Ireland vs Armenia, Crunch Time!

Ireland team to play Armenia;

Shay Given(c)

John O'Shea Sean St Ledger Richard Dunne Stephen Kelly

Aidan McGeady Keith Andrews Glenn Whelan Damien Duff

Kevin Doyle Simon Cox

Subs: Westwood, Coleman, Walters, Long, Hunt, Fahey, O'Dea.

Robbie Keane has been ruled out due to an adductor muscle injury.

Armenian team is:
Berezovsky

Hovsepyan Mkrtchyan Pizelli Malakyan

Ghazaryan Mkoyan

Aleksanyan Mkhitaryan Hayrapetyan

Movsisyan

Currantly the group is as follows;

Team P W D L GD Pts

Russia 10 7 2 1 +13 23
Ireland 10 6 3 1 +8 21
Armenia 10 5 2 2 +12 17
Slovakia 10 4 3 3 -3 15
Macedonia 10 2 3 5 -6 8
Andorra 10 0 0 10 -24 0

Fixtures: Ireland 2-1 Armenia 6.45pm FT
Russia 6-0 Andorra 6.45pm FT
Macedonia 1-1 Slovakia 6.45pm FT
U21: Ireland U21s 4-1 Liechtenstein U21s FT
Other groups are here, http://www.skysports.com/football/league_for_comps/0,20815,19598,00.html

Russia will qualify for the finals if:
They do not lose against Andorra OR
Republic of Ireland do not defeat Armenia

Republic of Ireland will win the group if:
They defeat Armenia AND Russia lose to Andorra.
Republic of Ireland will qualify for the play-offs if they do not lose to Armenia.

Armenia will qualify for the play-offs if:
They defeat Republic of Ireland

Ireland will be seeded going into the play-offs with a win but things get rather complicated if we draw, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/republic-of-ireland/8819748/Euro-2012-Republic-of-Ireland-can-be-seeded-in-play-offs-with-Armenia-win.html

That sums it up really, I'm predicting a tight and nervy 1-1 draw

Our win agaisnt Armenia is looking pretty great after recent results for them. Trap will play for a draw I would imagine and I hope we get it. Not feeling too positive though. Our football is so boring it's disappointing when we have incredibly promising players.

I think 1-1 to.

If we get the win and play well, will be confident for the playoffs.

I have my evening class later so I'm gonna miss the match. To be honest, I'm glad. Watching us these days is a chore, especially at home.

I'm going to go 1-0 to us.

I'm worried about this TBH, trap normally plays defensive football, but now he just needs a draw it's going to be ultra-defensive, if Armenia score it'll be dangerous.

Why Cox as well, Stokes Best and Long have all been playing well recently (I can understand Stokes with the I'm to tired excuse), But Best must be worth a shout.

Mcgeady still needs to learn to play with his head up, I used to really rate him, but now he's not at Cetlic the green and white tinted glases have come off, and I see what others were on about. Great dribbler down the wing, but crosses arn't great, doesn't really look up just tries to get them in the danger area, his shout is weak, and he runs himself into trouble too often.

Still think he's good but not the McGeadyo I used to think he was.

0-0 so far, as expected Russia have gone ahead in Moscow, Dzagoev the scorer.
Good start from Ireland from what I have seen thus far (Missed first 7 or 8 mins)

Cox should have scored really, bad by the.

More conterversy

RED CARD Armenian Goalkeeper, Handled the ball outside the box.

Malakyan taken off with the sub goalie Arsen Petrosyan coming on. 3-0 to Russia in Moscow

Goal!! 1-0 Ireland
An OG, its not Armenia's night and to add to that the Sub goalie got a yellow for... yep you guessed it, handball outside the box This thing he carryied it out by sliding so it was a little harsh.

Upon looking on the red card it was a shocking decision by the ref the ball clearly hits the goalies chest and if anything the ball hits Cox's arm.

2-1 Ireland, Dunne with the Ireland goal and Armenia score straight after

Poor defeneding.

Erra feck doyle has been sent off

Ireland win

Any thoughts after the match?

Didn't see it, but pleased we've come through, although at the same time cursing some of the tactics that have cost us automatic qualification.

When's the draw? Friday?

Not sure its France 1-1 Bosnia Nasri just scored so we are seeded as things stand.

It was exciting but very boring at the same time (doesn't make much sense I know) Soccer Armenia by far the better team even with 10 men.

Draw is on Thursday.

We're seeded regardless of the France result.

We'll play 1 of Montenegro, Czech Republic, Turkey or Estonia (oh God please let it be).

Ties to be played 11/12 and 15 November.

Seeds play at home in the 2nd leg.

Wouldn't mind the Czechs but please God Estonia!!
We are due some luck in the play-offs by this stage.

It won't be the Czechs. They have pipped Bosnia to the final seeding spot. So we could be playing the Bosnians now. Draw at 12GMT.

liverbnz wrote:It won't be the Czechs. They have pipped Bosnia to the final seeding spot. So we could be playing the Bosnians now. Draw at 12GMT.

Where are you getting your info????

The Czechs are comfortably seeded. My info is that it is between Turkey & Ireland for the last seeding spot. According to the FAI, we have it..............but neither the BBC Website or UEFA.com have called it yet...............

