Comments on: Perché è ognuno felice per il sorteggio? http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/ For North American fans of the Italian game Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:49:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: serieAmerica » Non è tempo di parlare di questo. http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-256 serieAmerica » Non è tempo di parlare di questo. Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:57:29 +0000 http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-256 [...] I’m referring to the World Cup 2010 qualification fixtures, of course! They were announced today, but in my opinion, it’s really too early to discuss a set of matches beginning in September when there’s the little matter of the Euro 2008 tournament between now and then. (By the way, Euro 2008 is just 143 days away, in case you’re wondering. Yes, I agree that it sure as $*!# is soon.) Since it is too friggin’ early to really get into it, I’ll just list the fixtures. If you really want to go nuts analyzing, you can refer back to my post-draw… um… post. [...] [...] I’m referring to the World Cup 2010 qualification fixtures, of course! They were announced today, but in my opinion, it’s really too early to discuss a set of matches beginning in September when there’s the little matter of the Euro 2008 tournament between now and then. (By the way, Euro 2008 is just 143 days away, in case you’re wondering. Yes, I agree that it sure as $*!# is soon.) Since it is too friggin’ early to really get into it, I’ll just list the fixtures. If you really want to go nuts analyzing, you can refer back to my post-draw… um… post. [...]

]]> By: Vin http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-100 Vin Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:55:19 +0000 http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-100 I understand what you're saying, Marco, and while I agree that the other groups present their difficulties as well, I'm just saying that discounting our competition is a bad idea (and here's the key) ESPECIALLY when we have a team that likes to sit back and relax when they perceive that they have the upper hand. It's not so much about our group being more dangerous than the others; it's not. It's more about how saying that it shouldn't be difficult will affect the Azzurri mentality. Thanks for visiting the site, by the way. I do subscribe to your RSS feed! I understand what you’re saying, Marco, and while I agree that the other groups present their difficulties as well, I’m just saying that discounting our competition is a bad idea (and here’s the key) ESPECIALLY when we have a team that likes to sit back and relax when they perceive that they have the upper hand.

It’s not so much about our group being more dangerous than the others; it’s not. It’s more about how saying that it shouldn’t be difficult will affect the Azzurri mentality.

Thanks for visiting the site, by the way. I do subscribe to your RSS feed!

]]> By: Marco Pantanella http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-98 Marco Pantanella Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:16:12 +0000 http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-98 Frankly, while there's no particular reason to be overly optimistic, there's no reason to be so alarmist either. All groups have their "easy-on-paper-but-tough-in-practice-opponents", be it Sweden/Denmark/Hungary for Portugal, Israel,Switzerland for Greece, Poland/Slovenia,N.Ireland for Czech Republic... I mean I could go on through each group and find you tough opponents, if you really want to dissect each team one by one. Point is, there is NO ONE in Italy's group that's a major European soccer power, and that's a fact: all of the opponents are well within the Azzurri's reach. Does that mean we can breeze through the qualifiers? Of course not, that is never the case. At the same time, is there a team that stands out as being THE serious contender for 1st-rank spot in the group? Nope either. <b>Bulgaria</b> just had a good Euro qualifying campaign but they've been marred by inconsistency the past 10 years. <b>Ireland</b> can potentially be a danger, but their performance away from home is nowhere near as good as when they play at Croke Park/Lansdowne Road. <b>Cyprus/Georgia</b> are what they are: low-level teams capable of causing an upset from time to time (the 3-2 against Spain a few years back and the 2-0 to Scotland come respectively to mind). As for <b>Montenegro</b>, they are non-existent in footballing terms. You mentioned Vucinic, but that's about the only well-known player in the Montenegrin roster... all the best players from the Serbia & Montenegro days are now playing for Serbia. In the end we'll see: the Azzurri's destiny will be, as usual, in their own hands, but frankly I see really no need to be alarmed. there are other groups who have it way worse than we do (Holland's group comes to mind). Frankly, while there’s no particular reason to be overly optimistic, there’s no reason to be so alarmist either.

All groups have their “easy-on-paper-but-tough-in-practice-opponents”, be it Sweden/Denmark/Hungary for Portugal, Israel,Switzerland for Greece, Poland/Slovenia,N.Ireland for Czech Republic… I mean I could go on through each group and find you tough opponents, if you really want to dissect each team one by one.

Point is, there is NO ONE in Italy’s group that’s a major European soccer power, and that’s a fact: all of the opponents are well within the Azzurri’s reach. Does that mean we can breeze through the qualifiers? Of course not, that is never the case. At the same time, is there a team that stands out as being THE serious contender for 1st-rank spot in the group? Nope either.

Bulgaria just had a good Euro qualifying campaign but they’ve been marred by inconsistency the past 10 years. Ireland can potentially be a danger, but their performance away from home is nowhere near as good as when they play at Croke Park/Lansdowne Road. Cyprus/Georgia are what they are: low-level teams capable of causing an upset from time to time (the 3-2 against Spain a few years back and the 2-0 to Scotland come respectively to mind). As for Montenegro, they are non-existent in footballing terms. You mentioned Vucinic, but that’s about the only well-known player in the Montenegrin roster… all the best players from the Serbia & Montenegro days are now playing for Serbia.

In the end we’ll see: the Azzurri’s destiny will be, as usual, in their own hands, but frankly I see really no need to be alarmed. there are other groups who have it way worse than we do (Holland’s group comes to mind).

]]> By: Daily Dose: 26.11.07 - World Football - The Offside - Soccer News and Opinion from leagues around the world http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-94 Daily Dose: 26.11.07 - World Football - The Offside - Soccer News and Opinion from leagues around the world Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:01:22 +0000 http://www.serieamerica.com/blog/2007/11/26/perche-e-ognuno-felice-per-il-sorteggio/#comment-94 [...] Not so fast, Azzurri fans - the draw ain’t that easy (serieAmerica) [...] [...] Not so fast, Azzurri fans – the draw ain’t that easy (serieAmerica) [...]

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