2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 11/15 October *** Spoilers ***

[Cosimo]

Friday 11

Azerbaijan v Northern Ireland, GpF, 17:00, Sky Sports 3
Wales v FYR Macedonia, GpA, 19:45, Sky Sports 3
England v Montenegro, 20:00, GpH, ITV and Radio 5 live​

Armenia v Bulgaria, 16:00
Lithuania v Latvia, 16:30
Croatia v Belgium, GpA, 17:00
Moldova v San Marino, 17:00
Faroe Islands v Kazakhstan, 18:00
Malta v Czech Republic, 18:30
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Liechtenstein, 19:00
Ukraine v Poland, GpH, 19:00
Denmark v Italy, 19:15
Albania v Switzerland, 19:30
Luxembourg v Russia, GpF, 19:30
Holland v Hungary, 19:30
Andorra v Romania, 19:30
Estonia v Turkey, 19:30
Slovenia v Norway, 19:45
Iceland v Cyprus, 19:45
Greece v Slovakia, 19:45
Sweden v Austria, 19:45
Germany v Rep of Ireland, 19:45
Portugal v Israel, GpF, 20:45
Spain v Belarus, 21:00​

Tuesday 15

Israel v Northern Ireland, GpF, 18:00
Belgium v Wales, GpA, 19:45, Sky Sports 3
Scotland v Croatia, GpA, 19:45, Sky Sports 1
England v Poland, GpH, 20:00, ITV and Radio 5 live​

Cyprus v Albania, 17:00
Azerbaijan v Russia, GpF, 18:00
Portugal v Luxembourg, GpF, 18:00
Greece v Liechtenstein, 18:00
Lithuania v Bosnia-Herzegovina, 18:00
Norway v Iceland, 19:00
Switzerland v Slovenia, 19:00
Hungary v Andorra, 19:00
Turkey v Holland, 19:00
Romania v Estonia, 19:00
Latvia v Slovakia, 19:10
Bulgaria v Czech Republic, 19:15
Denmark v Malta, 19:15
Serbia v FYR Macedonia, GpA, 19:30
Italy v Armenia, 19:45
Faroe Islands v Austria, 19:45
Rep of Ireland v Kazakhstan, 19:45, Sky Sports 2
Sweden v Germany, 19:45
San Marino v Ukraine, GpH, 20:00
Montenegro v Moldova, GpH, 20:00
France v Finland, 20:00
Spain v Georgia, 20:00, BT Sport 2​

Groups and Standings

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/standings/index.html​

Qualifying and Play-offs

The nine group winners qualify directly for the finals and the eight runners-up with the best record against the teams finishing first, third, fourth and fifth in their section going into the play-offs.

The eight teams will be drawn into four pairings for two-legged ties played from 15 to 19 November 2013. If scores are level after the second leg the team with the most away goals qualify, whether after 90 minutes or extra time. The four winners qualify for the finals.
​

 

[antijoke]

I am excited for the England game as I'm actually going to it.



First time at Wembley and my first England international.

 

[Cosimo]

I am excited for the England game as I'm actually going to it.



First time at Wembley and my first England international.

Should be a great atmosphere on Friday night. Is that the one you're going to?

 

[Admiral Huddy]

I find it hard to get excited over England friendlies and qualifiers that break the domestic season. Wish they'd get it over within one month over the summers between. The club managers must hate it.

 

[antijoke]

Should be a great atmosphere on Friday night. Is that the one you're going to?

Yep, the Montenegro game.

 

[Cosimo]

Yep, the Montenegro game.

I'll be missing this one but will be at Wembley for the Poland game.

 

[Locky]

I'm going to go with 2-1 to monti and 1-1 with Poland.

 

[Fulax]

Should beat both Montenegro and Poland. Can't count on anything when it comes to England, though.

Hopefully we'll see Sturridge start up front.

 

[Secret_Window]

I'd rather Sturridge was up front than Welbeck. I'd like to see us use 3-4-1-2 like liverpool, but I don't think we'd be able to defend well enough for it to necessarily work.

 

[manic111]

I'd rather Sturridge was up front than Welbeck. I'd like to see us use 3-4-1-2 like liverpool, but I don't think we'd be able to defend well enough for it to necessarily work.

Don't be ridiculous, we're English and play 4-4-2

 

[doodah]

Should be good; "we are English and we tackle hard!".

 

[Azza]

Tom Cleverley ruled out of England's World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland with a calf injury.

 

[BaZ87]

Should be a great atmosphere on Friday night.

I know you're a Chelsea fan so don't know what a great atmosphere is but even so, you're taking the ****.

I've been to plenty of England games and the atmosphere at Wembley is always ****. There'll be a bunch of school kids and families with their faces painted, doing Mexican waves and the stupid ****ing band!

 

[Cosimo]

There'll be a bunch of school kids and families with their faces painted, doing Mexican waves and the stupid ****ing band!

But that's what you look forward to, enjoy.

 

[Cosimo]

So what if....

England win tonight

England would be odds-on to finish top and effectively assured of at least a play-off place. If Ukraine lose tonight at home to Poland, England would qualify, barring a home defeat against Poland next week by around six or seven goals. If Ukraine draw, England would probably qualify even if they were to lose to Poland next week. If Ukraine win, England will almost certainly need to beat Poland to finish top.

England draw tonight

A runners-up spot would be most likely. If Ukraine win tonight, England would probably need to beat Poland just to secure second place. If Ukraine draw, England could expect to win the group with victory over Poland yet finish only third with a draw or defeat.

England lose tonight

England would probably finish third, unless Ukraine fail to beat Poland tonight. England could still finish top by beating Poland if the Poles win or draw in Ukraine while Montenegro fail to beat Moldova at home on Tuesday.

 

[Locky]

I can't just see England beating monti tonight if I'm being honest.

 

[Cosimo]

Lukaku scores a second as Belgium are destroying Croatia 0-2.

 

[NeedAUsername]

A squad with the current England players should have at least won 5 out of the 8 games played.

 

[Fulax]

England XI: 1 Hart 2 Walker 3 Baines 4 Gerrard 5 Cahill 6 Jagielka 7 Townsend 8 Lampard 9 Sturridge 10 Rooney 11 Welbeck

No Wilshere?

 

[Trusty]

tbf, he's not at full fitness.