World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Semi Finals -

England v Brazil - Spain v Germany

Final - England v Germany

Winner - ENGLAND!!!!

Re: Round 37 predictions thread
 

italia!!!!! REPEAT

Re: Round 37 predictions thread
 

mark my words, Spain is gonna bag it!

Re: Round 37 predictions thread
 

Uruguay for suprise win of the century!

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Argentina Brazil Spain Holland
will go to 1/2 Finals

and i think it will be a surprise win for Argentina!!

( Although i am a Dutch Fan personally )

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

I do hope Spain wins it. Purely looking at quality, Spain has the best player (or nearly the best) on every position in the game ...

On the other hand, Argentina has a strong squad aswell (but a shit coach) and England are extremely strong aswell. Brazil will be a failure, just like Italy and France.

Germany will always reach semi finals. I'm also a fan of the Dutch squad, every country would dream of their offensive power. But sadly enough, they're not consistent enough and their defence isn't top.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Doubt Holland will even reach the semi finals, they have a strong team and will most likely dominate the group stages but usually after that the dutch squad falls apart, too many ego's, too overconfident, ...

Though I hope for my friendly neighbours to the north that i'm wrong :)


HUP HOLLAND HUP!

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

We will own the WC in 2100 right ??? :-)

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

certainly a good few contenders.

Spain and Holland are arguably the best teams that have still yet to win the world cup.
Cant rule out the germans and the argentines are in with a shout.

But I will go for a Mars bar supper when England get put out as per 2006.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Surprised noone is rating Brazil very highly. They have a very very good squad, and arguably the best defensive-unit in the world. As long as the likes of Kaka and Luis Fabiano avoid injuries I would not be surprised to see them winning it yet again.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Kaka has one of his worst seasons in the past 5 years. And unlike previous years, Brazil doesn't really have world star players. Fabiano is good, but it's no Torres, Rooney or Villa. Also Robinho didn't have his best season either.

Maicon however is pure class, that I have to admit.

I don't know, I don't think Brazil will be playing the finals.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Wait and see, Brazil will gring out so many 1-0 and 2-0 wins.

I agree that Spain has the best team on paper, but they have injury worries surrounding a number of their biggest stars and I have a feeling that the long season they have been through can take a bigger toll on them than it will on Brazil's players.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Brazilian players had an equally long season. Only players such as Iniesta, Xavi and Puyol had more matches, due to the CL. But so has Maicon for instance.

I vote for Spain, I like their game.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

We'll win in 2018! :banana:

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Yeah, atleast we won't have to qualify for it then, assuming we can organize it :D

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Think I heard somewhere that the fifa was gonna change the auto qualify rule for country's organising. If it were 2 countries organising together only 1 would be autoqualified (probably the stronger team).
So even if we do manage to organise it with holland, I doubt we'll see the Belgian players anywhere except in the stands watching...


(If i remember correct that is)

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Well one of the two will go to australia for sure, the other one will go to belgium and holland.

Seems to me Spain, england and Russia are doing a good job handing it over to us on a silver platter.

As for the WC2010 I would put my money on Spain or Argentina.
As outsider Ivory coast.

And according to the times 2014 will go to Belgium :banana:

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Here is what what the probably run in to the semis will be. Then I hope England will get Germany in the final :D!

Last 16

Saturday, June 26
1. France vs. Nigeria South Korea Greece
3. England vs. Australia/Ghana

Sunday, June 27
2. Argentina vs. Mexico
4. Germany vs. USA

Monday, June 28
5. Holland vs. Paraguay
7. Brazil vs. Chile

Tuesday, June 29
6. Italy vs. Cameroon
8. Spain vs. Portugal

Quarter Finals

Friday, July 2
A. France vs. England
C. Holland vs. Bazil

Saturday, July 3
B. Argentina vs. Germany
D. Italy vs. Spain

Semi-Finals

Tuesday, July 6
England vs. Brazil

Wednesday, July 7
Germany/Argentina vs. Spain

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

It seems rather obvious up until who gets into the quarter finals, so I'll start from the semi-finals:

Semi-Finals:

France vs. Brazil

Argentina vs. Italy

Final:

Brazil vs. Italy

Winner: Italy

This all hinges on Italy getting their defense working again, but assuming they do, their style of play is a lot more solid than most others, and consistency will be their advantage.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

im shocked ppl are rating Argentina so highly - there were abismal in qualifying - scraped through in last game - there coach is pants and they have left 2 of there better players (cambiasso and zanetti) at home. THey will struggle to get past second round imo - ok Messi is great but 1 man doesnt make a team - they may even struggle to get out there group as it is.

Brazil will do better than some ppl expect aswell - Dunga as turned them into a winning team who doesnt concede - rather than a skills and tricks we will score 1 more than you side


England will prolly fail miserably but have one of the strongest squads on paper - just please dont take Walcott - hes pants!!!!

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Attacking wise they have one of the strongest squads I suppose, Messi, Higuani, Aguaro and Milito!

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

While defensively they have one of the weaker squads...

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

I really can't see Italy beating Argentina or Brazil, let alone dumping Spain out in the quarter final. They did get them to penalties in 08 without Pirlo but the spanish players have only improved since, whilst the Italians are just getting old. Brazil v Spain final imo (would be best to watch)

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Ivory coast is a serious contender, if they can keep there feet to the ground.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Messi, Milito, Higuain ... they all seem to hit the target without much dificulties. And then they still have Tevez and Aguero on the bench. I agree that their coach is pants.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Tevez aswell.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

A final between Spain and Brazil isn't technically possible. As both teams will meet eachother before semi finals, no matter if they 1st or 2nd in their group.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Are you sure about that?

