WC 2018, Group A: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay

"What a side looks like heading to a tournament isn't always what they look like in the tournament itself."
Very true!

Ok ok fair einough!

No one thinkis that Russia can wake up like they did Euro 2008?

 

We’re 2018.. it’s been 10 years. Also, squads and preconditions are quite different which usually leads to different results!

Russia knew they’re hosts 8 yrs ago, and yet they couldn’t build a promising team which performs well in the months leading to the tournament.. why should we expect a wake up?

That does not mean they cannot do it, but it’s quite unlikely!

 

@Mahmoud Abdelhamid
For some reason, I have this impression that notwithstanding Saleh, and the fact that this Egyptian squad managed to qualify to the World Cup when many others had failed in the recent past, that Egypt isn't as strong as it once was. I admit the only game I have watched from Egypt recently was their match at the African Nations Cup against Morocco, but somehow I felt there have been better Egyptian squads in the past that have missed the World Cup. In this regard, how do you rate his Egyptian squad?

 

hahahaha oki thanks.... i thought it was the same squad.....2008...

Maybe it is just what they have been doing... building a team perfect to this world cup.
Well i think they have performed good lately after Confed.

 

Well you’re definitely correct on this one here that even Egyptians were quite surprised that this team made it while 2006-2010 couldn’t!

However, imo it only takes you winning the qualifiers to make a WC appearance.. and this team has made it while the previous squad couldn’t!

But here are few facts about the current squad vs the older ones “especially 2006-2010”:

1- current squad is much younger on avg
2- current squad has the most percentage of players in European leagues who encounter more world class experience and hence much less domestic league players
3- current squad’s players have never watched Egypt in a world cup (75-90% of players)

All the previous facts along with another fact that the current grp is the easiest grp possible for our team should lead to a first time rd 16 appearance and I’ll be left disappointed otherwise!

Current team is not as good on the individual level but they reached a solid form in much less duration than the previous generations and also they’ve surprised in every possible chance so far.. no one ever expected an AFCON final qualification and no one here expected this squad could make it to the WC and they still do not believe we should make it through. One football theory I have here in Egypt regarding our NT, expect surprised when everyone is not expecting one.. this fact has rarely failed me so far!

P.s: don’t focus on Salah only.. many players are currently competing for a starting pos. and the usual Starting XI are developing a better form in the past few months!

 

The last 2 competitions Russia was not giving much impression.. maybe they can make a surprise. But, you can’t predict one imo.

 

Yes i know, i said in previously post iam probably wrong, and when i mean wake up, well i dont mean exactly like 2008 .), i mean they are gonna suprise and play good. And like you said 2014 and 2016 they have really dissapointed everybody.
But iam probably wrong

 

Was Ghana favourites in that qualify group with Egypt before it started?

 

Ghana really hasn't been that good since the 2014 World Cup. 2006-2014 was great, but Ghana has really started to deteriorate as a team. Their performance in African Cup of Nations was very questionable as well. I don't think Ghana really compares to the team that was in the 2014 World Cup.

 

hehe Italy u think i dont know anything
u even thought i didnt know Conte had been in Juve,
Yepp i know Ghana havent been that good anymore, thats why i asking if they was favourites

 

I thought that because your question was not 100% clear.

 

oki

 

I see Russia advancing from the group but eliminated at the R-16. But if Iran does turn out to be the surprise team I have predicted, and Russia meet Iran in the R-16 as opposed to either Spain or Portugal, that will certainly give their chances a huge boost.

I should note, incidentally, that Russia actually played against Spain, Iran, and Portugal in 2017. All those games were, as in World Cup 2018, in Russia. The Russians managed to draw Spain 3:3 in their last friendly, which is a good result for them. They drew Iran 1:1 in another friendly in October 2017, which I suppose isn't particularly impressive (but still better than how they showed the last time we had played them where Iran had won). And, in arguably their worse performance in the Confederations Cup, they also lost 1:0 to Portugal last year.

In any case, if Russia advance, the chances that they will meet a side they have already played in 2017 is going be very high. Morocco is the only side they haven't played recently among the teams they might face.

Edit:
P.S. I checked and found that Russia did play Morocco in a friendly, albeit in 2014. They apparently defeated Morocco 2:0.

