15 & 19 Nov World Cup Qualifying - UEFA

[hughy]

Götze played

But add to that list Gomez, Klose and Badstuber

Wotrying when you watch a 90 minute match and don't even realise someone is playing.

 

[Legend10]

Ukraine sending off was a joke, Ribery just dived and the ref was suckered in!

 

[beats1]

Germany B team can be added to the list of teams better than the England national team.

Germany B? more like C in some cases lol

1st team

Gomez
Ozil Gotze Muller
Schweinsteiger Khedira
Boateng Hummels Mertesacker Lahm
Neuer​

2nd team

Klose
Schurrle Kroos Reus
Bender Gundogan
Schmelzer Jansen Howedes Westermann
Adler​

3rd team

Kruse
Podolski Draxler Sam
Bender Reinartz
Aogo Badstuber/Kircher Wollscheid Beck
Weindenfeller​

Now I think that third team would cause them problems and that doesnt include the likes of Holtby, Hermann, Leitner, Volland, Ter Stegen and Leno. All of which would make the england squad or there abouts

 

[Legend10]

Hummels & Mertesacker is not a good enough central defensive pair to win the WC.

 

[Marty]

Ukraine sending off was a joke, Ribery just dived and the ref was suckered in!

France are undoubtedly the most detestable collection of players on the planet. Far worse than England or even Portugal. With the red and the offside goal they've cheated their way to another World Cup, let's just hope they fail as spectacularly in this one as they did last time.

 

[beats1]

Hummels & Mertesacker is not a good enough central defensive pair to win the WC.

Yet these are?

Argentina
Coloccini - Garay

Belguim
Vertonghen - Kompany

Brazil
Thiago Silva - Luiz

England
Jagielka - Cahill

France
Kosceilny - Varane

Germany
Hummels - Mertesacker

Italy
Cheillini - Bonucii

Netherlands
Vlaar - Heiteinga

Portugal
Pepe - Alves

Spain
Pique - Ramos

Other than Belguim, the rest have flaws

 

[King of Otters]

Glad Portugal made it through. A World Cup without Ronaldo wouldn't have been right.

 

[Marty]

Glad Portugal made it through. A World Cup without Ronaldo wouldn't have been right.

True, and he was absolutely phenomenal tonight, it was amazing watching him and Zlatan in the second half. But I could've done without seeing ****s like Pepe and Nani in Brazil.

 

[Vecellio]

Semi related tangent: The thing that really shits me about World Cup qualifying is the fucking Concacaf region. 3 automatic places *and* 1 playoff place for such a weak region is a fucking scandal imo. For example USA get to every World Cup..and never do anything at them! Whereas every World Cup a big european team misses out.
Anyway, rant over

Doh from OmarsComing..wtf is wrong with saying this? Concacaf is a joke region.

 

[beats1]

Semi related tangent: The thing that really shits me about World Cup qualifying is the fucking Concacaf region. 3 automatic places *and* 1 playoff place for such a weak region is a fucking scandal imo. For example USA get to every World Cup..and never do anything at them! Whereas every World Cup a big european team misses out.
Anyway, rant over

Except finish above Us(England) in the world cup

 

[Vecellio]

If finishing above a dire England (a 2nd tier national team these days imo, albeit a good qualifying team) is their only claim to fame I think it proves my point Oh sure USA have the odd good performance (3-2 vs Portugal in 2002 although the Portuguese were a shambles first half) but really they are the very definition of an 'also ran' team at the finals themselves, yet consistently top qualifying. I'd say it must have something to do with the vast untapped USA market/advertising dollars to be made every 4 years if I were a conspiracy theorist.

Anyway on topic, shame that Zlatan misses out..he's always good entertainment value.

 

[beats1]

If finishing above a dire England (a 2nd tier national team these days imo, albeit a good qualifying team) is their only claim to fame I think it proves my point Oh sure USA have the odd good performance (3-2 vs Portugal in 2002 although the Portuguese were a shambles first half) but really they are the very definition of an 'also ran' team at the finals themselves, yet consistently top qualifying. I'd say it must have something to do with the vast untapped USA market/advertising dollars to be made every 4 years if I were a conspiracy theorist.

Anyway on topic, shame that Zlatan misses out..he's always good entertainment value.

I dont get your point as these big teams are just as shit or worse as the US

POrtugal, England, France, Bosnia, Greece, Switzerland and etc. are exactly that as well, also ran's

 

[Vecellio]

Well the point is none of these other teams have a free pass to the finals. Portugal just won a playoff, England have missed out in 94 and 74, the other teams I'm not gonna research but they don't qualify every time. USA do at present due to the ease of the CONCACAF group.

Put USA in a euro qualifying group and they'd probably be mid table at best (ie. virtually never qualifying), England and Portugal and France (not really an also-ran nation historically although they are a bit shite nowadays) would be above them, not sure about the other teams though.

Anyway, I've probably rambled enough about this..

 

[OmarsComing]

Well the point is none of these other teams have a free pass to the finals. Portugal just won a playoff, England have missed out in 94 and 74, the other teams I'm not gonna research but they don't qualify every time. USA do at present due to the ease of the CONCACAF group.

Put USA in a euro qualifying group and they'd probably be mid table at best (ie. virtually never qualifying), England and Portugal and France (not really an also-ran nation historically although they are a bit shite nowadays) would be above them, not sure about the other teams though.

Anyway, I've probably rambled enough about this..

These nations need to have these places to popularise the sport. America has 250m, mecico 110m that's more than England, Portugal and France put together, twice.

 

[Vecellio]

I understand that but that's my point in a roundabout way; it's all to do with getting revenue, on sporting merit they probably shouldn't be at a competition with supposedly the 32 best teams. USA public will never be a big follower of soccer anyway.

 

[worcestersauce]

Glad Portugal made it through. A World Cup without Ronaldo wouldn't have been right.

what about a world cup without Ibrahimovic?

 

[OmarsComing]

what about a world cup without Ibrahimovic?

Although Ibrahimovic is a great player, he isn't in Ronaldo's class, not even close.

 

[OmarsComing]

I understand that but that's my point in a roundabout way; it's all to do with getting revenue, on sporting merit they probably shouldn't be at a competition with supposedly the 32 best teams. USA public will never be a big follower of soccer anyway.

I personally think they'll be a top 5 footballing nation within 30 years

 

[UncleBuck]

I'm praying they get Spain in a qualifying group.

god help us if we draw them, I could see us losing in Gib.

 

[worcestersauce]

Although Ibrahimovic is a great player, he isn't in Ronaldo's class, not even close.

he's still better than 99% of the dross that will be there.