PASTA Mick Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I think most people are pleased with the draw yesterday. We've avoided the countries which we'd realistically have no chance of finishing above and it looks like we have a real chance. I thought it would be worth taking a closer look at the teams we've been paired against. Denmark The Danes qualified for Euro 2020 after finishing second behind Switzerland in qualifying, ahead of Rep. of Ireland and Georgia. They were undefeated with 4 wins and 4 draws. They have a good record at home but did only draw with Ireland twice (and they've been poor for ages now). They did finish above England in the Nations league (on head-to-head) and behind Belgium. Christian Eriksen remains their star player but they have quality all over the pitch and they will be the team to beat. At Euro 2020 they are in a group with Finland, Belgium and Russia with all three of their group matches being played in Copenhagen. We've won the last two times we've played them. Both friendlies in August 2011 and March 2016. Austria Austria qualified for Euro 2020 after finishing second behind Poland in qualifying, ahead of Macedonia, Slovenia and Israel. They lost 4-2 in Israel. They do tend to win the matches you'd expect them to win. They won promotion to Group A in the Nations League after topping a group with Norway, Romania and Northern Ireland (they won all 3 away matches). Almost all their squad play in Germany or Austria with many players at Bayern, Dortmund and the two RB teams. At Euro 2020 they are in a group with Netherlands, Macedonia and Ukraine. We did win the last match between the two sides, a friendly in May 2007. Israel Nothing new to add. Faroe Islands Faroes finished second bottom of their Euro 2020 qualifying with just 3 points - a home win against Malta. They scored 4 goals in 10 matches and conceded 30. Other than the matches against Malta, they were beaten by 2 or more goals in every match. They did win promotion to Group C in the Nations League after topping the group with Malta, Latvia and Andorra. Whilst we've struggled in the Faroes in the past, we simply need to be taking 6 points from them. Moldova Faroes finished bottom of their Euro 2020 qualifying with just 3 points - a home win against Andorra. They scored 4 goals in 10 matches and conceded 26. They had a few tight matches and France needed a 79th minute penalty to beat them at home after Moldova went 1-0 up. They have a Nations League relegation play-off against Kazakhstan in March 2022 after finishing bottom of a group containing Greece, Slovenia and Kosovo - their only point coming from a home draw against Kosovo. Again, we simply need to take 6 points from them because all our rivals will. Fixtures should be out later today. I'd quite like to get some of the away matches against our rivals early on while fans are unlikely to be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Denmark's strength is their consistency. They may lack the ultimate weapons to compete against the other big guns in the game but they are very efficient against teams just below their level or at ours. We will need to put in our best performances to get results against them but sooner be facing them than the many great teams in Pot One. Austria do not leak goals so we'll find them hard to break down but a bit like Denmark they lack true world class players that others in Pot 2 have but they are a solid outfit and certainly no mugs. Their squad is an ageing one though with an average age around 28 for their squad with a few of it having players in their early to mid-30s. We know Israel inside out now and Clarke has to formulate a plan to get better results against them in our matches against them. We cannot afford defeats against them but Israel could prove handy to us as they could take points off of the top two seeds. The Faroe Islands and Moldova should hold no terrors but they always invoke nerves given how we have a habit to toil against such sides. Early goals in matches against them are key to settling us down and hopefully setting us up for comfortable wins. Any points dropped here would be probably fatal. There can be no complaints about the draw this time around and if we can continue to improve and be more potent in attack we will be a match for Denmark and Austria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Third Lanark Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 2 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said: Denmark's strength is their consistency. They may lack the ultimate weapons to compete against the other big guns in the game but they are very efficient against teams just below their level or at ours. We will need to put in our best performances to get results against them but sooner be facing them than the many great teams in Pot One. Austria do not leak goals so we'll find them hard to break down but a bit like Denmark they lack true world class players that others in Pot 2 have but they are a solid outfit and certainly no mugs. Their squad is an ageing one though with an average age around 28 for their squad with a few of it having players in their early to mid-30s. We know Israel inside out now and Clarke has to formulate a plan to get better results against them in our matches against them. We cannot afford defeats against them but Israel could prove handy to us as they could take points off of the top two seeds. The Faroe Islands and Moldova should hold no terrors but they always invoke nerves given how we have a habit to toil against such