East Coast Bias
Registered User
Gonna be fun times when they make the 2022 World Cup too.
At this rate they'll be in the host nation as part of Greater Iran in 2022
World Cup: 2018 WC Qualifiers Part II
- Thread starter Bures Elbow
- Start date
At this rate they'll be in the host nation as part of Greater Iran in 2022
Siamese Dream
Registered User
I do not follow this much these days but I was reading the BBC article with Southgate saying Joe Hart is still England's #1 and it gives a list of possible alternative goalkeeping options and they're all nobodies with 6 caps or less
Is England's situation really that dire?
Is England's situation really that dire?
Live in the Now
Registered User
Those are still good keepers. Just hard to cap players when undeservedly giving Hart games.
Pickford and Forster would have stopped at least one of those Griffiths free kicks. Butland also has a track record of making great saves, but isn't very good kicking the ball.
Pickford and Forster would have stopped at least one of those Griffiths free kicks. Butland also has a track record of making great saves, but isn't very good kicking the ball.
New Zealand will face Solomon Islands in the OFC final to determine that confederation's half spot. Two leg tie in the next international window
Siamese Dream
Registered User
Wee Baby Seamus
Yo, Goober, where's the meat?
Group A
Iran - Uzbekistan 2:0
Syria - China 2:2
Qatar - South Korea 3:2
Iran qualify for the World Cup with their win over Uzbekistan. Syria get a late equalizer against China to keep their World Cup hopes very much alive, especially with the two teams above them losing. South Korea came from two goals down to get a second half equalizer but Qatar scored shortly after that to stay alive.
1. Iran 20 +8 [qualified]
2. South Korea 13 +1
3. Uzbekistan 12 0
4. Syria 9 -1
5. Qatar 7 -4
6. China 6 -4
Iran have qualified; the remaining five teams all alive, but Qatar/China cannot finish higher than 3rd. South Korea have some difficult fixtures coming up, they host Iran which won't be easy + there's a rivalry brewing between these two and then on the final day they go to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan go to China before they host the Koreans. Syria 'host' Qatar but then have to go to Iran on the final day. All to play for
Group B
Australia - Saudi Arabia 3:2
Thailand - UAE 1:1
Iraq - Japan 1:1
Australia the big winners of this round as they beat rivals Saudi Arabia at home and Japan failed to win their game. UAE dropped valuable points at Thailand and their playoff chances look slim. The top three are all but known, only question is who gets the two automatic spots
1. Japan 17 +9
2. Saudi Arabia 16 +7
3. Australia 16 +6
4. UAE 10 -3
5. Iraq 5 -3 [eliminated]
6. Thailand 2 -16 [eliminated]
The leaders Japan have the toughest fixtures on paper; home to Australia and away to Saudi Arabia, however if they beat the Aussies they will qualify for the World Cup. The Saudi's go away to UAE and host Japan while Australia go to Japan while have the easiest closing fixture hosting Thailand
Iran - Uzbekistan 2:0
Syria - China 2:2
Qatar - South Korea 3:2
Iran qualify for the World Cup with their win over Uzbekistan. Syria get a late equalizer against China to keep their World Cup hopes very much alive, especially with the two teams above them losing. South Korea came from two goals down to get a second half equalizer but Qatar scored shortly after that to stay alive.
1. Iran 20 +8 [qualified]
2. South Korea 13 +1
3. Uzbekistan 12 0
4. Syria 9 -1
5. Qatar 7 -4
6. China 6 -4
Iran have qualified; the remaining five teams all alive, but Qatar/China cannot finish higher than 3rd. South Korea have some difficult fixtures coming up, they host Iran which won't be easy + there's a rivalry brewing between these two and then on the final day they go to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan go to China before they host the Koreans. Syria 'host' Qatar but then have to go to Iran on the final day. All to play for
Group B
Australia - Saudi Arabia 3:2
Thailand - UAE 1:1
Iraq - Japan 1:1
Australia the big winners of this round as they beat rivals Saudi Arabia at home and Japan failed to win their game. UAE dropped valuable points at Thailand and their playoff chances look slim. The top three are all but known, only question is who gets the two automatic spots
1. Japan 17 +9
2. Saudi Arabia 16 +7
3. Australia 16 +6
4. UAE 10 -3
5. Iraq 5 -3 [eliminated]
6. Thailand 2 -16 [eliminated]
The leaders Japan have the toughest fixtures on paper; home to Australia and away to Saudi Arabia, however if they beat the Aussies they will qualify for the World Cup. The Saudi's go away to UAE and host Japan while Australia go to Japan while have the easiest closing fixture hosting Thailand
I'm quite a bit late reporting this but Marc Wilmots for Cote D'voire has added 5 players. They are Joris Gnagnon, Jean Philippe Gbamin, Seko Fofana, Jeremie Boga and Maxwel Cornet. All I believe were formerly French. I'm not sure how many of them will actually be starting 11 looking down the line but they make strong substitutes at the very least.
Wilmots seems to really like the French based players, which is ok but he should know fans never want to see Giovanni Sio again, Never ever. Ismael Traore, also very uninteresting. French players also generally need to be eased into the African game as well, particularly the pitches. French pitches are too luscious. He's been starting Cornet but I hope when serious play resumes he'll adjust back to more familiar faces like Zaha and Gervinho.
Wilmots seems to really like the French based players, which is ok but he should know fans never want to see Giovanni Sio again, Never ever. Ismael Traore, also very uninteresting. French players also generally need to be eased into the African game as well, particularly the pitches. French pitches are too luscious. He's been starting Cornet but I hope when serious play resumes he'll adjust back to more familiar faces like Zaha and Gervinho.
