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Post by superunknown on Dec 7, 2020 17:58:02 GMT
Why did Estonia get moved t Wales's group? Think it’s to do with cold weather, can’t have too ‘hard’ weather countries in the same group. As they were about to be placed worn Finland, this couldn’t happen so they were moved to ours. |
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Post by manulike on Dec 7, 2020 17:59:42 GMT
congratulations to oscardelta , who gets to enjoy the wonders of ... Azerbaijan ;-( got a feeling that our jock pals will be hating the sight of Tel Aviv ... |
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Post by jono on Dec 7, 2020 18:00:18 GMT
Tough draw but one we can definitely finish top of. Could definitely do the double over Czech. Beat Belgium at home then a favour off the Czechs against Belgium and we're there....now go and watch us lose in Belarus again 😂
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Post by manulike on Dec 7, 2020 18:00:44 GMT
Why did Estonia get moved t Wales's group? Winter constraints, couldn't be drawn with another Scandy country |
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Post by robin1864 on Dec 7, 2020 18:02:25 GMT
Haha they hate playing us! I'm fed up of them at this point, it was always going to be either Belgium or Ireland. See England got San Marino again too, some things never change  Besides Belgium who should now be at the peak of their power, this group looks pretty straightforward for us, so I'm fully expecting qualification to be an agonising ordeal. Czechia will be a decent away trip if international travel is allowed again. |
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Post by vaulksthrowfanclub on Dec 7, 2020 18:04:48 GMT
no real mugs, 5 team group so can still bleed youngsters in friendlies, 6/10 in my book. Playing Belgium will be a motivation in itself, so glad we’ve them rather than a Spain.
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Post by jbt95 on Dec 7, 2020 18:07:29 GMT
I think we can be pretty happy with that draw.
Pots 3-5 very kind and probably more than likely to be a straight shoot out between us and Belgium.
Pots 3-5 quality means a top 6 best runner up spot is very achievable = home semi play-off.
Let's hope we get Belgium at home not in March and either home or away matchday 5 in September with a friendly on matchday 4.
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Post by fiveattheback on Dec 7, 2020 18:10:38 GMT
Brussels, Prague, Minsk and Tallinn? Yes please.
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Post by holmesdaleultra on Dec 7, 2020 18:10:43 GMT
Belgium have not beaten Wales since September 7th 2014 at CCS.
If I remember correctly is this the game Collins got sent off when we were controlling the game?
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Post by robwrecsam on Dec 7, 2020 18:11:19 GMT
Happy with that group. Could have been better, could have been a lot worse.
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Post by holmesdaleultra on Dec 7, 2020 18:11:50 GMT
Belgium have not beaten Wales since September 7th 2014 at CCS. If I remember correctly is this the game Collins got sent off when we were controlling the game? September 7th 2012 I meant. |
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Post by underwood on Dec 7, 2020 18:13:33 GMT
Belgium at the end of the season is the preferred date for one of the games. All of their players will have gone late into the season, wheread half of ours will have had nearly a month off.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 7, 2020 18:14:44 GMT
That's one of the best draws we could have realistically hoped for. Avoided a Pot 3 team with any genuine world class players, two unremarkable teams in Pot 4 & 5 with no real redeeming qualities. Good trips as well if we are permitted to travel
Whilst Belgium are as tough as they get & have improved as a team unit since we last played them (Martinez a much better manager than Wilmots) they are probably the only Pot 1 team who we have somewhat of a psychological edge over. Their defence is on the slow side as well, which is an area we can hurt them - although it will be a huge task keeping them out over two legs this time I believe
The downside is that we'd more than likely need 4 points from them to top the group - highly unlikely that we perform as well as them against the lower sides, in either points or goals scored. Therefore, 2 draws probably won't be enough. If the Czechs turn up and nick a draw against them that's our only other route in I think
Can't complain overall though - more than happy with that
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Post by conwy10 on Dec 7, 2020 18:16:41 GMT
Not a bad draw. I think Belgium have a score to settle with us so they’ll be like a wounded animal. I’m still not convinced Czechia don’t have something to them. I think they’ll keep pushing us all the way.
