2022 FIFA World Cup

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Thu Nov 17, 2022 4:00 pm

A bit of light reading to start the proceedings, a review of all 832 players at the World Cup

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng ... ch-ratings

Fixtures & Times:

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CMCZ · Post by **CMCZ** » Thu Nov 17, 2022 6:41 pm

Here in the Netherlands media are almost only talking about the bad treatment of people in Qatar. (Meanwhile these same media paid FIFA a lof of money to broadcast this tournament;hypocrites) But slowly people are getting warmed up for the WC. Personally I am looking forward to the round after the group; then there can be some true interesting matches. Especially as Belgium will probably meet Germany or Spain.

Some interesting predictions at Gracenote. Denmark above England and 5 countries above France.
https://re-how.net/2022/11/nielsen-grac ... world-cup/

To me it is between Brazil and Argentina. France as the biggest outsider (they have the strongest players but can they be a team?). Germany and Spain completing my top 5. Portugal is one of the 5 strongest teams but I don't think it will be a team especially as Ronaldo will act the same as at Man Utd. . The Netherlands have a good coach, but too many weak players. Belgium is over the hill. Serbia (if they can take Switzerland), Senegal and maybe even Uruguay might be the surprises.

My prediction for the title:
1. Brazil
2. Argentina
3. France
4. Spain
5. Germany
6. Portugal
7. Netherlands
8. Belgium
9. Uruguay
10. England
11. Croatia
12. Denmark
13. Switzerland
14. Serbia
15. Senegal
16. Mexico
17. USA
18. Morocco
19. Ecuador
20. Poland
21. Wales
22. Tunisia
23. Ghana
24. South Korea
25. Japan
26. Iran
27. Qatar
28. Cameroon
29. Australia
30. Canada
31. Costa Rica
32. Saudia-Arabia

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:18 pm

A Dutch guy I know reckons Xavi Simons could start up front for Netherlands? 40/1 to be Dutch top scorer is very generous if true

CMCZ · Post by **CMCZ** » Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:51 pm

Dermotron wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:18 pm A Dutch guy I know reckons Xavi Simons could start up front for Netherlands? 40/1 to be Dutch top scorer is very generous if true

I dont think so, but he will probably be used as the wild card, kinda like Depay in 2014.

CMCZ · Post by **CMCZ** » Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:53 pm

CMCZ wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 6:41 pm Serbia (if they can take Switzerland), Senegal and maybe even Uruguay might be the surprises.

Mané misses the WC, so probably Senegal not

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:23 pm

Didn't Mane get called up anyway?

I'm looking forwards to it now, hopefully it won't be a bit of a damp squib for all!

ebfatz · Post by **ebfatz** » Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:33 pm

Was in the squad but injury obviously worse than they thought as Bayern sent him off for surgery.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:48 pm

Shame! Guess Senegal might struggle a bit now then.

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Sat Nov 19, 2022 12:27 am

Mark wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:48 pm Shame! Guess Senegal might struggle a bit now then.

They still have an immense squad. None of their forwards are in the top scorer betting which is strange, Nicolas Jackson been doing well at Villarreal. Bamba Dieng is decent too but hasn't played much for Marseille this season, just back in contention with them though.

Redknapp69 · Post by **Redknapp69** » Sat Nov 19, 2022 10:56 pm

Benzema out then

Xeno · Post by **Xeno** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:02 am

During and especially after WC, I think we will hear more injury news, no time to rest for top club players.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:13 pm

Still feels a bit surreal that a Winter world cup is about to start and that's on top of a wide range of emotions due to where it is being held.

I'm normally one for watching every single game as enjoy the lesser fancied countries squaring off a la Qatar v Ecuador in the opener. It's going to be with mixed emotions though when you start thinking about the well publicised and obvious issues.

Is anyone else up and down about the whole thing if it's on your mind or just not thinking about it and focusing on the football?

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 2:04 pm

Redknapp69 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 10:56 pm Benzema out then

That does my Giroud top scorer bets (tournament and France) the world of good

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:01 am

Shame about Benzema as well. Definitely won't be the last of the injuries.

Enner Valencia didn't look too good at one point but hopefully OK. He played well as Qatar were, hardly surprising, utter gash. I did think there was a classic case of the brown envelope going on when Ecuador had that first goal disallowed!

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:12 pm

The Asian teams haven't started well, 105 minutes, 0 scored, 5 conceded. Sacking Skocic with an 83.33% win rate before the tournament is brainless

CMCZ · Post by **CMCZ** » Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:53 am

Half of the teams have played now. So far not sure if I have seen the World Champion already. Argentina was a bit unlucky tbh. They deserved more altough performed poor. England surprised but Iran looks like they are busy with the problems at home instead of wanting to make a good impression in the cup, therefore still want to see if Englan can perform against better teams. France so far the best of them all. But the first half was also poor. Maybe the second half of the bunch will show some more potential. Altough the World Champion rarely plays wonderfully in the first match.

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Wed Nov 23, 2022 11:03 am

It's been interesting to see the surprise teams have gone against the grain. The "better" teams are mostly 4231 or 352 with high pressing, short passing where as you have Saudi Arabia rolling back the years with a high line offside trap. Could and should have been a disaster but they made it work. Compressing the whole game allowed them to put Argentina right in front of them and used their superior pace to not allow the flanks to be attacked. It was impressive tbh.

I think Denmark just underestimated Tunisia. They were lucky to get a draw. They look a bit short of energy/industry an another "slow" team.

ebfatz · Post by **ebfatz** » Wed Nov 23, 2022 12:56 pm

The funniest bit of the World Cup so far is the "Official Attendance Figures".

They get announced and they are larger than the capacities for the stadiums!!

Redknapp69 · Post by **Redknapp69** » Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:53 pm

ebfatz wrote: ↑Wed Nov 23, 2022 12:56 pm The funniest bit of the World Cup so far is the "Official Attendance Figures".

They get announced and they are larger than the capacities for the stadiums!!

Yep - I was at Wale vs USA which is a 40k stadium, had a good wedge of seats empty (for sure in the middle of pitch) and the attendance was stated as 43k in the ground -

AJ · Post by AJ » Wed Nov 23, 2022 10:34 pm

They have thousands of goblins watching from the basement.

Dermotron · Post by **Dermotron** » Thu Dec 01, 2022 9:42 am

There will be some amount of terrible games when there are 48 teams in the competition. Still, you'll have media drooling for clicks when Mbappé becomes record goalscorer after knocking 10 goals past Iceland, Paraguary and Uzbekistan in the group stages

Sam67 · Post by **Sam67** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 11:19 am

It's going to be a mess. With the succession of club and national games, the players will be in a sorry state.
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Alan_v2 · Post by **Alan_v2** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 5:55 pm

There will only be one more match for the four semi-finalists. For every other nation they will play seven matches or fewer, and surely every nation starts the World Cup hoping to play seven matches.

CMCZ · Post by **CMCZ** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 6:14 pm

I hope it will be with 4 in a group. There are 2 things which I like about the new set up. 1. A lot more countries who have never been to a WC can now join the party which is great for the supporters in these countries. 2. There will be only 3 more European teams, but far more countries of the other confederations which makes it more a World Cup as just team from Europe & South America.

Redknapp69 · Post by **Redknapp69** » Wed Dec 14, 2022 6:35 pm

Yep - good to have more African/Asian teams

They will probably do 3 teams to qualify from the group or best "x" 3rd places howveer it works out