Archive Random Soccer Chatter

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 2:54pm

gorocks99;1518294 wrote:From the early UEFA games, Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are through to the WC while Portugal and Greece head to the playoff.

Denmark winning big pretty much eliminates the czech republic. Bulgaria is going to need to find a way to beat the czechs or denmark will be taking the playoff spot.

SportsAndLady

Posts: 35,632

Oct 15, 2013 3:01pm

Pretty crazy Portugal may not get in. Also crazy the Czechs are out.

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 3:02pm

NVM I am wrong. I forgot the take the best 8 runner ups. Seems like everyone in that group (bulgaria, danes, czechs) are pretty much fucked.

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 3:04pm

SportsAndLady;1518300 wrote:Pretty crazy Portugal may not get in. Also crazy the Czechs are out.

Portugal was in the playoff last cycle. This year some tough teams are going to possibly miss out on the WC. France, Portugal, and Sweden will be in the playoff pot. UEFA qualifying is just fucking tough.

Also Turkey is down 0-2 to the netherlands. They will probably miss out on the playoff round as I don't see them winning this game

.

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 3:09pm

Today's results pending, England might be in that playoff pot too.

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 3:12pm

gorocks99;1518305 wrote:Today's results pending, England might be in that playoff pot too.

Yup, they have to win. Ukraine is going to come away with 3 points from san marino.

Edit: they are already up 2-0 lol.

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 3:14pm

like_that;1518308 wrote:Yup, they have to win. Ukraine is going to come away with 3 points from san marino.

Edit: they are already up 2-0 lol.

San Marino: 1 GF, 47 GA. Fucking ouch.

Edit: 48 GA.

Edit 2: 51 GA, lol

OSH

Posts: 4,145

Oct 15, 2013 3:57pm

gorocks99;1518311 wrote:San Marino: 1 GF, 47 GA.

I may have my baby be born in San Marino...give him/her some options for international soccer...

S

sportchampps

Posts: 7,361

Oct 15, 2013 4:12pm

Europe always makes it though so the strong teams have the easiest game in the playoff. Basically they separate the top 4 teams

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 4:13pm

So, assuming I understand things are right (which is a big assumption), looks like the playoff will be:

Greece (25 pts)
Portugal (21 pts)
Ukraine (21 pts)
Sweden (20 pts)
Romania (19 pts)
France (17 pts)
Croatia (17 pts)
Iceland (17 pts)

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 4:46pm

Gerrard scores to put England up 2-0 ... that should seal it for them. With UEFA games complete, qualifying so far from Europe are:

Russia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Spain
England

Along with Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany and Belgium who had already won their groups.

Fourteen spots still up for grabs - four will go to UEFA, two to CONMEBOL, one to CONCACAF, five to Africa, one to the winner of Jordan-CONMEBOL, and one to the winner of New Zealand-CONCACAF.

Laley23

Posts: 29,506

Oct 15, 2013 4:46pm

They will separate the 4 teams with the highest rankings. France will NOT be one of those teams. I would love to see Portugal get paired with France, cause I hate them both. Knock one of them out lol.

Last time around France got Rep of Ireland, and the Henry hand-ball sent them through after the playoff...that just pissed me off. I forget who Portugal got in the playoff, but they barely escaped with a close 2nd leg as well.

Laley23

Posts: 29,506

Oct 15, 2013 4:55pm

Off the top of my head I think the seeded UEFA teams for the playoff will be:

-Portugal
-Croatia
-Ukraine
-Greece

Frances poor play over the last few years is biting them in the ass right now. But they will probably avoid Portugal and beat whoever else is there. Greece is tough on D, but cant score. Id say they would be the toughest draw outside of Portugal for France. Shut them out at home and try to advance on away goals/PKS. Sweeden could be tough, cause Ibra can win a game by himself, and they can just score in general. But, they dont play much defense. Either way, France has a tough draw coming up unless they get Ukraine. I think they would beat them pretty handily.

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 4:57pm

Laley23;1518357 wrote:They will separate the 4 teams with the highest rankings. France will NOT be one of those teams. I would love to see Portugal get paired with France, cause I hate them both. Knock one of them out lol.

Last time around France got Rep of Ireland, and the Henry hand-ball sent them through after the playoff...that just pissed me off. I forget who Portugal got in the playoff, but they barely escaped with a close 2nd leg as well.

