Who will win this group?

I saw Iceland in Euro 2016 and rooted for them as the under dogs, especially against England. But while they are decent and can stand their ground, I don't see them advancing.

I don't think Argentina will fail to advance. But their team, even with Messi, doesn't seem good enough to make it too far this time around. The side to join them will either be Croatia or Nigeria and I actually give Nigeria a slight edge. Especially since Croatia might be the most likely candidate to lose points to Iceland in light of the fact that Iceland actually qualified ahead of Croatia from the same group.

 

there is no edge at all...we played Iceland 4 times since 2014 beat them twice and lost only once from a set piece in extra time on their potatoes field when we missed few of our starters and the others had already their head on their summer holidays....
The Icelandic coach didn't want to face us, we are not a good match up for them. They don't like to face the automatisms from our midfields and wingers...

Actually the way Iceland plays might bother Nigeria and Argentina more than it bothers us.

 

Tactically, you are probably right. But, overall, and how the match will feel for Iceland and its players from a psychological perspective, I think the familiarity they have with Croatia will be better for a debutant than what they face against the others.

I could be wrong, but I see Argentina having its best match against Iceland. They will beat them comfortably IMO.

 

What you say about them can be the same for us. The fact we are more familiar with the way they play than Argentina and Nigeria. We know already how they defend their territory and know already from real experiences how open them as well...

You forget that Argentina struggled against Swiss and Iran in the last one and against Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay in the last months...they don't like to face these kinds of opposition.
In addition we play them last...if we play a team already eliminated or a team that got to score and to win to go through it changes the whole configuration of the game...

 

I recognize Argentina struggle against sides that play compact in the back. But if they manage to score early enough the game will open up for them. And I have a sense (could be wrong) that they will find the net against Iceland in the first half with Messi and company.

As for Croatia, my own sense is that your side is also more comfortable against a team that will play more openly than Iceland. That and the familiarity that both of you have of one another makes this a game I can see end in a draw.

 

Again you forget that we play them last.. and if they are already eliminated or have to win against us they will open as well...so...

Anyway i am more focused on our games against Nigeria and Argentina for now than on the one against Iceland...we are not hoping only to go through we will try to top the group.

 

The results I see for the first 2 games in this group would be along the following lines:
Argentina v Iceland 3:0
Croatia v Nigeria 1:1
-
Argentina v Croatia 1:1
Nigeria v Iceland 1:0

 

This way they would be already eliminated before the 3rd match starts...

I don't have any idea about what results will be i just know we can beat anyone.
Then it's up to the players to show it when it matters...

 

I think Nigeria will finish last in this group. Iceland have been too consistent for too long to simply get run-over now and finish with 0 or 1 points. Forget that they are a small country and just look at who they beat to get here, or who they beat to get to qualify for Euro 2016 in the group of death.

And by process of elimination, I think it is easier to imagine Iceland beating Nigeria than beating Croatia or Argentina.

 

That's right. Iceland's 0-3 win in Turkey in a do or die game was one of the most impressive performances in all of World Cup qualifying. They also beat Ukraine and Croatia in qualifying. As for Croatia knowing how to open up Iceland's defense, in the only match they've played in the past year Croatia scored zero goals and lost. So I'm not sure where the confidence about "opening them up" comes from.

In fact, the only time in the last few years Iceland has looked overmatched was against France in Paris at the Euro quarterfinals. Iceland also beat England and drew with Portugal at the Euros. On a neutral field they are very tough to beat.

 

IMO they have equal chance of getting points off the 3 opponents, cuz they will park the bus against them all. Whichever opponent is less effective in attack, they will get points from.

 

When did you last see them play? Iceland doesn't park the bus. They are definitely defensive-minded, but it is more like Italy's catenaccio of old, rather than bus parking

 

I have seen Iceland play only 4-5 times overall so my take on them might be off. The first time I ever saw Iceland play football was in a friendly in 2009 against Iran, which they lost 1:0. The last time was in a friendly against Qatar after Qatar finished last in Iran's group, which they drew 1:1 as part of their warm up games for Russia 2018. In between, I saw Iceland in Euro 2016 including in the match against France they lost 5:2 and the match they won against England. I have also seen their results in World Cup qualifying. The overall impression I have from them is that they are alright but not a side that will make any waves in Russia.

 

Wouldn't it be funny if Iceland actually won the whole thing and shocked the world?

