If Qatar wants something it buys it. Its national team has only four players of Qatari origin. It is worse than Ireland under Jackie Charlton! I hope they get stuffed in every game they play.
Really?
Doesnt look that extreme it from their recent squad, which was picked as part of an October Training Camp ahead of the World Cup - From a squad of 30-players, ten weren't born in Qatar.
1 from each of Portugal | Algeria | Egypt | Ghana | France | Bahrain 2 from each of Iraq and Sudan
None of those have played for their respective National Teams either, so imagine that whilst they've been born abroad, the majority probably have Qatari heritage.
Anyone moaning about the venue for this World Cup or protesting for boycotts should have done so when the World cup was awarded. Here's a reminder of what Lifers were saying back then:
I'm looking forward to it purely because it's the world cup. I detest that it's been awarded to qatar as a result of massive bribery to corrupt fifa officials who should be beaten severely then jailed forever. I hope qatar's anthem is jeered at every playing, and they lose all their group games 8-0. i hope all qatari apologists such as Gary Neville and the weasel beckham are pilloried for lending their support to qatar. I resent it not being played in the summer, which is the best time of year to watch it as it can be done outdoors in pub gardens and doesn't screw up the domestic football season.
That said, I'm not going to let fifa make me miss out on it entirely and will make the best of a bad job, watching from home and feeling morally compromised.
I'm looking forward to it purely because it's the world cup. I detest that it's been awarded to qatar as a result of massive bribery to corrupt fifa officials who should be beaten severely then jailed forever. I hope qatar's anthem is jeered at every playing, and they lose all their group games 8-0. i hope all qatari apologists such as Gary Neville and the weasel beckham are pilloried for lending their support to qatar. I resent it not being played in the summer, which is the best time of year to watch it as it can be done outdoors in pub gardens and doesn't screw up the domestic football season.
That said, I'm not going to let fifa make me miss out on it entirely and will make the best of a bad job, watching from home and feeling morally compromised.
Cant wait - I know scheduled to lose to France in quarters if we both top groups, does it get more palatable if we throw final game and finish second ?
If the groups go as planned…
England win the group R16: Senegal -> QF: France -> SF: Germany / Belgium / Portugal -> F: Netherlands / Argentina / Spain / Brazil
England finish second in the group: R16: Netherlands -> QF: Argentina / Denmark -> SF: Brazil / Spain / Croatia -> F: France / Germany / Belgium / Portugal
I know it’s interesting to do things like this, but it never ever works out as you imagine. At least one of those big nations won’t make it out of the group, just for starters.
That’s why I said “if the groups go as planned” before laying out the paths.
We’re all aware it can, and likely will, work out differently.
Bottom line for me is that once reaching a quarter final, you should have only the top seeds left if they perform as expected.
Whether we finish 1st or 2nd in our group, France are World champions and Argentina are Copa America champions.
Neither are easy. Or either of them could slip up. But you can’t plan for that.
Aim for the easiest R16 game possible and let the chaos unfold elsewhere. That means winning the group and probably playing Qatar/Ecuador/Senegal while avoiding the Netherlands.
After that point, anything can happen. France might suffer from the traditional holders curse or they might lose to Mexico in the R16. Argentina might bomb, or lose to Denmark in the knockouts. Trying to finish 2nd instead of just winning the group is silly.
Defenders: Danilo, Dani Alves, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, T Silva, Marquinhos, Eder Militao, Bremer
Midfielders: Casemiro, Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes, Fred, Paqueta, Everton Ribeiro
Forwards: Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Antony, Raphinha, Richarlison, Martinelli, Rodrygo, Pedro
Ridiculous squad on paper, but thankfully its not always played on paper and we've seen in the past teams like France when they had about 4 squads worth in every position it doesn't necessarily mean its formality.
Defenders: Danilo, Dani Alves, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, T Silva, Marquinhos, Eder Militao, Bremer
Midfielders: Casemiro, Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes, Fred, Paqueta, Everton Ribeiro
Forwards: Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Antony, Raphinha, Richarlison, Martinelli, Rodrygo, Pedro
Maybe he performs well for the national team but i can't believe Brazil don't have a better option than Fred.
Full backs look a bit weak as well. Danilo, Sandro and Telles are not great and Dani Alves is nearly 40.
No country in the world has better attacking options though. They could play any 3 of 9 and still be strong. And they've left out Firmino and Gabriel Barbosa who has been brilliant for Flamengo in recent years.
Couple more squads have announced their final teams now
Australia's is a bit amusing given they've called up Jason Cummings (ex-Shrewsbury Striker) given he's played two games for Scotland in the past - They've also called up the highly rated youngster: Garang Kuol who has just been signed by Newcastle.
