If Croatia can get past their normal muck up in finals, they could be in great shape for this qualification fight, depends if they can keep Bilic though whose contract runs out after Euro 2008. Keep him and I would them down as my favourites for the group, we won't beat them at Zagreb and under him they will show the weaknesses in our game.
Ukraine did get to the last eight in 2006 but failed to qualify in a tough group in Euro 2008 but as a team, they are in slight temporary decline though long term improving with a style of solid team with super star strikers in U17 side so if our defence can handle their attackers, we should get points. They remind me of Israel in a way and we should finish ahead due to our better defence but it will be a hard fight, plus second place being playoff worries me. Then again, they held France and have decent results against big sides every now and again so we mustn't underestimate them, this is the side we must get points against to have any hope.
Belarus are a side capable of giving most teams a game but won't qualify, we could be looking to get six if we want to go through though could easily get 4. Hleb and forward Vitali Kutuzov are only ones who seem to have played at a good level. Kazakhstan's most experienced keeper is unemployed though Andrei Karpovich does play for Dynamo Moscow, we should be getting six points against them. Same with Andorra but teams are getting tougher so any thrashings are a bonus.
I think we will get playoffs but we are going to have to a find more of a cutting edge from somewhere. uh I mean "WE is world class, we will win each game 6-0, anything less and manager must go."
