hopefully not Nu Zuland


What do you think about the FourFourTwo blog Who's going through with Italy??
Being a Kiwi, it's hard to look at group F from anything other than an All Whites perspective.  Where might we grab a point, or even a win?  And who might really put us to the sword?
From a...

Have your say.

Lucky win against Slovakia, shock 0-0 draw with Italy, and you are just about through. Good luck, Kiwis!

PS: If you make it further than Australia, you are all really Australians, OK? And our friends in Israel can fake the passports to prove it!

slovaks

Slovakia, on the basis that Paraguay are never much chop at World Cups.

Who's the bigger chokehorse?

NEW ZEALAND.
I'd be so excited if it Happened.

wish australia was in that group......

The question for me really is who's going to win the group - Paraguay certainly have the quality to knock over this Italian side which is old and nothing really special.

Slovakia is easily the worst European side at the WC, absolutely nothing to be afraid of there for us.

I think Paraguay are good enough to get through this group.

Ideal scenario = Paraguay top the group, and NZ squeezes out Italy for second spot. Arrividerci, Roma!

Paraguay are very beatable, The Socceroos have a great record over the, Not saying the kiwis are the same but the Sth Americans cant handle the hight of most euro teams.

Utterly ridiculous that Slovakia can be called 'the worst European side at the World Cup'.

Seen them play at all?

Yes, I have Slovakia seen Slovakia play in the qualifiers.

They are a very, very average side that got incredibly lucky in the initial qualifying draw which pitted them with the declining Czechs, average Poles, and average Slovenians.

You could have at least googled the spelling gaz ;)

Sorry Italy first Paraguay second.

Italy will win because they will pay of the ref prior to the event. :o

(here it comes)

Nah no argument...
If you were talking about a league game that is...
I think you'll find in World Cups we(the other we)have been on the receiving end a fair bit...
Youtube the footage of South Korea vs Italy in 2002 and tell me which team paid the ref...

I think we all can agree on south Korea and the refs on that one though :-$

Gaz you get an honorary Kiwi badge that you can hide under your Aussie one, to bring out when required like (feverishly dreaming) the night we beat Italy...

Looking at the mate's club that Lippi has named...I'm unconvinced that Italy will make it out of the group.

I'm backing Paraguay and Slovakia to make it through. Paraguay to stun Italy with a Cardozo special.

nomates
14/05/2010 8:59:58 AM
"Paraguay are very beatable, The Socceroos have a great record over them"
Last time NZ played them, in Chile's Centenary Tournament in 1995, result was only 3-2 to Paraguay (NZ's Mike McGarry playing a blinder).
Let's not forget the friendly prior to last year's Confeds Cup in SA where NZ went ahead of the Azzuri three times before being squeezed out 4-3 near the end.
No smiles on Lippi's face that day!
Slovakia are probably a bit stronger than people think with several players in the Bundesliga etc.

I hate to ruin ur optimism but NZ were lucky. A number of players who played NZ are not in the WC squad. Lets not forget that this is the WC. Italy will play 10x better. NZ will struggle and will need everyone to be in perfect shape with perfect tactics and a lot of luck to get through
But ur right about Slovakia they will pose a solid challenge

Man, if NZ get out of their group and we don't. There will forever be arguments about who had the harder group.

I think it will be Paraguay this time.Its been a long time between drinks for them. I will be putting a sweet $50 on them.

Long time between drinks for what exactly. They made the 2nd round in 1998 and then again in 2002

Well for $50 its not a bad bet kuratz.

I'd say relatively speaking the Socceroos and our group is pretty much the same in terms of difficulty.

Italy and Paraguay!

I think all whites have no chance to mark a single point in this group. I'm sorry kiwi supporter, but nzl looks like a class in school trip. It's a good tournament to gain experience btw.

Maybe in next 8 years could be competitive to pass the group stage.

I like Jason Pine. He's upfront and honest - calls it how he sees it.
Let's be realistic NZ would be happy to get a point and not be humiliated in the other two games. Although officially no one will say that.
Good luck Ricki, no one expects much of NZ ... I think it's time we think about changing that !!!