World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

[3W]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Random draw of the day and for once, it's a manageable group for the USA. For England, not so much...

A: South Africa, Portugal, New Zealand, Cameroon
B: England, Netherlands, Japan, Ghana
C: Spain, Switzerland, South Korea, Chile
D: Germany, Denmark, North Korea, Paraguay
E: Italy, Greece, Australia, Uruguay
F: France, Slovenia, USA, Cote d'Ivoire
G: Argentina, Serbia, Mexico, Nigeria
H: Brazil, Slovakia, Honduras, Algeria

 

[AMC]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Random draw of the day and for once, it's a manageable group for the USA. For England, not so much...

A: South Africa, Portugal, New Zealand, Cameroon
B: England, Netherlands, Japan, Ghana
C: Spain, Switzerland, South Korea, Chile
D: Germany, Denmark, North Korea, Paraguay
E: Italy, Greece, Australia, Uruguay
F: France, Slovenia, USA, Cote d'Ivoire
G: Argentina, Serbia, Mexico, Nigeria
H: Brazil, Slovakia, Honduras, Algeria

Jeez, Cote d'Ivoire might get 9 points, score 20+ goals and not allow one in that group.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

So with the new world rankings coming out, are the top 8 changed for the World Cup pots and draw?

Purely on ranking the pot would include Spain (1), Brazil (2), Netherlands (3), Italy (4), Portugal (5), Germany (6), France (7), Argentina (8).

Leaving England (9) on the outside looking in, and making the France debacle even more painful if they end up in a group of death.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

So with the new world rankings coming out, are the top 8 changed for the World Cup pots and draw?

Purely on ranking the pot would include Spain (1), Brazil (2), Netherlands (3), Italy (4), Portugal (5), Germany (6), France (7), Argentina (8).

Leaving England (9) on the outside looking in, and making the France debacle even more painful if they end up in a group of death.

hmm, interesting...how do they do things if argentina isn't in the seeded pot?

That would leave:
the 8 seeded teams (SA, Brazil and 6 Euro teams)
7 non-seeded Euro teams
3 CONCACAF
4 CONMEBOL
5 African
4 Asian
1 Oceanic

So that might actually help USA?

pot 1 - Seeds
pot 2 - remaining Euros and New Zealand
pot 3 - CONMEBOL/Asian
pot 4 - CONCACAF/Africa

(although now we could end up in a group of Spain, Argentina, England, USA) but with that change, we have a crack at SA, New Zealand and the Asia countries...and avoid africa

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Has anyone seen anything on the web where the 2006 seeding formula is applied to 2010?

http://www.football-rankings.info/

I remember Mexico being something of a surprise seed last time. I wonder if there will be a surprise this time. The 2006 seeds were certainly different from the world rankings at the end of 2005.

Assuming the '06 formula, the seeds will be South Africa, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. No "surprise" teams there. (And in '5, Mexico was no surprise to anyone following seeding.)

 

[AMC]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Tottenham 9 - Wigan 1

Defoe had 5. Wigan's goal should have been waived off, Spurs got hosed!

 

[Priceless]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

hmm, interesting...how do they do things if argentina isn't in the seeded pot?

Why do you remove #8 Argentina from the seeds instead of #9 England? If they were going to remove a seed from anyone it should be France, but they're ranked #7.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Why do you remove #8 Argentina from the seeds instead of #9 England? If they were going to remove a seed from anyone it should be France, but they're ranked #7.

They are both removed because its the top 7 plus south africa...

 

[3W]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Tottenham 9 - Wigan 1

Defoe had 5. Wigan's goal should have been waived off, Spurs got hosed!

Was Spurs trying to bolster its position in the computer rankings?

Also, any bets that the Tottenham team shop puts out a DVD? Bob, I need some Gunner sarcasm here.

 

[Priceless]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

They are both removed because its the top 7 plus south africa...

I momentarily forgot about South Africa being seeded... because they suck

 

[3W]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Random Draw of the Day for Sunday, just to switch it up a bit, I put Africa and CONCACAF into the same pot. So far, I'm only 1 of 4 in US draws that I actually like.

A: South Africa, Denmark, South Korea, Mexico
B: France, Serbia, Paraguay, Algeria
C: England, Slovakia, Uruguay, Cameroon
D: Brazil, Switzerland, Japan, Ghana
E: Germany, Greece, Australia, Honduras
F: Italy, Portugal, Chile, USA
G: Spain, Netherlands, New Zealand, Cote d'Ivoire
H: Argentina, Slovenia, North Korea, Nigeria

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Random Draw of the Day for Sunday, just to switch it up a bit, I put Africa and CONCACAF into the same pot. So far, I'm only 1 of 4 in US draws that I actually like.

