Football 2015/16

[TenInchToenaiIs]

Klopp is a total boner for saying he's gonna win a title within 4 years.

 

They won't even get close

[GlastoSimon]

Congratulations to Wales for qualification! Excellent achievement

[TheSilence]

Klopp is a total boner for saying he's gonna win a title within 4 years.

 

They won't even get close

 

It's as bold a statement to say they won't get close as it is to say they will. Four years is an incredibly long time. 

[pink_triangle]

As a wales fan I was disappointed when we finally made it, it was down to another team result and not our own. Especially when it was the first game lost all qualifying.

However 4 points from belgium and consistency in the other games has done it for us. A great achievement for the players, manager (who very few wanted) and a great tribute to welsh legend gary speed.

[eFestivals]

congrats to Wales. A great achievement for a tiny nation principality.

Edited October 11, 2015 by eFestivals

[thetime]

It's as bold a statement to say they won't get close as it is to say they will. Four years is an incredibly long time.

Seems a fantastic thing to say, especially when he's on a 3 year contract.

[TheSilence]

Seems a fantastic thing to say, especially when he's on a 3 year contract.

I think that was part of the point.

[Chris Lfc]

Less likely for the Netherlands now, I doubt turkey will lose their last game.

[ThomThomDrum]

Looking more likely that Ireland will not be seeded in the Play-offs............ yikes!

 

We may have to hold on to our memory of beating Germany at home as it may not get any better.

[pink_triangle]

Looking more likely that Ireland will not be seeded in the Play-offs............ yikes!

 

We may have to hold on to our memory of beating Germany at home as it may not get any better.

 

Theres nothing to fear in the play offs unless UEFA let the referee in the Turkey games that it may be handy for them to lose!

 

The fact they seed the play offs is a disgrace in my view.  The nations have already been seeded once and should be treated as equals

[The Nal]

Looking more likely that Ireland will not be seeded in the Play-offs............ yikes!

 

We may have to hold on to our memory of beating Germany at home as it may not get any better.

 

Croatia, Sweden etc. Could be nasty.

[mrtourette]

Qualification to this expanded tournament isn't particularly impressive, the process removes only 55% of the original nations. Hardly the cream of the crop. It'll be interesting to see how Wales and Northern Ireland perform in the tournament proper and whether they become one of the few whipping boys/deadwood that the new format will inevitably turn out.

 

Still congrats on being in the top 45% of European nations, better than Scotland

Edited October 12, 2015 by mrtourette

[TheGayTent]

Newcastle have a bit of a problem in goal?

[mrtourette]

Just in goal?

[mrtourette]

Although I fully agree with you that the expanded version makes qualification easier, the fact that both Wales and n Ireland could top their group is a little impressive.

The worst Wales can do is second which would have got them into the play offs in the olden days and n Ireland would have qualified as group winners. You could argue they had an easy group, which is true, but still to win the group from pot five is no mean feat.

 

Yeah that makes sense, one of the odd things I've picked up on is Wales seem to be getting a bigger pat on the back that Northern Ireland. And what the fuck are the Republic of Ireland celebrating? I dunno, I know a team like Wales can only play who they're drawn in the qualification system that's decided, but what is direct qualification now would likely have been a humiliating playoff defeat against the Czech Rep, Russia or Norway before. Have they improved so much as to warrant the massive circlejerk? I don't think so, they've just got lucky with the timing.

[pink_triangle]

Qualification to this expanded tournament isn't particularly impressive, the process removes only 55% of the original nations. Hardly the cream of the crop. It'll be interesting to see how Wales and Northern Ireland perform in the tournament proper and whether they become one of the few whipping boys/deadwood that the new format will inevitably turn out.

Still congrats on being in the top 45% of European nations, better than Scotland

It depends what the objective of the tournament is, interestingly those who worry about the quality of the tournament suffering coincidentally seem to support the better teams. I'm sure if it was put to a vote of uefa members the new format would pass with comfort.

No doubt some of the new teams will stink the tournament out, but let's not forget the big boys also stink on occasions.

[kaosmark2]

Newcastle have a bit of a problem in goal?

 

 

Just in goal?

We'll do well to stay up without Krul. Mbemba's looked good but we've had problems in defence and we're always worse when Krul's injured.

 

Darlow out as well atm, so our 4th choice recalled from loan....

 

Nowt against Eliot, he's done the job we've needed when called on, but he's not a match-winning keeper, Krul is.

 

Desperately need something sorted in terms of defensive cover from midfield, and makes it even more urgent for things to click up front soon.

[ThomThomDrum]

And what the fuck are the Republic of Ireland celebrating?

 

Beating Germany. Thats what that was all about. Not hard to understand. And in doing so gave themselves a chance to qualify automatically, or via the play-offs, and its the play-offs now post the trip to Poland. Something that was thought not realistic after the results against Scotland earlier in the campaign.

 

If you think they are celebrating getting to the Euros then you are slow. Very slow. If you dont think the above is worthy of celebration then you dont know what its like to have a small nation team to support.

 

(I wonder what the English reaction would be if they beat the Germans?? Hmmmmmmmmmmm??)

[eFestivals]

(I wonder what the English reaction would be if they beat the Germans?? Hmmmmmmmmmmm??)

 

Hmmm ... last night we barely beat the Lithuanian's.

 

And there was I thinking that the match before that was pretty dull.

[TheGayTent]

(I wonder what the English reaction would be if they beat the Germans?? Hmmmmmmmmmmm??)

Surprise.

[mjsell]

Hmmm ... last night we barely beat the Lithuanian's.

 

And there was I thinking that the match before that was pretty dull.

 

I thought as England games go the first 60 minutes were mildly entertaining.

 

Actually entertaining is the wrong word. Watchable.

 

We play better football without Rooney in the team. On his current form I feel like we will be trying to fit him in to the team.

Edited October 13, 2015 by mjsell

[eFestivals]

I thought as England games go the first 60 minutes were mildly entertaining.

 

Actually entertaining is the wrong word. Watchable.

 

We play better football without Rooney in the team.

 

Agree about the last bit.

 

And I guess the first one was watchable because some players had some good moments, but they either didn't have enough of those moments or they off-set them with plenty of bad moments too.

 

I know we could field a better team by a few players, tho that rarely seems to happen.

 

It's almost always the case that when we qualify well for a finals we're shit in the finals (and vice versa). I suspect that'll be how this one goes.

[ThomThomDrum]

If I recall the last time England beat ze Germans in a competitive game (also a qualifier mind you) the whole world was told about it; it was front page news in England and they even made a friggin DVD about it...............

 

Germany then went on to the World Cup final and England didnt

[eFestivals]

If I recall the last time England beat ze Germans in a competitive game (also a qualifier mind you) the whole world was told about it; it was front page news in England and they even made a friggin DVD about it...............

 

Germany then went on to the World Cup final and England didnt

 

that was a right fluky result, really. We could just have easily lost that game 6-1 as win it 3-5.

 

I'd guess our best hopes of winning next summer would be if Walcott and Sturridge are both fit, but even then i'd rate it highly-unlikely .... tho it's probably the case that this will be the easiest to win for a while. None of the teams are wickedly strong at the mo.

[TheGayTent]

When have we ever beaten Germany 5-3?

All depends on the draw for me, but England should get out of their group. Probably get as far as the quarter finals, and that would be about par given our resources.