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It's Carnival Time! - The WORLD CUP FINALS 2014.

NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
edited June 2014 in General Discussion Posts: 7,584
Yes, ok we have a football thread, but this is the World Cup for goodness sake! It needs it's own thread.

So, with Thursday's big kick off looming, let's prepare to talk football for the next four weeks or so.
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Comments

  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,022
    I have no interest in football and even less for the World Cup. But there's one thing I want to say :

    After the disaster that was South Africa 2010, the only way the french team is going to redeem itself is by winning this one. Somehow, I don't see that happening.
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    Posts: 6,396
    Sepp Blatter claims that investigations into the Qatar 2002 bid and FIFA are racist. The man is a buffoon. And a corrupt one at that (allegedly).

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27762435
  • MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
    edited June 2014 Posts: 5,080
    WillyGalore wrote:
    Sepp Blatter claims that investigations into the Qatar 2002 bid and FIFA are racist. The man is a buffoon. And a corrupt one at that (allegedly).

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27762435

    Ironic
  • Suivez_ce_parachuteSuivez_ce_parachute
    Posts: 2,015
    Gerard, if you had some interest in football you'd know that amongst the 23 French players who will play this World Cup, only 4 played in 2010. 19 players that were not in South Africa, that's quite a cleanup already...

    For the first time since a long time, we have a team who is made mostly of young players who have almost zero pressure to prove something, actually. The youngest player of the team in 2010 was 27 yo. Now half of the team has less than 27...


  • marketto007marketto007 Brazil
    Posts: 3,277
    We're ready here in Brazil!!! :D
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    First time in my life that I can say this: We're defending the Title!!!!
    Spains-captain-Iker-Casil-006.jpg
    :D :D :D
  • Sammm04Sammm04
    Posts: 479
    I got Holland in a sweepstakes, unfortunately 4 years of aging means they are much less likely to get to the final this time, as much as I love the Dutch, I'm not fancying my chances of winning. However, they've beaten teams like Brazil before and I'm sure they can do it again. I predict a Belgium vs Argentina final. Bold, I know, but Belgium are a force to be reckoned with and have a reasonably easy group, and could at least get to the semi finals, and (as much as I hate to appraise the old enemy) Argentina could finally come good in this World Cup, it will be a great shame if Messi never wins a World Cup. I think Russia or Switzerland could also be surprise teams, but it will definitely be exciting.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    I am sure it will be all over for us within a week of our first match?!
  • DiscoVolanteDiscoVolante Stockholm, Sweden
    edited June 2014 Posts: 1,347
    As we're out, I'm cheering for Germany. Brazil and Argentina will be up there as well.

    Let the mayhem begin!
  • Sammm04Sammm04
    edited June 2014 Posts: 479
    Actually, that makes me think of who England's biggest rivals are, mine would be:

    1. Germany
    2. Argentina (No explanation necessary)
    3. France
    4. Holland
    5. Italy
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782
    Woy Hodgson is England's biggest threat.

    Play Sterling for gawd's sake man, drop Rooney, Welbeck (his dad's name his Stan), and attack.....

    come on England.

    I quite fancy Belgium actually - the team that will play its youngsters.

    I'm fed up of marketing departments picking the England team.

  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    Booked time of so won't miss a game, think this will be great world cup.

    Have low expectations for England which is not a bad thing. Hope England don't revert to default and play with backs to the walls as they often do. We have some promising talent, England should try to impress themselves on the opposition.

    Brazil
    Spain
    Germany
    Argentina

    Think one of the four above will win the competition.

    Chile are my dark horses, think England could struggle to get past the group phase.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    I got Brazil beating Germany in the finals with Spain beating Belgium in the third place game.

    The US will not fare well at 0-2-1.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    fire_and_ice wrote:
    Booked time of so won't miss a game, think this will be great world cup.

    Have low expectations for England which is not a bad thing. Hope England don't revert to default and play with backs to the walls as they often do. We have some promising talent, England should try to impress themselves on the opposition.

    Chile are my dark horses, think England could struggle to get past the group phase.

