World Cup 2018

[SALTIRE]

Cracking half that, very open with both going for it. Messi and Di Maria have been superb, but fair play to Ecuador, they have nothing to play for but are running at Argentina every chance they get.

 

[SALTIRE]

Messi to the rescue again, that third goal was superb.

 

[G-Dragon]

Sacked Klinsmann for THIS!

 

[Leewilson]

Come on then Peru. You’ve dealt with some of the best nations in the world. Now you’ve got to beat New Zealand over 2 legs to qualify. If you’re good enough, you’ll win that comfortably

 

[Benji]

USA only needed a draw against a T&T in bottom position with nothing to play for. That is embarrassing, and a massive disaster for football in the USA in terms of growth and traction. Always thought they should have kept Klinsmann.

 

[Super_horns]

Wonder what Donald will make of it all?

I think Peru will make it against New Zealand - both teams will fancy their chances though.

Typical of Messi to come and pull it out of the bag for Argentina when they needed it most.

 

[St. Juste]

I reckon having a population of 200m+ and being football crazy probably has more to do with it.

Correct, the nation with the largest footballing population and football as the dominant sport is the most successful football nation of all time.

The second most populous, Germany, is the second most successful.

No surprises there.

Also beat and drew Germany in Euro qualifying...

Yeah, I think the second one was a dead rubber?

Scotland took 6 points off of then World Cup finalists France in 2007-2008, it happens.

Yes and England are fucking toilet. And yet look who's going to Russia.

INGERLAND

Yep, qualifying from a group where you have more than ten times the population of the second largest country.

Congrats.

Delighted Argentina got through and amused the USA are out - Trinidad is a lovely country but most certainly cricket focused.

 

[GodsGift]

So Panama - with a population of 4m - finish above USA (323m) to clinch qualification. Just goes to show you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it, yet a certain Scotsman is happy for his country to simply do what is expected of them (failure, basically). It's a good job the Panama and Iceland managers don't have that mindset.

 

[Super_horns]

If its just down to population then shouldn't the likes of India and China do much better?

Even Russia to an extent.

 

[Benji]

If its just down to population then shouldn't the likes of India and China do much better?

Even Russia to an extent.

And football being the main sport.

In India they play cricket and kabbadi, In China they play table tennis and badminton and in Russia I think their main sport is beating up gay people.

 

[Modernist]

We could have a population of a billion and we'd still be shit.

The USA was a total embarrassment, only had to finish 4th out of 6th for a play off and third out of 6 for automatic entry. Makes the European qualifying look incredibly hard when Slovakia finish 2nd and don't even get a play off spot.

And then consider who was in the USA's group, Trinidad, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. How on earth have they not qualified.

It will only be a blip though, their qualifying is so easy this will just be a one off.

 

[Dirk]

Correct, the nation with the largest footballing population and football as the dominant sport is the most successful football nation of all time.

The second most populous, Germany, is the second most successful.

Hopefully we'll get our 5th WC title next year to match Brazil and then "we" are the most successful. We already have more final appearances (8) but unfortunately lost half of it . (And remember, we weren't allowed to take part in 1950 and declined to take part in 1930 whereas Brazil played in all World Cups)

edit: Just looked at the "All-time World Cup" table: England is 6th

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_table_of_the_FIFA_World_Cup

We could have a population of a billion and we'd still be shit.

And then consider who was in the USA's group, Trinidad, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. How on earth have they not qualified.

Exactly. And 3 of the 6 (aka 50%) have a guaranteed spot at the World Cup and the 4th can qualify through playoffs, (whereas in our European groups only #1 spots has a guaranteed place in a 6 team group)

Winning 3 out of 10 is embarrassing. Blame the German Klinsmann

 

[St. Juste]

Correct, the nation with the largest footballing population and football as the dominant sport is the most successful football nation of all time.

The second most populous, Germany, is the second most successful.
.

So Panama - with a population of 4m - finish above USA (323m) to clinch qualification. Just goes to show you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it, yet a certain Scotsman is happy for his country to simply do what is expected of them (failure, basically). It's a good job the Panama and Iceland managers don't have that mindset.

