2013/14 International Football Thread

[ninersdd]

I know the FIFA rankings are weird in general, but it doesn't seem right that Belguim, Switzerland, and Colombia are seeded above Italy and Netherlands. They are elite teams who have had recent success(2nd place in the last 2 major tourneys). The US could conceivably be staring down a group with Spain and one of those two teams, plus Ghana whose the toughest African team.

[marble21]

I know the FIFA rankings are weird in general, but it doesn't seem right that Belguim, Switzerland, and Colombia are seeded above Italy and Netherlands. They are elite teams who have had recent success(2nd place in the last 2 major tourneys). The US could conceivably be staring down a group with Spain and one of those two teams, plus Ghana whose the toughest African team.

The seedings take into account qualifying record and not record at recent tournaments. Which explains why those teams are above Italy and the Netherlands.

Fair or not, to win the tournament you need to be good enough to beat everyone... and that is always the argument people will fall back onto.

[Camden Crazy]

I know the FIFA rankings are weird in general, but it doesn't seem right that Belguim, Switzerland, and Colombia are seeded above Italy and Netherlands. They are elite teams who have had recent success(2nd place in the last 2 major tourneys). The US could conceivably be staring down a group with Spain and one of those two teams, plus Ghana whose the toughest African team.

Belgium and Colombia are legit...especially Belgium. They deserve it.

Switzerland? Eh.

[AnythingChicago]

AS Roma is simply incredible.

[UnclearInitial]

AS Roma is simply incredible.

I'm simply giddy by now.

I know the FIFA rankings are weird in general, but it doesn't seem right that Belguim, Switzerland, and Colombia are seeded above Italy and Netherlands. They are elite teams who have had recent success(2nd place in the last 2 major tourneys). The US could conceivably be staring down a group with Spain and one of those two teams, plus Ghana whose the toughest African team.

The seedings take into account qualifying record and not record at recent tournaments. Which explains why those teams are above Italy and the Netherlands.

Fair or not, to win the tournament you need to be good enough to beat everyone... and that is always the argument people will fall back onto.

Actually, it does take into account tournaments, but it also takes into accounts frendlies, which is lame. Belgium hasn't qualified in years, and Switerland had a teribble Euro2012 qualification, so it's just stupid.

[crashcarson15]

Friendlies are weighted lower, though. As are results from two years ago. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the FIFA Rankings but everyone knows the formulas, no? If Italy'd have just beat Armenia on Tuesday they'd be seeded.

Oh, and the whole Hertha playing the Champions League final in 2015 at the Olympiastadion pipe dream lives on as die Blau-Weißen's win over Mönchengladback sent the capital club back into 4th. Love it!

[Berlin Wall]

Friendlies are weighted lower, though. As are results from two years ago. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the FIFA Rankings but everyone knows the formulas, no? If Italy'd have just beat Armenia on Tuesday they'd be seeded.

Oh, and the whole Hertha playing the Champions League final in 2015 at the Olympiastadion pipe dream lives on as die Blau-Weißen's win over Mönchengladback sent the capital club back into 4th. Love it!

Yap, but the next games will be tough. Bayern, Hoffenheim, Schalke and Leverkusen.

Here are the WC Europe Playoffs btw:

Portugal - Sweden

France - Ukraine

Romania - Greece

Iceland - Croatia

[NEW.ERA]

One of these days Portugal is going to pay for always waiting until a UEFA Playoff to clinch a spot in a tournament. Pulling for Sweden!

France SHOULD handle Ukraine, but that trip to Ukraine will be tough, Romania and Greece is really interesting, and unless you're of Croatian decent, I don't think there's anyway anyone can not root for Iceland, that'd probably be the most unusual nation ever to qualify for a World Cup.

[-kj]

Was hoping for a Greece/Iceland pairing, because it's not unfathomable that Iceland could beat Greece. Croatia, however, will probably destroy them.

[waltere]

I don't think there's anyway anyone can not root for Iceland, that'd probably be the most unusual nation ever to qualify for a World Cup.

Trinidad and Tobago's 2006 squad say hi.

Weekend of incredible goals in the EPL, highlighted by this from Jack Wilshere:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7jh6Cpkpg0

and this from Pajtim Kasami:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NQLmOo6Wqg

[ninersdd]

Was hoping for a Greece/Iceland pairing, because it's not unfathomable that Iceland could beat Greece. Croatia, however, will probably destroy them.