    For the first time in living memory every Englishman has low expectations, which isn't a bad thing. And yes, they really can use this low expectation to their advantage and just go for it. Put the youngsters on and let them play attacking football. The heat and humidity won't help, but what do we have to lose?

    Knowing England they will stumble unconvincingly through the groups, get lucky in the last 16 and play great football in the quarters only to lose it on penalties.
  • TokolosheTokoloshe Under your bed
    Posts: 2,667
    Agree with NicNac, I'm taking my four-yearly mild interest in football in preparation for watching Emgland lose in the QFs again.
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782
    What the England team should be like - the very last line of this scene.

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Curious to know if the US will be winning any games 1-1 this time around.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    NicNac wrote:
    fire_and_ice wrote:
    Booked time of so won't miss a game, think this will be great world cup.

    Have low expectations for England which is not a bad thing. Hope England don't revert to default and play with backs to the walls as they often do. We have some promising talent, England should try to impress themselves on the opposition.

    Chile are my dark horses, think England could struggle to get past the group phase.

    For the first time in living memory every Englishman has low expectations, which isn't a bad thing. And yes, they really can use this low expectation to their advantage and just go for it. Put the youngsters on and let them play attacking football. The heat and humidity won't help, but what do we have to lose?

    Knowing England they will stumble unconvincingly through the groups, get lucky in the last 16 and play great football in the quarters only to lose it on penalties.

    Deep down i think we may do ok, just not allowing myself to consider it.
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782


    woy this will be you if you do not play a young team, woy do your hear me woy?
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    Hope Australia at least score a goal.....:)
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    001 wrote:
    Hope Australia at least score a goal.....:)

    I hope they do that against Chili or Spain, and I hope they will beat one of them too. :D
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    SaintMark wrote:
    001 wrote:
    Hope Australia at least score a goal.....:)

    I hope they do that against Chili or Spain, and I hope they will beat one of them too. :D

    [-X [-X [-X
    You're talking to a World Champion here, my friend
    :D :D :D
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    ggl007 wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    001 wrote:
    Hope Australia at least score a goal.....:)

    I hope they do that against Chili or Spain, and I hope they will beat one of them too. :D

    [-X [-X [-X
    You're talking to a World Champion here, my friend
    :D :D :D

    And we were three times to close for comfort, my friend. THat said Spain deserved it last time but they did not convince me in the final.

    They better watch carefully as we bring "de Jong" back on the pitch this week against Espana. ;) He just might have something on the sole of his boots he does not like.

    ANd if Australia beats Chili or Spain or catches them in a draw, that is fine with me as long as they lose against the Netherlands, which is the one match we should be able to win. :!!
  • WillyGaloreWillyGalore
    Posts: 6,396
    SaintMark wrote:
    ggl007 wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    001 wrote:
    Hope Australia at least score a goal.....:)

    I hope they do that against Chili or Spain, and I hope they will beat one of them too. :D

    [-X [-X [-X
    You're talking to a World Champion here, my friend
    :D :D :D

    And we were three times to close for comfort, my friend. That said Spain deserved it last time but they did not convince me in the final.

    They better watch carefully as we bring "de Jong" back on the pitch this week against Espana. ;) He just might have something on the sole of his boots he does not like.

    ANd if Australia beats Chili or Spain or catches them in a draw, that is fine with me as long as they lose against the Netherlands, which is the one match we should be able to win. :!!

    Perhaps that was because the Dutch were more concerned with breaking Spanish legs four years ago than actually playing football. Disgraceful.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    WillyGalore wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    ggl007 wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    001 wrote:
    Hope Australia at least score a goal.....:)

    I hope they do that against Chili or Spain, and I hope they will beat one of them too. :D

    [-X [-X [-X
    You're talking to a World Champion here, my friend
    :D :D :D

    And we were three times to close for comfort, my friend. That said Spain deserved it last time but they did not convince me in the final.

    They better watch carefully as we bring "de Jong" back on the pitch this week against Espana. ;) He just might have something on the sole of his boots he does not like.

    ANd if Australia beats Chili or Spain or catches them in a draw, that is fine with me as long as they lose against the Netherlands, which is the one match we should be able to win. :!!

