Poll: Which countries will advance from Group F?

Discussion in 'Group F: Argentina, Bosnia, Iran, Nigeria' started by teammellieIRANfan, Jan 6, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
?

Who will make it out of Group F?

  1. Argentina and Iran

    12.6%
  2. Argentina and Nigeria

    32.6%
  3. Argentina and Bosnia

    50.5%
  4. Bosnia and Iran

    1.1%
  5. Bosnia and Nigeria

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. Nigeria and Iran

    3.2%
  1. teammellieIRANfan

    Feb 28, 2009
    Club:
    Perspolis
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
  2. Team Melli forever

    Jul 11, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    I voted Argentina and Bosnia but I hope I'm wrong.
     
  3. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    I have said two things about this group that I like to repeat here:

    First, any of Iran, Nigeria or Bosnia have a chance to advance alongside Argentina from this group.

    Second, the most important game in this group is the opening game between Iran and Nigeria. If that match produces a winner, the winner will advance to the R16. Take that to the bank. If not, this will become on interesting group that will go to the wire.
     
    teammellieIRANfan repped this.
  4. Little_Dino_BIH

    Jan 9, 2014
    Club:
    AS Roma
    It's pretty evenly matched between bosnia, nigeria and iran
    i can see nigeria and bosnia proceeding i would love someone to give me an argument on why and how other scenarios are possible and to hear something from the people of iran
    about playing style of your team and so on
     
  5. Safarigirl

    Safarigirl Member

    Jan 13, 2014
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Please, why are you guys overrating the Argentines? While Bosnians and iranians are here arguing about which team will finish second behind Argentina, the Nigerians are talking about finishing top of the group.

    How do you expect to win on the field of play if you've already accepted loss months before the match?

    Apologies to Iran, but I see Nigeria and Bosnia leaving this group
     
    Mehmed repped this.
  6. Safarigirl

    Safarigirl Member

    Jan 13, 2014
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Please, why are you guys overrating the Argentines? While Bosnians and iranians are here arguing about which team will finish second behind Argentina, the Nigerians are talking about finishing top of the group.

    How do you expect to win on the field of play if you've already accepted loss months before the match?

    Apologies to Iran, but I see Nigeria and Bosnia leaving this group
     
  7. Rana catesbeiana

    Mar 11, 2008
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nobody is overrating Argentina here. It's just realism that they're likely to top the group (though anything can obv happen). Nothing wrong with others talking about topping the group though.

    As for the bolded part: it's not like the forum talkers and the actual team is the same bunch of people. Some fans may accept a loss before, but the team is of course fighting.
     
  8. Safarigirl

    Safarigirl Member

    Jan 13, 2014
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    . Better if people kept their aces close to their chests.

    The bosnian coach, for instance, has already said in quite a number of interviews that his team and the nigerian team will be in contention for second place. Apparently, certain teams have already accepted second place.
     
  9. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Me too, leaving the group and heading home:)
     
  10. Rana catesbeiana

    Mar 11, 2008
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    It's just rhetorics: obviously it doesn't mean they "accept a loss" against Argentina, but rather him being a realist in that the setting for the group is simple: Argentina is the clear favourite, and the rest will fight for the second spot. Of course, anything can happen, but that's the starting setting.
     
  11. Safarigirl

    Safarigirl Member

    Jan 13, 2014
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Haha, smart...but maybe you guys should ask your U-17 team which country sent them packing.
     
  12. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Member+

    Aug 18, 2004
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Seriously, Nigeria had a very impressive U17 squad and won the tournament in a way that left no doubt it was simply the best. Against Iran, they were also the definition of clinical finishers, putting the ball in the net everytime they had a chance and they were frankly quite awesome in how effectively they would distribute and spread open quickly to launch counterattacks. I enjoyed watching Nigeria in that tournament, even though I knew we didn't have much of a chance against them once it became clear they would be our opponent at the knock out round.

    But we aren't talking about the U17 World Cup, where Nigeria was always the top favorite ( along with Brazil). If we were, I wouldn't be worried about Argentina much, who were in our U17 group and who we outplayed at U17 World Cup and drew 1:1. We are talking about the real deal, and here, the favorites include Argentina but certainly not Nigeria. While I have no doubt about Nigeria's potential, Nigeria have done nothing yet for anyone to take them all that seriously. That is the truth. Winning the CAF championship is good, but it doesn't make anyone a favorite at the World Cup no more than anyone ever expected teams like Egypt or Zambia and others that have won the CAF championship to lift the World Cup trophy.
     
    locoxriver repped this.
  13. Christina99

    Christina99 Member+

    Argentina
    Sep 22, 2013
    Buenos Aires
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    I want to say Argentina and Irán

    but the truth is anything can happen about the 2nd spot. It will be fun to watch for sure, no clear favourite for that spot...
     
