OT: FIFA World Rankings came out

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June 6th, 2012 at 2:49 PM
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Wettin 3's
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OT: FIFA World Rankings came out

USA went up a spot since last month to #28...I guess some progress is better than no progress, even if it's minimal. But, since the Euro is coming up in a few days, who do you guys have winning it? Any matchups you are looking forward to? This is a pretty slow day, so I figured some of the soccer fans out there would like to share what country they are going for.

For once I won't have to sit at the edge of my seat and pull my hair during a soccer game, since US won't be playing. But I can kick back, relax and watch some good European soccer.

http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html

"Those Who Stay Will Be Champions"

-Bo Schembechler

"History is written by the Victors"

-Winston Churchill

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June 6th, 2012 at 2:55 PM | Argentina (Score:-1 Flamebait)
June 6th, 2012 at 3:00 PM | Isn't Argentina (Score:5 Normal)
AAB
Joined: 01/14/2009
MGoPoints: 7198

Not in Euro 2012?

There is no time, sir, at which ties do not matter.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:02 PM | EURO 2012 (Score:5 Normal)
michchi85
Joined: 09/04/2010
MGoPoints: 137

Think Argentina and Messi will have a difficult time winning this one....you know since they are in South America and all.  

June 6th, 2012 at 3:05 PM | Haha (Score:4 Normal)
Genzilla
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Joined: 01/26/2009
MGoPoints: 601

Not to laugh too much at your expense, but I really did laugh out loud in the office at this one.  Anyway, I've seen Messi in person (Arg at USA at the Meadowlands) and I'll be at the Brazil Arg game at the Meadowlands this Saturday.  He is truly amazing to watch in person and I can't wait.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:10 PM | Just laughed at myself (Score:4 Normal)
profitgoblue
Joined: 09/01/2009
MGoPoints: 19416

Good times.

[I should just delete my original comment and your responses but my FAIL deserves to be saved for posterity.]

 

Disgruntled former moderator.  I got a lot of problems with you people!

June 6th, 2012 at 3:18 PM | Brazil is probably the (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Joined: 11/13/2009
MGoPoints: 18039

Brazil is probably the favorite, but don't count out Ivory Coast or Japan.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:37 PM | Does Antarctica have a (Score:0 Normal)
June 6th, 2012 at 3:52 PM | If they did, they'd have the (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Joined: 11/13/2009
MGoPoints: 18039

If they did, they'd have the same chance at winning the EURO as Argentina. Just sayin'.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:10 PM | I would have picked the squad (Score:4 Normal)
a2_electricboogaloo
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Joined: 04/21/2011
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I would have picked the squad from Mars to win, however, Dantonio has picked the red planet clean of its most talented athletes.

USING GRATUITOUS AMOUNTS OF CAPS LOCK SINCE APRIL 2011

June 6th, 2012 at 4:23 PM | Mars won't be a favorite until they have a chance to host. (Score:2 Normal)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2279

Their road form is terrible--they really struggle at high gravity.

June 6th, 2012 at 8:53 PM | Damn SEC won't let them host. (Score:3 Normal)
M-Dog
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MGoPoints: 6534

Damn SEC won't let them host.

M'Dog

June 6th, 2012 at 3:54 PM | no way man (Score:3 Normal)
snowcrash
Joined: 07/22/2008
MGoPoints: 1586

New Zealand. The only undefeated team in the 2010 World Cup.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:58 PM | It's all good.  Aren't you (Score:3 Normal)
ken725
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MGoPoints: 4682

It's all good.  Aren't you pretty new to being a soccer fan?  I think you made a thread last year asking what teams you should watch.

I don't blame you for wanting to see more of Messi.  He is like Denard in that way. 

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

June 6th, 2012 at 4:36 PM | I still don't get it.  Messi (Score:0 Trolling)
June 6th, 2012 at 4:57 PM | Are you still being serious? (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Joined: 11/13/2009
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Are you still being serious?

June 6th, 2012 at 7:34 PM | I really, really hope so... (Score:3 Normal)
marti221
Joined: 04/21/2010
MGoPoints: 538

I really, really hope so...

June 7th, 2012 at 11:37 AM | No, just having some fun at (Score:0 Trolling)
June 6th, 2012 at 2:55 PM | I'm looking forward (Score:5 Normal)
DoubleB
Joined: 11/19/2008
MGoPoints: 189

to England being eliminated and therefore, once again, not winning a major international tournament.

