World Cup: 2018 WC Qualifiers Part II

[QuietContrarian]

Croatia have traditionally struggled against Greece (only one win in 5-6 meetings, 4 of them competitive matches) and their clubs fare even worse. Although it is a difficult draw, Croatian media also going overboard like we drew Germany/Spain

Denmark/Ireland is probably the closest tie on paper

I think Denmark are being slightly undervalued here.. Dont think Denmark, Sui and Cro are that far off with all the new youngster coming up for Denmark.

And do you really think Denmark and Ireland are close, player by player on paper??

 

[tony d]

Croatia
Denmark
Italy
Switzerland

Those are my predictions.

 

[Elliman]

Greece will lock down and beat Croatia 1-0 or 2-1/0 over agg.

Ireland will beat Denmark at home after drawing away 0-0/1-1 and will win at home 1-0

Italy will draw at home 1-1 and go to the WC on away goals after a tense 2-2 draw in Sweden.

Northern Ireland will knock the crap outta Switzerland. Defend with 10 men behind the ball and batter the Swiss physically with 0-0 at home and a 1-1 in Switzerland.

 

[YNWA14]

Croatia, Italy, Switzerland and Denmark will go through.

 

[East Coast Bias]

I think Denmark are being slightly undervalued here.. Dont think Denmark, Sui and Cro are that far off with all the new youngster coming up for Denmark.

And do you really think Denmark and Ireland are close, player by player on paper??

I just think they're the least scary of the 4 seeded teams. They're still better than Ireland and should win. Get ready for Ireland trying to muck it up and make it ugly.

I wanted Italy to be honest, just do to the make up of my group of friends (mainly all Irish and italian). Though they're also struggling lately so at the moment they might be most ripe for being picked off out of the seeded teams.

 

[Ceremony]

Croatia Denmark Italy Switzerland

 

[tony d]

Last time Italy missed the World Cup was 1958. Could it happen again in 2018? Sweden's not going to lie down for any team. Could be an interesting result.

 

[Incubajerks]

Next time maybe. The only thing that worries me is Ventura.

 

[Savant]

Senegal has called up Sadio Mane, who is supposed to be out at least another month, to their next match in on November 10. Senegal’s manager thinks he is healthy.

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse: "Sadio Mane has resumed individual training and will probably resume full training next week."

All the meanwhile Liverpool has stated his BEST case scenario would be the Chelsea game on November 25th.

This will not end well for someone.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

People go too mental about the fact Italy are in the playoff. Guess what, their group had Spain..everyone but perhaps Germany and maybe, maybe France would be going to the playoff too. I think it's a disgrace that a group with Spain and Italy is a possibility and it's dirty politics because their seeding mode is so stupid that it could have been fixed years ago if not for the politics of it.

 

[Moncherry]

People go too mental about the fact Italy are in the playoff. Guess what, their group had Spain..everyone but perhaps Germany and maybe, maybe France would be going to the playoff too. I think it's a disgrace that a group with Spain and Italy is a possibility and it's dirty politics because their seeding mode is so stupid that it could have been fixed years ago if not for the politics of it.

This is all true, but they were also quite mediocre against the lesser teams in their group, and a lot of it was down to their manager. But I really doubt that they will be knocked out, Italy will still make the World Cup.

 

[Live in the Now]

Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah has turned down the offer of a luxury villa as reward for firing Egypt to the 2018 World Cup.

Sources in the north African country say that Salah was contacted by Mamdouh Abbas, the former president of the club Zamalek in his homeland, after the dramatic 2-1 victory over Congo earlier this month.

Abbas wanted Salah to have the holiday villa as a gift in recognition of the part he played in the Pharaohs reaching their first World Cup since 1990.

However, the 25-year-old politely declined and said a donation to Nagrig village in Gharbiya province, which is around 150km from the capital Cairo, would make him happier.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-winger-mo-salah-turns-13786636

I really like this guy. Think I will be rooting for them in the next WC.

 

[Scott Stevens]

The first goal by Denmark was a fantastic strike in the top corner. Nothing the goalie (or any goalie) could do.
The 1-1 came after a great Larsson move and an OBVIOUS penalty (nothing dubious about it really).
2-1 came after a corner, ball was cleared, a Dane player shot the ball and it deflected to a a danish player who put it in the net.
Last goal came after two guys JUMPED in front of a cross to prevent it, couldn't, the goalie jumped to prevent the easy tap-in and couldn't block the ball all right (in traffic and a tough grab really), which was punched in by a swede.

If ANY of those goals was scored against on purpose, these guys are the best players that ever lived.

People who claimed it was a fix are ridiculous.

And here I thought a French honk would go the other way with this.

 

[QuietContrarian]

I just think they're the least scary of the 4 seeded teams. They're still better than Ireland and should win. Get ready for Ireland trying to muck it up and make it ugly.

I wanted Italy to be honest, just do to the make up of my group of friends (mainly all Irish and italian). Though they're also struggling lately so at the moment they might be most ripe for being picked off out of the seeded teams.

Oh dont get me wrong, I could easily see Ireland grind out an aggregate win, they are great as a team.

But player by player, Denmark takes the cake - Even on a team like SUI, if you ask me. They have some prominent young talent coming up and bar a few games did well in qualy. but alas, its soccer, anything can happen.

 

[cgf]

Oh dont get me wrong, I could easily see Ireland grind out an aggregate win, they are great as a team.

But player by player, Denmark takes the cake - Even on a team like SUI, if you ask me. They have some prominent young talent coming up and bar a few games did well in qualy. but alas, its soccer, anything can happen.

