Another international break is upon us so to make the time pass a little quicker and to give you guys a little more insight I thought I would put together a betting preview for the World Cup qualifier games involving the teams close to home for the upcoming weekend. Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland and England are all in action so I will include everything you need to know about these games before you think about having a bet. I will also offer some of my own predictions and tips to hopefully assist you with your bets. I will be doing a separate article all together for the Scotland game against Israel so I have all bases covered! Happy reading!
Czech Republic v Wales
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Friday 8th October – 7:45PM Kick Off
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Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports Main Event
Belgium are the runaway leaders in Group E and it looks very much like it’ll be a battle for 2nd between these two making this particular fixture on Friday night mightily important. Both sides sit on 7 points but Wales have actually played a game less so could put themselves in the driving seat with a positive result in Prague.
- The Czechs were hammered by Belgium in a 3-0 defeat last time out in their World Cup qualifying campaign, while they were also defeated by Wales in their reverse fixture after star man Patrik Schick was sent off.
- Schick actually missed the last international break through suspension but the Czech FA have confirmed he will rejoin the squad for the upcoming internationals against Wales and Belarus.
- It is a very similar squad to the one which reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2020. Goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek and defender Filip Novak are the only two new players to the squad this time around. They are however missing a number of important players with Vladimir Coufal, Lukas Masopust, Petr Sevcik and Jan Boril having all withdrawn from the squad.
- The big news in the Wales camp is obviously the absence of captain and talisman Gareth Bale due to injury. Bale was set to win his 100th cap but a hamstring injury will rule him out here which is an enormous blow for the Welsh.
- In better news, Aaron Ramsey returns to the fold, while Huddersfield winger Sorba Thomas has been called up for what could be his first cap should he be selected.
- The Welsh are away once more in just 4 days’ time when they travel to Estonia. A very tough and tiresome set of fixtures for the Welsh and very important to their chances of qualifying for Qatar 2022.
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Verdict & Prediction
The return of the Czechs best player in Patrik Schick and the absence of Wales best player in Gareth Bale means all the momentum shifts towards the hosts here. The Czechs proved in the summer what a capable outfit they can be and without Bale, Wales just don’t carry the same threat. Suspect it will be a tight and tense affair given what is a stake but fancy the Czechs to do the business at home in front of their own fans. 2-1 to the Czech Republic, my prediction in this one.
Czech Republic Predicted 11: Vaclik; Mateju, Kalas, Celustka, Novak; Holes, Soucek; Pesek, Barak, Hlousek; Schick
Wales Predicted 11: Ward; Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, Gunter; Morrell, Allen; Wilson, Ramsey, James; Moore
Azerbaijan v Republic of Ireland
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Saturday 9th October – 5:00PM Kick Off
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Live on Sky Sports Football
Although qualification is almost certainly beyond them, it is an important couple of fixtures for Ireland and in particular their manager, Stephen Kenny. They haven’t won a game yet in Group A and a number of Irish sources feel that should his side not win in Baku then he is more than likely going to lose his job. As for the hosts, well they are the only team performing worse than the Irish in the group and sit bottom having managed just 1 point from their 5 games played so far.
- Azerbaijan have vowed to ”make life difficult” for Ireland in Baku on Saturday. Ranked 117th in the world, Azerbaijan have struggled in the World Cup campaign, where their highlight to date was a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in Dublin.
- Coach Gianni De Biasi is under pressure from sections of the media in Baku, with widespread reports that his contract will not be renewed when the campaign ends next month.
- The squad is missing two players of significance. Dara O’Shea is a long-term absence because of his fractured ankle, while skipper Seamus Coleman misses out because of a short-term injury.
- Elsewhere Callum Robinson is now back to full fitness and expected to return to the starting lineup which is a big boost from an attacking sense with Ireland pretty toothless going forwards.
- Kenny can put all his focus on this game with just a friendly against Qatar coming up in Dublin on Tuesday night. Massive pressure on the manager and it is widely believed if he doesn’t deliver two wins from the upcoming games then he won’t be Ireland manager by the time the next international break comes around in November.
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Verdict & Prediction
Not expecting a classic by any means but Ireland have named a strong squad, probably their strongest on paper for a number of years now. The back 5 is solid and I don’t fancy Azerbaijan to be able to breach them. A 1-0 Ireland win is the most likely outcome in this one for me.
