FIFA World Cup

Shabbaman · 07-12-2009, 17:03

So, I thought it's about time for a world cup thread. To start this discussion: how do you feel that Serbia and Australia are in the same group?

akots · 07-12-2009, 17:39

How is that you accept my challenge for friendly for CDZ cup? Sorry for hijacking.

socralynnek · 07-12-2009, 18:35

Poor South Africa. And poor Ivory Coast (after they had a real tough group last time as well). And poor Ireland. But for different reasons..;-)

I bought an Aussie shirt last World Cup. Let's see whether I wear it in the first match or not...
Germany's got an OK group. Not the easiest ones from each pot but not the strongest ones as well.

Same goes for the Dutch.

Easiest group has England.

Shabbaman · 07-12-2009, 18:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by socralynnek

Easiest group has England.

True, but probably not for England

Socrates · 07-12-2009, 20:02

No group of death this time IMHO.

And... well that's it. Another 5 months before we can bump this baby, methinks.

Matrix · 08-12-2009, 00:00

South Africa really has bad luck in the draw. I think they drew the best teams from all three pots.

I think there are two tough groups:
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece
Group G: Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal

The Netherlands have fairly easy opponents. Germany has the easiest first round, as usual.

Robi D · 08-12-2009, 08:23

My quick thoughts

Group A. France has the players but hasn't performed, Mexico struggled at times in qualifying, Uruguay sneaked in through the play offs and Sth Africa has done anything special in the last few years but being the home team you can't write them off. So its a tough group to call, i'll go with France and Mexico on talent and big tournament experience.

Group B. Argentina also has the players but the performance has not been there. Like in 86 their chance will depend on what Maradona does. Nigeria is not as good as they used to be and were lucky to make it, Sth. Korea is for me the strongest asian team and Greece is the same defensive team from euro 04 and 08. Given Argentina's problems they were lucky to have one of the easier groups, so i'll pick them to go through with S.Korea

Group C. The easiest of the 8 groups, England has the talent and form to go through. USA were fairly consistant through qualifying and have a good team, Algeria made it just getting in with a playoff and Slovenia pulled off an upset to make it in. England are a clear favorite, it would be the choke of the decade if they don't go through and USA to squeak thorugh in the 2nd spot

Group D. One of the harder groups. Germany have a very good team and are playing well but neither Serbia or Ghana are far off them in form and talent. Australia are a strong contender but they don't have a threating enough attack. I'll pick Serbia and Germany over Ghana for their greater squad depth but anything could happen

Group E. Netherlands had an easy qualifying group so its difficult to say how strong they really are, Denmark is playing well as is Cameroon and Japan has been good too. This is one of the most even groups of the lot. Having said that Netherlands has more class players then the other 3 and should go through while i'll go with Cameroon for the other spot

Group F. Definately one of the easier groups, Italy has a strong team but they always struggle to get results, only ever seem to hit form when they reach the quarter finals of a tournament. Paraguay were solid in qualifying and Slovakia impressed me in some games but this being their first major tournament works against them. While it nice to see minnows like New Zealand make the WC i think they are looking for respectable losses. Italy and Paraguay are the two for me.

Group G. The hardest group in this WC. Brazil are well Brazil, Portugal has lots of talent as does Ivory Coast and Nth Korea are a bit of an unknown although they qualifyed with a very resiliant defence. The thing for me is Portugal have difficultly playing against teams that are tall and strong which makes me favour the Ivory Coast in that game, so i'd go with Brazil and Ivory Coast as the top 2

Group H. Spain for me is the best team in the world at the moment, Swizterland and good but qualifying from the easiest european group i've ever seen, Chile were impressive throughout qualifying and Honduras just made it through with some luck. Its one of the easier groups and Spain should get through easily and Chile should be the other team.

My favorite for the tournament is Spain.
The strongest of the rest are Brazil, Netherlands and England

And my dark horses are Serbia, Ivory Coast and Chile.

Bring on 11th June 2010

Matrix · 08-12-2009, 14:11

So when Australia plays Serbia, who would you want to win?

Robi D · 09-12-2009, 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matrix

So when Australia plays Serbia, who would you want to win?

.

Stapel · 11-12-2009, 09:13

Imho, we can skip watching the first round.... Not that I will, but still...

Every WorldCup has the same usual suspects to reach the final: Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, France, Holland. None other country has reached the final in the last 40 years. We should add Spain and maybe Portugal to that list, not England.

With all respect, but teams like Nigeria, Serbia, Denmark, South Korea, Greece, Paraguay or Ivory Coast will mean crap to nothing. Obviously, there will be the occasional surprise result and one crap country will make it to the semis-final, but that's it.

07-12-2009, 17:03	#1
Shabbaman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Costa La Haya Posts: 8,493	FIFA World Cup So, I thought it's about time for a world cup thread. To start this discussion: how do you feel that Serbia and Australia are in the same group? __________________ "Our spam is backed with COMETS!"

