MY GROUP PREDICTIONS Group A 1. Egypt 2. Russia 3. Uruguay 4. Saudi Arabia I have a strong feeling Russia will find a way to get out (not even with the FIFA backing theory). Everyone forgets they were so bad at Euro 2016 because of a couple key injuries to their midfield. Could easily be wrong as they haven't looked anywhere near slick based on recent friendlies, but being at home will help. Uruguay has an old team. Will rely on an out of form Suarez plus Cavani who are both 31. Defense is old and slow as well. I have a feeling they'll lose to Egypt and not do enough after. Mohammed Salah is one of the best players in the world and maybe the most in-form. They have a few other decent players too. Saudi Arabia is average at best, but tbf I don't know much about them. Group B 1. Spain 2. Portugal 3. Morocco 4. Iran Obvious choice to choose the Iberian countries to go through. I was thinking about putting Portugal at the top, but Isco has been a revelation for Spain recently and think he'll propell them. Who knows, Portugal could implement the same tactics they used that won them the Euros, but they have plenty of quality players besides Ronaldo. Morocco can play decent football, but the above teams should be too much for them, although they could tie Portugal. I hear Iran is the worst team that qualified out of Africa so there's that. Group C 1. France 2. Denmark 3. Australia 4. Peru Yet another very simple group in a major tournament for France on paper. Should be an all-around great side, but their defense has shipped five goals in their last three matches I believe. We could see France totally dominate the group or barely get out with a win and two draws. Denmark will be tough and I think they'll beat both Australia and Peru. The Socceroos have terrible depth and Peru is way out of their depth. Group D 1. Croatia 2. Argentina 3. Iceland 4. Nigeria For me it's the group of death. Argentina has Messi, Dybala, and Higuain among others to cause terror, but they're back 3 or 4 is shaky and will be set up to be wide open on counter-attacks. Croatia has a loaded midfield with an above-average supporting cast. They'll get plenty of opportunities in every game. I'd love to pick Iceland to finish second, but I think Argentina and Croatia have too much quality to hold off, however I can see them beating Nigeria. I'm honestly not confident picking this group. Anything can happen with all of these teams. Group E 1. Brazil 2. Serbia 3. Switzerland 4. Costa Rica Many have Brazil winning it all and I think this is their best side they'll bring to a World Cup since 2002. More weapons alongside Neymar and a strong midfield. Serbia has plenty of quality and kinda impressed in qualifying, but that's really not saying a whole lot there. Switzerland are above-average, but beatable on any day, however I could easily be wrong here as they got some quality as well with Shaqiri and Xhaka. Costa Rica know their underdogs and will probably try the same approach as they did last time. Group F 1. Germany 2. Mexico 3. Sweden 4. South Korea Ze Germans are so powerful and should win all the group games. Insane midfield and now have a natural, consistent striker in Timo Werner and have Kimmich at right back. Mexico will once again find a way to get through as they got some talent and a plenty of flare. Sweden is well organized and can see them out-work and get some breaks to get second, but on paper Mexico is better. Don't know much about Korea, but Son has done well for Tottenham, however he'll need service from their midfield. Group G 1. Belgium 2. England 3. Tunisia 4. Panama If England don't abandon the 3-4-3 I think we'll be alright. Could struggle to a 1-1 draw against Tunisia, but don't see us dropping points against Panama who might be the worst team in the tournament. They're manager said that they have talent coming up, but this World Cup came too soon. If it weren't for the USA choking and somehow beating Mexico on the final day of qualifying then they wouldn't even be here. I expect Belgium to do enough and claim six points, but I think we have a decent chance against them. Let's say if Belgium drop points against either Tunisia or Panama then we'll be keen on overtaking them at the top of the group. Group H 1. Colombia 2. Poland 3. Senegal 4. Japan The least star-studded group. More like the "Group of Life." To be honest I don't know much about these teams. Colombia knows how to compete at a World Cup. They have some star power with James Rodriguez and I would think some others? Poland has Lewandowski and Milik up front with Krychowiak in midfield, but have a tendency to become too one-dimensional. Hardly know anything about Senegal and Japan, but know they aren't getting built up much.
