2022 WC Qatar: Worldwide Opponents Watch [all R's]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Sebsasour, Jun 5, 2019.

  1. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    Spain probably won't have it easy, but once again they control their own destiny.

    If Spain wins their remaining two games, in November - @ Greece and home v Sweden - they'll reach 19 points, with Sweden then on a max of 18.
     
  2. ShortyMac

    ShortyMac Member+

    Barcelona
    Apr 10, 2011
    Ohio, USA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    HT: Canada 2-0 El Salvador
     
  3. Hubcity11

    Hubcity11 New Member

    Oct 13, 2002
    Hatttiesburg MS
    Come on Panama
     
  4. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #1179 OWN(yewu)ED, Sep 8, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2021
    Canada and Panama doin stuff
     
  5. Anto'nio

    Anto'nio Red Card

    Atlanta United
    Sep 11, 2017
    Azerbaijan...The Land of the Fired.....
     
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  6. AngelaMerkin

    AngelaMerkin Member+

    Dec 2, 2005
    uhhhh... I think you have that wrong... We want Mexico to win all of their road games, or at least tie. The anomaly of 2013 ain't happening again. If we have to dogfight with Canada, Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras - that will be less than ideal. Yes, we all want Mexico to fall in a well and be forgotten, but it ain't gon' happen when they actually hold their home field advantage.
     
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  7. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    and with that, Mexico has tied it up, 1-1. Yes, it sucks, but the hole we have dug for ourselves we are absolutely rooting for Mexico to ragdoll and take as many points off of everyone else as possible.
     
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  8. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    and Jamaica tied up vs Costa Rica, 1-1, also a good result for us if that holds, 80th minute
     
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  9. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    San Marino only lasted longer because they played a day later than Azerbaijan. It's notable that Gibraltar cannot finish in the top two, but they aren't eliminated because they could make the playoffs as a Nations League group winner. They rank thirteenth among Nations League group winners, and the top two of those teams not in the top two in their group join the ten second place teams in the playoffs, which will have two rounds. Group E has Nations League group winners Belgium, Czech Republic, and Wales, so one of them will finish outside the top three and get a playoff spot from the Nations League. Gibraltar will be eliminated as soon as one of France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, or Armenia is guaranteed not to finish in the top two. In Group F, Austria is 4 points behind second place Scotland with four games left. In Group H, Slovenia is 6 points behind second place Russia with four games left. Hungary and Albania are in Group I, and the only way they both finish in the top two is if Hungary gains at least 6 points on first place England in the last four games, and that includes England going to San Marino. Gibraltar is realistically eliminated, but not mathematically eliminated. When AFC ended Round 2, it was easy to think that we were done with teams being affected by teams in other groups, but we're not done with that because of the playoff spots for Nations League group winners.

    Ireland played consecutive 1-1 home games with 87th minute equalizers, including being helped by Serbia's own goal. If Ireland had lost one, they would be eliminated now, and they're not a team that people would expect to be among the first eliminations in UEFA. Unless Serbia loses at Luxembourg and hosting Azerbaijan, Ireland will be eliminated in October.

    135 teams are left.
     
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  10. code1390

    code1390 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 25, 2007
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Obviously Gibraltar won't get the 2nd NL playoff spot, but someone on Reddit made a good point. It would actually be in Gibraltar's interest to lose big to Montenegro to help them finish 2nd.

    And if that's the case now, could that scenario reappear in a more critical match later on in qualifying?
     
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  11. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's likely that Austria will get the Nations League group winner playoff spot that doesn't go to Group E, and nobody above Austria in Group F won a Nations League group. Austria's next game is at Faroe Islands, who are the only Nations League group winner below Gibraltar in that order. Unlike Gibraltar, Faroe Islands is alive for second, but their greater of two tiny chances is losing to Austria to help Austria move up to second. I don't think any team that qualifies or comes close will have a game they are better off losing.
     
  12. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I've heard that if Israel ever qualifies for a World Cup, they will most likely be put in a group that does not have other Middle Eastern countries in it. This means they will avoid Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other countries in the Middle East who do not recognize Israel. Obviously, that will not apply to the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan.

    FIFA does not want the international shitstorm that would ensure if Israel ends up in a group with Iran or Saudi Arabia, and either Iran or Saudi Arabia's teams walk off the field and forfeit.
     
