CelticsStrong
Other Discussions => Other / General Sports => Revolution / Soccer => Topic started by: Yoki_IsTheName on December 06, 2013, 11:53:07 AM
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Not really a fan of football (soccer) but I am really excited about this.
Where will the USA go? Group of Death?
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Ahh, hate seeing Chile get stuck in a group with Spain and Holland. Very hard group.
Italy, England and Uruguay. That is another tough one.
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Not watching it though apparently people are distressed with the US group draw.
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US in a very tough group.
It's also crazy how Spain and Holland will be their first game against each other. The draw seems scripted. ;D
And boy, Mexico. Got lucky getting in, got lucky getting that draw. Of course Croatia and Cameroon are no pushovers, but it could not have been better for Mexico.
And Argentina. Only they would beat themselves from being out of the Semis. That's one very easy group for them.
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Not watching it though apparently people are distressed with the US group draw.
Yeah, twitter the past 20 minutes or so has been pretty hilarious.
US team in a pretty bad draw there.
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Not watching it though apparently people are distressed with the US group draw.
Yeah, twitter the past 20 minutes or so has been pretty hilarious.
US team in a pretty bad draw there.
Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA.
Grupo de Muerto?
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USA got a tough draw, gonna be difficult to see them come out of the group stage.
Oh well, at least Italy looks primed for a Cup run.
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Tough luck for US...
I love their improvement, but I don't know if they can make it out of that group.
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Tough luck for US...
I love their improvement, but I don't know if they can make it out of that group.
ESPN is saying Portugal is just "a one man team". So, great! Only have to worry about Ghana and Germany. ;D
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Portugal is #5 in the FIFA International Rankings. I don't think that is solely from Ronaldo.
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Group D is probably the most BRUTAL.
Then again, Uruguay had a little hard time qualifying. But jeez, Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy!?
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I hope Platini is satisfied with the draw France got... If not we an draw again until they get a suitable group.
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Without knowing which team we'll play second, the best way to advance is to win game won, end up playing (and tying or beating) the loser of the Germany/Portugal game in the 2nd game and then going against a team that's won twice and doesn't need a result in the 3rd game. It's not impossible to advance but that assumes we bring (and play) the right players.
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Without knowing which team we'll play second, the best way to advance is to win game won, end up playing (and tying or beating) the loser of the Germany/Portugal game in the 2nd game and then going against a team that's won twice and doesn't need a result in the 3rd game. It's not impossible to advance but that assumes we bring (and play) the right players.
June 16 in Natal v. Ghana
June 22 in Manaus v. Portugal
June 26 in Recife v. Germany
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Group D is probably the most BRUTAL.
Then again, Uruguay had a little hard time qualifying. But jeez, Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy!?
If you go by rankings then Group G with the US is the best group with #2 Germany, #5 Portugal, #14 US, and #24 Ghana.
Group B (though Australia is very weak) and Group D are pretty similar and not that far behind.
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Without knowing which team we'll play second, the best way to advance is to win game won, end up playing (and tying or beating) the loser of the Germany/Portugal game in the 2nd game and then going against a team that's won twice and doesn't need a result in the 3rd game. It's not impossible to advance but that assumes we bring (and play) the right players.
June 16 in Natal v. Ghana
June 22 in Manaus v. Portugal
June 26 in Recife v. Germany
Right, so the best scenario is for Germany to beat Portugal and Ghana.
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Fifa rankings means almost nothing that's what I can tell you. Toughest 3 groups are by far B, D and G.
As I am from the Netherlands i hope we can qualify for the next round. A rematch vs Spain is great, they are over the top but still favourites for the title (with brazil and germany).
Chili is super underrated, they have a very strong team. Australia is super physical and will always fight 100%. Although we have so much more quality the fact is that the Netherlands have never won against Australia so far...
Which is probably the worst of the draw is that The Netherlands kind of need to win the group as if we end #2 it's probably Brazil waiting in the next round.
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Its annoying me that Italy got a tough group, while teams such as France and Belgium got easy ones compared.
Still pi**ed that Italy isnt among the top countries given the fact that they won the world cup in 2006, and finished second in the european championship two years ago.. Unbelievable..
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Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon.
Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia.
Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan.
Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy.
Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras.
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria.
Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA.
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea.
Those teams in bold are my picks to make it out of the group stages.
I don't really know anything about any of the African teams. Nigeria, I saw in the Confederations Cup. I know they won the African Cup of Nations. I wasn't overly impressed with them. I thought they looked really good going forward but were weak at that back. If they are indeed the best African team, I don't fancy any of the African countries to do much at this World Cup.
Group C - I am hoping Japan get the 2nd spot. Ivory Coast are perennial underachievers. Greece normally play dull defensive counter attacking football. Japan play nice attacking possession football so I hope they make it through.
