View Full Version : Who do we want from the Euro pot?
Rahbiefowlah
07 Dec 2005, 09:02 PM
Switzerland
Croatia
Ukraine
Sweden
Portugal
Holland
Czech Republic
As it will likely break down, we'll have to finish above one of these teams to advance. I'll take Croatia or Ukraine. Croatia because they play a bit, and we usually can frustrate teams that try to play. Ukraine I just think isn't that strong. Sweden would beat us 1-0, I think, and we would have bruises. Portugal, Holland, and Czech Republic would be a tough go, obviously. Switzerland would be a decent draw for us also.
And hey, fellow Mercans, all together now in a drawl.....
Don't forget Poland.
ChrisSSBB
07 Dec 2005, 09:29 PM
I'm not keen on anyone from the Euro pot but really don't want to see US draw Ghana. I would hate to see DMB or JOB on the receiving end of one of Essien's "special" challenges
jsantarita
07 Dec 2005, 09:32 PM
Switzerland or croatia and if possbile in the group headed by germany or england
ty webb
07 Dec 2005, 10:31 PM
They all scare me. Dutch or Czechs would be a disaster. One or both groups they are in will be the "Group of Death". I also don't know if we should wish for a rematch with Portugal. Sweden will have a very good team.
I think the best options would be:
Switzerland
Ukraine
Poland
Croatia
in that order.
scaryice
07 Dec 2005, 10:33 PM
YES-Switzerland, Ukraine, Poland, Croatia
NO-Netherlands, Portugal, Czech Republic, Sweden
ty webb
07 Dec 2005, 10:40 PM
I forgot to mention that even more important than my following suggestion of:
Switzerland
Ukraine
Poland
Croatia
in that order.
Based on my understanding of the process, WE DO NOT want to draw Serbia either. If we draw Serbia then we would be placed with Brazil or Argentina, since we can not be placed in Mexico's group and Serbia must be place in Brazil, Argentina, or Mexico's group. Therefore we would face Brazil or Argentina then one of the Euro teams (which most of us want Swiss, Ukraine, etc...) however could end up with Dutch, Czechs, etc.... Then, the other team would likely be an African team where we would not want to see IC or Ghana. This would be a Group of Death scenerio.
I hope we draw a European top seed.
ty webb
07 Dec 2005, 10:51 PM
Another correction - BIG ROSE stated this on another board........
No. There is no chance of being drawn with Serbia and Montenegro in the first round.
Each group will get 1 seeded team.
Then each group will get 1 unseeded European team.
Then Serbia and Montenegro will be drafted into a group headed by Brazil, Argentina, or Mexico.
At that point, a team from Pot 2 (Africa, S. America, Austrailia) will be drawn into each group...which would make 4 teams in the group with Serbia and Montenegro, before our pot is even drawn.
Essentially, they are Pot 4 with us, but made into a special pot to ensure that 3 European teams don't get drawn into the same group.
I suppose Landon (and others) can be forgiven for not doing this research. He (and the rest of you) probably have better things to do.
I don't.
So, I will stick with Switzerland Ukraine Poland Croatia
ToonUSA
07 Dec 2005, 10:53 PM
Portugal or Switzerland. I feel we have a bit of the psychological advantage over the 'guese and the Swiss are a beatable side. All others would be shaky.
Onionsack
07 Dec 2005, 10:54 PM
I want Sweden from pot C
I want England from Pot A
I want Australia from Pot B
That would be the best group out there. So many angles for every game.
Jabinho
07 Dec 2005, 10:55 PM
All I know is I don't want Holland in our group with, in addition, either Germany or Brazil..
Anything else I can live with.. ;)
ToonUSA
07 Dec 2005, 11:14 PM
I want Sweden from pot C
I want England from Pot A
I want Australia from Pot B
That would be the best group out there. So many angles for every game.
Sweden? That is a tough team. Care to explain?
Jabinho
07 Dec 2005, 11:24 PM
Croatia beat Sweden twice in wc qualifying (both 1-0)
Why is everyone so scared of Sweden???
