[Jameison]

"Compare that to the situation in the South American or European groups, where the qualifying rounds are infinitely harder, with each team expecting to lose at least some games. "

The same Europe also happens to have far more slots than anyone else for the World Cup, and I remember some years(1982 for example) when crap football countries like Northern Ireland even qualified for the World Cup.
Heck even the hopeless Wales did once qualify for the World Cup on 1958.
How hard can Europeans World cup qualifying be with teams like that getting through?
We haven't even talked about a tint country like Brittan n having to the tune of FOUR possible slots at the World Cup.