Those World Cup qualifiers in full

[bigbry]

The Euro play offs always look fixed so don't be surprised to see

Spain v Slovakia
Czech Rep v Norway
Swiss v Turkey

I can't be bothered to work out the odds but that was fantastic forecasting - or it's a fix !

But they wouldn't do that ..................................... would they ?

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Oh and England will have more money lumped on them than anyone by a long shot so theres the reason for your short odds. Not that difficult to understand surely.

Indeed, and nor have I said anything to suggest I don't unerstand that. The punters make the market, the market makes the odds. The punters are seriously distant from reality if they think there's as much as a one in seven chance of England winning.

 

[rennie]

england are crap: why is it so hard to udnerstand? they'll never win anything playing like this.

 

[Bonfirelight]

I can't be bothered to work out the odds but that was fantastic forecasting - or it's a fix !

But they wouldn't do that ..................................... would they ?

15 - 1 I think if you discount the Home/Away side of things.


impresive nontheless

 

[Donna Ferentes]

15 - 1 I think if you discount the Home/Away side of things.

No, it was seeded, so there were only actually six possible combinations. Hence 5/1.

 

[Harold Hill]

Indeed, and nor have I said anything to suggest I don't unerstand that. The punters make the market, the market makes the odds. The punters are seriously distant from reality if they think there's as much as a one in seven chance of England winning.

Depends how you look at it. There are so many bets placed on England that obviously all aren't serious gamblers. Some will do it out of patriotism, some because whether you agree or not the squad is one of the best in the competition on paper (along with Spain). Others will look at the rugby world cup win and the ashes and think 'fck it, why not'.

I don't overestimate our chances and some newsppaers annoy me when they do but if we're so poor, tell me who is playing better?

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I don't overestimate our chances and some newsppaers annoy me when they do but if we're so poor, tell me who is playing better?

It's not necessarily a question of that: but even if there were none, ask yourself, how many teams have roughly as good a chance as England. A dozen? More? Then calculate the odds....

 

[Harold Hill]

15 - 1 I think if you discount the Home/Away side of things.


impresive nontheless

Another thing about the play offs is that one fancied side always cocks it up on away goals. Ukraine did it to Slovenia, Turkey did it to Latvia. Spain are a bit too classy for Slovakia and Torres is scoring for fun so can't see a surprise there. The Swiss and the Turks are too closely matched (fancy the Swiss to edge it) so maybe the Norweigans will upset what looks now an ageing Czech team.

 

[Bonfirelight]

[official Harold Hill prediction]

Another thing about the play offs is that one fancied side always cocks it up on away goals. Ukraine did it to Slovenia, Turkey did it to Latvia. Spain are a bit too classy for Slovakia and Torres is scoring for fun so can't see a surprise there. The Swiss and the Turks are too closely matched (fancy the Swiss to edge it) so maybe the Norweigans will upset what looks now an ageing Czech team.

You heard it here first people

 

[Harold Hill]

It won't happen now expectation is there. Thats why I haven't tipped England to win the thing.

 

[E.J.]

With the Uzbeks going out to Bahrain unluckily on away goals. Bahrain will play the Trini's (as my Jamaican dad calls them) i.e. Trinidad and Tobago who finished fourth in the CONCACAF group. It would be nice if the Trini's can make it to World Cup. Just imagine a bit of Trinidadian soca beats on the terraces!

 

[Dirty Martini]

Fuck it, it'll be a Germany Brazil final, as any fule kno.

 

[steeplejack]

Another thing about the play offs is that one fancied side always cocks it up on away goals. Ukraine did it to Slovenia, Turkey did it to Latvia. Spain are a bit too classy for Slovakia and Torres is scoring for fun so can't see a surprise there. The Swiss and the Turks are too closely matched (fancy the Swiss to edge it) so maybe the Norweigans will upset what looks now an ageing Czech team.

Christ, no! Norway are bloody awful. Really tactically limited long-ball cloggers- like a blast from the Harry Bassett past.

I reckon (and really hope)the Czechs will sweep past the Norwegians. After all the Czechs are much more likely to offer excitement and a decent contribution to the finals, than that pack of blond route one robots. I fancy that the Swiss, who apparently are better than they were in the last Euros, will turn Turkey over- probably on away goals as you suggest.

 

[Harold Hill]

Swiss look better on paper as I think all the 2000/2002 Turk players have now gone. Interesting to see the reception the Yakin brothers get in Istanbul. Always surprised me that whilst Basturk and other Turks born in Germany/Austria will play for Turkey, most Swiss based Turks (Yakins, Turkyilmaz) seem more likely to opt to play for Switzerland.