There isn't a fan base on EARTH more out of touch with reality than English soccer fans.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:21 PM | Excuse me, sir: (Score:5 Normal)
MillerTime
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Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 128

I have Notre Dame fans on line two.  They'd like a word...

"The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack, and the Strength of the Pack is the Wolf."

June 6th, 2012 at 3:34 PM | England is kind of like a (Score:4 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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MGoPoints: 18039

England is kind of like a whole country of ND fans. Except England actually has teams that could be the best in the world, whereas ND hardly competes with the elite.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:41 PM | Notre Dame (Score:4 Normal)
DoubleB
Joined: 11/19/2008
MGoPoints: 189

can at least point to a history of greatness. What the eff has England won? A controversial World Cup on home soil nearly 50 years ago and that's it. They haven't even been to another major championship final. 

How overrated are they? The United States has as many top 3 World Cup finishes as England--1.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:53 PM | This is the first thing that (Score:1)
RONick
Joined: 02/04/2009
MGoPoints: 656

This is the first thing that popped into my mind.  Well played sir.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:25 PM | I take exception to that (Score:2)
Blue in Yarmouth
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MGoPoints: 2414

I am an England soccer fan (and family is from there) and I would say the fan base is pretty realistic for the most part. I can't tell you the last time any of my fellow fans thought we had a chance at the world cup or Euro despite the fact that many times we had the talent to do so. 

If you look at the talent England has had over the years (this euro being an exception) they have consistently fielded teams that should have challanged for the title, yet performed very poorly. Whether it be that the coaching has been terrible or the boys just can't gel and perform under the pressure that comes playing international soocer I don't know, but they have been crap the past few decades. I just wonder why it is you think that the fans don't see that and look at each international tournament with impending doom, because that is what it has been like for a long time amongst the fans.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:00 PM | "If you look at the talent (Score:1 Normal)
DoubleB
Joined: 11/19/2008
MGoPoints: 189

"If you look at the talent England has had over the years (this euro being an exception) they have consistently fielded teams that should have challanged for the title, yet performed very poorly."

What talent? You've just made my entire point. If they had the talent they'd have performed much better in these tournaments. It's one thing to have a bad tournament or bad decade, but it's been a bad 80 years outside of 1966.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:34 PM | The state of youth training in England... (Score:1)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2279

is abysmal, especially as respects technique. There's a relentless emphasis on work rate and "positive attitude" at the lower levels--not that hard work isn't important, but it can't be the primary screening tool in a youth program.

 

June 7th, 2012 at 8:40 AM | What talent.... (Score:2)
Blue in Yarmouth
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Joined: 02/18/2009
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I hope you're not serious. What talent? How about Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Michael Owen, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Ashley Cole etc etc etc. The problem with England (again, with the exception of this euro) has never been talent and if you think it has, you don't know anything about soccer. As I said in my post, I'm not sure what the issue has been, but it hasn't been talent.

The main point of my post was the remark about fans. I am sitting here wondering how many English soccer fans you could possibly know. Most fans of English soccer have not expected anything from the national team in decades and this year is no exception. The fact that you think otherwise tells me you have no idea what you are talking about. 

June 7th, 2012 at 12:05 PM | That is, by some distance (Score:2)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2279

the worst list of any 50-million-plus country in Europe. (OK, maybe not Turkey.)

England fans, and, worse, the soccer institutions in the country, think that this list is the equal of a similar list from Spain, Italy, Germany, France. And as long as they continue to think that, they will continue to lose. They don't understand why they lose, so they can't fix it.

June 8th, 2012 at 10:14 AM | You're joking right... (Score:1)
Blue in Yarmouth
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Joined: 02/18/2009
MGoPoints: 2414

keep in mind I'm not talking about these players today, I'm referring to them 8-12 years ago. On that list you have two of the best mid-fielders in the world at that time in Gerrard and Lampard; questionably the best free kick taker in the world; two of the best center backs in the world and a world class striker along with a very good RB in A. Cole.

Lok at their success on their club teams and say they weren't talented. If you think they weren't, I have to say you don't know much about soccer. I'm saying the talent was there, but for some reason when they played as a team they stank. To say they had no talent is ingnoring the facts and using the results and hindsight to formulate your opinion.

My main point was this...England soccer fans have not expected a good result from their national team in decades. Regardless of who was on the pitch or who was managing the team our fan base is about as pessimistic as it gets. That was the point I was making to the original dillusional poster who claimed my fanbase was dillusional. 

June 8th, 2012 at 11:05 AM | I am not joking. (Score:2)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2279

This wasn't hindsight; it's been my opinion, and the opinion of many, many people on the continent, throughout.

