gave players the option to switch, but they had a cut-off date, for example 2 weeks before EURO 2016. Then Xhaka went and played in the tournament and wants to switch now, claiming ignorance over the supposed cut-off date.

[Pen]

They could have a stonking side if FIFA allow players to switch to them. They'd rinse Switzerland in particular, I think Shaqiri, Xhaka, and Behrami would be available.

We're playng them in their first game on Monday and one of our players who was rumoured to switch too asked not to be picked against his birth country, but decided to stay with us :) I think everyone should be given the chance to switch when situations like this come up. A good cut-off date would have been these first international qualifiers in my opinion anyway.

[Angelsaint]

What happened to Belgium? I blame klopp and whoever decided to not play benteke.

[Giggles]

What happened to Belgium? I blame klopp and whoever decided to not play benteke.

They're a bunch of wankers and now they've an absouletly shite manager to go along with that.

[-james-]

The Finnish are so shit. I reckon Kosovo will do them.

[phonics]

They could have a stonking side if FIFA allow players to switch to them. They'd rinse Switzerland in particular, I think Shaqiri, Xhaka, and Behrami would be available.

You are allowed to switch to them for now, doesn't matter how many caps you have.

Wonder if Januzaj will go.

[Yevrah]

What channel is Big Sam on?

[John Arne]

what channel is big sam on?

itv1.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sam's first team is pleasingly four-four-fucking-two, at least personnel wise, I've no idea where they'll actually play.

[Browning]

San Marino vs Azerbaijan is going to be one for the ages. How have then ended up in the same group?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Azerbaijan are alright (in minnow terms).

[Manc]

Get Stones in midfield. Lad could run the show.

[Baz]

Sam's first team is pleasingly four-four-fucking-two, at least personnel wise, I've no idea where they'll actually play.
4-3-3 according to Hoddle.

[Raoul Duke]

This is unbearably slow and painful.

Stones trying to beat people on the edge of his box :drool:

[Max Power]

Get some Leicester players on ffs

[Sam]

So shit :D.

[Browning]

Get Alli on for Rooney. Why the fuck is he still playing in midfield?

[Sam]

Big Sam hasn't bottled on Rooney already has he, the mans the deepest on the pitch.

[Max Power]

Sam will probably have to wait until Mourinho bins Rooney

[Shindig]

Lithuania are going to walk this group.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Maybe this is the only way England can play?

So dull.

[niko_cee]

Henderson and Dier (and Rooney) has to be one of the worst international central midfields going.

[Manc]

Sterling's problem seems to be that he isn't Andros Townsend.

[Jimmy Floyd]

England not qualifying for the World Cup would be the shock that our complacent football needs, but I really can't see it happening from this group.

[Shindig]

2008 did nothing for us.

[Lewis]

We'll be alright once Danny Welbeck is back.

[Manc]

Kyle Walker is such a Fifa player.

[Ian]

Tyldesley is gaggin for Skrtel to get sent off.

[Manc]

Is that the horn of Gondor in the background?

[Disco]

Tyldesley is gaggin for Skrtel to get sent off.

Skrtel seems to be quite keen himself.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Genuinely had no idea that Lallana was playing until I checked to see who is on the bench.

Vardy, Alli and either Drinkwater or Antonio please.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Skrtel really is a dirty cunt.

[mo]

Such a dirty cunt.

[Manc]

What a lunatic. :drool:

[mo]

Skrtel really is a dirty cunt.

Great minds...

[Raoul Duke]

10 vs 10 now, if you include Rooney

[Sam]

Just evened the game up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh, there's Lallana...

[Ian]

What did Skrtel do? I was putting enchiladas in the oven.

[Sam]

Rooney stays on, fuck me :D.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rooney stays on, fuck me :D.

And is asked to drop deeper. Stunning.

[mo]

What did Skrtel do? I was putting enchiladas in the oven.

Stamped on Kane's ankle. He actually won the ball in the initial tackle, such a brainless thing to do.

[Shindig]

Should've called up Jermain Defoe.

[Raoul Duke]

At least Allardyce put us out of our misery quickly by revealing himself as just the same as every other chancer who's been in the job since, err...Venables.

I look forward to him being fired after a dismal and entirely predictable performance in Russia.

