World Cup: 2018 WC Qualifiers Part II

[Pouchkine]

So how do you explain the points lost at home then? Concacaf is terrible that's all and the US is average and were complacent. I agree abut the refereeing though and that includes MLS.

 

[tony d]

Guess we're down to 1 spot; Peru and New Zealand. Peru hasn't been to the World Cup since 1982, be interesting to see which team advances today.

 

[sabremike]

So how do you explain the points lost at home then? Concacaf is terrible that's all and the US is average and were complacent. I agree abut the refereeing though and that includes MLS.

They lost at home to the best two teams in the region. They beat the other 3 in the hex at home by a combined total of 14-0.

 

[Pouchkine]

Maybe you should try Conmebol then if Concacaf is too hard.

 

[Pouchkine]

So anyone giving New Zealand a chance tonight?

 

[sabremike]

Maybe you should try Conmebol then if Concacaf is too hard.

What point are you trying to make? That CONCACAF isn't as good as arguably the top confederation on the planet from top to bottom? We all know that. But the idea that CONCACAF is a cake walk is just not true at this point. In the last 3 WC cycles Costa Rica failed to qualify for 2010, Mexico needed us to save them at the last minute to qualify for 2014, and this year we failed to qualify. The 3 giants of the region can't just show up and go straight to the World Cup anymore because other teams have gotten much more competitive.

 

[flyingkiwi]

So anyone giving New Zealand a chance tonight?

After the draw in Wellington and the away goals rule, yes. Not a very big chance, but I think it's possible we squeak home 1-1.

Peru have been getting up to all sorts of tricks to throw us off, it's pretty amusing. Diverting our plane to Chile for a few hours, making the bus ride to the hotel twice as long, taking us to the wrong stadium entrance, fireworks above the hotel in the middle of the night. They're definitely more nervous than NZ and maybe we can capitalise on that.

Expectations are low but we've been permitted a dream.

 

[Luigi Habs]

After the draw in Wellington and the away goals rule, yes. Not a very big chance, but I think it's possible we squeak home 1-1.

Peru have been getting up to all sorts of tricks to throw us off, it's pretty amusing. Diverting our plane to Chile for a few hours, making the bus ride to the hotel twice as long, taking us to the wrong stadium entrance, fireworks above the hotel in the middle of the night. They're definitely more nervous than NZ and maybe we can capitalise on that.

Expectations are low but we've been permitted a dream.

Now you made me root for NZ.

 

[flyingkiwi]

Oh and then there was the shaman trying to curse our team with a snake while stamping all over a team photo.

Welcome to South America.

 

[sabremike]

After the draw in Wellington and the away goals rule, yes. Not a very big chance, but I think it's possible we squeak home 1-1.

Peru have been getting up to all sorts of tricks to throw us off, it's pretty amusing. Diverting our plane to Chile for a few hours, making the bus ride to the hotel twice as long, taking us to the wrong stadium entrance, fireworks above the hotel in the middle of the night. They're definitely more nervous than NZ and maybe we can capitalise on that.

Expectations are low but we've been permitted a dream.

That stuff is standard operating procedure in Central and South America. Why FIFA doesn't crack down on it is a mystery. Actually it isn't because FIFA is possibly the most corrupt organization in the world.

 

[sabremike]

Oh and then there was the shaman trying to curse our team with a snake while stamping all over a team photo.

Welcome to South America.

If you guys did the haka back that shaman would soil himself.

 

[cgf]

What point are you trying to make? That CONCACAF isn't as good as arguably the top confederation on the planet from top to bottom? We all know that. But the idea that CONCACAF is a cake walk is just not true at this point. In the last 3 WC cycles Costa Rica failed to qualify for 2010, Mexico needed us to save them at the last minute to qualify for 2014, and this year we failed to qualify. The 3 giants of the region can't just show up and go straight to the World Cup anymore because other teams have gotten much more competitive.

To be fair, the "giants" of that region aren't the same as giants of other regions. Put Germany/France/Spain or Brazil/Argentina/Colombia into Concacaf and it would be a cake walk for them.

Now you made me root for NZ.

Maybe it's cause I'm a sick person, but I love that kind of gamesmanship with NTs lol

 

[Deficient Mode]

Maybe it's cause I'm a sick person, but I love that kind of gamesmanship with NTs lol

Same. That's hilarious.

 

[cgf]

Same. That's hilarious.

And it's part of what separates football from other sports. No country will go through that effort to benefit their national hockey/basketball/handball team, or their track & field squad.

 

[flyingkiwi]

It's definitely funny, maybe a tad annoying on the receiving end, but we've thrown a couple of taunts ourselves.

Can't wait for this afternoon.

 

[mario01]

sad, world cup without italyhttp://:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:/isna/4/o.png

 

[Deficient Mode]

And it's part of what separates football from other sports. No country will go through that effort to benefit their nation hockey/basketball/handball team, or their track & field squad.

Can we get South Americans into hockey? Surely there must be some frozen lakes and shit in the Andes.

 

[Bagge]

sad, world cup without italyhttp://:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:/isna/4/o.png

On the contrary....maybe it will open some eyes in Italy. The prospect pool is pretty good, but tactics has been awful for decades. Defend, defend, defend, score goal in 89th minute, defend. Qualifying with three draws to the second round etc.....boring football.

 

[Deficient Mode]

On the contrary....maybe it will open some eyes in Italy. The prospect pool is pretty good, but tactics has been awful for decades. Defend, defend, defend, score goal in 89th minute, defend. Qualifying with three draws to the second round etc.....boring football.

I don't agree with this narrative either. Serie A has quickly adopted more entertaining and offensive tactics, as have new Italian managers. Hard to argue the problem goes beyond Ventura.

 

[Moncherry]

Italy have routinely surpassed more talented teams all throughout their history because of their tactical superiority, so that's bullshit. We saw this as recently as 2016 ffs.

Also nothing against New Zealand but hope Peru wins tonight, there's enough crap teams in the World Cup.

 

[sabremike]

Italy have routinely surpassed more talented teams all throughout their history because of their tactical superiority, so that's bull****. We saw this as recently as 2016 ffs.

Also nothing against New Zealand but hope Peru wins tonight, there's enough crap teams in the World Cup.

In their last WC appearance New Zealand didn't lose a game yet failed to advance, the only time in tournament history that ever happened.

 

[darko]

Now I got that freakin Men at Work song stuck in my head

Cant you hear, can't you hear the thunder?

 

[Moncherry]

In their last WC appearance New Zealand didn't lose a game yet failed to advance, the only time in tournament history that ever happened.

What's your point? That was 8 years ago, and they still suck.

 

[sabremike]

What's your point? That was 8 years ago, and they still suck.

I may be wrong but I get the impression you are a bitter fan of a team that failed to qualify. Also it's a World Cup, not a 32 Best Teams Cup.

 

[darko]

After the draw in Wellington and the away goals rule, yes. Not a very big chance, but I think it's possible we squeak home 1-1.

Peru have been getting up to all sorts of tricks to throw us off, it's pretty amusing. Diverting our plane to Chile for a few hours, making the bus ride to the hotel twice as long, taking us to the wrong stadium entrance, fireworks above the hotel in the middle of the night. They're definitely more nervous than NZ and maybe we can capitalise on that.

Expectations are low but we've been permitted a dream.

Lol not surprised. That region of the world is known to do those thing. When we played Uruguay in 05 they greeted us at the airport by spitting and throwing shit followed by a 2am fire alarm going off at the hotel.

The part i don't like is that when they come over here we play gracious hosts. Why? Just make the f***ers walk to the stadium.