Anyone else think England Might Not Qualify?

[purpleronnie]

A win in russia would do it but I think thats going to be 10 times harder than our home game against them, if they had taken some good early chances things would have been a lot different.

If we draw against russia we'll need to beat croatia, a team that pretty much played us off the park last time we played.

If russia beat us then even a win against croatia probably won't be enough.

Seems the press and everyone I hear on tv thinks we're already through.

Anyone else nervous.

p.s. (please take the england blinkers off, I know we all want england to win).

[Manwell Pablo]

A win in russia would do it but I think thats going to be 10 times harder than our home game against them, if they had taken some good early chances things would have been a lot different.

If we draw against russia we'll need to beat croatia, a team that pretty much played us off the park last time we played.

If russia beat us then even a win against croatia probably won't be enough.

Seems the press and everyone I hear on tv thinks we're already through.

Anyone else nervous.

p.s. (please take the england blinkers off, I know we all want england to win).

Not at all, I said we'd struggle to qualify from the off. I think we'll lose in Russia and that will be that Goodbye Steve. Can't see us doing anything on the plastic pitch which will be fiddled with to the limits of footballing law to give Russia the biggest advantage possible.

Obviously I hope this isn't the case, hopefully we can get a draw and Russia slip up against Isreal away to make life easy for us.

If we get a win on Wednesday McLaren deserves some credit but I wont be forgetting Macedonia (Home) Isreal (Away) Croatia (Away, one of the worst England performances I have ever witnessed) in a hurry.

[Milky]

A win in russia would do it but I think thats going to be 10 times harder than our home game against them, if they had taken some good early chances things would have been a lot different.

If we draw against russia we'll need to beat croatia, a team that pretty much played us off the park last time we played.

If russia beat us then even a win against croatia probably won't be enough.

Seems the press and everyone I hear on tv thinks we're already through.

Anyone else nervous.

p.s. (please take the england blinkers off, I know we all want england to win).

If we draw, we'll be 5 ahead still with Russia having a game in hand, so let's cut that to 2 points. That would mean we'd just need a draw against Croatia to go through because whilst we'd be level on points with Russia, we'd have the superior head to head record.

[Ultra]

Not at all, I said we'd struggle to qualify from the off. I think we'll lose in Russia and that will be that Goodbye Steve. Can't see us doing anything on the plastic pitch which will be fiddled with to the limits of footballing law to give Russia the biggest advantage possible.

Obviously I hope this isn't the case, hopefully we can get a draw and Russia slip up against Isreal away to make life easy for us.

If we get a win on Wednesday McLaren deserves some credit but I wont be forgetting Macedonia (Home) Isreal (Away) Croatia (Away, one of the worst England performances I have ever witnessed) in a hurry.

Russia were so woeful at Wembley that it would be a monumental upset, even allowing for the pitch, if they beat us.

Obviously it's still a possibility (remember the Northern Ireland game two seasons ago?), but there is enough quality in the England side to come back from Moscow with at least a point, and perhaps even the win which will settle qualification once and for all.

Croatia, on the other hand, have shown more than enough during the qualifying stage to suggest they'll be extremely awkward opposition next month.

Any need to beat them to secure our passage to the finals could make for a VERY nervous night at Wembley!

[Manwell Pablo]

Russia were so woeful at Wembley that it would be a monumental upset, even allowing for the pitch, if they beat us.

Obviously it's still a possibility (remember the Northern Ireland game two seasons ago?), but there is enough quality in the England side to come back from Moscow with at least a point, and perhaps even the win which will settle qualification once and for all.

Croatia, on the other hand, have shown more than enough during the qualifying stage to suggest they'll be extremely awkward opposition next month.

Any need to beat them to secure our passage to the finals could make for a VERY nervous night at Wembley!

Well im glad your so confident, but I would warn againt judging Russia soley based on one away performance against us at Wembley, for one they didn't play one of their best players, it's by far the furthest they have to travel, the jet lag could also have played a small part as ko time was about what? 11:45 pm in moscow? climate and pitch to take into account. And it's all being turned round on us on Wednesday.

[Ultra]

Kickoff time is 18.00 (16.00 in the UK), which shouldn't be a problem for Premiership players. And the forecast temperature for the game is 8°C so that shouldn't be an issue either.

Russia may have had players missing during the first game, but so did we - Rooney and Gary Neville, when fit, are both first-choice players.

The one disadvantage we may have is playing Joleon Lescott at left-back (why not Leighton Baines? ), but even this shouldn't disrupt the balance and rhythm of the side.

How many Russia players would be good enough to follow Alexei Smertin into the Premiership?

If Israel, with far more issues to contend with then us, could force a draw there, I see no reason why we shouldn't do likewise - unless McClaren and/or Robinson commits some horrendous blunder..

[Manwell Pablo]

Kickoff time is 18.00 (16.00 in the UK), which shouldn't be a problem for Premiership players. And the forecast temperature for the game is 8°C so that shouldn't be an issue either.

