Azzurri Thread (82 Viewers)

[Juvellino]

The reason Italy was in a group with Spain is because Prandelli and Conte didn’t take the qualifying matches seriously after we clinched our groups. This put Italy in Pot 2. Mancini did the opposite while qualifying for the Euros and won every match. That put Italy in Pot 1. Italy still finished 2nd

 

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[Cerval]

Nah. I think it should be for everyone. You win the Continental Championship that happens during qualifying, that’s an automatic berth in World Cup. And it makes complete sense to me. That’s a major international tournament win, and not ages prior to the World Cup. All federations should have it.

And how is it at all like Super league? C’mon dude. It’s literally the opposite. You have to win the most recent international major tournament to earn your spot. That’s meritocracy at its finest. It’s the same as CL winners and Europa Winners earning a spot in next years edition even if they don’t qualify domestically.

No offense but thats rubbish. A lot can happen between winning the continentsl tournament and the world cup as exemplified by current Italy. If you can't qualify, you dont deserve it full stop. No gifts, no nothing.

Basically you simply want Italy to be gifted a spot since they could miss out.

 

[juve123]

No offense but thats rubbish. A lot can happen between winning the continentsl tournament and the world cup as exemplified by current Italy. If you can't qualify, you dont deserve it full stop. No gifts, no nothing.

Basically you simply want Italy to be gifted a spot since they could miss out.

But the same thing can be said about the hosts of the major tournaments as well I also think the winners of the league nations should also qualify for the world cup

 

[Cerval]

But the same thing can be said about the hosts of the major tournaments

And it doesn't make sense too.

Time to get rid of qualifiers and use the wonderful FIFA ranking.

 

[IliveForJuve]

Nah. Just take current America put em up against UEFA qualifying instead of Mexico plus a bunch of farmers, and the US hasn’t participated in a world cup yet.

The US would also struggle if they played in the South American qualifiers.

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Also lol at people crying that Italy should've automatically qualified.

Euro qualifiers are so easy compared to South America. They basically put one big team in a group of scared little Timmies. They should've stomped their group.

 

[AFL_ITALIA]

The US would also struggle if they played in the South American qualifiers.

Or we'd come in 4th

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copa_América_Centenario

 

[DAiDEViL]

Basically you simply want Italy to be gifted a spot since they could miss out.

It's not about italy for me. Just no point playing euros or the worldcup without the title holder. That just sucks.

 

[Cerval]

It's not about italy for me. Just no point playing euros or the worldcup without the title holder. That just sucks.

if the title holder doesn't have anymore what it takes to qualify in a mediocre group. Thats on them

It sucks because its Italy, if it was Spain like in 2012 nobody would mention that.

 

[DAiDEViL]

if the title holder doesn't have anymore what it takes to qualify in a mediocre group. Thats on them

It sucks because its Italy, if it was Spain like in 2012 nobody would mention that.

Agree to disagree

 

[Bianconero81]

The US would also struggle if they played in the South American qualifiers.

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Also lol at people crying that Italy should've automatically qualified.

Euro qualifiers are so easy compared to South America. They basically put one big team in a group of scared little Timmies. They should've stomped their group.

South American qualifiers? Bwahahahaha.

Bolivia and Venezuela are absolute garbage. Peru haven't been relevant for decades, and Paraguay are mediocre.

Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are almost always guaranteed to qualify. Then, it's two of Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile, with Paraguary an outside shot.

Essentially, if you play in South America, you have a 50% chance of qualifying - easy compared to South America my ass.

South American teams are so strong and competitive that they've been humiliated at every single one of the last 4 world cups, not having won one since 2002. Go to sleep kid.

 

[IliveForJuve]

South American qualifiers? Bwahahahaha.

Bolivia and Venezuela are absolute garbage. Peru haven't been relevant for decades, and Paraguay are mediocre.

Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are almost always guaranteed to qualify. Then, it's two of Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile, with Paraguary an outside shot.

Essentially, if you play in South America, you have a 50% chance of qualifying - easy compared to South America my ass.

South American teams are so strong and competitive that they've been humiliated at every single one of the last 4 world cups, not having won one since 2002. Go to sleep kid.

Shut up you old faggot.

