World Cup -18

Discussion on sports not relating to Hua Hin; football, rugby, motorsports, fantasy leagues and armchair sports fans meet here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Bamboo Grove
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5274
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 12:59 pm
Location: Macau, China

World Cup -18

Post by Bamboo Grove »

The draw was made today. What do you think of your team's chances?

Group A

Netherlands, France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg

Group B

Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra

Group C

Germany, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

Group D

Wales , Austria, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia

Group E

Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan

Group F

England, Slovakia, Scotland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta

Group G

Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, FYR Macedonia, Liechtenstein

Group H

Belgium, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus

Group I

Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland
User avatar
pharvey
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 13755
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:21 am
Location: Sir Fynwy - God's Country

Re: World Cup -18

Post by pharvey »

With their latest ranking, Wales actually have a chance of getting through to the Finals for the first time in God only knows how many years...... I might just ("JUST")take a bigger interest in Wendyball!! :thumb:

:cheers: :cheers:
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things" - Yma o Hyd.
User avatar
Bamboo Grove
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5274
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 12:59 pm
Location: Macau, China

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Pharvey, I'm proud of you. This must be your first post concerning football, where you don't say: "I don't like Wendyball". You are moving upwards in the (real) football world.
:cheers: :laugh:
bsdk1960
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1471
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:21 pm
Location: hua hin/frederiksberg DK.

Re: World Cup -18

Post by bsdk1960 »

I'm very happy with this group,looks like he a decent chance to quallify,looks more difficult for our skandinavian brothers and sisters

Group E

Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan

:cheers: :cheers:
User avatar
pharvey
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 13755
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:21 am
Location: Sir Fynwy - God's Country

Re: World Cup -18

Post by pharvey »

Bamboo Grove wrote:Pharvey, I'm proud of you. This must be your first post concerning football, where you don't say: "I don't like Wendyball". You are moving upwards in the (real) football world.
:cheers: :laugh:
Probably just age...... or could just be a weakness due to the "Saturday Night Cider"!

:cheers: :cheers:
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things" - Yma o Hyd.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Big Boy »

Well, England squeezed a victory in the dying seconds last night against 10 men. The general performance was OK, but similar to Hua Hin City, we've got nobody up front with a hunger to score goals.

Yes, I'll openly admit that I've never been a Harry Jane fan, but after the dismal World Cup performances, and the claims it was Hodgeson's fault, not Jane's; I've made a point of watching Spurs this season. I've seen nothing to make me believe he's the player Spuds fans see when they watch him play. I've watched him at least 10 times in recent months, and I rate him behind the likes of Emile Heskey, who I often called a cart horse.

Of course, the problem is, does a better English centre forward exist? I can't think of one. Does Allardyce need to start searching the lower leagues? The England team is quite good at the moment, but resembles a toothless tiger in front of goal. I guess its fortunate that England have a weak group while they search for a centre forward or wait for a return to form by Jane.

At the Euros, I thought Jane might come into his own when playing footballing nations rather than bus drivers. Alas, England didn't last long enough to put my theory to the test.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Dannie Boy
Hero
Hero
Posts: 12098
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:12 pm
Location: Closer to Cha Am than Hua Hin

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Dannie Boy »

Whilst Harry Kane didn't do much to justify his selection, if you're going to analyse the game you have to say that nobody other than maybe Lalana played anything other than mediocre - there was virtually no penetration down the flanks so very little for Kane or whoever had been wearing the number 9 shirt to get on the end of a good build up and a few goals.

By all means take a look at the lower divisions, but you'd expect to read about sparkling displays by home grown talent if it was there - in the absence of such, I suspect there isn't any!!

I think we just have to accept the fact that we are no longer able to compete with the big boys.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Big Boy »

Playing against a team that parks the bus is always difficult, and I agree that I'd have hoped for more action down the flanks. The flanks were used quite frequently, but the final ball was often lacking. The one real chance fell to Jane, but he produced the infamous 'air shot', which I thought Hua Hin's Camara had made his own this season.

