2014 FIFA World Cup Draws

[Arch-Magos Winter]

It's looking like we've got three Groups of Death again this year, B, D, and G easily winning out on that one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup#Matches

Group G though, is looking to have some of the best matches of the groups, with the US-Ghana grudge match coming up right at the bat, and Portugal-Germany is going to be fun to watch. US-Portugal could determine the fate of the group, while the other Germany matches look to be an easy sell for the Iron Cross.

Don't count the US out right away though this year, our group of death might be a bit of a blessing in disguise. Playing Germany last could clinch us a pass through this year, if we manage to beat Ghana finally then tie/beat Portugal. We could squeak by on points. It's a long shot but it's time to Ante the fuck up. We aren't going all the way but if we can make Germany look like a buncha idiots I'd say that's a fine trade.

[Cherry Lover]

Yeah, the way they did the draw and the fact that the FIFA rankings are rubbish has led to a really uneven draw. You usually get one group of death, but this time there are three nasty ones, and a couple of pretty easy ones (Group E stands out in that respect).

I watched it, and I just had a feeling we were going to get Group D when the European teams were drawn. At the time I thought that was the worst group, but having looked at it I'm not so sure. Whilst having Italy in the group is a real killer, Uruguay wouldn't have been near to the top of the list of seeds to avoid pre-draw. I think honestly that Group B is the worst. It has the World Champions plus another team that blatantly should have been seeded and Chile, who beat England at Wembley pretty convincingly. And even the Aussies aren't that bad. And, if that's not enough, whoever comes second in that group probably has to play Brazil in the Second Round. I suspect that the winner of that Group will probably make the final, though.

The US's group is still horrible, though, as is England's. If KAIZA actually cares about football he'll be pretty pleased, though, Ecuador have got the ridiculously easy group. Even France aren't that good now (they're the lowest-ranked European team to qualify). When I was watching the draw I was really hoping to see us drawn into that one.

You're right that the US's group is interesting, though, especially since your manager is Klinsmann. I'm not sure what you mean by the "US-Ghana grudge match", though.

Still, if you guys do make it through the group you do at least have a decent shot at getting a decent distance into the competition, even the Semi-Finals potentially, because I don't think that Group H has any exceptional teams, and E and F only has Argentina, who you would avoid if you came second in the group anyway. The same applies to England in part, because Group C is also pretty easy, except that if we make the Quarter Finals we're almost certainly going to have to play one of Spain or Brazil.

As far as England's prospects are concerned, I think we can make it out of the group, although it'll be tough, and if we do I think we'll make the Quarters. No way in hell are we going to beat Spain or Brazil, though. We're just not good enough.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

You're right that the US's group is interesting, though, especially since your manager is Klinsmann. I'm not sure what you mean by the "US-Ghana grudge match", though.

Still, if you guys do make it through the group you do at least have a decent shot at getting a decent distance into the competition, even the Semi-Finals potentially, because I don't think that Group H has any exceptional teams, and E and F only has Argentina, who you would avoid if you came second in the group anyway. The same applies to England in part, because Group C is also pretty easy, except that if we make the Quarter Finals we're almost certainly going to have to play one of Spain or Brazil.

As far as England's prospects are concerned, I think we can make it out of the group, although it'll be tough, and if we do I think we'll make the Quarters. No way in hell are we going to beat Spain or Brazil, though. We're just not good enough.

We lost our last two games to them, last games of our group too. There's a rather healthy grudge there. It's also the match that will determine if the US can contend with either of the other two teams. We got a blessing in disguise with them first and the Germans last.

As is, G is an up in the air group like B. These are the groups of Death. A good US showing could knock the Germans or Portugese out depending on how Match 1 for the groups go - losing or tying to the US for the Germans if they do the same with Portugal is a death knell. The US-Portugal game will be VERY interesting if the Portuguese win or lose, either way it's a game both teams NEED to win - the US if they want a shot at advancing either way as they have a shot depending on if Germany wins that first game or not to win against them or at least tie, the Portugese for the same reason - it could be a chance to sweep the Group.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Oh god I just realized - there's FOUR groups of death this year. A, B, D, G. Mexico, Croatia, and Brazil in Group A. That'll be interesting, considering how Mexico's been fucking up, they're still a really strong team. This could spell the death of Brazil, Spain, and Germany this year, considering how competitive these groups are.

[Cherry Lover]

Croatia aren't that great any more, though, and as far as I recall Mexico haven't been playing brilliantly either.  I wouldn't call Group A a "Group of Death" at all, and I would be surprised if Brazil don't come through it pretty easily. It's certainly not the easiest group, even for Brazil, but they could have got much harder.

But, still, in the second round they're going to have to play Holland or Chile, probably, and both of those could beat them.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Croatia aren't that great any more, though, and as far as I recall Mexico haven't been playing brilliantly either.  I wouldn't call Group A a "Group of Death" at all, and I would be surprised if Brazil don't come through it pretty easily. It's certainly not the easiest group, even for Brazil, but they could have got much harder.

But, still, in the second round they're going to have to play Holland or Chile, probably, and both of those could beat them.

Brazil's gonna have one hell of an interesting and random first two rounds. It'll all come down to if Mexico gets its game together - and don't discount the Croats. This will be one hell of a group aside from Cameroon, though Group B is the worst group of death in the torney. G and D are bad, G slightly worse for all involved, but B? B has the potential to do some serious shakeups.