[Max Power]

Walcott on :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Jesus, why?

[Sam]

Big Sam letting me down here, nothing has changed, in fact, it's even more turgid shit.

[randomlegend]

Told you he'd be shit.

[Disco]

It's almost as if we're shit and this is about our level. :sherlock:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Uganda back in the African cup of Nations after failing to qualify for 39 years :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Walcott really is amazing.

[Raoul Duke]

That is just fucking embarrassing from Walcott there. What the fuck is he doing? Control it, you spastic

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I was talking about his touch.

That shot though :D

[Max Power]

Yooooo that touch from Walcott

No minutes for Vardy or Drinkwater. Shakespeare making sure they are fresh for next week :cool:

[Sam]

He really is just shit :D.

[Davgooner]

Walcott making the difference here. They can't handle him.

[Sam]

Oh my, that miscue by Walcott, sums up the man.

[Raoul Duke]

...and then he misses a nearly open goal by twatting it towards the sidelines. Gombine.

[Disco]

Walcott making the difference here. They can't handle him.

It is harder to play while laughing.

[Davgooner]

Inspirational stuff ruined by that wanker Sturridge.

[Lewis]

Would it be possible to place a bet on 'Dele' never getting any better than he is now?

[Kikó]

I'm surprised the same bunch of dour players are still dour.

[Davgooner]

It's as if his work-rate leaves other players transfixed. They're unable to comprehend such exertion.

[Davgooner]

Outstanding.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

If he just stays on and scores there

Because he was so composed when he got to the ball, Glenn...

[Disco]

He should play centrally with that kind of killer instinct.

[Max Power]

Even Clive doesn't care anymore. Half hearted complaining about time wasting there

[Lewis]

On the basis that inconsistency is better than simply being shit, I would much rather start lolcott than lollana.

[Kikó]

Walcott is a great impact sub. Genuinely special.

[Davgooner]

Linesman's a racist cunt.

[Kikó]

Good job we didn't throw someone like Rashford into this elite end football.

[Kikó]

Allardici time.:cool:

[7om]

Sam :drool:

[John Arne]

Why did the ref let the goalie lie on the floor for 90 seconds before even letting the physio on. It is that difficult to see when a player is timewasting.

[Browning]

Big Sam :cool:

[Ian]

Well it's only taken him the better part of 30 games but Lallana has finally overtaken me on the list of England's all-time goalscorers tally.

[Raoul Duke]

:drool: liquid football

[Davgooner]

Piss off you Slovak cunts.

[Manc]

Ol' swivel hips.

[Giggles]

Keeping the myth alive for another game :drool:

[Shindig]

Poland binned a two goal lead against the Kazahks.

[Sam]

Slovaks be pissed.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That was almost certainly the hardest game of our qualifying group, so lol.

Door open for the jocks to finish second.

[Baz]

Poland binned a two goal lead against the Kazahks.Did my boy Izlambek "Ian Kuat" Kuat play? :drool:

[Kikó]

Rooney has a free role. Fuck a duck.

[Spikey M]

Jordan Hendo Henderson is comfortably the worst player I have witnessed playing for England. Awful.

[niko_cee]

Allardyce's interview after the game was quality.

Lallana.

:D

Must be gutting for Vardy to have complete spastics like Kane, Sturridge and, (what the fuck?) Walcott ahead of him in the pecking order.

[Jimmy Floyd]

My old man was loving the England game. 'Just another boring, northern manager.' He thought Roy Hodgson was northern and wouldn't be told otherwise, despite all the massive evidence to the contrary.

[7om]

Hodgson was about as "poncey southern cunt" as you can get. Sam has Black Country written all over him.

[Lewis]

Why are they talking about a winter break as if we've already gone out of the tournament?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Does anyone mention a winter break when club sides play badly?

[Lewis]

We're onto foreign managers buying foreign players. Put the fucking test card on.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've put Malta v Scotland on for the sheer entertainment value. Flower of Scotland really needs to be musically euthanised.

[Foe]

I've put Malta v Scotland on for the sheer entertainment value. Flower of Scotland really needs to be musically euthanised.

Some hilarious irony there if it was an attempted troll. God save the/our queen is quite possibly the worst anthem of them all.

The French and Italians don us all.