sides. Early goals in matches against them are key to settling us down and hopefully setting us up for comfortable wins. Any points dropped here would be probably fatal. There can be no complaints about the draw this time around and if we can continue to improve and be more potent in attack we will be a match for Denmark and Austria. Hopefully Bitton and ElHamed can bring their Celtic form with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 From Oddschecker, to win the group:- Denmark: Evens Austria: 7/4 Scotland: 9/2 Israel: 20/1 Faroes: 500/1 Moldova: 500/1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caledonian Craig Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 23 minutes ago, Toepoke said: From Oddschecker, to win the group:- Denmark: Evens Austria: 7/4 Scotland: 9/2 Israel: 20/1 Faroes: 500/1 Moldova: 500/1 I'd hazard a guess it has been a mighty long time since we were so short odds to win a qualifying group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Scotlandfan Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 2 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said: I'd hazard a guess it has been a mighty long time since we were so short odds to win a qualifying group. 18% chance of winning the group according to the bookies. Think we were about these odds to qualify for the Euros before the Israel play off game. Crazy that we've now got the same chance of getting to the World Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 (edited) 33 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said: I'd hazard a guess it has been a mighty long time since we were so short odds to win a qualifying group. Probably the 2002 group with Belgium and Croatia in it? (Back when Belgium were Marc Wilmots and that was about it, where did it all go right for them? ) Edited December 8, 2020 by Toepoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceudmilefailte Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 4 hours ago, Toepoke said: From Oddschecker, to win the group:- Denmark: Evens Austria: 7/4 Scotland: 9/2 Israel: 20/1 Faroes: 500/1 Moldova: 500/1 Was just going to point out how bad that book was and we would be bigger once all the bookies offered odds. 10/1 at William Hills now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee Dave Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 4 hours ago, Toepoke said: Probably the 2002 group with Belgium and Croatia in it? (Back when Belgium were Marc Wilmots and that was about it, where did it all go right for them? ) Still think the 2-2 at Hampden is where our fortunes turned, and it took us 20 years to recover 😣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASTA Mick Posted December 9, 2020 Author Share Posted December 9, 2020 18 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said: I'd hazard a guess it has been a mighty long time since we were so short odds to win a qualifying group. Probably the 2010 WC group where we were a second seed in a group with Holland, Norway, Macedonia and Iceland. I still can't believe how quickly Burley undid all the good work done by Smith and McLeish. We'd have had a chance in that group if McLeish had stayed on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 On 12/8/2020 at 8:38 PM, Wee Dave said: Still think the 2-2 at Hampden is where our fortunes turned, and it took us 20 years to recover 😣 Seemed a turning point for Belgium too, in the opposite direction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bino's Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 On 12/8/2020 at 4:04 PM, Super_Scotlandfan said: 18% chance of winning the group according to the bookies. Think we were about these odds to qualify for the Euros before the Israel play off game. Crazy that we've now got the same chance of getting to the World Cup. We were only a 25 percent chance to win in Belgrade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davy-hay Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 Dickov has it work cut out then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 3 hours ago, davy-hay said: Dickov has it work cut out then 🥱 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor1996 Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Denmark might pull out of the qualifications On a humanitarian standpoint, more countries should be following Denmark's lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davy-hay Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 8 minutes ago, Taylor1996 said: Denmark might pull out of the qualifications On a humanitarian standpoint, more countries should be following Denmark's lead. So you want to boycott our best chance of getting to a world cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor1996 Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 1 minute ago, davy-hay said: So you want to boycott our best chance of getting to a world cup? I think every nation should boycott it. Ideally, move the world cup to a country that doesn't still live in the dark ages. There's more to life than football, morals should be one of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davy-hay Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 38 minutes ago, Taylor1996 said: I think every nation should boycott it. Ideally, move the world cup to a country that doesn't still live in the dark ages. There's more to life than football, morals should be one of them Ok, I'd be up for moving it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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