A: South Africa, Denmark, South Korea, Mexico
B: France, Serbia, Paraguay, Algeria
C: England, Slovakia, Uruguay, Cameroon
D: Brazil, Switzerland, Japan, Ghana
E: Germany, Greece, Australia, Honduras
F: Italy, Portugal, Chile, USA
G: Spain, Netherlands, New Zealand, Cote d'Ivoire
H: Argentina, Slovenia, North Korea, Nigeria

Italy and Portugal wouldn't be horrible considering our recent history. If we get a half way competent referee we might even have a shot at beating the Italians straight up.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

I'd like to see Brazil, Greece and North Korea in our group.

 

[Red Cloud]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Add Egypt and Algeria to the list of countries that have had political feuds over a friggin soccer match.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki confirmed today that Egypt recalled its ambassador to Algeria after Egyptian fans were attacked by their Algerian counterparts following the two countries' playoff match in the 2010 World Cup qualifications held in Khartoum, Sudan, on Wednesday.

The incident comes days after Algeria's ambassador to Cairo, Abdel Qader Hadjar, was summoned by the Egyptian government to explain violence against Egyptians living in Algeria in the days leading up to the crucial match, which Algeria won 1-0. Hadjar was summoned once again today, hours before a decision was issued to recall Egypt's ambassador in Algiers for "consultations."

The Foreign Ministry announced that it informed Hadjar of "Egypt's extreme displeasure with the assaults on Egyptian citizens who went to Khartoum to support the Egyptian team."

"Egypt also expressed its outrage and its denunciation after continuing reports and many appeals from Egyptian citizens residing in Algeria over the assaults and intimidation they face," the statement to Hadjar concluded.

By defeating Egypt, Algeria won a berth in the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa. But the game was marred by tensions as Egyptian supporters and celebrities who were accompanying their national team called for help by phoning satellite television channels, describing how tough it was to leave the stadium amid Algerian fans' attacks.

Some Egyptian fans said they were forced to find shelter in homes and villas offered by Sudanese residents until the situation calmed down. Egyptian Health Minister Hatem El Gabaly said today that 21 Egyptians were injured as a result of the post-match assaults.

The soccer violence started on Saturday when Egyptians hurled stones at a bus carrying Algerian players from the Cairo airport to the city's stadium before an earlier qualifying match between the two teams. Three Algerian players were injured.

 

[GreatLakerMohawk]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Italy and Portugal wouldn't be horrible considering our recent history. If we get a half way competent referee we might even have a shot at beating the Italians straight up.

Talk about infuriating to watch though. All that diving and crying for fouls in two out of three games there - ye gods.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

So with the new world rankings coming out, are the top 8 changed for the World Cup pots and draw?

Not substantially, no. The current FIFA rankings only account for 1/6 of the seeding formula.

Purely on ranking the pot would include Spain (1), Brazil (2), Netherlands (3), Italy (4), Portugal (5), Germany (6), France (7), Argentina (8).

Leaving England (9) on the outside looking in, and making the France debacle even more painful if they end up in a group of death.

Scratch the Netherlands and Portugal, add England. See the link I posted previously, Edgar has done a comprehensive workup of the prospective seeding.

 

[Red Cloud]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

One would think that Julie Foudy had never played soccer, ever.

 

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Tottenham 9 - Wigan 1

Defoe had 5. Wigan's goal should have been waived off, Spurs got hosed!

I guess that's one way for my fantasy team to make up for Van Persie's absence.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Most important US championship starts in about 50 minutes.

I'm guessing the sunshine boys will win, but ya never know. I guess it depends on the weather in Seattle. Rain could be a boon for Salt Lake.

Oh and don't look now but Blackburn is 11th in the Premier league!

 

[Red Cloud]

Re: World Soccer XI: To South Africa, and Beyond!

Seattle fans are crazy ********. Sounders are going to be in MLS Cup themselves before long.

Really looking forward to see how the Portland/Seattle/Vancouver dynamic works out in 2011. Soccer is definitely something the Pacific Northwest can take some good pride in the way the southeast has college football, the northeast has baseball, the midwest has pro football, and the west coast has basketball.

EDIT: Can't say ********? ****.