Wullie Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Even moreso if Japan win H, it'll be a farce. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicago_shearer Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 I'm annoyed Joe Hart was left out now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderson Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Cometh the hour, cometh CGI Phil Jones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyCisse Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 The hilarity when Pope, Jones, Cahill, Dier and Welbeck all start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Could do with Lambeth and Butler tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizza Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 I wish we hadn't stuck so many past Panama, a lower GD would've been useful now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 The atmosphere in the pubs could be awkward with a lot of fans wanting England to finish second Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole_Toonfan Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Even moreso if Japan win H, it'll be a farce. Which with how shit Poland are I'm almost certain they will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54 Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole_Toonfan Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Win group - potential quarter final against either Brazil or Mexico, semi against France, Argies, Uruguay or Portugal Finish 2nd - potential quarter final against either Switzerland or Sweden, semi against Spain, Russia, Croatia or Denmark Howay Belgium! Imbalance of this is insane, no idea how you achieve it but it needs to be fixed somehow. Was the same at the Euros, one side of the bracket was a complete joke and the other was utterly stacked. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullie Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 How do you propose fixing it when it's based on group performance? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole_Toonfan Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 I'm probably just talking out of my arse tbf. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Duper Branko Strupar Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Shock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole_Toonfan Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Duper Branko Strupar Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 I don't see why you couldn't just have a draw after the group stage, the 8 group winners vs the 8 runners up. The draw being 'unbalanced' isn't the problem, it's teams knowing their potential route and trying to manipulate it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaizero Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 I don't see why you couldn't just have a draw after the group stage, the 8 group winners vs the 8 runners up. The draw being 'unbalanced' isn't the problem, it's teams knowing their potential route and trying to manipulate it. All for that suggestion tbh Makes things even more exciting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 I don't see why you couldn't just have a draw after the group stage, the 8 group winners vs the 8 runners up. The draw being 'unbalanced' isn't the problem, it's teams knowing their potential route and trying to manipulate it. Agreed. I’m not well versed on the history of the WC so I don’t know if it’s always been this way or if teams were drawn from a pot like with the FA Cup after qualifying from a group. For fairness and to help final games between those that have qualified not becoming a non event or a farce, however, perhaps drawing qualifiers from a hat is the best outcome? England vs Belgium tomorrow is a game probably neither want to play because the deciding result will leave one team facing a tougher path towards the Final and the other an easier path. On paper anyway of course. The biggest challenge in terms of fairness is that when a team has already qualified after two games, their final game can adversely or positively effect the rest of the group in ways that mean the other teams may have to rely on the team already qualified to put out a strong team and win or put out a weak team and lose or hope they play the game in the right spirit. I can’t see a way around that, other than for each individual team to make sure their own fate rests in their own hands come the final game which means for all teams to go all out to win their first two games. That’d does not happen though, the conventional wisdom being that a team cannot afford to lose their first game when it should be they have to win their first game. That would make for a better spectacle and a more competitive group stage of the WC. When it expands to even more teams the quality will be diluted and we will see some more teams that will stink out the tournamnet, but if they get their on merit they deserve a shot at it I suppose. What I’d like to see is a group of teams that are not high up in the rankings who are to all intents and purposes there to make up the numbers to use a cliche, be paired all in the same group to give such teams a chance. Teams like Panama for example. One could argue why should such teams be given a leg up or a helping hand over better teams who will be paired against even better teams, but the WC should always also be about the development of the game and rewarding nations who have qualified on merit in the name of balance and fairness. like how top ranking or seeded teams are rewarded. Otherwise all WC qualifying teams should be drawn into the actual WC groups by chance rather than seeding by way of drawing numbers like with the FA Cup 3rd round onwards. Just mix them all together and may the best teams qualify and win instead of may the best team win following favourable pre determined or fixed circumstances. Or maybe not Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 A quick question to gauge opinion, should the winner get automatic passage into the next WC like it used to be? I’m happy that the winner has to qualify for the following tournament myself, but I don’t buy the original reason given that it’s unfair on them as they won’t have played a competitive match for 2 years or so. Getting to the WC should always be based on merit, although obviously the host nation or nations have to automatically qualify. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgarve Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 A quick question to gauge opinion, should the winner get automatic passage into the next WC like it used to be? I’m happy that the winner has to qualify for the following tournament myself, but I don’t buy the original reason given that it’s unfair on them as they won’t have played a competitive match for 2 years or so. Getting to the WC should always be based on merit, although obviously the host nation or nations have to automatically qualify. I We always breeze through qualifying , bar some rare disasters so just let us qualify again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sho Time Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Or maybe not I only read this part of the post. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmoset Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 A draw with England finishing second on fair play (as long as we avoid Columbia) for me please. Solid performance and keep momentum from being damaged but still the easy (easier) potential games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole_Toonfan Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Going to be funny as hell if Colombia don't even qualify ( which is very possible) with everyone wanting to avoid them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaizero Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Hate Martinez, but giving him credit where credit is due - saying «Winning is not our priority, if we win, we win. But it’s not our priority.» in public is great Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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