World Cup 2018

[epic73]

Ireland have 4 pts from 2 against Serbia and Georgia, I've noticed some of the groups are absurdly easy.

 

[JaredSUFC]

In the same group I was at Austria v Wales last night. Decent point for us in the end, especially without Ramsey, and most of the 2nd half, Allen. And to add to his general brilliance Gareth Bale has such a long throw, caused panic in the defence all night.

4 teams on 4 points in the group, Wales on top due to goal difference. For me last night was our toughest game in the group so very happy with the point

 

[Super_horns]

Agree with that - good point for Wales.

Italy and Spain drew 1-1 I see and Kosovo were rather put in their place by Croatia.

The Croatia. Turkey, Ukraine and Iceland group is going to be the closet I feel.

 

[Dirk]

Ireland have 4 pts from 2 against Serbia and Georgia, I've noticed some of the groups are absurdly easy.

For the European teams we already have a thread

http://onefootballforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/2018-world-cup-qualifiers-europe.12365/

so I assume this thread is for the "Rest of the Football World", or?

 

[mistermagic]

For the European teams we already have a thread

http://onefootballforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/2018-world-cup-qualifiers-europe.12365/

so I assume this thread is for the "Rest of the Football World", or?

Oder isn't used in that manner in English.

But yes, you make a good point. We should discuss non-European and non-South American qualifiers in this thread like Africa, Asia and Concacaf (we could use it for Oceania but, y'know, who cares?).

Not much to say about the Concacaf just yet as the last round of qualifiers starts in February. 6 sides playing home and away, top 3 qualify, 4th gets a play-off spot against an Asian side.
The last round in Africa has just started so it's all a bit fresh. I hope Senegal qualify. 5 groups of 4 teams. Top side qualify.

Asia is pretty far in its qualifiers. 2 groups of 6 with each group having already played 3 games.
Qatar are bottom of Group A and are proving that not only they don't have the infrastructure to host a major event like the World Cup but they are also very, very shit at playing football. Syria are doing quite well with a recent win in China. Would be great if they could qualify and play the opening game in Moscow. Scenes. Anyway, Iran and South Korea are joint-leaders with 7 pts and they meet on Tuesday (or is it Wednesday? who the hell knows with this time difference bollocks). Massive game that.
Group B is quite competitive as well. Thailand and Iraq are the group's whipping boys but Saudi Arabia seem to be back on the front foot after missing out on so many World Cups (their last one was 2002 irrc). They share top spot with Australia and a point ahead of Japan. Australia host Japan in midweek.

So yeah, basically, the big games will be in Asia this week. I love non-European qualifiers me.

 

[Dirk]

Oder isn't used in that manner in English.

English isn't my native language and sometimes I am mixing German and English and then this happens. Sorry!

 

[Libertadores FC]

Anyone seen the CAF qualifiers? There's a group made up of Algeria, Cameroon, Zambia and Nigeria and only one qualifies to a World Cup playoff. That's like if in Europe I put France, Germany, England, Spain and The Netherlands in one group and say only 1 qualifies. It's a mess of a format in Africa and unfair.

South America is still the hardest qualifier for me but Africa are a close second due to how much of a mess it is + some countries have the heat and altitude as well as hostile environments.

 

[mistermagic]

English isn't my native language and sometimes I am mixing German and English and then this happens. Sorry!

I know that bruv. It takes me back to my Munich days. #nostalgia

Anyone seen the CAF qualifiers? There's a group made up of Algeria, Cameroon, Zambia and Nigeria and only one qualifies to a World Cup playoff. That's like if in Europe I put France, Germany, England, Spain and The Netherlands in one group and say only 1 qualifies. It's a mess of a format in Africa and unfair.

South America is still the hardest qualifier for me but Africa are a close second due to how much of a mess it is + some countries have the heat and altitude as well as hostile environments.

Hardly. Especially this time around as half the sides will be going through (5th meets New Zealand).

 

[mistermagic]

It's time for Asian zone update!

In Group A, Iran keep their fine record intact with 10 points from a possible after beating South Korea 1-0 at home. Uzbekistan capitalized on that result and have taken 2nd spot from the Koreans with an easy 2-0 win over China.
Sadly, Syria lost to Qatar 0-1. Still only 3 points behind the play-off spot but it looks like the top 3 won't be moving. Will be interesting to see if Uzbekistan can keep up the good form and finish in the top 2. Would be a first ever World Cup appearance if I'm not mistaken...

Group B saw stalemate in Sydney as Australia drew at home to Japan 1-1. Saudi Arabia took advantage of that result with a 3-0 win against the UAE (their first goal came only in the 72nd minute though so not as comfortable a game as the score suggests).
Iraq destroyed Thailand 4-0 who should finish the qualifying campaign with 0 points.

 

[mente captus]

Gnabry receivef his first call-up for the senior squad.

Also new is Benjamin Henrichs (19) from Leverkusen.

we could field an all-black defence in Rüdiger-Tah-Boateng-Henrichs

 

[Dirk]

Gnabry receivef his first call-up for the senior squad.