  13. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Honestly, I love watching international football and UEFA WC qualifying in particular. I also really have enjoyed the UEFA Nations League. However, it's a bit like mango ice-cream. I like mango, and I like ice-cream, but not mango ice-cream. Some things shouldn't mix. It's the same with Nations League and WC qualifying. Let Nations League be its own thing, and then let the WC qualifying be its own thing. If UEFA must do the 3 4-team groups, then let the 2 best 3rd place teams in to make 12. I feel like it just rewards mediocrity this way.
     
  14. Since I joined BS I'm still amazed by the fascination/obsession with national team ranking, especially the FIFA one by Americans.
    One reason given was that with a higher ranking you get in an "easier" group, so the chance for the national team to advance a round gets bigger.

    Those rankings only tell a part of the story of the strength of a national team. It basically only tells you what numbers are given to matches played and the matchresult the nat. team involved got.
    The ranking doesnot give you insight to why the results were as the were.
    A team could have to deal with injuries of top players in the squad.
    A team could just have faced unfortune in a match.
    A team just could have a shit coach who actually made the team under perform.
    Or a combination of these factors.
    Let's look at the Orange Squad's situation.
    In the last six years they missed Depay for about a year and then Virgil van Dijk.
    In the 4-2 loss against Turkey a goal wasnot given while the ball was far over the line and a goal was allowed to the Turks that shouldnot be counted. After this match and the complaints about the errors UEFA came back from their decision not to have VAR in the qualifiers.
    Well, the Orange coach in charge after Koeman was .....Frank de Boer.....
    Just compair the same players perform under him and the clinic of attacking football given in the last match.

    So that's why I from day one being on BS have stated I don't care about rankings. Some/alot in here would object and say it could put you into a difficult group. I always said to that: "So what?"
    The aim is to win the tournement, not to aim for advancing a round. You will have to beat the strong teams anyway, so it doesnot matter if you have to do it in the group stage or in the ko rounds.
    Just to illustrate that:
    In the EURO2008 we were in the group with the reigning World Champion Italy and runner up France of 2006. We beat the crap out of them and ended on top of the group.

    In 2014 we were in a group with Worldchampion Spain. We beat the crap out of them.

    In the first NL competition we were in one group with reigning 2018 World champion France and former 2014 World champion Germany. We ended on top of the group.

    It's just a sign of weakness to long for easy draws. When you're serious about competing you take the draw given and punch your way to the exit.
     
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  15. RefIADad

    RefIADad Member+

    United States
    Aug 18, 2017
    Des Moines, IA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I just don't know exactly what to think about Nations League. I get the theory behind it, and I think it's good how UEFA uses it to give some smaller countries the chance to participate in the Euros and even some WCQ qualifying. But I also think it takes away from some of the chances for countries like the US to play matches against some of the big European and South American countries because we play Nations League instead of these types of friendlies.

    For example, if I were Emperor of Soccer, the first year after a World Cup would be a "free year" where teams could schedule who and what they want. I've always thought that an 8-team invitational "summer friendly" tournament would be a fun event for that year after the World Cup. Have two four-team pools with a mixture of teams from different confederations (so yes, it would look something like the old Confederations Cup - my inspiration for this idea is really the annual college basketball Thanksgiving tournaments where you have a team from each big conference and play three games in three days), play five games in 3 weeks or so (three group games and two games in a four-team bracket setup), and expand rosters and subs (maybe getting special permission from FIFA) so you can get a look at a lot of players and not tax your players coming off of domestic/continental campaigns. But Nations League makes an event like that almost impossible to pull off.

    Example of my idea

    Group A - United States (CONCACAF), Uruguay (CONMEBOL), Australia (AFC), Denmark (UEFA)
    Group B - Croatia (UEFA), Japan (AFC), Senegal (CAF), Costa Rica (CONCACAF)

    Group play - 1st and 2nd play in one bracket, 3rd and 4th play in second bracket
    Each bracket has the winners and losers play in a match, so every team gets five games

    You could do this in different places around the world, meaning the US could play some years in the US and some years outside of the US. You'd get a chance to see your national team play teams with different playing styles.
     
