England's 2016 qualification fixtures

Monday September 8th 2014: Switzerland (A)
Thursday October 9th 2014: San Marino (H)
Sunday October 12th 2014: Estonia (A)
Wednesday November 15th 2014: Slovenia (H)
Friday March 27th 2015: Lithuania (H)
Sunday June 14th 2015: Slovenia (A)
Saturday September 5th 2015: San Marino (A)
Tuesday September 8th 2015: Switzerland (H)
Friday October 9th 2015: Estonia (H)
Monday October 12th 2015: Lithuania (A)

 

If we haven't already qualified by tbe Switzerland game at home we should give over

 

Sunday and Monday KOs now??

 

There's every day of the week amongst them.

 

The expansion of international competition means that any competitive interest is totally erased. The qualifying games will be a procession for the higher ranked international teams with no games of any interest and no chance of not qualifying. If I bothered with international football I wouldn't pay money to watch any of those games. Well done UEFA.

 

How many teams qualify per group?

 

I think two qualify and there are play-offs for some third place teams too.

 

Thanks. Switzerland could give us problems, but probably not. Slovenia could be tough away, but probably not.

Lithuania and Estonia wouldn't beat the England U21s, and against San Marino we should just play the U19s.

 

I think they said the best 3rd place team qualifys too, they mentioned it to the Northern Ireand manager who said something along the lines of 'Thats something to aim for'

 

You could well be right. There is going to be some right ***** qualifying.

 

No one third place team goes through then it's a draw and knock out.

Should be a good group. It'll be tough because some team's will try and just defend but that's part if those types of games

 

The best 3rd place qualifies automatically, the remaining 8 3rd placed teams go into play offs for the remaining 4 places.

 

No it won't, it'll be a procession of underwhelming attritional small margin wins.

It'll be tough. To watch that is.

England will qualify at a canter. With a poor to average campaign they'll win the group, possibly second to the Swiss.

Even if they **** up as badly as they ever have in the past, with the quality of the oppo they'll still finish second as Switzerland aside (and excluding San Marino), the rest will take points off each other. Even finishing third will get you at least a playoff game - and there'll be some right tosh in the playoffs, no doubt.

I predict england win the group without ever being particularly troubled other than a disappointing draw or two.

 

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But all that said I'll still watch it all and support them.

I don't really get all the anti england stuff on here. I support Barnsley first and foremost but would love the country to do well.

I just wish we'd drawn Gibraltar. The prospect of Rooney, Sturridge etc up against Scott Wiseman - dear me.

And it shows the state of affairs of the euros when Northern Ireland and even the Gibraltar gaffer are targeting third place and a playoff! Christ.

If Scotland, ROI and Wales fail to qualify still, with this format, they should just give up.