World Soccer XXX: We Have Men Too!

[ticapnews]

Germany, Spain and Japan are in a group. Too bad the Italians are out or we could have one comprised entirely of 1930's Fascists...

[Kepler]

Canada avoids E. Whew.

[ticapnews]

Team USA is boned. What a shock.

[Kepler]

Team USA is boned. What a shock.

Nah, we're good. The weakest group, even with Qatar as the A1.

[Spartanforlife4]

England vs a home nation or Ukraine making the tournament. That’ll have some interesting story lines.

[JF_Gophers]

And we are done. Most Recent FIFA rankings added, and group ranking average calculated. Used highest rated for playoff teams.

Group A (31.75)
1. Qatar (51)
2. Ecuador (46)
3. Senegal (20)
4. Netherlands (10)

Group B (14.75)
1. England (5)
2. Iran (21)
3. USA (15)
4. Wales (18) / Scotland (39) v Ukraine (27)

Group C (22)
1. Argentina (4)
2. Saudi Arabia (49)
3. Mexico (9)
4. Poland (26)

Group D (17.75)
1. France (3)
2. UAE (68) / Australia (42) v Peru (22)
3. Denmark (11)
4. Tunisia (35)

Group E (18.25)
1. Spain (7)
2. Costa Rica (31) / New Zealand (101)
3. Germany (12)
4. Japan (23)

Group F (19.5)
1. Belgium (2)
2. Canada (38)
3. Morocco (24)
4. Croatia (16)

Group G (19.25)
1. Brazil (1)
2. Serbia (25)
3. Switzerland (14)
4. Cameroon (37)

Group H (27.5)
1. Portugal (8)
2. Ghana (60)
3. Uruguay (13)
4. South Korea (29)

[Jimjamesak]

Nah, we're good. The weakest group, even with Qatar as the A1.

Iran in a Middle East World Cup, Ukraine or Wales?

Not the weakest group at all. We got boned.

[JF_Gophers]

If I am rating difficulty of groups, I think it shakes out like this. Everyone will disagree of course. :-)

1. Group E
2. Group G
3. Group F
4. Group D
5. Group C
6. Group B
7. Group H
8. Group A

[ticapnews]

[ticapnews]

Nov 21 vs UEFA
Nov 25 vs England
Nov 29 vs Iran

USA - England on Black Friday

[Slap Shot]

I don't think the US got boned at all. Meh.

[First Time, Long Time]

Iran in a Middle East World Cup, Ukraine or Wales?

Not the weakest group at all. We got boned.

Care to elaborate?

[ticapnews]

I don't think the US got boned at all. Meh.

On paper Iran is a weak team, and when you hear "UEFA playoff winner" you aren't struck with fear. But these games aren't played on paper, they're going to be played in a Middle Eastern desert and Iran will have the crowd (and dare I say, the refs?) and the UEFA team is likely to be Wales, which is about equal to the USA. There are worse draws out there, but there were better ones too. This could easily be a 1998 debacle, where the USA went 0-3 and scored a single goal - in a 2-1 loss to Iran.

[JF_Gophers]

Unlikely that a ref from middle east would be assigned an Iran match. We are more likely to see UEFA/Africa/Asia ref.

[Jimjamesak]

Care to elaborate?

England is a favorite for the Final, legitimately for once.

Iran is essentially playing at home and is a strong team that won a qualifying group with Japan and Australia.

And it’s Portugal in 2014 part 2 with Wales and Gareth Bale or the Cinderella story of Ukraine. Either team is likely to be tough.

The only way this group gets less tough is if Scotland advances.