12/04/24
December 04, 2009
The World Cup draw: England and the US will face each other and groups D and G are vying for Group of Death title.
Opening round of games are 1v2, 3v4, so the first game of the cup will be South Africa v mexico.
------------------------------------------
Group A
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France
Group B
Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece
Group C
England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia
Group D
Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana
Group E
Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon
Group F
Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia
Group G
Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal
Group H
Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile
------------------------------------------
Lucky Italian buggers.
Winner from Group C will play the runner up from Group D.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:25 PM on December 04, 2009
Here's predicting they call Group G the Group of Death. Looks like Spain and Italy in particular got good draws, and France got the best draw they could get for being unseeded.
posted by holden at 01:26 PM on December 04, 2009
Nice draw for U.S. and Holland. Brazil ended up with a bit of a challenge.
posted by tselson at 01:26 PM on December 04, 2009
Great draw for the U.S.
posted by rcade at 01:30 PM on December 04, 2009
As if any extra motivation were needed after the Stamp Act of 1775, Landon Donovan will surely be looking to repay Beckham for failing to pick up the tab at that steakhouse!!! It's on, Limey Mothafuckas!!!!
posted by holden at 01:45 PM on December 04, 2009
Wayne Rooney up top, probably with Defoe if he holds form, means Oguchi better get healthy fast and claim playing time for Milan. Wonder if Michael Bradley matches up against my man Captain Fantastic and how that battle will run, maybe our new boy Jones gets that assignment.
Howard has been leaking goals lately but fortunately none of England's keepers are doing all that well either.
Landon against John Terry and a player to be named.
Six months to play these games in our minds, ww00oott!
posted by billsaysthis at 01:52 PM on December 04, 2009
Even if Defoe's form holds I imagine he'll still be coming off the bench, as Capello likes someone hulking to hold the ball alongside Rooney and that means Emile Heskey.
Heskey v Gooch sounds like a Clash of the Titans to me.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:01 PM on December 04, 2009
The team I support, France (I lived there as a kid), have a fairly winnable group, facing Uruguay, Mexico and South Africa.
posted by Kattullus at 02:03 PM on December 04, 2009
Yeah, France got the best group they could for being unseeded.
posted by holden at 02:14 PM on December 04, 2009
This is a very doable group from the US point of view (and England's for that matter).
posted by trox at 02:22 PM on December 04, 2009
like they found him drunk in a ditch this morning and gave him a suit and a microphone.
My dream of being on ESPN still lives!
posted by yerfatma at 02:42 PM on December 04, 2009
Group G is tasty, and so is Group D -- Australia-Serbia is a family ties match, like Australia-Croatia last time.
posted by etagloh at 02:52 PM on December 04, 2009
Nice draw for Italy! Group G is going to be fierce.
posted by dfleming at 02:57 PM on December 04, 2009
My dream of being on ESPN still lives!
You can aim higher than that. My friend was drunk and on CNN this morning.
posted by goddam at 03:00 PM on December 04, 2009
I checked out the Slovenian press to see what they think of the group. "Bedaste američane" means "stupid Americans" in Slovenian.
posted by rcade at 03:29 PM on December 04, 2009
"Bedaste američane" means "stupid Americans" in Slovenian.
Awesome.
posted by dfleming at 03:54 PM on December 04, 2009
As if any extra motivation were needed after the Stamp Act of 1775, Landon Donovan will surely be looking to repay Beckham for failing to pick up the tab at that steakhouse!!! It's on, Limey Mothafuckas!!!!
Actually, Beckham will be looking to punish Donovan for costing him an MLS title... A truly terrible PK. England looks like it can easily cruise to the round of sixteen. This could be the year we finally get our second Cup.
posted by Goyoucolts at 04:34 PM on December 04, 2009
Actually, Beckham will be looking to punish Donovan for costing him an MLS title
Do you really believe he cares about winning MLS silverware? That PK was forgotten the moment Becks left the pitch. He's thinking about Milan now.
My round of 16:
A: SA, France
B: Greece, Argentina
C: England, Slovenia
D: Germany, Serbia
E: Netherlands, Denmark
F: Italy, Slovakia
G: Brazil, Ivory Coast
I: Spain, Switzerland
posted by JButton at 04:41 PM on December 04, 2009
Wow. I can't remember a World Cup draw that seemed so fortuitous for the big names. Looks like every major futbol nation has a very good chance of making the round of sixteen. Then it should get awesome.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:53 PM on December 04, 2009
Lucky Italian buggers.
The Italians never make the first round easy for themselves.
Only one African team to advance, JButton? I'll take the over on that bet.
posted by etagloh at 06:08 PM on December 04, 2009
Do you really believe he cares about winning MLS silverware? That PK was forgotten the moment Becks left the pitch. He's thinking about Milan now.
Um... JButton, have you ever been in the final of anything, even if it was for something silly? I think it's fair to say that whenever a competative person makes it to the championship game of anything, they will want to win. Also, with all the contriversy over Beckham's dedication to the Galaxy, I'm sure he wanted to shut up his critics by winning the title. Yes, he probably didn't care enough about MLS to stop him from Milan, but I would argue that once LA started their post-season run he got dialed in.
posted by Goyoucolts at 06:51 PM on December 04, 2009
Down here in Oz, we've got it all ahead of us, but everyone said that last time. While Serbia isn't really as much of a family affair as Croatia was in 2006, we do have a great rivalry with Ghana going back through the age competitions.
