October World Cup qualifiers

[Yngwie]

Billy Mackay got about 20 minutes on the pitch tonight, to add an embarassing 2-0 defeat to Azerbaijan to the recent embarassing defeat to Luxembourg. And yet they recently beat Russia. They make Scotland look consistent.

[Rainbow]

Nice to see Billy on the pitch, but it seems he doesn't want to score for NI? But more importantly for me, Switzerland have qualified last night. Hopp Schwiiz!

[Sneckboy]

Yeah, good to see Billy getting on for another international cap. Hope he gets a start in their last qualifier against Israel. It's a 'dead' game and Northern Ireland have had some dreadful recent results, so why not throw him in from kick-off? Israel also have nothing to play for - it's effectively a friendly, so why not!

 

Good on Switzerland qualifying, Rainbow. They've done well winning their group so comfortably, unbeaten. Some cynics may say it was an easy group on paper, but I was looking at it and thinking how Scotland would have performed. I mean, Norway are a decent national side and they've come up well short.

[Sneckboy]

The October FIFA world rankings are released on Thursday and will be used to seed the European play-offs AND the actual World Cup draw. Switzerland may sneak under the radar and end up in the pot of top-seeds alongside the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, Spain etc. !! That would be incredible....

[bauhaus]

The October FIFA world rankings are released on Thursday and will be used to seed the European play-offs AND the actual World Cup draw. Switzerland may sneak under the radar and end up in the pot of top-seeds alongside the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, Spain etc. !! That would be incredible....

Doubt it sneckboy. Remember you have the Dutch, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Equador, Belgium, .....that 11 ahead of them without thinking about it.

What I think is remarkable about that group is Iceland could make the play offs for the first time ever, they just have to match I think slovakia or slovenia on Tuesday, and would go through clear on points. They are away to Norway, whereas the other country is away to the group winners Switzerland. Come on Iceland

[Sneckboy]

^^^ That post I made about Switzerland may turn out to be the most 'embarrassing' one I have ever posted - not too late to delete it, but I won't!

My reasoning was that they are currently 14th. They have since won a game last week and have a home game against Slovenia tomorrow. Another win and they could jump up a few spots - but possibly not into the top 8!

 

We'll see on Thursday - it may yet be my most 'inspired' post!!

I also, would love to see Iceland make the play-offs!

 

[Sneckboy]

Damn! Billy McKay not in the starting line-up for Northern Ireland. They've gone for Martin Paterson up-front supported by Aberdeen's Niall McGinn. Hopefully Billy will come on as a sub!

[Rainbow]

Well, according to Swiss media they have secured pot 1 with the win over Slovenia though it was a scrappy affair (I switched to Sweden vs Germany at half time and was rewarded with 8 great goals). So no reason to be embarrassed, Sneckboy. And congrats to Iceland for 2nd spot and of course Scotland for beating Croatia!

[Sneckboy]

Yeah, my 'crazy' forecast that Switzerland could end up in Pot 1 isn't looking too far away now! We'll see tomorrow when the FIFA rankings are released.

 

What I wasn't so clever with was my feeling that Chile v. Ecuador would be a stick-on draw! I should have listened to Doofer'sDad! His suggested scenario played out. Despite beating Argentina, Uruguay were never going to thrash them by enough to improve their goal-difference that would threaten a loser of the Chile-Ecuador game....and now the Uruguayans have the not too daunting prospect of a two-legged play-off against Jordan.

[FoolPhysio]

Question - since we have won 2 of our last 4 games, three of which were qualifiers and one against the top team in the division, how is it we have dropped to 63rd place in the FIFA rankings?? Admittedly, the Croatia game does not seem to be included yet, but still.

[bauhaus]

Probably because we lost against Engerland and Belgium, remember the rankings are a result of your games over a 2 or 3 year period..

[bauhaus]

POT 1 Rankings for world cup draw.

 

Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, and Uruguay ( or the Netherlands if Jordan beat Uruguay )

 

Have to say Im amazed the Dutch were not an automatic for Pot 1 with the results and form they have have over the last few years.

