World Cup 2018 Qualification Draw

Must avoid: Spain, Germany
Not disastrous:England, Netherlands, Croatia, Belgium
Optimal: Portugal, Romania, Wales

Must avoid: Italy, France
Optimal: Iceland, Slovakia - but it's much of a muchness in truth.

Must avoid: Ukraine, Serbia, Poland, Sweden
Not disastrous: Greece, Scotland
Optimal: Northern Ireland, Albania, Hungary

No, they're just doing the South American one now so presumably up next.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Worth noting I think the European draw doesn't start till 5:30

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5.28 I don't see a tv listing for it, I'm watching sky news which is the best I can think of.

Oh it is on the red button on BBC

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Really not seeing the problems with Russia as a host tbh.

Long-established football nation that's never hosted either the World Cup or the Euros - they're long overdue a major tournament.

Getting around Russia is very easy given its size; the train network is exceptional and obviously you can hop on a flight as well.

And games aren't spread over the whole country - in fact, the area looks to be smaller than that over which the Brazil and US World Cups took place.

Russia's games are quite awkward for a host nation, who traditionally had all three group games in their capital - now they've to go to Samara for one game, which is a good bit away from their other games in Moscow and St Peterburg

Only thing that's awkward is that groups aren't split over just the two cities any more.

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As I wrote, Russia is not the issue it's the practice of spreading group games over a whole huge country, is the issue.
To be better than Brazil doesn't take much or the USA.
Russia's venues are the most beneficial in their group, 3 relatively close venues compared to the 3 others.
Have you not looked at the venue locations in general?
Maybe it's not much of an issue taking the north south train from Volgograd to Moscow 1000km - 15 hours on the train.
or from Volgograd to Saint Petersburg 1500km 20 hours on the train.
How about a cosy trip from Kaliningrad to Sochi some 2500 km? 2 and half days :)

Every group has extreme distance venues selected on their schedule. I just ask why it can't be different,more rational?

European draw just starting now

They're off draw started, pot six teams being drawn.

But I'm dying to go to the loo :D

With Moldova and Georgia (so far) in Group D.

And Serbia.

Very Eastern aspect so far.

Austria too. Not bad.

Top seeds in our group are Wales. Not a bad group all round.

not as bad as it could have been. I'll certainly take that

We should be competitive anyway which is the main thing. Lots of draws again I suspect!

Happy with that. Could have been worse. Serbia away is the tough one but we can pick up plenty of draws.

Ha ha I could not hold out and had to go to the loo, I literally shat myself when we drew Wales :D

I think that's a really, really decent draw, which should give us a good chance. Nothing daunting about it. No power-house and all teams are very even (although Serbia did do well at under-age level recently so their fortunes may be on the up again).

Getting arguably the hardest team in pot C has been counterbalanced somewhat by avoiding Italy & France and getting one of the worst - if not the worst - top seed.

As per usual, England somehow manage to get a comfortable group as they do in every other campaign.

I'll take that all day long, although I think we'll be 4th!

Bottom seeds tricky but not that much between the top 4, factoring in how I'm still in denial as to how cr@p we are. Wales are doing great but of the top seed options I think they're the best we could have got. No runaway leader and plenty of scope for other teams to drop points. Some winnable away games in theory too. Serbia lost home and away to Denmark in this Euro campaign. They blow hot and cold.

We need JD to bring some drones to Belgrade.