[Yevrah]

"I can't stop Wayne playing deep if he wants to go and play there"
"We're not going to make an issue of that are we? We've won the game"

He comes across as a man who can't believe he's got the gig and is in awe of the whole thing.

Oh well.

[Foe]

It's also quite fortunate that I have no intention of going to Russia because there's no way this mob are qualifying. 😒

[Foe]

I genuinely think Scotland would have qualified for the Euros if they had a manager who wasn't god awful.

The real problem lies in relying on grant Hanley and/or Russell Martin as your main CB. It's probably a step up from tam mcfuckingmanus but we've never really replaced the likes of Christian daily and Colin hendry. Good, solid centre backs.

Scotland haven't played too badly here, but as soon as we went 1-0 up it should've been game over. Looking leaky at the back against Malta is not a good omen.

[Magic]

Strachan really is a shit manager.

[-james-]

That penalty & red in the Scotland game is up there with the worst refereeing decisions ever.

[Magic]

I've just seen the description. :D

Nice to be on the right end of a bung.

[Shindig]

Did my boy Izlambek "Ian Kuat" Kuat play? :drool:

He sure did. Left side of midfield. Took a booking.

[Manc]

😒

What the fuck is this?

[Angelsaint]

Continuing my recent saga of " just came here for ", I just came here to show my support to the greatest English manager of the last 30 years. All hail Big Sam!

[Reg]

"I can't stop Wayne playing deep if he wants to go and play there"
"We're not going to make an issue of that are we? We've won the game"

He comes across as a man who can't believe he's got the gig and is in awe of the whole thing.

Oh well.
He's forgotten that you can untrain PPMs.

[Shindig]

I wonder if Wayne remembers how to be a striker?

[Giggles]

When did everyone give up on him as a striker?

[Kikó]

Mourning hasn't.

Sam is treating him like a big star at Bolton and massaging his ego. Just means we'll be found out against anyone who has a midfield.

[Giggles]

And is he that bad in midfield? Like, I would never expect him to be a Pirlo or even close but is he that bad or is all the 'it's like playing with 10' just because of who he is?

[Kikó]

Yes he's shite.

[niko_cee]

Luckily we won't have to play anyone with a midfield for a couple of years (or probably until he retires unless injury spares us another debacle). Malta must be absolute pish, as they say.

[Danny]

Touch of a rapist and he has one pass, the raking ball wide which hangs in the air too long killing the man on the end of it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Rooney and Wilshere in midfield at the Euros were both just ghastly.

That Burke looked lively for the land of fudge.

[Giggles]

Rooney and Wilshere in midfield at the Euros were both just ghastly.

That Burke looked lively for the land of fudge.

I've Googled but came up empty.

[John]

And is he that bad in midfield? Like, I would never expect him to be a Pirlo or even close but is he that bad or is all the 'it's like playing with 10' just because of who he is?

You are fucking obsessed with that notion.


I've Googled but came up empty.

Googled what?

[Giggles]

Googled what?

What the "land of fudge" is. He should stick to WW2 references.

[John]

Scotland. He was watching the Scotland game and mentioned a Scotland player.

[niko_cee]

(Och) aye. Should have been land of tablet.

[Giggles]

Scotland. He was watching the Scotland game and mentioned a Scotland player.

Great. I wasn't in his living room so I didn't know, nor do I know many Scottish players.

[Giggles]

You are fucking obsessed with that notion.

Because there's a fair bit to it.

[John]

Great. I wasn't in his living room so I didn't know, nor do I know many Scottish players.

You weren't reading the thread either, apparently.

Burke is the one who was all over the news recently for becoming the most expensive Scotch player ever.

[mugbull]

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that, given that a series of Manchester United and England managers with different backgrounds and playstyles have all continued to start Wayne Rooney in most games, he's at least a marginally better player than what Jimmy Floyd and John from The Third Half claim he is

[GS]

Unless the England manager is actively looking for a fight, they'll take the most cowardly approach possible.

The path of least resistance is to fit Wayne Rooney into the team, irrespective of whether or not he's playing well. It's because he's Wayne Rooney, and dropping him creates a STORY which nobody wants to be fucked with.

Unless you're a Mourinho type who fucking thrives on needling the media and 'the football family'.

