The World Cup Draw!!!!

[Czar Jake]

I didn't see a thread about this specifically... I am pretty excited about it. I read someplace that it will be broadcast live to over 100 countries. Here is the info really quick:

Pot One: Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and Spain

Pot Two: Australia, Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Ecuador, Paraguay

Pot Three: Croatia, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

Pot Four: Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago, United States

Special pot: Serbia & Montenegro


alrighty, so Germany has already been given Group A, and Brazil Group F. They will first draw the rest of the seeded teams (pot 1) into their groups.

Next they will draw a team for each group from the non-seeded Euros, which is pot 3.

NEXT they will put Serbia & Montenegro (as the lowest ranking Euro team) in a group with either Brazil, Argentina, or Mexico, so that there are not 3 Euro teams in one group. (this is important because it means the USA can not be drawn with Serbia & Montenegro)

they will next pick a team from Pot 2 for each (see what I mean? whichever group Serb & Mont is in will now be full)

LAST they will add the teams from Pot 4, namely USA.

discuss..

[SoccerPrime]

Pray to not be in the same group as Brazil and England.

[Czar Jake]

a couple of good scenarios for the US:

Germany
Ukraine
Angola
USA

or how about

Spain
Switzerland
Togo
USA

.... of the seeded teams, here are my personal rankings in order of toughness:

1. Brazil
2. Argentina
3. Italy
4. England
5. France
6. Germany
7. Spain
8. Mexico

Unfortunately I don't think we can be drawn with Mexico, right?

We have to really hope we don't get drawn with Czech or Neth, I think. This would be an ultra group of death:

Italy
Paraguay
Netherlands
USA

or how about

Brazil
Tunisia
Czech Republic
USA

woo! those would be tough ones!

[AreliusIII]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=351609&cc=5901

[I_Believe_In_Kreis]

Here's the way I see it.
The US's pot 1 opponent will likely be better than the US. Unless we sneak up on them like with did with Portugal in '02, I think we're playing for the tie.
Most of the teams in pot 3 are going to be a fairly even match for the US. I don't see a weak team in there (no, the Ukraine isn't weak......watch them play sometime). If we play our best, we should beat any team from this group. If we don't, we could lose to any of them.
I think our chances of getting out lie with who we draw from pot 2. This group has the most disparity in talent - there are some great teams and some dreadful ones. If we draw an easy 3 points from this group, the US advances.

Dream scenario:
Spain or France
Angola or Togo
Switzerland or Croatia

Group of death:
Brazil or Argentina
Australia or Paraguay
Czech Republic or Netherlands

Most likely we'll draw somewhere in between. But I honestly care more about who our pot 2 draw is than our pot 1 draw.

[Super Phil]

So what is a good website to follow the draw as it happens?

[kc_13]

FIFA.com
is a good site to know all about the draw and about the WOld Cup!!
YEEEY!1 :dancing: I can't wait for the draw to start!!
Good Luck everyone!! :signrocko
KA*

[AreliusIII]

Originally Posted by Super Phil

So what is a good website to follow the draw as it happens?

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/fd/index.html

[Super Phil]

Alrighty....USA gets Italy, Ghana, and the Czechs. Not an easy group. Where is the schedule now?

[bordelais7]

Wow. That's not good. Could be the "Group of Death" up there with Group C.

Well, at least we know that if we make it to the second round, we will have earned it. More than I can say for anyone in groups G or H.