Internationals 3/9/2010

[belfast_bomber]

International break this weekend, and in a break with tradition the matches are being played on Friday and Tuesday rather than on Saturday and Wednesday. I haven't heard why but suspect it might be because of clubs complaining about players returning from international duty?

So anyway we've a round of matches this evening, mainly qualifiers for continental championships, leaving us married blokes without an excuse to feck off to the pub on Saturday

Tonight's glamour match of course is lovely us v Switzerland in St. Gallen.

Ireland are taking on Kim Kardashian's boys Armenia in Yerevan at 4 o'clock this arvo Irish time. England face Bulgaria at Wembley later on. Wales have a tricky trip to Montenegro, Scotland have Lithuania away, and the Nordies are in Slovenia.

Full European programme (times UK/Ireland):

Group A
Belgium v Germany 19:45
Kazakhstan v Turkey 17:00

Group B
Andorra v Russia 17:30
Armenia v Ireland 16:00
Slovakia v Macedonia FYR 19:30

Group C
Estonia v Italy 19:30
Faroe Islands v Serbia 18:00
Slovenia v Northern Ireland 19:45

Group D
France v Belarus 20:00
Luxembourg v Bosnia-Herzegovina 19:15
Romania v Albania 19:00

Group E
Moldova v Finland 17:30
San Marino v Netherlands 19:45
Sweden v Hungary 19:00

Group F
Greece v Georgia 19:45
Latvia v Croatia 19:00

Group G
England v Bulgaria 20:00
Montenegro v Wales 18:30

Group H
Iceland v Norway 20:00
Portugal v Cyprus 20:45

Group I
Liechtenstein v Spain 19:45
Lithuania v Scotland 19:15

Friendly
Switzerland v Australia 19:15

 

[Kaan]

Go Turkey.

Really think we can give Germany a run for there money for 1st spot in group a with Hiddink in charge and some talented players.

 

[r dub 19]

inb4 chelsea and united players pick up a mysterious injury and don't play.

 

[Kompany]

----------------Lukaku--------------------
Dembele----------Fellaini------------Hazard
----------Vertonghen---Simons------------
Vermaelen-Kompany-Van Buyten-Alderweireld
------------------Bailly--------------------


-------------------Klose-------------------
Podolski------------Oezil-------------Mueller
--------Schweinsteiger---Khedira-----------
Jansen----Badstuber---Mertesacker----Lahm
------------------Neuer--------------------

I don't think we look bad at all on paper (unthanks both fullbacks and 1 holding midfielder all playing as CBs at their clubs), but I'm sure we're doomed to fail again.

Should still be a (really) good side in 2 to 4 years though. And there's still Defour and a few more kids that seem to be coming up fast.

 

[Ray Nolan]

We played well last time we went to Maribor to play the Slovenes but still couldn't get the win. This time I'd settle for a crap performance and scabbing a draw. Heck, given our recent record I'd settle for a goal, hopefully we'll improve on the recent dire performances against Montenegro and Albania.

 

[SebastianVettel]

----------------Lukaku--------------------
Dembele----------Fellaini------------Hazard
----------Vertonghen---Simons------------
Vermaelen-Kompany-Van Buyten-Alderweireld
------------------Bailly--------------------

How do you rate Alderweireld mate?

Got a game of FM2009 cranking playing as Utrecht, and he was a player I came across in the Ajax resos that looked half decent on there. So am keen to find out what he's like in reality.

 

[moomba]

Should still be a (really) good side in 2 to 4 years though. And there's still Defour and a few more kids that seem to be coming up fast.

Has Boyata got much of a reputation in Belgium as an up and comer?

He's looked very classy when he's got his chances for us, and is one of the kids that should get plenty of opportunity in cups at least.

 

[kid_a]

sweet lord!!!

van Nistlerooij is named on the bench for the oranje!

wonder if he will have any game time?