Poor attempt given this was already addressed. Football isn't the dominant sport in the US, it's not even close. Is it currently 5th in the pecking order?

Also, what do you mean by "put your mind to it"? Why was it Panama and not Barabados or Grenada - what are they doing wrong?

The majority of nations in that section have a population of less than a million people. How many of them qualified? You guessed it, none.

I'd obviously like to see Scotland qualify, but it would be arrogant in the extreme to expect it and be upset / angry when it doesn't happen. Iceland and Panama will benefit from having relatively little pressure, they qualify and it's fantastic. If they don't, fine, they aren't expected to. Scotland don't qualify from a tougher section and the players and managers are viciously attacked in the press. It's ridiculous.

If its just down to population then shouldn't the likes of India and China do much better?

Even Russia to an extent.

It isn't just down to population - hence why I clearly specified "and football is the dominant sport".

It isn't in any of those nations.

Hopefully we'll get our 5th WC title next year to match Brazil and then "we" are the most successful. We already have more final appearances (8) but unfortunately lost half of it . (And remember, we weren't allowed to take part in 1950 and declined to take part in 1930 whereas Brazil played in all World Cups)

edit: Just looked at the "All-time World Cup" table: England is 6th

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_table_of_the_FIFA_World_Cup

Exactly. And 3 of the 6 (aka 50%) have a guaranteed spot at the World Cup and the 4th can qualify through playoffs, (whereas in our European groups only #1 spots has a guaranteed place in a 6 team group)

Winning 3 out of 10 is embarrassing. Blame the German Klinsmann

The huge nations like Germany, France, Italy and Brazil will always be competing around the top. England might get close if they can ever get their act together and Spain have a sizable enough population to breed a golden generation.

Or maybe it'll be Finland, Albania and Belize who go on to dominate football given population doesn't matter.

 

[SALTIRE]

Hopefully we'll get our 5th WC title next year to match Brazil and then "we" are the most successful. We already have more final appearances (8) but unfortunately lost half of it . (And remember, we weren't allowed to take part in 1950 and declined to take part in 1930 whereas Brazil played in all World Cups)

edit: Just looked at the "All-time World Cup" table: England is 6th

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_table_of_the_FIFA_World_Cup



Exactly. And 3 of the 6 (aka 50%) have a guaranteed spot at the World Cup and the 4th can qualify through playoffs, (whereas in our European groups only #1 spots has a guaranteed place in a 6 team group)

Winning 3 out of 10 is embarrassing. Blame the German Klinsmann

I think Brazil will win this one Dirk. You lot will probably play them in the final though.

 

[blademan89]

I'd back Germany all day long. France have a good squad too, I'd go one of them before Brazil personally

 

[Leewilson]

I think Spain will win it personally. They've had a few years of transition but I've watched 1-2 of their games in this qualifying campaign and they look very good again. Plus, after years of not having a striker/relying on a poor Diego Costa, they have Morata to lead the line. I think Asensio and Isco will star as well.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Loving that the President of Panama declared an impromptu public holiday in celebration of qualifying

France's squad and options in every position are quite ridiculous, I don't think any other squad will be as complete as there's. They can't get them all out onto the pitch though mind, it'll be up to Deschamps to get the blend right.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Just looking through the other night and the USA falling out in more detail and watching some highlights, it's pretty daft.

The US themselves score a belting own goal, Gonzalez slicing a cross into the top corner with the outside of his boot. They then concede a 35 + yarder that Tim Howard should be stopping in his sleep (good effort Alvin Jones though). Then one of Honduras' goals comes down off the crossbar and went in off Guillermo Ochoa's back. And then for Panana they score a goal that literally 'went in' off someone's arse, but didn't actually even cross the line, and the defending from Costa Rica for Panana's winner was bonkers.

As much as the US had it all within their grasp needing just a draw against Trinidad and Tobago, and can only blame themselves, still the culmination of circumstances involved are pretty incredible.

 

[mistermagic]

I think Spain will win it personally. They've had a few years of transition but I've watched 1-2 of their games in this qualifying campaign and they look very good again. Plus, after years of not having a striker/relying on a poor Diego Costa, they have Morata to lead the line. I think Asensio and Isco will star as well.

