Euro Qualifying

[AustrianAndyGull]

Get in Martin Harnik! Just belted one in from the edge of the box past Manuel Neuer. Now we only need 2 more without conceding against the Germans. How we have managed to score twice and Germany have only scored four is beyond the cerebral capacities of Professor Brian Cox and Steven Hawking put together! How Pogatetz is allowed to play international football when Brian Saah eclipses his talents is beyond God. I want Sebastien Prodl at the back NOW!!! I keep on flicking over to the England game ( watching Germany v Austria on ESPN at the moment ). England are winning and we aren't. A familiar theme which i have had to endure for nearly 25 years sadly. I just wish the England trumpeters would go and jump off Beachy Head or something as everytime i hear it i want to jump in to the tv and try out a new version of Ultimate Fighter! Drums are fine lads, trumpets are embarrassing for a major footballing nation. Leave it! Tonight 3000 Austrians inside the Veltins Arena, next saturday 2 Austrians inside Sixfields!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Cheers Paddies for not being able to beat Slovakia at home and costing me £300. Hope you don't qualify now. S******s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gulliball]

Ireland 0-0 Slovakia

Firstly, It was nice to watch a Slovakia game on Sky, rather than a stream.

I think Slovakia edged it, but a draw was fair. Slovakia had the balance of play, without creating out and out chances to win the game. Holosko is a decent enough striker, but not world class; the Slovak midfield with Kucka, Hamsik, Weiss, Stoch and Karhan can rival anyone, and the defence is solid, but Holosko isn't quite on that level.

Overall, Slovakia played well. But Ireland are now ahead of them because it was 1-1 in Slovakia and 0-0 in Ireland - it would be a travesty if that was what separated the teams after 10 games, but Slovakia now have work to do. That loss in Armenia is huge - and could cost them. I think Russia will beat Ireland on Wednesday, but Slovakia then need to get something from Russia to get above Ireland again.

Looking at the group as an Englishman with a soft spot for Slovakia - Purely on paper Russia are ahead, followed by Slovakia, then Ireland are very much behind Slovakia. This was a great group for Slovakia (who beat Russia to qualify for WC2010), but they are now behind Russia and Ireland. They need either to win at home to Russia, or for Ireland to drop points to a lesser side.

The defeat in Armenia could now prove huge for Slovakia. 3 more points would have them sitting pretty and in the driving seat - those are the margins of international football: now Slovakia have it all to do.

ps Congratulations to Sean St. Ledger, I really thought Hamsik was in there - a great block that could be massive to Ireland's hopes.

That's what I posted about Slovakia earlier tonight. I'd be happy to debate European football with you all night long, but Ireland were lucky to get a draw tonight.

Slovakia were happy to sit back and let Hamsik/Weiss/Stoch/Kucka/Holosko hit them on the counter. They didn't get a goal, but were always the side in control - Ireland never looked like winning.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I did see a little of that game Gulliball and Slovakia looked their usual cohesive self without really offering a cutting edge. They seem comfortable on the ball which, unlike Austria who just want to get rid of it as soon as they have got it is an invaluable skill at international level. Slovakia beat us in a friendly recently and they were very competent. Hamsik and Holosko are quality and Vittek can always come on and offer something different up top. I can't comment about the performance of slovakia tonight but if you can go to ireland and leave them scrambling around desperately seeking a goal in the dying minutes then i would say you have done a job on them. Its just sad for me as an Austrian to admit that Slovakia are a better side than us and recent qualification success would back this up.

[Gulliball]

Slovakia have a 'golden generation'. It's not a media cliche, it's actually quite an incredible group of players for a country like Slovakia.

Hamsik (24), Weiss (21), Stoch (21) , Kucka (24), Skrtel (26) and Pekarik (24), plus an incredible manager in Vladimir Weiss, are players that don't come around very often for a coutry of Slovakia's size. They are quite deservingly qualifying for major tournaments given the players they have at their disposal, and a manager who know's how to use them.

Ireland were lucky to get a draw tonight. I agree that Slovakia need either a World Class striker or a more attacking mode of play if they want to become a European power, but they have the quality to reach many a major tournament for years to come. In September last year they were 16th in the world, which for a country formed in 1993, where Ice Hockey is still the major sport, is actually a phenomenal achievement.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Gulliball you have described our problem perfectly. Vladimir Weiss knows how to get the best of what he has. Fabio Capello or Dietmar Constantini (who?!!) The current Austrian manager and Hans Krankl before him and others before him do not know how to achieve this nirvana. We have a smattering of unbelivable talents, Arnautovic is a law unto himself but has ability, Alaba is a mere child but can be a big star even at Bayern, Royer is a prospect. It is just moulding them into a system that is effective, like Slovakia have done. We aren't world beaters but should be doing better than we have done for the last 20 years. We drew in the **** Faroes for Gods sake and to date are the only team to lose there in the 90's. That was the worst schoolday of my life! The only thing that really pisses me off is the fact that England always seem to get piss easy groups in qualifying that is why they breeze through and do shit in the finals. i'd like England to see how they get on in our group with Germany,Turkey, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaidjan.