Rio de Janiero - 2014 Fifa World Cup Thread

[FootballLight]

First topic message reminder :

This **should** be the main article for the Fifa World Cup 2014 competition that happens in 10 days time. Lets try and keep the debate simple yet reasonable about all of the build-up, the stadiums, the countries, the players, the qualifying, the winners and most importantly, the "bought" 2022 World Cup.

Enjoy! (And... lets try and make this World Cup as good as possible considering all of the poor build-up, tragic deaths and he outrageous violence that has been happening over recent months)

[Dolphin Ziggler]

What a save

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Pretty clear how to beat Chile then

Keep it tight and pepper them with crosses, they ain't got a clue how to defend em

[SecretFly]

Let's face it, neither of these units are going to sniff the cup.

[Pal Joey]

They should have equalised... and came so close to doing so on a couple of occasions. It would have made that last 20 minutes interesting.

Well done Chile. Cruel ending with the 3rd goal but these things happen. No disgrace losing to the 14th ranked side.

[Ent]

Spain should be embarrassed and no one more so than Ramos - he is meant to be a centre half and have up 10 yards to robben in a straight chase.

Absolutely awful, Spain need to drop the old boys and bring in Koke fabregas and de gea.

[SecretFly]

Did the booing play a part? Might sound silly but it was designed to do something and something it certainly aided.

[Ent]

No, only Costa was booed for not actually being spanish.

The most worrying thing for me is the back 5 look very good on paper so changing the old midfield will so nothing for how awful they were.

[SecretFly]

He was booed for being Brazilian...in Brazil.
That's gotta be a psychological milestone around the neck of a centrally influencial player. No it wasn't the reason Spain imploded and the Dutch didn't need too many reasons, they were simply better and on fire anyway.... but the booing must have played an unsettling part in the head of Costa at least.

[Ent]

Doubt it, be was making good runs and silva should have scored to make it 2-0.

Spain's midfield can't run anymore and their back four are finding out what it's like to actually have to defend rather than attack for 90% or a game.

I wouldn't right them off yet- if they line up:

De gea
Juan fran Ramos Martinez azpilicueta
Fabregas busquets iniesta
silva costa pedro

They could still win it.

They have the best 23 man squad by an absolute man. I mean Ron vlaar was starting for holland FFs.

[socal1976]

Spain made the mistake of riding the coattails of their golden generation for too long. Xavi, Iniesta, are past their best and Ramos is just not Carlos Puyol when Puyol was the anchor of that back line. I can't see spain doing it again although crazier things happen in sports. To me Brazil also looked really ordinary against Croatia as the second goal that put them ahead was a very soft penalty and early in the second half Croatia was bossing the match while missing key players.

[Duty281]

Predictions for today:

Colombia 2-0 Greece - One-sided encounter.
Uruguay 1-1 Costa Rica - The former team struggling for spark.
England 2-0 Italy - Only fifteen hours to go!
Ivory Coast 1-2 Japan - Very close to call.

[Trebs]

I'm liking the look of the Colombia/England double at almost 5/1.

[owen10ozzy]

Mexico 1-1 Cameroon
Spain 1-2 Holland
Chile 4-0 Australia

Think Spain will be shocked tonight; yet go on to beat Chile & Australia..leaving the Holland v Chile match as the deciding game as to who goes through...

Considering I talk alot of crap apparently I didn't call the games yesterday too badly...in fact think I was the only one who saw Holland beating spain (the worst dutch side in years according to Olly   )

Let's see if I can keep it up today:

Columbia 2-0 Greece
Uruguay 2-0 Costa Rica
Italy 2-1 England

[westisbest]

though Australia battled hsrd after they were 2-0 down

Again, didn't think 3-1 was a fair scoreline.

[CFCNick]

Mexico 1-1 Cameroon
Spain 1-2 Holland
Chile 4-0 Australia

Think Spain will be shocked tonight; yet go on to beat Chile & Australia..leaving the Holland v Chile match as the deciding game as to who goes through...

Considering I talk alot of crap apparently I didn't call the games yesterday too badly...in fact think I was the only one who saw Holland beating spain (the worst dutch side in years according to Olly   )

Let's see if I can keep it up today:

Columbia 2-0 Greece
Uruguay 2-0 Costa Rica
Italy 2-1 England

What does Olly know. He's only a kid. He doesn't remember 2002 with no Holland and 2004 when they only got out of the group by beating Latvia.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Its one game. One game.

And they are the worst Dutch side I can remember (which admittedly isn't a long time you old farts )

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

And whilst Holland were good, Spain really gifted them a lot of those goals, by the end they clearly didn't care. And casillas was just Sunday league bad

[kingraf]

The 2006 squad was no great shakes, either. Hell the 2010 squad wasn't much better.

[Duty281]

Mexico 1-1 Cameroon
Spain 1-2 Holland
Chile 4-0 Australia

Think Spain will be shocked tonight; yet go on to beat Chile & Australia..leaving the Holland v Chile match as the deciding game as to who goes through...

Considering I talk alot of crap apparently I didn't call the games yesterday too badly...in fact think I was the only one who saw Holland beating spain (the worst dutch side in years according to Olly   )

Let's see if I can keep it up today:

Columbia 2-0 Greece
Uruguay 2-0 Costa Rica
Italy 2-1 England

I predicted two out of three correct results yesterday as well, Owen!

