Post by: Sine on December 14, 2017, 04:30:11 pm
Australia realistically have little to no chance to compete or even get out of their group sadly :(
(https://i.imgur.com/XJnWBM3.png?1)
Post by: K888 on December 14, 2017, 04:43:30 pm
Based off current form, I'm tipping Germany to win - undefeated in 2017 and a good, strong squad. Also keen to see England inevitably choke :D
Post by: appleandbee on December 14, 2017, 04:47:59 pm
As for which team I hope will win, probably Belgium because they are the dark horses (Thierry Henry who is one of my favourite players is their assistant coach). I like the Spanish national team but they were really dominant between the 2008-2012 period, so I'm ready for something fresh.
Pity that Zlatan retired from international football last year considering Sweden didn't make the last two world cups (even if he didn't retire back then, if he probably wouldn't play for Sweden after the injury).
Post by: Clapped on December 14, 2017, 04:56:51 pm
Hoping Argentina can win it.
Post by: Sine on December 14, 2017, 05:19:47 pm
Analytically I think Germany definitely has the best chance of winning but would like to see Argentina or Belgium to win. Argentina for Messi and Belgium KDB. Realistically only around 4-6 can probably win and Argentina and Belgium are at the fringe of that.
Post by: spectroscopy on December 14, 2017, 07:18:23 pm
to be honest, 4 points with a good goal difference is realistically gonna be good enough to get australia through. france will probably win every match, and if australia can beat either denmark or peru and draw the other, it's just gonna be about goal difference. This group is kinda similiar to australias in 2006 where brazil just pumped everyone and we only lost to them by 1, beat japan by 2, and drew croatia and we were through. it's just gonna be a question of how good the side is come tournament time. I don't really have high hopes with the current squad, but there have a lot of good young australian talent that have been ludicriously underutilized by postecoglou and I hope they get a chance at playing soon. replace robbie kruse with jamie maclaren and give mustafa amini a shot and we could beat germany 30-0 with 9 men.
anyway this all depends on who we get as a coach.
Post by: The Special One on February 08, 2018, 12:04:45 am
I honestly think Argentina will win it this year.
I know France has the better squad but Argentina have the best player in the world.
Post by: Sine on June 12, 2018, 07:13:03 pm
This is what I'm thinking
Group Winners (A-H): Uruguay, Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Belgium and Senegal.
Group Runner-ups (A-H): Egypt, Portugal, Denmark, Croatia, Costa Rica, Mexico, England and Colombia.
Post by: appleandbee on June 12, 2018, 08:31:00 pm
staring in a couple of days who has got predicitions?
This is what I'm thinking
Group Winners (A-H): Uruguay, Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Belgium and Senegal.
Group Runner-ups (A-H): Egypt, Portugal, Denmark, Croatia, Costa Rica, Mexico, England and Colombia.
Pretty much the same, except I think that Switzerland will make it through the group stage over Costa Rica (unless Campbell does a repeat of the last WC) and Colombia followed by Poland for Group H (as good as Mane may be for Liverpool).
Post by: Sine on June 13, 2018, 01:31:00 am
Pretty much the same, except I think that Switzerland will make it through the group stage over Costa Rica (unless Campbell does a repeat of the last WC) and Colombia followed by Poland for Group H (as good as Mane may be for Liverpool).Hmm yeah I definitely don't disagree with those picks on paper. Just got a good feeling about Senegal and Costa Rica.
Post by: spectroscopy on June 13, 2018, 02:24:31 am
Post by: S200 on June 16, 2018, 09:00:39 pm
And then he goals it... :'(
Meh...
Post by: Sine on June 17, 2018, 01:50:35 pm
Post by: RobertGreenez on June 20, 2018, 11:14:18 pm
Post by: S200 on June 24, 2018, 01:57:29 am
Realising that Mexico have actually named Corona in their subs... :D
EDIT. And used him as well!! :D WTG!
PS.
NVM. They got him on. :D
And why didn't VAR pick up that foul on Berg?
A pretty good game tbh, and great strikes from Germany... Kroooooooooos!!!!
But Berg shoulda got a penalty for the foul on him, and it shoulda been a draw imo. :'(
Post by: S200 on June 27, 2018, 04:15:26 am
Post by: appleandbee on June 27, 2018, 06:30:28 am
Also I would have loved Iran to progress over Portugal (although I would prefer Morocco over those two), but the referee made the right decision. Both matches in that group were exciting, it was an unexpectedly high quality and competitive group.
Post by: S200 on July 03, 2018, 01:30:00 am
And compare with our wonderful Ozzy Man's Review of Soccer Dives.
Those doctors 100% have healing powers.
I think that all Soccer (internationally) players should have an initiation period of playing AFL, to learn what injuries actually look like. :(
Post by: Sine on July 03, 2018, 03:41:32 am
Lol. Check Neymar at 70 minutes...neymar is a meme at this point
And compare with our wonderful Ozzy Man's Review of Soccer Dives.
Those doctors 100% have healing powers.