 

Unlikely. Nigeria will do well against Iceland. It is not often that Iceland have faced an attack as fast as Nigeria's. Last time they did, against France, we saw the result.

Nigeria against Croatia will likely be a high scoring draw.

Basically I am certain every team in this group will concede goals against Nigeria. The question is how many they will score against Nigeria.

 

Well, just before that Iceland played England, who had plenty of pace with Sterling, Sturridge and Dele Alli on the pitch. Iceland still won.

 

England (or more accurately, Nigeria B ), simply cannot match Nigeria for pace or speed of attack. They have a striker, Kane, who is better than anything Nigeria have in that position, but that's about it.

 

England is ranked 15th in the world, and Nigeria 50th, but all England has over Nigeria is Harry Kane. O-kay, good luck with that argument.

Actually, both do better in the ELO rankings. Nigeria is 41st, but England is all the way up to 7th.

 

Lol croatia didn't win against Iceland 2-0 end of 2016? And 2-0 with 10 men in 2013?
The only match that counts to you is the one in june played on a potatoes field one week after the champions league's final involving modric and mandzukic without subasic corluka rakitic vrsaljko and kramaric?

Lol ok

 

Fair enough, include the match in Croatia, although it was over a year ago, which is what I said (matches within the last year). But you want to go back 4 years for the 2013 match, when the sides were entirely different. That makes no sense.

So if both recent matches are included, it is 1-1. And Iceland did win the group. Croatia failed to hold the lead against Finland and lost in Turkey, while Iceland crushed Turkey in Eskisehir.

BTW, I don't really know what you mean by "potatoes field", although I'm pretty sure you can't grow potatoes in Iceland. Are you thinking of a match against Ireland?

 

You know really well what i mean and you know as well that in a world cup you will have to play us on a much cleaner pitch against our main team.
You know really well that Modric and Mandzukic were not really focused few days after a juventus-real madrid champions league final and that half from our regular starters did not play this day. And still even in such situation you needed an ugly set piece at extra time lol...

Anyway we will see in few months.

 

While we are at it, dear croatian and nigerian users here would share with me if you like who you think would be the 23 players for the final WC squad of your team as things are now? not necessarily who you want in, more like, who you think your coach has in mind? you can also include some extras who may or may not make it.

I would also ask for Iceland but doubt any icelanders are around here...

I think Argentina squad, if I got Sampaoli right, should go something like this:

GK:
Sergio Romero (M. United-ENG)
Nahuel Guzman (Tigres-MEX)
Geronimo Rulli (Real Sociedad-ESP)

DF:
Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla-ESP)
Fabricio Bustos (Independiente-ARG)
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona-ESP)
Federico Fazio (Roma-ITA)
Nicolas Otamendi (M. City-ENG)
Marcos Rojo (M. United-ENG)

MF:
Lucas Biglia (Milan-ITA)
Enzo Perez (River Plate-ARG)
Ever Banega (Sevilla-ESP)
Matias Kranevitter (Zenit-RUS)
Marcos Acuña (Sporting-POR)
Leandro Paredes (Zenit-RUS)
Angel Di Maria (PSG-FRA)
Eduardo Salvio (Benfica-POR)

FW:
Lionel Messi (Barcelona-ESP)
Diego Perotti (Roma-ITA)
Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors-ARG)
Sergio Aguero (M. City)
Paulo Dybala (Juventus-ITA)
Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus-ITA)


Outside Chances:

GK: Agustin Marchesin (in Rulli's place)
DF: Ramiro Funes Mori, Emanuel Mammana, German Pezzella (in the places of Fazio and Bustos)
MF: Javier Pastore, (in place of Paredes), Guido Pizarro (in place of Kranevitter), Emiliano Rigoni (in place of Salvio or Pavon)
FW: Mauro Icardi (in place of Higuain)

 

Dele Alli is a very promising midfielder as well. Also is the Nigeria defense really better than Cahill and Stones? Hart I believe is also better than the Nigerian goalkeeper. Don't forget Jamie Vardy who is extremely fast. There is also Barkley, Drinkwater, etc. England has a decent team all around.

 

Sorry, but Nigeria isn't France. And Olivier Giroud isn't fast.

Given their level of coordination and work-ethic, I think pace is the last thing that will cause Iceland to come unhinged. If anything its the opposite - the more technically gifted sides are the ones that have had success against Iceland.