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Post by welrus on Dec 7, 2020 18:22:52 GMT
Not seeing it as a great draw myself. I was hoping for a weak top seed to give us a chance of auto qualification. Sadly even if we can pull one over on Belgium I think we'll drop more points than them overall. Heart says some magic against Belgium, head says play-offs.
Still could be worse and there'll always be surprises - but most of these groups look pretty much of a foregone conclusion.
And some nice places to visit too - although I suspect Tallinn might be a small ground limiting tickets?
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Post by jono on Dec 7, 2020 18:27:28 GMT
Also, glad we're in a 5 team group instead of 6. It's 2 less games to play where you could potentially go away to a shit side and drop points.
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Post by CrackityJones on Dec 7, 2020 18:27:30 GMT
The good thing about Belgium is our players and theirs will smell an upset long before a ball is kicked. We wouldn't get that with any of the other top ranked teams.
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Post by saints19 on Dec 7, 2020 18:31:49 GMT
I don't see that as a good draw at all. We are already in the play-offs by virtue of the Nations League (which was massive and a hugely important achievement), so we really just wanted a beatable pot 1 team to try and win the group which is likely our best chance of qualifying. Belgium aren't really beatable over the course of a group IMO. Plus the Czechs are pretty good too having won their Nations League group too. Much more likely we finish 3rd than 1st. But I suppose if you're looking for a silver lining we're pretty sure to take at least 12 points from the group so even in an utterly disastrous scenario we won't lose too many ranking points. Belarus and Estonia are among the weaker teams from pot 4 and 5. Not sure if that's good for us or not.
Our chances are down to beating the Czechs home and away and hoping we somehow nick a result against Belgium - can't see it, the Czechs will get at least 1 point from us and Belgium are likely to win 6 or 7 games minimum.
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Post by saints19 on Dec 7, 2020 18:36:05 GMT
England got the warm balls as usual. God how do they keep getting these groups. I know there wasn't a big hitter in pot 2 but they could at least have got Russia or Norway from pot 3 instead of Hungary (who are still decent, but don't have the individual quality to upset a top team). And bugger all challenge from the lower pots. It's like they're guaranteed at least 2nd before a ball's even been kicked.
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Post by alarch on Dec 7, 2020 18:38:02 GMT
Apart from Belgium a good draw, and we could have done worse than Belgium, in spite of their current form. Excellent though their first eleven are, if you take the likes of De Bruyne and Hazard out of their team they're good, but beatable. Injuries may play some part in determining the outcome of our games against them - although of course it's far more likely that Bale, Ramsey or Allen (or all three...) will be missing rather than their stars.
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Post by superunknown on Dec 7, 2020 18:40:12 GMT
England got the warm balls as usual. God how do they keep getting these groups. I know there wasn't a big hitter in pot 2 but they could at least have got Russia or Norway from pot 3 instead of Hungary (who are still decent, but don't have the individual quality to upset a top team). And bugger all challenge from the lower pots. It's like they're guaranteed at least 2nd before a ball's even been kicked. That's not an easy group for them by any stretch. Poland could very easily cause an upset. Anything but 1st will be a failure for them as well. |
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Post by gwernybwch on Dec 7, 2020 18:40:57 GMT
It's almost UEFA have said "we see what Drakeford is doing and we're not having it. Here you go - on the beer trips to Brussels, Prague, Tallin, Minsk"
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Post by saints19 on Dec 7, 2020 18:42:05 GMT
Lest we think psychology will come into the Belgium games, I think it's worth looking at the actual players on the field last time we played them. They'll probably have an almost completely different team to then, as will we. The fans might be nervous though so if we can keep it 0-0 or take the lead the anxiety might start spreading around the stadium. Realistically, I think we'll be doing well to keep the scorelines respectable or maybe nicking draws. Look at our recent friendly v. England. Belgium are probably better than England. Massive mountain to climb.