I think that all Soccer (internationally) players should have an initiation period of playing AFL, to learn what injuries actually look like. :(
Was kinda hoping mexico would make a game out of it but another Round of 16 exit for them (happened every wc from 1994 to 2018)
Hopefully Belgium can easily get past Japan and KDB doesn't get a yellow card.
Post by: S200 on July 03, 2018, 11:10:49 am
Was kinda hoping mexico would make a game out of it but another Round of 16 exit for them (happened every wc from 1994 to 2018)Yeah. I really liked how Mexico was shaping up.
Hopefully Belgium can easily get past Japan and KDB doesn't get a yellow card.
Thankfully Belgium is still in it. Belgium and Uruguay for the Semi's I recon.
And yeah, it would seriously suck if De Bruyne was sent off... :(
Post by: Joseph41 on July 14, 2018, 02:39:16 pm
Post by: K888 on July 14, 2018, 02:46:25 pm
So - tips? ;DHoping that Croatia get the win, but I think France's experience and the fact that Croatia have played an obscene amount of extra time in the knockout rounds will do favours for France.
Gonna be a great game to watch ;D
Post by: appleandbee on July 14, 2018, 08:56:24 pm
So - tips? ;D
I hope Croatia will win, because I have supported them from the start (although I did predict Spain to knock them out it the quarters had they won against Russia) and know how much it means to the country given that one of my housemates is of Croatian heritage. The spirit of the team is admirable. If Luka Modric, the captain and one of the best players in the world gets to hold up the trophy, I'll probably cry given how he endured the worst horrors of the Yugoslavian war. Family members were executed in front of him, he was homeless and was a child refugee. You just can't help but love sports when it comes to how it has got people through dire circumstances. Although I'm not saying that it wouldn't have any value for France, given that almost 80% of the team is of African descent, hopefully it enables greater acceptance of immigrants.
Although yeah, Croatia has played the equivalent of one additional match (extra times in each of their knockout matches) and France has an all-round better team...
Post by: S200 on July 14, 2018, 10:37:43 pm
I hope Croatia will win, because I have supported them from the start (although I did predict Spain to knock them out it the quarters had they won against Russia) and know how much it means to the country given that one of my housemates is of Croatian heritage. The spirit of the team is admirable. If Luka Modric, the captain and one of the best players in the world gets to hold up the trophy, I'll probably cry given how he endured the worst horrors of the Yugoslavian war. Family members were executed in front of him, he was homeless and was a child refugee. You just can't help but love sports when it comes to how it has got people through dire circumstances. Although I'm not saying that it wouldn't have any value for France, given that almost 80% of the team is of African descent, hopefully it enables greater acceptance of immigrants.Did you see Maradona's comments about the immigrant players for the European countries? He recon's that they are just there to get four meals a day.... :o
Although yeah, Croatia has played the equivalent of one additional match (extra times in each of their knockout matches) and France has an all-round better team...
But yeah, I am hoping, and trusting, that Croatia take it. I think that it was the biggest shame that France got past Belgium, and would have backed the Red Devils against England or Croatia, but I wouldn't do the same for Les Bleus.
Post by: Lear on July 14, 2018, 10:52:31 pm
I think that it was the biggest shame that France got past Belgium, and would have backed the Red Devils against England or Croatia, but I wouldn't do the same for Les Blues.
I honestly think Belgium was overall the best team in the World Cup. I was quite sad to see them go as well :/
Post by: S200 on July 14, 2018, 10:57:34 pm
And then I did a little research into KDB...
I'd still say that Julian Brandt is my favorite mid-European player, but I am Loving de Bruyne's style...
Post by: appleandbee on July 14, 2018, 11:12:41 pm
Post by: Sine on July 14, 2018, 11:19:25 pm
The first time I watched them, I just loved the old fuzzy-headed number 8 - Fellaini.KDB has been my favourite player since he signed for Manchester city (alongside Messi but he is in a whole different stratosphere). Although rather biased I think KDB is probably the best midfielder in the world right - you could maybe make the argument for Modric.
And then I did a little research into KDB...
I'd still say that Julian Brandt is my favorite mid-European player, but I am Loving de Bruyne's style...
I primarily supported Belgium and also Argentina however, despite Spain's R of 16 exit I still think they were also up there for the best team in the tournament, they might've done better if they didn't play with a striker and play a 4-6-0 with a CF to overload the midfield as no team can keep up with Spanish build up play and also to stretch the defence.
Still don't understand how some people thought a team with Henderson playing holding mid could win a world cup even if England avoided all the big teams like they tried to do (quite successfully though).
I'll probably be supporting Croatia although they are clear underdogs as I do like Rakitic and Modric.
Post by: appleandbee on July 14, 2018, 11:46:06 pm
So my predictions from over 6 months ago on this thread turned out to be correct. France are the favourites and prior to being knocked out Brazil (a bit lucky given that they played well, but I'm not complaining since I love Belgium) was probably the best/2nd best team of all the quarterfinalists. Had Lopetegui not been fired, maybe my pre-WC prediction of Spain could have materialised....
Post by: S200 on July 14, 2018, 11:52:44 pm
But then again, I had Sweden down for semis, and had South Korea as Round of 16, so who am I to guess at anything?