Too funny

Gareth Bale...

Truly the Welsh are the most cursed of all Brits

Anyway, it's been a while since we've had some qualifiers, and frankly thanks to the small groups the number of games has been far too low - eight games in two years?

Still, we must make do

As I've said before, England's group is pretty much sewn up - Montenegro have left the door wide open for England, assuming they can avoid defeat in Cardiff (that's me being pessimistic)

Bulgaria play Switzerland in a technically crucial game for both - only the winner will come away with any chance, a draw would be virtual suicide - I'd favour Bulgaria for home form, they are physically tougher, but considering the only points either have got were from Wales there's not much in it

In Group A Germany have a whole round to play Kazakhstan at home (why?? Who negotiated their fixtures?) and continue on their road to full points

Austria will duke it out with Belgium and then go to Turkey, and Belgium get an easy three points at home in what should be a very interesting tight race for second...*yawn*

Group B is the Irish, who always seem to do their level best to fall at the last hurdle, they would do well if Armenia held up Russia, while they have a Macedonia game to not cock up a la England, Slovakia get three points in northern Spain/southern France

In the typically favourable Italy group NI have Serbia away and Slovenia at home, surely four points minimum is required, I'd fancy Serbia in Estonia and my money is on Slovenia when they host Italy

In group D France do their level best to secure a play-off just for the hell of it, but will, in yet another odd piece of scheduling, head to Luxembourg in their sole tie, it's the two away ties in September that will be their downfall - again with the weird fixtures, Albania v Belarus is a 'key' game, how interesting - Bosnia should get three off Romania, who themselves get an easy three off the minnows after

In group E it's all windmills and clogs as the Netherlands face a double with Hungary, I would like to see Sweden keep up with a win over Moldova

Group F is the one that shows the twisted process that is seeding...but anyway Croatia go to Georgia, Greece get three in Malta, do you care about Israel v Georgia? There's only two teams of note here

Skipping England to H - Norway remain 2 points ahead of the cheats with a game in hand - they play Denmark in a no-win situation for myself, I guess Norway would be a better result, Cyprus v Iceland is at least guaranteed to yield more points than the two teams have combined

Finally to Spain and Scotland in I, you may have noticed a welcome lack of Scottish news this week - mainly because they're not playing, should Spain win against the Czechs and then win in, gasp, Lithuania they will have effectively won the group, the Czechs can push on for second with a win over Liechtenstein - leaving Scotland with the unlikely task of at least winning their two remaining home ties in September

This rounds up the rather dull weekend of action

Wales can win...

Yes Gareth, Wales can beat England

Just as they could have beaten Bulgaria, Switzerland and Montenegro...or Ireland, Sweden or Croatia

For the sake of fairness they have won (or indeed, not lost) one game during that time - Luxembourg!!

Ttuly, they are capable of anything on their day