Now we know the groups, who will win it?

[Spectre]

I'm thinking about having a sneaky punt on the netherlands...

[Xander Crews]

you can never bet on the Dutch early because they get injured so easily. You don't know who will be on the squad until match day.

I want to bet on the English. So much talent. The PL has brought in the best from around the world and the English have absolutely capitalized on the foreign presence, stepping up their homegrown talents' game. But they have only one good striker, Defoe. Rooney is not a striker, but he'll probably have to be.

That said, Spain is still the best side in the world with the best strikers (Villa. period.) and midfielders.

[black_wizardd]

While there's no doubt that England has plenty of skillful players, in recent years they seem to have lacked the necessary cohesiveness to play well together, which is obviously an integral part of being a successful team (too much ego amongst premiership players, perhaps).

I suppose the same argument could be made against other teams, but, for me, England always seem to suffer more than others when it comes to playing as a unit, given the talent they've had over the years.

Either that, or I could just as easily be spouting a load of balls since I'm no expert!

[Xander Crews]

There are a lot of teams that have no business being on the world cup right now. Algeria is one of them. Slovenia and Slovakia? North Korea? And a slew of South American villages that no one would pay money to watch (maybe pay with feathers and guano).

It's a joke. It's like the exclusion of England from Euro Cup 08 - a complete joke that everyone had to live with. No Turkey, Russia, Croatia, Costa Rica, Sweden, but a bunch of shit nations no one will ever give a fuck about.

[Spectre]

England have historically lacked self-belief when they face top quality opposition, tends to make us play negatively and certain past managers haven't helped this.

Not sure I agree that Defoe is the only decent striker, certainly Rooney is more of a support striker and needs a poacher around him, but he carries a lot of threat. Heskey and Crouch fill similar roles (although they are both totally different players). Imo Bent is England's best potential goal scorer, but he needs service and hasn't had it when given his chance to impress. Hopefull the likes of Walcott, Wright-Phillips, Gerard, Lampard, J Cole etc will mean we don't need a 10-goal striker this competition.

[Takumaji]

It's cool as long as it isn't France.

[Xander Crews]

It's cool as long as it isn't France.

France aren't going to shock anyone. They lack the football cohesion to play well together, and have a shit manager.

[bloodhokuto]

Obviously Spain are the favourites, although I think this year might have an upset.

I'll try to not get too heartbroken his time around, although I will probably get really wound up as usual.

I'm gonna try and get a North Korea Football shirt though.

[Xander Crews]

Obviously Spain are the favourites, although I think this year might have an upset.

I'll try to not get too heartbroken his time around, although I will probably get really wound up as usual.

I'm gonna try and get a North Korea Football shirt though.

North Korea is going out like electricity (in North Korea). It's going to be so fast it won't even be funny.

Spain have historically let people down. I'm not sure this will be the same. The Euro cup was one thing, but right now, they still have the same great players, and a few more extremely good ones. The real favorites, in my eyes, will be Brazil. Best backline in all of football right now, with decent midfielders. They can run this tournement.

[Atro]

There are a lot of teams that have no business being on the world cup right now. Algeria is one of them. Slovenia and Slovakia? North Korea? And a slew of South American villages that no one would pay money to watch (maybe pay with feathers and guano).

It's a joke. It's like the exclusion of England from Euro Cup 08 - a complete joke that everyone had to live with. No Turkey, Russia, Croatia, Costa Rica, Sweden, but a bunch of shit nations no one will ever give a fuck about.

For some reason, the Euro is the hardest championship to win.
Only the best will figure. It's the greatest competiotion of all.
Put Argentina and Brazil in there and there you go.

World Cups are one match longer, but they're filled with countries that have absolutely no clue of what football is.

[Xander Crews]

For some reason, the Euro is the hardest championship to win.
Only the best will figure. It's the greatest competiotion of all.
Put Argentina and Brazil in there and there you go.

World Cups are one match longer, but they're filled with countries that have absolutely no clue of what football is.

This is so true, but how do you tell Asia and North America that they aren't allowed in the competition because no one takes them seriously?

If UEFA could have a champions league cup with south america it would be fucking awesome. No special cup with like each continent's cup winner (meaningless).

[Atro]

This is so true, but how do you tell Asia and North America that they aren't allowed in the competition because no one takes them seriously?


I wouldn't take that that way.