[mugbull]

Unless the England manager is actively looking for a fight, they'll take the most cowardly approach possible.

The path of least resistance is to fit Wayne Rooney into the team, irrespective of whether or not he's playing well. It's because he's Wayne Rooney, and dropping him creates a STORY which nobody wants to be fucked with.

Unless you're a Mourinho type who fucking thrives on needling the media and 'the football family'.

Mate, dropping Wayne Rooney would be 1/5th the story of losing to Iceland in the Euros. I don't think anybody gives a shit about that anymore

[Giggles]

You weren't reading the thread either, apparently.

Burke is the one who was all over the news recently for becoming the most expensive Scotch player ever.

He stuck it on and said the anthem was shit. Knowing Jimmy you could be forgiven for thinking the post was just to get that point across and whether he was actually watching was another story.

[GS]

Mate, dropping Wayne Rooney would be 1/5th the story of losing to Iceland in the Euros. I don't think anybody gives a shit about that anymore

I think you under-estimate the amount of hassle the media here can cause. They've effectively hounded out managers like Sven and Capello. The last two English managers have been sacked after absolutely shit results, to be fair.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that, given that a series of Manchester United and England managers with different backgrounds and playstyles have all continued to start Wayne Rooney in most games, he's at least a marginally better player than what Jimmy Floyd and John from The Third Half claim he is

He's still relatively good at football - better, for example, than Carlton Cole - but he's a) nowhere near as good as he used to be, and b) being used in the wrong position, and c) not really good enough to be building national teams around.

[Bartholomert]

So Sam 'Big Sam' Allardycde grinded out an ugly win in a tough game for England?

Where are all the :drool: s ?

[Spoonsky]

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that, given that a series of Manchester United and England managers with different backgrounds and playstyles have all continued to start Wayne Rooney in most games, he's at least a marginally better player than what Jimmy Floyd and John from The Third Half claim he is

I agree with you, but, on the other hand: Fellaini.

[Adamski]

So Sam 'Big Sam' Allardycde grinded out an ugly win in a tough game for England?

Where are all the :drool: s ?

Ground*

$180k per annum.

[Samadini]

Allardici time.:cool:


Sam :drool:


Big Sam :cool:


:drool: liquid football


So Sam 'Big Sam' Allardycde grinded out an ugly win in a tough game for England?

Where are all the :drool: s ?

:drool:

[Kikó]

He's still relatively good at football - better, for example, than Carlton Cole - but he's a) nowhere near as good as he used to be, and b) being used in the wrong position, and c) not really good enough to be building national teams around.

Exactly this. I have more time with how Mourinho is playing him at the moment, near the top of the pitch. When you start thinking he's good enough to be Scholes in your team then eventually you'll be found out.

[Yevrah]

Mourning hasn't.

Sam is treating him like a big star at Bolton and massaging his ego. Just means we'll be found out against anyone who has a midfield.

Yep and it's a real worry. It was on my list as one of the tell tale signs of shit management. In fact, it's the first and only one so far that's reared its head and Big Sam failed it with flying colours. The massive twat.

[Disco]

Unless giving him a free role in basically meaningless qualifiers is to demonstrate how shit he is and lay the groundwork for dropping him.

[Yevrah]

If you had the balls to do that you'd just drop him in the first place.

And I don't necessarily want him dropped, just not played in midfield.

[Disco]

In armchair hypothesis world you'd just drop him but if you've just gotten your dream job you might not want the beginning of if overshadowed by this. England being a bit shit is hardly news, binning the top scoring captain right out the door is a story that runs and runs.

[Yevrah]

And while I'm at it, what happened to the "beans on toast-fucking-four four two"?

I'm not overly bothered as to what formation we play, but that line-up and approach was akin to the ghost of Hodgson selecting and marshaling it.

I take it "Big Sam" actually watched us in the Euros?

Early days, but a disappointing start nonetheless.

[Yevrah]

In armchair hypothesis world you'd just drop him but if you've just gotten your dream job you might not want the beginning of if overshadowed by this. England being a bit shit is hardly news, binning the top scoring captain right out the door is a story that runs and runs.

Drop Kane and stick him up front then. It's not as if Harry doesn't look like a burnt out-poor on confidence waste of space at the moment.