I'm pretty sure they actually can't meet earlier than the final if they both win their group.

Spain is in group H and Brazil is in group G or the other way around.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

It's what I got told, could be wrong. I don't know.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

winners of group G and H are on different sides of the draw. They'll have to play each other in the round of 16 if one wins their group and the other is the runner up though

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Spain are the best team on paper and I can't see too far past them or Brazil. Maradona's shit, so I'm not too worried about the Argies.


After that I reckon England have finally got a genuine chance. So my real bet is on us getting knocked out by Germany on penalties and the Germans lifting the cup. Because that's how it happens.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Brazil look awesome. Solid system, better than most teams but absolutely brilliant on the counter, they're very good defensively and pretty ruthless going forward.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

It's been rather quiet around the Brazilian team. They don't have any real "worldstar" in their team which they had the previous editions (Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos). And we all saw how that turned out in 1998 and 2006 :-)

So perhaps you're right. Now they have more a "team" rather then a bunch of celebs.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

They have a lot of truly brilliant players though. As it stands currently the only players fitting your "worldstar" would be Rooney, Messi, and C.Ronaldo though.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Roony, Messi, Ronaldo, Drogba, Xavi, Iniesta, Casillas. Each of them by far the best on their position. And yes, Brazil has some brilliant players, but I do rate the above mentionned players higher then the likes of Robinho or Fabiano :)

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

"By far the best in their position", lol :(

Of course you rate them higher than Robinho and Fabiano, who wouldnt, but that's not the point. Inter didn't have any worldstars either and they won the champions league.

I'm not sure how much there is to say on the topic of Brazil. I think Lok narrowed it down very well and I wholeheartedly agree with him.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Why lol? Could you name a better player then the ones I named, for their respective position?

Rooney, Messi, Ronaldo --> no doubts about those I think
Xavi, Iniesta --> Perhaps Lampard or Gerrard at their top? Dunno
Drogba --> Yeah ok, Rooney or Villa are better and they play on similar position
Casillas --> imo the best keeper atm. Been awarded best keeper 3 times in the last 5 years. I think he's better then Buffon or Cech atm.

Then again, that's just opinion aye. I'm very pro-spain so perhaps I'm abit biassed there

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Rooney, Messi, Ronaldo, and Drogba play in close to the same position though.. so I would just say Messi is the best forward\striker.

As for Xavi and Iniesta I don't have anyone better at what the do(passing, dictating the play etc.) but certainly there are other aspects of being a midfielders that others are better at(scoring goals, tackling ++).

As for goalkeeper, this is hard to say as there are a lot of good goalkeepers out there and deciding on a 'best one' is problematic. Personally I would rate Julio Cesar, Brazil's goalkeeper, just as highly as Casillas.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Drogba is a pure central deep striker, Messi often operates from the left/right and is rarely the deep striker (Ibra is or now Villa for Barca, and for Argentina it'll be Milito or Higuain). Rooney is more comparable with Ronaldo then with Messi :)

As for Xavi and Iniesta, both are attacking midfielders (Inieste operating from the left). Their job isn't to tackle or "defend", or atleast it's not their priority. Ofcourse for the DM position there are far better players, but both don't play on that position.

Perhaps Julio Cesar performs as highly as Casillas this season. Casillas however has been amongst the top for 10 years now, non stop. Imo he's the better keeper but ok, matter of opinion :-)

My dreamteam would be the following:

GK: Casillas
FBL: Evra (Cole as a close backup)
FBR: Maicon (with Daniel Alves and Sergio Ramos as close backup)
DC: Puyol & Terry
AML/AMR (basically attackers operating from the flanks): Iniesta and Ronaldo
MC: Xavi
DMC: Xabi alonso
Strikers: Messi a Rooney (Drogba & Higuain as backup)

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

This isn't the place for a discussion about 'dream team' but my dream team would naturally look relatively similar to yours just with 2-3 changes.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

It's a thread about football. Pointless to create a new one for that tbh.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Primarily, your choice of Xabi ****ing Alonso is baffling.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

For the DM position? Who else? When he left Liverpool, you realise how important he was for his team.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Dude, there are other reasons as well for why Liverpool have sucked this season.

By all means, Xabi Alonso is a fine player but there's plenty of defensive midfielders I would rather have in my team than him.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Like I said, who else? I'm not dissagreeing with you by default aye. The only other one I could think of is perhaps Touré?

I'm talking about true DM aye, so no Fabregas or anything like that.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Cambiasso, Essien, Toulalan, Mascherano are some defensive midfielders I would rather have in my team than Alonso. Sure, a couple of them contribute dick all forward in the field but that's not exactly going to be needed with the forwards in your possession.

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

mascherano, busquets, cambiasso, essien, gattuso to name a few....

edit: beaten by isil :(

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

as far as predictions go, im going for an outside bet of England vs Argentina in final, England to lose, probably on penalties ofcourse!

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Ahh yes, forgot about Essien and Cambiasso (probably because both aren't selected or injured). Masscherano is good, but I value Xabi Alonso higher. Good point there.

But all those you named aren't Spanish ;-)

Re: World Cup Prediction Thread
 

Gattuso ... you got to be kidding right? He doesn't even have his spot at Milan anymore.