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World Cup 2018 Qualifying


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The failure of the USA to qualify has denied us some potentially juicy geopolitical ties in the groups.  Iran vs Saudi Arabia stands out as one with a bit of needle, assuming one hasn't already reduced the other to smouldering ruins before the tournament begins.


Good job they're in the same continent and can't get drawn together then [emoji6] .
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1 hour ago, Elementary Penguin said:

That draw is a fucking messsss. 

Why not have the top eight as they are (Poland....wtf?) with the remaining eight Uefa teams in pot 2. Pot Three could contain the three Concacaf and five African sides, while Pot Four has the other two Conmebol, five AFC and winners of tonight's Peru vs NZL non-event. 

They'll be stop-starting all fucking day with that nonsense as it stands. 

In the past they also had the top 8 in the World Rankings but the rest were corralled into continental sets of 8.

So the 8 other Europeans would have been a pot and depending on the numbers there would have been "horse trading" within FIFA over what continents to partner-up in the last 2 pots.

For 1998 the Africans & North Americans were put together, also the South Americans & Asians (plus excess European)... same for 2002... in 2006 the Africans, South Americans and Oceania were put together, also the North Americans & Asians (plus excess European)... same for 2010 but Oceania moved to other pot... same for 2014.

Moving to a new model of 4 pots all seeded by world ranking means that teams from any continent can draw teams from any other, and will give a more even distribution of 'quality' - at least as adjudged in the World Ranking - between all groups, although some may bemoan that.

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I think they are keeping the regionalisation, HJ. It'll still be a maximum of two teams from Europe and one team from any other continent.

 

It's just that they will ALSO be segregated by seeding.

 

The new system seems likely to provide more even groups. I don't really like that though. I prefer it when there is always at least one "Group of Death" and one "Group of Pish". I enjoy the schadenfreude of seeing favourites sent packing in the Group Stage and also like to see diddies surviving to the Second Round and beyond. It's boring if it's just the usual suspects in the latter stages each time.

 

Here is a simulator, if anyone is bored (final pots still subject to change if New Zealand upset Peru)...

 

http://ultra.zone/2018-FIFA-World-Cup-Group-Stage-Draws

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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42' Peru 1-0 New Zealand - watching it with Music on and Spanish comms, absolutely mental. Was listening to Will Griggs on Fire when they scored.

Peru are the better team but NZ look like they could nick a goal on the counter. Just seen the greatest double save of all time by the Kiwi Keeper.

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For England or other European teams in pot 2 you’d want Russia, Poland, Portugal or maybe Belgium, then you can’t get any tricky scando countries or serbia and at worst get maybe Costa Rica and Japan. Even  France or Germany would be preferable to Brazil Argentina and running the risk of 1 seed plus another euro imo. Can’t imagine Asian sides doing a lot or Africa breaking beyond the one team in the next round trend  that’s gone on since 1990 I think. Got an early finish in for the draw as I’m a sad act.  

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45 minutes ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

D group of shit.

default frame of reference for any group including Australia, naturally...

very much liking your Croxall work by the way - sterling effort (which I suppose, as a phrase, has more than a hint of irony about it since the advent of Raheem, but whatever...)

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25 minutes ago, Twinkle said:

Sure i saw something on social media suggesting everyone should keep Sat June 16th free as there will be four games on back to back

Yeah I saw it too.  Game at 11, 1, 3 and 5 if I remember right!

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1 hour ago, Scotty Tunbridge said:

Scheduling must be a nightmare for this one with all the different time zones in Russia.

 

Kick off times normally going to be 1,3 & 5 I assume.

1, 4 and 7pm kick offs for us in the UK.

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Really looking forward to seeing what panama have to offer, would love it if they could pop up with a shock win or something, unlikely but who knows.

Senegal with Mane ect.. could be a good watch.

Also peru and Egypt who I've never seen in a World Cup before, should bring a lot of colour and diversity to the tourney.. oh eh and Iceland in their first World Cup too, gonna be interesting..

Love a World Cup! 

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33 minutes ago, Blue_e'hm_A_Dee said:

Really looking forward to seeing what panama have to offer, would love it if they could pop up with a shock win or something, unlikely but who knows.

Senegal with Mane ect.. could be a good watch.

Also peru and Egypt who I've never seen in a World Cup before, should bring a lot of colour and diversity to the tourney.. oh eh and Iceland in their first World Cup too, gonna be interesting..

Love a World Cup! 

I have. Not a happy memory...

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