Sadly, I agree. I don't think anyone can stop Spain next summer.

Loving that the President of Panama declared an impromptu public holiday in celebration of qualifying

France's squad and options in every position are quite ridiculous, I don't think any other squad will be as complete as there's. They can't get them all out onto the pitch though mind, it'll be up to Deschamps to get the blend right.

Deschamps is misusing all the talent though. Without Pogba, our midfield is shaky and Griezmann doesn't have enough character to drop deep and impose his tempo on a particular game.

I wrote this after the Belarus game:
http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.co...mann-holds-the-key-for-france-at-russia-2018/

I think we'll get knocked out by the 1st half-decent side we meet (may have to wait a while). I can't see us knocking out Spain or Germany at this moment in time (mind you, I still don't see how we knocked out the Germans last year). We'll beat Brazil because that's what we do now (at least since 1998) but we won't win it I don't think.

 

[Leewilson]

Sadly, I agree. I don't think anyone can stop Spain next summer.


Deschamps is misusing all the talent though. Without Pogba, our midfield is shaky and Griezmann doesn't have enough character to drop deep and impose his tempo on a particular game.

I wrote this after the Belarus game:
http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.co...mann-holds-the-key-for-france-at-russia-2018/

I think we'll get knocked out by the 1st half-decent side we meet (may have to wait a while). I can't see us knocking out Spain or Germany at this moment in time (mind you, I still don't see how we knocked out the Germans last year). We'll beat Brazil because that's what we do now (at least since 1998) but we won't win it I don't think.

We think alike MM. I view France a bit like I view England at the moment. Both sides are talented yet both have managers who are not getting the best out of the talent available. Both sides are stumbling through matches as opposed to looking convincing. Don't get me wrong, I'd say France's 11 overall is better but there are similarities. I think with the way England are playing, they're looking no further than a quarter final (and even that is a push) and France are looking no further than possibly a semi final.

Spain, Brazil, Germany and I think potentially Belgium are the ones. Martinez has his flaws but he's an upgrade on Wilmots and will get more out of Belgium's talents. And I'm not ruling out Argentina under Sampaoli. He's got a bit of time away from the pressure cooker now to tamper and get things right. Argentina will definitely have one of the best coaches at the World Cup.

 

[Stevencc]

Malky "fucking chinkies, I bet you'd love a bounce on her falsies, nothing like a Jew that sees money slipping through his fingers" Mackay has taken interim charge of Scotland.

The national team, not the country. I think.

 

[SALTIRE]

Malky "fucking chinkies, I bet you'd love a bounce on her falsies, nothing like a Jew that sees money slipping through his fingers" Mackay has taken interim charge of Scotland.

The national team, not the country. I think.

I don't see the point in it tbh, I don't think we play again for a while so surely they can get their choice in without resorting to an interim manager - especially of the (lack of) calibre of Malky McKay.

 

[SALTIRE]

'So have they also called you about the Scotland job?'

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Mauricio Pochettino: "I'd relish the opportunity to coach the England national team."

 

[Stevencc]

Yes please.

 

[SALTIRE]

He's destined for Argentina one of these days.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

He's destined for Argentina one of these days.

Not sure they could afford him.

 

[SALTIRE]

Not sure they could afford him.

He's a proud Argentine he'd take a pay cut if needed. Can't see him getting it for 5 years or so yet, but do expect him to be there sooner or later.

 

[Adamhoward]

23 teams now qualified as participants at World Cup 2018.

1. Russia
2. Belgium
3. England
4. France
5. Germany
6. Iceland
7. Poland
8. Portugal
9. Serbia
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Brazil
13. Colombia
14. Uruguay
15. Iran
14. Japan
17. South Korea
18. Saudi Arabia
19. Costa Rica
20. Mexico
21. Panama
22. Egypt
23. Nigeria

There are still games left for 9 places.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Mauricio Pochettino: "I'd relish the opportunity to coach the England national team."

Just wondering what reaction he would receive from his home country, even more so if we met in the WC during his tenure?