I didn't see the original poster say anything about being scared of Sweden and I believe he was saying that would be the best group to assure the USA getting through.. Looks that way to me.. ;)
ToonUSA
07 Dec 2005, 11:27 PM
Scared? I do not recall stating I feared the Swedes. I was simply pointing out that they are a great side that have done well in the past few WC's, and was curious to know why he would want them in our group.
ty webb
07 Dec 2005, 11:29 PM
Croatia are a very good team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catenaccio_L'pool
Croatia beat Sweden twice in wc qualifying (both 1-0)
Why is everyone so scared of Sweden???
And, do you really think this would be our best group possible....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Onionsack
I want Sweden from pot C
I want England from Pot A
I want Australia from Pot B
That would be the best group out there. So many angles for every game.
Maybe:
Spain
Switzerland
Togo
gettysburg32
07 Dec 2005, 11:34 PM
IMHO the easiest possible group would be
France
Angola
Switzerland
Rowray
08 Dec 2005, 12:27 AM
Another correction - BIG ROSE stated this on another board........
No. There is no chance of being drawn with Serbia and Montenegro in the first round.
Each group will get 1 seeded team.
Then each group will get 1 unseeded European team.
Then Serbia and Montenegro will be drafted into a group headed by Brazil, Argentina, or Mexico.
At that point, a team from Pot 2 (Africa, S. America, Austrailia) will be drawn into each group...which would make 4 teams in the group with Serbia and Montenegro, before our pot is even drawn.
Essentially, they are Pot 4 with us, but made into a special pot to ensure that 3 European teams don't get drawn into the same group.
I suppose Landon (and others) can be forgiven for not doing this research. He (and the rest of you) probably have better things to do.
I don't.
So, I will stick with Switzerland Ukraine Poland Croatia
This has other implications. It means that the chances of facing Brazil or Argentina have decreased significantly as S&M has a 2/3 chance of being drawn into one of their groups. So we've got a 2/3 chance to have a 1/6 chance of facing Brazil or Argentina and a 1/3 chance to have a 2/6 (or 1/3) chance of facing Brazil or Argentina.
And to answer the thread's question...I want Poland.
dna77054
08 Dec 2005, 01:40 AM
I am not too keen on facing Switzerland/Poland for sylistic reasons. We do not have a particularly creative attack. And those teams tend to be tactically quite disciplined in defence. We would have more trouble scoring against them than against a team that really "plays"
Think back to that 1-0 friendly victory in Poland, IIRC our goal came on our only shot on goal the whole game.
I think would would be better off against more adventerous teams like Portugal and aggressive Eastern Euros.
grandinquisitor28
08 Dec 2005, 02:39 AM
IMHO the easiest possible group would be
France
Angola
Switzerland
I'll take Angola over Togo as well. A lot of people grab Togo for the friendly draw but Togo didn't appear to have a single off game in qualifying. A couple of draws if I remember right, but no bad defeats and two positive results against Senegal. Angola was a bit more hit and miss if I remember right, and I'm not aware of Angolan players making the same inroads in Europe that some of the players from Togo have (though that doesn't necessairly define things).
I also don't get the Sweden fear in comparison to Croatia, Sweden scares me because of Ibrahimovic, and they're consistently positive results in cups, but Croatia just handled them twice (and I think they've done it three times in a row), and won their group, so Croatia is no easy mark either.
frenil
08 Dec 2005, 06:17 AM
I also don't get the Sweden fear in comparison to Croatia, Sweden scares me because of Ibrahimovic, and they're consistently positive results in cups, but Croatia just handled them twice (and I think they've done it three times in a row), and won their group, so Croatia is no easy mark either.
One game they won due to a penalty and one they due to a free kick. Those two goals accounted for 50% of all goals let in by Sweden during the WCQ. Sweden had a 30-4 goal difference.
The vs. statistics are really irrelevant. England hasn't beaten Sweden since '68, doesn't mean that Sweden is the better team. Having said that, Croatia is a really tough team to beat.
bltleo
08 Dec 2005, 06:47 AM
actually it does not play any big role against which european team you will
play in the group..
it is the World Cup - the best meet best....
I would not underestimate on one team...someday these "small" unknown teams can cause much more troubles than bigger teams like
Holland or Czechs ...because coaches follow all games of all these "BIG" soccer nations, but forget that small countries or "newbies" can cause
more troubles.
example Switzerland....swiss boys played very good WCQ....are very motivated ..
why to be afraid of competition?:)
we all want to watch attractive games....
I think USA is good team....you can make it..
bltleo
GERMANY