How bad are Austria?

gosplan

On bet365 5-1 and paddyvaluepower 9-2 for Austria to get 0 points.

I think the way the group breaks down favours this outcome.

Austria's first two games are against Croatia and Poland. These teams must beat Austria to have any hope of qualifying and I fully expect them to do so.

Croatia have a strong attacking team and won't mess up such as easy first game.

Poland will probably have been beaten by Germany so they'll basically be going all out to beat a team ranked somewhere around the 100 mark in the Fifa rankings. While they may have choked at the last internationals, they qualified really well and surely couldn't mess this up.

Germany play them in the last game and Germany being Germany will put them away.

Am I missing something here because for a team so bad, 5-1 seems like super value?

ArmaniJeanss

Austria are very bad.
However 0/9 is relatively rare (even Latvia 4 years ago got themselves a point when they looked nailed on for zero).
Austria may be a beneficiary of alleged home town refereeing ala Korea/Japan.
Germany may have already qualified as group winners by the time of the final game and put out a second string against Austria.
Croatia aren't as good as victories over England indicated - there has been an over-reaction by English media as they don't want to face that they were knocked out by an average team who couldn't get past Australia in the WorldCup.
Polands last 2 finals campaigns have been disastrous, with unexpected defeats galore.

Having said 5/1+ seems a reasonable price.

gosplan

Agree with most of the above. TBH the big worry is Germany doing them a favour. It'd be great if Germany picked up a draw in the first two games and had to go for the win to top the group.

Anyway, 200 yoyo's on it - Come on Austria, I believe in you

Bubs101

I would have assumed that Germany and Austria are massive rivals if anything. With the exception of the Poland match I see little trouble in this happening, but considering that Croatia are evens it's possible the bookies know something we don't

hotspur

I wouldn't trust Poland not to stink as badly as Austria, 0-0 between them is a distinct possibility.

jacool

Croatia are massive because the new Austrian players are going to run their socks off in front of an expectant home crowd, and the bookies are factoring in this into the price. The Croatian price looks massive and I expect them to win. However I expect Austria to get at least a point, when they play Poland. Here is the final table, put up early to assist all !!!!
Group B P W D L F - A Pt
Germany 3 2 1 0 7 - 4 7
Croatia 3 2 1 0 5 - 3 7
Poland 3 0 1 2 3 - 5 1
Austria 3 0 1 2 2 - 5 1

Culchie

hotspur wrote: »

I wouldn't trust Poland not to stink as badly as Austria, 0-0 between them is a distinct possibility.

Agreed

Poland topped group afaik and will have massive support ... could well be a surprise this year.

I think the better Central/Eastern European teams are going to feature strongly.

Collie D

Pretty ****ing bad would be my answer to the OP but I justcan't see a host nation finishing on nul points. As pointed out above, if Germany get six from their first two games, we could very easily have a nil-nil aginst Austria. Look how they were beaten 3-0 by the Czechs in qualifying once they had gone through. Then again Poland won't exactly lie down to the ze Germans tonight. Good luck anyway

gosplan

Collie D wrote: »

Pretty ****ing bad would be my answer to the OP but I justcan't see a host nation finishing on nul points. As pointed out above, if Germany get six from their first two games, we could very easily have a nil-nil aginst Austria. Look how they were beaten 3-0 by the Czechs in qualifying once they had gone through. Then again Poland won't exactly lie down to the ze Germans tonight. Good luck anyway

I don't think Germany will lie down in the third game to be honest.

Generally in international tournaments, playing a weak team means trying to score as many goals as possible.

Dodge

gosplan wrote: »

Generally in international tournaments, playing a weak team means trying to score as many goals as possible.

Does it ****. Playing a weaker team when you're already qualified means not playing any of your players witha booking, any sort of niggle and generally trying to get out of the game without a scratch.

dsmythy

From the games so far it seesm the Austrians will be more than capable of competing with the Poles and getting something.

gosplan

Dodge wrote: »

Does it ****. Playing a weaker team when you're already qualified means not playing any of your players witha booking, any sort of niggle and generally trying to get out of the game without a scratch.

No. Germany will probably rest some of their stars but those playing will want to score. I remember them putting 3 or 4 past Ecuador having won their first two games in the last world cup. Think someone did the same to Japan that year as well.

Germany won't put their bodies on the line but those playing will want to make an impact.

Remember when they beat Saudi 8-0 in 2002 - totally ruthless. The game had long been won and they could have just played it out but they kept running forward. I expect to see something similar.

Dodge

gosplan wrote: »

I expect to see something similar.

Are you comparing Austria, on home soil with a history of antagonism with Germany, to Saudi Arabia?

gosplan

In that they're both weaker teams - yes.

Surely a antagonistic past means that Germany won't be over generous to them no?

Dodge

gosplan wrote: »

Surely a antagonistic past means that Germany won't be over generous to them no?

The larger country rarely cares as much as the smaller one.

I'm not saying germany won't win. I'm saying that if Germany have qualified, that game against Austria will eman nothing to them. I can't back a team that doesn't care about the result (professional pride aside)

ArmaniJeanss

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Austria may be a beneficiary of alleged home town refereeing ala Korea/Japan.

Unlucky OP.

Iago

tell me about it, unfcukingbelieveable

Dodge

In fairness it was a pen. Rarely given though

gosplan

Ach, and the earlier result really made a German victory in the third game a banker.

Soft decision but Poland very poor. Huge holes in the Austrian defence all night. Should have been two up.