That's been the theme of the qualifiers with this Paraguay though. Win the "hard" games and lose the more winnable games. Venezuela won't be easy by any means.
I don't think Paraguay have worked this hard to get back into contention, just to fall at the last hurdle. They are gonna win at home no matter what. If they don't qualify it's cause other results have not gone their way.
*****! Will be an incredible last round. Biggest game for Peru in at least a generation. If they win, I think Lima is going to spontaneously combust ... CONMEBOL really needs 6 spots. Would be a shame to have a World Cup without either Argentina, Colombia or Chile.
@Rickdog Just saw some of the betting odds for the qualifiers, and I must say you are dead wrong on how the bookies "nail the odds". This here is proof. Tell me this: HOW is Bulos or Farfan one of the favourites to score in the match when neither will be available?
Don't ask me. I don't even know what you want to show here Ask them. Btw, that doesn't prove, nor disprove anything I've said.
Not unlikely, but in any case don't forget that these qualifiers, as it stands, only one team has defeated Brazil. remember whom it was ?.......
It does, you said before we played Ecuador that the bookies nail the odds usually. If so, why were we 12/1 vs Argentina? Why are Bulos and Farfan one of the favourites to score when neither will be available?
I don't understand that the Argentines are happy that Paraguay won against Colombia when a tie would've been much better. In both cases they would need a win, but with the Paraguay win, a tie vs Ecuadoris worse now than it was if Colombia and Paraguay had ended in a tie. maybe I am missing something.
The difference isn't the crowd itself, but the closeness of the grandstands to the field. Another major factor is the neighbourhood. La Boca at night is frightening.
Yes, the stands are closer, but if the crowd isn't passionate/pressuring, what difference does it make? Hence why it isn't the same with NT crowd vs. Boca crowd. Never will be.
It will. The expectation is already at a fever pitch right now. CONMEBOL definitely needs 6 spots but giving them more than 4 automatics does seem unfair. I'd have no problem with taking both the 5th and 6th place to a playoff. The 5th can continue to be a gimme against Oceania but the 6th can go against Africa, Europe, whoever. From the current group, I'd like their chances against any UEFA playoff contender, except Italy (unless it's Argentina-Italy, of course. Argentina would be the clear favorite then)
Yeah, I think that Conmbol needs another .5 spot. I'd like to see that playoff go against Concaf (who only have about 3, maybe 4 strong teams anyway) or against UEFA.
Isn't that already happening for 2026? 5 direct and 1 playoff. yeah the 48 team world cup is going to suck. i think for conmebol should just be 5 direct. no playoff.
I think what he was saying is that CONMEBOL should get the top 4 automatic, then both #5 and #6 each go to a playoff with another conference. Agree that the 48-team WC is going to suck ass. I've been catching some of the qualifiers from other conferences and man are they bad. Even UEFA sucks outside of the top maybe 8-10 teams. Concacaf outside of Mexico, the US and Costa Rica are hideous as well.
Si nosotros llegamos a quedar afuera, mala leche, pero seremos los únicos culpables. Jugamos todos contra todos de local y visitante. Ahora en UEFA, con Holanda 99% afuera, Italia y Portugal a repechaje y algún otro grande o histórico sufriendo, tiene mucho que ver con el formato horrible y la conformación de los grupos que tienen, es cualquier cosa...
Like Domincan Lou said, I meant that with a 32 team WC, Conmebol should get 4 direct and 2 playoffs. Not to shit on Concacaf, but 3.5 spots are too many for the quality of football that they have. Of course that's all moot since it's not going to change for 2022 and for 2026 will go to 48. Which I also agree it's going to suck.
-¿Se imagina el próximo Mundial, el de 2018, sin la Argentina? -Bueno, lo vamos a saber en los próximos días. -¿Lo ha llegado a pensar? - Como presidente de la FIFA quiero que los 32 mejores se clasifiquen. No sé cuándo fue la última vez que la Argentina no se clasificó. -En México 70. Fue Perú el que dejó a la Argentina fuera del Mundial... -[Risas] Es que la clasificación sudamericana es terrible, terrible. es la más dura en el mundo. -¿Cuatro plazas y media es poco? -Por la calidad, sí. El problema es que cuatro y media de diez es mucho. Serán seis y media para 2026. http://www.lanacion.com.ar/2070430-...permitir-que-pase-lo-que-paso-en-la-argentina
In a way, WCQ for SA will lose some of its appeal with 6.5 spots. The top teams will really have to mess up big time not to make it into the WC. It will be like CONCACAF.
En los 60s y 70s cuando solo eran 3 cupos ya era imposible. Brasil y Argentina eran casi garantias asi que en realidad el resto se peleaba por UN solo cupo. Para llegar al 70 y al 82, Peru tuvo que eliminar a Argentina y Uruguay. Suerte que en el 78 habia un cupo extra. Terrible! 24 equipos era muy poco pero 48 demasiado. Los 32 de ahora estan perfecto.