Well done to the republic

Lucky with the two goals and possibly the sending off but other than that a decent performance where some nice stuff was palyed at times. If we're going to play hoofabll,Walters is the man. He has no pace and doesn't look like an athlete at all but he did well when he came on!

John Cregan wrote:

liverbnz wrote:It won't be the Czechs. They have pipped Bosnia to the final seeding spot. So we could be playing the Bosnians now. Draw at 12GMT.

Where are you getting your info????

The Czechs are comfortably seeded. My info is that it is between Turkey & Ireland for the last seeding spot. According to the FAI, we have it..............but neither the BBC Website or UEFA.com have called it yet...............

A mixture of wiki and working it out myself from the UEFA coefficient rules. For info (but somewhat irrelevant) Ireland are seeded higher than the Czechs.

Cheers Liverbinz.................come on Ireland!!

Ireland have been seeded according to the beeb, and it leaves you potentially facing Estonia, Montenegro, Bosnia or Turkey.

I'll be honest, if you avoid Turkey, I'd back you to get there.

to be honest, turkey arent the team, they were a few years ago..

Montenegro are the team to avoid hard working and technically very good they are young and hungry and eager to establish themselves on a bigger stage.

On a side not UEFA need to do something about their refs, Ive been saying it for a long time in the CL but the ref last night was awful he gave baffling decisions both ways and was near by everytime and this guy is highly rated for some unknown reason

They aren't, no, but out of those four, you'd be happiest to avoid them.

Montenegro are no great shakes (despite two draws with England) and Estonia and Bosnia both come from groups with weaker opposition outside the top seed.

It's tricky though, I think overall the traditionally smaller nations have improved across the board and the gap is closing. There are no easy fixtures, certainly.

I wouldn't fancy Montenegro either. They have the likes of Jovetic and Vucinic who are arguably better than anything Ireland have to offer.

We just have to make sure we approach the games with the right mentality. Hopefully we don't play for the 0-0 away from home as we have struggled to keep clean sheets at the Aviva.

Even tough the seeded play offs gives us the advantage this time I still think they are really unfair.

All runners up should be put in an open draw, everyone finished second in their group so don't see why some should get the advantage of seeding.

The advantage of seeding is made when the group is drawn, no team should get a second advantage.

However hope its anyone but Turkey.

Red card for keeper was harsh, Ireland played some nice football early in 2nd half, but all it took for us to play like that was them to be down to 10 men and gift us an own goal. once they got a goal we looked shakey, don't know if we would have won if it was 11 v 11 for 90 mins.

Why does Trap use Jon Walters? surly Best would be a better choice he's playing well for Newcastle at the minute.

Kingshu wrote:Why does Trap use Jon Walters? surly Best would be a better choice he's playing well for Newcastle at the minute.

As far as I know Best was injured and not in the squad I am surprised Shane Long hasnt got a start as hes done well for West Brom

I'd have Best, Long and even (i'm to tired to play) Stokes, ahead of Cox and Walters for the playoffs.
Think Cox did ok last night, but shouldn't have hit that shout straight at the keeper (and it was lucky keeper sent of for it)

I'd go with Long & Walters up front for first leg, (not sure when Keane is back).

its middle of Nov so Keane should be back,
Keane, Best, I'd like to see
or Keane, Long.

I'd say Trap will go with Long as a replacement for Doyle, btw is he out for two or just one matchs?

think its just the one match since it was 2 yellow cards. I'd say Trap will go with long, but I'd like to see Best tried, either as sub coming on or starting

Irish Curry wrote:I'd say Trap will go with Long as a replacement for Doyle, btw is he out for two or just one matchs?

They said last night he'd miss the 1st leg just crazy that hes missing any if the ref thought he used an elbow should have been a straight red but now they cant appeal it because FIFA and UEFA are afraid every yellow will be challenged if they allowed it

Phew it just dawned on me he could miss both but he obviously wont now.

We will play for a draw no doubt away and try to sneak a goal whether its Estonia or Bosnia he wont change. An away goal will be of vital importence the play-offs we must score at least one and not concide and home. A score draw away would be the minimum I will expect unless its Estonis were we should really be winning.

The God(s) have answered. Estonia it is then.

Estonia and 2nd leg at home, couldn't have hoped for a better draw.

looking forward to th eplay-offs and a real chance to get to euro's next year

Estonia and 2nd leg at home, couldn't have hoped for a better draw.

looking forward to th eplay-offs and a real chance to get to euro's next year

If all fit, i'd like to see.

Given
Coleman Dunne St Leger O'Shea
Duff Whelan Andrews Hunt
Keane/Walters Long.

Havnt decided on the subs .


Gonna be a tricky tie.

still have to say that the seeding of play off are unfair and it should have been an open draw

Estonia are not to be underestimated it wasn't Brazil they just beat it was Norn Iron!!!

Seems our endless luck has keeped going since after the hand of gaul inccident, just as well to
We need to aim to win at least 2-0 away and score early on at home to put the game away to rest my nerves. I'm cautiously optimistic atm, but I can still see us fluffing it.

Someone said to me, that he thinks it may have been fixed in Irelands favour somehow, Uefa making up for the hand of Gaul.

Don't believe it myself

No if UEFA actually like us or did it to a central european country I might listen but I mean what are we going to do if we are screwed over? B!tch and moan is about it.