The assignment of teams to Pots 2-4 is being announced at 10:30 Eastern/9:30 Central.

Edited December 3, 201312 yr by HickoryHuskers

The assignment of teams to Pots 2-4 is being announced at 10:30 Eastern/9:30 Central.

 

It's pretty much known exactly how the teams will be split up already, right?

It's pretty much known exactly how the teams will be split up already, right?

 

There has definitely been a pattern to the way it has been done the last several times, but there is no rule that says they have to follow the same method.

 

They should just put everyone into one single pot and allocate them from A-H as they come out. If Ecuador were to be drawn first they would go to B instead of A (since Brazil is in A) and the next team would go into A (if possible). That's much fairer then sticking multiple confederations in pots therefore immediately precluding them from the possibility of playing each other

They should just put everyone into one single pot and allocate them from A-H as they come out. If Ecuador were to be drawn first they would go to B instead of A (since Brazil is in A) and the next team would go into A (if possible). That's much fairer then sticking multiple confederations in pots therefore immediately precluding them from the possibility of playing each other

 

I always thought they should just rank the teams 1-32 (with the host always being 1) and then snake the groups, so 9 goes in a group with 8, 10 with 7, and so on until you get all 32 teams in groups. Only swap teams as necessary to keep the confederation rules in place.

 

I always thought they should just rank the teams 1-32 (with the host always being 1) and then snake the groups, so 9 goes in a group with 8, 10 with 7, and so on until you get all 32 teams in groups. Only swap teams as necessary to keep the confederation rules in place.

 

The problem with that is that their ranking system is a bit odd. That'd still be a better option than the current.

OK, the pots are pretty much what I thought they would be, except that they will randomly draw which European team goes into the Africa/SAmer pot instead of just putting the lowest ranked team (France) there.

OK, the pots are pretty much what I thought they would be, except that they will randomly draw which European team goes into the Africa/SAmer pot instead of just putting the lowest ranked team (France) there.

 

This ever so slightly is better for the US. Best case scenario would land Netherlands, Portugal or Italy in Pot 2 and then NOT be drawn into the US's group. Would weaken pot 4. Still probably we're drawn in the Group of Death though.

 

Still holding out hope for Switzerland/Algeria/Greece though.

This ever so slightly is better for the US. Best case scenario would land Netherlands, Portugal or Italy in Pot 2 and then NOT be drawn into the US's group. Would weaken pot 4. Still probably we're drawn in the Group of Death though.

 

Still holding out hope for Switzerland/Algeria/Greece though.

 

World Cup Draw Day! Come on Switzerland/Algeria/Greece!

World Cup Draw Day! Come on Switzerland/Algeria/Greece!

 

 

I am mentally preparing myself for Mexico to get SUI/ALG/GRE and for the US to get Netherlands/Ivory Coast/Germany

I am mentally preparing myself for Mexico to get SUI/ALG/GRE and for the US to get Netherlands/Ivory Coast/Germany

 

 

:pukes:

I am mentally preparing myself for Mexico to get SUI/ALG/GRE and for the US to get Netherlands/Ivory Coast/Germany

 

Substitute Ghana for Ivory Coast. That's pretty much the nightmare scenario for me.

FIFA owes the US to fix a good group since we got Mexico into the field $$$

 

 

there will probably be 5 group of deaths anyways.

Germany and Ghana so far...awesome

Germany and Ghana so far...awesome

 

Now throw in that Ronaldo guy.

Now throw in that Ronaldo guy.

 

f***. Honduras stole our group!

Well that's a group of absolute horror. The U.S. is going to have a very small margin of error.

Edited December 6, 201312 yr by chw42

f*** it, let's beat Ghana

Ouch.

Well that's a group of absolute horror. The U.S. is going to have a very small margin of error.

 

 

Yeah but so will Ghana and Portugal.

 

Playing Ghana first is actually a break for us now that the group is set.

Yeah but so will Ghana and Portugal.

 

Playing Ghana first is actually a break for us now that the group is set.

 

Yeah, I agree that playing Ghana first is big.

 

The prospect of Ronaldo is terrifying (especially agains the US back 4), but the rest of that Portugal side is not all that scary.

 

Germany... well, unless the US drew SUI, the seeded game was always going to be difficult. Germany, in my opinion, is a better draw than Spain or any of the South American sides.

 

Very glad to play Germany last. Hopefully they will have 6 points and the US will have 4 going into that match... where a 0-0 draw gets both through.

Almost about as bad of a group as possible. We have to get over our Ghana curse and then not let Ronaldo beat us. Portugal is not very strong in the back or the midfield but as others have said, almost no margin of error in this group. Really would have loved group C, E or H.

 

Not USMNT related, but I'm happy to see Ivory Coast not get boned for once in the WC draw. They could conceivably be the favorite in that group.

for whatever its worth

 

 

Group A Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group A.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Brazil 96.9% 99.6%

Mexico 1.8% 45.3%

Croatia 0.8% 32.9%

Cameroon 0.5% 22.3%

Group B:

Group B Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group B.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Spain 49.5% 82.8%

Chile 36.0% 74.3%

Netherlands 14.2% 40.95%

Austrailia 0.4% 2.0%

Group C

Group C Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group C.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Colombia 64.8% 86.5%

Ivory Coast 17.0% 49.8%

Greece 12.2% 39.5%

Japan 6.0% 24.2%

Group D

Group D Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group D.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Uruguay 41.1% 69.5%

England 28.2% 57.5%

Italy 20.0% 44.2%

Costa Rica 10.8% 28.8%

Group E

Group E Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group E.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

France 49.0% 78.4%

Ecuador 31.7% 64.7%

Switzerland 12.9% 36.5%

Honduras 6.3% 20.4%

Group F

Group F Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group F.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Argentina 87.7% 97.3%

Bosnia-Herz 7.0% 52.6%

Nigeria 3.8% 31.2%

Iran 1.5% 18.9%

Group G

Group G Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group G.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Germany 75.2% 91.8%

Portugal 9.5% 39.3%

USA 9.5% 39.3%

Ghana 5.6% 28.8%

Group H

Group H Predictions

 

Here are the Soccer Power Index predictions for Group H.

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Belgium 46.8% 79.1%

Russia 37.2% 72.6%

S. Korea 13.4% 36.9%

Algeria 2.6% 11.4%

 

 

SPI ESPN link

What do the soccer gurus say about this?

Jeremy Schaap is the same age now as he was a decade ago, there's like an Instagram of him on a cloud somewhere all like wrinkling and s***. I do miss papa penis.