 

Everyone in Egypt did not enjoy the WCQ Grp Draw as everyone here thought Ghana were favorites! Then we’ve been drawn almost the same grp in AFCON (Egy, Gha, Uganda, Congo in WCQ and Egy, Gha, Uga, Mali in AFCON) so people starting being optimistic that we’re gonna prepare for those teams vs those teams!

3 fixtures vs Ghana in 12 months 2 wins and a draw (after WC qualification secured).. that’s when Ghana team spoke to Egyptian media that when the draw was made they didn’t enjoy having Egypt either!

Obviously, no one predicted Uganda would occupy 2nd place [emoji23]

 

I have watched three full games of Egypt in qualfying in the last days. They are indeed far away from the Egyptian team of 06-10 that won three African Cup of Nations in a row. It was a joy to watch that team around Mohamed Abo Treka playing back then.
This Egypt now is in my opinion individually weaker as well as weaker in team play compared to the team of 06-10. From what I have seen they are far away from beeing solid at the back despite a defensive way of playing. I think Egypt will concede in every game in Russia. They need Mohamed Salah to be at his very best to make ot out of the group.

After having watched each team in this group a few times I expect no surprises here. Russia and Uruguay should and will advance.

 

Exactly, people getting really hyped up about Egypt have obviously not watched them. They are just going by Salah. Seriously their play is very atrocious and while they play defense and sit back, they will get killed when it comes to the bigger teams. In the African Cup of Nations it was a miracle that it worked and it was only because none of the teams they played were actually real competitive teams. Burkina Faso, Uganda, Ghana, and even Cameroon (who they lost to) are not even in the World Cup. Not to mention Morocco dominated them and got unlucky just off a corner, if Morocco were not so terrible at finishing they could have been 2 goals up at least way before Egypt scored the winning goal.

And Egypt only beat Burkina Faso on penalties by the way. I heard people say Egypt are a tournament team like the Italy of Europe? Well where was Italy in the last 2 tournaments? Where are we now? We are not even at the World Cup.

 

I have still to watch the other African World Cup representatives. But Egypt might very well be the weakest of all African participants despite of Salah. Nobody would assume that they are the weakest based on their reputation. But I try to watch all teams and make my own judgement based on what I saw. And Yeah. They aren't a well rounded team. They lack creativity in link-up play. They mostly rely on Salah's abbilities to do something magical. And the worst even their defense seems vulnerable. I really fancy even Saudi Arabia's chances against them if they can find a way to stop Salah.

 

You think Egypt should or could play better if you didnt played this Hector Cuper super defensive style?

 

Possibly, this team probably has not tried it because it has been a long time since we saw the Egypt 2006-2010.

 

To be honest Senegal and Nigeria are the best African sides. Nigeria does look like a team that can actually compete with European teams and are much more solid. Senegal as well has some players with pace and despite losing to Cameroon on penalties in the African Cup, they were probably the best team in the tournament.

 

Btw i

Hmm i dunno if i agree with Nigeria, well they did a great qualify and played good but Before that they didnt played in the CAF tourney and i Think they lost the first match to qualify to the CAF tourney 2019. Yes the match against Argentina but hmm. I wanna see more from them.
I saw some matches from the caf tourney and i agree Senegal was the best team, they was much better then Cameroon, they should have won that match.
I saw Dr Congo - Ghana, and i Think Congo was much better but didnt see Morocco - Dr Congo, but what i have read Morocco was much better but lost.
Tunisia in that tourney, well was not with the coach they have now but they had Senegal in the Group stage and lost with 2-0 but i dont know how many chances Tunisia had that match, they should at least scored 2 goals. But i Think Tunisia can suprise many in this World cup.
I wanna add Morocco with Senegal and Nigeria. And Tunisia just after.

 

I think this squad isn't suited for such super defensive tactics. They should opt for a more modest way of playing.

 

Burkina Faso actually outplayed Egypt. And honestly think they played the best football in the tournament.

 

Sorry. But Egypt weaker than Tunisia? Did you see them play vs DRCongo? They were absolutely outplayed over two legs, but somehow still managed to come out on top in the tie.

Salah is arguably Africa's best player and one of the world's top ten players at the moment. He is potentially a huge game changer.

 

What??? the match in Tunisia, Tunisia was much better than DR Congo!