Are Wales better than us?

[biffer]

No

[ParisInAKilt]

Not at the moment 

Be ideal to draw them soon and take 6 points 

[sjd1972]

Not according to the FIFA rankings.  Scotland up to 30th and Wales down to 35th.😁

[Caledonian Craig]

1 hour ago, sjd1972 said:

Not according to the FIFA rankings.  Scotland up to 30th and Wales down to 35th.😁

To be fair when have we ever held any faith in the FIFA rankungs?

At present though we are on the up and Wales are on their way down so yes we are quite obviously better than them.

[Grim Jim]

Well on the much more reliable ELO ratings, we are 21st and Wales are 48th 😄

(13th & 26th in UEFA)

[Fairbairn]

19 hours ago, Grim Jim said:

Well on the much more reliable ELO ratings, we are 21st and Wales are 48th 😄

(13th & 26th in UEFA)

That's some Blue Sky thinking!

[Grim Jim]

The two systems are now fairly similar.   Since 2003 FIFA switched to the ELO system, but started from their 2003 FIFA rating points, do not count goal difference, and do count penalty shoot-out winners.

I'm surprised there's still such a difference in the rankings.

 

[duncan II]

2 hours ago, Fairbairn said:

That's some Blue Sky thinking!

Well, you gotta hold on tight to your dream.

[ceudmilefailte]

On 6/29/2023 at 6:26 PM, Grim Jim said:

Well on the much more reliable ELO ratings, we are 21st and Wales are 48th 😄

(13th & 26th in UEFA)

Does that mean there are only 8 teams outside Europe better than us?

[mccaughey85]

It looks like we are about to overtake them but its still fair to remind ourselves that they went to the last world cup that was only 6/7 months ago knocking out the team that knocked us out. 

Saying that it looks like we are going to be the better team in the next few years if we keep this up.

[Texas Pete]

1 hour ago, mccaughey85 said:

It looks like we are about to overtake them but its still fair to remind ourselves that they went to the last world cup that was only 6/7 months ago knocking out the team that knocked us out. 

Saying that it looks like we are going to be the better team in the next few years if we keep this up.

Bale, Allen, Williams and maybe a couple of others retiring from international football has weakened them considerably. Ramsey is a liability for them right now as well.

They actually had a half decent start to their qualifying campaign but getting pumped by Armenia at home and then losing to Turkey has made it very difficult for them to qualify. I would imagine their moment in the sun is over and they’ll probably disappear back into pot 5/6 obscurity where they lived for decades.

 

[0Neils40yarder]

Any chance we can get a wee game against them...had a couple of good trips to Cardiff absolutely fucked by the nick of our teams

[mccaughey85]

19 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

Bale, Allen, Williams and maybe a couple of others retiring from international football has weakened them considerably. Ramsey is a liability for them right now as well.

They actually had a half decent start to their qualifying campaign but getting pumped by Armenia at home and then losing to Turkey has made it very difficult for them to qualify. I would imagine their moment in the sun is over and they’ll probably disappear back into pot 5/6 obscurity where they lived for decades.

 

I think if they are managed right and a few more epl level players break through then they should still be a pot2 or 3 team. They still have quite a few epl players and some very good english championship players. 

With euros being 24 teams then they should be qualifying most years imo. 

Saying that i agree to a certain extent that the glory days are over and i can see us being the better team for the next few years at least unless they produce another bale and ramsay.

Gotta hand it to them though they had a really good team for a few years there and i would love for us to achieve what they did. 

[Texas Pete]

7 minutes ago, mccaughey85 said:

I think if they are managed right and a few more epl level players break through then they should still be a pot2 or 3 team. They still have quite a few epl players and some very good english championship players. 

With euros being 24 teams then they should be qualifying most years imo. 

Saying that i agree to a certain extent that the glory days are over and i can see us being the better team for the next few years at least unless they produce another bale and ramsay.

Gotta hand it to them though they had a really good team for a few years there and i would love for us to achieve what they did. 

Aye maybe. Time will tell. 