There's only 4.5 spots and you have to compete against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Colombia. That alone makes it a lot harder than playing against a bunch of tiny European countries that are just as bad as Bolivia.

 

[Siamak]

iran is fucking lucky to be a part of asia and the only good thing about Middle east. we at least have great chance to automatically qualify. shity life under authoritarian regime, unstable financial system, high unemployment rate and discrimination system but still can see NT team in WP.

 

[Bianconero81]

Shut up you old faggot.

There's only 4.5 spots and you have to compete against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Colombia. That alone makes it a lot harder than playing against a bunch of tiny European countries that are just as bad as Bolivia.

What a dumb little bitch you are. Do the math you imbecilic motherfucker. 4.5 spots out of 10 - that's 45% chance of qualification, and since the 5th placed team plays New Zealand, it is technically 50%. Brazil and Argentina are mediocre, nothing like the Brazil and Argentina of the 90s and early part of the century.

This Brazil team and this Argentina team would actually struggle to qualify as group winners in European qualifiers. They'd lose to England, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and probably Croatia and Portugal. Heck, they would probably struggle to beat Switzerland and Denmark too.

 

[Xperd]

Nah. I think it should be for everyone. You win the Continental Championship that happens during qualifying, that’s an automatic berth in World Cup. And it makes complete sense to me. That’s a major international tournament win, and not ages prior to the World Cup. All federations should have it.

And how is it at all like Super league? C’mon dude. It’s literally the opposite. You have to win the most recent international major tournament to earn your spot. That’s meritocracy at its finest. It’s the same as CL winners and Europa Winners earning a spot in next years edition even if they don’t qualify domestically.

Well the rules keep changing all the time so I wouldn't be surprised to see continental championship winners eventually get an automatic berth in the world cup but this isn't comparable at all to getting automatic CL spots by winning EL or CL.

You win the CL/EL and you get an automatic berth the very next season. At NT level, there's a 2 year gap between continental championship and the world cup.

A lot can change during that time. It also gives a fair opportunity for teams that have improved to have a crack at a berth in the world cup as opposed to locking those spots up for continental championship winners who would just be playing useless friendlies during that time with no competitive games.

I wasn't exactly comparing this to the super league concept. You thought it was laughable that the Italy and Spain were placed in the same qualifying group. Well firstly, Italy were nowhere near the best teams at the time and secondly, it was their own fault. They were trash, dropped to an all time low in the rankings and hence placed in a difficult group. Should they have altered the rankings and overlooked their poor results just so they can get a easier group?

If you've proven you're the best in the continent and you can't breeze through a bunch of farm teams in your group, then you got yourself to blame.

As someone pointed out, if something like this happened to England or Spain, none would've given a shit about altering the rules.

 

[Post Ironic]

Well the rules keep changing all the time so I wouldn't be surprised to see continental championship winners get an automatic berth in the world cup but this isn't comparable at all to getting automatic CL spots by winning EL or CL spots.

You win the CL/EL and you get an automatic berth the very next season. At NT level, there's a 2 year gap between continental championship and the world cup.

A lot can change during that time. It also gives a fair opportunity for teams that have improved to have a crack at a berth in the world cup as opposed to locking those spots up for continental championship winners who would just be playing useless friendlies during that time with no competitive games.

I wasn't exactly comparing this to the super league concept. You thought it was laughable that the Italy and Spain were placed in the same qualifying group. Well firstly, Italy were nowhere near the best teams at the time and secondly, it was their own fault. They were trash, dropped to an all time low in the rankings and hence placed in a difficult group. Should they have altered the rankings and overlooked their poor results just so they can get a easier group?

If you've proven you're the best in the continent and you can't breeze through a bunch of farm teams in your group, then you got yourself to blame.

As someone pointed out, if something like this happened to England or Spain, none would've given a shit about altering the rules.

Farm teams? How exactly is Switzerland a farm team? They were a quarter finalist at the Euros and knocked out the defending World Cup champion France. Italy made their own bed and they have to lie in it now with poor results in the latter half of qualifying… but that is in part post Euro champions hangover and some important players falling out of form after a long year.

Anyways, we’re just gonna have to agree to disagree. I don’t care who the European champion is, Italy, England, Spain, France, etc. Imo winning it should be automatic qualification to the next World Cup.