Group E - I think it will be between Switzerland and Ecuador. Two defensive minded teams. With France still underachieving, this group be a dull group. Honduras look over-matched.
Group F - I haven't seen Bosnia play yet but I hear they play lovely attacking football but cannot defend. Sort of like Nigeria. So 50-50 between those two for the second spot in the group behind Argentina.
Group G - Know nothing of Ghana. Disappointed they didn't do more following their 2006 World Cup showing. That was a great group of players and smashing team at that time. No idea what their team is like now. Portugal have some good talent but have been underwhelming in qualifiers. Not sure about their manager. USA usually have solid but unspectacular teams. Should be a very competitive group behind Germany. Portugal are my favourite.
Group H - no idea about Algeria, Russia or South Korea. South Korea have been pretty good in recent World Cups and played some nice football so I will go with them.
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Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon.
Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia.
Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan.
Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy.
Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras.
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria.
Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA.
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea.
Those are really save picks, the usual ones.
Ill go with you but I change South Korea for Russia. Portugal will go through and Switzerland. Japan plays very nice football of late and is my favourite for the 2nd place.
Bosnia or Nigeria is a very hard decision. Like Croatia or Mexico but ill also go with Croatia.
I agree with the Uruguay and Italy choice, England will have loads of problems with the wether conditions as they play in the amazone city.
Spain, Netherlands or Chili versus Brazil in the last 16 is going to be a cracker early in the tournament.
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Very strange draw... if there was some kind of rigging, they only helped Argentina and maybe France. Brazil and Spain got very tough groups, watch out for Croatia, Cameroon, Mexico and Chile.
The US group is the second toughest, IMO. Germany is a sure pick, Portugal struggled to qualify but they have a good team, and Ghana is a very physical team. Suffocating brazilian heat will be a factor, also.
But you have to reserve the "Grupo de la Muerte" label for group D. FIFA better fix draws better next time, they're putting one of the dark horses, Uruguay, against another two former champions in England and Italy. Edited. Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.? Costa Rica has no chance, but those guys played great at the qualifiers, so they won't be an easy opponent.
Expect extreme conditions and not a lot of fun for the players.
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The thing that should have mattered for the draw should be the FIFA ranking. But they added geography too and messed things up.
Although i like their game i have come to dislike France because of the all the push the get from FIFA and UEFA
Expect extreme conditions and not a lot of fun for the players.
The ref under extreme conditions will have the option to use time outs so the players can catch a breath. We`ll see how it`ll work out
Group C - I am hoping Japan get the 2nd spot. Ivory Coast are perennial underachievers. Greece normally play dull defensive counter attacking football. Japan play nice attacking possession football so I hope they make it through.
Did you just call the Greek team dull ????
...well you are right:D But we`ll beat your japan and qualify :D
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The thing that should have mattered for the draw should be the FIFA ranking. But they added geography too and messed things up.
Although i like their game i have come to dislike France because of the all the push the get from FIFA and UEFA
Expect extreme conditions and not a lot of fun for the players.
The ref under extreme conditions will have the option to use time outs so the players can catch a breath. We`ll see how it`ll work out
Group C - I am hoping Japan get the 2nd spot. Ivory Coast are perennial underachievers. Greece normally play dull defensive counter attacking football. Japan play nice attacking possession football so I hope they make it through.
Did you just call the Greek team dull ????
...well you are right:D But we`ll beat your japan and qualify :D
hahaha... you have a point. I think Otto Rehhagel's team is still on our minds. But Greece always had talented players, I remember Tsartas playing great for Sevilla FC...
I think Greece's group is not the toughest, but every team has tradition and a defined style. Ivory Coast could surprise and show their talent, and Japan always has terrific guys on the offensive side. Colombia should be the favorites, but Greece has a chance.
About the timeouts, I don't know if they'll help at all, but West Coast African teams (Ivory Coast, Cameroon...) could have an advantage, because they enjoy similar climate.
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Italy asked for one time out in very half so the players can drink some water. Their coach said that during the last tournament there , 8 players were asking to be subed !
The games at 13.00 local time will be brutal for most players.
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They really should just seed by 4 groups of 8 and then randomly draw and fix some of the geographical things (after the random draw, you just randomly draw again as needed) so you don't end up with more than 2 from the same region. In other words make it more like the NCAA tournament where everyone is seeded, but some teams are moved around because of conference affiliations.
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I think that this is pretty much what they did.
I don`t understand what`s the problem having a group with 3teams from the same region
why complicate things???? 4 groups according to fifa ranking and draw.
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Australia is kinda screwed :(
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Convinced the seeding was gerrymandered to he Switzerland seeded.