I think there is a very simple way of looking at it.
1. If we beat Nigeria, it will be between us and Bosnia in the last game.
2. If we loose against Nigeria, we can consider ourselves out of contention of qualifying top 2. It will be between Nigeria and Bosnia.
3. If we draw Nigeria, once again it will come down to the game against Bosnia where we will need to win to maybe sneak through.
So, like Queiroz said, Nigeria might be our opening game, but it is our final.
Personally, if the team is well prepared after our camps and our key players remain injury free and on form, and we somehow manage to pull of a victory against Nigeria i see us getting the 2nd spot. Anything but a win against Nigeria and 2nd spot is extremely unlikely.
My heart says Iran/Argentina
My brain says Bosnia/Argentina
1. If we beat Nigeria, it will be between us and Bosnia in the last game.
2. If we loose against Nigeria, we can consider ourselves out of contention of qualifying top 2. It will be between Nigeria and Bosnia.
3. If we draw Nigeria, once again it will come down to the game against Bosnia where we will need to win to maybe sneak through.
So, like Queiroz said, Nigeria might be our opening game, but it is our final.
Personally, if the team is well prepared after our camps and our key players remain injury free and on form, and we somehow manage to pull of a victory against Nigeria i see us getting the 2nd spot. Anything but a win against Nigeria and 2nd spot is extremely unlikely.
My heart says Iran/Argentina
My brain says Bosnia/Argentina
Argentina 95%, Nigeria 60%, Iran 25%, Bosnia 20% will go through to the next round.
We have the least valuable players by miles but our advantages are a good coach, unknown players, longer preparation, being underdogs, and that most of our players will be better rested than European based players before the WC. Bosnia are too proud of themselves and that is the number one killer in the WC. Nigerians are good individually, will do well in the hot humid climate, and they are physical. They just lack cohesive intelligence of the top 10 teams. The chance of them hurting others is more than the chance they help themselves. Argentina is loaded, no real odds against them, 5% is just for accounting for when things go randomly wrong.
We have the least valuable players by miles but our advantages are a good coach, unknown players, longer preparation, being underdogs, and that most of our players will be better rested than European based players before the WC. Bosnia are too proud of themselves and that is the number one killer in the WC. Nigerians are good individually, will do well in the hot humid climate, and they are physical. They just lack cohesive intelligence of the top 10 teams. The chance of them hurting others is more than the chance they help themselves. Argentina is loaded, no real odds against them, 5% is just for accounting for when things go randomly wrong.
Let's look at reality. Iran has had NO preparation for WC. No good matches so far and we are a few months from the event. Other than a few good players in Europe, the team is a combination of a local talents (and lets face it) IPL is an amateur league at best. While we are passionate fans and love our TM, the ones that have a few years on their bones (like yours truly) tend to look at the world through different color lenses. In the current division I think we are lucky if we have a single win. Most likely scenario is two loses to Argentina or Nigeria with a chance to tie Bosnia. I would not be surprise if we have a two ties and a loss but I think that is a hard task. The best that we could hope for is 3 ties. I just don't see us being able to muster an outright win.
Our biggest match believe it or not is the one with Argentina. If we are able to somehow shock the world and tie (or dare I dream and Win) we will change our faith tremendously. If we lose badly to Argentina we will not recover and would most likely end up last in our group. Again as the world turns today our current preparation is so crappy that anything other than three straight loses is pipe dream
Our biggest match believe it or not is the one with Argentina. If we are able to somehow shock the world and tie (or dare I dream and Win) we will change our faith tremendously. If we lose badly to Argentina we will not recover and would most likely end up last in our group. Again as the world turns today our current preparation is so crappy that anything other than three straight loses is pipe dream
The only lucky thing about Iran is Gucci and dejagha that are great shooters . It will come to them pulling a magic.
Let's look at reality. Iran has had NO preparation for WC. No good matches so far and we are a few months from the event. Other than a few good players in Europe, the team is a combination of a local talents (and lets face it) IPL is an amateur league at best. While we are passionate fans and love our TM, the ones that have a few years on their bones (like yours truly) tend to look at the world through different color lenses. In the current division I think we are lucky if we have a single win. Most likely scenario is two loses to Argentina or Nigeria with a chance to tie Bosnia. I would not be surprise if we have a two ties and a loss but I think that is a hard task. The best that we could hope for is 3 ties. I just don't see us being able to muster an outright win.
Our biggest match believe it or not is the one with Argentina. If we are able to somehow shock the world and tie (or dare I dream and Win) we will change our faith tremendously. If we lose badly to Argentina we will not recover and would most likely end up last in our group. Again as the world turns today our current preparation is so crappy that anything other than three straight loses is pipe dream
Our biggest match believe it or not is the one with Argentina. If we are able to somehow shock the world and tie (or dare I dream and Win) we will change our faith tremendously. If we lose badly to Argentina we will not recover and would most likely end up last in our group. Again as the world turns today our current preparation is so crappy that anything other than three straight loses is pipe dream
whats the big deal about Nigeria???
Most of their players are reserves and bench warming in EPL
shola Ameobi @ Newcastle
Victor Moses @ Liverpool ... cant remember the last he played for us
they got a few average players in Italy and Belguim..
Not impressed with Nigeria and they are certainly beatable
Most of their players are reserves and bench warming in EPL
shola Ameobi @ Newcastle
Victor Moses @ Liverpool ... cant remember the last he played for us
they got a few average players in Italy and Belguim..
Not impressed with Nigeria and they are certainly beatable
We know Argentina for sure but 2nd place is no lock and Bosnia is not invincible they lost 2-0 to Egypt a team that DNQ and Nigeria has problems playing in high altitude. It is not at all impossible for Iran to advance and this is their best chance they are in relatively easy group for once.
Houshmand pointed it out I don't know why people are making a big deal out of Nigeria like you said most of them are EPL bench warmers and they tied to a struggling Mexico team, who needed USA's help in order to qualify. Actually our best chance to win will be against Nigeria and they usually bomb when they play at high altitudes. Also, Bosnia is not invincible they played in a joke of a group and they are not that great they also blew a 2-0 lead to USA in their own home. I know these are friendly games but it reveals something.
Houshmand pointed it out I don't know why people are making a big deal out of Nigeria like you said most of them are EPL bench warmers and they tied to a struggling Mexico team, who needed USA's help in order to qualify. Actually our best chance to win will be against Nigeria and they usually bomb when they play at high altitudes. Also, Bosnia is not invincible they played in a joke of a group and they are not that great they also blew a 2-0 lead to USA in their own home. I know these are friendly games but it reveals something.
Sounds about right but rankings get thrown at the window once the WC starts. We know Argentina is going in but the race for second place is wide open and every team Iran, Bosnia and Nigeria all have an equal chance for the most part. Nigeria has good players but they struggle in high altitude games and most of their players are EPL bench warmers. As for Bosnia again good players but not household names and the same can be said about Iran (hopefully that will change with a good showing). We know one team is going with Argentina and the other two are going home disappointed. Fifa rankings are like college football rankings, they are good for fans to discuss and brag about their team or not if your team sucks.
I think Bosnia has the best chance of finishing 2nd. They have a good generation of players and are individually the strongest of the 3. They also qualified rather easily, though it was from the easiest group in the UEFA quals. I rate Nigeria lower than them. Iran has the least quality of the 3, but we're not chanceless. All 3 teams have much stronger attacks than defences, which could make for some nice, unpredictable matches full of goals.