Group H looks a bit understrength, too. Wouldn't have minded being in that one.
Here's to us meeting England in the round of 16, and beating them on penalties.
Only one African team to advance, JButton?
While I don't agree with JButton's predictions, last time I checked, both South Africa and the Ivory Coast were in Africa.
posted by owlhouse at 07:24 PM on December 04, 2009
Also, have you noticed that if England wins the group while Germany slip up in their group and finish second...
You heard it here. Probably not first.
posted by owlhouse at 07:37 PM on December 04, 2009
South Africa won't be advancing, give me a break, Uruguay and Mexico will make the Bananaramas the first host country to finish 4th in a group. Cote d'Ivoire are possibly the only African team to make the 16, especially if they lay down the smack on Lady Boy, though Cameroon could pip the Danes if Eto'o and his young partner can break down the Danish stingy D.
USA are not going home at the first turn this time and if Germany does slip to 2nd I could see a chance to make the semis. Small one but a chance.
posted by billsaysthis at 09:28 PM on December 04, 2009
"Cote d'Ivoire are possibly the only African team to make the 16, especially if they lay down the smack on Lady Boy, though Cameroon could pip the Danes if Eto'o and his young partner can break down the Danish stingy D."
I have the Nigerians getting through their group.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 09:40 PM on December 04, 2009
I'll second the opinion of USA not dropping out at the group stage. Both Slovenia and Algeria are VERY winnable matches, and all it takes is second to advance, although that likely pairs us with Germany in the round of 16, which will be an adventure.
posted by boredom_08 at 11:33 PM on December 04, 2009
Good draw for the Republic of Ireland. I think they got exactly the group they ought to have done.
I got a bit confused during the draw with the whole Python-esque "hang your clothes on the lower peg before you get your haircut after you've written your letter home" and jumped out of my seat with excitement when they drew Cote d'Ivoire as I was sure the shuffling meant they were headed for the England/USA group.
I fancy the Nigerians to emerge as well as Drogba's lot. No insult meant to the Aussie's but I wouldn't put it past Ghana to squeak second behind Germany (who I think might well vaccinate the entire competition).
England will talk nonsense now for six months about how this is their best chance for years to win again - blah blah blah - and they'll be right; it probably is their best chance for ages, but they'll probably cock it up yet again.
As manager, I'd have Jimmy Bullard in the squad, not least to try and stop the rest of them getting so bloody serious about it all. They all buy into their own supposed value - "I'm worth 100,000 a week!" - and then look baffled when someone worth a fraction of that skips past them and scores.
What you need is a man to do things like this and this.
posted by JJ at 07:38 AM on December 05, 2009
South Africa won't be advancing, give me a break...
Host teams traditionally advance out of groups for whatever reason. I always pick the host team, like I always pick the 9 seeds to beat the 8 seeds in the NCAA tournaments. It's safe.
CISSE!
posted by scully at 08:31 AM on December 05, 2009
"What you need is a man to do things like this and this."
I'd gladly pay a fiver to see the whole England team play with their shorts under their armpits like that. And knotted hankies on their heads.
(rcade, why do you hate currency symbols other than $?)
posted by Mr Bismarck at 10:46 AM on December 05, 2009
That is weird. I can use Option+3 (mac) to produce the GBP symbol, and it shows in preview, but it stripped out on post. This method works on other sites.
So, yeah, rcade, WTF?
posted by scully at 11:02 AM on December 05, 2009
Inadequate character support. I'll work on it.
posted by rcade at 11:15 AM on December 05, 2009
*looks at watch. taps foot*
posted by scully at 12:03 PM on December 05, 2009
People shouldn't use pounds anyway. It's unAmerican.
posted by rcade at 12:18 PM on December 05, 2009
unamurekin
posted by scully at 12:29 PM on December 05, 2009
Unfortunately, it would seem that within an hour or so of me posting that, Bullard left the pitch in tears having sustained an injury to his "other" knee (he only recently came back after knee surgery).
posted by JJ at 12:58 PM on December 05, 2009
Quick work, JJ. Can you say something about Craig Bellamy next?
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:38 PM on December 05, 2009
Bellamy? Marvelous player, would be a real benefit to the English team (apart from the fact that he's Welsh). Probably never going to get injured.
Apart from the fact that he already is.
posted by JJ at 04:08 PM on December 05, 2009
last time I checked, both South Africa and the Ivory Coast were in Africa.
Mea culpa, I missed the abbreviation and assumed nobody would tip the Saffers to advance. But yeah, while South Africa needs more luck and host advantage than South Korea in 2002, I can see Nigeria and possibly Cameroon making it out of the group stage along with C. d'I.
posted by etagloh at 11:40 PM on December 06, 2009
World Cup Draw coverage has started on ESPN, with Efan Ekoku and Steve McManamanamanamanamanamanamanamanaman - the latter looking slightly bemused about how he's ended up on TV, like they found him drunk in a ditch this morning and gave him a suit and a microphone.
From the BBC : "US bid leaders reacted with fury after Luis Figo's arrival interrupted their video presentation of the their campaign for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The arrival of Figo, bid ambassador for the rival Spain/Portugal bid, led to a rush of reporters and photographers leaving the USA's video right in the middle of the presentation. "It was totally ruined," said Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber.."