WORLD CUP PLAY-OFFS: the Scottish balls-up scenario. It couldn't happen, could it?!

[Ginaro]

Current world rankings - just as well the seedings weren't done using these, as have they been in previous qualifications.

Italy 4
Portugal 8 
Sweden 17
Wales 19
Poland 23
Ukraine 26
Czech Republic 31
Austria 32
Russia 33
Turkey 39
Scotland 42
North Macedonia 74

[skiblue]

North Macedonia followed by Wales would do

[Bully Wee Villa]

14 minutes ago, MarkoDevilovich said:

Think if we can avoid Italy we've a great chance. No one wants to be playing us right now.

They can all sense the true Kings of World football are back

Would rather play Italy than Portugal. Italy often seem to have a f**k up in them, they lost in the playoffs last time for instance. Fernandes + Ronaldo + Scotland = guaranteed dubious penalties.

[Insert Amusing Pseudonym]

I'll happily take Turkey after watching the Netherlands v Norway game.  Both teams were awful and if Turkey are of a slightly worse than the Dutch I'd fancy us to batter them

[Fratelli]

The thought of getting Wales in a one off to get to a World Cup gives me the fear. We're the better side, but it'd end up being a big nervy battle with so much riding on it, which would probably turn the game into a coin toss. I think a lot of that is just PTSD from that grim night at Hampden in 2013 mind.

[Fuctifano]

Would probably rather avoid Poland, last time out there were about 10000 of them in the home end, and probably also rather avoid the Czechs as it seems the higher the stakes the game the likelier they are to get the better of us. 

North Macedonia obviously the plum draw on paper but that would bring its own pressures (which I think we'd cope with), I'd really like Turkey though, they looked poor at the euros, drew with latvia and Montenegro in qualifying as well as getting 6 stuck past them by the Dutch. 

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Scotland v North Macedonia
Wales v Ukraine
Winners to meet at Hampden

[Elixir]

When will we actually start to move up the world rankings, and surely we will be in pot two for the next Euros draw?

We are not currently as low as 42 in the world. We should be about 25-30.

[craigkillie]

The Euros draw isn't seeded by the world rankings - it's done by the Nations League positions.

[Fuctifano]

So to be second seed for the Euros draw we'd need to win our NL group or be best runner up (assume Germany qualify automatically as hosts)? 

[welldaft]

7 minutes ago, LoonsYouthTeam said:

Scotland v North Macedonia
Wales v Ukraine
Winners to meet at Hampden

North Macedonia in the semi and a home draw in the final v anyone other than Italy and Portugal. That would be ideal. 

Any way it will be tough. It is likely we will need to beat two teams that are ranked higher within the space of a few days. 

Without wanting to jinx it I get a feeling we will end up away to Italy or Portugal in the final should we get through. Wales will end up with Easier draw at home in the final just to piss us off even more ! 

[G51]

17 minutes ago, Fratelli said:

The thought of getting Wales in a one off to get to a World Cup gives me the fear. We're the better side, but it'd end up being a big nervy battle with so much riding on it, which would probably turn the game into a coin toss. I think a lot of that is just PTSD from that grim night at Hampden in 2013 mind.

I think we’d absolutely demolish Wales tbh. Think the stylistic matchup favours us - if the game gets ugly, we can play that better than they can.

[welldaft]

8 minutes ago, Elixir said:

When will we actually start to move up the world rankings, and surely we will be in pot two for the next Euros draw?

We are not currently as low as 42 in the world. We should be about 25-30.

Beating Denmark should boost us up a few places. You are correct in that our improvement is not yet reflected in the FIFA rankings. Probably because we get Jack shit for beating the Faroes, Moldova and even Israel who are 80 something ..

[Geddy_Lee]

What are the rules for the draw ?

Can't see them setting up the draw allowing Portugal and Italy to get drawn in the same semi-final group !!! 

Edited November 16, 2021 by Geddy_Lee

[craigkillie]

11 minutes ago, Fuctifano said:

So to be second seed for the Euros draw we'd need to win our NL group or be best runner up (assume Germany qualify automatically as hosts)? 

That's right aye.

[welldaft]

Despite our improvement you can bet all the unseeded sides will be praying for Scotland.

I mean it is either that or 4 teams ranked in the top 20 away from home or Russia who are low 30s. 

We may be improving but would Italy or Portugal away v Scotland. No brainer. It may play into our hands in that they (fans and players) will think they have easiest draw - which on paper they would have. 

[eez-eh]

I think after Macedonia, Ukraine and Austria are my next preferences. Turkey I don’t know enough about but the thought of Lewandowski for Poland gives me the fear and the Czechs give me PTSD after the Euros.

[Bully Wee Villa]

17 minutes ago, Geddy_Lee said:

What are the rules for the draw ?

Can't see them setting up the draw allowing Portugal and Italy to get drawn in the same semi-final group !!! 

Unless they change it at the last minute (which isn't impossible, they did it before when France weren't seeded), only Russia and Ukraine will be kept apart. Otherwise random draw of seed vs non-seed in semis, completely random draw in final round.

[monthefife]

I care more about being drawn at home for both the semis and the final, rather than the particular team(s) we're draw against. 

Frankly, any of those seeded/unseeded teams away from home would be a slightly daunting prospect. 

[BFTD]

Not fussed who we get. If the team continues their form, we'll either blow them away or somehow stumble into a victory despite an underwhelming performance.

If you gave me the ability to select who we'd play in the final - assuming we got there - or being drawn as the home team and taking our chances, I'd go for the home draw. If we make the final at Hampden, I reckon the mad b*****ds will get past Italy, Portugal, or even W*les. Steve Clarke has The Gift.