Go for a win maybe just 1-0 or 2-1 as this will give us more co-effieicent points and may help bump us up from pot 4 to pot 3. Not very likely but it could happen.
Re: Ireland 4-0 Estonia To me McGeady was the difference between the teams. Whenever Ireland got the ball to him it looked as if something might happen, without him it was the just hopeful punts up to Walters - who played really well considering the amount of work he was asked to do.
I doubt there was pundit anywhere who called 4-0 to Ireland for the Tallinn game. In light of that, it would be very difficult predict for the return leg. Another 4-0? Maybe, but will Estonia have their 2 center halves sent off? And how good are the replacements? How will the yellow cards affect those Irish players one card away from a suspension? Have Estonia given up the ghost? Or do they want to go down fighting? Are they good enough to match up? Will Trappatoni let Ireland off the leash or will he name 5 defenders? Way too many imponderables. Estonia didn't impress me so much on Friday with their attacking nous, so a goal does look beyond them. 4-0? 1-1? 5-3? Who knows. Other than predicting that there will be at least one goal, anything else is a mug's game.
Starting XI for tomorrow: Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St. Ledger, Ward, Duff, Whelan, Andrews, Hunt, Keane, Doyle. Why Hunt over McGeady? Is Aiden rested, or is it to give the side some additional defensive qualities? Or is it simply to give Hunt the chance to impress?
Must be the defensive qualities aspect, which is a bit disapointing tbh given the opposition and scoreline from the first leg. Certainly we all know who / what Stephen Hunt is at this point; it's not like a 21 year old being broken in so I don't think Trap's going to learn anything he didn't already know about his style of play. Also must admit I'm a little surprised Walters didn't retain his spot alongside Keane up front. He was very tidy in the first leg and I certainly don't think there's much between the players at this point. Glad to see Ward making the LB spot his own.
I can't understand that either. As I said previously McGeady was the major difference between the sides on Friday. Just symptomatic of Traps thinking - 4-0 up and wants to protect the lead. I suppose this is not really the week to criticise him though.
Seedings: Pot 1: Poland, Spain, Holland, Ukraine. Pot 2: Germany, Italy, England, Russia. Pot 3: Croatia, Greece, Sweden, Portugal. Pot 4: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Republic Of Ireland. Easiest possible group: Poland Russia Greece Toughest possible group: Spain Germany Portugal Average: Holland England Sweden
Congrats on making it to Poland/Ukraine! Ireland simply deserved this after the unforgotten tough luck & cheating in Paris.
Congrats Ireland, I was pulling for you guys from the start of the Euro qualifiers as was so many after you guys were robbed during the WC qualifiers.