Greece is like the LA Kings, except even more dull and less talented. I don't know good Romania is; that will be an interesting 2 games.

[crashcarson15]

One of these days Portugal is going to pay for always waiting until a UEFA Playoff to clinch a spot in a tournament. Pulling for Sweden!

France SHOULD handle Ukraine, but that trip to Ukraine will be tough, Romania and Greece is really interesting, and unless you're of Croatian decent, I don't think there's anyway anyone can not root for Iceland, that'd probably be the most unusual nation ever to qualify for a World Cup.

Hell, I'm of Croatian decent and I find it hard to root against Iceland!

While Trinidad's qualification was pretty unusual, I think Iceland's would be moreso just because of the sheer number of good sides there are in UEFA compared to CONCACAF.

Friendlies are weighted lower, though. As are results from two years ago. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the FIFA Rankings but everyone knows the formulas, no? If Italy'd have just beat Armenia on Tuesday they'd be seeded.

Oh, and the whole Hertha playing the Champions League final in 2015 at the Olympiastadion pipe dream lives on as die Blau-Weißen's win over Mönchengladback sent the capital club back into 4th. Love it!

Yap, but the next games will be tough. Bayern, Hoffenheim, Schalke and Leverkusen.

That they will. Not sure what to expect other than the worse to be honest.

[Berlin Wall]

Hertha again with an impressive appearance. This time against CL-Winner Bayern. Lost 3:2 in a very exciting game. Actually a draw would have been deserved.

Berlin stays at No 4 in the Bundesliga!

[Saintsfan]

I know the FIFA rankings are weird in general, but it doesn't seem right that Belguim, Switzerland, and Colombia are seeded above Italy and Netherlands. They are elite teams who have had recent success(2nd place in the last 2 major tourneys). The US could conceivably be staring down a group with Spain and one of those two teams, plus Ghana whose the toughest African team.

A bit late to the party on this, but what you might well get is some different teams getting through to the later stages on the competition. Rather than the top seedings being locked up by the same old teams, based on how they have played in previous championships. It is a system that allows teams that have progressed, like Belgium for instance, to be fairly seeded on current form, and teams who've lost talent to be fairly seeded as well.

[crashcarson15]

I know the FIFA rankings are weird in general, but it doesn't seem right that Belguim, Switzerland, and Colombia are seeded above Italy and Netherlands. They are elite teams who have had recent success(2nd place in the last 2 major tourneys). The US could conceivably be staring down a group with Spain and one of those two teams, plus Ghana whose the toughest African team.

A bit late to the party on this, but what you might well get is some different teams getting through to the later stages on the competition. Rather than the top seedings being locked up by the same old teams, based on how they have played in previous championships. It is a system that allows teams that have progressed, like Belgium for instance, to be fairly seeded on current form, and teams who've lost talent to be fairly seeded as well.

Belgium (and Colombia even) absolutely deserve to be seeded based on the way they're playing. Both Italy and the Netherlands though would be deserving of a seed over Switzerland but hey, the rankings are the rankings. Everyone knows how they work.

[marble21]

Well, the Tyne Wear Derby isn't the easiest game to watch. Visually and the quality of football.

[Jaffa]

Spurs v City in a little while, and we've only about three fit players. Could get messy.

[TorinK92]

The person who runs Everton's twitter page seems rather bored by this game

Edit: And what a boring game it was 2-2 shots on target.

[Saintsfan]

I won't rip into Jaffa what with Southampton beating Hull 4-1, I'll just say that a 4-1 victory is what the team 3rd In the table would expect at home to a newly promoted team!!

[Jaffa]

I won't rip into Jaffa what with Southampton beating Hull 4-1, I'll just say that a 4-1 victory is what the team 3rd In the table would expect at home to a newly promoted team!!

Heh! I only got in about a quarter-of-an-hour ago (midnight UK time, international types), I left at 6.15 this morning!

Oh, and on a kit related note - we debuted the white alternative socks for our away kit today. The usual away socks are red so not only would they have clashed with the Southampton hosiery but when paired with our blue away kits we might have looked a little too much like Portsmouth for comfort.