Our qualifying group specifically......

[Texas Pete]

23 minutes ago, Orraloon said:

You just read it wrong. 

I read it several times as well. 😂

[The Black Bra]

Not being pessimistic here, just realistic. I can’t see us getting anything in Spain. It shouldn’t matter, we should be able to go to Georgia and get at least a point. Just hope that (probably) losing to Spain then France won’t dent our confidence too much.

[Texas Pete]

2 minutes ago, The Black Bra said:

Not being pessimistic here, just realistic. I can’t see us getting anything in Spain. It shouldn’t matter, we should be able to go to Georgia and get at least a point. Just hope that (probably) losing to Spain then France won’t dent our confidence too much.

I don’t think we’ll get anything in Spain either. Not because I’m pessimistic it’s just that most teams would struggle to get anything in Spain. Anything is possible though and I’m hopeful we’ll get something rather than expecting to.

Getting a draw in Georgia won’t be enough though. We would need to win in Tbilisi to guarantee qualification (if Norway beat Spain). 

If Norway do beat Spain I’m hoping it’s because Spain’s confidence has been dented by getting pumped at home by Scotland. 😂

[Bobby Russell's Lovechild]

42 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

We don’t need Spain to beat Norway. A draw would do. 

It would, but I've said on a previous post, a draw would be too nerve-wracking watching it, knowing Norway could grab a winner

[Texas Pete]

15 minutes ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

It would, but I've said on a previous post, a draw would be too nerve-wracking watching it, knowing Norway could grab a winner

Well aye Spain being 5 goals up at half time would be the best thing for our nerves but a draw would do us just fine. 

Norway v Spain must be on at the same time as we play France? I didn’t even hear the Norway v Georgia result until I was in the queue at Mount Florida station so I’ll hopefully avoid the Norway v Spain result until full time as well. 

[todd]

8 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

Well aye Spain being 5 goals up at half time would be the best thing for our nerves but a draw would do us just fine. 

Norway v Spain must be on at the same time as we play France? I didn’t even hear the Norway v Georgia result until I was in the queue at Mount Florida station so I’ll hopefully avoid the Norway v Spain result until full time as well. 

I think our game against France is a couple of days after Norway v Spain but not certain 

Edited September 14, 2023 by todd

[Texas Pete]

4 minutes ago, todd said:

I think our game against France is a couple of days after Norway v Spain but not certain 

I hadn’t checked but yeah that’s right. Norway play Spain on 15th and we play France on the 17th. Yet another reason we should have avoided playing France if that was the only day they are available. 

I suppose the squad being together for an extra couple of days couldn’t hurt. 

[exile]

are there any other scenarios we could qualify by drawing with georgia?

[exile]

6 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

We now have 5 bites at the cherry to qualify:

1) We avoid defeat in Spain

2) Norway fail to be beat Spain

3) We win in Georgia 

4) Norway fail to beat Cyprus 

5) We avoid defeat to Norway 

Surely at least one of these things will happen? Ok so number 4 is very unlikely and number 1 will be difficult but the other 3 are very realistic. You could even argue they are probable.

So how would you rank the three most likely? 

And where would you place the probability of the Norway Georgia draw (before it happened, obvs) relative to all 6? I suppose that was one of the more unlikely to happen - (between 4 and 1 or a bit likelier than 1?) - and it didn't. 

[Texas Pete]

8 minutes ago, exile said:

So how would you rank the three most likely? 

And where would you place the probability of the Norway Georgia draw (before it happened, obvs) relative to all 6? I suppose that was one of the more unlikely to happen - (between 4 and 1 or a bit likelier than 1?) - and it didn't. 

I think the most likely is Norway failing to beat Spain. That’s the safety net we provided for ourselves by beating Spain at home. 

If Norway match that achievement and also beat Spain at home then the next most likely one is for us to win in Georgia. I fancy us to win in Tbilisi. 

If we fail to win in Georgia then the pressure on is in the Norway game at Hampden will be incredible but what a night that would be. 

If we were offered the chance to qualify by avoiding defeat in our final game at home to Norway we’d all have jumped at that chance. The fact we are all hoping to qualify at least one game before that shows how well we have done so far. 

[Toepoke]

5 hours ago, exile said:

are there any other scenarios we could qualify by drawing with georgia?

Yes, but only if Spain lose in Cyprus the same night. 

So basically if we haven't already qualified by the Georgia game it's a must win or we're going to the wire v Norway.

 

 

[Texas Pete]

24 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

Yes, but only if Spain lose in Cyprus the same night. 

So basically if we haven't already qualified by the Georgia game it's a must win or we're going to the wire v Norway.

 

 

Sounds familiar 

[Caledonian Craig]

1 hour ago, Toepoke said:

Yes, but only if Spain lose in Cyprus the same night. 

So basically if we haven't already qualified by the Georgia game it's a must win or we're going to the wire v Norway.

 

 

Not true. Before we go to Georgia in that position Norway will have to have beaten Spain in Oslo. No way can I see that happen. I see more chance of us taking something from Spain than Norway doing so.

