World Cup draw (merged)

[greenlex]

England will win the bloody thing.

[Leicester Fan]

I shall be at the Walkers on Tuesday to see Ivan again :thumbsup:

Be warned the only other time I've been since moving here was the 2-1 defeat to Preston in September.
I'll be there. Are you sitting with the Bristol fans then?

[zlatan]

I'll be there. Are you sitting with the Bristol fans then?

Doubt it, probably just gonna get one of those 'Just the Ticket' or sit in the kop as I'm skint.

Planning on going down a bit early in the hope of meeting Sproule and Hartley as I'm hoping for them to sign a few bits and pieces for Christmas presents.

[Danderhall Hibs]

England don't have a goalie-they'll struggle.

Robinson shoud be back in the side - he had a couple of bad games a while back but he's been excellent for Blackburn.

[Hiber-nation]

Group F should be an easy stroll for the All Whites, can leave Ryan Nelson relaxing on the bench til the semi finals :wink::greengrin

:agree:

Killen will destroy that Italian defence :greengrin

[Leicester Fan]

Doubt it, probably just gonna get one of those 'Just the Ticket' or sit in the kop as I'm skint.

Planning on going down a bit early in the hope of meeting Sproule and Hartley as I'm hoping for them to sign a few bits and pieces for Christmas presents.
Wear something tartan. I'll wave at you from L1.

[Hibercelona]

Are the English almost as deluded as the yams?

I hope they get put out by something extremely controversial to give them even more reason to greet. :agree:

Kit-Kat anyone? :devil:

[Sylar]

Fan-bloody-tastic!

England are liable to underestimate us, and I reckon we'll horse them :thumbsup:

Fantastic draw for the US, and we should escape from the group!

Bring it ON!!!!

[Pete]

England and the USA to emerge from the group.

All England need to do is to learn how to take penalties and they are in with a real shout next year.

[Hibernian Verse]

Can't wait to see Bamba line up against Ronaldo and Ronaldinho...:thumbsup:

[Part/Time Supporter]

:agree:

Killen will destroy that Italian defence :greengrin

He already did

:agree:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/2490805/Italy-just-edges-All-Whites

[One Day Soon]

He already did

:agree:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/2490805/Italy-just-edges-All-Whites

Ha ha. No game against Italy outside of the World Cup finals and the European Championship finals can be considered a real test of how they will be in the games when it matters. That includes qualifiers. The mentality is one of doing what is required and only what is required to get through - no more. They save themselves for the games that really count. That's one reason why they are always there or thereabouts. Wouldn't be surprised if they barely scrape through the group though.

With that group (and I haven't looked at who they would play in the next rounds) I think they will again go very close - hopefully making me very happy and (just like last time) a serious wedge of cash. Chris Killen may have 90 minutes of fun against Italy but he won't sniff even the quarter finals let alone the final. Gli Azzuri on the other hand should make at least the semis.

England 6/1 to win and Italy 13/1 on Betfair. Hilarious.

[Part/Time Supporter]

Shut the hell up about '66 you senile £(%(&^)£"_%&*@@
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/8391434.stm

1986 wc final highlights - clock the (not so) subtle reference to 1966

:greengrin

[Part/Time Supporter]

Ha ha. No game against Italy outside of the World Cup finals and the European Championship finals can be considered a real test of how they will be in the games when it matters. That includes qualifiers. The mentality is one of doing what is required and only what is required to get through - no more. They save themselves for the games that really count. That's one reason why they are always there or thereabouts. Wouldn't be surprised if they barely scrape through the group though.

With that group (and I haven't looked at who they would play in the next rounds) I think they will again go very close - hopefully making me very happy and (just like last time) a serious wedge of cash. Chris Killen may have 90 minutes of fun against Italy but he won't sniff even the quarter finals let alone the final. Gli Azzuri on the other hand should make at least the semis.

England 6/1 to win and Italy 13/1 on Betfair. Hilarious.

Italy have been toiling ever since they won the wc. Lippi hasn't really turned it around since he came back after the euros. They don't really have the players now, most of the good players from 2006 (Cannavaro, Nesta, Gattuso, Pirlo, Zambrotta, heck even Materazzi) are too old now and nobody has really come through to replace them. Most of them are still in the squad even though they are well into their 30s now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_football_team#Current_squad

Italy have a skoosh group, although they will be concerned by playing Hamsik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek_Ham%C5%A1%C3%ADk)'s Slovakia. With that draw they should make the 1/4 final but then run into one of Spain or Brazil.

[One Day Soon]

Italy have been toiling ever since they won the wc. Lippi hasn't really turned it around since he came back after the euros. They don't really have the players now, most of the good players from 2006 (Cannavaro, Nesta, Gattuso, Pirlo, Zambrotta, heck even Materazzi) are too old now and nobody has really come through to replace them. Most of them are still in the squad even though they are well into their 30s now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_football_team#Current_squad

Italy have a skoosh group, although they will be concerned by playing Hamsik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek_Ham%C5%A1%C3%ADk)'s Slovakia. With that draw they should make the 1/4 final but then run into one of Spain or Brazil.

Italy ALWAYS toil between tournaments - in fact they usuallly toil to actually qualify.

This will be the most open world cup in decades. Partly because the dominant nations aren't as dominant anymore, partly due to the effect of climate across the groups and partly because the other nations are constantly improving.

I predict Spain to revert to type with a crash and burn well before the final.

You need to look at the history of Italy in the finals. Aside from THAT final in Mexico 1970 where the heat favoured Brazil and a much fancied Italian side just didn't gel in the final, more often than not Italy arrive at the tournament in disarrray, with various problems and doubts. Then they grow from their opening game onwards in strength. I actually prefer to see them start this way and have done from the days of Paolo Rossi onwards. They tend to 'find' players in tournaments, Toto Schillaci being another example. The only two things they ever have to fear is arriving as a strongly fancied side and playing in that white reserve strip.

Oh and referees in places like Korea where they were cheated outrageously which was obvious at the time and then actually proven afterwards.