World Soccer XXX: We Have Men Too!

[Jimjamesak]

I thought they drew this early because these things would take time.

If it took less than a day I don’t get why they didn’t wait for all the qualifiers to allow for the pots to be 100% in line with rankings.

Teams want to schedule friendlies for the June and September windows.

 

[French Rage]

Do we get the air-conditioned stadiums?

Oh wait.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Do we get the air-conditioned stadiums?

Oh wait.

Yeah, I don't think we got anything Qatar promised in their bid.

Outside of the massive bribes of course.

The draw presentation screamed "PAY ATTENTION TO US! WE ARE TOTALLY NOT INSECURE!" The kind of ostentatious display that impresses fools like Trump.

 

[Slap Shot]

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.

Yeah sorry the shrieking about playing Iran in Qatar is fucking hilarious. The crowd will matter not and I don't buy for a second the refs will be in it for Iran. If the US gets less than 6 points I will be heavily surprised.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Yeah sorry the shrieking about playing Iran in Qatar is fucking hilarious. The crowd will matter not and I don't buy for a second the refs will be in it for Iran. If the US gets less than 6 points I will be heavily surprised.

Iran is literally right across the Persian Gulf from Qatar. And yes the crowd will matter, it always does even at a World Cup. There’s a reason why Euro teams dominate at European World Cups, why South American (and Costa Rica) teams performed above average in Brazil, or Ghana making the quarterfinals (and nearly the semifinals) in 2010 in South Africa.

 

[Slap Shot]

Iran is literally right across the Persian Gulf from Qatar. And yes the crowd will matter, it always does even at a World Cup. There’s a reason why Euro teams dominate at European World Cups, why South American (and Costa Rica) teams performed above average in Brazil, or Ghana making the quarterfinals (and nearly the semifinals) in 2010 in South Africa.

Ok well World Cup's over then. What a shame.

 

[ticapnews]

Ok well World Cup's over then. What a shame.

What? Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Meanwhile, I don't see Italy listed in the any of the groups. Better Google them and see what's up...

 

[Kepler]

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

Not the weakest group at all. We got boned.

If we can't get out of that group we deserve to go home.

It's the World Cup.

 

[unofan]

If we can't get out of that group we deserve to go home.

It's the World Cup.

Oh look, it's that guy.

 

[French Rage]

Well, I mean, it is the World Cup. There shouldn't be a walkover group, and there likely won't be. At a certain point if you want to win you have to beat some good teams.

 

[Slap Shot]

If we can't get out of that group we deserve to go home.

It's the World Cup.

100%

 

[Jimjamesak]

Well, I mean, it is the World Cup. There shouldn't be a walkover group, and there likely won't be. At a certain point if you want to win you have to beat some good teams.

.

 

[Jimjamesak]

In fairness, I also think the same thing with Saudi Arabia and Group C. The Saudis will have an even bigger "home" field advantage than Iran and can absolutely punk Mexico and Poland yet everyone is writing the off.

 

[unofan]

Well, I mean, it is the World Cup. There shouldn't be a walkover group, and there likely won't be. At a certain point if you want to win you have to beat some good teams.

Yes, but if MLB released a schedule that said the Mets had to play the Dodgers, Cardinals and Yankees 20 times each while the Phillies got the Pirates, Padres, and Orioles instead, I somehow doubt Kepler would be singing the same tune.

I mean, it is the major leagues. There shouldn't be a walkover schedule. At a certain point of you want to win you have to beat some good teams.

The point is that there are always going to be harder and easier groups, and it's fair for fans to bitch about their team being drawn in a harder one.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Yes, but if MLB released a schedule that said the Mets had to play the Dodgers, Cardinals and Yankees 20 times each while the Phillies got the Pirates, Padres, and Orioles instead, I somehow doubt Kepler would be singing the same tune.

I mean, it is the major leagues. There shouldn't be a walkover schedule. At a certain point of you want to win you have to beat some good teams.

The point is that there are always going to be harder and easier groups, and it's fair for fans to ***** about their team being drawn in a harder one.

I don't think this equates the way you want it to for multiple reasons. The first being, baseball (until next year) has already had uneven schedules for a long time. The second being, the baseball playoffs, which would be a closer comparison, wouldn't have any really bad teams. They would be mostly of similar skill level.

 

[unofan]

I don't think this equates the way you want it to for multiple reasons. The first being, baseball (until next year) has already had uneven schedules for a long time. The second being, the baseball playoffs, which would be a closer comparison, wouldn't have any really bad teams. They would be mostly of similar skill level.

Any team playing the Twins in the playoffs would disagree that there are no easy wins...

 

[Jimjamesak]

In the continuing saga of “The Portland Timbers ownership continues to fuck up”…

Their anthem singer decided to wear a shirt that said “You Knew” in reference to the Timbers management attempting to cover up a domestic assault by a player. In response to the anthem singer’s shirt, they tried calling her dad to get her take it off. I’m assuming because “call dad” is the only move Merritt Paulson knows.

Speaking of that domestic violence case, the player’s wife has sued the Timbers and the Timbers settled pretty darn quick.

 

[Jimjamesak]

CONCACAF Nations League draw was today. For League A the groups are:

Group A: Mexico, Jamaica, Suriname
Group B: Costa Rica, Panama, Martinique
Group C: Canada, Honduras, Curacao
Group D: USA, El Salvador, Grenada

Games are in June this year and March 2023.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

CONCACAF Nations League draw was today. For League A the groups are:

Group A: Mexico, Jamaica, Suriname
Group B: Costa Rica, Panama, Martinique
Group C: Canada, Honduras, Curacao
Group D: USA, El Salvador, Grenada

Games are in June this year and March 2023.

Grenada is ranked 25th in CONCACAF and coming off a draw against Gibraltar and a loss to Andorra, so those will be some interesting matches trying to build up goal differential.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Grenada is ranked 25th in CONCACAF and coming off a draw against Gibraltar and a loss to Andorra, so those will be some interesting matches trying to build up goal differential.

Especially if they're one of the games in June where Berhalter has already he's playing the best lineup so they can get time together before the World Cup..