[Magic]

Oli Burke's last action on these Isles was absolutely tearing us a new arsehole. Kirkcaldy prick.

[Giggles]

Pitch inspection in 45 mins in Serbia for the Irish game.

[Giggles]

Rather see Clark for O'Shea and Arter for McClean, though not surprised.


772851000902348800

[Pen]

This is the best time to be a Finland fan. Easiest game of the group just about to start. If I'm lucky the false hope will live on 'til October.

[Amigo]

Watching a game with zero spectators is pretty bizarre.


This is the best time to be a Finland fan. Easiest game of the group just about to start. If I'm lucky the false hope will live on 'til October.
Alright, Pen, mate. Are people optimistic about the draw? I see you've sold out your allocation for the game in Iceland.

On paper the group looks pretty hard for Finland since there's four nations who qualified for Euro 2016.

[GS]

You had to be atrocious not to qualify for Euro 2016, to be fair.

[Giggles]

I always thought Branislav Ivanovic was Czech.

[Pen]

All realistic optimism died during the last qualification and apparently we're in the midst of our worst international run with no wins in nine games. That said, somehow I'm always hoping we will be the overachieving small nations in the qualifiers at the start. That obviously goes out the window at the very latest by the halfway point of most qualifiers.

Anything above fifth would be a success, which is depressing as fuck.
Amigo

[Giggles]

The camera angle on this is really weird. Absolute howler by the keeper for that one.

EDIT: Deflected.

[Amigo]

Fucking GET IN.

[Amigo]

Eugh. This has been such a dull game as well.

[Pen]

Top of the group!

Can't see how we could fail to qualify from here.

[Giggles]

Worst Irish performance I can ever remember. Even Macedonia and Cyprus.

[phonics]

Worst Irish performance I can ever remember. Even Macedonia and Cyprus.

Errr, they seem to be beating Serbia away from home? Who do you think you are, Brazil circa 1970?

[Pen]

Not even beating Kosovo at home. Can't see how we won't Finnish last in this group.

[Giggles]

Errr, they seem to be beating Serbia away from home? Who do you think you are, Brazil circa 1970?

Performance. Just watch 10 minutes of it, if they hold on it'll be an absolute monster smash and grab job.

It was mentioned at half time that they had 41 completed passes in the first 45 minutes. I was surprised it was that many.

[phonics]

Performance. Just watch 10 minutes of it, if they hold on it'll be an absolute monster smash and grab job.

Serbia have better players than you and they're at playing at home. Having a go at the performance seems a bit trite.

[Giggles]

Serbia have better players than you and they're at playing at home. Having a go at the performance seems a bit trite.

They've far better players but just watch 10 minutes of it, seriously.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Kosovo :cool:

[Giggles]

1-1 now anyway. Would still be a great result if Serbia miss the 5 or 6 chances they'll have before full time.

EDIT: They didn't. No more than they deserve too.

[Boydy]

Fucking Albania conceded to FYROM.

[phonics]

I apologise for the jinx.

[Amigo]

lol, fuck off you bastards.

[Giggles]

I apologise for the jinx.

They ventured out of their own half since they conceded the second. Heady times.

[Pen]

The false hope only lasted for about 45 minutes this time around.

Fuck me we're shit. Now the only objective is not to finish last.

[Giggles]

Absolutely stealing a point :drool:

[Amigo]

What a dreadful game.

I suppose I would have taken a draw before the game but Ukraine looked extremely shakey.

[Boydy]

I had nearly 40 quid on Albania. Fuck's sake.

[Pen]

Will you get it back if they fail to finish it?

[Boydy]

Oh shit, wait, what happened?

I don't know.

[Pen]

It was abandoned (I think due to weather conditions).

[Boydy]

Yeah, I see that now. Not sure if I get a refund or not. The bet's still there in the 'current bets' section so nothing's happened yet.

[-james-]

You'll be refunded unless it's completed within 24 hours, I think

[Boydy]

Ah, nice.

[Boydy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37211391

The rest of the match was played today and Albania won.

:rave:

[Ian]

Rashford's smashed three past the Norwegian under 21s. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

'Scored on his debuts in the Premier League and Europa League, as well as for England's senior side and now the U21s.'

