Soccer thread 09/10 (contains spoilers)

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:46 pm

Sir Alex has 28 in 35 seasons.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:11 pm

Sepp is hitting on the host of the draw. Nice touch.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:37 pm

Secret FIFA draw memo uncovered.

http://twitpic.com/rww6s

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:44 pm

I thought a 3-day NFL draft was ridiculous, but a 3-hr WC draw telecast? Good grief!!

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:45 pm

I can't see the draw, but just following Grant Wahl on twitter for instant updates.

Isn't actual draw supposed to begin now (12:45)?

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:51 pm

Naples39 wrote:I can't see the draw, but just following Grant Wahl on twitter for instant updates.

Isn't actual draw supposed to begin now (12:45)?

You're missing a cruise ship-level musical review. I'm expecting a mind reader and a magician to come on next.

Charlize Theron looks great, though.

Post by **Jared** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:53 pm

Draw is on ESPN360 if you can get it, and supposedly there's a live feed via FIFA.com (though I haven't gotten that to work).

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:10 pm

Poms v. yanks will be a great match.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:13 pm

f***in lucky Mexicans!

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:13 pm

fecking England.

miget33 · Post by **miget33** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:14 pm

RobVarak wrote:f***in lucky Mexicans!

Hell Yeah!!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:19 pm

RobVarak wrote:
Naples39 wrote:I can't see the draw, but just following Grant Wahl on twitter for instant updates.

Isn't actual draw supposed to begin now (12:45)?
You're missing a cruise ship-level musical review. I'm expecting a mind reader and a magician to come on next.

Charlize Theron looks great, though.

Damn it -- I didn't set the DVR. Not for the draw, but for Charlize! The most beautiful woman in the world. The modern Helen of Troy.

Pumped that we Yanks are in the same group as Blighty. That will be fun!

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:21 pm

Mexico v. France in the Group A stages match. Can I root for neither in protest?

No reason why the U.S. shouldn't go through from Group B, correct? Slovenia and Algeria can't hang with us, can they?

Spain and Italy could be strung out on PCP in the group stages and advance. But Brazil-Portugal is a tasty group stages' match!

Take care,
PK

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:26 pm

Slovenia beat Russia in a playoff, but it's not a bad group for the US.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:28 pm

that's a doable group.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:33 pm

No group of death because of the new seedings method. Lame!

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:33 pm

Wish I could've gotten money down on Spain before the draw. The money's going to be flooding toward them after this.

The Dutch have a fairly easy go of it too. G is obviously the toughest, but D (Germany, Serbia, Ghana & Australia) isn't far behind, I think.

Post by **Jared** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:39 pm

YES YES YES! What a great draw for us!

Groups B, D, and E are tough, and poor North Korea in G, going up against Brazil, Portugal and the Ivory Coast. Crazy that one of those three teams is going out.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:40 pm

USA baby...USA!!! Rooney better bring it!!!

Tim

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:45 pm

Great draw for USA -- Algeria and Slovenia were arguably the worst teams in their respective pots.

I think it's unlikely we get a result versus England, but there can be no excuses when the other two teams in our group are this weak.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:48 pm

JRod wrote:No group of death because of the new seedings method. Lame!

What is G then? That is one good team going home.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:49 pm

I think G stands for "guerre," as Group G will be a damn war. Definitely the Group of Death.

Take care,
PK

miget33 · Post by **miget33** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:52 pm

Love the group for Mexico, but then again I can see them drop points to South Africa, and crash and burn out of the WC. June 2010 can't come soon enough

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:53 pm

Is the US really better than Australia?

England is #9 in FIFA and the US is #14.

Group D is tougher than group C yet Germany is higher ranked than England and both Serbia and Australia are in the 20s? I know you can't go by FIFA rankings only but it seems group C has two closer teams than any of the other groups?

Though it's true, in previous WCs or Euros, there were groups with 2 of the top European nations in the same Groups.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:58 pm

wco81 wrote:Is the US really better than Australia?

England is #9 in FIFA and the US is #14.

Group D is tougher than group C yet Germany is higher ranked than England and both Serbia and Australia are in the 20s? I know you can't go by FIFA rankings only but it seems group C has two closer teams than any of the other groups?

Though it's true, in previous WCs or Euros, there were groups with 2 of the top European nations in the same Groups.

But given that the top 2 teams go through, it doesn't seem to matter much how close the top 2 ranked teams are. It's the groups with a highly-rated 3rd team (again, taking the rankings for what they are) that set them apart.

And given the historical importance of home-continent advantage, I think it's likey that all of the African teams will out-perform their rankings.

G is even worse when you factor in that the second place finisher likely draws Spain. An Iberian showdown, perhaps?

Edit--

Good God! Martin Tyler looks 4000 years old. Is he going to make it to June?