The REAL football thread.

I wonder if Russia really was that good or if it just was that they never really were tested except for against Spain. I mean Holland is a good team and everything but i think they underestimated Russia. I wonder if they would win again when they´re not being underestimated.
 
Russia is and was good enough to make it to the semi's. No teams are underestimated in an event this big, nor should they be. Today, Spain simply put on a clinic, mainly offensive, to Russia. Even though they did knock out my Italy, I'm rooting for the exciting offensive team-Spain, to beat Germany.

Looks like Italy is bringing back Lippi to coach again...no surprise, he did lead them to the 06' World Cup title.
 
Fabregas was unstoppable the other night. David Villa will miss the final so I think Fabregas will get to be in the starting line up.
 
Fabregas seriously wasn't as great as they made out. Every game he's played in the English commentators seem to jizz all over every standard pass he makes. He's a good player no doubt, but he wasn't as essential to Spain's performance as they suggested last night.
 
he sprayed a ton of quality passes all over the place (long short high low) and set up two goals despite only being on for half an hour - also spain became roughly 10 times better as soon as he came on. if there's an argument for him being overrated in that game, it's that a tired russia made him look good, which i think is probably true to an extent but doesn't change the fact that he was totally dominating that game (and the last one for that matter). he's my favourite type of player i guess which might make me biased

still i'd happily see him get his leg broken or whatever, he's the most pathetic kind of cheating cunt, i noticed he had another little cry after someone brushed the side of his cheek last night
 
Asia WCQ forth round and final stage

Teams were placed as they were seeded so Australia 1, South Korea 2, Japan 3, Iran 4, and so on.....

GROUP A
Australia
Japan
Uzbekistan
Bahrain
Qatar

GROUP B
South Korea
Iran
Saudi Arabia
North Korea
United Arab Emirates


Top two form each group auto qualify, as I'm led to understand a fifth team will playoff for a spot against the nation that tops Oceania qualification, which will most likely be New Zealand who will fill the outrageous gap left by Australia also the lack off "Group of death" all win for me

Here's an article with some interesting shit in it


Complete guide to Asian qualifiers

ASIAN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING POTS
Pot 1: Australia, South Korea
Pot 2: Iran, Japan/Saudi Arabia
Pot 3: Japan/Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
Pot 4: Uzbekistan, North Korea, United Arab Emirates, Qatar

IRAN
Strengths: A strong defence, which conceded just two goals in the first round of qualifying (both against Kuwait in a 2-2 draw). Iran has quality in key areas and regularly sells players to Europe. Of the current crop, Andranik Teymourian and Javad Nekounam are probably the standouts, and Nekounam is shortly to be joined in Spain by Masoud Shojaei. Bochum striker Vahid Hashemian, known as “The Helicopter” for his aerial prowess, may return for the final phase of qualifying.
Weaknesses: Huge expectations weigh heavily on the shoulders of coach Ali Daei - a playing legend who has left out experienced players (notably Rahman Rezaei, Javad Kazemian and Rasoul Khatibi), in favour of young guns, who may lack know-how against wilier opposition. A question mark surrounds the participation of star midfielder Ali Karimi, who has incurred the wrath of the Iranian Federation following critical comments in the media.
Key Player: Javad Nekounam - the driving force in midfield who sets up (and scores) goals.
Chances of qualifying: Good


JAPAN
Strengths: The sublime skills of Shunsuke Nakamura in midfield, which allows the Japanese to play some of the most aesthetically-pleasing football in Asia. They also proved in the final qualifier against Bahrain that they can scrap to get a result. Coach Takeshi Okada has grown into the role after initially copping criticism for lacking charisma.
Weaknesses: Although Japan scored 12 goals in qualifying (only Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan beat that total), only three came from recognised strikers. Against better defences, Japan may again struggle through their lack of a regular goal scorer. The Japanese FA have set a target of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup - a big ask, considering the team only reached the 2nd round on home soil in 2002...their best-ever result.
Key Player: Keita Suzuki - all the plays come through the Urawa Red Diamonds midfielder, who goes by the usual nickname given to players in his position “The Japanese Makelele.”
Chances of qualifying: Excellent


