Let's be honest

[Levante]

This thread is not meant to inflame Angolan fans (not that there are any here) but this group is really a three team race................ Mexico, Portugal, and Iran.

I see a tight group, but Portugal should have the edge, followed by Mexico then Iran. Iran could surprise however.

[AliKarimi]

possibly. i cant see iran playing that well with this kind of preparation.

[CRonaldo_07]

Portugal should be ok i guess..all our top players are in great form for there respective clubs which is always good.

Im not worried about angola..not to be disrespectfull, its iran and mexico that im worried about. Because i know portugal will take iran lightly, and mexico is a great team.

[chololo]

mexico and iran will fight for a spot to go to the next round have not seen iran play but their defence better be good because mexico's offence and midfiled is the best out their(it doesnt matter if they dont play dont play in europe) for those people that watched the confederations cup already know

[ShaRule]

in the Mexico-Iran game everything can happen! whoever wins makes a big chance! so I also think it'll be a race between Portuga, Iran and Mexico.

[eurodad]

If we are going to be honest, Im not sure what to expect out of this group. Most of these teams have a history of ups and downs. Never know who will show up. I say this for all of the teams, mine included. :confused:

[FlashM11]

If we are going to be honest, Im not sure what to expect out of this group. Most of these teams have a history of ups and downs. Never know who will show up. I say this for all of the teams, mine included. :confused:
if we are going to be honest we cant predict anything.

[Otaku]

If we are going to be honest, Im not sure what to expect out of this group. Most of these teams have a history of ups and downs. Never know who will show up. I say this for all of the teams, mine included. :confused:


If we are going to be honest I would give the edge to Mexico (not trying to be bias) at least in the group stages. We have pretty much won all our groups since 94, we are rock solid on the group stages. Now if this was the knock out stage, than it would be different. We always crack under the pressure in the second round, so if I had to face Mexico it would be in the knock-out stage not the groups. I am just looking at numbers here. I don't know Portugal's numbers in WC group stages though.

I think it will be a tough battle between Portugal and Mexico. If Iran can pull some upsets they can be in there possibly too.

[SoulflyTribeFC]

Group A was supposed to be a three team race in 2002.

France
Denmark
Uruguay

and the lowly newcomers Senegal

[ShaRule]

everything can happen, Mexico is usually very good in the first phase but look at France, they won WC 98 and couldn't score in 02!

[Joelzinho]

Im worried about this group in general. Iran scares me and I have never seen any of thier players play! Mexico scares me because they are so technically sound. Angola scares me for the fact that they are a former colony of Portugal and have unbelievable heart, speed, and determination....

[Rick B]

This thread is not meant to inflame Angolan fans (not that there are any here) but this group is really a three team race................ Mexico, Portugal, and Iran.

I see a tight group, but Portugal should have the edge, followed by Mexico then Iran. Iran could surprise however.

Disagree. I really think Angola will surprise you, I see it being a very tight group between Portugal, Mexico and Angola. I actually see Angola and Portugal going through. Which means as I have tickets to their game it will be a good one!!

[Otaku]

Im worried about this group in general. Iran scares me and I have never seen any of thier players play! Mexico scares me because they are so technically sound. Angola scares me for the fact that they are a former colony of Portugal and have unbelievable heart, speed, and determination....


Very good way to think, you should never underestimate your apponent, no matter how small. One mistake even here, and your out. I hope our coach thinks the same too.

[Joelzinho]

Very good way to think, you should never underestimate your apponent, no matter how small. One mistake even here, and your out. I hope our coach thinks the same too.

Scolari is a good coach...this guy is one of my favorite coaches. I dont know if you understand portugues Otaku, but some of the things he says on the sidelines during the games and post game interviews are funny as hell!

[Otaku]

Scolari is a good coach...this guy is one of my favorite coaches. I dont know if you understand portugues Otaku, but some of the things he says on the sidelines during the games and post game interviews are funny as hell!

He used to be the head coach of Brazil right? If so I know the guy. I speak spanish fluently so portugues isn't to hard to translate.

[Manoro3]

Disagree. I really think Angola will surprise you, I see it being a very tight group between Portugal, Mexico and Angola. I actually see Angola and Portugal going through. Which means as I have tickets to their game it will be a good one!!

What makes you say that? That they managed to be slightly less bad than Togo as the two of them were eliminated in the first round of the Cup of Nations? That the only official wins they've posted outside of Angola in the last two years have been precisely that result against Togo and a 1-0 victory over Rwanda? If Angola leaves the WC with a single point and doesn't get blown out in any of its games, it will be an unqualified success. It was miraculous enough that they made it to the WC at all, predicting a place in the second round is a bit of a stretch, the boys have already come as far as a team of its caliber can go and they can be proud of what they've done.

Please don't accuse me of being dismissive anybody, at some point we have to be realistic and can't describe every unfancied debutante as a dark horse waiting in the shadows, there is a reason why they're unfancied. I know it's more appealing to predict an upset than to be boring and say that what's likely to happen will happen, but be reasonable. The most diplomatic thing one can say is that nothing is impossible. Only very unlikely.

[guado]

Group A was supposed to be a three team race in 2002.

France
Denmark
Uruguay

and the lowly newcomers Senegal

the one thing senegal can hold to angola was that even though they were fairly unknown in the rest of the world, they were doing very well in 2001 and 2002 and were finalists in the africa nations cup, only to lose to nigeria in pk's.

senegal was hardly lowly. they were just overlooked.

angola hasn't really had any noteworthy performances and so far hasn't had a good year.

but here's the clincher - angola edged out nigeria. angola will probably be dangerous if underestimated.

don't overlook them.

[deivis atlantista]

Underestimating any opponent will land you in a heap of trouble. If Lavolpe manages to keep his players alert and ready, Mexico should qualify to the second round... in a realistic setting, it should be Mexico and Portugal, specially since Iran is having so much trouble getting a decent preparation game, (they finally got Costa Rica, which should help a bit) and Angola definitely did not show any order or tactics in the African Cup of Nations... but again, anything could happen.

[rockymtn_mike]

i'll be pulling for Angola but they have no real hope.

Just as bad as Togo or Ghana

[el mero mero]

i gotta say that this group is a 3 horse race after watching some of angola's matches in the african nations cup

portugal, mexico, and iran all have more or less the same possibilities of advancing

i do see portugal being the team more at risk of dropping points versus angola though due to their historical and socio-cultural connections (i.e. france-senegal:D )