World Cup 2022

[Rook]

I think the Yanks and Welsh might have too much for them, tbf.

you have not seen us play. We a collection of squad players, its like watching 11 Tom Cleverleys.

 

[TimHowardsBeardJuice]

It’s a tough ask for Canada to get out of that group, we know Croatia are decent and if I’m honest I would back Morocco over Canada in a game.

That being said it’s the World Cup so anything can happen.

Canada deserved the top spot in CONCACAF. On a neutral pitch I'd favor them over USA at the moment. They are on the way up, they're excited, they play hard, they're disciplined. USA has better players 1 through 11 but they are less than the sum of their parts - I do not like Berhalter. Canada has the overacheiving vibe that the better USA teams had in the past, this American team seems to know that it should be doing better.

Canada's emergence has been a great thing for CONCACAF, where the shithousery is legendary. The travel is brutal and the venues inhospitable. Honduras, for example, famously schedules its home games for midafternoon in the stifling heat and grows the pitch grass to slow down the fancier sides. Canada got to turn that on its head by hosting Mexico at night in Edmonton in November. Mexico clearly didn't want to be there, the Canadians were revelling in it and even celebrated goals by jumping in the piles of snow pitchside:

 

[stipe]

Have to admit all of these groups are pretty solid. Even Group A could be tough as they got arguably Africa's best and the Netherlands. Group B, probably the weakest unless Iran is good, can't say I've watched too much iranian footie but they did run through Asia.

Its gonna be interesting to see Africa teams, last World Cup if i recall correctly all African teams failed already in group stages.

 

[edge]

Uh oh the edge is here. Im England now. GOD SAVE OUR QUEEN.

(hope you’re well mate)

Fine mate.
Not a royalist by the way, not anti or for them, they are like wasps , must have some piont in the grand scheme of things ,but I can't really see it, so why bother thinking about them?
How are you mate , still up in that god forsaken place?

 

[chicoazul]

Fine mate.
Not a royalist by the way, not anti or for them, they are like wasps , must have some piont in the grand scheme of things ,but I can't really see it, so why bother thinking about them?
How are you mate , still up in that god forsaken place?

Home mate, the heart is mostly too. Seeing the big man next week hopefully.

 

[Rook]

Its gonna be interesting to see Africa teams, last World Cup if i recall correctly all African teams failed already in group stages.

I think African qualifying hurts Africa. For the good teams there you have to concentrate on mistake free footie because 1 loss could be death. So its tough to get away w/ an attacking style.

 

[Drico]

Have to admit all of these groups are pretty solid. Even Group A could be tough as they got arguably Africa's best and the Netherlands. Group B, probably the weakest unless Iran is good, can't say I've watched too much iranian footie but they did run through Asia.

Yup, it's very well balanced. All groups are competitive. The Qataris will inevitably benefit from dubious refereeing and iffy VAR decisions, so I would not rule them out of contention for qualification. The Dutch will need to be very careful in that group. Lose the first match to Senegal - which is very possible - and they could be the fall guys. Similarly, Germany will need to turn up this time if they want to qualify. The Japanese will be no slouches and with Spain next they could find themselves in big trouble by the time they face probably Costa Rica in the final game. International football is far more even than club football - it's partly why the World Cup group stage is very often superior to the Champions League groups stage.

Pushed to pick the qualifiers, I see a second phase as follows:

Senegal v. Iran
Argentina v. Denmark
Spain v. Croatia
Brazil v. Portugal
England v. Qatar
France v. Mexico
Belgium v. Germany
Uruguay v. Switzerland

That leads to this last eight:

Senegal v. Argentina
Spain v. Portugal
England v. France
Germany v. Uruguay

And my last four:

Argentina v. Spain
France v. Germany

 

[mmmmsnouts]

Honduras, for example, famously schedules its home games for midafternoon in the stifling heat and grows the pitch grass to slow down the fancier sides.

Well now I don’t feel so bad about the US dragging Honduras to Minnesota in February, where it was about -17 C / +3 F at kickoff.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I think if you’re Scotland, Iran is a dream.

USA can go either way, but England is the game, and they’ll up their game 100% over that.

They no showed an England game last summer

 

[Rook]

Its gonna be interesting to see Africa teams, last World Cup if i recall correctly all African teams failed already in group stages.

I looked it up. Morocco finished 4th because of 2 late goals (one OG) at 90+ mark. Nigeria 3rd w/ a -1 and were drawn w/ Croatia and Argentina. Tunisia had England (91st min GW from Kane) and Belguim in their group. Senegal 3rd tied w/ Japan but Japan advanced on Fair Play points. Egypt's confed did the squad dirty and were a mess.

Maybe better fortune for Africa this time around. Morocco is good and has more exp. Senegal better than 4 years ago. Maybe w/ good luck 1 of Cameroon, Ghana, or Tunisia makes it though.

 

[WilliamPerry]

They no showed an England game last summer

It was nil nil ?

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

It’s a tough ask for Canada to get out of that group, we know Croatia are decent and if I’m honest I would back Morocco over Canada in a game.

That being said it’s the World Cup so anything can happen.

It’s not about getting out the group for them really

A free hit tournament to get them experience ahead of hosting

3 good performances is all they need

Results will be what they’ll be

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

It was nil nil ?

And Scotland were the better side and got a creditable point

 

[Mr K.Dilkington]

Holy hell its like a GOT wet dream that draw. There will be actual bloodshed on here. Stadium jackets will sell out.

 

[BlueStevie35]

Whilst England have beaten USA in pointless friendlies, England have never beat USA in the 2 World Cup meetings they have had. I think that's pretty significant.

Not really