I agree, until we can find a proper centre forward, we should walk through the group stages, but, full of optimism, be let down at the finals against the real footballing nations as usual.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Zidane
Guru
Guru
Posts: 979
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2007 7:28 pm

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Zidane »

For England the way forward has to be the likes of Forster,Shaw,Barkley and Rashford,none of whom featured last night.

Jordan Henderson : Why on earth does he keep getting picked ? He's never International class and just an average Premiership player.
Harry Kane : In Euro 2016 and last night,Harry Redknapp would be more of a threat up front than him.
Wayne Rooney : He's had his day at a top class level for a couple of years now.In his 4 games for Manchester United this season he has been mediocre at best which is a "big improvement" on last season.....plaudits to Jose to making him less appalling !

Excellent results for Northern Ireland and Scotland.....that's why Snodgrass is in my FF team,readers !
We're all on our uppers,we're all going skint,
I used to suck fat cigars but now I suck Polo mints.
arcadianagain
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1748
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:58 pm

Re: World Cup -18

Post by arcadianagain »

Spurs supporters call him Hurricane, my 6 month old grandson`s burps have more force. And another thing, what`s the point of Sterling? A winger is supposed to take on the full back and cross the ball, not amble up to the full back then pass backwards or sideways.
User avatar
pharvey
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 13755
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:21 am
Location: Sir Fynwy - God's Country

Re: World Cup -18

Post by pharvey »

Wales' record in the FIFA World Cup makes pretty dismal reading for us natives - last qualified in 1958 and that being the first time since 1930 or so.

However, the team's current rankings have put us in a slightly "better group" and the display last night (although against a pretty poor team) was a promising start in qualifying. Christ, could I be taking an interest in Wendyball?! :shock: :? :wink:

Sadly, probably not the best news for Welsh Rugby, but the round ball game seems to becoming far more popular with the national team's relative success of late (and to a lessor extent Swansea FC being in the Premiership).

All good for God's Country though.......

:cheers: :cheers:
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things" - Yma o Hyd.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Big Boy »

That was a first for me - I'm just back from Market Village where I went to watch Thailand vs Japan on the big screen. I even suffered KFC (only one piece for me) to get the best seats in the house :cry:

I wouldn't be able to sit and watch a full Thailand match on TV at home - I'd get bored. Watching it on the big screen sort of gave it a different feel, and I actually enjoyed the match. Thailand were a poor second best, but I expected that against a team like Japan. There was only one clear chance for Thailand, whereas Japan held the Thai goal under siege for long periods of the game. The Thai keeper prevented a cricket score.

A good way to watch the footie.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Bamboo Grove
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5274
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 12:59 pm
Location: Macau, China

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Finland got the honour to be the first to play against Kosovo and Kosovo should have won the match, it ended 1-1. It may now happen that I start to remind the English fans and say it's all the managers fault and we should get a new one. We struggled with our 5-3-2 formation, there was no real midfield to stop Kosovo's play and we could only rely on counter attacks. The new managers saldo won - 0, drawn - 2, lost 6 and we have scored two goals. BTW, he's a Swede. :D
arcadianagain
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1748
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:58 pm

Re: World Cup -18

Post by arcadianagain »

Bamboo Grove wrote:Finland got the honour to be the first to play against Kosovo and Kosovo should have won the match, it ended 1-1. It may now happen that I start to remind the English fans and say it's all the managers fault and we should get a new one. We struggled with our 5-3-2 formation, there was no real midfield to stop Kosovo's play and we could only rely on counter attacks. The new managers saldo won - 0, drawn - 2, lost 6 and we have scored two goals. BTW, he's a Swede. :D
Hi BG, away from sport but part of the Sweden/Finland thing,. Once upon a time I was skipper of a tourist boat that took parties of students, I was talking to one girl when a Swedish girl walked up and said "why are you talking to HER, she`s from Finland"? Why would that have been a problem?
User avatar
Bamboo Grove
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5274
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 12:59 pm
Location: Macau, China

Re: World Cup -18

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Why would that have been a problem?
Neighbourgs love each other all over the world, don't they? The Finns were also the immigrants in Sweden that the Swedes looked down their noses in 60's and 70's. The world hasn't changed in that way, has it? Only the nationalities concerned have.
Post Reply