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Post by saints19 on Dec 7, 2020 18:43:25 GMT
England got the warm balls as usual. God how do they keep getting these groups. I know there wasn't a big hitter in pot 2 but they could at least have got Russia or Norway from pot 3 instead of Hungary (who are still decent, but don't have the individual quality to upset a top team). And bugger all challenge from the lower pots. It's like they're guaranteed at least 2nd before a ball's even been kicked. That's not an easy group for them by any stretch. Poland could very easily cause an upset. Anything but 1st will be a failure for them as well. Maybe Poland could cause an upset. But over the group, I reckon England are a shoo-in to win it. Poland are just as likely to drop points to Hungary as get anything off England. |
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Post by saints19 on Dec 7, 2020 18:49:35 GMT
Apart from Belgium a good draw, and we could have done worse than Belgium, in spite of their current form. Excellent though their first eleven are, if you take the likes of De Bruyne and Hazard out of their team they're good, but beatable. Injuries may play some part in determining the outcome of our games against them - although of course it's far more likely that Bale, Ramsey or Allen (or all three...) will be missing rather than their stars. It's not just those two players, they have a huge array of attacking talent, Lukaku, Mertens, Tielemans, Batshuayi, Origi and Thorgan Hazard are pretty good too. Our options besides Bale and Ramsey are James, Brooks and Kieffer Moore. Then of course at the back they have Courtois, Alderweireld, Vertonghen etc Injuries would level the playing field a bit if Belgium get wrecked and we get off scot-free, even then, I'd still make us heavy underdogs personally. But it's only two games so anything could happen I suppose. Just wished we had drawn Croatia or Denmark and that would have been an excellent draw. |
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Post by holmesdaleultra on Dec 7, 2020 18:50:50 GMT
Lest we think psychology will come into the Belgium games, I think it's worth looking at the actual players on the field last time we played them. They'll probably have an almost completely different team to then, as will we. The fans might be nervous though so if we can keep it 0-0 or take the lead the anxiety might start spreading around the stadium. Realistically, I think we'll be doing well to keep the scorelines respectable or maybe nicking draws. Look at our recent friendly v. England. Belgium are probably better than England. Massive mountain to climb. Jason Denayer the defender still plays for Belgium and he is not very good... |
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Post by saints19 on Dec 7, 2020 18:53:24 GMT
Lest we think psychology will come into the Belgium games, I think it's worth looking at the actual players on the field last time we played them. They'll probably have an almost completely different team to then, as will we. The fans might be nervous though so if we can keep it 0-0 or take the lead the anxiety might start spreading around the stadium. Realistically, I think we'll be doing well to keep the scorelines respectable or maybe nicking draws. Look at our recent friendly v. England. Belgium are probably better than England. Massive mountain to climb. Jason Denayer the defender still plays for Belgium and he is not very good... Unfortunately, I don't think the rest of the back four will again horrendously overrun their press like they did to let Robson-Kanu Cruyff turn them in and tap it in.  |
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Post by jbt95 on Dec 7, 2020 18:58:05 GMT
How many top top sides have Belgium actually played in a competitive game though?
Their nations league group was pretty weak. England aren't a top top side and Iceland have been rubbish for the last 3 years now. Denmark are a similar level to us.
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Post by holmesdaleultra on Dec 7, 2020 18:59:11 GMT
Jason Denayer the defender still plays for Belgium and he is not very good... Unfortunately, I don't think the rest of the back four will again horrendously overrun their press like they did to let Robson-Kanu Cruyff turn them in and tap it in. Be good news if they did though. |
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Post by quetzal on Dec 7, 2020 18:59:30 GMT
Great fixtures!!!!! Can we win the group? Yes. Can we finish second? Absolutely
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