Azerbaijan Predicted 11: Mahammadaliyev; Medvedev, Badalov, Haghverdi, Krivotsyuk; Mahmudov, Garayev, Bayramov; Alasgarov, Ghorbani, Ozobic
Ireland Predicted 11: Bazunu, Doherty, Duffy, Egan, Stevens, Cullen, Knight, McGrath, Robinson, Parrott, Idah
Andorra v England
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Saturday 9th October – 7:45PM Kick Off
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Live on ITV & STV
The Three Lions have taken 16 points from a possible 18 to sit pretty at the top of the pile. This game will be nothing more than a formality and it will be a case of how many for England rather than whether they win the game or not. England will however be disappointed to have dropped two points away in Poland last time out due to a very late equaliser from Damian Szymanski. Hungary up next in 4 days’ time and should England get all 6 points from both games as expected then qualification for Qatar 2022 will be all but sealed.
- Only group whipping boys San Marino sit below Andorra in the group I standings. The hosts have accumulated 3 points from their 6 games played with a win against San Marino the only positive result they have managed to achieve so far.
- They have massive disciplinary problems which have been well documented over the years. No surprise then to see them missing three players through suspension for this one with San Nicolas, Albert Alavedra and Marcio Vieira missing.
- The reverse fixture back in September ended in a 4-0 defeat against England and although the poor playing surface and playing at home will narrow the enormous gap between the sides slightly they simply won’t be able to compete against England.
- Only Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands can top the 18 goals that England have notched up during their six games of Qualifying so far. They will be expecting to add plenty more against European minnows Andorra.
- Sources suggest Southgate won’t play a full strength 11 with the game against Hungary next week viewed as the more testing fixture. Also worth noting that both Kalvin Phillips and Reece James withdrew from the squad in recent days due to injury.
- Declan Rice and Kyle Walker are both just a game away from suspension too so there is some suggestion they also might be saved for the Hungary game on Tuesday night.
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Verdict & Prediction
Even if Southgate does intend to shuffle his pack significantly, there is still more than enough quality within the squad to win this game comfortably. The pitch will be something of a leveller and from what I have read it isn’t a particular good playing surface. Even if Southgate does intend to shuffle his pack significantly, there is still more than enough quality within the squad to win this game comfortably. The pitch will be something of a leveller and from what I have read it isn’t a particular good playing surface. England will wear Andorra down though and likely register a routine 3-0 win on Saturday.
Andorra Predicted 11: Alvarez; Rubio, C. Garcia, Vales, Llovera, M. Garcia; Alaez, Pujol, Vieira, Cervos; Cucu
England Predicted 11: Ramsdale; Trippier, Stones, Mings, Chilwell; Henderson, Ward-Prowse, Mount; Saka, Abraham, Foden
Switzerland v Northern Ireland
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Saturday 9th October – 7:45PM Kick Off
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Live on Sky Sports Football
Northern Ireland will be hoping to get another positive result against the Swiss having held them to a 0-0 draw at Windsor Park during the last international break. Top spot in Group C is almost certainly beyond them with Italy strolling ahead at the top of the group. The opportunity of a playoff place still remains; they currently sit 3rd, 3 points behind the Swiss. Of course they head to Geneva as massive underdogs but will be hoping to frustrate their opponents as they did so effectively when the teams met just last month.
- Switzerland boast an outstanding home record, particularly in World Cup qualifiers. You actually need to go back 13 years for when they last lost one, that’s 17 games and counting.
- Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka and Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel appear to be the only notable absentees through injury with Murat Yakin naming a very strong squad.
- The Swiss could go joint-top of the group with Italy should they win their two games in hand starting with the Northern Ireland fixture before playing away at Lithuania on Tuesday night. I am sure Yakin and his men will be expecting to come away with 6 points from these two fixtures.
- Corry Evans became the latest player to pull out of the NI camp and now the sixth player who was called up but is unable to participate in the two games this international break due to either injury or illness.
- Dundee United goalkeeper Trevor Carson, Hearts defender Michael Smith, Preston midfielder Alistair McCann, Oxford winger Gavin Whyte and Blackpool striker Shayne Lavery will all miss the matches in Geneva and Sofia on October 9 and 12 respectively.
- Baraclough has called up Liverpool goalkeeper Liam Hughes, Leyton Orient striker Paul Smyth, Sunderland midfielder Carl Winchester and Morecambe defender Ryan McLaughlin as replacements in a squad which doesn’t look particularly strong.
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Verdict & Prediction
The Swiss are a quality side and I think they showed that in the summer as they eliminated the French on the way to making the quarter-finals of Euro 2020. They are missing Xhaka but don’t have anywhere near as many problems as the Northern Irish on the injury front. Unfortunately for Baraclough and his men, I find it hard to see past a relatively straightforward Swiss win in this one, 2-0.
Switzerland Predicted 11: Sommer, Widmer, Akanji, Elvedi, Rodriguez, Freuler, Zakaria, Aebisher, Shaqiri, Embolo, Seferovic
Northern Ireland Predicted 11: Peacock-Farrell, Bradley, Cathcart, McNair, Brown, Lewis, Davis, Saville, Dallas, Washington, Magennis
