FIFA World Cup

[oldtype]

1 minute ago, Geordie Ahmed said:

 

I don't necessarily have an issue with more teams

 

It's the groups of 3 that is shite, takes away what we've seen the past few days 

That I wholeheartedly agree with. 

[Disco]

8 minutes ago, oldtype said:

I don't think going to 48 would meaningfully decrease the quality. Lots of teams out there that are the same or similar in quality as the bottom-half teams in the tournament right now.

Can’t be arsed to go through the lot but having the likes of NZ, Panama, Oman and Scotland would add absolutely nowt bar a bit of colour in the stands. 
 

Africa does need more slots though. Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt etc aren’t better/worse than what’s here and that is often the case with the CAF qualifying.

[gazza ladra]

9 minutes ago, Geordie Ahmed said:

 

I don't necessarily have an issue with more teams

 

It's the groups of 3 that is shite, takes away what we've seen the past few days 

Abso-fucking-lutely.

 

and the spectre of teams knowing the result they need a day in advance. Two teams belaying for a 2-2 draw. No thanks 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by gazza ladra

[gazza ladra]

7 minutes ago, Disco said:

Can’t be arsed to go through the lot but having the likes of NZ, Panama, Oman and Scotland would add absolutely nowt bar a bit of colour in the stands. 
 

Africa does need more slots though. Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt etc aren’t better/worse than what’s here and that is often the case with the CAF qualifying.

Agree we could use more African sides. Though Cameroon haven’t shown much this time.

[oldtype]

5 minutes ago, Disco said:

Can’t be arsed to go through the lot but having the likes of NZ, Panama, Oman and Scotland would add absolutely nowt bar a bit of colour in the stands. 
 

Africa does need more slots though. Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt etc aren’t better/worse than what’s here and that is often the case with the CAF qualifying.

 

12 best teams by FIFA Ranking not to make it this year are: Italy, Colombia, Peru, Sweden, Ukraine, Chile, Tunisia, Nigeria, Russia, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary. None of those would be particularly out of place. Got a whole bunch of decent-ish teams after that too. Europe, South America, and Africa definitely could all use multiple additional slots.

 

Oman would never make it man  Would have been UAE if you had an extra slot for Asia this year. They are pretty shit, but it's fine. 

[Paullow]

12 minutes ago, Disco said:

Can’t be arsed to go through the lot but having the likes of NZ, Panama, Oman and Scotland would add absolutely nowt bar a bit of colour in the stands. 
 

Africa does need more slots though. Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt etc aren’t better/worse than what’s here and that is often the case with the CAF qualifying.

Aye, but 3 of Italy, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Czech, then Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, plus the African countries you mention and Ivory Coast would add something. If you get 8 of those 12 in then it doesn't harm the event and we get more KO matches to look forward to. Extra CONCACAF and Asian sides might not help the quality of the tournament at this stage, but their participation may well improve them down the line.

 

I'd probably prefer to stick to 32 as it works very well, no 3 team groups or 3rd place teams going through, but wouldn't be too against a few more nations getting their chance.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Paullow

[oldtype]

You also have to take into account that if you want to develop international football in North America/Asia/Africa etc., you need to give more teams a foot in the door. Asian teams in particular just straight up don't have any important tournaments to prepare for if they don't make the World Cup because most people honestly don't care about the Asian Cup. Makes it hard for the national team to build support.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by oldtype

[Disco]

Just now, Paullow said:

Aye, but 3 of Italy, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Czech, then Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, plus the African countries you mention and Ivory Coast would add something. If you get 8 of those 12 in then it doesn't harm the event and we get more KO matches to look forward to. Extra CONCACAF and Asian sides might not help the quality of the tournament at this stage, but their participation may well improve then down the line.

 

I'd probably prefer to stick to 32 as it works very well, no 3 tram groups or 3rd place teams going through, but wouldn't be too against a few more nations getting their chance.

Won’t work like that. UEFA is only getting 3 more spots, South America 2 (also Chile and Paraguay wouldn’t be any better than Ecuador were and they went out). Vast majority are going elsewhere where, Africa aside, the quality drop is a lot bigger plus NZ will now be regulars. Although I get why FIFA want to increase elsewhere for reasons you and Oldy have stated.
 

WC should be the best of the best IMO not the best of the best after a couple of attack v defence games to whittle down the trash.
 

It also makes more of a mockery of an already dull qualification process in Europe.  

[oldtype]

I did just look at the actual numbers and noticed that Asia is getting 3.5 more slots and that.. Well, that's going to be an adventure

[Deuce]

3 hours ago, ponsaelius said:

Can't believe I doubted this tournament. Just keep sportswashing me plz qatar x

 

3 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

I'm sorry, this has been so much fun.

 

3 hours ago, oldtype said:

I, for one, have been fully sportswashed. For a couple of days, at least.

Don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying this tournament has been a blast, and also, “fuck Qatar and fuck FIFA.”

[oldtype]

This six-team qualification play-in tournament they're planning for 2026 looks absolutely mint though.

[oldtype]

2 minutes ago, Tomato Deuce said:

 

 

Don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying this tournament has been a blast, and also, “fuck Qatar and fuck FIFA.”

Of course.

