World Cup 2014 thread

~~Cuthbert~~ · 10-30-2013, 09:08 AM

People have been saying this for years. Good on paper, great for their clubs etc.

Same old outcome. The last time we beat a top team in knockout competition was when? Spain in 1996, 17 years ago?

**Goofle** · 10-30-2013, 09:15 AM

Lets not pretend Belgium and Portugal have performed wonderfully in recent years either. Not close to England in terms of talent pool right now.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 10-30-2013, 10:06 AM

Portugal - 2 semi's, a QF (2008 where we failed to qualify) and a last 16 in their last 4 tournaments. They have actually knocked us out in 2 of our last 4 tournaments. Spain could only beat them on pens at the Euros and Portugal beat them 4-0 the year before.

Belgium are a dark horse and I think people are overrating them slightly because they've got all these players coming through at once yet haven't done anything like you say (hence why I put them on about the same level as us), I would expect us to beat Belgium if we faced them but I wouldn't be surprised if we lost either.

chris_mills · 10-30-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle11

England are miles better than Netherlands, Portugal, Uruguay and Colombia.

Winners: Argentina
Runners Up: Spain
3rd: Brazil
4th: Germany
Quarter final teams: England, Italy, France and Belgium.

I don't think Argentina have a good chance of winning. Sure there attack is great. Messi, Aguero etc. however look at there defence. It's nothing special and there midfield lacks creativity and a strong playmaker.
Also France are quite bad now and I think if they qualify they won't get the ought be groups imo. Other than that ur predictions could be correct.

14232949 · 10-30-2013, 01:16 PM

Winners: Brazil
Runners Up: Germany
3rd: Italy
4th: Argentina
Quarters: England, Spain, Switzerland, USA

There we go to mix it up a wee bit.

FRED HALE SR. · 10-30-2013, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mankycaaant

Winners: Brazil
Runners Up: Germany
3rd: Italy
4th: Argentina
Quarters: England, Spain, Switzerland, USA

There we go to mix it up a wee bit.

These picks would look good with Spain 3rd instead of Italia. Germany will probably beat Brazil, but Brazil looks good going into it.

chris_mills · 10-30-2013, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mankycaaant

Winners: Brazil
Runners Up: Germany
3rd: Italy
4th: Argentina
Quarters: England, Spain, Switzerland, USA

There we go to mix it up a wee bit.

USA? HA! Good Luck with that.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 10-30-2013, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_mills

I don't think Argentina have a good chance of winning. Sure there attack is great. Messi, Aguero etc. however look at there defence. It's nothing special and there midfield lacks creativity and a strong playmaker.
Also France are quite bad now and I think if they qualify they won't get the ought be groups imo. Other than that ur predictions could be correct.

Spain won the World Cup and two European Championships with Barça's defence though. Granted, they are Spain, but with Messi, Argentina have a great chance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_mills

USA? HA! Good Luck with that.

They are a decent side. If they get out of the groups the 2nd round game could be against someone like Ecuador.

**Goofle** · 10-30-2013, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_mills

I don't think Argentina have a good chance of winning. Sure there attack is great. Messi, Aguero etc. however look at there defence. It's nothing special and there midfield lacks creativity and a strong playmaker.
Also France are quite bad now and I think if they qualify they won't get the ought be groups imo. Other than that ur predictions could be correct.

Messi is Argentina's playmaker, so yeah, they are all good in that position.

chris_mills · 10-30-2013, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle11

Messi is Argentina's playmaker, so yeah, they are all good in that position.

Yeah I suppose Messi could play in goal as well. He's probably amazing at that too.

10-30-2013, 09:08 AM	#71 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	People have been saying this for years. Good on paper, great for their clubs etc. Same old outcome. The last time we beat a top team in knockout competition was when? Spain in 1996, 17 years ago?

10-30-2013, 10:06 AM	#73 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Portugal - 2 semi's, a QF (2008 where we failed to qualify) and a last 16 in their last 4 tournaments. They have actually knocked us out in 2 of our last 4 tournaments. Spain could only beat them on pens at the Euros and Portugal beat them 4-0 the year before. Belgium are a dark horse and I think people are overrating them slightly because they've got all these players coming through at once yet haven't done anything like you say (hence why I put them on about the same level as us), I would expect us to beat Belgium if we faced them but I wouldn't be surprised if we lost either.

10-30-2013, 01:16 PM	#75 (permalink)
14232949 The Big Dog Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,989	Winners: Brazil Runners Up: Germany 3rd: Italy 4th: Argentina Quarters: England, Spain, Switzerland, USA There we go to mix it up a wee bit.