joe545 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 If Belgium win all their remaining matches, then Wales only need to beat Andorra, draw with Cyprus and avoid losing by a worse scoreline than 3-0 against Israel and they will finish 2nd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossy Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Agree that NI group is easier than ours - but that Welsh group is a tough one - two sides that qualified the last world cup in Bosnia and Belgium unlike our group and Israel are no mugs. Hats off to Wales for leading that group with just four games to go Belgium aren't the team they were 2 years ago (despite their ranking), and Bosnia are also a poor shadow of the side they were before Brazil. Don't get me started on NI's group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JECK Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Agree that NI group is easier than ours - but that Welsh group is a tough one - two sides that qualified the last world cup in Bosnia and Belgium unlike our group and Israel are no mugs. Hats off to Wales for leading that group with just four games to go Aye but Bosnia have had a 'mare since the world cup - and has subsequently let the Welsh in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Bongo Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Belgium aren't the team they were 2 years ago (despite their ranking), and Bosnia are also a poor shadow of the side they were before Brazil. Don't get me started on NI's group. Belgium beat France in Paris at the weekend They were 3-0 and 4-1 up with 2 last minute French goals making the score look respectable - albeit a Friendly Tonight was only the second goal they have conceded in the qualifiers They are the exact same team and possibly even better but still have the same problem as before with the way they play which is breaking down organised defences. The game against us in Brussels was so one sided yet they only won 2-0 Even tonight they were clearly the best team but thats taking nothing away from Wales Wales were far more effective in their few offensive opportunites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfgang Overthebar Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Belgium aren't the team they were 2 years ago (despite their ranking), and Bosnia are also a poor shadow of the side they were before Brazil. Don't get me started on NI's group. BUT our group had the lowest ranked second seeds in Ireland and the lowest ranked third seeds in Poland, the second lowest ranked fifth seeds in Georgia and the lowest ranked sixth seeds in Gibraltar. Yes we had world champions Germany as first seeds but the rest of the group are/were not highly ranked and not qualified for many tournaments in decades. We dont have that tough a group - if we dont qualify we shouldnt be blaming the toughness of the group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Fair play to the Welsh, they've suffered much longer than us. Shows the difference having a genuine world class attacking option can make at international level, something we've not had for a long time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macy37 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Belgium are so overrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally Bongo Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Belgium are so overrated. Yep - if you are organised they are stuffed but if not they will run riot Unlike the top international teams of the past who would gub you whether you were organised or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASTA Mick Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 BUT our group had the lowest ranked second seeds in Ireland and the lowest ranked third seeds in Poland, the second lowest ranked fifth seeds in Georgia and the lowest ranked sixth seeds in Gibraltar. Yes we had world champions Germany as first seeds but the rest of the group are/were not highly ranked and not qualified for many tournaments in decades. We dont have that tough a group - if we dont qualify we shouldnt be blaming the toughness of the group The problem in our group is that 3 sides are all doing better than they did last time. Poland were shocking in the last campaign but have looked much better this time. Wales and NI are up against teams on the way down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wembley67lisbon Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Wales are set to rise above England in the world rankings I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Wales and NI are up against teams on the way down. Possibly true but at least they're doing the business. We've had similar groups to them and arsed it up spectacularly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASTA Mick Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Possibly true but at least they're doing the business. We've had similar groups to them and arsed it up spectacularly... That is very true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in London Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Wales are set to rise above England in the world rankings I believe. I think they do so if we fail to beat Slovenia next match. Credit to Wales, and I hope they qualify, but it's absurd that Belgium are 2nd in the world rankings. And I say that as a Spurs fan with a squad containing Chadli, and Vertonghen. Good players, but nothing more. Bale is wasted at Madrid. Should be somewhere where his talents are revered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhumper Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I hate Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weekevie04 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Bale. Take him out of the Welsh team and they'd finish below Andorra. Haha furious furios. Fantastic. Well done Wales! A great win and a very hard group - lots of decent teams even Andorra are the hardest of the smaller side. Hope they qualify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weekevie04 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 The problem in our group is that 3 sides are all doing better than they did last time. Poland were shocking in the last campaign but have looked much better this time. Wales and NI are up against teams on the way down. A load of old cobblers. Both their groups are difficult. Whilst all we have to do is beat Ireland and Poland, which we may well fail to do. Both NI and Wales have harder groups than Scotland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I hate Wales. I'm in the same boat. Was having this debate last night with the lads. Living and working with a lot of Welsh in Bristol adds to it. They are insufferable round 6 Nations time. With a sense of entitlement that rivals England. I have to say, much of it is jealousy. I can't handle being the only home Nation not to be in France next year. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotlad Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I'm in the same boat. Was having this debate last night with the lads. Living and working with a lot of Welsh in Bristol adds to it. They are insufferable round 6 Nations time. With a sense of entitlement that rivals England. I have to say, much of it is jealousy. I can't handle being the only home Nation not to be in France next year. J Steady on, there's still plenty of time left yet. What I found interesting about last night's game is that Wales seem to have altered their style of play since the last campaign, and to great effect. Previously under Coleman they looked like they were trying to play expansive, possession football, which didn't always yield great results (except when they played us). Going by last night's game they seem to have switched to a kind of Craig Brown/Walter Smith approach of being very well organised, hard working and being difficulty to break down, then getting to the ball to their star man to work his magic. Not great viewing for the neutral perhaps, but it seems to be working for them so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfgang Overthebar Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 The problem in our group is that 3 sides are all doing better than they did last time. Poland were shocking in the last campaign but have looked much better this time. Wales and NI are up against teams on the way down. I think most football watchers - including a lot of Ireland fans who post on here - wouldn't claim their side is on the way up. We are not in the easiest group but neither are we in a difficult group. If we cant finish in third above either Poland or Ireland then we dont deserve to qualify and cant ues a 'diifcult group' as an excuse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Bale. Take him out of the Welsh team and they'd finish below Andorra. I disagree with you Rossy (and several others it would appear). I think you are all guilty of living in the past a bit here. I totally disagree that Wales are a one man team. Much as it pains me to say it I think they are massively improved and to be honest the first signs of their improvement were evident during the last campaign. They will qualify comfortably from this group. They are a very tidy side. They are however, still khunts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddardStark Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Wales look the real deal. They are also now in the top seeding group for the next World Cup qualifiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainmac1 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 They are pretty much guaranteed a playoff position but look good for 2nd. As are Iceland who lead their group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Russell's Lovechild Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Get a horrible feeling we might be the home nation that will miss next years party Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I think Wales are starting to to reap the benefit of the cash rich EPL. They have clubs who are able to heavily invest in youth development. I can see them being above us in the rankings for quite a while unfortunately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Get a horrible feeling we might be the home nation that will miss next years party No chance. NI will never qualify. They are rubbish and will fade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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