News Blog Comments
Snore.
Three comments:
1. You have eight traditional soccer powers in your final eight. I think there's no way that happens this year. Someone from Asia or Africa is going to break into the final eight.
2. Argentina? Bwaah ha ha ha. Brazil might lose to someone else by underestimating them and goofing off, but no way Brazil EVER loses to Argentina at this level. NEVER.
3. England in the final four? Surely you jest.
Diego Maradona - .33 goals per cap
Ronaldinho - .44 goals per cap
Peter Crouch - .71 goals per cap
Australia!! What?
Anonymous,
Thank you for your comment. You might want to call your wife at her office, her boss is fucking her in the ass again.
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In total agreement with anonymous above.
Memo to Kent: Brazil lost to Argentina in the octos back in 1990, 1-0.
Now, my picks:
Group A
1st Place Germany, 2nd Place Ecuador
Group B
1st Place England, 2nd Place Paraguay
Group C
1st Place Holland, 2nd Place CdI
Group D
1st Place Portugal, 2nd Place Mexico
Group E
1st Place Czech, 2nd Place U.S.
Group F
1st Place Brazil, 2nd Place Croatia
Group G
1st Place France, 2nd Place Korea
Group H
1st Place Spain, 2nd Place Ukraine
Los Octavos:
1. Germany
2. Holland
3. England
4. CdI
5. Croatia
6. France
7. Brazil
8. Spain
Los Cuartos
A. Germany
B. France
C. England
D. Brazil
Semis
i. Germany
ii.Brazil
Brazil wins it all, 2-1; France edges England 3-2, in the consolation game.
Memo to Kent: Brazil lost to Argentina in the octos back in 1990, 1-0.
I know. And in Brazil the shame and horror still lingers. This generation of Brazilians knows that if they do ever lose, it has better be to anyone else but Argentina.
Group A
Germany, Poland
B.
England Sweden
C.
Holland argentina
d.
portugal mexico
e.
Czechs Italy
f.
Brazil Australia
g.
France Swiss
H.
Ukraine Spain
2nd round
Match 1. germany
2. Netherlands
3. England
4. Argentina
5. Czechs
6. France
7. brazil
8. Ukraine
q/finals
1.Germany
2.France
3.England
4.Brazil
S/finals
1. germany
2. Brazil
Final
Brazil.
My god, count the errors in that post.
There aren't always 32 nations playing, hosts (or co-hosts; as in South Korea and Japan last time) do get automatic entry but they still have to be decent footballing powers to get picked in the first place so it's not like it's a freebie; the champions do not automatic entry to the next tournament, let alone the best 8 by FIFA's rankings, and the 8 seeds aren't determined by FIFA's rankings either; European teams are limited to 2 per group because there's so many European teams, not that Europe is such a powerhouse per se; there are only 6 confederations (not Europe plus the "other 7"); the easy groups aren't a result of the process of random determination, but because some weak confederations with political power get far too many spots.
"There are always 32 nations playing: The host nation automatically gets in no matter how bad they suck."
The WC was 16 teams through 1978, then 24 through 1994, and only went to 32 in 1998. I personally preferred 24 - there were a lot more competitive groups and compelling matchups in the group phase.
"The same goes for whatever nation won last time (but the international federation, FIFA, is gonna change that rule.)"
Already changed. 1998 winner France performed horribly in 2002, raising the issue of how difficult it is for a national team to get real competitive games outside of the regular qualifying process.
"Plus the best 8 teams in the world according to their rankings. Then they fill up the rest of the spots with a random drawing."
29 of the other 31 spots besides the host are distributed by continent (Europe 13, Africa 5, Asia 4, North America 3, South America 4), and the other two go to the winners of two playoffs between the next placed teams from different continents.
"the easy groups aren't a result of the process of random determination, but because some weak confederations with political power get far too many spots."
FIFA made a deliberate decision to give more spots to Asia and North America, since they want soccer to succeed in the huge markets of the US, Japan, and China. Giving more spots to Asia and North America meant also giving more spots to Africa, which has performed better than either of them. And they couldn't take spots away from the two strongest continents, Europe and South America, so the only politically acceptable solution was to go to 32 teams and give everyone more spots.
HUP HOLLAND!/b>
A: Germany, Poland
B: England, Sweden
C: Argentina, Holland
D: Portugal, Mexico
E: Italy, USA
F: Brazil, Croatia
G: France, Switzerland
H: Spain, Ukraine.
Final 8:
Germany
England
Argentina
Portugal
Italy
Brazil
France
Spain
Final 4:
Argentina
England
France
Brazil
Final: Brazil 2 - Argentina 1
"1. You have eight traditional soccer powers in your final eight. I think there's no way that happens this year. Someone from Asia or Africa is going to break into the final eight."
Korea only got as far as they did last time because of favorable refereeing and injuries or extreme underperformance on the part of many of the best teams. The Asian game is improving, but is still not competitive at this level.
Africa has some very strong players and teams, but many of its best teams were upset in qualifying, and the two best African teams that did make the field (Ivory Coast and Ghana) are in the two toughest groups.
