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Post by manulike on Feb 18, 2024 12:02:49 GMT
Ahead of Turkey and Poland! Damned lies and statistics! I hope we get to meet them and play like favourites against Poland Poland are not a great team but always seem to totally dominate us when we play them - very strange! Personally, I felt we were very good out in Wrocław and were super unlucky to go down 2-1. In the home game 0-1 we were robbed with ludicrous ref decisions and their gamesmanship.
Hopefully, if they manage to get past Estonia, we get a decent / seasoned ref!
I would not be surprised if Esty beat them 1-0 or in pens.
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Post by bobbyghoul on Feb 18, 2024 12:43:50 GMT
Ahead of Turkey and Poland! Damned lies and statistics! I hope we get to meet them and play like favourites against Poland Poland are not a great team but always seem to totally dominate us when we play them - very strange! Personally, I felt we were very good out in Wrocław and were super unlucky to go down 2-1. In the home game 0-1 we were robbed with ludicrous ref decisions and their gamesmanship.
Hopefully, if they manage to get past Estonia, we get a decent / seasoned ref!
I would not be surprised if Esty beat them 1-0 or in pens.
Is it in Estonia? |
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Post by fiveattheback on Feb 18, 2024 12:55:51 GMT
Personally, I felt we were very good out in Wrocław and were super unlucky to go down 2-1. In the home game 0-1 we were robbed with ludicrous ref decisions and their gamesmanship.
Hopefully, if they manage to get past Estonia, we get a decent / seasoned ref!
I would not be surprised if Esty beat them 1-0 or in pens.
Is it in Estonia? It's in Poland I'm not holding out much hope for an Estonia upset - they didn't win a game in qualifying |
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Post by eppingblue1 on Feb 18, 2024 13:12:43 GMT
It's in Poland I'm not holding out much hope for an Estonia upset - they didn't win a game in qualifying They're about 50 places above Moldova in the FIFA rankings who got a win and draw against Poland in the qualifiers. Similar but probably a good bit worse than our results v Armenia. Lewandowski has been having a pretty lean time but is just picking up a bit in the last few games. Not much point dwelling on Poland though, we've got to beat Finland first. Says me whose already booked planes, trains and hotels for Germany. I'll be devastated if we don't get there but haven't we only beaten Poland once in 50 years. |
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Post by aberbeeg on Feb 18, 2024 14:31:43 GMT
Just watching Sheff Utd defend like an U12s team. Let’s hope Alan Knill doesn’t put his ideas to Page ahead of our games.
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Post by bringbackelmo on Feb 18, 2024 23:08:08 GMT
Ahead of Turkey and Poland! Damned lies and statistics! I hope we get to meet them and play like favourites against Poland Poland are not a great team but always seem to totally dominate us when we play them - very strange! Personally, I felt we were very good out in Wrocław and were super unlucky to go down 2-1. In the home game 0-1 we were robbed with ludicrous ref decisions and their gamesmanship.
Hopefully, if they manage to get past Estonia, we get a decent / seasoned ref!
I would not be surprised if Esty beat them 1-0 or in pens.
Considering the circumstances with our WC playoffs etc. and the sides we put out in those games we did well. They are definitely beatable especially at home. |
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Post by underwood on Feb 19, 2024 10:23:07 GMT
It's in Poland I'm not holding out much hope for an Estonia upset - they didn't win a game in qualifying They're about 50 places above Moldova in the FIFA rankings who got a win and draw against Poland in the qualifiers. Similar but probably a good bit worse than our results v Armenia. Lewandowski has been having a pretty lean time but is just picking up a bit in the last few games. Not much point dwelling on Poland though, we've got to beat Finland first. Says me who’s already booked planes, trains and hotels for Germany. I'll be devastated if we don't get there but haven't we only beaten Poland once in 50 years. Technically we don’t have to win either game, two penally shootout wins would see us through, it’s how the Scots qualified for the Euros last time. With our luck though.,,, |
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Post by smudger1 on Feb 19, 2024 10:58:16 GMT
As a City fan I had a bad feeling about signing Ramsey and typical of our transfer policy we cocked up again. Indications are he will out for at least four weeks with this new injury and if that's the case then Page wont pick him. With Morrell, RND, Lockyer & likely Ramsey out, we can't afford to lose Jordan James or Wilson.
