Who will win this group of death?

Underrating?

I'm not underrating anyone, just rating accurately. England isn't that good. They're a solid side, but not great. somewhere in the 14 to mid 20s range on the world stage. Are they better than Panama? Of course. Does that guarantee them a win and advancement out of the group? Not even close.

Cruse through group play?

England haven't cruised through group play of a major tournament in years.

 

England will finish 1st or 2nd without major issue.

Want to bet?

 

Well I am going to bet it, but I'm going to do it through a book getting odds. Of course I wouldn't bet it getting even money.

 

Remember. Not long ago this Panama lost 0–4 to the worst USA in, like 25+ years. A USA that lost to Trinidad and Tobago's B Team four days later.

 

Yes and they also drew that same US team at home, and out shot them 19 to 7 and out-possessed them in the process, hitting the post twice.

 

You are not missing much.

 

Panama is garbage. If by miracle they have the lead, they will begin to collapse on the field with sometimes up to 15 to 20 minutes remaining. Honduras and Panama are infamous for this.

I would rather they be eliminated and not go to the cup, than bring this shit strategy to light coming out of Concacaf.

 

At home. Against a terrible US.

They won't play in Panama City.

 

I think it would really a tough challenge for England and Belgium NOT to come out of this group. Tunisia is the most consistent African team throughout the years, and very well organized and hardworking, and while that is enough to get good results in Africa (due to the chaos often surrounding the other CAF teams) it simply does not have enough talent to do well against teams like England or Belgium. This has been proven by Tunisia during all of the world cups that it has been in, and this generation is no exception (just look at their players and recent record). Panama is probably worse than Tunisia... This is definitely the most cozy group for teams like England and Belgium. Good for them!

 

Isn't that Cameroon? Or over the last five or so World Cups, probably Nigeria.

 

Cameroon and Nigeria have had results in the past 20 years but they have often heavily underachieved (remember Nigeria 1998 or Cameroon 2002 or even Ivory Coast 2006 and 2010?) Crazy good generations with players at the highest level that didn't accomplish nearly as much as expected. Plus you had situations where Nigeria would not even qualify to the African Cup (such as in 2017) but then qualify to the world cup out a group containing Algeria and Cameroon. Tunisia has limited talent but it uses it to the max and is always there at the African Cup and it almost always makes it to the quarter finals at the least. If Tunisia didn't qualify to more world cups it's simply because it was impossible for them talent-wise to do so. Maybe the word that I should have used is "efficient" instead of consistent. Another (albeit superficial) way to measure Tunisia's consistency in Africa is their FIFA ranking. You will see other major African teams fluctuate between top 30 and top 80 while Tunisia is almost always in the top 40... Basically as an African fan when I watch Tunisia I know what i'm going to get regardless what year it is. If I look at Nigeria or Ivory Coast or Morocco or Algeria or Cameroon or Senegal etc I can find huge differences in quality and performance depending on what year it is..

 

Oh okay, I wasn't really considering anything other than qualifying and playing in the World Cup, since I don't follow the African Cup at all. I couldn't even tell you what country has won it the most, although I remember hearing somewhere that Egypt has done pretty well.

 

Egypt has won it the most (7 times). Egypt has been dominant in the African Cup but had been historically unlucky in World Cup qualifications. I'm happy to see that they made it because they are an important team in Africa and they were never embarrassing whenever they made it to the world stage. They also have an amazing fighting spirit.

 

Plus Salah.

 

Yup!

 

I'd say England and Belgium go through.

Scoring points by nationality in the 2017/18 best four European leagues (ESP/ENG/GER/ITA) as of December 27.

Overall
01 Spain - 517 (270 goals & 247 assists)
02 Germany - 372 (172 goals & 200 assists)
03 England - 274 (148 goals & 126 assists)
04 Argentina - 192 (124 goals & 68 assists)
05 Brazil - 180 (104 goals & 76 assists)
06 France - 151 (93 goals & 58 assists)
07 Belgium - 108 (65 goals & 43 assists)
08 Uruguay - 63 (45 goals & 18 assists)
09 Croatia - 60 (33 goals & 27 assists)
10 Denmark - 57 (24 goals & 33 assists)

11 Portugal - 47 (15 goals & 32 assists)
12 Serbia - 45 (22 goals & 23 assists)
13 Switzerland - 44 (17 goals & 27 assists)
14 Senegal - 42 (32 goals & 10 assists)
15 Colombia - 39 (21 goals & 18 assists)
16 Poland - 32 (28 goals & 4 assists)
17 Japan - 31 (20 goals & 11 assists)
18 Morocco - 28 (14 goals & 14 assists)
19 Egypt - 25 (18 goals & 7 assists)
20 Iceland - 24 (14 goals & 10 assists)

21 Nigeria - 18 (7 goals & 11 assists)
22 Sweden - 13 (7 goals & 6 assists)
23 Mexico - 13 (6 goals & 7 assists)
24 Australia - 10 (8 goals & 2 assists)
25 South Korea - 9 (6 goals & 3 assists)
26 Costa Rica - 6 (4 goals & 2 assists)
27 Russia - 2 (2 assists)
28 Peru - 1 (1 assist)
29 Iran - 0
29 Panama - 0
29 Saudi Arabia - 0
29 Tunisia - 0