SAUDI ARABIA
Strengths: Goals! The Saudi’s can score for fun - and in Malek Moath and Asian Player of the Year, Yasser Al Qahtani, they have the perfect big man-little man combination to strike fear into any defence. The nation also has some of the best young talents in the region - particularly strikers Taysser Al Jaseem and Nasser Al-Shamrani. They also have the pedigree - having qualified for the last four World Cups.
Weaknesses: The constant coaching merry-go-round, which saw Helio dos Anjos sacked despite taking the team to the verge of qualification - and to the Asian Cup final last year. The new man is Nasser Al Johar, who took the team to the 2002 finals - he is their 19th coach since 1994! The team is said to be in a “transitional” phase - could that be because they are constantly changing coach perhaps?
Key player: Redha Tukar - the experienced captain, who provides organisation to the backline.
Chances of qualifying: Excellent


BAHRAIN
Strengths: The goals of star striker, A’ala Hubail, who topscored in the 2004 Asian Cup, and weighed in with another two in the first round of qualifying. Czech coach Milan Macala has extensive experience in Asia having previously been in the employ of Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Showed their potential in reaching the play-offs for the last World Cup, and also defeating South Korea at the 2007 Asian Cup.
Weaknesses: Small population equals small playing pool. Macala has had to coax Talal Yusuf and Hussein Ali out of international retirement to bolster his thin resources. Thus far, they haven’t gone down the road of neighbours Qatar in naturalising overseas-born players. Defender Abdulla Al Marzooqi is a towering presence in the air - but not so mobile on the ground.
Key player: Rashid Jamal - helps Hubail in the goal stakes, and is one of the (many) nominees for the 2008 Asian Player of the Year award.
Chances of qualifying: Fair


UZBEKISTAN
Strengths: Strong, Soviet-style work ethic, allied to natural flair makes them the dangerous dark horse - as they were at the Asian Cup last year. Maxim Shatskikh scored nearly 100 goals for Dynamo Kiev, and receives good support from Aleksandr Geynrikh. Aziz Ibragimov is commanding at the back - Timur Kapadze probes from midfield, and Vitaliy Denisov provides excellent width on the left. Rauf Inileev is the current Asian Coach of the Year…don’t be surprised if he takes them to the World Cup.
Weaknesses: Tend to flop on the big occasion. Came unstuck in the Asian qualifier in late 2005 - controversially losing to Bahrain. Also lost out to Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup last year - and were hammered 4-0 by the same opposition in the final group game this time around…although by that time, they had already qualified.
Key Player: Server Djeparov - the dynamo from Pakhtakor, who is the fulcrum of Uzbekistan’s strongest department…the midfield.
Chances of qualifying: Good


NORTH KOREA
Strengths: Incredibly, in six qualifying games, the North Koreans didn’t concede a single goal! That sequence includes two matches against their rivals from the South - a statistic which demands respect. Their best-known player is Hong-Yong Jo, who scored three in qualifying, and who currently plays in Serbia with FK Bezanija. The secret state also benefits from the lack of information that filters out into the wider world - does anyone really know anything about North Korean football?
Weaknesses: Lack of discipline - from players and fans. In 2005, the World Cup qualifier against Iran descended into chaos after the referee refused to award the North Koreans a penalty. The Syrian referee was jostled by players, and the after-match violence was so bad that FIFA imposed severe sanctions. Also, so few North Korean players play overseas, they may suffer from a lack of experience.
Key Player: Jong Tae-se, whose story is fascinating. Born in Japan, he holds only a South Korean passport - and yet plays for the North, for whom he’s scored 10 goals in six games!
Chances of qualifying: Minimal


UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Strengths: Remember Bruno Metsu? The shaggy-haired coach masterminded Senegal’s shock World Cup 2002 campaign - and he’s now in the Emirates, where he’s already delivered the Gulf Cup, and the Asian Champions League at club level with Al Ain. On the park, Subait Khater can be a deadly threat at set pieces, while striker Faisal Khalil is the domestic competition’s top scorer.
Weaknesses: Do they have the bottle? Syria very nearly knocked them out with a shock 3-1 win on their own turf on the final match day in qualifying. Also, the stultifying desert heat cools off towards the end of the year - a big advantage lost for at least a couple of home games.
Key Player: Ismail Matar - winner of the Golden Ball at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championships, he scored the vital penalty that ensured qualification against Syria.
Chances of qualifying: Fair


QATAR
Strengths: Money is no object. Private jets, world-class training facilities, the very latest in sports science - the oil-rich Qatari’s have it all. Sebastian Quintana is the team’s talisman - and he gets decent support from Fabio Cesar in midfield, while expect to see more of tricky winger Hussain Yasser, now with Al-Ahly in Egypt via Boavista, Braga and Manchester City, in this final round. Any team that defeats the Asian champions Iraq on their own (temporary) turf, needs to be respected.
Weaknesses: Although the defence is much-improved, without the injury-prone Abdullah Koni it becomes like Swiss cheese. Goalkeeper Mohammed Saqr is a good shot-stopper, but is nervy on crosses. Do they rely on Quintana’s goals too much? The Uruguayan-born striker has netted six of the last 11 goals scored by “Al Annabi” (the Maroons)
Key Player: Sebastian Quintana - big, strong, skilful and an eye for goal - he’s a real handful.
Chances of qualifying: Minimal


SOUTH KOREA
Strengths: Although South Korea didn’t exactly breeze through qualifying, they remain unbeaten and are still, along with Japan, the benchmark in Asia. Park Ji-Sung, Kim Do-Heon, Seol Ki-Hyeon and Lee Young-Pyo provide the team with European know-how and experience, and there are exciting talents such as Choi Sung-Kuk coming through.
Weaknesses: The style of play is pedestrian and lacking creativity. The ageing Ahn Jung-Hwan has been recalled - and according to one Korean journalist, moves like “an old lady with constipation.” Goals remain a problem, too - which makes the absence of the K-League’s top scorer, Cho Jae-Jin, from the national team all the more surprising.
Key Player: Kim Do-Heon - midfield playmaker who has told some home truths in the media, saying South Korea can’t expect to survive if their current form continues.
Chances of qualifying: Despite their on-field issues, excellent


AUSTRALIA
Strengths: Pim Verbeek has plenty of Asian experience, and the Asian Cup last year has served its purpose in reminding Australia it can’t take this region lightly. Verbeek has the most talented squad in Asia at his disposal - and match winners in Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano and Josh Kennedy. Australia is now battle-hardened at playing tournament football through the World Cup, Asian Cup and now the qualifiers.
Weaknesses: Is the next generation good enough? They’ll be needed more than ever on the non-FIFA match days when there are bound to be cry-offs from the European-based ‘Roos. Is Pim Verbeek too cautious away from home? Will the burden of being favourites overpower the team?
Key Player: Harry Kewell - still the best Australia has, and loving the responsibility of captaincy.
Chances of qualification: Excellent
Click to expand...



Well tbh I have no fucking idea how you Euros, South Americans and Asians do it personally I've found this form of qualification way more stressful than Oceania but on the other hand the amount of football is literally one and a half more years than we used to have which is always win but my guts feel like this:ill::lol::worship:zombie::kickass::mad::)

So go the 'Roos come October
 
man, sucks for russia. they played awesome. but in the end, i didnt expect them to make it past the finals. actually, i didnt even expect to see them make it to the quaters! inspirational play though
~gR~
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

False Joe
Fantasy Football (Soccer if you must)
Replies
0
Views
313
GMD Social Forum
False Joe
F
llamaking
  • Locked
The Football Thread
Replies
1
Views
393
GMD Social Forum
ThisIsACoolName
T
King Richard
Join my fantasy football league or die!
Replies
54
Views
1K
GMD Social Forum
AchrisK
A
Badbird
Happy birthday King Drunkard!
Replies
21
Views
695
GMD Social Forum
Badbird
B
Rusty
Official Football Thread
Replies
268
Views
4K
Chat
Rusty
R
Top Bottom
Back