 

[IliveForJuve]

What a dumb little bitch you are. Do the math you imbecilic motherfucker. 4.5 spots our of 10 - that's 45% chance of qualification, and since the 5th placed team plays New Zealand, it is technically 50%. Brazil and Argentina are mediocre, nothing like the Brazil and Argentina of the 90s and early part of the century.

This Brazil team and this Argentina team would actually struggle to qualify as group winners in European qualifiers. They'd lose to England, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and probably Croatia and Portugal. Heck, they would probably struggle to beat Switzerland and Denmark too.

What an ugly simple-minded inbred ablutophobic, greasy monkey. Saying that Brazil and Argentina are mediocre when 80% of the pot 1 UEFA teams would get roflstomped by them. Anyway, Brazil and Argentina wouldn't even have to face top European teams as they would be in pot 1 - they would just play a bunch of farmers with half those teams being worse than Bolivia. Even the weakest SA teams are tough to play against - have any of those top-flight European countries go play in Quito or La Paz (3600 meters above sea level) and guaranteed they will be needing oxygen 35 minutes into the game.

Teams you may consider to be weaker teams in the CONMEBOL are still leaps and bounds better than UEFA's weaker teams, and the quality of the average team in CONMEBOL is probably higher than that of the UEFA because the UEFA has a long tail end of weak sides.

Does UEFA have more qualifying spots relative to the quality of their group? Maybe, maybe not? Who knows? it's going to be a never-ending argument because it's hard to get people to agree on how to define quality. You'll always have the qualitative vs. quantitative argument going on.

I will agree that it's harder for underdogs to qualify in UEFA, but I believe CONMEBOL qualifiers are more challenging for stronger teams.

I just wanted to insult you

 

[Elvin]

It's not about italy for me. Just no point playing euros or the worldcup without the title holder. That just sucks.

It would make sense if those tournaments took place on a yearly basis. A lot changes in football in 2-4 years.

 

[Xperd]

Farm teams? How exactly is Switzerland a farm team? They were a quarter finalist at the Euros and knocked out the defending World Cup champion France. Italy made their own bed and they have to lie in it now with poor results in the latter half of qualifying… but that is in part post Euro champions hangover and some important players falling out of form after a long year.

Anyways, we’re just gonna have to agree to disagree. I don’t care who the European champion is, Italy, England, Spain, France, etc. Imo winning it should be automatic qualification to the next World Cup.

I'm not sure why you are singling out Switzerland. The whole group comprises of farm teams. Italy dropped 4 pts against Bulgaria and Northern Ireland. Had they not done that, the results against Switzerland wouldn't have even mattered in this equation.

Anyways, let's agree to disagree but honestly, it'd be hilarious to see Italy miss out again. I'm not sure if this has happened before though. Even one of the worst EURO winning teams in Greece managed to make the WC in 2006.

 

[kao_ray]

I'm not sure why you are singling out Switzerland. The whole group comprises of farm teams. Italy dropped 4 pts against Bulgaria and Northern Ireland. Had they not done that, the results against Switzerland wouldn't have even mattered in this equation.

Anyways, let's agree to disagree but honestly, it'd be hilarious to see Italy miss out again. I'm not sure if this has happened before though. Even one of the worst EURO winning teams in Greece managed to make the WC in 2006.

The only way this Italy is eliminated is by playing vs Portugal. Mancini's Italy should deal with all the other teams without too much problems. In football anything can happen but my prediction is clear - as long as Italy doesn't play with Portugal, they will almost certainly deal with the likes of Wales, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Austria, Macedonia, Poland, Czechia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Italy didn't qualify for the 2018 WC mainly due to Ventura. Sweden were an easy team to overcome.

 

[juve123]

The only way this Italy is eliminated is by playing vs Portugal. Mancini's Italy should deal with all the other teams without too much problems. In football anything can happen but my prediction is clear - as long as Italy doesn't play with Portugal, they will almost certainly deal with the likes of Wales, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Austria, Macedonia, Poland, Czechia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Italy didn't qualify for the 2018 WC mainly due to Ventura. Sweden were an easy team to overcome.

See italy and juve have the same problem no centre forward who will score goals so if the defence cant keep a clean sheet there is always going to be problem scoring goals