Official World Cup Thread

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I'm happy, would have loved Togo or Angola though. Groups C and E are the groups of death, especially C.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

So how does this work? 2 teams from each group advance?

[Louis VI the Fat]

Yo, Quid!!!

Anyway, congratulations. I'm already looking forward to playing the Swiss again like we did in Portugal - we need the points.

Check out the draw! Looks like France's first three points are in the bag indeed!

Togo, Korea and Switzerland are ok teams, and I wouldn't underestimate any of them. But the draw could gone far, far worse for France.

Group C is definately the traditional Group of Death.

So how does this work? 2 teams from each group advance?

Yep.

[Strike For The South]

Usa Usa Usa

[Dutch_guy]

Hmm looks like we haven't had any luck with our group...the only easy game we have is against Bosnia H.

Let's hope we don't get knocked out in the first round...that would be humiliating ...

[The Wizard]

Usa Usa Usa

Oh this is gonna get painful... US is with Italy and the Czechs... that's going to be harsh

[TheSilverKnight]

Usa Usa Usa

Do you really think the USA will have any chance with Italy AND the Czech Republic in their group? Dream off, SFTS...

[Strike For The South]

Do you really think the USA will have any chance with Italy AND the Czech Republic in their group? Dream off, SFTS...

we shall fight you commie DONT TREAD ON ME

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Do you really think the USA will have any chance with Italy AND the Czech Republic in their group? Dream off, SFTS...

They're tiny, obviously their soccer teams can't be any good.

[Byzantine Prince]

They're tiny, obviously their soccer teams can't be any good.

OMG, LMAO!

[JAG]

lol Sasaki Kojiro, that was brilliant.

As for England, I think we could of had a worse group - by far, but that doesnt mean we have the easiest of groups. Sweden will be incredibly tricky.

[Soulforged]

It's time for vengenace against the Netherlands....muhahahahahaha !!
Seriously if France doesn't pass the first round now, I don't know when...I mean it has a great team.

And this is to sweet to be real, there could be a final match, for the first time in history, of Argentina vs. Brasil... of course if both qualify as first in their groups, but still...

[The Wizard]

They're tiny, obviously their soccer teams can't be any good.

Ahh, that was nice. Nice laugh.

Anyways, you Argentinians and your foul tactics will be pwnd this time >_<

[TheSilverKnight]

They're tiny, obviously their soccer teams can't be any good.

Mmmmhmmm...I'm sure...*cough*

[AntiochusIII]

They're tiny, obviously their soccer teams can't be any good.

Anyway, I wanna see the Dutch pwn the Argentinians again. lol

Things seem to be pretty easy for France, though.

*Goes back and waits to see the Czechs crushing the North Americans in about...7 months.*

[Soulforged]

Anyways, you Argentinians and your foul tactics will be pwnd this time >_<

We've been pwned last time if I remember correctly.
And come on, we're not the only one using "foul" tactics, it's football for God's sake, a lot of mans in a relatively tiny camp with dangerous tennis, it's a formula for making "mistakes".

[Quid]

Yo, Quid!!!
Check out the draw! Looks like France's first three points are in the bag indeed!

Togo, Korea and Switzerland are ok teams, and I wouldn't underestimate any of them. But the draw could gone far, far worse for France.

Group C is definately the traditional Group of Death.


Yep.

It seems to be tradition that we're playing the French. In the last three draws we have had you now. European Cup, Qualifying, and now the World Cup. It's ok, though, we know we can win . It's simple really, we need to beat Togo and South Korea and have a draw against France in order to be first or second in the group. All is possible. Germany, as usual, gets the 'easy' draw.

Group C is a bummer...but will be very interesting to watch.

Quid

[Alrowan]

ah damn aussies are up with brazil... here's hoping for #2 in the group, then a win vs whoever wins in group E

[GreatEmperor]

A win against the winner of group E? Did you see the group? It's one of the heaviest...

Van Basten likes the draw Holland gots...
Think it will be though

[Alrowan]

group E only has Italy and Czechs to really worry about, the USA hardly can match the class of most WC teams, and Ghana is usually a wild card

[LeftEyeNine]

Anybody seen in which group is Turkey seeded ?

[Soulforged]

Anyway, I wanna see the Dutch pwn the Argentinians again. lol

Hey *ouch* that hurts AntiochusIII . I thought you were on my side.

[InsaneApache]

Got this of another footy site ...

have been claiming for a while now that FIFA rigs the qualification and the seeding to ensure that the "big countries" with money to spend and big TV audiences make it as far as possible. Now, it's apparent that the draw itself was fixed, and I don't know how anyone can deny that. I'm going to look through each group and expound upon how apparent the fix is.

GROUP A: FIFA has obviously gone into this World Cup with the intent of pushing hosts Germany as far as possible. We all remember some of the questionable decisions that put home team South Korea as far as they went in 2002, and it seems 2006 won't be very different. Germany probably did not deserve to be seeded in the first place. They did not have to slog through qualifcation, and their last tournament was a disgrace. They failed to manage a single win, scoring just two goals and even drawing 0-0 with 500 to 1 minnows Latvia. FIFA knows the lackluster hosts need a strong showing to keep tickets coming in. Unsurprisingly then, they have been dealt what I would consider the weakest qualification group. Germany only need to overcome Poland, Costa Rica, and Ecuador to move on. Hardly an epic task.