Russia may have had players missing during the first game, but so did we - Rooney and Gary Neville, when fit, are both first-choice players.

The one disadvantage we may have is playing Joleon Lescott at left-back (why not Leighton Baines? ), but even this shouldn't disrupt the balance and rhythm of the side.

How many Russia players would be good enough to follow Alexei Smertin into the Premiership?

If Israel, with far more issues to contend with then us, could force a draw there, I see no reason why we shouldn't do likewise - unless McClaren and/or Robinson commits some horrendous blunder..

Alright if you say so

Although I swear Moscow is three hours ahead making it a 7pm kick there.

[Ultra]

We're still on BST until 28th October.

So Moscow is only two hours in front of us.

[Head Honcho]

It's simple win they're through lose they have to rely on Israel to do them a favour.

Russia at 7/4 to win is a huge price, the bookies aren't wrong often but I may take a chance with Russia.

[purpleronnie]

If we draw, we'll be 5 ahead still with Russia having a game in hand, so let's cut that to 2 points. That would mean we'd just need a draw against Croatia to go through because whilst we'd be level on points with Russia, we'd have the superior head to head record.

Ahhh that makes me feel a little more confident. But I think getting a point in russia will be very tough...hope I'm wrong.

Its weird how we could lose to russia but beat croatia = 3 points = go out

But draw against russia & croatia = 2 points = go through.

So less points could put us through.

[Bert]

If we draw, we'll be 5 ahead still with Russia having a game in hand, so let's cut that to 2 points. That would mean we'd just need a draw against Croatia to go through because whilst we'd be level on points with Russia, we'd have the superior head to head record.

Spot on mate

I think we'll draw tomorrow.

Russia still have to play Israel away which aint easy so even if we do lose we still have a chance of going through. But let's hope we win hey.

[Manwell Pablo]

Spot on mate

I think we'll draw tomorrow.

Russia still have to play Israel away which aint easy so even if we do lose we still have a chance of going through. But let's hope we win hey.

easy enough I'd expect them to get a point, we're up the creek tomorrow if we lose.

[Tevez]

Tommorow is going to be the hardest game England will play in the group. Still pretty poor that they are playing on a artificial pitch for an international.

[Joe.]

I'm strangely very confident.

I know Russia are no pushovers but they're not exactly world beaters either. I'm confident with a team like ours we can get this done and dusted comfortably by tomorrow.

[sdb]

well if we lose we're out, and i'm not optomistic with all this 4-5-1 talk. i'd be amazed if we won but can see us nicking a draw. Heskey would've been great for this game.

[Geo V]

I must admit I am worried about this game.

The dodgy pitch, our first team players getting injured by the day and the form of Robinson. I hope my apprehension isn't proven to be justified but with all this defensive minded talk going on from Gerrard talking about the similarities with another game we had to draw in yesteryear and Lescott being touted to replace Cole at left-back and even the system changing to accomodate Lampard, it seems like we are preparing ourselves to spend 70% of the game in our own half!

[purpleronnie]

I hate to say I'll told you so...oops just did.

Typical england I'm afraid, we panic when things are tight its always been the same, nothing ever changes, we can never kill games off, thats why we have never won anything or even got to a final in 40 years.

Thats the most irratating thing, we never change, I don't even think its a skill problem its a mental one, maybe its just something in our gene's I don't know but its getting really really old. I hope the manager dosen't get the blame but he will, thats not the answer its the way we react when thinhs are close that we have to work on.

[Stevosevic]

Looks like we may be sitting out Euro 2008.

[Pete_foxes]

I really doubt that we will qualify now. Russia will win against Andorra, I have no doubts about that! as for Israel nothing to play for but they could upset them, the've got abit of quality & if they have a good game they could take some points of them. Annoying now that we are hanging on for dear life to our euro qualification when really players of Englands calibure should be home & dry by now against inferior opposition. I mean Croatia! did we not beat them 4-1 the time before that Robinson moment

We are now hoping either Andorra or Israel can take points of Russia! its bad time, very bad times!

[Koke]

Missing out might be a blessing in disguise and it'll give the FA a kick up their backside and hopefully they'll never ever appoint a manager who are way out of his depth.

[Bojimha]

So the top two teams go though and there is no play off between the 3rd placed teams?

[purpleronnie]

I bet everything I own that we will beat croatia but it won't be enough.

When it counts england fail its been like that for so long now.

We really need to be able to kill games off.

[Milky]

Georgia have put a bunch of teenagers out tonight against the Scots. 16,17 and 18 year olds all over the place, and they look pretty decent aswell.

[Asha]

I bet everything I own that we will beat croatia but it won't be enough.

When it counts england fail its been like that for so long now.

We really need to be able to kill games off.

Yeah agree. We can beat Croatia, but there's more chance of Leicester beating Chelsea than Russia failing to beat Andorra and Israel.

[BigGibbo]

Yeah agree. We can beat Croatia, but there's more chance of Leicester beating Chelsea than Russia failing to beat Andorra and Israel.

"So your telling me theres a chance"

Anyone know what Jim Carey flick thats from?