Eh. Eriksen, Christensen & Vestegaard would start for the swiss and the battle between Dolberg/Poulsen & Embolo/Oberlin moving forward will be interesting, but the swiss have the better GK (Sommer), FBs/WBs (Widmer, RiRo, Zuber & Shaqiri), & midfielders (Xhaka, Zakaria, Edimilson, Freuler).

Dolberg - Embolo
Eriksen
RiRo/Zuber - Xhaka - Zakaria - Widmer
Veste - Christensen - Elvedi
Sommer
----------------------------
Dolberg - Embolo
Eriksen
Edimilson* - Zakaria
Xhaka
RiRo - Christensen - Elvedi - Widmer
Sommer

*Delaney​

 

[QuietContrarian]

Eh. Eriksen, Christensen & Vestegaard would start for the swiss and the battle between Dolberg/Poulsen & Embolo/Oberlin moving forward will be interesting, but the swiss have the better GK (Sommer), FBs/WBs (Widmer, RiRo, Zuber & Shaqiri), & midfielders (Xhaka, Zakaria, Edimilson, Freuler).

Dolberg - Embolo
Eriksen
RiRo/Zuber - Xhaka - Zakaria - Widmer
Veste - Christensen - Elvedi
Sommer
----------------------------
Dolberg - Embolo
Eriksen
Edimilson* - Zakaria
Xhaka
RiRo - Christensen - Elvedi - Widmer
Sommer

*Delaney​

I think both Kjaer, and Delaney would also start.
Better goalkeeping is debateable.

And Personally, I dont at all agree they have the better midfield.

As I said, on paper they are pretty even. With imo a slight edge to the Danish team on paper only.
I also think Sisto and Durmisi could be possible starters.

 

[cgf]

I think both Kjaer, and Delaney would also start.
Better goalkeeping is debateable.

And Personally, I dont at all agree they have the better midfield.

As I said, on paper they are pretty even. With imo a slight edge to the Danish team on paper only.
I also think Sisto and Durmisi could be possible starters.

Elvedi is closer to Christiansen than he is to Kjaer or Vestegaard, so that is pure homerism on your part.

And though Delaney has been a talisman for Werder, he isn't on Zakaria or Xhaka's level...though I do think he'd have a good shot of joining those two in the 4-3-1-2 shape I proposed.

And no, the goalkeeping isn't close. Sommer isn't the greatest shot stopper out there, but he is the best ball-playing- & sweeper- keeper...even over Neuer.

I'm also not much of a fan of Odonkor...I mean Sisto...

RiRo has stagnated over the past few seasons, but Zuber is the most in form LWB or LB on either NT. So I don't see Durmisi pulling it off, though I do like that kid.

So it's really not particularly close. Eriksen & Christiansen are phenomenal, but the Swiss 11 is stronger pretty much everywhere else but those two spots.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Elvedi is closer to Christiansen than he is to Kjaer or Vestegaard, so that is pure homerism on your part.

And though Delaney has been a talisman for Werder, he isn't on Zakaria or Xhaka's level...though I do think he'd have a good shot of joining those two in the 4-3-1-2 shape I proposed.

And no, the goalkeeping isn't close. Sommer isn't the greatest shot stopper out there, but he is the best ball-playing- & sweeper- keeper...even over Neuer.

I'm also not much of a fan of Odonkor...I mean Sisto...

RiRo has stagnated over the past few seasons, but Zuber is the most in form LWB or LB on either NT. So I don't see Durmisi pulling it off, though I do like that kid.

So it's really not particularly close. Eriksen & Christiansen are phenomenal, but the Swiss 11 is stronger pretty much everywhere else but those two spots.

I am a Canadian citizen living in Denmark? so how is that homerism? You are basing you arguments on what again? Personal opinion? I think both Kjaer and Vestergaard are at least on level with Elvedi, whom I dont think is Christensen level. And I think Delaney is being way undersold here And Zakaria a tad oversold.

Id rather have Delaney and Eriksen in midfild than Xhaka and Zakaria.

Attacking I agree the Swiss take handily.
I definitely think you are overrating the Swiss and again underselling Durmisi who I like more than Zuber

Also Lukas Lerager has looked solid for both Denmark and Bordeux.

Sommer is not far above Kasper imo, I think those are very close.

To summerize id rather have the Danish D And Mid.

Saying its not particularly close sounds like homerism to me what with you being German and alot of the Swiss playing in the Bundesliga

Btw im not interested in a long argument on this as we clearly do not agree at all

Agree to disagree?

 

[HajdukSplit]

FIFA today handed down two key suspensions for players involved in the playoffs

The biggest news is Peru's striker Paolo Geurrero was tested positive for a banned substance (believed to be drugs rather than doping). He is temporarily suspended for 30 days before FIFA potentially take further action so he will miss both playoff match against New Zealand.

FIFA have also suspended Greek defender Kostas Manolas for one match after they believe he purposely picked up a yellow card late in their match against Cyprus to "clean the slate" and miss their final game against Gibraltar. I remember UEFA cracking down on this after Mourinho did it with Real Madrid during the CL but this is a first time I've seen a player actually suspended for it, usually its a fine?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Jorginho has finally been called up by Italy.

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Man I really wanna see Laporte play for France. So what if he isn't at Barca or PSG give him a damn shot.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Jorginho has finally been called up by Italy.

About time

 

[cgf]

About time

Good thing Italy don't have a great coach cause that talent could be very irritating in Russia. Veratti, Jorginho, & Gagliardini in midfield; Belotti & Insigne up front; and Bonucci, Rugani, Caldara, etc. in front of Buffon/Donnarumma

 

[darko]

So FIFA chose to wipe out all of Honduras' yellow cards but chose not to do the same for Australia. Seems fair.

 

[rangerssharks414]

Greece @ Croatia
Switzerland @ Northern Ireland

Today at 2:45pm Eastern