To any non-Americans here, expekt.com (which doesn't take bets from Americans) has a bet on how many teams from each continent make the knockout round - the bets that fewer than 1.5 African teams and fewer than 1.5 Asian teams make the knockout round are almost a sure thing.
"2. Argentina? Bwaah ha ha ha. Brazil might lose to someone else by underestimating them and goofing off, but no way Brazil EVER loses to Argentina at this level. NEVER."
Brazil is the clear favorite this time, but Argentina has a strong team. I wouldn't call Brazil more than a 70%-30% favorite over Argentina in a knockout game that could go to overtime and penalties.
"3. England in the final four? Surely you jest."
I can't see them not getting to at least the final 8, given their easy group and likely round of 16 opponent Poland. In the final 8, I think they have a good chance against say, Holland or Portugal.
Not knowing much about today's international soccer and not having followed this until now, my pick would be what any normal American would pick - USA, USA, we are #1, we are #1.
But I am willing to learn and follow
the WC and will watch the games for the sheer beauty of it. Steve - Pls do a daily column on this.
I dunno, Group E is a pretty decent group of death:
Czech Republic ranked #2 in the world.
USA ranked #5 in the world.
Italy ranked #13 in the world.
One of those teams, at least, is going home. Two of them if Ghana catches llightning in a bottle.
Brazil has never won the World Cup in a year in which they were the favorites, according to FourFourTwo magazine. Just a thought.
Wouldn't it be great if USA & Ghana emerged to win our group? Turn conventional wisdom on its head.
The BBC has a good score predictor which lets you see how your first round predictions translate into the knockout stages. You'll often find conventional wisdom go begging if you use it.
Anyway, I'll have to make two picks: one from the past winners, and one outsider. It's hard not to fancy the Brazillians. But I have a sneaking feeling that the Dutch might pull this one off, even though their players are dropping like flies right now.
I have a sneaking feeling that the Dutch might pull this one off,....
I dunno about their defense, Kromkamp and Bouhlarouz and them. I'd feel better if Jaap Stam were in there.
Try this again: Deutschland Uber alles
Tremendous. I won't try to defend the errors in my post...and I'll correct them with attribution.
pseudonymous in nc, thanks for the score predictor!
Mike
Steve,I called and her boss answered-he admitted to fucking my wife in the ass,but added that "No one can take it up the ass like that Gilliard guy-he's a rest area legend."
FWIW, someone at the office has a "know nothing" pool going on. He put all the teams in a bag, you give $2 to the kitty and pull a team at random. Winner gets the kitty. I pulled Poland. Wah.
Anonymous,I disagree with your wife's boss-Gilliard's ass ain't only fat,but there's no muscle tone-too much action.The best part is when his old lady goes down on me when I finish.
England will win ... even without Rooney. I see no weaknesses at all, and Brazil can't win two in a row ...
Holland. die Oranje for the World Cup. When Robben and/or Van Persie have to suck back to midfield, and Davids/Seedorf aren't even on the TEAM, you know they're world beaters. Van der Sar is the weak link, but even he's got a Cup left in him.
Probably over Brazil, but my dark horse: the U.S. of freaking A.
I'm daring to dream, I know. But if Italy and US get out of group, and US is 1st by goal differential (look at how the Azzurri play, it could happen), then Italy plays Brazil in the first knockout round, and that might be a tossup on European soil.
Once that happens, I like us against any European side who isn't Holland or England.
Argentina and England are scary, but they'll cancel each other out, and Holland's better than either of them.
Down and Out in Sài Gòn, you're a tragic, and I'm with ya, but first let's at least beat Japan in round one, right?
.
Hmmmm....thiss ought to be fun:
First Round:
Group 1st 2nd
A Germany Ecuador
B England Paraguay
C Netherlands Serbia/Mont (tall team)
D Portugal Mexico
E USA Czech
F Brazil Croatia
G France Korea
H Spain Ukraine
"Los Octavos"
1. Germany defeats Paraguay
2. Netherlands defeats Mexico
3. England defeats Ecuador (in a heartbreaker)
4. Serbia/Mont defeats Portugal (still pissed)
5. USA defeats Croatia
6. France defeats Ukraine
7. Czech defeats Brazil (too much media)
8. Spain defeats Korea (blows a lead, but hangs on).
The 1/4s:
1. Germany defeats Netherlands
2. England beats Serbia / Mont in an ugly game
3. USA defeats France (C'mon, we had to).
4. Czechs defeat Spain (The Hou Oilers of FIFA)
Semis:
1. Germany beats USA in a game USA should have won...again. US Soccer fans pissed again.
2. England defeats Czechs - finally got lucky.
Finals:
Germany avenges the 1966 bullshit at Wembley.
Group A
Germany, Ecuador
Group B
England, Sweden
Group C
Argentina, Netherlands
Group D
Portugal, Mexico
Group E
Italy, USA
Group F
Brazil, Australia
Group G
France, Switzerland
Great Eight
1. Germany
2. Argentina
3. England
4. Portugal
5. Italy
6. France
7. Brazil
8. Spain
Fantastic Four
1. Argentina
2. France
3. Portugal
4. Brazil
Finals
France vs. Brazil
Winner -- Brazil
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