2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

[forestfan]

Going to be a close call on rankings to decide the 4 seeds.
Northern ireland as it stands seed wise could be in the top 4? and play ROI.

Reports suggest Portugal/Switzerland, Italy, Croatia and Denmark will be the seeded teams. That leaves the two Irish sides, Greece and (almost certainly) Sweden as their opponents.

No easy ties but I guess you’d probably want Denmark if you’re Irish.

[mad dog]

I’m pleased wales lost. I would have been happy for them to go through and well to be fair I’d like to see all the home nations there but after the Wales players cheering England losing last year then I can’t. So enjoy next summer boys. Serves them right.

https://youtu.be/SfIDJqrL0MQ

To be fair watching England there next year struggling to beat someone like Egypt/Iceland won’t be enjoyable.

[Striker]

To be fair watching England there next year struggling to beat someone like Egypt/Iceland won’t be enjoyable.

The problem with watching England is the palpable fear which seems to accompany them onto the pitch. I'm willing to accept that by comparison with the best teams, we're somewhat lacking and so I'd be happy if they simply played with a spring in their step. In this maybe unlikely scenario, it might be exciting and even enjoyable to see them struggling to beat someone like Egypt/Iceland.

[Tacalabala]

I just don't think they enjoy the experience, they all seem to be much happier playing for their clubs. You can pick up on it in their body language and particularly in press conferences. You can see why they would be like that, because they know that they are not at the level to compete for the trophy, so before they even get on the plane they are on a hiding to nothing. Combine that with being away from home for a month, mediocre managers, restrictions to what they can do and the general old world mentality of the FA, it doesn't make for a brilliant atmosphere.

Look at the most recent successes:

1990 Robson was going so he did it his way and ignored the FA

1996 Venables was a maverick that the FA didn't like

2002 Sven was new and Japan is a long way from the domestic media circus

2004 Probably our best squad since 1966, looked like favourites until Rooney got crocked

[murf]

Looks like the fairytale of war torn Syria getting through has been ended by the villainous Tim Cahill in injury time...

[forestfan]

What's he, about 95 now? Don't the Aussies have any young talent?

Presumably they had Harry Kewell, Shane Warne, Kylie and Dame Edna on the bench

[forestfan]

So, France and Portugal book their places. Switzerland dumped into the play-offs despite starting with 9 straight wins!

The Dutch predictably fail to beat Sweden by seven, but only miss out on goal difference in the end. Coming next, the South American final round, it could get Messi...

[jimmy ching]

The top four FIFA ranking teams for the play off, at this moment are, Switzerland (7), Italy (17), Croatia (18), Northern Ireland (20). The other four are Sweden (23), Denmark (26), Ireland (34), Greece (47).
A dream draw for me, would be the All Ireland. Any will do, it's hard to tell who's flying. The Swiss finished 2nd with 27 points It does bring in to question whether the Pots system failed this time.

[forestfan]

The top four FIFA ranking teams for the play off, at this moment are, Switzerland (7), Italy (17), Croatia (18), Northern Ireland (20). The other four are Sweden (23), Denmark (26), Ireland (34), Greece (47).
A dream draw for me, would be the All Ireland. Any will do, it's hard to tell who's flying. The Swiss finished 2nd with 27 points It does bring in to question whether the Pots system failed this time.

Denmark have already been confirmed as moving ahead of NI for the next ranking list, so the all-Irish tie isn’t a possibility.

Probably fitting that the second placed team in England’s group missed out, the lack of quality in that group was evident throughout. The rankings have their limitations, hence Portugal/Swiss, Spain/Italy and France/Sweden/Holland groups alongside some piss weak ones.

[Darbyand]

Projected pots if the favourites win their play offs etc

[Tacalabala]

The seeds are correct but the other three can't be as FIFA split the different continents into their own pots - most if not all of the unneeded European teams will be in a single pot to make sure no group has more than two European teams. I don't fancy England against any of those pot 1s if that is how it stands!

[Darbyand]

They (ESPN) may have made a slight error there. Though they can split pot three into separate sub pots to prevent more than two euro teams per group. You see similar in the champs lge draws when teams from countries are kept apart and even teams from same cities put in opposite halves of the draw.

Russia (even with home advantage) and Poland I suppose would be the two England might fancy their chances against. The former might be best kept apart after the trouble in 2016.

[SamD]

In Sept, FIFA announced a revamp of the 2018 World Cup draw. They will now seed all 32 teams based on the 16th October FIFA rankings (previously, the top seven ranked teams and the host were placed in pot 1, with the rest of the draw pots being grouped by geographic continents).

World Cup finals seedings:
Pot 1: Russia, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland, France
Pot 2: Spain, Peru*, Switzerland*, England, Colombia, Italy*, Mexico, Uruguay
Other qualifiers/potential qualifiers (in ranking order): Croatia*, Denmark*, Iceland, Costa Rica, Northern Ireland*, Sweden*, Republic of Ireland*, Tunisia*, Egypt, Senegal*, Iran, DR Congo*, Serbia, Nigeria, Australia*, Japan, Greece*, Morocco*, Panama, Burkina Faso*, Ivory Coast*, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde Islands*, Honduras*, South Africa*, New Zealand*
* Possible qualifiers

The draw on Friday 1 December will apply geographic restrictions, as before, ie
each of the eight groups will hold no more than two European nations or more than one from any other continent.

