The 2018 World Cup
 

Seeing as how the 2014 Competition generated 70 pages, might as well start an extra topic for this again. With the US not participating this might well be quieter, but let's see what we get :)





The Guardian has done an analysis/preview that is about as perfect a blend of thorough and accessible as you are bound to find for free online:

World Cup 2018: complete guide to all 736 players | Football | The Guardian

Veers towards "human interest tidbits" on a fair number of the unknown players, but nevertheless a pretty entertaining read and also informative, especially if you are not super familiar with all the teams. Don't forget to go to the tactical analysis of each team and check back for those not yet included, always a link in the first few lines of the profile if they are!

Other web links that are/might be interesting once it gets going especially:

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/fifa-world-cup?nb
Zonal Marking | Football tactics etc
https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/24...FIFA-World-Cup
The home of Football, Transfer and Club news | Squawka Football

fourfourtwo does articles mainly and some contextual analysis, zonalmarking does (sometimes a bit pretentious sounding but informative) analysis, while whoscored gives you access to some cool stats. Squawka does a bit of everything.

Obviously the big sports websites like ESPN, Sportingnews etc will have tons of content as well.

Feel free to add others, i'll try to remember to put them in the first post via edit to have it all in one place :)

Personally think that Spain, France, Brazil and Germany are the big favourites here.

Germany is not free of issues and some question marks remain over the health of a few key players. Coaching staff has clearly emphasized team cohesion and tactical fit over talent in some spots. Notable is the exclusion of Sane from the final roster, which has little to do with his talent but mainly with him simply playing a totally different style of football than is asked of the wingers in the german system. Sucks for him and not his fault ... Personally would have still taken him as a sort of last-resort hail mary, if nothing else.

Likely lineup:

--------------------Neuer
-Kimmich - Boateng - Hummels - Hector
--------------Khedira - Kroos
-------Müller-------Özil--------Draxler/Reus
----------------Werner/Gomez

Likely won't happen, but I'd love to see Argentina win the whole thing. Would take that monkey off Messi's back.

As a casual viewer, I'm so sad I won't get to experience the craziness of USA Soccer at a downtown bar at 8AM on a random Tuesday. Maybe they'll adopt a different team.

Russia will need some serious bribing to get deep into the tournament. The fixed draw (Saudi Arabia and Egypt!?) certainly helped, but getting Portugal or Spain in the second round will end it regardless.

Given the groups, the quarterfinals could be something like:
Portugal vs France
Brazil vs Belgium
Spain vs Argentina
Germany vs whomever-wins-Group-H-and-beats-the-Group-F-runner-up

The host always makes it to the quarters. It will be questionable refereeing the whole second round game and they will get a dodgy penalty to win late on.

My first take from looking at the graphic in the first post is wow, those big names who didn't qualify have really made it feel like a weakened tournament this year. I would feel pretty comfortable putting big money on predicting the winner of each group.

After a couple of years of apathy I'm really excited now. I think it's more wide open than it has been in forever. France have the most exciting squad, but a questionable manager and they are still French, so will be fun to watch them self-destruct in typical fashion. Brazil have a manager who is trying to make them a little less Brazil-like so that's fascinating to watch, and Spain and Germany are still very very strong but not as far out in front as they have been in recent years.

Could definitely see a shock winner like England (yeuch) or Uruguay this year, I think.

Normally I cant really settle down and enjoy a World Cup until England are out, too much worrying that they might actually win it. For this World Cup, I'm completely calm, all it took was a look at their squad. Average goalkeeper, weak central defence, no real midfield. They're going out to the first good team they play.

I'm going for the boring "any one of Germany/Spain/Brazil prediction". France are too young for this World Cup, Argentina and Portugal short of depth. Belgium have a good team (although short of defensive cover with Kompany out, they're only one injury away from having to play Boyata), but predicting Belgium to win the World Cup doesnt feel right.

Having Roberto Martinez as manger should prevent any chances of that happening.

Am I crazy for thinking Saudi Arabia could sneak out of Group A as the #2 team?

Yes. It will likely be Uruguay and Egypt, but Russia may get some home team boost. Saudi Arabia has little to no chance.

