Ok so the draw for the World Cup Qualification will be held on July 25. Pot 1: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Romania, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, Croatia Pot 2: Italy, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, France, Iceland, Denmark, Bosnia-Herzegovina Pot 3: Poland, Ukraine, Scotland, Hungary, Sweden, Albania, Northern Ireland, Serbia, Greece Pot 4: Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Estonia Pot 5: Cyprus, Latvia, Armenia, Finland, Belarus, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Moldova Pot 6: Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Georgia, Malta, San Marino, Andorra Unfortunately we are not seeded, but we should still make it, even if we have to go through a play off. So are you looking forward to this draw? I am. So in my opinion: Best Possible Draw: Romania, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, San Marino. Worst Possible Draw: Croatia, Poland, Slovenia, Belarus, Georgia. (Although I think Germany is a stronger team than Croatia, we always beat them, but Croatia always causes us problems.) What are all of your thoughts?
The only team I'm worried about from Pot 1 is Germany. I think Italy needs to play the best to bring out their best. This tap dancing into easy groups and qualification only hurts us in the long run.
I agree with you but I really don't want a top seed from Pot 1. I think a good group for us could be: Romania, Ukraine, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Malta;
How Wales who have never made a major tournament in my lifetime or if ever are in pot 1 is beyond me. Same goes for Romania they haven't sniffed qualification since euro 2008.
Only team that concerns me is Germany, then Spain. After that I'm not worried at all. Would certainly not want to play France in a playoff, but I don't think that will happen. Germany and France have the best squads in world football imo. Argentina too.
Croatia doesn't concern me. We should have gone 1-0 up against them last time, not 1-0 down. We still managed to come back from it. If we're in their group, we'll top it.
Thats if our squad is almost a full squad, and we don't have an injury crisis. So in that case who in Pot 1 do we not want to get? 1. Germany is the strongest, but we always manage to upset them. 2. Belgium are overrated, they don't play well as a team. We are probably superior to them. 3. Netherlands is declining with a horrible coach, and are basically relying on Robben like a one man team. Robben will be past his prime by that time. 4. Romania are mediocre at best, and shouldn't even be seeded in the first place. 5. England are an average team, and just look good because they have an easy group. Also we beat them in 2014 W.C. 6. Wales also shouldn't even be there. Again possibly rely on Bale, and are only a one man team. 7. Portugal are average and Ronaldo is really there key player. We just lost to them but that was a friendly. 8. Spain are also declining. They have some world class players, but don't know how to play as a team, and are very disorganized. 9. Croatia will cause us problems, but as you said, we should be able to beat them. So I don't think anyone in Pot 1 is really a huge threat. I'd say Germany and Croatia are the biggest threat. Germany can always end curses, like they did with Brazil in the 2014 W.C.
Also don't forget Pirlo will likely be gone by then. As much as I love him and want him, I am not sure if Pirlo himself really wants to continue after Euro 2016. Verratti should be at his prime then though. Also Berardi should also be almost getting to the beginning of his prime. Buffon possibly might be gone, but he is a goalkeeper, so its ok if he stays longer. We still have Sirigu though. De Rossi should still be there, and Marchisio has been one of the players that developed the most last season.
I just did a test draw for the 2018 World Cup Qualifications and this is how it came out: Group A: Portugal, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg Group B: Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Norway, Macedonia, Andorra Group C: England, Czech Republic, Serbia, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Georgia Group D: Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Montenegro, Finland, San Marino Group E: Spain, France, Ukraine, Slovenia, Cyprus, Liechtenstein Group F: Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan Group G: Netherlands, ITALY, Scotland, Estonia, Lithuania, Malta Group H: Croatia, Austria, Albania, Republic of Ireland, Moldova Group I: Wales, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Armenia I'd take this draw if I had a choice. Its not the easiest group in the world, but we need some tough matches, because it hurts us only in the end if our qualification group is too easy. Not too hard either. A declining Netherlands, and Scotland shouldn't be too hard, but they will put up good fights. There are some other teams that might hate it, but all I care about is ours. Please I hope this draw is the real draw, although its probably not going to be of course. How do all of you like this draw?