European play-off draw seeds: Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Denmark
Non-seeds: Northern Ireland, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Greece
Draw tomorrow, Tues 17 Oct; two-legged ties will be played between 9 and 11 November and 12 and 14 of same month.

[murf]

At least we will avoid Spain!!

(PS Have you got it right re Russia and your text??)

[MoSe]

The top four FIFA ranking teams for the play off, at this moment are, Switzerland (7), Italy (17), Croatia (18), Northern Ireland (20). The other four are Sweden (23), Denmark (26), Ireland (34), Greece (47).
A dream draw for me, would be the All Ireland. Any will do, it's hard to tell who's flying. The Swiss finished 2nd with 27 points It does bring in to question whether the Pots system failed this time.

Denmark have already been confirmed as moving ahead of NI for the next ranking list, so the all-Irish tie isn’t a possibility.

FIFA Men's Ranking 16 October 2017 http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ ... /uefa.html
Switzerland 11, Italy 15, Croatia 18, Denmark 19
Northern Ireland 23, Sweden 25 , Republic of Ireland 26, Greece 47

European play-off draw seeds: Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Denmark
Non-seeds: Northern Ireland, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Greece
Draw tomorrow, Tues 17 Oct; two-legged ties will be played between 9 and 11 November and 12 and 14 of same month.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=201 ... 15188.html



Northern Ireland (23) vs (11) Switzerland
               Croatia (18) vs (47) Greece
            Denmark (19) vs (26) Republic of Ireland
              Sweden (25) vs (15) Italy


http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41653935
http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/41640266

[jimmy ching]

Going to be a close call on rankings to decide the 4 seeds.
Northern ireland as it stands seed wise could be in the top 4? and play ROI.

Reports suggest Portugal/Switzerland, Italy, Croatia and Denmark will be the seeded teams. That leaves the two Irish sides, Greece and (almost certainly) Sweden as their opponents.

No easy ties but I guess you’d probably want Denmark if you’re Irish.

I'm happy with that. In fact, I'll be very happy with that. After all, Denmark is the happiest place in the world, according to surveys. In order to retain that rank, they must make the Irish happy, with the amount of fans that appear. Two drinking cultures go head on..

PS Do you think they'll be able to field a team? I'm not too sure the Danish women footballers will be happy with that.

[Edmondson]

-------------------------------Hart (c)----------------------------------
-------------Gomez-----------Jones-----------Cahill----------------
Young--------------------------------------------------------Bertrand
----------------------Lingard----------Delph------------------------
-----------------------------Loftus-Cheek---------------------------
----------------------Abraham------------Vardy---------------------


Sets the pulse racing for the upcoming international break

[jimmy ching]

Expect FIFA play off cheque to arrive in Belfast at a later date.

[Tacalabala]

It actually looks worse the night after, which is quite something!!!

[blahblah]

I thought that the French paid the Republic.

[jimmy ching]

I think we still have old favours for Platini and Blatter.

[murf]

It was owed to the Swiss as part of the deal to ensure Ronaldo was at the World Cup.

[forestfan]

Infantino is Swiss-Italian... good luck Sweden

Ecuador will have to wait a few years for payback in terms of making sure Messi’s there!

[Tacalabala]

Would be a bit of disaster if Italy didn't make it, the only one they missed was 58 (and 1930).

[forestfan]

Would be a bit of disaster if Italy didn't make it, the only one they missed was 58 (and 1930).

They’ve ridden their luck with play-offs at least a couple of times in recent history. Always likely to be up against it in terms of winning a group containing Spain, but their ranking landed them with that draw, it’s a pretty ordinary generation of players that Conte seemed to get the best out of for a while but his successor maybe less so since.

Of course, when they’re written off and hit by scandal Italy tend to go and win the whole thing...

[morganb]

Might not be the right thread but how come England are playing in blue seeing as they are the home team? Most confusing

[forestfan]

Might not be the right thread but how come England are playing in blue seeing as they are the home team? Most confusing

To sell some away shirts... much as the rugby team tends to play in purple or charcoal grey at Twickenham this time of year!

[blahblah]

Might not be the right thread but how come England are playing in blue seeing as they are the home team? Most confusing

To sell some away shirts... much as the rugby team tends to play in purple or charcoal grey at Twickenham this time of year!

You mean when Xmas is approaching? How cynical

[theo29]

as the author (under a different name) of this post it is now 15 months since it commenced and MUCH HAS CHANGED ! How many of the Darbyand chart will be going to Russia ? We will soon know.
There will be a TFF World Cup game and I am confident that robot (or someone) will offer a FISO event to savour just before selections are made for the 2018-19 Prem & Championship season.
I am toying with the idea of a small cash reward for forecasting the England starting line-up for the first game. Following the friendly last night there are a good number of possibilities.
Enjoy the break.

[bluenosey]

Italy could miss out for the first time since 1958, down 1-0 to Sweden after the first leg.

It may be on a different thread somewhere but that refereeing decision against Norn Ireland was really scandalous. It gets worse every time I see it

PS went down the pub last night. Not one person was watching the England game ! 20 odd years ago you'd struggle to get in...