07-12-2009, 17:39	#2
akots Nebuchadnezzar II Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Glover Park Posts: 4,459	How is that you accept my challenge for friendly for CDZ cup? Sorry for hijacking. __________________ Cujusvis hominis est errare; nullius, nisi insipientis in errore perseverare Ciceron (Marcus Tullius)

07-12-2009, 18:35	#3
socralynnek Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USS Defiant Posts: 3,827	Poor South Africa. And poor Ivory Coast (after they had a real tough group last time as well). And poor Ireland. But for different reasons..;-) I bought an Aussie shirt last World Cup. Let's see whether I wear it in the first match or not... Germany's got an OK group. Not the easiest ones from each pot but not the strongest ones as well. Same goes for the Dutch. Easiest group has England. __________________ Being without a signature since November 2004.

07-12-2009, 20:02	#5
Socrates Emperor Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 3,946	No group of death this time IMHO. And... well that's it. Another 5 months before we can bump this baby, methinks. __________________ Sent from my Debian

08-12-2009, 00:00	#6
Matrix Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 4,828	South Africa really has bad luck in the draw. I think they drew the best teams from all three pots. I think there are two tough groups: Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece Group G: Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal The Netherlands have fairly easy opponents. Germany has the easiest first round, as usual. __________________

08-12-2009, 08:23	#7
Robi D King Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Adelaide, Australia. Posts: 2,060	My quick thoughts Group A. France has the players but hasn't performed, Mexico struggled at times in qualifying, Uruguay sneaked in through the play offs and Sth Africa has done anything special in the last few years but being the home team you can't write them off. So its a tough group to call, i'll go with France and Mexico on talent and big tournament experience. Group B. Argentina also has the players but the performance has not been there. Like in 86 their chance will depend on what Maradona does. Nigeria is not as good as they used to be and were lucky to make it, Sth. Korea is for me the strongest asian team and Greece is the same defensive team from euro 04 and 08. Given Argentina's problems they were lucky to have one of the easier groups, so i'll pick them to go through with S.Korea Group C. The easiest of the 8 groups, England has the talent and form to go through. USA were fairly consistant through qualifying and have a good team, Algeria made it just getting in with a playoff and Slovenia pulled off an upset to make it in. England are a clear favorite, it would be the choke of the decade if they don't go through and USA to squeak thorugh in the 2nd spot Group D. One of the harder groups. Germany have a very good team and are playing well but neither Serbia or Ghana are far off them in form and talent. Australia are a strong contender but they don't have a threating enough attack. I'll pick Serbia and Germany over Ghana for their greater squad depth but anything could happen Group E. Netherlands had an easy qualifying group so its difficult to say how strong they really are, Denmark is playing well as is Cameroon and Japan has been good too. This is one of the most even groups of the lot. Having said that Netherlands has more class players then the other 3 and should go through while i'll go with Cameroon for the other spot Group F. Definately one of the easier groups, Italy has a strong team but they always struggle to get results, only ever seem to hit form when they reach the quarter finals of a tournament. Paraguay were solid in qualifying and Slovakia impressed me in some games but this being their first major tournament works against them. While it nice to see minnows like New Zealand make the WC i think they are looking for respectable losses. Italy and Paraguay are the two for me. Group G. The hardest group in this WC. Brazil are well Brazil, Portugal has lots of talent as does Ivory Coast and Nth Korea are a bit of an unknown although they qualifyed with a very resiliant defence. The thing for me is Portugal have difficultly playing against teams that are tall and strong which makes me favour the Ivory Coast in that game, so i'd go with Brazil and Ivory Coast as the top 2 Group H. Spain for me is the best team in the world at the moment, Swizterland and good but qualifying from the easiest european group i've ever seen, Chile were impressive throughout qualifying and Honduras just made it through with some luck. Its one of the easier groups and Spain should get through easily and Chile should be the other team. My favorite for the tournament is Spain. The strongest of the rest are Brazil, Netherlands and England And my dark horses are Serbia, Ivory Coast and Chile. Bring on 11th June 2010 __________________ "I'm altering the deal, prey I don't alter it further" Darth Vader "We shall defend what is ours. We shall never surrender" --Kosovo is Serbia!

08-12-2009, 14:11	#8
Matrix Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 4,828	So when Australia plays Serbia, who would you want to win? __________________

11-12-2009, 09:13	#10
Stapel Emperor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Netherlands. Posts: 3,196	Imho, we can skip watching the first round.... Not that I will, but still... Every WorldCup has the same usual suspects to reach the final: Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, France, Holland. None other country has reached the final in the last 40 years. We should add Spain and maybe Portugal to that list, not England. With all respect, but teams like Nigeria, Serbia, Denmark, South Korea, Greece, Paraguay or Ivory Coast will mean crap to nothing. Obviously, there will be the occasional surprise result and one crap country will make it to the semis-final, but that's it. __________________ Vrooooooooooommmmmm Stapel doesn't like cricket