Also new is Benjamin Henrichs (19) from Leverkusen.

we could field an all-black defence in Rüdiger-Tah-Boateng-Henrichs

Is this a problem? Hope not .
All of them are born (and bred) in Germany (Jonathan Tah is even a real Hamburger Jung'). I don't give a shit if their skin colour is black, brown, red, yellow or......
It isn't the 70's anymore when a German with a darker skin (Erwin Kostedde (nickname "Der braune bomber (the brown bomber, in reference to Gerd "Bomber" Müller), who was the son of an american GI and a german mother) suddenly was nominated for the German Team and some weirdos went "havoc" because a [N-Word] was in the team for the first time. Shouldn't be a problem anymore nowadays (although some right wingers from the AfD made these despicable remarks about Jerome Boateng)
Anyway I am happy about this and especially excited about Serge Gnabry. Good for him that he left Arsenal (sometimes it isn't the best for a teenager to move to a big club in the Premier League. ) He made only a few matches yet for Werder and is immediately an important player for them and so the nomination for the National team is a reward (and of course his great performance for the German Olympic Football team in Rio)

 

[epic73]

Dirk

How many goals will San Marino score before you forfeit on Friday?

 

[Dirk]

No surrender. We'll fight until the end even if San Marino scores 4 (own) goals.

 

[epic73]

No surrender. We'll fight until the end even if San Marino scores 4 (own) goals.

OK, prepare to lost 50-0.

 

[Super_horns]

What will UEFA do about this?

https://mobile.twitter.com/wscsm1/status/797192487328694273/video/1

 

[mistermagic]

Bad one.

Beat Sweden 2-1 last night. 1st half was half-arsed, turgid, don't-give-a-shit performance and we only woke up once Sweden scored: a rare, rare howler by Lloris who anticipates on a Forsberg free-kick and is stranded as the ball goes in on the other side. Now I can forgive being wrong-footed by a couple of steps on the left and he could have punched it away no problem. Quite poor from Hugo.
Anyway, we equalised through Pogba who headed in a free-kick and Sweden's keeper Olsen had very poor handkeeping of the ball which basically gifted Payet the winner. Not sure we would have won against a decent keeper.
Not a great performance as we show once again that we have a lot of trouble breaking down an organized and disciplined unit. Sweden didn't even defend that good, they just stood with 2 banks of 4 à la Iceland. Motivation is starting to be a problem each time our lads meet up and we constantly need to be a goal down to react.
Ivory Coast on Tuesday. Should be boring, possibly more than last night.

 

[Dirk]

What will UEFA do about this?

https://mobile.twitter.com/wscsm1/status/797192487328694273/video/1

What will they do? I don't know. A big fine for the Romanian FA and (maybe) they have to play without crowd in one or two matches?
It's a shame that those idiots ruined this match. The German coach of Romania, Christoph Daum was interviewed after the match and he was shocked about the behaviour of the romanian "fans" (he said they aren't fans)
Robert Lewandowski was interviewed too after the match for the German TV and thank god he was fine after this shock moment.
(sorry for copying my answer from 1FF )

 

[epic73]

San Marino were playing the well known 10-0-0 formation and still let in 8.

 

[Super_horns]

Good win for the Republic - puts pressure on Wales to win now.

 

[epic73]

Yey, Ireland might actually make it through this time.

 

[Super_horns]

Football for you - so close at one end then a killer goal at the other.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Great result for Ireland.

Harry Arter managing to complete the competitive game required to lock him into Irish international football. Too slow England.

 

[epic73]

Arter will hopefully be good for us, I would have preferred him a bit earlier.

 

[blademan89]

Wales proving June was just a fluke. They would of never even been in France if it wasn't for the extra qualifying spot. Back to reality for the taffs

 

[epic73]

Wales and Serbia draw, putting Ireland top ahead of Serbia by 2 points, Wales by 4, and Austria by 6!
Ireland have Wales to play, so a win could set it up like this halfway through the qualifying:

Ireland 13
Serbia 11
Austria 7
Wales 6

Very tight, but if Georgia somehow beat Serbia and Ireland win then that'll put them 5 points clear.

 

[Dirk]

Great win for Ireland in Austria. Always a pleasure to see Austria lose. They may speak German as native language but they don't play like Germans

 

[epic73]

Great win for Ireland in Austria. Always a pleasure to see Austria lose. They may speak German as native language but they don't play like Germans

Austria are nice to San Marino though. You guys are meanies.

 

[Dirk]

Austria are nice to San Marino though. You guys are meanies.

We were nicer than in 2006 for the Qualifiers for the Euro 2008 where we won 13-0. And hey, we had only 85% ball posession.
But, seriously, you can't "win" (sympathies) in matches against teams like San Marino, Andorra, Liechtenstein and so on. If you win only 2-0, 3-0 they say you didn't take it serious. If you win 8-0 and higher they say you are "meanies" because you slaughtered the "poor amateurs".
No, Germany showed them respect because they took the match serious and played as if we played against higher class opponents (btw Norway had difficulties to win against them 4-1 with many late goals due to sinking strenght of the San Marino players)

 

[JaredSUFC]

Wales proving June was just a fluke. They would of never even been in France if it wasn't for the extra qualifying spot. Back to reality for the taffs

3 years ago Serbia destroyed us 3-0 in Cardiff, yesterday they celebrated their equaliser like the winner in a cup final. We're still unbeaten in the group and were it not for 6cm of the post we would have won last night.

Typical England fan talking nonsense when it comes to Wales

 

[blademan89]

3 years ago Serbia destroyed us 3-0 in Cardiff, yesterday they celebrated their equaliser like the winner in a cup final. We're still unbeaten in the group and were it not for 6cm of the post we would have won last night.

Typical England fan talking nonsense when it comes to Wales

Being unbeaten is irrelevant you're already 4 points off the pace. Just as I predicted in June you won't qualify for a world cup this nor any time soon. This is as good as you'll ever be too down to having one of the proper world class players. I personally would be more than happy for you to qualify but it won't happen. A loss in Dublin and it's done and dusted