Yeah I was drifting and started to rope in Iran and Iraq (though I didn't say they were, but was thinking that) with Africa because Egypt and Tunisia are in North Africa and surrounded by deserts. I probably thought Saudi Arabia was in Africa as well, but is obviously located in the Middle East. It's too bad because I'm quite good with geography, shite the bed on a public forum. I'd like to go back and change it, but the editing time has expired.
You’re good at geography, and still don’t know that “the Middle East” is an artificial geo-political designation made up by the British, not an actual continent or a real geographical region. Iran is in Asia, Central and Western Asia to precise.
Every geographic designation as 'artificial' and was made up by someone at some point. I'm sure you wouldn't mind the term if an Iranian had made it up.
We're also speaking the English language, another artificial construct made up by the British. Hardly surprising that some of our geographical designations are Anglocentric.
Also, this is hilariously ironic. What exactly do you think "Asia" is if not an arbitrary geopolitical designation? Let's just say that that Iran is in Western-Eastern-Northern-Afro-Eurasia and keep it nice and simple.
There are actually proper scientific definitions of what constitues a continent, and what locations are part of what continent. And that’s neither artificial nor made up. “The Middle East” is though. Geographers don’t use “Middle East” or “Far East” or other such vague terms.
I was indeed referring to that precise artificial geo-political designation. Asia was/is too broad for my liking at the time, but would've said it if I knew a geography nazi would check in on me.
The continents are defined by convention not science. If you disagree please do find that scientific definition of a continent that allows Asia to be considered a distinct continent and share it with us. And science is artificial/made up insofar as it's our understanding of the world around us not the emperical reality of the world around us. That is why the scientific consensus changes when we discover a new thing. But that's by the by.
Youssef Msakni confirms that he is officially out of the World Cup due to a knee injury.Dramatic loss for Tunisia. #WorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/IcfeLVRcFj— Lütfi Ibragimowiç Berdiwadabekow (@LotfiWada) April 7, 2018
Group qualifiers: a) Uruguay, Egypt b) Spain, Morocco c) France, Denmark d) Argentina, Nigeria (Though the Argentina defence and keeper are awful) e) Brazil, Costa Rica f) Germany, Mexico g) Belgium, England h) Colombia, Poland
Just like Russia in 2016, Tunisia lose their best player a couple months away from qualifying. We should be pretty favored to beat them now. Gotta feel for Msakni though. I can see it now. We'll dominate them, get a goal and then Tunisia finds a way to score in the dying minutes.
Belgium hasn't been tested very much since the 2016 Euros by big teams. Qualifiers 3-0 Cyprus 4-0 Bosnia & Herzegovina 6-0 Gibraltar 8-1 Estonia 1-1 Greece 2-0 Estonia 9-0 Gibraltar 2-1 Greece 4-3 Bosnia & Herzegovina 4-0 Cyprus Friendlies 1/9/16 - Spain 0-2 9/11/16 - Netherlands 1-1 28/03/17 - Russia 3-3 5/6/17 - Czech Republic 2-1 10/11/17 - Mexico 3-3 14/11/17 - Japan 1-0 2/6/18 - Saudi Arabia 4-0 12-4-1 since the Euros which is decent, but looking at the competition it's quite a light fixture list. They might've had the easiest qualifying group, especially given the fact that none of the teams they played made it to the Euros. However, their goal scoring record in qualifying is impressive. I don't think we'd do much better, but to say Belgium are huge favorites compared to us might be an overstatement. However, I'm totally happy letting them be cast as favorites.
Putting the teams into tiers using my own rankings. TOP TIER 1. Germany 2. Brazil 3. France 4. Spain 5. Belgium 6. Argentina HIGHER-MIDDLE TIER 7. Portugal 8. Croatia 9. Poland 10. Colombia 11. Mexico 12 England 13. Serbia 14. Uruguay 15. Switzerland LOWER-MIDDLE TIER 16. Nigeria 17. Denmark 18. Egypt 19. Japan 20. Sweden 21. Peru 22. Morocco 23. Iceland 24. Senegal LOWER TIER 25. Russia 26. Costa Rica 27. South Korea 28. Tunisia 29. Iran 30. Australia 31. Panama 32. Saudi Arabia
Russian forward Alexander Kokorin is likely to miss the World Cup. Viktor Vashin and Georgy Dzhikiya also suffered knee injuries and are likely to miss out as well.