FIFA World Cup 2014 pots

[Phoenix]

Yup that was my second one - ppl will tend to overlook Chile.

Who is that guy in your sig? Looks familiar.

 

[jterrell]

breaking down the US games:

Ghana:
Love this match up for US more I study it.
Ghana lacks the quality up top to attack softish US defense.
Strength in middle for both teams with US having more depth in that area.
GK favor US by large margin.
Attack favors US with Altidore/Dempsey/Donovan all likely getting turns as attackers.
Like US to win 3-1.

Portugal:
Ronaldo should have his way with US even when double-marked.
Means US has to play a different style than Jurgen prefers.
Almost keep away with a parked bus.
But if they are disciplined they can do this and earn a point here with a 75-90th minute goal.
US is actually the far deeper team.
Portugal 1-US 1

Germany:
Germans are a class above obviously and if this is a game they need to be a machine for they will.
But they are easily the class of the group and should be on 6 points before facing the US.
US best hope is to steal a draw here and I think they can reach that with a lot of help from a German team focused more on games 4/5 then on US.
US can steal an early goal or two and hold on for tie versus sub-heavy lineup.
Germany 2-US 2.

So 5 US points and I think they gets you to 2nd place in the group for a nasty dispatching to Belgium in the round of 16.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

The Netherlands should have been in the rated group.
That was just a silly omission.

Yeah, I

Who is that guy in your sig? Looks familiar.

You forgot about Ratliff already? ; )

Gotta change it....

 

[joseephuss]

breaking down the US games:

Ghana:

Like US to win 3-1.

Portugal:

Portugal 1-US 1

Germany:

Germany 2-US 2.

So 5 US points and I think they gets you to 2nd place in the group for a nasty dispatching to Belgium in the round of 16.

The US won't beat Ghana 3-1. They can beat Ghana, but it will be a closer match than that.

I don't like the odds of the U.S. going through this group without a loss. I think getting a win will be tough. The best I can envision is three draws.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

Final 8?

Mine are:
Brazil
Columbia
Germany
Ecuador
Spain
Chile --home turf over Netherlands...
Argentina
Belgium

Would love to see that - looks about right.

 

[Phoenix]

Yeah, I

You forgot about Ratliff already? ; )

Gotta change it....

Ooooooh. He DOES look like that Bears guy, come to think of it...

 

[joseephuss]

Final 8?

Mine are:
Brazil
Columbia
Germany
Ecuador
Spain
Chile --home turf over Netherlands...
Argentina
Belgium

Not bad, but you need to make an adjustment. Chile, Brazil and Spain cannot all make it out of the Group A/Group B pairing. Group A winner plays Group B runner-up and Group B winner plays Group A runner up. If both Chile and Spain are making it out of Group B into the round of 16 then one of them will have to face Brazil to get to the round of 8. You will need to pick another team out of the Group C/Group D pairing to go along with the one you chose, Colombia.

Group C
Colombia
Greece
Ivory Coast
Japan

Group D
Uruguay
Costa Rica
England
Italy

 

[jterrell]

The US won't beat Ghana 3-1. They can beat Ghana, but it will be a closer match than that.

I don't like the odds of the U.S. going through this group without a loss. I think getting a win will be tough. The best I can envision is three draws.

Not sure what you are placing all this faith in Ghana on.
Yes they beat the US the previous 2 WC but those are different teams on both sides by a wide margin.
They just aren't that good in 2013 from what I have seen.

FIFA and SPI both have Ghana at 24 and well below the US.
The US has the better internationals and the deeper talent pool at the senior club level.

I do think Ghana will only improve over the next 4-8 years but this team doesn't look like a major threat to anyone.

 

[jterrell]

Not bad, but you need to make an adjustment. Chile, Brazil and Spain cannot all make it out of the Group A/Group B pairing. Group A winner plays Group B runner-up and Group B winner plays Group A runner up. If both Chile and Spain are making it out of Group B into the round of 16 then one of them will have to face Brazil to get to the round of 8. You will need to pick another team out of the Group C/Group D pairing to go along with the one you chose, Colombia.

Group C
Colombia
Greece
Ivory Coast
Japan

Group D
Uruguay
Costa Rica
England
Italy

no wonder my brain flubbed that... what a tough call


uruguay, england or italy is really a toss up imho.

 

[joseephuss]

Not sure what you are placing all this faith in Ghana on.
Yes they beat the US the previous 2 WC but those are different teams on both sides by a wide margin.
They just aren't that good in 2013 from what I have seen.

FIFA and SPI both have Ghana at 24 and well below the US.
The US has the better internationals and the deeper talent pool at the senior club level.

I do think Ghana will only improve over the next 4-8 years but this team doesn't look like a major threat to anyone.

They don't have to be a major threat to the U.S.. The major threats will come from Germany and Portugal. They just have to be a nuisance to America and come up with a draw that could hamper the U.S.'s chances of moving on. U.S. can win, but 3-1 is a bit much.

 

[joseephuss]

no wonder my brain flubbed that... what a tough call


uruguay, england or italy is really a toss up imho.

I agree. I don't know who to choose from those 3 teams. And Ivory Coast will probably still not live up to their so called potential.

 

[jterrell]

I agree. I don't know who to choose from those 3 teams. And Ivory Coast will probably still not live up to their so called potential.

Italy and Uruguay... wow talk about polar opposites.

I like Ivory Coast better than Ghana by a solid margin but tough to figure them through still.
Man, this is a stacked WC. I guess they all are but this seems far more brutal than the Champion's League.

May be time to add teams to the WC.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Tough group for you yanks. Have to figure a loss to Germany. Portugal will be the key. You probably have to beat them to advance.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Fernanda created quite a twitter stir today as hostess at the draw.

 

[RastaRocket]

It has only just begun. There will be so many fine ladies at this World Cup.

It's going to take a miracle for the US to advance, but they are capable of doing it. They always seem to give stiff competition a run for their money.

 

[daschoo]

Does anyone root for anybody other than the USA?

We didn't make it so for me its whoever England are playing. Outside of that I've been a fan of the Germans ever since Italia '90 (first WC i can remember) and usualy pick a small nation as a dark horse to keep an eye on - thinking Bosnia this time. Also Honduras, Nigeria and Greece as they have Celtic players. If Forster ends up playing for England that could be awkward. Good chance the Dutch will take Van Dijk as well as he's been in great form and they've been over scouting him a few times.

 

[daschoo]

Final 8?

Mine are:
Brazil
Columbia
Germany
Ecuador
Spain
Chile --home turf over Netherlands...
Argentina
Belgium

Brazil
Spain
Whoever tops group C between Colombia and Japan should beat Italy in the last 16.
Uruguay
Bosnia
Argentina
Germany
Portugal

 

[UKCowboysFan]

Does anyone root for anybody other than the USA?.

England obviously, and unlike daschoo any of the other home nations (or ROI) when they make it.

Once the Quarter-Finals are out of the way & England have lost (usually on penalties) I look at any team that plays good football.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Vive La France

 

[joseephuss]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20131216/croatia-simunic-ban-****-chant.ap/

Croatia's Simunic gets 10-game ban, will miss WC for pro-**** chant

ZURICH (AP) -- Croatia defender Josip Simunic will miss the World Cup after being banned for 10 official matches for leading a pro-**** chant with fans after his team qualified for next year's finals in Brazil.

Simunic took a microphone following Croatia's playoff match against Iceland and shouted to supporters: "For the homeland!" The fans responded: "Ready!" The call was used by the Croatian pro-**** puppet regime that ruled the state during World War II.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/so...atia-simunic-ban-****-chant.ap/#ixzz2nqfFrSaJ