What group of death?!

[KC McElroy]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018...ld_Cup_seeding

Us and Morocco are surely amongst the strongest in pots 3 and 4.

Look at the other groups. Our group is very straight forward as to who is expected to advance.

[Persian-Pride87]

I think without a doubt our group is the group of death. It should be viewed as a group of death not only by Iranians/Moroccans/Spaniards or Portuguese but also by a neutral observer.

1.It has arguably the best European team in Spain (also a world cup champion and back to back Euro winner).

2. It has the current European Champion (with arguably the best player to ever play this game).

3.It has in my view the strongest African side (Morocco were good against us and great against Portugal. They have players in the best leagues in the world and came into the match with no goals conceded in qualification)

4. It has the best team from Asia (Japan has played well but they have been fortunate to play an entire game 11 vs 10 and be in a balanced group with no heavyweights).

Essentially, every team in our group is the best team in their respective zones plus a top 8 ranked team in Portgual who are the reigning European champions with the best player in the world.

[KC McElroy]

I think without a doubt our group is the group of death. It should be viewed as a group of death not only by Iranians/Moroccans/Spaniards or Portuguese but also by a neutral observer.
1.It has arguably the best European team in Spain (also a world cup champion and back to back Euro winner).
2. It has the current European Champion (with arguably the best player to ever play this game).
3.It has in my view the strongest African side (Morocco were good against us and great against Portugal. They have players in the best leagues in the world and came into the match with no goals conceded in qualification)
4. It has the best team from Asia (Japan has played well but they have been fortunate to play an entire game 11 vs 10 and be in a balanced group with no heavyweights).
Essentially, every team in our group is the best team in their respective zones plus a top 8 ranked team in Portgual who are the reigning European champions with the best player in the world.

To a neutral observer are there clear favorites in the group?

[YeCheesi Tala]

When you look at all the games played in our group...the level of competitiveness and excitement... there is no question about group B being group of death.
Iran escaping loss from Morocco
Spain escaping draw from Iran
Portugal luck/ref interference against Morocco
Spain and Portugal 3-3 game
-Spain/Portugal/Iran are neither safe going into match day round 3.
*Morocco was extremely unlucky to not have drawn/won a game. You bet they are hungry to take points away from Spain before going home

[KC McElroy]

When you look at all the games played in our group...the level of competitiveness and excitement... there is no question about group D being group of death.

Iran escaping loss from Morocco
Spain escaping draw from Iran
Portugal luck/ref interference against Morocco
Spain and Portugal 3-3 game

-Spain/Portugal/Iran are neither safe going into match day round 3.
*Morocco was extremely unlucky to not have drawn/won a game. You bet they are hungry to take points away from Spain before going home

You are talking about the actual games after being played. A group of death gets its label based on projections of how strong and balanced the group is. At the time of the draw to a neutral observer were there clear favorites in the group?

[Bessos]

I think there aren't any groups of death in this World Cup, but Group B comes closest to it. That is why some people said Group B is the group of death, relative to other groups in this WC.

[KC McElroy]

I think there aren't any groups of death in this World Cup, but Group B comes closest to it. That is why some people said Group B is the group of death, relative to other groups in this WC.

With this many teams from Asia, Africa and CONCACAF, it's almost impossible to have a group of death.

[YeCheesi Tala]

You are talking about the actual games after being played. A group of death gets its label based on projections of how strong and balanced the group is. At the time of the draw to a neutral observer were there clear favorites in the group?

Fair point

[Babak agha]

Our group, to a neutral, spectator is not a group of death, no matter how you turn it and twist it.

A group of death is either a group where one or more (if you include the underdog) teams that normally would get to end stages will have to be eliminated in the group stage. No one in it's right mind would hear "group B: Spain, Portugal, Iran and Morocco" and think anything other than Spain and Portugal going through.

A weak/lame way of defining group of death is looking at their FIFA ranking and if that's the highest total of the groups, calling that the group of death.

This BS that during every tournament a group is called the group of death (especially by fans of the underdog) is just that: BS.

Group of deaths happen every so now and then (and will not happen anymore after 2022 when there are 48 teams) like

Euro 2008: France, Italy, Netherlands and Romania
Euro 2012: Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Denmark
WC 2014 :. Uruguay, England, Italy and Costa Rica

[KC McElroy]

Our group, to a neutral, spectator is not a group of death, no matter how you turn it and twist it.

A group of death is either a group where one or more (if you include the underdog) teams that normally would get to end stages will have to be eliminated in the group stage. No one in it's right mind would hear "group B: Spain, Portugal, Iran and Morocco" and think anything other than Spain and Portugal going through.

A weak/lame way of defining group of death is looking at their FIFA ranking and if that's the highest total of the groups, calling that the group of death.

This BS that during every tournament a group is called the group of death (especially by fans of the underdog) is just that: BS.

Group of deaths happen every so now and then (and will not happen anymore after 2022 when there are 48 teams) like

Euro 2008: France, Italy, Netherlands and Romania
Euro 2012: Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Denmark
WC 2014 :. Uruguay, England, Italy and Costa Rica

Precisely. Anything other than that happening is an upset and a group of death by nature has no upsets as all teams have a reasonable chance of advancing.
I would disagree with your WC 2014 example. I think Uruguay, England and Italy all were certain they had at least one win guaranteed. It was a group of death for Costa Rica as no one gave them a chance to advance given the opponents granted they defied the odds and pulled an upset.

[Sam van Dam]

Lol this thread is opened on the last day of the second round of group stage. We’re in a tough group no doubt. I’d call it the group of death. There’s two cup contenders, a strong team from Africa with European players and the best team in asia that’s recently gone through a rennasaince in our football. All the other Asian teams, maybe besides South Korea have easy groups and they’re all struggling except Japan who got lucky to play a 10 man Colombia for the majority of the game.

[Persian-Pride87]

I dont agree with the idea that group of death = no clear favorites. That would be a valid argument if we could have a group like Brazil/Spain/Germany/Argentina.

If you look at the teams that make up the group it contains arguably the best from every confederation represented and arguably the best teams from the four pots considering Fifa rules relating group make up.

To a neutral observer are there clear favorites in the group?

[Persian-Pride87]

Colombia, Poland, Senegal and Japan is a relatively balanced group with no huge favorite before the WC started. Would any of you label that the group of death?

[Babak agha]

Oh btw there seem to be a lot of people who are way over estimating Morocco's standing.

1. There's a reason why they haven't been part of world cup for 20 years as they're not a power house even in Africa

2. They have a couple of interesting players who are just that.... They're not fit to play for the "best teams" (Dutch teams are not even third rate in Europe), their best player is Benatia who didn't cut it in Bayern...

3. They're not a team. Half of their players can't even communicate to each other properly.

That, plus Iran who hadn't won a game in 20 years, would actually argue that our group is actually a very easy one and not a group of death how much we would like to call it.

We have the reining European champion with arguably one of if not the best player in the game history, one of the best teams in the world and recent history (although maybe a bit over the hill). And then we have Iran and Morocco.

I didn't look it up, but I guess our team has the lowest yield at the bookies in predicting which teams would survive the group stages.

[KC McElroy]

I dont agree with the idea that group of death = no clear favorites. That would be a valid argument if we could have a group like Brazil/Spain/Germany/Argentina.

If you look at the teams that make up the group it contains arguably the best from every confederation represented and arguably the best teams from the four pots considering Fifa rules relating group make up.

But you still haven't answered my question. To a neutral observer are there any clear favorites in the group?