  16. It is true the NL competition is at the cost of friendlies ment to prepare a team for tournements.
     
  17. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    I long for easy draws for my country too but I'm also aware of where we sit in terms of footballing strength so I know that there is no such thing as an easy draw in a World Cup for us.
     
  18. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    Sorry but Feynoords comments just came off rather snobbish to me.

    He's acting like the only thing that counts is to win it ? Yeah maybe to a handful of countries, certainly not the rest. Does he think it wouldn't mean anything for a country who has never made it to the quarter finals to make it.

    And yes an easier draw would help anybody achieve that.

    Just because Holland knocked off some big boys once doesn't mean the entire world shouldn't care about seedings.

    That's a pretty arrogant thing to say.
     
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  19. #1194 feyenoordsoccerfan, Sep 11, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2021
    No, I'm not saying the only thing that counts is winning it. In fact we never won the WC. What I'm saying is that progressing a round by virtue of being put into a basket with opponents you're expected to be able to beat doesnt get you any appreciation. You get respect by beating strong opponents of at least your own strength.
    Anyway reaching the quarter finals isnot possible with an easy path, as you then enter in the roam of the best 8 countries of the world. Just take a look at the countries making up those last 8 for the last 40 years. You'll see a bunch of regulars and a few countries being one hit wonders because of a golden generation. Those one hit wonders wouldnot need easy seedings to be one of the best 8. I can't remember one country that ever made the last 8 regarded as one that shouldnot be there. I even would struggle to think of one that didnot belong with the best 16.
    Being at a world cup gives you as a country a chance to play against the best players around. If as a country the expectation is not making it out of a group, I would prefer then to be in a group with the best on offer to have the experience as a player to compete with players you probably never be able to meet on a pitch normally.

    Edit: The whole issue was the longing for an easy draw because of a fluke FIFA ranking. I explained that the ranking doesnot necesarily express the real strength of a country due to circumstances I mentioned (maybe there are more). So when you get a fluke high ranking, it only means strong countries got a fluke low ranking and in the end a strong country gets into a group disguised as a weak one.
     
  20. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    I disagree with you. I don't think its arrogant at all.
     
  21. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    There's a reason they do draws based upon "seeds"

    Because they don't want a lopsided tournament.

    It's not an argument to just say "you just have to beat who is in front of you"

    Now I don't believe there are "easy" groups in the sense that you could just stroll through it necessarily.

    But there is a wide range of group strength. And bogus rankings don't help in this regard. They add to the lopsided Ness. Poland being a seed last time was the worst example.
     
  22. I think there's a misunderstanding about my post by you.
    I'm not saying there shouldnot be seeding. As you state it more or less prevents lopsided build up of the tournement.
    My take is it's pretty useless to hope for a fluke rating, resulting in being put in the category 2 seeds. Your odds to get out of a group donot increase with that, except for a folding of the top seed of the group.

    The only instance rankings matter are in the UEFA context. The ranking determine whether you end up in a qualifying group for EURO/WC as one of the two strong teams. So there it's good to be ranked high as it determines your chances to make it into the tournements at all.
     
  23. The Clientele

    The Clientele Member+

    Portland Timbers
    Jun 25, 2005
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In the end, this is it. We (USA) need to expect to play the big boys - not avoid them. Yes, it’s nice to say we made it to a certain round of the World Cup, but it shouldn’t be about fixating on illusory rankings and then getting lucky with the draw…
     
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  24. The big disadvantage the USA has, and for that Mexico too, is that the chance to play big teams only comes in every 4 years. European teams already had the advantage to be playing qualifications and tournements every two years. With the start of the UEFA NL it's now every year, where the NL differs in that the teams now plays against equally rated teams only so no midgets stomping. South-America has a similar advantage.
    Playing big teams regularly means your players develop into better players and get better at tournement campaigns.
     
  25. USOutlaw16

    USOutlaw16 Member+

    Green Bay Voyageurs
    United States
    Jan 22, 2011
    On the Gringo Wall of Shame
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    African qualifiers restarted today

    Sudan 1-1 Guinea
    Morocco 5-0 Guinea-Bissau

    The Guinea-Bissau team reportedly suffered food poisoning after eating dinner at their hotel in Rabat the night before.
     

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