I'll grant you Michael Owen, during those rare windows when he was healthy. I'd have granted you Rooney, too, if you'd put him on your list.

No one outside of England and an America flooded with Fox Soccer's endless procession of English announcers broadcasting EPL games would have ever considered Gerrard and Lampard "two of the best midfielders in the world"--fine players but Zidane or Baggio or Matthaus or Xavi they were not. Or John Terry one of the best center backs in the world, or Ashley Cole as a world-class player, or David Beckham as anything more than a talented striker of a stationary ball.

And I don't know what to say about a list that includes Paul Scholes.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:31 PM | And even they don't think (Score:2)
Needs
Joined: 08/05/2008
MGoPoints: 4186

And even they don't think they have much of a chance of getting out of their group, what with the managerial mess over the past six months and all the injuries that have struck their squad.

June 6th, 2012 at 9:03 PM | One great quote from an ESPN Soccernet article (Score:2)
Fifth-Stringer
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Joined: 10/09/2011
MGoPoints: 20

I'm too lazy to search for said that England hadn't had a truly competitive team for a major championship since the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

 

June 6th, 2012 at 2:58 PM | I'm picking Holland to win (Score:5 Normal)
Volverine
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MGoPoints: 789

I'm picking Holland to win Euro. I think they are a better team than the squad that made the WC Final and as long as they can stay healthy (I'm looking at you RVP and Robben), then the Oranje should be in good shape to get out of the Group of Death and have a strong tournament.

University of Tom Brady, B.A. '10; University of Peyton Manning, J.D. '13.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:04 PM | I like Holland's style of (Score:2)
ken725
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Joined: 10/26/2008
MGoPoints: 4682

I like Holland's style of soccer, but I don't like RVP (Arsenal) and Robben (just for being Robben).

Robben getting trolled by Subotic was one of the best things of 2012. Subotic earned some points back after picking to play for Serbia over the US.

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

June 6th, 2012 at 2:58 PM | Basically, any game in Group (Score:2)
M Fanfare
Joined: 08/17/2008
MGoPoints: 1576

Basically, any game in Group B. Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal.

Hail to the college whose colors we wear,

Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

June 6th, 2012 at 3:17 PM | Group of Death (Score:1)
SamirCM
Joined: 04/08/2011
MGoPoints: 276

Group of Death that is, feel somewhat bad for Denmark...they are just a bone for the rest to pick their teeth with.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:30 PM | People seem to forget that (Score:2)
MgoSuh
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Joined: 12/31/2010
MGoPoints: 394

People seem to forget that Denmark is ranked NINTH in the world, one spot ahead of Portugal. This is clearly the group of death, but I certainly don't think Denmark is going to get blown out of the tournament.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:59 PM | FIFA's world rankings are (Score:4 Normal)
Volverine
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Joined: 05/07/2011
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FIFA's world rankings are about as pointless as pre-season football rankings.

University of Tom Brady, B.A. '10; University of Peyton Manning, J.D. '13.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:06 PM | I tend not to trust anything (Score:5 Normal)
ken725
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Joined: 10/26/2008
MGoPoints: 4682

I tend not to trust anything that might have Sepp Blatter's involvement. 

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

June 6th, 2012 at 4:33 PM | Denmark has a great squad, (Score:2)
AA2Denver
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Joined: 02/01/2011
MGoPoints: 396

Denmark has a great squad, I'm picking them to beat Portugal, tie NED and slip through. Their gritty and although Sorenson is old he still makes some incredible saves. Thier mid field attack is strong, Bendtner (Arsenal fans will hate me) is solid. 

Of course they don't have the squad NED has, but I think Robben, RVP, will be a bit worn down.

-----------------

Screw Lance.

June 6th, 2012 at 5:16 PM | Bendtner is a different (Score:1)
BrownJuggernaut
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MGoPoints: 2803

Bendtner is a different player for his country than he is for Arsenal. I was always hoping it would translate (I'm an Arsenal supporter), but it never panned out and I can't wait for him to be shipped off to Germany. However, his countryman, Christian Eriksen, that's the player I'm looking forward to seeing. I think he has a big chance to shine and make an ame for himself.

Avatar is a reference to this. Go Blue!

June 6th, 2012 at 4:37 PM | Karma. (Score:2 Insightful)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2279

Denmark has a lot of past good luck to work off after winning a Euro tournament they didn't even qualify for.

(I actually think Portugal is the worst team in that group, by the way. Probably the most overrated team in the world as far as I'm concerned.)

