World Cup South Africa, 2010 Thread

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Hope it's not FATA, I didn't see a thread for this, so let's start one.

The reason I started this is that I came across this article and looked for somewhere to post.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-c...901&ver=global

Anyway,

here are the groups and schedules:

Group A

South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

Group B

Argentina
Nigeria
Korea Republic
Greece

Group C

England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia

Group D

Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

Group E

Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

Group F

Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

Group G

Brazil
Korea DPR
Ivory Coast
Portugal

Group H

Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

groups courtesy of wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup

Here are some predictions and odds for the favs:
http://www.worldcuppredictions.org/


The CBC's official world cup page is up. I don't know if a link is permissible by board protocols, so contact me in case. (Poor Ballack)

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/fifaworldcup/

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by Ziggy Lidstrom

Group C

England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia

Excellent group for the US to advance. Hell even England could lay a stinker as they are apt to do and US could win it. I hope Davies is back in time and able to play 100% or maybe we could put his heart/work ethic in Altidore's body and have the first non-goalie US superstar.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Ziggy Lidstrom

Group F

Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

Italy had better win this Group. Usually they have a tough group to contend with. This is the easiest trio of opponents they've faced in my memory.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Clint Dempsey went down with a knee injury against Blackburn. That is a huge blow to the US.

[mrdeeds]

Originally Posted by Ziggy Lidstrom

Group H

Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

Looks like Spain has an easy group. Hopefully, they will not implode and finally achieve success at the WC. I am pulling for Mexico and England as well.

[Pagal4321]

If only Spain could finish second, then I could see them play in the Round of 16.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Group E

Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

Although the Dutch are heavy favorites currently being ranked 3rd in the world I think the 11th ranked Cameroon side will give them a good test.

Denmark (28) and Japan (43) hopefully won't give them too much trouble.

[flylock shox]

Those are some good looking groups, a lot of unusual and novel matchups.

Portugal-Brazil is obviously the most marquee group-stage match, but I would expect a lot of remarkable results given the unfamiliarity most teams will have with each other. Should be fun!

[Cowboy89]

Due to ancestry I'm partial to the English side, but with rampant Anti-Americanism around the world and Football being the world's most important sport I've always wondered if the rest of the world would devolve into chaos and rioting if the Americans somehow won it all.

[InstantDeath]

Originally Posted by Sowa

Clint Dempsey went down with a knee injury against Blackburn. That is a huge blow to the US.

They said today that his knee is not going to require surgery and that he will be 100% ready to go in June. This is great news for the US squad.

As far as my hopes and dreams regarding the cup – Im Irish and Ukrainian - neither of them qualified, and for obvious reasons I am rooting against France.

Id love to see the U.S. make a little run, and they should be able to get past group play. That said, if they place second, it looks likely they will get Germany in the round of 16 and that would be quite the task.

I don’t get why Holland is ranked 3rd in the world…..I think the Ivory Coast could really surprise people – they are stacked with ridiculous athletes.

Their group is just ridiculously tough though – Brazil, an underrated North Korean team, Portugal and Ivory Coast. That is rough.

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Paraguay suffers a huge blow...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1443289/

[Cactus Jack]

Originally Posted by mrdeeds

Looks like Spain has an easy group. Hopefully, they will not implode and finally achieve success at the WC. I am pulling for Mexico and England as well.

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

If only Spain could finish second, then I could see them play in the Round of 16.

Originally Posted by Ziggy Lidstrom

Paraguay suffers a huge blow...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1443289/

Spain should win its group but it shouldn't be a cake walk. Casillas said that my Chile is the team that he thinks will be a stong underdog and could give them trouble. Chile should finish second in the group and will have to beat the Swiss to do so. The problem for Chile is that that would set up a knockout match likely against Brazil.

What happened to Cabanas was brutal. He's an excellent player, I was sorry to hear that happened to him.

VIVE CHILE MIERDA!

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Due to ancestry I'm partial to the English side, but with rampant Anti-Americanism around the world and Football being the world's most important sport I've always wondered if the rest of the world would devolve into chaos and rioting if the Americans somehow won it all.

I have always wondered that as well, would be interesting to see.

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Cowboy, I think americans wouldn't be safe outside the country. I don't think they'll win anything or come even close. Yet, I do think that they will advance out of their group. Algeria and Slovenia don't seem like threats however, algeria will be pumped up after the African cup tourney. England and USA will definitely advance.

[Addick]

Bridge Refuses England Call Up

February 25, 2010
Soccernet.com
Harry Harris

Wayne Bridge told the England camp on Thursday morning that he is not ready to be in the same dressing room as John Terry and has wished the team well at the World Cup in South Africa.

Bridge, whose ex-partner had an alleged affair with Terry, made the decision to turn his back on the national team following a phone call inviting him to join up with the England squad for next Wednesday's friendly with Egypt at Wembley.

Complete Article

Thoughts? Even though an International call up is one I hate to see guys turn down, I can understand his decision.

[Locke]

Ahhh England, the drama!

[Cactus Jack]

I don't blame Bridge. Although he's not with that girl anymore, how could he share the commoradery, dressing room, spirit and go to war with Terry without wanting to beat the crap out of him each time he saw him? I know I would.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Locke

Ahhh England, the drama!

Funny how much things can change in 6 months. Everything looked so rosey for England when they qualified. Now Lennon, Gerrard, Cole, and Ferdinad are all having injury troubles, they don't have a clear cut answer to play up front with Rooney, and the questions in goal still haven't been resolved. Not looking good.

[d_phaneuf]

Bridge isn't the first and wont be the last player to retire internationally, on England Scholes and Carragher have all done it in the last 5 or 6 years. And its probably better for the team if he isn't around in all honesty.

Its not that big of a blow, I think Warnock and Baines are both better LB's at this point. I would even prefer Barry over Bridge if Cole got injured in the tournament (because there is a 99% chance he will be healthy and ready to go before it)

only current injury that is worrying to me is Lennon, they have no equal to him at RM (Walcott, SWP, and heaven forbid Becks are not in the same class). Lennon has improved drastically this season, he always had the speed but his crosses are very good now. I think he was in top 3 in assists this year before he got injured, he has been the best winger in the premier league this season by far.

Gerrard and Rio's dip in form this year is a little worrisome, but as they say class is permanent form is not. I think once they both get a little healthier they will be back to where they need to be.

And they luckily have tons of options to play up front with Rooney, they can go the route they have with Heskey doing all the grunt work, if they want someone as good in the air with more touch and scoring ability they can go with Crouch, if they want a goal scorer with pace with Rooney they can go with Defoe.

They will go as far as Rooney takes them, which based on how far he has almost single handedly taken Man U this season could be a long long way

[JBTrio]

Group D

Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

Tough group for us, could still advance behind Germany though.