    Perhaps that was because the Dutch were more concerned with breaking Spanish legs four years ago than actually playing football. Disgraceful.

    Actually de Jong gave some serious chest compression, and I can agree with you on their performance being disgraceful. I found their whole campaign bloody awefull and would have been seriously depressed if they would have won with that kind of football.
    This time I do not have any expectations, simply because the material is not there.

    I was never a great fan of the previous Coach of Orange, and the man lives a few miles away from me and I co occasionally meet him and his son in law, they are friendly enough both of them. But as a player and coach both are shyte and have done the Dutch football no favors 4 years ago.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    Very noble of you saying this ^^^^ =D> Obviously, I agree.

    That said, I love the Clockwork Orange with Cruyff, Neeskens or Rensenbrick. What they did with Argentina in Germany'1974 was incredible. I hope you can do something similar with Brazil this year... ;)
  • Sammm04Sammm04
    Posts: 479
    I don't see why people get mad when teams are a bit dirty, sometimes dirty football is quite entertaining, watching teams kick 7 bells out of each other. And to be honest you have to play quite dirty against Spain, because otherwise they'll run rings around you, Sometimes it is just necessary. I do think the Dutch deserved that World Cup more than the Spanish, mainly because they had lost in the final twice before and deserved to win one, whilst Spain could afford to wait, while the Dutch, as the last 4 years have shown, are no longer capable of getting to the final.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    Sammm04 wrote:
    I don't see why people get mad when teams are a bit dirty, sometimes dirty football is quite entertaining, watching teams kick 7 bells out of each other. And to be honest you have to play quite dirty against Spain, because otherwise they'll run rings around you, Sometimes it is just necessary. I do think the Dutch deserved that World Cup more than the Spanish, mainly because they had lost in the final twice before and deserved to win one, whilst Spain could afford to wait, while the Dutch, as the last 4 years have shown, are no longer capable of getting to the final.

    But they made it to the WC finals without any trouble at all, their team is still far above average. But now at the end tournament all the teams are supposed to be above average. This is why Sweden with the fabulous Zlatan Ibrahimović got left behind, besides Zlatan there is nothing there even if the man deserves a international stage. Due to the Netherlands and Ronaldos Portugal they got to stay home. Portugal another team that is poorer without Ronaldo.

    The Dutch still have a few very talented players that can make a difference, but against the big guns??? They did take down Brasil last time but this being their home game I sincerely doubt that IF the Dutch reach the 2nd leg they will survive Brazil.
  • Sammm04Sammm04
    Posts: 479
    SaintMark wrote:
    Sammm04 wrote:
    I don't see why people get mad when teams are a bit dirty, sometimes dirty football is quite entertaining, watching teams kick 7 bells out of each other. And to be honest you have to play quite dirty against Spain, because otherwise they'll run rings around you, Sometimes it is just necessary. I do think the Dutch deserved that World Cup more than the Spanish, mainly because they had lost in the final twice before and deserved to win one, whilst Spain could afford to wait, while the Dutch, as the last 4 years have shown, are no longer capable of getting to the final.

    But they made it to the WC finals without any trouble at all, their team is still far above average. But now at the end tournament all the teams are supposed to be above average. This is why Sweden with the fabulous Zlatan Ibrahimović got left behind, besides Zlatan there is nothing there even if the man deserves a international stage. Due to the Netherlands and Ronaldos Portugal they got to stay home. Portugal another team that is poorer without Ronaldo.

    The Dutch still have a few very talented players that can make a difference, but against the big guns??? They did take down Brasil last time but this being their home game I sincerely doubt that IF the Dutch reach the 2nd leg they will survive Brazil.

    When I said they were no longer capable, I was only saying that because they will more than likely have to face Brazil, but yes there is still a lot of talent. I think they will be a force to be reckoned with in 2018, but this year, not so much. But trust me, I love the Dutch and am pulling for them to win as I got them in a sweepstakes.

  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    WillyGalore wrote:
    Sepp Blatter claims that investigations into the Qatar 2002 bid and FIFA are racist. The man is a buffoon. And a corrupt one at that (allegedly).

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27762435

    He needs to empty his blatter. (Or piss off as we say here.)
This discussion has been closed.