[skyeman]

Columbia 3-1 Greece
Uruguay 2-1 Costa Rica
Italy 1-1 England

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Calling Holland to win is nothing like calling Holland to rip Spain apart.

[kingraf]

It was a massacre, wasn't it? I didn't see it coming, before the game I was actually typing a post about how I backed the Netherlands to kick Spain to smithereens, given their previous performances against teams technically superior (Portugal 2006, 2010 final).

[sportform]

We should definitely have B teams...

[Dolphin Ziggler]

It was fascinating to watch. LVG is a manager you can see being very suited to the Premier League if he wants teams to work like that. Hunt and pounce. If Chile try and play like they did against Australia when they come up against Holland then they'll have their faces ripped off.

[Fernando]

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

No Jackson Martinez for Columbia???

[Fernando]

No Gutierrez was their 2nd top scorer after Falcao. Teofilo is a very good player Also a nutcase. Pulled an airgun on his teammates and threatened to shoot them, Also got escorted off the pitch by Riot Police and has previous for squaring up to refs   

[Duty281]

Superb Colombian support, and a brilliant start.

[FootballLight]

This thread has certainly taken off since the start of the World Cup! But nothing I wasn't expecting anyway, thanks for the contribution for the start of the World Cup so far, lets make this a big thread.

Great start from Colombia. Didn't see the goal, turned it on just as the end of the replay was shown. Seemed a bit unlucky via a deflection I believe?

[FootballLight]

Just a quick recap. Oscar looked lively and showed just what he can do on the first day as Croatia gave Brazil a little bit of a scare, nothing that I didn't expect though. Mexico did well to battle past Cameroon. Chile also did well. Huge talking point, Netherlands winning 1-5 against Spain, fantastic win and can only help their confidence. Colombia doing well now as well.

(Am I the only one thinking, after last nights game between Spain and Netherlands, Van Gaal and Van Persie seemed to have a really good relationship in a system that works? What does this mean for Rooney then? )

Players that have impressed me so far are: Oscar, Neymar, Perisic, Robben, Van Persie, Blind, Guadardo, Sanchez, Manolas, Sanchez, Nkoulou. May have missed a couple on your list, but this is imo.

[FootballLight]

Predictions:

Colombia 2-1 Greece (Although slightly unfair as the game has played 20 minutes with a goal in the game, but I think this is how it will finish.)
Uruguary 4-1 Costa Rica
England 0-0 Italy
Ivory Coast 1-0 Japan

[Hibbz]

Who is the "expert" summariser for this match? Described that clear deflection (before watching a couple of slowmos) as a great finish when it was a clear scuff.

I never watch any build up and change channel at half-time and at the end of the match because I hate the over dramatic guff but yet to find a way to completely avoid the buffoons if I want some atmosphere. Well other than actually going to the match I guess.

Brilliant goal celebration by Colombia.

[Duty281]

Greece, surprisingly, are having more of the ball but, less surprisingly, are doing naff all with it.

[The Special Juan]

Sounds like Zinedine Kilbane.

[Duty281]

Colombia need to keep hold of the ball better in the second half.

[skyeman]

There can't be a worse miss than that from Greece in this WC.

[sportform]

Greece have been the best team in this game just not clinical enough in the final third. Colombia have been happy to sit back and defend and play on the counter attack.

[The Special Juan]

There can't be a worse miss than that from Greece in this WC.

Maybe not but Torres' was funnier.

[skyeman]

There can't be a worse miss than that from Greece in this WC.

Maybe not but Torres' was funnier.

  

Quite sad really how he has gone from a superstar to a derided figure.

Moral. Don't join Chelsea  

[GSC]

Pretty unremarkable from Colombia for a 3-0 win. More incisive teams than Greece to come

[CFCNick]

There can't be a worse miss than that from Greece in this WC.

Maybe not but Torres' was funnier.

  

Quite sad really how he has gone from a superstar to a derided figure.

Moral. Don't join Chelsea  

He was actually already crap before joining Chelsea. He cut his hair in 09 and hasn't been the same since.

[Duty281]

Had a tenner on Colombia to win 2-0.

Ba**ards!

[The Special Juan]

I watched that goal he scored against Blackburn this morning. It's a different player!! Nick is right too, he was crap that season yet Chelsea somehow decided to sign him.

[GSC]

Injuries robbed him of his burst. Been all over since

[CFCNick]

£50 coming my way if Sturridge scores.

[The Special Juan]

Pronunciation boffins - is it "Hamezz" or "James" Rodriguez?

[skyeman]

Had a tenner on Colombia to win 2-0.

Ba**ards!

Unlucky Duty, hopefully you will claw it back in the early hours.  

[Duty281]

Had a tenner on Colombia to win 2-0.

Ba**ards!

Unlucky Duty, hopefully you will claw it back in the early hours.  

Yes, I'm just using all my bad luck up now!

[GSC]

Nothing inspires people's inner boobie like seeing a live TV interview

[Nakatomi Plaza]

No Suarez for Uruguay tonight.

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