Quick guess, I think the four highest ranked (by FIFA ranking) will be:

Portugal (1036)
Greece (983)
Croatia (901)
Ukraine (871)
----------------
Sweden (850)
France (802)
Romania (767)
Iceland (633)

ohiobucks1

Posts: 4,915

Oct 15, 2013 4:58pm

Really sucks, Israel was two late goal equalizizers from Portugal away from knocking them out and being in the playoff. I wish they were allowed to play in Asia, they would qualify EVERY SINGLE WC

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 5:03pm

ohiobucks1;1518367 wrote:Really sucks, Israel was two late goal equalizizers from Portugal away from knocking them out and being in the playoff. I wish they were allowed to play in Asia, they would qualify EVERY SINGLE WC

Can't let the Jews run everything.

Kidding.

ohiobucks1

Posts: 4,915

Oct 15, 2013 5:04pm

gorocks99;1518368 wrote:Can't let the Jews run everything.

Kidding.

#toosoon.

Also there are a few christians and other religions represented by the Israeli NT... look that shit up

But seriously, I would fear for their lives if they played in Asia. They would run train on all those countries (besides Japan, Korea, and Australia), though.

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 5:45pm

Laley23;1518357 wrote:They will separate the 4 teams with the highest rankings. France will NOT be one of those teams. I would love to see Portugal get paired with France, cause I hate them both. Knock one of them out lol.

Last time around France got Rep of Ireland, and the Henry hand-ball sent them through after the playoff...that just pissed me off. I forget who Portugal got in the playoff, but they barely escaped with a close 2nd leg as well.

The corrupt FIFA puppet masters won't allow that matchup. France didn't deserve qualification last time around, hopefully karma bites them in the ass.

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 6:14pm

What does it say that the US beat Bosnia in a friendly? Bosnia is pretty damn tough imo. You gotta be to win a qualifying group in Europe.

Laley23

Posts: 29,506

Oct 15, 2013 6:35pm

like_that;1518400 wrote:What does it say that the US beat Bosnia in a friendly? Bosnia is pretty damn tough imo. You gotta be to win a qualifying group in Europe.

I think we (I) addressed this a ways back. I am dry impressed with the win, and the way the USA is playing over the last year or so in general. Bosnia don't send their full A squad, but they had A squad players mixed in. It was a tremendous result. Much like the Germany win, despite the fact people play that one down as well...

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 9:50pm

US is losing...

..but...

Mexico is too! El Tri on the ropes!

gorocks99

Posts: 10,760

Oct 15, 2013 9:52pm

And OF COURSE Mexico ties it. Ugh.

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 10:03pm

I find this stupid as hell. Italy was in the Euro Cup finals last summer, and they went undefeated in their qualification table, yet the switz will jump them in rankings?

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1584307/switzerland-seeded-world-cup-draw-sweden-woe?cc=5901

Italy being unseeded is going to create quite the group of death.

Laley23

Posts: 29,506

Oct 15, 2013 10:09pm

like_that;1518526 wrote:I find this stupid as hell. Italy was in the Euro Cup finals last summer, and they went undefeated in their qualification table, yet the switz will jump them in rankings?

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1584307/switzerland-seeded-world-cup-draw-sweden-woe?cc=5901

Italy being unseeded is going to create quite the group of death.

Ties are killers in the rankings. I mean, a loss is ZERO points, but a tie is just the regular points versus a W being pointsX3. So their 2 most recent ties KILLED them, especially when you look at the opponent. Their rankings didnt give them many regular points, like a tie with a top 20 team wouldve.

Also, last summer (year) I think is only weighted 50%. Once August hit, last summers Euro run went from being a major player in their ranking to a lot less...

like_that

Posts: 26,625

Oct 15, 2013 10:13pm

Laley23;1518529 wrote:Ties are killers in the rankings. I mean, a loss is ZERO points, but a tie is just the regular points versus a W being pointsX3. So their 2 most recent ties KILLED them, especially when you look at the opponent. Their rankings didnt give them many regular points, like a tie with a top 20 team wouldve.

Also, last summer (year) I think is only weighted 50%. Once August hit, last summers Euro run went from being a major player in their ranking to a lot less...

Still, they beat Uruguay this summer as well. The rankings are highly flawed. It showed in the 2006 World Cup. Switzerland is definitely not a top 8 team in the world, sorry.