[Cherry Lover]

Well, yeah, Brazil's group isn't easy, but it's not particularly difficult either. You couldn't have gotten a much easier European team than Croatia, and there were far harder options than Cameroon, too.

As for the others, I'd agree completely that Group B is the worst. Before the draw, the BBC did a piece on the best and worst possible groups (based on a modified version of the FIFA rankings that excluded friendlies), and the most difficult possible group, according to them, was Spain, Holland, Chile and the US. So, according to them (and I don't think they're far wrong), three of the four teams in the group were the most difficult that they possibly could have been.

I'm not so sure I'd say Group G is worse than Group D, though. Group G does have a bit more strength in depth, all four teams there are strong, but I think that the best three teams in our group are stronger, and in the end only two teams can make it through. Plus, teams from Group G don't have to play Spain or Brazil (who I think are the most likely finalists) until the Semi-Finals, whereas we have to play them in the Quarter-Finals.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Well, yeah, Brazil's group isn't easy, but it's not particularly difficult either. You couldn't have gotten a much easier European team than Croatia, and there were far harder options than Cameroon, too.

As for the others, I'd agree completely that Group B is the worst. Before the draw, the BBC did a piece on the best and worst possible groups (based on a modified version of the FIFA rankings that excluded friendlies), and the most difficult possible group, according to them, was Spain, Holland, Chile and the US. So, according to them (and I don't think they're far wrong), three of the four teams in the group were the most difficult that they possibly could have been.

I'm not so sure I'd say Group G is worse than Group D, though. Group G does have a bit more strength in depth, all four teams there are strong, but I think that the best three teams in our group are stronger, and in the end only two teams can make it through. Plus, teams from Group G don't have to play Spain or Brazil (who I think are the most likely finalists) until the Semi-Finals, whereas we have to play them in the Quarter-Finals.

True, but you don't have to face the Germans to advance, or deal with the highly explosive Portugese or the fucking spoiler that is Ghana. G is harder due to all the teams being strong, it's gonna be a knock down drag out fight for second.

[Cherry Lover]

Well, yeah, I wouldn't have wanted us to face Germany. But, then, I don't particularly fancy Italy either. They really should have been one of the seeds.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

The Italians are overrated, I have a feeling they'll choke. Still a nasty team to face but no where near Germany or Portugal on their game.

[Cherry Lover]

Germany, yeah, sure, but I don't think they're worse than Portugal.

[KAIZA]

Well, whilst I'm not much of a football fan, I always get hyped for the World Cup.
As for our Group, over here, we don't think we have it all that easy (my uncle usually points out France as a strong contender anyways, plus Switzerland). However, everyone agrees on B, D and G being groups of death.

Oh, this'll be a fun one indeed.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Well, whilst I'm not much of a football fan, I always get hyped for the World Cup.
As for our Group, over here, we don't think we have it all that easy (my uncle usually points out France as a strong contender anyways, plus Switzerland). However, everyone agrees on B, D and G being groups of death.

Oh, this'll be a fun one indeed.

The Swiss are surprisingly good, but Group E is certainly the Group of Life for France - they lucked out hardcore considering how they did at the last Cup. But considering how they did do last year, don't count yourself out, you've got a better chance than the US on this one.

Meanwhile Group G contains some of the biggest contenders out there - there's no doubt the US or Portugal are World Cup quality, and Germany is a bulldozer on a direct collision course with either Brazil or Spain, and B is going to be a fucking feeding frenzy for those two slots. Same with D.

A could be a sleeper group of death though, if Mexico steps up its game and plays to their talent.

[Cherry Lover]

Well, whilst I'm not much of a football fan, I always get hyped for the World Cup.
As for our Group, over here, we don't think we have it all that easy (my uncle usually points out France as a strong contender anyways, plus Switzerland). However, everyone agrees on B, D and G being groups of death.

Oh, this'll be a fun one indeed.

Well, Switzerland are certainly the weakest of the seeded teams, by some way (especially when it's being played in Brazil), and France are one of the weakest of the European teams (according to FIFA they are the absolute weakest). So, whilst neither of them are bad teams, they are about the easiest you could have hoped for given the draw system. I mean, obviously a group containing San Marino, St Kitts and Nevis and Bahrain would have been easier, but that was not a possibility....

Well, whilst I'm not much of a football fan, I always get hyped for the World Cup.
As for our Group, over here, we don't think we have it all that easy (my uncle usually points out France as a strong contender anyways, plus Switzerland). However, everyone agrees on B, D and G being groups of death.

Oh, this'll be a fun one indeed.

The Swiss are surprisingly good, but Group E is certainly the Group of Life for France - they lucked out hardcore considering how they did at the last Cup. But considering how they did do last year, don't count yourself out, you've got a better chance than the US on this one.

Well, the Swiss are a better team than a lot of people assume, but they're still not as good as Italy or (especially) Holland, both of whom they were seeded instead of. The BBC even did an article on it, and the only reason for the Swiss being seeded ahead of those two is that they both played friendlies against really weak teams, and the FIFA rankings penalise doing that even if you win.

And, yeah, the French are fucking lucky, especially since the original draw system (putting the lowest-rank European team in pot 2 rather than a random one) would have had them in England's group instead of Italy. When I saw that draw come out I was pretty annoyed, especially just after seeing England come out in a horrid group.

[Arch-Magos Winter]