Last edited:
There's a qualifier today between UAE-Saudi Arabia in what's essentially a must win game for UAE and the Saudis will be in excellent position to qualify if they win. The rest of the world kicks off Thursday. I guess this game is earlier because both sides are pretty much all domestic based
UAE beat Saudi Arabia 2:1 to keep their hopes alive, as long as Japan-Australia doesn't end in a draw. Their best hope is Japan loses both their remaining fixtures if they beat Iraq on the final day as Japan have some tough fixtures (Aussies at home and Saudis away)
GunkWinger
Registered User
Looks like we are probably gonna have Suarez against Argentina. He trained as part of the speculated starting eleven. Hopefully we go with those players. I would have liked Pereiro (PSV) and Lemos (Las Palmas) be given a shot but I highly doubt Tavares inserts them in such an important game. He's so set in his ways I'm actually very surprised Arevalo Rios and Maxi Pereira are not in there. Really hope they're not as they are done. We definitely need fresh blood. Glad we have some decent/young players in lineup with Gimenez, Vecino, Nahitan Nandez.
Gonna be a tough game but we usually do play well against Argentina. Don't think we'll win as Argentina is bringing a lot of fire power/desperation and we have not been in good form the last few qualifiers.
Gonna be a tough game but we usually do play well against Argentina. Don't think we'll win as Argentina is bringing a lot of fire power/desperation and we have not been in good form the last few qualifiers.
Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
- Aug 8, 2006
- 45,300
- 9,465
The table is super tight and the pressure is on Argentina (usually they crumble) individually the players have to be feeling it as well. No spots are safe, Sampa went on a limb for Icardi after much media attention he has to perform otherwise he might find himself in exile again. Dybala has now played enough games to ask when will he score for the NT. Hopefully under Sampa they can act like a high scoring team for once, and just put up.
darko
Registered User
- Feb 16, 2009
- 70,269
- 7,797
Savi
Registered User
It's amazing that a team with this kind of firepower has only scored 15 goals in 14 games.
John Pedro
Registered User
Japan qualify for the World Cup after beating Australia 2:0, deserved win, despite Australia's possession advantage they barely troubled Japan
Sets up a very interesting fight for that last automatic spot on Tuesday between Saudi Arabia, Australia and even UAE (though longshots). Saudi Arabia host Japan with nothing to play for and have a +2 GD on Australia. Australia have the easiest fixture at home against Thailand but if the Saudi's win by one goal, Australia will need to win by three goals. UAE are still alive but they will need both Saudi Arabia and Australia to lose (very unlikely) and they will need to win by a 5-6 goal margin (also unlikely)
Sets up a very interesting fight for that last automatic spot on Tuesday between Saudi Arabia, Australia and even UAE (though longshots). Saudi Arabia host Japan with nothing to play for and have a +2 GD on Australia. Australia have the easiest fixture at home against Thailand but if the Saudi's win by one goal, Australia will need to win by three goals. UAE are still alive but they will need both Saudi Arabia and Australia to lose (very unlikely) and they will need to win by a 5-6 goal margin (also unlikely)
Iran down to 10 men in a game South Korea probably need to win, though results in the other group game is going their way so far
Iran have yet to concede a goal in this campaign as they dug out a 0:0 draw in Korea, though to be fair, South Korea were poor and never troubled Iran even when they were down to 10 men. South Korea's failure to win at home was somewhat aided by Uzbekistan losing in China while Syria's unlikely run to the World Cup is very much alive after beating Qatar. China's victory keeps their slim World Cup hopes alive while Qatar have been eliminated
On the final day, Uzbekistan-South Korea is essentially a winner take all match (Korea will be fine with a draw). Syria go to Iran with nothing to play for, but probably will need to win
China, like UAE in the other group, need a lot of help. Firstly, they can only finish as high as third and for that they will need to win in Qatar and hope both Syria and Uzbekistan lost...its actually not as dire of a situation as UAE's but China have only recorded 1 point on their travels
On the final day, Uzbekistan-South Korea is essentially a winner take all match (Korea will be fine with a draw). Syria go to Iran with nothing to play for, but probably will need to win
China, like UAE in the other group, need a lot of help. Firstly, they can only finish as high as third and for that they will need to win in Qatar and hope both Syria and Uzbekistan lost...its actually not as dire of a situation as UAE's but China have only recorded 1 point on their travels
Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
- Aug 8, 2006
- 45,300
- 9,465
syria might actually pull off the upset. This is pretty remarkable, let's hope they get a result against Iran.
YNWA14
Onbreekbaar
- Dec 29, 2010
- 34,543
- 2,560
Starting XI: Cillessen; Fosu-Mensah, de Vrij, Hoedt, Blind; Wijnaldum, Sneijder, Strootman; Robben, Janssen, Promes
A very positive line-up. I would have started van de Beek over Sneijder and Memphis over Janssen but let's hope this is enough. Let's go Oranje; I'd really like to have a team to cheer for in the World Cup!
A very positive line-up. I would have started van de Beek over Sneijder and Memphis over Janssen but let's hope this is enough. Let's go Oranje; I'd really like to have a team to cheer for in the World Cup!
Nuts that Syria goes in directly if they win and there's a draw in Uzbekistan.
Would have to think Iran with absolutely nothing to play for is beatable (and I always wonder in a region like that if there isn't an implicit thought to help out someone in closer proximity to you).
Would have to think Iran with absolutely nothing to play for is beatable (and I always wonder in a region like that if there isn't an implicit thought to help out someone in closer proximity to you).
Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
- Aug 8, 2006
- 45,300
- 9,465