  14. FCBM

    FCBM Member+

    Aug 15, 2013
    Sugar Hill, Georgia
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    LOL , Iran has a fair shot at suprising Nigeria and winning , I see them coming out with a lot of heart , as for Bosnia watch us play then judge us ;) , also check the rankings and starting lineups not to mention the results , this is currently the best team in the former Yugoslavia
     
  15. FCBM

    FCBM Member+

    Aug 15, 2013
    Sugar Hill, Georgia
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    our NT will be glad to until then please refrain from those comments , same goes for anyone who says anything about Iran or Nigeria ultimately all 3 teams have a lot to prove and we will have to wait and see the result
     
  16. FCBM

    FCBM Member+

    Aug 15, 2013
    Sugar Hill, Georgia
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    thanks , be prepared to be bombbarded by less reasonable angry Bosnian fans after they see your older posts :thumbsup:
     
  17. 11andinho

    11andinho New Member

    Feb 15, 2014
    argentina nigeria
     
  18. Ruh7

    Ruh7 Member

    Sep 7, 2013
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    Argentina and Bosnia. I think Nigeria has had great national teams in the past but anyone claiming Bosnia does not have experience it is not like the world cup is every year. Last time I saw Jay Jay Okocha is not around to give experience. Nigeria has good young players but they do not have key players that will rise and shine. They just have good players.

    Iran will just have to play together. They do not have the most talented players to put together. Can I please not from the past people but from now Feb 16th time hear why Nigeria and Iran are better then Bosnia?
     
  19. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    No country is better until proven on the battle field. Its anyones guess as to who will progress between Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia. I still think Bosnia (and Croatia for that matter) will crash and burn like many ex-Yugoslavian sides of the past few tournaments.

    I would disagree Nigeria does not have key players: Enyeama, Mikel and Emenike are the three key players (with Onazi the fourth as the person who frees up Mikel to become a deep lying playmaker).
     
  20. Bosnian Diamond

    Bosnian Diamond Member+

    Aug 9, 2011
    Mars
    Club:
    FK Velez
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    Ex-Yugoslavian teams have actually seen some good results in the last few tournaments. Croatia reached the Quarterfinals of Euro 2008 (beat germany, undefeated in the group stage, lost to Turkey on PKs), Slovenia missed the Round of 16 by a single point off a miracle goal from the US, and Croatia missed out on the Quarterfinals in Euro 2012 by a single point in a group containing both participants of the Final (includes a draw with Italy and narrow loss to eventual champions Spain via a late goal).

    The "bad" performance would be Serbia in WC 2010, and going 1-0-2 in a Group of Death 9r close to one) is not bad at all. It was just average.
     
  21. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    EUROs are irrelevant.
    Ex-Yugoslavian teams performances in the past World Cups have been rather poor save for 1998, when they seemed to be set for a bright future (Croatia took 3rd).
    Serbia crashed out in both 2006 and 2010, despite possessing the best teams from the region.
    Slovenia crashed out in 2002 and 2010.
    Croatia crashed out in 2002 and 2006.
    ex-Yugoslavian teams have only won 3 games out of 18 in the past 3 World Cups. Its not a stat to be proud of.
     
  22. Bosnian Diamond

    Bosnian Diamond Member+

    Aug 9, 2011
    Mars
    Club:
    FK Velez
    Nat'l Team:
    Bosnia-Herzegovina
    Well you said "past few tournaments" which I thought you also meant Euros.
     
    zahzah repped this.
  23. Last Line of Defense

    Jul 2, 2013
    Minnesota
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think this group will be exciting to watch. Argentina the clear favorites are a tad overrated and could potentially slip up and allow Bosnia to win the group, but they will advance easily. Bosnia for some reason doesn't get the love it deserves. Great attacking pieces, good midfield, and a great goalie. I think they are through easily unless their defense falls apart or their coach goes full looney toon mode (could happen). Nigeria is overrated and seems too cocky, and Iran, is well Iran (they will be a tough out but I don't see them getting points).
     
  24. Sandinista

    Sandinista Member+

    Apr 11, 2010
    Buenos Aires
    Club:
    Racing Club de Avellaneda
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    It seems all the talk about this group is about teams being over or under rated...
     
    locoxriver repped this.
  25. grandinquisitor28

    Feb 11, 2002
    Nevada
    Are you going to judge these sides with the same nuanced detail that you judge CAF performance though?