Gonna comment on that in 2 days after i see them play a friendly against Germany ;) But traditionally, a team like Uruguay is exactly the sort of team that wipes the floor with the Saudis with their big and physical attack and solid defense. I see them having a shot against Russia and Egypt though. Not gonna engage in any of the conspiracy theories, sorry ;)

No idea where the high regard for Egypt comes from, especially with Salah unlikely to be 100%. Other than eliminating Ghana (whose level of talent has fallen off a cliff in the last 5 years) i don't think they have any convincing results in the last 2 years.

I know nothing about football, granted, but it seems to me that England looks okay until a quarters matchup with Brazil.

+ absolute infinity.

Squad wise (at least before the injuries a number of key players are battling) they'd be close to being one of the favorites, but for some bizarre reason they decided that having an average Championship level manager who has been criticized for being completely tactically naive managing their golden generation was a good idea.

Get your money on it in the World Cup Calcutta.

(I'm betting you're crazy though).

Much as I hate to admit it, this is pretty accurate :(

That's what we thought when we drew Iceland two years ago...

If the aging FOFC demographic is struggling to find somebody to cheer for, Egypt's starting goalkeeper is a decrepit too. He's 45.

Essam El Hadary

I so want Belgium to win because I think the criticism of Martinez goes way over the top. He by no means a great manager but damn, he is not the Spanish equivalent of Lawrie Sanchez.

A manager who leaves Radja Nainggolan at home because he says he supposedly doesn't fit into the manger's tactics is a pretty crap manager on the whole.

Is this thread designed to troll me? A Scot rightly saying England are average, and now somehow Lawrie Sanchez turns up (manager of Wycombe when they beat Leicester in the FA Cup with Roy Essandoah, the Teletext strikerJ

If someone manages to shoe horn in Harlow Town as well I’ll know the whole thing is a wind up

I'm just not happy unless Critch is freaking out. Don't spoil it for me. ;)

(In my imagination, when Critch is nervous, he stands in the middle of his kitchen with 200 yards of sheep intestine and angrily stuffs haggis until hands stop shaking. He's like my own Groundskeeper Willy.)

You have a poor imagination if that's the best use for a sheep you can come up with.

I'm a little disappointed that you didn't call me a dumb cunt at the end of that sentence.

I feel like we're drifting apart. It's like I don't even know you anymore.

So anyways, I'm doing an 8 person World Cup pool where we pick our teams via snake draft & live with the results. (Would've much preferred a Calcutta, but seeing as the US is out I'll accept any excitement from my friends!)

I picked 3rd & got France (after Brasil/Germany went), and have my 2nd pick coming up. Currently chosen teams: Argentina/Belgium/Brasil/Colombia/England/ France/Germany/Mexico/Portugal/Spain/Uruguay

I'm up 3rd from now. My thought of the teams left is #1 Croatia, #2 Poland, but if those are taken should I go Russia & bet on Putin or go with Denmark? (Also, is there a reason South Korea is so low in the odds... they always seem to punch above their weight & they neighbor Russia.)

I think it's due to Radja's antics off the field. His smoking, partying, and recent antics might have done him in. Heck of a player though. I'm hoping Inter can get him for the midfield next year, but Roma want 30 M.

I don't care if he's fucking Roberto Martinez's wife, you have to take him!

I know, I know. Portugal got their heyday in Euro 2016. That should pave the way for Russia to get into the quarterfinals.

Group A
wow. From bad to worse. Uruguay barely made it into the 32-team finals. Russia has been mediocre for European standards for quite some time, the worst of all on the FIFA Rankings (I know, I mock those rankings too). Saudi Arabia is in the bottom 3 teams in the entire field. Egypt, I dunno, African teams are always hard to predict, could go anywhere from three drubbings (not Egypt in this group though) to taking Spain to penalties in the second round.

Group B
I sense that Portugal will suffer from the typical previous tournament win hangover that only few European teams have dodged. Spain seems to back in swing, but not quite the Xavi and Iniesta team of the previous 8 or so years. Iran has a couple of cool players, but I don't see them win a game. Morocco is a wild card. Could lose all three, but I won't be shocked if they fend of Portugal for second place and play the Group A winners very close.

Group C
Ok, there's France and then there's the rest. France B would still be on par with the Danish talent. But we all know there's more to it than just raw talent. Losing the Euro2016 final might save them and keeps the French eager. Australia, I don't see them do much. Peru is a team I feel I know too little about.