[54]

No team finishing on 9 points shows just how batshit this tournament has been.

[ponsaelius]

Even the teams getting through with 6 points early added to the chaos, as their reserves were shafted (France, Portugal and Brazil) which allowed outsiders either through or back in with a shout.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by ponsaelius

[dorty]

Germany, Belgium, and Uruguay out. Meanwhile, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and France have all lost a game. It makes our two wins and a draw look wonderful.

[Disco]

Started slow but the groups have been as good as I can remember.  

[samptime29]

Best goal difference for England and joint top points. 

[gazza ladra]

2 hours ago, oldtype said:

 

12 best teams by FIFA Ranking not to make it this year are: Italy, Colombia, Peru, Sweden, Ukraine, Chile, Tunisia, Nigeria, Russia, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary. None of those would be particularly out of place. Got a whole bunch of decent-ish teams after that too. Europe, South America, and Africa definitely could all use multiple additional slots.

 

Oman would never make it man  Would have been UAE if you had an extra slot for Asia this year. They are pretty shit, but it's fine. 

Well, yeah except I think Tunisia qualified.

 

I always miss Nigeria and Colombia when they miss out.

 

 

[Ronaldo]

This week’s football has been absolutely brilliant to be fair. Suarez out and Schar through today the icing on the cake.

[ponsaelius]

There's no doubt as the tournament expanded from 16 to 24 and then 32 teams it was justified. Not only did you have Balkanisation of Eastern Europe which created a much deeper European pool of quality teams but the growth and professionalization of the sport elsewhere also drastically improved the depth of quality. An example I always note is how Turkey went from a side that lost to England 8-0 on two separate occasions in the late 80s to making the semi final of a World Cup in 2002. 

 

However I really don't like the idea of now jumping straight from 32 to 48 teams. 16 extra teams is a huge leap and will IMO significantly dilute the overall quality - before you even talk about the issues with the format. Even acknowledging the depth of global football small-medium sized countries will always have peaks and troughs in generations (e.g. where are Bulgaria and Romania these days?). That is what qualifying is there for - to cut out sides that don't quite have it at that point in time.

Japan/Korea hosting the thing was obviously great for development of the sport in that region. However the real steps had already begun long before the World Cup with the development of the club game in the 90s - particularly in Japan. It's a balance obviously and you don't want a closed shop mentality that blights other sports but equally developing countries should have to work towards the world stage - not be handed it on a plate. I really am not sure what the likes of Vietnam, Oman, UAE would add to a World Cup at this point.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by ponsaelius

[huss9]

if it increases in size i'd rather it go to 40 teams - 8 groups of 5 rather than 4.

groups of 3 teams each is ridiculous.

[cubaricho]

Agree with a lot of that. And also just to double down on hosts being able to grow the game in their own countries, ‘94 was the launch of MLS here in America and look where the American game has gone since then. 30ish years later and we have the single best generation of talent we’ve ever had and they’re young. 

[cubaricho]

3 minutes ago, huss9 said:

if it increases in size i'd rather it go to 40 teams - 8 groups of 5 rather than 4.

groups of 3 teams each is ridiculous.

If it expands (which I don’t agree with in principle) it needs to expand to a number where we keep four teams in the group stages. This week has been one of the most thrilling weeks of football I’ve ever watched. And we’re literally just throwing it away next WC already. Madness. 

[Vinny Green Balls]

40 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

There's no doubt as the tournament expanded from 16 to 24 and then 32 teams it was justified. Not only did you have Balkanisation of Eastern Europe which created a much deeper European pool of quality teams but the growth and professionalization of the sport elsewhere also drastically improved the depth of quality. An example I always note is how Turkey went from a side that lost to England 8-0 on two separate occasions in the late 80s to making the semi final of a World Cup in 2002. 

 

However I really don't like the idea of now jumping straight from 32 to 48 teams. 16 extra teams is a huge leap and will IMO significantly dilute the overall quality - before you even talk about the issues with the format. Even acknowledging the depth of global football small-medium sized countries will always have peaks and troughs in generations (e.g. where are Bulgaria and Romania these days?). That is what qualifying is there for - to cut out sides that don't quite have it at that point in time.

Japan/Korea hosting the thing was obviously great for development of the sport in that region. However the real steps had already begun long before the World Cup with the development of the club game in the 90s - particularly in Japan. It's a balance obviously and you don't want a closed shop mentality that blights other sports but equally developing countries should have to work towards the world stage - not be handed it on a plate. I really am not sure what the likes of Vietnam, Oman, UAE would add to a World Cup at this point.

 

 

 

South Korea probably got their stereotype of blood and thunder fighting until the very end from their go in '94. That insane Spain comeback was one of the most exciting things I have ever seen in a World Cup. They were eye catching even then. Obviously vast difference in the quality of the players now, but since then, I just expect them to be a nightmare to play against in the last ten minutes.

[huss9]

3 minutes ago, cubaricho said:

If it expands (which I don’t agree with in principle) it needs to expand to a number where we keep four teams in the group stages. This week has been one of the most thrilling weeks of football I’ve ever watched. And we’re literally just throwing it away next WC already. Madness. 

i know but 12 groups of 4 and then your talking "best placed 3rd teams"which i hate.