    Slovenia was a disaster in '02, of course they had a nightmare locker room dust up a la France '10, and when that happens, it's highly unlikely a team will be fine. In '10, contrary to the argument by Diamond, Slovenia needed the worst call of the tourney (waive off of 3rd US goal), and a waive off of an onside goal in Algeria-USA finale, to even be in position to advance out of group play. Without two massive assists from incompetent refs, Slovenia would have needed to beat England. Instead, they coasted, and seemed satisfied w/the poor middling game with England until the US finally scored a goal even the most incompetent of refs couldn't call off, like the previous two, and Slovenia was done.

    Serbia in '06 and '10 is the issue which seems unnuanced to me. Serbia played incredible in qualifying in '05, and well in '09. They were great both years, but got the ivory coast treatment. What would your judgment of Ivory Coast be, considering what happened with them? Are they garbage because of their '06 and '10 failures? I would argue, they were unlucky in the draw, and a step below the top two tiers of international soccer. Serbia was the same. They landed in the group of death in '06, and played well in 2 games, losing both by a goal (against the Dutch and Ivory Coast) and got annihilated by Argentina, and in '10 they landed in the second of two groups of death, and likewise were eliminated. They beat Germany and played well against Ghana and Australia, but got knocked out at the last minute, if memory serves, because of a sketchy non-call on Australia.

    In my view, a more nuanced argument would be that Yugoslavia would have had one of the 3-5 best teams in the world circa '98-'14, if not for the Civil Wars that took place. You carve out several cities in terms of population, they're named countries, and they can qualify for the world cup? Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzogovina? Montenegro just misses twice, and of course Croatia and Serbia too? They're incredible. Imagine if Nigeria was broken apart across ethnic religious lines.

    To me, Slovenia has clearly been a step below Croatia, and Serbia over the last decade, more a 15th-30th team in UEFA, than top 10-15, Croatia and Serbia have consistently looked the part of top 12-20 sides depending upon when you look (Serbia looks a bit down lately), and Bosnia and Herzogovina has risen to top 12-15 status lately with a great generation of players and better organization.

    There's a lot of nuance here. The question to me isn't whether Bosnia and Herzogovina are like the other pieces of Yugoslavia, it's more, how good is this team and how lucky was it in the draw? Croatia was clearly on a bit of a downward slide, and unsurprisingly looked off in '06, they looked better in '12, but not so immense lately. They got a nice draw, but still look third or fourth best to me. Bosnia has played very well for the past five years, and has shown me two clear things. One: They are nowhere near as good as Europe's elite. They consistently fall short whenever they are measured up against top 5-8 sides in UEFA. Ergo I think they get squashed by Argentina. However, match them up against other sides, say, 9th-15th in Europe, and they consistently generate results. They seem incapable of handling the challenge of the big 5 at the World Cup (plus 3 to 4 others), but beyond that I think Bosnia and Herzogovina would have a reasonable chance of earning a quality result against anyone.

    But, they look very comfortably inside that top 10-15 area after having performed as a top 16 side in Europe for three straight major tournament campaigns. As such that puts them squarely in the argument among the top 16-25 teams at the World Cup. With a bad draw they were going home early, with a good draw it was a 40/60 proposition. Well, they got a reasonable draw.

    Are they better than Nigeria? I have no idea. Nigeria needs to figure out how to score, and start playing up to their past reputation in cups. So far there's little evidence to go on one way or the other.

    Which is why I call it a toss up. I dont consider Yugoslavian history as relevant beyond the fact that unlike you, I think sides like Serbia in '10, Serbia and Montenegro in '06, and Croatia in '08 and '12, showed in qualifying, and consistently that they were quite good, while Slovenia looked more happy to be there. I think Bosnia fits more along the Croatian sides of '02, and '06, rather than '08, and '12, solid sides, but not as good as the best former Yugoslavian tournament teams over the past decade+ (that would be Serbia's entrants in '06 and '10 and Croatia in '12).

    Honestly, I think it may just as easily go down to GD as it might to total points. Argentina figures to thrash everybody, and Bosnia getting them first is a major issue. Secondly Nigeria seems more likely to keep a tight score line getting them last, and playing the better defense of the two, so it may come down to Bosnia needing to absolutely pound Iran on the final matchday (in order to make up for the superior GD Nigeria racks up against Argentina), something Persian fans remind us has not happened, despite disappointing results in world cup past.
     
    DinoMostarac repped this.

Share This Page