MARTIN O’NEILL WON’T gamble with his gameplan to chase goals against Gibraltar.
The minnows — who are playing in their first qualification campaign and aren’t ranked by FIFA — were stuffed 7-0 by Poland last month.
It puts Ireland under pressure to boost their own goal difference on Saturday and avoid losing ground on their Group D rivals.
O’Neill said: “We’re at home, we’re expected to go forward, we’re expected to attack, and it’s a game that’s obviously of significant importance to us. That I will deal with.
“We’ll try and win that game if we can. It’s really important for us to be going to Germany with six points, however we do it.
He added: “Teams have lost championships on goal difference but they didn’t set out on the very first day of the season thinking that might happen.
“During the course of the competition, there might be another game where might you get a little bit of luck or a bit of ill luck.
You have to try to win the game first.
Gibraltar held Poland to a single goal in the first half when the sides met in Faro last month.
But the floodgates soon opened and Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski bagged four after the restart.
O’Neill and the squad have watched the video of that game and are prepared for a dogged defensive effort.
“If you saw the game against Poland, you’d understand what the Polish people were saying,” he explained. They caused lots and lots of problems, got loads of men behind the ball.
They showed a great determination in the game and until Poland eventually got the second goal, they couldn’t have relaxed in the game.
“Us winning this match is of vital importance to us.”
A number of positional questions are still up in the air, particularly at right-back and in central midfield with Everton duo Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy ruled out by injury.
Hull youngster Brian Lenihan has joined the squad following his surprise senior call-up but it looks more likely that either John O’Shea or David Meyler will be asked to slot in for Coleman.
Jeff Hendrick is one of the midfield options but he has only made two substitute appearances for Derby County since coming back from a dislocated shoulder, and O’Neill is concerned that his fitness could post “a slight problem.”
“He hasn’t played that much but he’s improving all the time.”
With two days of training still to come, O’Neill is keeping all of his options open.
“How many times do I have to say it? I’m not going to give you a team on Wednesday morning.”
They have a population of 30k, their national team has a catchment area comparable to parish GAA clubs. Need to stuff them for both confidence and goal difference.
Exactly.
Can’t imagine Gibraltar are much better than the town-based Irish teams, e.g. Cobh Ramblers, Longford Town etc, no disrespect to those teams of course.
Cheadle Town?
28-0 come on
He’s right. But let’s stuff them anyway.
To determine the best third place team, because one of the groups has only 5 teams, the results against the 6th place team are discarded. Presuming the non ranked team Gibraltar finish 6th the game isn’t about chasing goals. A comfortable win and fit squad for the Germany game should be the objective.
But goal difference could decide who finishes second in the group, Michael.
Well they better go out and beat them 15 nil then ;-)
That’s may be true but goals against the bottom team won’t count and unless a miraculous result happens Gibraltar will be bottom
Niall should second place be decided on goal difference will all the results in the group be taken in to consideration ? I presume they will but am not sure .
No.
Tiebreakers
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:
Higher number of points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question;
Superior goal difference resulting from the matches played between the teams in question;
Higher number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question;
Higher number of goals scored away from home in the matches played between the teams in question;
If, after having applied criteria 1 to 4, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 4 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 6 to 10 apply;
Superior goal difference in all group matches;
Higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
Higher number of away goals scored in all group matches;
Fair play conduct in all group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card);
Position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system;
To determine the best third-placed team, the results against the teams in sixth place are discarded. The following criteria are applied:
Higher number of points obtained;
Superior goal difference;
Higher number of goals scored;
Higher number of away goals scored; …
Thanks Mick. That’s exhaustive and not a penalty in sight . It also means, given his post above, that the author of the article is not in full possession of the facts .
Richie, what contradicts anything I’ve said?
In deciding the standings WITHIN each group, if teams are level on points, it goes to head-to-head results first and then ALL results are taken into consideration.
Here are the UEFA regulations (pages 13/14): http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/uefaorg/Regulations/02/03/92/81/2039281_DOWNLOAD.pdf
***
For the sake of an example, let’s say Germany win the group, Ireland and Poland finish level on points in second, and the rest are also-rans.
To decide who finishes second/third:
1. Higher number of points obtained in the matches played between Ireland and Poland;
2. Superior goal difference resulting from the matches played between Ireland and Poland;
3. Higher number of goals scored in the matches played between Ireland and Poland;
4. Higher number of goals scored away from home in the matches between Ireland and Poland
Let’s say they’re still level after all that, so criteria 6 to 10 apply:
6. Superior goal difference in ALL group matches;
7. Higher number of goals scored in ALL group matches;
8. Higher number of away goals scored in ALL group matches;
9. Fair play conduct in ALL group matches
10. Position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system.
***
It’s only when comparing the teams ACROSS all of the groups (for the purpose of ranking all the third-placed teams to find the best), that the results against the bottom team are discarded.
Grand . That was the question I asked initially . Thanks for clearing all up Niall . The possibility of reaching criteria 6-10 are remote so O Neill was well within his rights to say win first and then chase goals . Points win prizes .
2-0 snooze fest guaranteed..
#COYBIG
What happens when the other teams smash this lot raking up a superior goal difference?
Gibraltar is one odd place,
It is like Northern Ireland with sun, same road signs and what not and the people look Spanish.
yep, can see this being a thrilling 2 nil victory to Ireland. zzz
Realistically anything less than 5-0 would be disappointing. I predict a hat trick from Keane and its a good opportunity for Long to find his shooting boots too.
0-0 it is so
“We will ‘try’ win the Gibraltar game” Try? Vs 8 or 9 amateur players? Says it all.
Have you seen Ireland play lately Gavin? If it’s still 0-0 at half time,we all should be hoping for even a point
I reckon it will be a hard fought 1-0 win for Ireland, 6 points in the bag from a tricky start to the group then bring on the Germans, Ole, Ole!
How is it tricky playing the 2 worst teams in the group?
The comment was Tongue in Cheek.
Goal difference against these dosent matter it’s discarded !!!