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World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
- Thread starter BoomGoestheDynamite
- Start date
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Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
The numbers are right for that. 2 hosts + 9 group winners + 1 best runner up + 4 playoff winners = 16 teams.
The numbers are right for that. 2 hosts + 9 group winners + 1 best runner up + 4 playoff winners = 16 teams.
MountieBoyOz
Eater of Worlds
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
Don't sleep on Bosnia. They were good in WCQ. England and Spain have layups like France. Group F and Group C have 3 good sides.
Don't sleep on Bosnia. They were good in WCQ. England and Spain have layups like France. Group F and Group C have 3 good sides.
P
Priceless
Guest
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
Yeah, I bet that the cheating scum that comprise Italy are dreading playing that powerhouse from the Faroe Islands.
Yeah, I bet that the cheating scum that comprise Italy are dreading playing that powerhouse from the Faroe Islands.
JF_Gophers
2147483647
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
Wouldn't Croatia be the one who advances over Israel? I assume the bolded ones were his picks.
Wouldn't Croatia be the one who advances over Israel? I assume the bolded ones were his picks.
AMC
Registered User
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
He's an England fan. I don't think you'll find many that would pick Croatia to do anything.
He's an England fan. I don't think you'll find many that would pick Croatia to do anything.
MountieBoyOz
Eater of Worlds
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
I was talking about Slovenia. (Who are in the World Cup.) and Northern Ireland. (Who just missed out on a playoff space. I think a team of board posters could beat the Faroes.
I was talking about Slovenia. (Who are in the World Cup.) and Northern Ireland. (Who just missed out on a playoff space. I think a team of board posters could beat the Faroes.
Terrierbyassociation
Fight Cancer, Wherever You Find It
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
I'm thinking about changing my Group A runner-up to Belgium. Their youth development has been nothing short of remarkable.
Group D...I think I might be one of the only guys who believes in Romania. But Bosnia is a very strong side and could even win the group: France seems to be weakening a bit in qualification bids.
Group F has nothing to do with me disliking Croatia. Being an England fan doesn't mean I automatically hate teams that have beaten England in the past. I just hate Portugal and Argentina. Wait, France. Wait, Italy. I think Greece for whatever reason does well in qualification. It makes no sense to me but they do it. So that's one spot.
Then why Israel? I think this will be Yossi Benayoun and Co.'s last hurrah at qualification and they are finally going to get over the hump. I'd really love to see them finally qualify, since they would easily qualify in Asia but none of those bastages will play them.
No one is getting upset with me for not respecting Slovakia or Slovenia. Why, I'm an England fan right? Maybe that's why I'm not picking them either.
I'm thinking about changing my Group A runner-up to Belgium. Their youth development has been nothing short of remarkable.
Group D...I think I might be one of the only guys who believes in Romania. But Bosnia is a very strong side and could even win the group: France seems to be weakening a bit in qualification bids.
Group F has nothing to do with me disliking Croatia. Being an England fan doesn't mean I automatically hate teams that have beaten England in the past. I just hate Portugal and Argentina. Wait, France. Wait, Italy. I think Greece for whatever reason does well in qualification. It makes no sense to me but they do it. So that's one spot.
Then why Israel? I think this will be Yossi Benayoun and Co.'s last hurrah at qualification and they are finally going to get over the hump. I'd really love to see them finally qualify, since they would easily qualify in Asia but none of those bastages will play them.
No one is getting upset with me for not respecting Slovakia or Slovenia. Why, I'm an England fan right? Maybe that's why I'm not picking them either.
jmh
win or lose, we booze
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
Belgium and Israel both have some very good young players coming into their own, but Belgium's new generation (Vermaelen, Fellaini, Witsel, Defour, van den Borre) is further along in their development than Israel's highest-ceiling youngsters (Sahar and especially Asulin, who could be a real game-changer if the hype out of Barcelona is to be believed). What Belgium seem to be lacking, as far as I can see, is a top-quality goalkeeper (maybe France can trade them Lloris or Mandanda?) and a finisher to step in now that Mpenza and Sonck are past their best. Still, there's enough talent around Benayoun and Ben Haim that I wouldn't be overly surprised to see them advance out of their group.
