#196
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Why against Wales? They are not really much better than Scotland or Ukraine. Selfishly would prefer Wales or Scotland. Would love to see ENG vs SCO! |
#197
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Well Wales is #18 in the current rankings so right behind the US... Ukraine are 27 and Scotland is 39... so quite a drop from Wales... If Wales gets in then all 4 teams are in the Top 21 and we really miss out on a Pot 4 level team with Wales ranked higher than Iran... Its a good draw for us, all the teams are beatable, just no gimmies in there.
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If I can bicycle, I bicycle |
#198
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Almost all of the groups are hard. Most have at least three (if not four) teams that could advance. Cakewalk Champions League style with two perennial powers and two lowly ranked clubs, this isn't.
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#199
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I'm no expert at the strengths of various national teams around the world, but as I looked at the results of the draw no obvious "Group of Death" jumped out at me. Any thought out there about that?
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#200
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or Group F: Belgium, Croatia, Morocco, Canada Look to be the toughest two to me. E has 2 Euro heavyweights in Spain and Germany, Japan who can be sneaky good and very organized, and Costa Rica has been a tough out at the last two world cups. F is likely the most balanced 1 to 4 with an overrated but talented Belgium, a plucky Croatia led by an age-less legend, an up and coming Canada, and a Morocco team with quite a few top tier players |
#201
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No doubt about Spain and Germany in E - the odds of those two not making it through to the next round have to be pretty long, which leaves anyone else in the group sol.
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#202
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Haha - Qatar disagrees.
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#203
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I agree that the groups are fairly balanced across. I was watching BBC as they pulled the countries out -- there were some switch arounds due to nations in the same region not being able to play each other in group stage (Europe being the one exception).
- Yes. Glad we did not get Ghana (again). - England must be saying the same about the US. - I wonder who the crowd will support when US plays Iran (or maybe they will just root for injuries).
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Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo. - Ovid |
#204
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According to FIFA they're ranked 51st in the world. And I bet that's generous.
Senegal is 20th, and Ecuador 46th. (The Orange, of course are up there at 10th) So, yeah, Qatar will be lucky to make it past the first round. |
#205
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This current draw had the pots sorted by ranking (as opposed to geographical location), and this generates more balanced groups (save for that containing Qatar). One could argue that almost all of the other groups has respective C-pot teams that could really challenge, and as noted above, even some D-pot teams can pull off a surprise or two (Canada should be in Pot C). |
#206
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#207
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It's interesting to compare some of the teams' rankings to their odds of winning the WC. Some teams with relatively high rankings have odds that are well below other teams with lower rankings. The US, for example, is in that position.
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#208
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Any takeaways from the 5-0 win against Grenada, or no big deal beating the 170th best team in the rankings (with your bench players).
I was partially watching on my laptop while watching the C's on tv. But, as I stated before, I am impressed with De la Torre. Any other? |
#209
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Only other thought is even though only Grenada *maybe* this gets Ferreira of the schneid for country and his MLS form continues into the fall. |
#210
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I don't see much to dismiss when Ferreira gets four in a game. Apparently, he exhibits footballing intelligence and pops up at spots where he has a good chance to score. That's always worth something, even if his shot precision might not be as good. |
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