If a Euro is supposed to gather all the best teams from EUROPE and you have qualifier groups to allow the best to participate in the final tournament, it's logic that countries like Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus or some other will not make it.

But those countries aren't that different than some African or Asian countries.
A World Cup is meant to gather the very best national squads every 4 years, so my bet would drawing groups with mixed football confederations instead of keeping the same regulations as ever.

Imagine a qualifying group in Europe, where you had like Spain, Sweden and say, Holland in it. Depending on the regulations, at least one or two wouldn't make it. But in other hand, from another confederation, Costa Rica and Ecuador make it.
Do you think Ecuador and Costa Rica had the same difficulties to get there? They obviously do not compete in the same league as those Euro nations.
South American qualifiers, put 4 countries from a group out of 10.
Usually, Brazil and Argentina for obvious reasons are always qualified ( with more or less difficulties ) and two other move in ( usually Paraguay and Uruguay, sometimes others ).

There is no way that could happen in Europe, so some better national UEFA teams than CONMEBOL ones will watch the competition at home.

The solution would be mixing them equally no matter how much they have to travel ( like if mostly south american stars don't do that already when they have to leave their european clubs to make their national appointments ).
That would leave only room for the best of the best every 4 years.

I know some would bitch about like "oh, but that way China wouldn't ever again make it and blah blah blah". So what? Malta, San Marino, Faroe Isles never made it too, so the only ones harmed by that are those because their competing already against the best. China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and others would have a hard time ( not to tell impossible ) if they were tossed on a European group.

Don't we want only the best on a World Cup? Then this is the only fair solution.:buttrock:

[Xander Crews]

I wouldn't take that that way.

If a Euro is supposed to gather all the best teams from EUROPE and you have qualifier groups to allow the best to participate in the final tournament, it's logic that countries like Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus or some other will not make it.

But those countries aren't that different than some African or Asian countries.
A World Cup is meant to gather the very best national squads every 4 years, so my bet would drawing groups with mixed football confederations instead of keeping the same regulations as ever.

Imagine a qualifying group in Europe, where you had like Spain, Sweden and say, Holland in it. Depending on the regulations, at least one or two wouldn't make it. But in other hand, from another confederation, Costa Rica and Ecuador make it.
Do you think Ecuador and Costa Rica had the same difficulties to get there? They obviously do not compete in the same league as those Euro nations.
South American qualifiers, put 4 countries from a group out of 10.
Usually, Brazil and Argentina for obvious reasons are always qualified ( with more or less difficulties ) and two other move in ( usually Paraguay and Uruguay, sometimes others ).

There is no way that could happen in Europe, so some better national UEFA teams than CONMEBOL ones will watch the competition at home.

The solution would be mixing them equally no matter how much they have to travel ( like if mostly south american stars don't do that already when they have to leave their european clubs to make their national appointments ).
That would leave only room for the best of the best every 4 years.

I know some would bitch about like "oh, but that way China wouldn't ever again make it and blah blah blah". So what? Malta, San Marino, Faroe Isles never made it too, so the only ones harmed by that are those because their competing already against the best. China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and others would have a hard time ( not to tell impossible ) if they were tossed on a European group.

Don't we want only the best on a World Cup? Then this is the only fair solution.:buttrock:

I think that's quite fair. Just have the best 32 teams in the Fifa ranking. At least Russia, ranked 12 in the world, would be in the world cup.

[Spectre]

I think that's quite fair. Just have the best 32 teams in the Fifa ranking. At least Russia, ranked 12 in the world, would be in the world cup.

But then how would you calculate the rankings, on friendlies?

[Xander Crews]

But then how would you calculate the rankings, on friendlies?

Friendlies are bullshit meant to bring in revenue. They should not count for shit. Only qualifiers should. A major problem is when friendlies get in the way of a player performing for his club and not wanting to get injured, but by refusing to attend, the player gets kicked off the NT (Kompany in Belgium).

Problem is that friendlies don't generate enough money to attract players making obscene wages in their clubs. So rather than keep friendlies "friendly", they have become a cuntish instrumentality of the FIFA dictatorship, forcing players who want to be on the NT to do cheap labor and risk their health to boot.

[IDCHAPPY]

Really looking forward to the world cup now, not long to go :buttrock:. I dont really cares who wins it aslong as theres plenty of good footie and action i'll be happy :)