Runners up in world cup groups.

[CardiffIrish2]

Had a quick check to see potential match ups for Wales and Ireland ( hopefully these are the top 2 but I'll keep quiet who I want to be the automatic qualifiers 😃)

Northern Ireland , Iceland and Greece maybe Scotland or Slovakia all look beatable.

However there is a real horror story in either Spain or Italy as potential opponents 😱😱😱😱

[Hilts]

Had a quick check to see potential match ups for Wales and Ireland ( hopefully these are eh top 2 but I'll keep quiet who I want bro be the automatic qualifiers 😃)

Northern Ireland , Iceland and Greece maybe Scotland or Slovakia all look beatable.

However there is a real horror story in either Spain or Italy as potential opponents 😱😱😱😱

Id take a play off against Italy or Spain right now.

[CardiffIrish2]

I'm hoping Ireland smash Serbia Tuesday which may derail them a bit.

My preferred wish ( may as well have the bollocks of my convictions ) is Ireland to win group, Wales second and facing Northern Ireland in play off.

Not sure how the seedings are decided though.

[Pearcey3]

I'm hoping Ireland smash Serbia Tuesday which may derail them a bit.

My preferred wish ( may as well have the bollocks of my convictions ) is Ireland to win group, Wales second and facing Northern Ireland in play off.

Not sure how the seedings are decided though.

There is no guarantee that the side finishing second in our group will make the play offs though. As things stand our group is the one where second place is likely to miss out on the play offs.

[bluethrough]

There is no guarantee that the side finishing second in our group will make the play offs though. As things stand our group is the one where second place is likely to miss out on the play offs.

Just had a quick look at the groups and it doesn't make good viewing regarding the 2nd spots.

[Pearcey3]

Just had a quick look at the groups and it doesn't make good viewing regarding the 2nd spots.

That's the worry

[bluethrough]

That's the worry

Maybe Russia will get banned from the competition for drugs or something.

[islandblue]

Maybe Russia will get banned from the competition for drugs or something.

They didn't in 2004 when one of their players failed a drug test after they beat us in a playoff.

[J R Hartley]

If we win all 4 games and finish on 20 I'd be amazed that we don't get a play off place. Still 3 other groups where 2nd are on 13 points with only 9 to play for.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

There is no guarantee that the side finishing second in our group will make the play offs though. As things stand our group is the one where second place is likely to miss out on the play offs.

If we were to win our remaining 3 games, how likely is that position to remain, given that I'd expect other teams to drop points somewhere? I haven't looked and don't fancy wading through tables to see what the situation is!

[The Bloop]

If we were to win our remaining 3 games, how likely is that position to remain, given that I'd expect other teams to drop points somewhere? I haven't looked and don't fancy wading through tables to see what the situation is!

Our points gained against Moldova won't count when calculating the best 8 second place teams. That's why it's likely to be our group thst will miss out on the play offs.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Our points gained against Moldova won't count when calculating the best 8 second place teams. That's why it's likely to be our group thst will miss out on the play offs.

Ok, from that I'm guessing that all the other likely 2nd placed teams have dropped points against the bottom teams in their group.

[The Bloop]

Ok, from that I'm guessing that all the other likely 2nd placed teams have dropped points against the bottom teams in their group.

I think it's that once those points have gone other 2nd place teams are likely to have more points. We're in a tight group and the higher number of draws is likely to count against whomever finishes 2nd

[jamieccfc]

So we would end up with 14 points if we win our remaining games?

[TH63]

So we would end up with 14 points if we win our remaining games?

Eh? We're on 11 now, three wins would put us on 20

[jamieccfc]

Eh? We're on 11 now, three wins would put us on 20

Our points won't count against moldova

[TH63]

Our points won't count against moldova

Sorry, I. Ay be being a bit thick, but you've lost me there

[jamieccfc]

Sorry, I. Ay be being a bit thick, but you've lost me there

The best runners up will be based on their record against 1st 3rd 4th and 5th I'm assuming it's by points gained in the games and not some mad formula FIFA has made up

[TH63]

The best runners up will be based on their record against 1st 3rd 4th and 5th I'm assuming it's by points gained in the games and not some mad formula FIFA has made up

Ah, i see what you mean.

[J R Hartley]

The best runners up will be based on their record against 1st 3rd 4th and 5th I'm assuming it's by points gained in the games and not some mad formula FIFA has made up

We could go the whole group without losing a game and still not make play offs

Perhaps a pre play off game of the worst runners up would be fairer

[jamieccfc]

We could go the whole group without losing a game and still not make play offs

Perhaps a pre play off game of the worst runners up would be fairer

I don't get it we all have the same seeds it should be the ones with the highest points at the end surely

[Pearcey3]

It just seems remarkably stupid that the authorities have devised a system whereby runners up in 8 of the nine groups make the play offs penalising the team in a really tight group that finishes second but doesn't qualify for a play off place.

[the other bob wilson]

After this.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/f...young-12182795

I can believe anything when it comes to mad formulas for deciding who qualifies and who doesn't.

Looks like we need more scores like Finland 1 Iceland 0 in other groups.

[J R Hartley]

I don't get it we all have the same seeds it should be the ones with the highest points at the end surely

Yeah just looked at the groups, they all have 6 teams it's not like one group has 5?!?

Group H looks like being our saviour. Providing we win all our games and finish on 20 points (or 14 excluding Moldova points) then if Belgium beat Greece tonight they can only finish on 19 points (or 13 excluding Gilbraltar points).

Bosnia can get same points as us if we both win our last 3 games but they also have Belgium to play so will hopefully drop points there.

So basically we need a little help from our Belgian friends in their next 2 away games.

All this is hopeless if we don't win our last 3 of course.

[Kris]

Yeah just looked at the groups, they all have 6 teams it's not like one group has 5?!?

Group H looks like being our saviour. Providing we win all our games and finish on 20 points (or 14 excluding Moldova points) then if Belgium beat Greece tonight they can only finish on 19 points (or 13 excluding Gilbraltar points).

Bosnia can get same points as us if we both win our last 3 games but they also have Belgium to play so will hopefully drop points there.

So basically we need a little help from our Belgian friends in their next 2 away games.

All this is hopeless if we don't win our last 3 of course.

I still think Wales can top the group. Need Ireland to beat them on Tuesday, then for Wales to win all remaining games. Serbia still have to go to Austria who are a good team.

If Ireland beat Serbia and Wales beat Moldova the group looks like this

Ireland 16
Serbia 15
Wales 14.



Serbia then go to Austria, Ireland play Moldova and Wales have the tricky game in Georgia. Assuming Wales and Ireland win, and Serbia fail to win we have

Ireland 19
Wales 17

Going into the last game.