If all teams had qualified prior to the draw being made, Wales would've been in pot 3 rather than pot 4, making it impossible for them to have been drawn together with Iran.
I just redid the draw with new pots knowing that Wales, Australia and Costa Rica ended up winning their playoff matches with the balls being drawn in exactly the same order (because why not?) and these are the groups I ended up with: (pot 1 and pot 2 teams were completely unaffected by this change)
A: Qatar, Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador (no change)
B: England, USA, Wales, Cameroon (Iran moved to Group F)
C: Argentina, Mexico, Serbia, Saudi Arabia (Poland moved to Group H)
D : France, Denmark, Morocco, Canada (Australia moved to Group H, Tunisia moved to Group G)
E: Spain, Germany, South Korea, Ghana (Japan moved to Group G, Costa Rica moved to Group F)
F: Belgium, Croatia, Iran, Costa Rica (Morocco & Canada moved to Group D)
G: Brazil, Switzerland, Japan, Tunisia (Serbia moved to Group C, Cameroon moved to Group B )
H: Portugal, Uruguay, Poland, Australia (South Korea & Ghana moved to Group E)
I think its a fair call from Southgate. Risk waiting for him to get match fit just to feature later in the tournament. If we get that far, then i'd imagine the player playing that position will be undroppable anyway. Trippier, Trent, Walker, White...we will be fine there.
I'm in the squad!!! Seriously! And my mate Gunts... Rob's taken me to one side and whispered that he's mainly taking us both just so everyone can get properly upset if we beat England. Apparently he hasn't decided which Matt Smith he's taking though, hedging his bets.
Comments
1 from each of Portugal | Algeria | Egypt | Ghana | France | Bahrain
2 from each of Iraq and Sudan
None of those have played for their respective National Teams either, so imagine that whilst they've been born abroad, the majority probably have Qatari heritage.
We’re all aware it can, and likely will, work out differently.
Bottom line for me is that once reaching a quarter final, you should have only the top seeds left if they perform as expected.
Neither are easy. Or either of them could slip up. But you can’t plan for that.
After that point, anything can happen. France might suffer from the traditional holders curse or they might lose to Mexico in the R16. Argentina might bomb, or lose to Denmark in the knockouts. Trying to finish 2nd instead of just winning the group is silly.
As for us my expectations with are so low with Southgate in charge that if we get out the group stage then anything else is a bonus.
Despite all the justified noise around Qatar hosting I can't not look forward to a world cup, so I will no doubt enjoy it.
Brazil’s World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton
Defenders: Danilo, Dani Alves, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, T Silva, Marquinhos, Eder Militao, Bremer
Midfielders: Casemiro, Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes, Fred, Paqueta, Everton Ribeiro
Forwards: Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Antony, Raphinha, Richarlison, Martinelli, Rodrygo, Pedro
Full backs look a bit weak as well. Danilo, Sandro and Telles are not great and Dani Alves is nearly 40.
No country in the world has better attacking options though. They could play any 3 of 9 and still be strong. And they've left out Firmino and Gabriel Barbosa who has been brilliant for Flamengo in recent years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#Costa_Rica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#Japan
Couple more squads have announced their final teams now
Australia's is a bit amusing given they've called up Jason Cummings (ex-Shrewsbury Striker) given he's played two games for Scotland in the past - They've also called up the highly rated youngster: Garang Kuol who has just been signed by Newcastle.
Pretty laughable that we're ranked 5th as well given the Nations league shambles.
Sadio Mane has limped off in the first half tonight for Bayern with Senegal's first game just 13 days away.
I just redid the draw with new pots knowing that Wales, Australia and Costa Rica ended up winning their playoff matches with the balls being drawn in exactly the same order (because why not?) and these are the groups I ended up with:
(pot 1 and pot 2 teams were completely unaffected by this change)
A: Qatar, Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador
(no change)
B: England, USA, Wales, Cameroon
(Iran moved to Group F)
C: Argentina, Mexico, Serbia, Saudi Arabia
(Poland moved to Group H)
D : France, Denmark, Morocco, Canada
(Australia moved to Group H, Tunisia moved to Group G)
E: Spain, Germany, South Korea, Ghana
(Japan moved to Group G, Costa Rica moved to Group F)
F: Belgium, Croatia, Iran, Costa Rica
(Morocco & Canada moved to Group D)
G: Brazil, Switzerland, Japan, Tunisia
(Serbia moved to Group C, Cameroon moved to Group B )
H: Portugal, Uruguay, Poland, Australia
(South Korea & Ghana moved to Group E)
Lockyer
Gunter
Smith
Williams
Levitt
Rob's taken me to one side and whispered that he's mainly taking us both just so everyone can get properly upset if we beat England.
Apparently he hasn't decided which Matt Smith he's taking though, hedging his bets.