Group D
Nigeria used to be loaded, but I'm sensing they're weak defensively. Croatia is a gifted team, Rakitic and Modric in midfield... Iceland is the text book team spirit darling. And then there's Messi and co. No, Messi's career doesn't need a World Cup victory to be complete, he's had his (lost) final and other trophies already. Write down Argentina to win the group with 7 points.

Group E
Ah, Brazil. A team that can get very hot and cold. Neymar just got back from injury, which means he's fresh to shine. Costa Rica was the surprise team om 2014, but with higher expectations, can they live up to those standards? Switzerland lost in over time in 2014, on penalties in 2016. Serbia is apparently on a strong spell, not to dismiss right away, but have the hardest draw of all if we're comparing with 2014 results.

Group F
Germany towering above as favorites. Sweden lucked into a playoff with the struggling Italians to reach the finals. Skilled, tough to beat team, but can they withstand the Mexican dirty play that always gets them into the last 16? The Korean's are not to be underestimated, but I'm suspecting they'll struggle and go out without a victory.

Group G
England will think they are the clearcut favorites to steamroll this group, while the rest of the world knows Belgium are the clearcut favorites to steamroll this group. Panama and Tunisia are amongst the 5 or so teams with the least experienced selections in terms of club football. But that also makes them hard to predict.

Group H
At last, there's one group where there are no obvious favorites. Some might say Colombia because of their World Cup 2014 play. Some might say Senegal, because they have the best World Cup record, despite that 2002 was a different generation. Some might say Poland, because they are tough to beat and have that Lewandowski guy up front. And then there's Japan, with a lot of gifted players, motivated to start the tournament by brushing away the humiliation Colombia gave them 4 years ago.


Or completely the opposite of that, whatever. It wouldn't be sports if everything went exactly as expected, no? :D

I am rooting hard as balls for Belgium.

The more i see/read, the more i'd put Brazil at the top of my list. Even the injury to Alves might be a blessing in disguise, seeing his place is taken by more defensive minded options that might not have his talent but might actually be better for the static of the team. Much improved in goal, Marcelo the best LB (although prone to brain farts), good CBs, very solid central midfield that works well with and without the ball. And the attack has a much clearer structure and better actual central options in Jesus and Firmino.

I'm torn here. Brazil usually brings fun to watch football, especially Neymar, but he's a big reason why I stopped watching the Champions' League. Ditto with France and Kylian Mbappé. Anyway, I have to rate them at least behind France, Germany, Argentina, not sure where to place them compared to Spain and Belgium.

On the bright side, there's plenty of other teams to enjoy. Like Belgium, Denmark, Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Croatia, every team in Group H and Iceland.

Julen Lopetegui sacked by Spain before World Cup after taking Real Madrid job

Bo Schembechler would be proud.

Well, shit. I had Spain as my spicy pick to win in the office pool (Germany is pretty much the consensus pick here I think), and now that's out the door.

That's one way to do it. Not the best, but definitely an 'interesting' approach :popcorn:

Let this be a warning to all clubs: If Real Madrid will do it to its national team, it will definitely do it to your club.

10 minutes !

Excitement is building. As a gentleman of advancing years, it's always a relief to make it to another World Cup without being dead.

And we're off!

The feeling when "They won a championship in my lifetime!" morphs into "They played another game in my lifetime!" :lol:

Russia looking like the clearly better team early.

It’s amazing the way these random FIFA draws work out that the host always ends up playing the worst team in the tournament in the group stages.

Great finish just now though, to be fair.

Too many Saudi defenders slid around there

I'm hoping my Russia (v SA) and Uruguay (v Egypt) parlay will help me recoup all the money I'm going to lose in the Culcutta pool :D

luis Saurez must be watching this and liking his chances of being World Cup top scorer, since he's got to play against these two defenses.

It would be a miracle if Uruguay don’t put at least 5 past this Saudi team. Egypt too if they decide they even need to play Salah (which they probably will have to because of goal difference)

Despite winning 5-0, Russia still didnt look very good.

Russia was mediocre at best, Saudi Arabic was horrible.
Somehow everything aligned for Russia to get to face the worst team to qualify.

What's funny is the FIFA rankings had Saudi Arabia 3 spots ahead of Russia :D

Of course, I'm not sure what's a bigger joke: the FIFA rankings or Saudi Arabia being in the World Cup.

Just wait until there’s 48 teams in it!