Looking like this team for Finland at present;
Ward
Roberts
Neco
Amps
Roden
Davies
James
Brooks
Wilson
Moore
James
key subs
Johnson
Broadhead
Mephem
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Post by winsumluzsum on Feb 19, 2024 11:03:38 GMT
I assume you would have Wilson alongside James in the double pivot? I'd be amazed if Page went with anything other than a James Ampadu double pivot. Mepham will start, even if he hasn't played for a while.
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Post by marsvolta on Feb 19, 2024 11:08:08 GMT
They're about 50 places above Moldova in the FIFA rankings who got a win and draw against Poland in the qualifiers. Similar but probably a good bit worse than our results v Armenia. Lewandowski has been having a pretty lean time but is just picking up a bit in the last few games. Not much point dwelling on Poland though, we've got to beat Finland first. Says me who’s already booked planes, trains and hotels for Germany. I'll be devastated if we don't get there but haven't we only beaten Poland once in 50 years. Technically we don’t have to win either game, two penally shootout wins would see us through, it’s how the Scots qualified for the Euros last time. With our luck though.,,, I do not have the mental capacity to cope with a single penalty shoot out involving Wales, let alone two |
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Post by underwood on Feb 19, 2024 11:33:45 GMT
Technically we don’t have to win either game, two penally shootout wins would see us through, it’s how the Scots qualified for the Euros last time. With our luck though.,,, I do not have the mental capacity to cope with a single penalty shoot out involving Wales, let alone two I don’t think most of our players could either. |
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Post by CrackityJones on Feb 19, 2024 11:49:13 GMT
I dont think we're going to miss Ramsey with the way Brooks and Wilson have been performing
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Post by smudger1 on Feb 19, 2024 11:54:55 GMT
My preference would be one holding midfielder and Amps to go centre back instead of Mephem just on game time at club level. Your right to say Page goes safe with Amps and James but I hope we go in more attaching minded. Brooks must play and James and Moore combine well and Wilson is a banker.
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Post by fiveattheback on Feb 19, 2024 12:03:59 GMT
My preference would be one holding midfielder and Amps to go centre back instead of Mephem just on game time at club level. Your right to say Page goes safe with Amps and James but I hope we go in more attaching minded. Brooks must play and James and Moore combine well and Wilson is a banker. James basically on his own in midfield? We need 2 midfielders or we'll just get ran through so it's either a back 4 or Mepham comes in for an attacker |
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Post by iot on Feb 19, 2024 13:29:38 GMT
My preference would be one holding midfielder and Amps to go centre back instead of Mephem just on game time at club level. Your right to say Page goes safe with Amps and James but I hope we go in more attaching minded. Brooks must play and James and Moore combine well and Wilson is a banker. Getting a strong case of deja vu here. Seem to remember Page going with one holding midfielder (Ampadu) and two '8s' (Wilson and Rambo) at the World Cup, leaving us completely open and Page getting lambasted for it. It would be madness to go back to that now. |
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Post by bobbyghoul on Feb 19, 2024 14:28:39 GMT
My preference would be one holding midfielder and Amps to go centre back instead of Mephem just on game time at club level. Your right to say Page goes safe with Amps and James but I hope we go in more attaching minded. Brooks must play and James and Moore combine well and Wilson is a banker. Getting a strong case of deja vu here. Seem to remember Page going with one holding midfielder (Ampadu) and two '8s' (Wilson and Rambo) at the World Cup, leaving us completely open and Page getting lambasted for it. It would be madness to go back to that now. Amen brother! We have to win the game, but first we have to not lose it. |
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Post by winsumluzsum on Feb 19, 2024 15:42:04 GMT
There's a lot to commend a 4-1-4-1 but now's not the time to experiment.