I'd be weary of the dutch. They are a good footballing nation, Robben is a top 5 player in the world. We always struggle against them.
I don't think we have played him very often, when was the last time we did? If Robben is injured or so and that doesn't just have to be in the games against us, if they drop points. Then we can top it. Previously Netherlands were a good team, but look at them now, they are a one man team. Iceland beat Netherlands 2-0 with Robben. If they can do that, I don't see why we can't. We beat them 2-0 earlier this year but that was a friendly.
Yeah we did beat them 2-0 and robben wasn't there. You can't go pointing out one game or a bunch, because form fluctuates. It's what those dumb Portuguese do. Holland only missed the world cup final by going out on penalties. That's very recent. They did lose to Iceland but theyre an improving team and the dutch will get their shit together. I think the last time vs met Robben, in fact maybe the only time was in the 2008 euro's where we got bitch slapped 3-0. Not sure if he played in the 1-1 draw we had in Feb 2013. We assed a draw that game. Verratti equaliser
We beat them 3-1 in Holland 2005 but Robben was out that game too If I recall. I don't make anything out of friendlies. The euro games in 2000 and 2008 were hard as hell. That Euro 2000 game was a classic where we beat them when they were red hot on their home turf where we played with 10 men from the 30 minute mark until penalties. Crazy game where they had a penalty saved and missed.
Also the time we beat them 2-0 Pirlo, Buffon, Chiellini, Bonucci, Marchisio, and Verratti were out. By that time though Robben will be past his prime and won't be as good as he was like 1-2 years ago. Kind of like comparing the 2006 Pirlo to Pirlo now. Also Netherlands don't have a world class goalkeeper at all. Cillesan has never saved a penalty before. Tim Krul is slow and not fast enough for the real game. At the World Cup it was Van Persie's last year of prime, and now he is horrible. It was also the magic of Louis van Gaal I think. Robben is the only world class dutch player now. Italy: This team should be developed and world class by the time we start! ----------------Gabbiadini----Berardi--------------------- --------------------------Verratti--------------------------- -----------Florenzi------De Rossi------Marchisio--------- ----De Sciglio---Bonucci--------Chiellini----Darmian---- ----------------------------Sirigu---------------------------- Netherlands: --------------------------Huntelaar------------------------ ---------Depay-----------Sneijder----------Robben-------- -------------De Jong----------------Afellay----------------- ----Blind--------Di Vrij----------Vlaar----Van der Weil---- ---------------------------Cillessen--------------------------- The dutch can be a dangerous team, but they are better to get then say: Germany, Croatia, and possibly Spain.
I don't think it matters...if croatia is docked points and given a 3-0 loss that means respectively they lose seeding points as well....I would think
Yes FIFA uses UEFA rankings for their qualifications/seeding. Croatia may drop out of pot 1 or maybe thrown out of the competition completely if more issues arise.
Every post you have to bring up Portugal Seriously did a Portuguese guy fvck your mother or something
you guys aren't making a good case for yourselves either by constantly coming in here and stalking his posts and other posts you don't agree with....let it go or are you intentionally trying to rile things up seeing he is an easy target to agitate? again weren't you guys over in the portugal forum flaming him for coming over there and " talking shit "...but it's ok for you guys to still carry on here....let it go....or attack him when he is in your forum this shit has got to stop already
It's all good @Pietro Calcio we have tespect for Italy as we live for football but that guy is comical what a loser in sorry you have to deal with that He makes the trolls in our forum look normal Also good luck with the rest of the campaign
I'll respect the Portuguese when they stop diving and using Brazil as a backup plan when their country gets knocked out
Says the guy who has Eder and Vazquez on his team who are absolute rubbish How the mighty have fallen
Sure up until it was a Portuguese territory where 90% or the population is mixed decent Sub Saharan African and Portuguese And sorry to inform you Portugal isn't a racist nation and immigrants are allowed in also those "cape verdeans" have been born in raised in Portugal What your trying to get at is pure racism not to mention Italy has players like balotelli, Vazquez, Camorenesi ( who was partially native Indian aswell as Italian) not to mention teams like Germany and holland and England all have immigrants that shows in their nation team