Rio de Janiero - 2014 Fifa World Cup Thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Diego Costa for £32 million isn't looking to hot either...Chelsea could be looking at the 3 most expensive striker flops in history in Shevchenko, Torres and now Costa.

He lacks pace and mobility which for me are essential in the premiership.

Tbf this isn't the same Costa that's been playing for Atletico, a long hard season and a few injuries catching up with him here I think

[compelling and rich]

im plenty old enough to remember crespo and he never fully hit anywhere near his peak while in the chelsea shirt, what did he score 05/06 ten league goals? hardly amazing especially considering that he was in a very very good chelsea team that run away with the league

i mean joe cole scored a similar amount as him and lampard nearly doubled his tally.

[NickisBHAFC]

Mexico vs Croatia should be a belter!

[Duty281]

Mexico will play desperately for an ugly 0-0 draw against Croatia.

[Duty281]

Cameroon were an embarrassment even before they got to Brazil, and they maintained such an image for the short duration of their stay. Won't be sad to see them go.

Bigger tests ahead for Croatia, obviously, but they were assured and professional today.

[Crimey]

Mexico-Croatia set up to be a fantastic game. Brazil aren't even safe right now.

[Guest]

Brazil have Cameroon. All over. One goal for Brazil early & Cameroon fold & Brazil will win big. It will give them delusional hope going into a match with Chile/Holland.

[westisbest]

Shame for Cameroon.

Like to see the African sides do well.

Ivory Coast only team that might make it to last 16.

[The Special Juan]

Crespo, Torres, names that spring to mind.

Crespo isn't a flop. Look at his numbers for 05/06. Definitely not a flop.

100% a flop. Veron as well.

You aren't old enough to remember how good Crespo was that season.

(sound like a broken record using the "you're too young" line)

"In your day" was it?

[Duty281]

10/1 at Ladbrokes for Colombia, England and Japan all to win today.
4/1 at Ladbrokes for Colombia and England to win. #lumpon

[Duty281]

Colombia to edge out the Ivorians, England to reignite the flame and Japan to be very comfortable. Predictions:

Colombia 2-1 Ivory Coast
Uruguay 1-3 England
Japan 2-0 Greece

[Duty281]

European conditions for tonight then. Sub twenty degrees and a chance of rain.

Right to England's delight!

[Nachos Jones]

Do you really think that England will beat Uruguay 3-1 Duty? I think that it will either be a 1-1 draw or England will scratch home 2-1. My money is on the draw.

[Duty281]

Do you really think that England will beat Uruguay 3-1 Duty? I think that it will either be a 1-1 draw or England will scratch home 2-1. My money is on the draw.

Just so long as England maintain the same positive approach as Saturday, with a little more tightening up at the back, then yes. Uruguay have a poor defence and an average midfield.

[Nachos Jones]

Just don't think that Uruguay will be as bad as some people (and in the media) think. Impressed with the approach from Hodgson though.

[Duty281]

I think Uruguay will improve from the Costa Rica game, but will shoot themselves in the foot by rushing their star striker back from injury when he isn't ready... like England did in 2006.

[FootballLight]

I think it will be a 3-3 on my books. Both teams don't look great at defending and against strikers like there are on display tonight, then both teams will leak goals. It will go on GD in the end.

[Nachos Jones]

That's the thing Duty, people believe that Uruguay is a one man team and I am not so sure of that myself. I just think that there is a little too much under estimating of Uruguay just like Italy was heavily under estimated.

[Guest]

Italy weren't under-estimated, England played better than expected and a couple of defensive lapses did for us. We aren't a million miles away but the negativity masquerading as pragmatism is depressing.

[Nachos Jones]

I all read and heard in the build up to the Italian game was how old that Italian team is and how much better man 4 man the English team were. That was seriously under estimating them in my mind.

Uruguay are a much better side than I think people give them credit for and I really can see a difficult game for England.

[Duty281]

Colombia looking decent, particularly on the counter, but they're just lacking that final ball to back up their pace and power. Ivory Coast look comparatively toothless; I'm particularly disappointed with Yaya Toure.

[Guest]

I all read and heard in the build up to the Italian game was how old that Italian team is and how much better man 4 man the English team were. That was seriously under estimating them in my mind.

Uruguay are a much better side than I think people give them credit for and I really can see a difficult game for England.

You mustn't have read or heard a lot then as most people, whilst naturally excited were cautiously optimistic about our chances. Many people even predicted a skull-crushingly dull 0-0 against Italy and the match proved much more competitive and enjoyable than we'd hoped for.

[Nachos Jones]

I actually did read and hear a lot, especially on the Beeb who basically had Italy written off.

Anyways, I really was impressed with Englands approach during the match and honestly thought they performed well but were just not good enough in the end.

I hope they win tonight though.

[Lowlandbrit]

To be fair, it's not like Italy came to the tournament in great form. Not much chance of getting overhyped coming off a draw to Luxembourg.