GROUP B: England had a bumpy road to qualification, but it seems FIFA have sought to ensure that it won't happen in Germany. While Sweden are a talented team and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most dangerous players in the world, it seems unlikely that England would be unable to best Paraguay and future whipping boys Trinidad and Tobago. They've also dealt a rematch against Sweden, making for lots of "Swede vs. Swedes" headlines - yeah, that's a coincidence.

GROUP C: FIFA and UEFA sure don't seem to like Holland very much. They were in the "group of death" in EURO 2004 and got a tough qualification draw with the Czechs and Romania. Then they were not seeded, despite topping that group. They've been drawn in another tough group with Argentina, Serbia and Montenegro, and Ivory Coast. I think Argentina and Holland will still move on, but they will be weakened by tougher games than the other "favored" teams face.

GROUP D: The idea that Mexico would be seeded was about as foolish as the decision not to seed Portugal. Mexico are a poor team; Borgetti is the only one with any class. They only come to play football against tiny nations. If they think there is going to be an actual contest, they come to foul. There is no doubt they will be mugged by the Portugese, who steamrolled through qualification and led Europe (along with the Czechs) with 35 goals in the process. They were also EURO finalists. Of course, they also have only 10 million people, so FIFA did not seed them. However, FIFA has ensured Mexico is almost certain to go through by pairing them with Iran and Angola, ensuring Mexico's large population of 106,000,000 stays tuned.

GROUP E: This is the real group of death. Any one of these teams could go through. The Czechs were EURO semi-finalists and, if not for the loss of Pavel Nedved to injury, could have won it all. But FIFA hates them: their population is too small and too poor for them to make any TV money or ticket money. They got the group of death in EURO 2004 and a tough group with Holland to qualify. FIFA dislikes the US in a similar way: they don't think we'll watch the games on TV or pay for them in Germany. They've put those two talented teams against Italy and Ghana to try and make sure at least one will not go through, and that even if they do, they will be exhausted by the tough matches.

GROUP F: You could put Brazil in a group with Argentina, Holland, and Italy and they would still go through. FIFA have taken advantage of Brazil's talent to knock out Croatia, Australia, and Japan. They are all pretty good teams, and capable of causing an expensive upset. Now, two of them cannot do so.

GROUP G: FIFA doesn't want a repeat of 2002 when France was knocked out in the group stage, so they've given the fading 1998 champions a pretty easy go of it here. Togo doesn't have any experiece at this level, and without the friendly refereeing of 2002, Korea doesn't have much of a chance. France and Switzerland to go through with little trouble.

GROUP H: If you look at the teams who deserved seeding the least, you'd have to put Spain at the top of that list. They had a miserable EURO, failing to get past the group stages. Their qualifaction was pathetic as well. Despite being drawn in a suspiciously easy group, they still failed to come out on top, and only squeaked into the finals through the playoffs. Big surprise then that FIFA has sought to make sure they progress by putting them against Saudi Arabia, whose last World Cup appearance was marked by conceding 8 goals against Germany, and Tunisia. I have little doubt Ukraine will beat them and top the group, but it would take a miracle for Spain to go out in the group stages again.

In conclusion, I think EURO 2004 scared the crap out of FIFA and UEFA. By the semi-finals, the biggest, richest, and most populous nations were gone, and small, poor Greece won it all. When you look at the draw here, it's hard to see that happening again. And it's hard to see these groups which so perfectly fit FIFA's aims coming about by accident.

I'm not too sure myself about this, nevertheless it's an interesting proposition.

[Ser Clegane]

The top match of the first round - Argentina vs Holland will be here in Frankfurt ... and I didn't get any tickets

[Dutch_guy]

funny article, even find myself agreeing with him sometimes. though some of his arguments are very far fetched.

[Monarch]

I'm English and cant wait for the Sweden game. It will be the last game of the group, winner will most likely play Poland and the loser will have the much harder tasks of taking on the hosts. Should be a great game of football and England in my opinion will just have the edge.

Also T&T should be a fun match, I read in the Telegraph we've never played them before and I dont believe I have seen them play either. I've heard most play in England.

PS. My first post in the Tavern :D

[AntiochusIII]

Hey *ouch* that hurts AntiochusIII . I thought you were on my side.

I'm a rabid Ajax supporter, so...

Even though I'm not Dutch!

GROUP E: This is the real group of death.

The Czechs

the US

They've put those two talented teams against

Italy

Funny. US more talented than Italy? Since when?

:P

I think this guy has a gripe with FIFA. Perhaps he's right or perhaps he isn't.

[Fragony]

It's time for vengenace against the Netherlands....muhahahahahaha !!

Oh still pissed of because our prince stole the only decent looking woman in Argentina huh

great matches ahead, we dutchies got a hard group but it will be fun!

[LeftEyeNine]

Go Oranges GO GO !! HAIL TO THE TRICKIEST FEET OF EUROPE !! HOLAAAAAAA !!!!

[Fragony]

Go Oranges GO GO !! HAIL TO THE TRICKIEST FEET OF EUROPE !! HOLAAAAAAA !!!!

I don't think we will get very far, our current team is not of the same quality as Argentina. I would be VERY happy if we won, but prospects are grim; we have some nice new meat but the world championship is out of our lague for now, especially considering that damned C! If we don't make it, I hope the Czech Republic will. I have fond memories of the last Holland vs Czech dual, best match of the championship if you ask me.

But thx for your support :)