 

[Knowledge]

Serbia the *******s will somehow find a way to draw/lose to the mighty Faroe islands. Inevitable blow up imminent

 

[kid_a]

Serbia the *******s will somehow find a way to draw/lose to the mighty Faroe islands. Inevitable blow up imminent

haha,

'89- own goal
'90+2- ridicolous deflection off an otherwise terrible Faroe free kick

 

[kid_a]

Ireland grabbed a 1-0 win over armenia

 

[belfast_bomber]

Armenia didn't look like doing much, Ireland were comfortable. Then Ireland scored. From then on they looked like shitting it. Just about hung on though.

Montenegro 1-0 Wales at half time.

 

[belfast_bomber]

Bugger me, Portugal 1-2 Cyprus after ten minutes!

Lovely us and Switzerland finished 0-0. Frei missed a penalty.

 

[Kaan]

Check out this goal from Bayern Munich player Hamit Altintop

[YOUTUBE]1-Ed6xutwDs[/YOUTUBE]

 

[belfast_bomber]

Oh dear. France 0-1 Belarus.

England beat Bulgaria comfortably enough. Hat-trick from Defoe (all Rooney assists) and a nice finish from Adam Johnson.

 

[jod23]

Defoe hattrick, England battered Bulgaria. Torres got 2 for Spain as they easily won 4-0. DK scored from the spot too for the Dutch. Good for LFC.

 

[belfast_bomber]

sweet lord!!!

van Nistlerooij is named on the bench for the oranje!

wonder if he will have any game time?

He scored! Huntelaar got a hatty as well.

 

[belfast_bomber]

Bugger me, Portugal 1-2 Cyprus after ten minutes!

Mad game this one. Cyprus have hit the lead three times, Portugal pegged them back every time and now they've just made it 4-3. Still half an hour to go.

 

[Kaan]

Finished 4-4

 

[Kompany]

Germany hardly created any chances, so Van Buyten decided to give his Bayern teammates a hand and pass Mueller the ball in his own penalty area. Story of his life. He's a great guy, one of the few who's always cared about the NT, but somehow he gets too nervous playing for Belgium and keeps on screwing up.

How do you rate Alderweireld mate?

I've read more about him than I've actually seen, but it seems he's developing well. He and Vertonghen have been getting heaps of praise as a central defensive duo in Holland, but what's the value of the Dutch league nowadays?

Vertonghen will probably be the next one to leave Ajax.

Has Boyata got much of a reputation in Belgium as an up and comer?

I think he's gone under the radar a bit, partly because of Hazard and Lukaku, but also because he's yet another CB. We've just got too many of them at the moment.

I've seen him quite a number of times play for you though and he looked promising indeed.

 

[kid_a]

He scored! Huntelaar got a hatty as well.

well its official now(as if it wasnt before, i guess though), it was merely the van basten-van nistlerooij relationship(or lack of) that stopped him playing for Holland.

Wonder if he'll be servicable come euro 2012???

in any case good result, 5-0, even if it was against san marino

lol @ portugal

 

[Jessica Watson]

Ruud will turn 36 during the EURO 2012 tournament.

I cant see him getting picked - and if he is, he'll only make cameo appearances off the bench..

He'd still probably be serviceable because of the fact he's always in the right place and is a deadly, deadly finisher.

 

[Ray Nolan]

GET ****ING IN!

Cracking 1-0 win away from home in Slovenia for the mighty Northern Ireland!

Corry Evans scores with his first touch after a nice cross in from Craig Cathcart.

Excellent result given our dire form of late, it'd be nice to do the same to Italy at Windsor next month.

(If anyone knows where there is a cap or torrent of the game please let me know - haven't been able to find one yet!)

 

[DB10]

Mad game this one. Cyprus have hit the lead three times, Portugal pegged them back every time and now they've just made it 4-3. Still half an hour to go.

Finished 4-4

Portugal are ****ing shit.

 

[Jessica Watson]

Portugal are ****ing shit.

They have no good players.