Rankings is a sham, when I typed in the results and saw the points we gained it just doesn't make sense. Best draw would be Swiss Honduras Algeria Portugal M1 Swiss v Honduras Algeria v Portugal M2 Swiss v Algeria Honduras v Portugal M3 Swiss v Portugal Honduras v Algeria Worst draw would be Brazil Mexico France Portugal M1 Brazil v Mexico France v Portugal M2 Brazil v France Mexico v Portugal M3 Brazil v Portugal Mexico v France
The probability of getting an African team in Pot 3 must be very large, right? If we get an European from pot 1 we can't get France and if we get a South American we can't get Chile or Ecuador. Would be interesting to get Argentina in the first round...get Ronaldo all fired up.
3 things i want to point out after all of this epic qualification. 1- Every one who bashed Paulo Bento must shut up and see how the man make us play with a good tactics and the fighting spirit that we had with Felipão, with whom we had no tactics, just the Porto core and heart. We now play like a south american team, wanting the game all the time, putting pressure, fighting, coming back from 2-1 from Northern Ireland, 2-1 from Sweden, never giving up, something we lacked even when we had our best team ever in 00-02, and even better than the coward and soulless team of Queiroz (Man, the 0-1 to Spain was the most disgraceful and painful match i have ever seen Portugal play, we were pure cowards.) Bento, i command you, you got us to the semi-finals in Euro in a Group with Germany and Netherlands, and for the first time stopping Spain (Words said by Felipão after Brazil crushed Spain in Confederaations Cup, he copied what Bento did). 2- For the first time ever we have a chance to win the World Cup. We have the 3 mix that makes a World Cup champion team, 1st, we have knowledge of the competition after 4 participations in a row, so we won't crumble in pressure like 2002. 2nd, we finally have a wing man for Ronaldo. What Moutinho done yesterday was PHE-F*KCING-NOMENAL and 3rd, we have Ronaldo. Period. The Best Player in the World, Probably our best player ever, in his best moment ever. He reminds me of what Maradona and Romário did in 86 and 94, command a team by his own to win the Cup. If i was Bento, i would take the same 24 players he called up but i would only took of Micael and Eder and put Adrien there, no more changes. 3- Yes, we have the chance, but i don't think Brazil will lose the World Cup home. But look to our squad core for 2018. Rui Patricio, Anthony Lopes, Ricardo Cédric, André Almeida Neto, Ruben Vezo, Tiago Ilori, Pepe, Paulo Oliveira Coentrão, Antunes André Gomes, Veloso, William, Moutinho, Adrien, Bernardo Silva, Marcos Lopes, André Martins, Josué Ronaldo, Bruma, Mané, Nani, Cavaleiro, Esgaio, Iuri Medeiros Éder, Nélson Oliveira, Cristian Ponde S•it!!!
Give us another group of Death so that everyone can write us off and then watch them cry Argentina Portugal France Mexico
http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=442160 Josue, The Troll giving the finger to the crowd after we got the winner
I was thinking of that same group, actually. Imagine the meltdown if we dumped the argies at the group stage.
Yup, they would be saying that Ronaldo's assists in that game wouldn't count for the Ballon D'or because it was an easy pass or if he scored, it was an easy goal so it doesn't count and Messi bagged a hattrick vs Grenada when Barcelona was already winning 3-0.
Really? We won in spite of PB PB really doesn't add much to this team. We won for one reason and one reason only. Ronaldo
Ronaldo did put this team on his back and was tracking back virtually every play but let's not forget Moutinho and Almeida made glorious through balls, which our team never does and hope we continue. With great contributions from Fabio and JP. Pepe and Alves were solid except for that one corner. With PB we've seen this NT play some brave attacking football. We've only played bad in some qualifiers with PB for Euro and now WC but when it matters most Portugal with PB has shown up. He's brought in a lot of new players but he doesn't rush them in. For us it's painful at times but the set up is there for the World Cup and Euro. With Scolari and especially Queiroz the team was stagnant. At this point he only needs to integrate William, Josue, Bruma and maybe Eder/Oliveira for Meireles, Veloso, Nani and either Helder/Hugo knowing full well he can still use the other players and get results if experience is needed. I think our back line including Rui is as solid as ever, Moutinho is coming into a great stage of playmaking, Ronaldo is the best he's ever been and now it's just balancing out the rest of the squad. We don't have a squad that can walk to a final but as long as we keep the right attitude can make it out of the group and compete in the knockouts. PB isn't perfect but he gets results and we play with a fire that hasn't been seen since 2006.
A group I want, and the second round adversaries. Not so light, cause we ******** up when things are easier, and not extremely tough, so we can gain rhythm by the competition. Our Group Switzerland Portugal Iran Algeria Round of 16 adversaries Group Colombia / Uruguay Greece / Croatia / Bosnia Cameroon Korea / Honduras
After what happened last Euros, defence wins games. We came out of that group with stellar D. Coentrao saved US.
Yep, but Rui Patricio is a liability. It's the weakest link and yet I don't see PB addressing it. He either finds his form or we're not going far.
Really? Vic you must of misunderstood my post, well I really hope you did because as a 'Tripeiro' I really don't need the merits of Moutinho to be pointed out to me. Without a doubt, Moutinho was a factor in our victory, but it goes without saying that without CR we would have lost yesterday. Furthermore, like I said, PB had very little to do if anything to do with last night's victory. PB has proved time and time again that he's a pi ss poor tactician, however I will give him credit for his 22 wins , 11 ties and 7 defeats.
Yet I don't see any Zabordem fans calling for him to be replaced. And this notion that the masses think he's our best keeper, really?
Portugal vs. Argentina World Cup Final. Ronaldo beats 3 players (including Messi) and chips it outside the box, off the crossbar and in for the game winner. haha
Anthony Lopes is the better keeper but he'll never get his chance, only if RP really sucks. That said, he did well last euros.
You guys will like it....it simulate the draw. http://ultra-zone.net/2014-FIFA-World-Cup-Group-Stage-Draws The groups that i got. BTW Would be fantastic for Portugal if this happened A- Brazil, Honduras, Cameroon, Croatia B- Spain, Mexico, Côte d'Ivoire, Greece (Group of Death) C- Colombia, Australia, Ghana, Portugal D- Switzerland, Korea, Nigeria, Italy E- Uruguay, Japan, Algeria, England F- Belgium, USA, Ecuador, Netherlands G- Argentina, Costa Rica, France, Russia (Also a tough group) H- Germany, Iran, Chile, Bosnia Round of 16 Brazil - Côte d'Ivoire Spain - Croatia Portugal - Switzerland Italy - Colombia Uruguay - Belgium Netherlands - England Argentina - Chile Germany - France
I read up about these "monochrome" kit designs FIFA is enforcing for the World Cup. the rules actually state one strip most be all dark another all white therefore teams with white/black shorts mixed with a coloured shirt seem to be most affected. Nike's new France kit however is blue/white/red I think there is no reason not to have green shorts this time. Green shorts with Red Jerseys = all dark, away strip all white and we would be find.