Average place by group
Group D - 13.5 (Argentina (04), Croatia (09), Iceland (20), Nigeria (21))
Group E - 14.0 (Brazil (05), Serbia (12), Switzerland (13), Costa Rica (26))
Group B - 14.8 (Spain (01), Portugal (11), Morocco (18), Iran (29))
Group H - 15.5 (Senegal (14), Colombia (15), Poland (16), Japan (17))
Group C - 17.0 (France (06), Denmark (10), Australia (24), Peru (28))
Group G - 17.0 (England (03), Belgium (07), Tunisia (29), Panama (29))
Group F - 18.0 (Germany (02), Sweden (22), Mexico (23), South Korea (25))
Group A - 20.8 (Uruguay (08), Egypt (19), Russia (27), Saudi Arabia (29))

By region (Europe)
01 (01) Spain - 517 (270 goals & 247 assists)
02 (02) Germany - 372 (172 goals & 200 assists)
03 (03) England - 274 (148 goals & 126 assists)
04 (06) France - 151 (93 goals & 58 assists)
05 (07) Belgium - 108 (65 goals & 43 assists)
06 (09) Croatia - 60 (33 goals & 27 assists)
07 (10) Denmark - 57 (24 goals & 33 assists)
08 (11) Portugal - 47 (15 goals & 32 assists)
09 (12) Serbia - 45 (22 goals & 23 assists)
10 (13) Switzerland - 44 (17 goals & 27 assists)
11 (16) Poland - 32 (28 goals & 4 assists)
12 (20) Iceland - 24 (14 goals & 10 assists)
13 (22) Sweden - 13 (7 goals & 6 assists)
14 (27) Russia - 2 (2 assists)

By region (South America)
01 (04) Argentina - 192 (124 goals & 68 assists)
02 (05) Brazil - 180 (104 goals & 76 assists)
03 (08) Uruguay - 63 (45 goals & 18 assists)
04 (15) Colombia - 39 (21 goals & 18 assists)
05 (28) Peru - 1 (1 assist)

By region (rest of the world)
01 (14) Senegal - 42 (32 goals & 10 assists)
02 (17) Japan - 31 (20 goals & 11 assists)
03 (18) Morocco - 28 (14 goals & 14 assists)
04 (19) Egypt - 25 (18 goals & 7 assists)
05 (21) Nigeria - 18 (7 goals & 11 assists)
06 (23) Mexico - 13 (6 goals & 7 assists)
07 (24) Australia - 10 (8 goals & 2 assists)
08 (25) South Korea - 9 (6 goals & 3 assists)
09 (26) Costa Rica - 6 (4 goals & 2 assists)
10 (29) Iran - 0
10 (29) Panama - 0
10 (29) Saudi Arabia - 0
10 (29) Tunisia - 0

 

Even if you look at qualifying:
1. Tunisia were supposed to bet a pot 2 team (with Egypt a pot 1 team). After some hoodoo with rankings Tunisia magically became a pot 1 team and Egypt dropped to pot 2.
2. That in itself was fishy, but to top that off Tunisia was then drawn into a group with the weakest pot 4 team (Libya), one of the weaker pot 3 teams (Guinea) and one of the weaker pot 2 teams (DRCongo), thus giving them a ridiculously easy group, especially when compared to Nigeria's group.
3. Even in this group their were very close at one point to not making it. DRCongo were leading 2:0 at home (which would have put them in the driving seat in the group) and absolutely dominating the game, but with 15 minutes to go managed to concede two goals.

 

Really? Group of death?? A group of death is one in which at least 3 teams have equal chances of advancing out of it, and in this group only Belgium and England have chances to advance (and WILL advance) out of.

The group of death is group H, in which either of Colombia, Japan, and Poland can advance out of just as easily (sorry Senegal, as much as I like you as an African team I just don't think you'll make it to the round of 16).

Anyway... I cast my vote for this group as Italy... oh wait!

 

Your argument would make sense, if Senegal wasn't the most expensive team in group H, didn't have at least three world class players and wasn't the highest ranking African team.

Given your argument you're just being ridiculous. This group is most even, Senegal included - that is objective. Whether or not you believe in them - its your subjective right. But claiming Senegal can't advance from this group despite having the most expensive team and more world class players than any other team in the group... well... that's just ludicrous.

All four teams can advance from this group. Colombia the marginal favorite, Japan the marginal outsider (as per bookies).

Your comment was just pure spite.

 

I'm pretty sure there was a heavy dose of sarcasm implied on the thread tittle.

 

I'm not

 

WOW! You must be Senegalese or something. Now, if Senegal is as good as you claim they are, my argument makes even more sense now, because in this case there will be 4 teams with equal chances of advancing out of the group, not just 3 like I initially said. So, YOUR argument doesn't make sense, not mine.

I hope your Senegal will make the round of 16 to prove me wrong