[Nachos Jones]

True but there are a few teams in the world that are proper tournament teams and Italy is up there with them which is why I never under estimate them myself. (Last world cup aside)

[Duty281]

Superb Colombian header, right there.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

GOL GOL GOL GOL GOL

THE FOREHEAD

[FootballLight]

Why have you "stolen" my thread Olly btw? What was wrong with mine?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Why have you "stolen" my thread Olly btw? What was wrong with mine?

Eh?????

No comprende amigo

[FootballLight]

Nevermind mate. Just realised mine was locked. After the World Cup, I'm going to be doing a Premier League thread throughout the season. I've called it, so if anyone decides to "steal" my idea (again ), they'll have me to deal with.  

This should be Colombia's game now. It was only a consolation for Ivory Coast, but I can still see them going through on 4 points imo because I do think they will get something against Greece. But it depends how Greece do vs Japan tonight. I'm predicting a 1-1 draw.

[Duty281]

Good game and I was spot on with the score...that bodes well!

Colombia look like a very decent team.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That ivorian player who was crying during the anthems, his father passed away two hours before kick off apparently

[Guest]

Was it Serey Die? Made the mistake for the second & was really pumped during first half, fouling everywhere. Probably shouldn't have played.

[Stella]

Colombia it is then, if we get through. First things first.

[skyeman]

Off to the local which is three miles away for the game. Come on England.

[GSC]

https://www.606v2.com/t54400-2006-friendly-part-2-england-vs-uruguay

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Right Japan win me fifty quid now!!

[Duty281]

Ah, this referee has conviction.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

This game however has been an absolute shower of poo

[Crimey]

Yeah, two of the weakest teams in the competition. Red card killed the game.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

No Iran/Nigeria though. Crikey that still haunts me. Greece have tried to play more football in the games, but once the red came they had to resort to type. Fair play for being very strong in that.

[Duty281]

I'll be glad when Greece are out. Japan lacking in creativity, Greece lacking in..all-round ability.

And yes Gary, I did stick it out...only because I had money on Japan though!

[GSC]

Sad moment, Ivory Coast confirming Ibrahim Toure, brother of Kolo and Yaya, has passed away

[Duty281]

Puts everything into context, doesn't it?

R.I.P.

[owen10ozzy]

Well now the anti climax of yesterday is out of the way...back to today.


Think Italy will just do enough to eek past Costa Rica...whose intensity and ability to press the ball constantly will give them headaches.

See France putting on another impressive display against stronger opposition than they faced last time out.

Finally Hondurus & Ecuador to serve us up the most 'dirty' game of the World Cup with the Ecuador side to pull through in the end.

Italy 2-1 Costa Rica
France 3-1 Switzerland
Ecuador 2-0 Hondurus

Duty - I'm in the midst of coming up with your new username...don't worry I haven't forgot

[Duty281]

I must say, my copy of War and Peace, there to help me when the World Cup goes dry, is gathering dust because of how good this tournament has been. I might need to thumb through it for Honduras-Ecuador tonight, though.

Italy should grind Costa Rica down, with their superior technical ability and well-organised defence, which will be just enough to keep England in the World Cup. I'm expecting Costa Rica to be slightly worse than they were against Uruguay.

I think Switzerland might just upset the French; the latter who will have a creeping air of complacency following their first win, and Switzerland look solid.

And Ecuador should be good enough to overcome Honduras, but it won't be pretty.

Italy 2-0 Costa Rica
Switzerland 1-0 France
Ecuador 1-0 Honduras

And that's good to hear, Owen

[Guest]

Duty, you pr!ck, I'm now down a kidney AND a spleen. I've gone right off you now and as far as I'm concerned, the sooner the police lock you up for bothering single men and divulging your love of rimming, the better.

Rant over....

[Duty281]

Duty, you pr!ck, I'm now down a kidney AND a spleen. I've gone right off you now and as far as I'm concerned, the sooner the police lock you up for bothering single men and divulging your love of rimming, the better.

Rant over....

The worrying thing is...you could be being serious!

[Duty281]

Good to see Lineker capturing the spirit of two nations by wearing an Italy shirt.

Most Italians are dreamy. Buffon, Pirlo, Borini, Balotelli. Even Prandelli isn't difficult on the eye.

I lost my virginity to an Italian, all those years ago.

The best food is Italian.

I imagine it's a wonderful place for a holiday. Beautiful language, climate and culture as well.

Love you Italy.

I love you as well Italy!

[Guest]

Beautiful culture? What? Driving around on Vespas, pinching girls arses and beeping the f*****g horn at all bleedin' hours then when you have the temerity to ask them nicely to keep the noise down, they start yelling "Eyyy, Mama Mia, bastardo, BASTARDO!!" at you.

I lost my virginity to an Italian too...well, I say she was an Italian, she was built like an opera singer and was eating lots of pizza...she might have been Italian, you don't know!

[Duty281]

That level of playful xenophobia makes me blush somewhat.

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