Puck Swami
New member
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
I saw Belgium's Under 20s at the Olympics in Beijing, and they played a very exciting, attacking style with a fair bit of risk to blow by Italy for three goals with just 10 men. Should be interesting to see if that rubs off on the WC team.
I saw Belgium's Under 20s at the Olympics in Beijing, and they played a very exciting, attacking style with a fair bit of risk to blow by Italy for three goals with just 10 men. Should be interesting to see if that rubs off on the WC team.
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jmh
win or lose, we booze
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
A trip to Wikipedia to see who was on that Belgium team brought to mind the question: would the Argentina squad that won gold in Beijing advance out of their group at the World Cup? I mean, that's just a tremendously talented bunch of young players (Riquelme was the only guy older than 24) and I think I'd have to pick a squad that included Messi and Aguero and Mascherano and Gago to beat anyone in their group, even if they're saddled with Maradona as their coach.
AMC
Registered User
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
Interesting side note on the draw yesterday: it was intentionally manipulated.
Armenia and Azerbaijan were initially drawn together, but UEFA separated them. Also, they announced that they would have done the same if Georgia and Russia were drawn together.
http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/uefa-considers-politics-in-euro-draw/
This seems like crap. A few years ago, UEFA made Israel host France in Sicily because the French wouldn't go to Tel Aviv due to security concerns. (Oddly, no one else in the group shared these concerns). Why couldn't they have just played the Armenia-Azerbaijan fixtures in Paris or London? Heck, I bet it would have sold out in Los Angeles with the huge populations of both communities there. Even North Korea and South Korea (still technically at war) can face each other. CAF will even hold a major international tournament in a war zone!
Interesting side note on the draw yesterday: it was intentionally manipulated.
Armenia and Azerbaijan were initially drawn together, but UEFA separated them. Also, they announced that they would have done the same if Georgia and Russia were drawn together.
http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/uefa-considers-politics-in-euro-draw/
This seems like crap. A few years ago, UEFA made Israel host France in Sicily because the French wouldn't go to Tel Aviv due to security concerns. (Oddly, no one else in the group shared these concerns). Why couldn't they have just played the Armenia-Azerbaijan fixtures in Paris or London? Heck, I bet it would have sold out in Los Angeles with the huge populations of both communities there. Even North Korea and South Korea (still technically at war) can face each other. CAF will even hold a major international tournament in a war zone!
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
Terrierbyassociation
Fight Cancer, Wherever You Find It
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
Just for this both of you are banned from Africa Cup of Nations. BANNED!
Just for this both of you are banned from Africa Cup of Nations. BANNED!
AMC
Registered User
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
I've actually been to Bosnia (well... Herzegovina). Not a terrible place. I will say this about the former Yugoslavs, when they say they are going to ethnic cleanse an area, they effectively ethnic cleanse an area. No strife whatsoever because every village is pretty much 100% of one group.
So what you are saying is that I am not invited to Democratic Republic of Congo 2012?!? These departing Rwandan soldiers got me some awesome seats in Goma!
I've actually been to Bosnia (well... Herzegovina). Not a terrible place. I will say this about the former Yugoslavs, when they say they are going to ethnic cleanse an area, they effectively ethnic cleanse an area. No strife whatsoever because every village is pretty much 100% of one group.
Terrierbyassociation said:
So what you are saying is that I am not invited to Democratic Republic of Congo 2012?!? These departing Rwandan soldiers got me some awesome seats in Goma!
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
BoomGoestheDynamite
Registered User
Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!
U-S-A!! U-S-A!!
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_swimsuit/painting/bethany-dempsey/
U-S-A!! U-S-A!!
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_swimsuit/painting/bethany-dempsey/
jmh
win or lose, we booze
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