October International Blues

[Garrick]

Happy international break!

I know there are a lot of nations out there that have wrapped up or are close to wrapping up their World Cup berth, so who do we all have out?

England - Baines is getting a big break with Ashley Cole out, as most of us probably know. Barkley and Jagielka are also up. I'm guessing Jagielka will start and Barkley will come off the bench?

I know embarrassingly little about the English squad, being a Yank and all. Best of luck to you lads, though. 2014 will be a better Cup with the English playing. Two home fixtures left and in the proverbial driver's seat of the group, so the situation looks good.

Ireland - Coleman, Gibson, and McCarthy. It's do or die time for Ireland, and they get... Germany in Köln. I'm sorry in advance, Irish Toffees.

Belgium - Mirallas and Lukaku. Lukaku could possibly get a start, with Benteke out due to injury. Mirallas will probably be off the bench. Croatia away, Wales at home, with the goal differential as it is, they really only need 1 point to book a spot in Brazil.

Croatia - Jelavic. Playoff round almost a certainty. They'd have to win both matches and have Wales pull a stunner of an upset to change the situation.

Scotland - Naismith. Already eliminated. Nothing much to say here.

United States - Timmy Howard. He might not play too much, though. I can definitely see Klinsmann giving Brad Guzan some time in the net. The USMNMNMNMNMNNT are World Cup-bound, and the last two WCQ's are against the footballing giants of... Panama and Jamaica.

Costa Rica - Oviedo is in. Los Ticos are going full strength despite having their 2014 spot already booked. Perhaps they want to watch Mexico squirm, with a game left against an El Tri side in serious trouble? That'd be fun.

Did I miss anybody else?

 

[toffeejack]

i think we have about 17 so you may be missing about 5, good stuff though

 

[evertonUSA]

Alcarez would play for Paraguay if healthy...Heitinga for Netherlands?...Kone for Ivory Coast I think...and a bunch of youth players

 

[Garrick]

Heitinga for Netherlands?...Kone for Ivory Coast I think...

Neither of them have been called up since June.

As for the youths, no haven't looked through them much I know we have plenty on different U-whatever teams, but I was concerned with senior sides.

With Dempsey sidelined by injury, Klinsmann named Tim Howard captain for the last two WCQ's. So much for that theory of him not playing much.

 

[Bilko]

Rep of Ireland are out the showing also , just hoping to see the three lads playing together and how they perform

 

[blueser]

Rep of Ireland are out the showing also , just hoping to see the three lads playing together and how they perform

yes could benefit Ireland with Gibson and McCarthy training / playing together for us regularly, although i hate international breaks, international football is crap roll on the Hull game

 

[davek]

I hope ours are benched...though no doubt we'll be mugged off and have all ours picked ahead of players from moneybags elite clubs putting pressure on national managers.

I'm hoping against hope we avoid injuries here, but with 17 in action it's pretty forlorn.

 

[Philw]

No wonder the England team performs so bad when most of the fans are more interested in their teams players coming back free from injury than the performance of their national team or the honour/pride of the players who get to represent the country internationally.

"Hey Baines, we don't give a **** that you get to represent your country at the highest level, or might want to win the World Cup, we want you to not have that chance incase you get injured and be unable to play for us."

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Duffy not picked then?

 

[Eggs]

...good summary at the start of the thread. As an Englishman I hope we qualify as it adds an extra interest to the event. I'm not precious about our players being involved but if they are I want them to play well. From an England perspective, its not difficult to remember how players like Jagielka helped qualification to major tournaments but we're dumped for the main event (think Carragher was brought out of retirement for the World Cup and the rs lad, Kelly for the Euro's) . I remember Baines getting overlooked for Warnock. Not good.

 

[Jacko93]

International football bores me.

 

[royalblue66]

Always amazes me how they have close on sell outs at Wembley against no mark teams. Or even top teams, and charge top prices, never been to one and never will, no interest at all

 

[edever]

Ireland - Coleman, Gibson, and McCarthy. It's do or die time for Ireland, and they get... Germany in Köln. I'm sorry in advance, Irish Toffees.

Most of us knew in advance Ireland had no hope of getting out of this group. Good to see Gibbo back if only to see how he and McCarthy go together. Hopefully it goes better than the 6-1 in Dublin

 

[Sensei]

Two already for Lukaku in the first half against a typically tough to break down croatia....im sorry hull but cross the humber and watch grimsby next week....the predators coming

 

[Member8]

Mirallas subbed in for Belgium