If we were to go for a 4-1-4-1 in the future we could go with:
Ward
Roberts Mepham Rodon Neco
Ampadu
Johnson Brooks J James/Wilson D James
Moore
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Post by fiveattheback on Feb 19, 2024 17:56:20 GMT
My preference would be one holding midfielder and Amps to go centre back instead of Mephem just on game time at club level. Your right to say Page goes safe with Amps and James but I hope we go in more attaching minded. Brooks must play and James and Moore combine well and Wilson is a banker. Getting a strong case of deja vu here. Seem to remember Page going with one holding midfielder (Ampadu) and two '8s' (Wilson and Rambo) at the World Cup, leaving us completely open and Page getting lambasted for it. It would be madness to go back to that now. Ampadu-James has worked so well, I'm baffled that people are suggesting we switch it up for a playoff game |
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Post by ddirpytnop on Feb 19, 2024 19:47:49 GMT
Getting a strong case of deja vu here. Seem to remember Page going with one holding midfielder (Ampadu) and two '8s' (Wilson and Rambo) at the World Cup, leaving us completely open and Page getting lambasted for it. It would be madness to go back to that now. Ampadu-James has worked so well, I'm baffled that people are suggesting we switch it up for a playoff game Absolutely. If anything, we can expect James and Ampadu to be significantly better than they were back in the autumn. Since then James has established as himself first choice at his club and has discovered a real eye for goal. Back in the autumn he rarely got more than a few late minutes in club games. |
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Post by jimexotic on Feb 19, 2024 21:07:33 GMT
Ampadu and James it has to be, until a very decent and competent central midfielder comes along we can't toy with the idea of dropping Ampadu into defence, maybe one day and maybe we can during games depending on how things are going but right now those two have to play together.
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Post by zserty on Feb 19, 2024 23:09:32 GMT
Anything other than Ampadu and James and i will be seriously concerned.
Mepham can go in for Lockyer, maybe not as good as Ampadu but we really have a lack of centre midfielders.
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Post by vvm on Feb 20, 2024 10:13:03 GMT
Can anyone see what the availability is like ahead of the 12pm sale?
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Post by dingodan on Feb 20, 2024 10:24:24 GMT
Can anyone see what the availability is like ahead of the 12pm sale? For Finland, plenty available to the ends of the upper Ninian, with scattered singles in the lower Ninian, plus singles in the family stand. Potential playoff final, situation is similar but there's multiples available for the lower Ninian by the away end, seats in the middle Ninian stand, multiples in the corner of the family stand, singles in the Grand Stand, and multiples in the ends of the top Grand Stand (level 4). |
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Post by vvm on Feb 20, 2024 10:29:10 GMT
Cheers, appreciate it. Looking for 2 for Finland so is the only option for that to aim for the upper Ninian?
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Post by dingodan on Feb 20, 2024 10:36:19 GMT
Cheers, appreciate it. Looking for 2 for Finland so is the only option for that to aim for the upper Ninian? Yep, just be ready at 12 for the rush |
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Post by vvm on Feb 20, 2024 12:12:03 GMT
In and sorted, expected them to be hoovered up but wasn't too bad. Decent spec near the front of the upper Ninian which I would have snapped your hand off for a few weeks back. Cheers for the heads up Dingodan.
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Post by manulike on Feb 20, 2024 13:27:59 GMT
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Post by jbt95 on Feb 21, 2024 0:09:56 GMT
I guess some people are reluctant to part with cash that could be a friendly. Maybe some waiting for pay day? Some may have booked Easter holidays away with the kids. I’m sure it’ll be a sell out before the semi. |
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Post by welshowl on Feb 21, 2024 15:53:12 GMT
Looking at some betting websites and they are saying Poland are favourites right now to qualify from our pathway.
Poland - evens
Cymru - 6/4
Suomi - 5
Estonia - 25+
Anybody know a shortcut to see what form the Poles/Finnish player are showing nowadays? Just listening to FFS (https://finnishfootballshow.com/) now. They seem to bring out podcasts about weekly so far this year. If I hear any of their thoughts about our game, I'll post it here
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Post by cogancoronation31 on Feb 23, 2024 14:52:19 GMT
In-form players who need to be considered for the forthcoming play-offs squad (in addition to the 'regulars' who are doing well e.g the Leeds boys, and Kieffer M & Nathan B at Ipswich) ...
Wes Burns, Will Evans, Rubin Colwill, Rabbi Matondo, Tom Lawrence, Josh Sheehan.
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