Subject: WCQ season 12

New world cup qualifying season starts in few weeks. We have very tough group and there is no easy countries.

Here is our qualitying group and opponents:

România

World ranking: 3.
Users: 3982
Avg.marks ~ 78-81,5

Favorite to win our group. Tough opponent with huge player amount and quality. I would be happy if we can get one point against them.

Colombia

World ranking: 23.
Users: 456
Avg.marks ~ 76-78

Colombia didn't qualify last time, but they have strong team. This is a team we have to beat to qualify, but their avg.marks are much higher than ours.

Slovenija

World ranking: 43.
Users: 64
Avg.marks ~ 70-72

More users, but their avg.marks will be quite same (than ours). We need full 6 points from Slovenija and that's quite hard task as well.

Ísland

World ranking: 54.
Users: 12
Avg.marks ~ 68-71

Fourth place in last four qualifyings. Last time we started superb, but we couldn't suprise big national teams in second round. Our best NT defenders and NT midfielders are getting old and midfield's future in age groups 22 to 26 looks quite thinny. But we are ready for the battle! :)

Misr (Egypt)

World ranking: 77.
Users: 107
Avg.marks ~ 62-65

Misr is 10 times bigger sokker country than Ísland, but their avg.marks and ranking are lower than ours. Dangerous team who beated for example Turkey in their last qualifyings.

Īrān

World ranking: 83.
Users: 11
Avg.marks ~ 59-62

Weakest team in our group, but still gets good avg.marks. We need good performance against these teams.

[URL=http://s11.flagcounter.com/more/g5x][/URL]

Ísland's friendly schedule:

week 04: Bosna i Hercegovina
week 08: Sverige
week 12: South Africa U26
week 15: Suomi
week 00: Lithuania U26
week 01: Paraguay U26 (match is after age update and teams will be then U27)


NEXT SEASON:

Week 02:
Week 03: Group match 1
Week 04: Group match 2
Week 05: Group match 3
Week 06: 1/8 final
Week 07: 1/4 final
Week 08: 1/2 final
Week 09: Final
Week 10:
Week 11:
Week 12:
Week 13:
Week 14: South Africa
Week 15:
Week 00:
Week 01:


(edited)

Good luck!!!!!

Friendly: Ísland - Zhōngguó (China)

Last friendly match before world cup qualifyings starts!

This is "first team" match, but I use more reserves, because we have very important NT match coming next week.

1. Knútur Þorbergsson
2. Jón Haukur Sigurbjörnsson
3. Gunnleifur Haraldsson
4. Jóhannes Jökulsson
5. Freyr Friðbjörnsson
6. Patrekur Bjartsson
7. Ólafur Helgi Karlsson
8. Stefán Alexandersson
9. Erik Benediktsson
10. Eiður Róbertsson
11. Kolbeinn Baldursson

12. Thomas Bjartmannsson
13. Ámundi Unnarsson
14. Jóhann Sólbjartsson
15. Elvar Örn Arnbergsson
16. Sigurvin Yngvarsson
(edited)

Interesting lineup, because 4 midfielders are Skytturnar's and striker Baldursson Þór's players. So they come from domestic clubs and defs and goalie comes outside Ísland.

Will be very interesting.

Start was really bad and we have to change our tactic. Second half was little bit better.

We have 1-2 good tactics (none of them shown today) and if our best players are in good form - then Íslands journey in world cup will be interesting.

World cup qualifying starts!

Ísland - Slovenija

Now it starts! First match against Slovenija - who is one of our main opponents. It will be tough fight, but we trust in hard defence, few good combinations and our world class strikers.

We have little bit problems in midfield where some of our key players are getting old or they are in bad form. Valdimarsson is injured, but I think we have good enough players to cover him.

In defence we have good skills - and those players are in good form. We have few attackers/goalies to choose from.

Lineup will be secret, because I don't wan't any chance to scout our starting lineup.


(edited)

Close game, but very disappointing result.

Īrān - Ísland

After first round we have "jumbo final" against Iran. These are the games where we can't loose any points!

Iran average values are around 58-60. I am going to use more attacking tactics.


Group G league table:

1. Slovenija...2-0...3
2. Misr...........1-0...3
3. România....0-0...1
4. Colombia...0-0...1
5. Īrān...........0-1...0
6. Ísland........0-2...0

Now we played a solid game. We left no chances for Iran.

Midfielders Sigmundsson and Friðbjörnsson got injured. Especially last one is very hard to replace.

some fails of my gk by some high balls....because of that a higher loose for me then needed.

Yes, there was at least two of them if I remember right.

but sure, Iran had no change for the win, you was better, that's right.
I had only two (good) changes wasted for a goal...bad luck...
Good luck with your next maches!

Group G league table:

1. România...4-0...4
2. Colombia..4-0...4
---------------------------
3. Ísland.......5-2...3
4. Slovenija..2-4...3
5. Misr..........1-4...3
6. Īrān.........0-6...0