[Toepoke]

2 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Not true. Before we go to Georgia in that position Norway will have to have beaten Spain in Oslo. No way can I see that happen. I see more chance of us taking something from Spain than Norway doing so.

I'm well aware of that Craig. I should have clarified the above scenario was only if Norway are still in the hunt.

So it is very true that if we've not already qualified before we go to Tbilisi, we're going to need 3 points there or it's squeaky bum time at Hampden.

It's possible for the Norway game to have three different fates riding on it. We lose = play-offs, we draw = qualification, we win = top the group. What a rollercoaster that would be!

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Toepoke

[todd]

35 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

I'm well aware of that Craig. I should have clarified the above scenario was only if Norway are still in the hunt.

So it is very true that if we've not already qualified before we go to Tbilisi, we're going to need 3 points there or it's squeaky bum time at Hampden.

It's possible for the Norway game to have three different fates riding on it. We lose = play-offs, we draw = qualification, we win = top the group. What a rollercoaster that would be!

 

That would've been a dream scenario before the qualifiers started but now sounds like a bit of a nightmare 😳 

[86glebestreet]

13 hours ago, Bobby Russell's Lovechild said:

It would, but I've said on a previous post, a draw would be too nerve-wracking watching it, knowing Norway could grab a winner

Like Rodri slipping over so his Man City team mate Haaland scores the winner 

[Texas Pete]

6 hours ago, todd said:

That would've been a dream scenario before the qualifiers started but now sounds like a bit of a nightmare 😳 

Crazy what being in a brilliant position does to your outlook. 

When the draw was made we would probably all have been delighted if we had known we could have qualified by having to beat Norway in our final game. Now even the thought of having to draw with them to book our place sounds horrific. 

[Orraloon]

6 hours ago, todd said:

That would've been a dream scenario before the qualifiers started but now sounds like a bit of a nightmare 😳 

🤣 🤣

[Texas Pete]

10 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Not true. Before we go to Georgia in that position Norway will have to have beaten Spain in Oslo. No way can I see that happen. I see more chance of us taking something from Spain than Norway doing so.

If we can beat Spain at Hampden, Norway can beat them in Oslo. 

It’s probably less likely for a few reasons but it’s hardly impossible. 

We can’t rely on it anyway so we have to be prepared to potentially have to go to Georgia and win if we don’t take anything in Spain or if Spain don’t do is a favour in Norway. 

[TDYER63]

Bugger all these permutations , I have just booked flights and free cancellation accommodation. We are 1/12 on to qualify,  even I am brave enough to gamble on those odds. Might even bet on  us NOT qualifying , to claw some dosh back if it all goes pearshaped 🙄

[Texas Pete]

18 minutes ago, TDYER63 said:

Bugger all these permutations , I have just booked flights and free cancellation accommodation. We are 1/12 on to qualify,  even I am brave enough to gamble on those odds. Might even bet on  us NOT qualifying , to claw some dosh back if it all goes pearshaped 🙄

We’ll be fine. If Spain don’t beat Norway we will go to Georgia and win. You heard it here first.  

[TDYER63]

12 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

We’ll be fine. If Spain don’t beat Norway we will go to Georgia and win. You heard it here first.  

👏👏

[todd]

58 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

We’ll be fine. If Spain don’t beat Norway we will go to Georgia and win. You heard it here first.  

Seems insane that we feel like we're hedging our bets on the insane notion that Spain might scrape at least a draw against Norway 😄

[Caledonian Craig]

2 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

If we can beat Spain at Hampden, Norway can beat them in Oslo. 

It’s probably less likely for a few reasons but it’s hardly impossible. 

We can’t rely on it anyway so we have to be prepared to potentially have to go to Georgia and win if we don’t take anything in Spain or if Spain don’t do is a favour in Norway. 

I disagree on the first part. Spain are now into their stride and scoring freely and  whereas we scored early and had a decent defence to keep them out Norway do not. Also Spain would happily taken a draw at Hampden and that perhaps affected the way they played and formation they set up with. In Oslo though Spain miust win or they run the risk of not winning the group altering their seeding in the process.

I agree on your second part and think we should be going to Georgia confident of a win. Their defence leaks goals  and they are hardly ruthless in front of goal.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Caledonian Craig

[Texas Pete]

9 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

I disagree on the first part. Spain are now into their stride and scoring freely and  whereas we scored early and had a decent defence to keep them out Norway do not. Also Spain would happily taken a draw at Hampden and that perhaps affected the way they played and formation they set up with. In Oslo though Spain miust win or they run the risk of not winning the group altering their seeding in the process.

I agree on your second part and think we should be going to Georgia confident of a win. Their defence leaks goals  and they are hardly ruthless in front of goal.

You disagree that it’s possible for Norway to beat Spain? I remember a few folk saying that to me about about Norway being able to beat Brazil in France in 1998. Not that it mattered in the end up since Morocco battered us but my point is this - assume nothing. 

I am fully preparing myself for the fact that we very well may need to go to Georgia and win. If Spain do us a favour then great but if not the it’s over to us to prove we have the stones to go and take what we are all desperate for.