View Full Version : Will Group H be weak again?
ZeekLTK
07 Dec 2005, 12:47 AM
Ever since expanding the World Cup to have a "Group H" it has generally been a very weak group.
1998:
Argentina
Croatia
Jamaica
Japan
2002:
Russia
Tunisia
Belgium
Japan
I mean, don't get me wrong, I realize Croatia won bronze in '98 and Argentina are still good. But Jamaica and Japan were big disappointments. Same goes for Tunisia and Russia in '02. Belgium also weren't that great...
Also Japan has been in the group every time. Will they be back again in '06?
I could just see something like this for '06:
Mexico
Switzerland
Angola
Japan
rougou
07 Dec 2005, 12:53 AM
Ever since expanding the World Cup to have a "Group H" it has generally been a very weak group.
1998:
Argentina
Croatia
Jamaica
Japan
2002:
Russia
Tunisia
Belgium
Japan
I mean, don't get me wrong, I realize Croatia won bronze in '98 and Argentina are still good. But Jamaica and Japan were big disappointments. Same goes for Tunisia and Russia in '02. Belgium also weren't that great...
Also Japan has been in the group every time. Will they be back again in '06?
what are you talking about? Croatia finishing 3rd is a big deal. And they were beating France in the semis until they blew it. So I don't see how having them and Argentina is weak. Pretty tough considering it was Japan's first world cup. And in 2002 they were hosts so thats probably why they got a relatively easy group.
scaryice
07 Dec 2005, 02:29 AM
The competition of the group was weak in 1998.
rougou
07 Dec 2005, 02:46 AM
The competition of the group was weak in 1998.
That is true, seeing as 2 teams advanced easily. Japan only lost by 1 goal to Arg and Croatia, but they ended up losing to Jamaica (who were blown out in their other games) too.
That is different from 2002 though, where all the teams were much closer. Since there were no superpowers in it, there weren't 2 teams that you knew would advance.
nutbar
08 Dec 2005, 01:21 AM
I don't think Japan and Jamaica were big disappointments in 1998...what were people expecting?
I know the Jamaican manager said some wierd things about them winning it all but still...
ShaRule
08 Dec 2005, 08:15 AM
Belgium almost defeated Brazil in 2002 :o
asudnik
08 Dec 2005, 12:08 PM
The problem in 2002 was that the seeded team - Japan - was clearly not among the top teams in the world, and there was no other team in the group that was among the best either. At least the group that had Korea as its seeded team also had Portugal in the group, and Portugal was among the top 10 teams in the world at that time (at least it was supposed to have been among the top teams - their performance in the WC may have shown them to be overrated at the time).
This is always going to be a problem if FIFA continues to seed teams that don't deserve a seeding merely because the team is host nation. Unless the draw happens to (by luck) also put a very good team in the group, the group will inevitably end up weak. I mean, does anyone think that, in the 2010 WC, the group that has South Africa as its seeded team is going to be a strong group?
ZeekLTK
09 Dec 2005, 04:19 PM
2006 Group H
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia
... Yup, weak again. :p
Fiorentina lives!
09 Dec 2005, 04:54 PM
Spain got VERY lucky. :)
loden
09 Dec 2005, 05:23 PM
no, no, no....ukraine got very lucky :D
leonidas
09 Dec 2005, 05:35 PM
If I'm a Ukraine fan, I'm counting my blessings. Having Sheva play against Saudia Arabia could be like Milan playing against some team from Slovenia in the CL or something. Joke. 4 goals for Sheva. I seriously think we can see Oleg Salenko's goal record equaled in this game.
I think Tunisia are underrated. Like Japan and Korea, theyve made great strides in the past 8 years or so. I still think they won't do too well. They didnt look good in the Confed Cup.
gaijin
09 Dec 2005, 05:41 PM
Go Ukraine!
Sheva should be able to dismantle the Saudis and Tunisians...
Bengoechea
09 Dec 2005, 05:46 PM
Spain 0x2 Ukraine
Tunisia 1x1 Saudi Arabia
Spain 2x0 Tunisia
Ukraine 3x0 Saudi Arabia
Spain 5x0 Saudi Arabia
Ukraine 1x0 Tunisia
1- Ukraine 9
2- Spain 6
3- Tunisia 1
4- Saudi Arabia 1
alekjandro
09 Dec 2005, 07:07 PM
Ever since expanding the World Cup to have a "Group H" it has generally been a very weak group.
1998:
Argentina
Croatia
Jamaica
Japan
2002:
Russia
Tunisia
Belgium
Japan
I mean, don't get me wrong, I realize Croatia won bronze in '98 and Argentina are still good. But Jamaica and Japan were big disappointments. Same goes for Tunisia and Russia in '02. Belgium also weren't that great...
Also Japan has been in the group every time. Will they be back again in '06?
I could just see something like this for '06:
Mexico
Switzerland
Angola
Japan
What a stupid thread..Mexico is not weak, Switzerland isnt also and Japan..mm did you see the confederations coup? they make Brazil a very difficult match.
You are an ignorante...very ignorant ...and this thread is stupid
lkgf09
09 Dec 2005, 08:15 PM
This group is very weak. Spain and Ukraine should get through easily.
This group will also bring us the great game between Saudi Arabia and Tunisia :D
Autogolazo
09 Dec 2005, 08:20 PM
Are people in the Ukraine going insane right now?
They should be--first the orange revolution there, and now a gift from above to ease the cold, hard winter.
Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. And a manic-depressive Spain.
And no impossible team in the Round of 16, either (France, Switz, Korea).
Quarterfinals are not an impossible dream for the Ukraine.
desertfox2
10 Dec 2005, 02:30 AM
Spain (possibly the worst top seed)
Ukraine (probably the worst non-euro seed)
Tunisia (middle of the African teams)
Saudi Arabia (probably the worst of their pot with only T&T being more worse)
Talk about a weak group lol. Spain definitely got it easy here, couldn't have asked for a better draw.
As far as the other teams go, it should be interesting. Ukraine is a great team (obviously, they won a group with Turkey, Denmark and Greece in it) and with Shevchenko they should be an awesome team to watch. However, beyond Shevchenko and a pretty solid defense, Ukraine doesn't pose much else of a threat. They are definitely a beatable side but with the weakness of the group and being in Europe will both be huge advantages for Ukraine. Tunisia I feel is their biggest threat outside of Spain in that they are defending African champions and have Lemerre at the helm. Tunisia will definitely play tough but it just always seems like they struggle at this stage.
Saudi Arabia will most likely do better than in 2002 (how could they do worse? lol) but don't expect much. Outside of Asia they have failed to impress for the last few years. Might get a point or two, but that's about it.
Here are my final standings:
Spain 9pts
Ukraine 6pts
Tunisia 3pts
Saudi Arabia 0pts
Russian Scouser
10 Dec 2005, 06:23 AM
Might be going to Berlin to support Tunisia against our objectionable neighbours... :)
gaijin
10 Dec 2005, 08:15 AM
I desperately want to go to that game too. :)
Saudi Sheikh
10 Dec 2005, 01:02 PM
This looks a lot like our group in 94.
94 Holland > Spain 2005
94 Belgium < Ukrain 2005
94 Morroco = Tunisia 2005
And guess what? we advanced from that group. I am confident the falcons will make it to the 2nd round this time around too, so go ahead and under estimate us you are only damaging yourseleves.