Hero :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

773239852049506304

[Ian]

Looks a clone of the West Ham goal, near enough, but was the second one deflected? Not that I care, love a bit of Rashford.

[Manc]

He's got a nose for goal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Looks a clone of the West Ham goal, near enough, but was the second one deflected? Not that I care, love a bit of Rashford.

It was.

Hard to see but you can just about make the deflection on the last replay in the video.

[Raoul Duke]

He always seems to have just enough time to get a shot away.

[Lewis]

Michael Owen's regen. Now to marmalise his hamstrings with long ball pish.

[Shindig]

I look forward to Rashford tip-toeing through a late career move to Newcastle, then.

[Raoul Duke]

Nah, Rashford is pretty skilful and has more to his game than pace and finishing.

[Shindig]

Owen could poach as well. He kind of had to after his knee exploded.

[Lewis]

Let's not make him out to have been some one dimensional Jamie Vardy figure. He was a top, top player.

[Yevrah]

Indeed. He's one of England's best players so far this century, if not the best.

[GS]

Has Rashford been declared the new Pele yet? It's hard to keep up with the media narrative.

[John]

That Israeli nobody's goal against Italy last night was a bit good. Lobbed Buffon from twenty yards.

[bruhnaldo]

Colombia and Brazil are playing now if anyone is up

[John Arne]

Big game at 4am tomorrow;

Solomon Islands - Papua New Guinea

https://gyazo.com/e7c3af4e0ead10d791da90893b24414a.png

[ItalAussie]

We got the win against the Saudis. We were pretty dire, but they were direr. The first three goals of the match were all embarrassments, although the first one is funny - worth watching. It's the first thing that happens in this video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVSnx71BK3U

We ideally want something against Japan in Japan (we won't get it), and then we have to hope that Japan can win in Saudi Arabia and we pump Thailand at home to get ahead on goal difference.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Please can you engineer some sort of pan-Asian consensus to screw Saudi Arabia out of it.

[ItalAussie]

Please can you engineer some sort of pan-Asian consensus to screw Saudi Arabia out of it.

Have you seen Saudi Arabia's first two matches? Penalties in the 81st, 84th, and 89th minutes to turn a draw and a loss into two wins.

I'm really worried that they'll lean on the referees to ensure they get a result from the Japan match.

[Trancemeister]

Ola fucking Toivonen with a 93rd minute winner from the halfway line.

[Pleb]

So are we going to get pumped by Magic's lot tomorrow or the other way around?

[Reg]

Nice. http://metro.co.uk/2017/06/12/argentina-look-set-to-play-insanely-attacking-2-3-4-1-formation-against-singapore-6703547/

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hang on a minute. Sampaoli's taken over the national team? With a dicey job still ahead to qualify?

Love it.

[Pepe]

Controversially, there will be no Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain or Javier Mascherano in the starting line-up, which has led to some fans calling for a refund.

:harold:

[bruhnaldo]

I realize the tournament would be better for their inclusion but I selfishly would love Argentina to crash out just so I can rub all the snobby little Messi stans' noses in it.

[Shindig]

Nah, the whole Messi v Ronaldo stuff is beneficial for the sport. It's like being around for Pele and Maradona. Except they're playing in the same league at the same age. And scoring twice as many goals.

[Reg]

And it'd mean Messi misses the World Cup, which would suck.

[Weaver]

Iran qualified for the World Cup last night, joining Brazil and Russia so far.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Syria beat China later on, it's officially ON.

[John Arne]

China have actually managed to pick up a few decent results lately. Still, up the Syria!

[-james-]

The goal differences in that group are a laugh. 22 games, the only three with more than two goals all involved South Korea, and 16 games were 1-0 or 0-0. Iran have qualified with a record of W6 D2 L0 F8 A0.

[ItalAussie]

South Korea is in a bit of trouble. They have a tough run home compared to the Uzbeks - they play Iran (at home, at least), whereas Uzbekistan head to China. Then the final game is between the two sides in Tashkent.

Japan dropping points against Iraq throws our group into a little bit of chaos. We're still relying on other teams to do the job, but Japan may need to go to Saudi Arabia and get a result, which benefits us pretty significantly (especially if we can't get anything in Japan, which seems likely).