I would also love is to achieve something similar to what they have done over the last few years but one thing is certain - I would rather be on our position right now than theirs. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by Texas Pete

[JECK]

Wales of the cusp of a statement result tonight v Croatia abd looking better for qualification tonight. Meanwhile both irelands are in peril.

[meagain]

No.

[Tartan Chris]

17 minutes ago, JECK said:

Wales of the cusp of a statement result tonight v Croatia abd looking better for qualification tonight. Meanwhile both irelands are in peril.

A few of their younger players are stepping up now, Harry Wilson was fantastic in the number 10 position tonight.

They're weaker than 4-5 years ago but will still be in contention to make euros. Can't see them qualifying for another World cup for a very long time though.

If they win their last two it comes down to head to head so they will finish above Croatia. That will be some achievement.

[DesiScotsman]

1 hour ago, Tartan Chris said:

A few of their younger players are stepping up now, Harry Wilson was fantastic in the number 10 position tonight.

They're weaker than 4-5 years ago but will still be in contention to make euros. Can't see them qualifying for another World cup for a very long time though.

If they win their last two it comes down to head to head so they will finish above Croatia. That will be some achievement.

Wales win their last two and they qualify automatically yep. Would Croatia go to play offs if they fail to finish in top 2 I take it or be confirmed as eliminated?

[todd]

I really dislike them but im not entirely sure why, i just always have, perhaps im just inherently Welshist. Either way, I really hope they fall flat on their overrated druid arses!

[Texas Pete]

43 minutes ago, DesiScotsman said:

Wales win their last two and they qualify automatically yep. Would Croatia go to play offs if they fail to finish in top 2 I take it or be confirmed as eliminated?

Croatia are guaranteed a playoff as they won their Nations League group. 

[Orraloon]

8 hours ago, DesiScotsman said:

Wales win their last two and they qualify automatically yep. Would Croatia go to play offs if they fail to finish in top 2 I take it or be confirmed as eliminated?

If Wales win their last two games they win their group.

[broraboy]

2 hours ago, Orraloon said:

If Wales win their last two games they win their group.

Correct, if Wales win their last 2 games they will Qualify and what an achievement that will be! 
Away to Armenia who already beat Wales 4-2 in Cardiff and the final group game against group leaders Turkey who imo need to take something from the game to qualify……. 
 

Croatia imo will win their last 2 games to go on 16 points and Croatia have the better head to head result over Turkey! So if Croatia win out and Wales win out then Turkey are eliminated, don’t think this will happen as for Wales to take maximum points from the last 2 games is a big ask…… 

[broraboy]

But to answer the question - No they are not 

Some good players but nowhere near that of Scotland 

[Tartan Chris]

34 minutes ago, broraboy said:

Correct, if Wales win their last 2 games they will Qualify and what an achievement that will be! 
Away to Armenia who already beat Wales 4-2 in Cardiff and the final group game against group leaders Turkey who imo need to take something from the game to qualify……. 
 

Croatia imo will win their last 2 games to go on 16 points and Croatia have the better head to head result over Turkey! So if Croatia win out and Wales win out then Turkey are eliminated, don’t think this will happen as for Wales to take maximum points from the last 2 games is a big ask…… 

Turkey have actually qualfied.

Of course still a formula that all three could end up on 16 points but in the triple head to head that puts Turkey on 6 points. Croatia only on 4 points given it's 1 point from Wales games and they lost at home to Turkey the other day.

Think Modric has already said Euros will be his last tournament so again Croatia might not be a bad team to draw in World cup as assume they'll remain in pot 1 and watching them last night their quality in final third has declined compared to 5 years ago, certainly don't have a CF of quality of Mandzukic.

[Prestersktid]

12 hours ago, todd said:

I really dislike them but im not entirely sure why, i just always have, perhaps im just inherently Welshist. Either way, I really hope they fall flat on their overrated druid arses!

For me it's because of the 2014 campaign where they beat us home and away. The away game Bale diving for a penalty and Scotland having a goal chalked off because ball supposedly went out of play from a corner (still convinced it didn't)