June 6th, 2012 at 5:49 PM | Agreed. (Score:1)
ForeverVoyaging
Joined: 09/24/2011
MGoPoints: 263

Portugal is incredibly overrated. The only threat that team has is Ronaldo taking off his pants, which he seems to do with alarming frequency.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:02 PM | I have Germany winning it all (Score:3 Normal)
Genzilla
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I think Germany will win it all, but at the same time they may not get out of their group (they're with Portugal, Denmark and Nederlands, the proverbial Group of Death).  Germany has one of the best GK's (Neuer), 2 of the best Defenders (Lahm and Badstuber), arguably the second deepest MF behind Spain (Schweinstiegger, Kroos, Ozil, Khedira, Gotze, et al.), and one of the best frontlines (Gomez, Podolski, and Mueller).  

Aside from Germany, Spain is of course the prohibitive favorite, with the likes of the Netherlands, England, France, Spain, and Italy as the other traditional powers in the tournament.  I expect England to exceed expectations and I don't expect much out of Italy.  France will be a Wild Card as they are one of the most talented teams, as well as one of the most dysfunctional.

June 6th, 2012 at 3:06 PM | I agree.  I like Germany and (Score:2)
sULLY
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I agree.  I like Germany and Spain (bold pick with Spain, I know) to go far, but I am rooting for Germany.  I would be funny to see another France meltdown.  I think Italy will fall flat.

June 6th, 2012 at 5:20 PM | I'm tipping Germany to win. I (Score:2 Normal)
BrownJuggernaut
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I'm tipping Germany to win. I don't think Spain will win this one because of the infighting between the Real and Barca players and because they will be missing David Villa. For all the possession Spain has had under Del Bosque, they've struggled to score a lot too. You take a key element of the scoring out of this, and I think you're going to see some struggles. 

I like Germany for all the things Genzilla said, but also because the German players seem to just rise to the challenge when they play for the national team. There's something about the Germany kit that gets the most out of their players. I think they have guys like Özil, Khedira, and Müller who have matured since the last international competition as well as great veterans like Lahm, Klose, Poldi, and Schweinsteiger. I disagree that they have a great defense, but I think it's good enough to get them this European Championship.

Avatar is a reference to this. Go Blue!

June 7th, 2012 at 8:39 AM | I think you hit on the (Score:2)
ChasingRabbits
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MGoPoints: 1242

I think you hit on the biggest difference between Germany and most of the other big name national teams.  The Germans WANT to play and play hard for their NATION.  They don't seem to be out there for themselves or to rep their club side or any other reason.  The guys want to win big tourneys for the glory of the German nation.   I can respect that, and I think it brings out the best effort from the team.  The complaining and infighting on the other teams is always present and distracting.

I look forward to the German Holland game.  No love lost there...  those are always fun.

Winner of that match takes all IMO.

Go Blue!

June 6th, 2012 at 4:01 PM | France has some personnel (Score:2)
jmblue
Joined: 11/07/2008
MGoPoints: 29067

France has some personnel issues (the defense is sketchy at the moment) but their team chemistry seems much improved under Laurent Blanc.  They're now on an undefeated run of 21 matches.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:25 PM | That said, their chemistry (Score:2)
Needs
Joined: 08/05/2008
MGoPoints: 4186

That said, their chemistry could hardly have been worse at the last WC, what with the strange decisions of Domenesche and the player revolt.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:26 PM | Agree 100%. France has (Score:2)
AA2Denver
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Joined: 02/01/2011
MGoPoints: 396

Agree 100%. France has improved and seems to have outgrown some their personal issues with coaching and chemistry. Center back is huge issue. 

-----------------

Screw Lance.

June 6th, 2012 at 4:36 PM | Center back is not a huge (Score:3 Normal)
mzerbib
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Joined: 09/22/2010
MGoPoints: 487

Center back is not a huge issue at all. Adil Rami has been a stud in Ligue 1 play and is finally getting his chance for the national team. Mexes has his wtf moments but overall he's decent enough. With Koscielny (Arsenal CB) backing them up, it's a pretty good unit, although France's weakest, which does say something about the team.



They've been hit with the injury bug at defensive mid the past couple games but have a good amount of depth there.



The main difference between this team and the WC team, other than a now-functional coach, is youth and depth. Domenech was always playing the older guys like Henry and Blanc has called up many new young players.



Watch for surprises from the French.



/end of rant about my favorite team



PS: I still hate Italians. Zidane is my homeboy.

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