2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

hang on, TWP's retired, might have a shot at progressing

I kinda think Southgate's doing ok with what he's got tbh

xps you've forgotten england always draw sweden

Is this an attempt to right historical wrongs or something? Thank god Hungary aren't there.

I'm sure there's some genuine reason for Poland being top seeded but I can't help but think UEFA are just trying to keep Russia and Poland apart.

poland apparently gamed the airtight fifa rankings by not playing friendlies. i don't understand how it worked.

Gary Lineker fronting World Cup draw for Fifa feels like a kind of betrayal

wow, so many words

:)

on this quiet friday afternoon i present my extremely authoritative ranking of teams. the WC is ofc gloriously unpredictable, but this is m/l the baseline that will determine how surprised I am by the results

Germany
France
Brazil
Argentina
Spain
Belgium
Uruguay
Portugal
England
Mexico
South Korea
Nigeria
Egypt
Peru
Colombia
Switzerland
Croatia
Poland
Japan
Serbia
Morocco
Denmark
Senegal
Australia
Iceland
Costa Rica
Panama
Iran
Russia
Tunisia
Sweden
Saudi Arabia

Denmark way underrated

England way overrated

Denmark should be lower tbh

Sweden about right, though ;)

England as 9th favourites, bless you

I think I'd quite like us to get the same draw as in 2002

quite a few teams below England there who they'd at least struggle to beat

but never underestimate the effect that the absence of a lumbering, out of position white Pele will have

eriksen alone puts denmark above most other teams. international football is so bad that even one good player is disproportionately effective.

might be underrating switzerland bc i hate them

Croatia are surely too low there? South Korea might be too high as well.

Australia are the worst team to qualify imo.

seen a few people saying Morocco are a dark horse shout

Saïss certainly having a good season for the Wolves

I think just under half of the teams have a world class attacking/creative player who could make the difference, but you often get well-drilled teams overperforming in tournaments, and I would hope for at least one surprisingly strong run from morocco or someone. I've controversially decided to cast aside the customary despair wrt England, there seems to be less of a funk surrounding the team, but they're def one of the less predictable teams. my enthusiasm for son has lead to SK's somewhat optimistic placement, but they are a good tournie team and I hope they get out of their group. croatia have been struggling against some dross lately, hard to tell how much they'll improve

love south korea but their recent results have been badddd
xps think morocco qualified without conceding a goal

jesus those bags under Shearer's eyes. lol i couldn't even begin to tell you why i'm watching this

doesnt seem to many people backing Spain this time? think they've got a much better chance than Argentina and France, also would back them in a knockout game against Brazil

france are always underperforming and the argentine defence is shaky, spain have been pretty consistent

Shearer saying he doesn't think the travelling times are that important - how far is it from St. Petersburg from Ekaterinaburg?

Does he know Russia is the biggest country in the world?

shearers fully lost it

apparently the worst draw we could get would be Poland, Panama and Iran because getting a couple of big teams will allow us to focus. England famously being a team that turns up for big games in tournaments, of course. cheers Alan

that's what the Beeb pays the big bucks for

agree that england want as hard a group as possible for as dignified a round 1 exit as possible

Loving Maradona's yellow bow tie

Not understanding why they're doing two draws for each team tbh

the 1-4 spots within each group are randomly determined too

Shearer saying he doesn't think the travelling times are that important - how far is it from St. Petersburg from Ekaterinaburg?

tbfttl it's about half the distance of Porto Alegre to Manaus.

Hold on, Peru are second seeded?

England are so getting Poland.

spain and portugal in the same group is delicious

lol a timely reminder that Belgium are managed by Bobby Martinez, no sweat lads

Oh good we get to watch England play all the dudes we literally see every week.

I'm sure the commentators won't mention that.

I hope egypt progress at russia's expense

mental note to stick a tenner on Iceland to turn Argentina over in the first game

Group D is pure hipster shit.

France, Peru, could be worse. Poor Sweden.

Not much death on show yet.

Apart from the group with Spain and Portugal in you mean?