[Alex MacLeod]

Question - since we have won 2 of our last 4 games, three of which were qualifiers and one against the top team in the division, how is it we have dropped to 63rd place in the FIFA rankings?? Admittedly, the Croatia game does not seem to be included yet, but still.

No we haven't. We've moved up 28 places to 35th. http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html

Edited October 17, 2013 by Alex MacLeod

[Sneckboy]

POT 1 Rankings for world cup draw.

 

Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, and Uruguay ( or the Netherlands if Jordan beat Uruguay )

 

Have to say Im amazed the Dutch were not an automatic for Pot 1 with the results and form they have have over the last few years.

Got to remember that as recently as last summer the Dutch were being written off as a spent force and having reached the end of an era.

They lost a warm-up for EURO 2012 at home to Bulgaria before heading to the tournament and losing all their games and finishing bottom of their group.

But they've picked up since then by cruising through this qualification and have accumulated enough ranking points to be on the verge of the top seeds pot - but it looks like they'll just miss out. Only last month they failed to beat Estonia - that, I imagine has cost them automatic seeding. They now have to hope Jordan can spring a major shock and eliminate Uruguay!

[Alex MacLeod]

Probably because we lost against Engerland and Belgium, remember the rankings are a result of your games over a 2 or 3 year period..

4 Year period. Anyone wanting to check the calculations can do so here http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/procedureandschedule/menprocedure/index.html

[+DoofersDad]

Not quite sure how Uruguay are ranked 6th in the world seeing as they have failed to qualify as one of the top 4 in the South American qualifying.  What is more suprising is that Brazil have dropped out of the top 10 and therefore are only in pot one because of their status as hosts. 

[ICTPaisley]

The ranking system is a bit daft, It should update after every competitive match is played and if someone ranked 10th beats someone ranked 8th then they leapfrog them.  Friendlies should be played against teams who are within 10 places of each other too.

[FoolPhysio]

Question - since we have won 2 of our last 4 games, three of which were qualifiers and one against the top team in the division, how is it we have dropped to 63rd place in the FIFA rankings?? Admittedly, the Croatia game does not seem to be included yet, but still.

No we haven't. We've moved up 28 places to 35th. http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html

What a difference a day makes! :-)

[Alex MacLeod]

Not quite sure how Uruguay are ranked 6th in the world seeing as they have failed to qualify as one of the top 4 in the South American qualifying.  What is more suprising is that Brazil have dropped out of the top 10 and therefore are only in pot one because of their status as hosts. 

Probably something to do with 8 wins and a draw in last twelve games.

[Rainbow]

Don't forget that Uruguay are still reigning South American Champions, having beaten both Brazil and Argentina on the way IIRC.

[Sneckboy]

Draw for the European play-offs took place today. Games are next month over two legs:

 

Portugal  v  Sweden

 

Ukraine  v  France

 

Greece  v  Romania

 

Iceland  v  Croatia

 

I certainly fancy Croatia to make the finals after getting Iceland in the draw. I think France will be too strong for Ukraine while I'd expect Portugal to beat Sweden over the 2 legs. Greece or Romania (for me) is too close to call - It might come down to 'away goals'!

 

[KingBeastie]

We could've been playing Iceland in the playoffs! 

[Sneckboy]

^^^ Never thought of that! A North Atlantic derby for a World Cup place would have been great...

 

It'll be galling to see Croatia playing in Brazil after we beat them home and away and without conceding a goal!

Assuming they defeat Iceland, I can't see them making any impact at the World Cup - I doubt they'll get out their group.

 

Now that I've said that, expect Croatia to reach the semis!

[Yngwie]

Iceland have a chance there, Croatia look nothing special these days.

 

But if they don't make it, how about a North Atlantic Cup next summer  - Scotland, Iceland, Faroes and Greenland. I reckon we'd have a decent chance of making the final.

[Yngwie]

That's assuming we get past St Kilda in the qualifiers.