World Cup Finals 2014-Brazil

[nelly the elephant]

Well......what kind of tournament are people expecting? I don't expect much of a European challenge tbh.....I would have fancied Uruguay before Suarez's injury...not so sure now.

[offshorerules]

Hard to see beyond the hosts with Argentina my 2nd favourites.

[Avenger]

I don't see Brazil winning it. Very ordinary team and their superstar is completely overrated.

[Dave Cahill]

Well......what kind of tournament are people expecting? I don't expect much of a European challenge tbh.....I would have fancied Uruguay before Suarez's injury...not so sure now.

Can't agree with that. Brazil might surf a tide of public emotion, but they just don't have the quality. Argentina the same - they have Messi, but the rest of the team is so-so. Uruguay, its hard to tell how they'll play, but there is are few easier teams in world football to mindfuck and that might cost them.

I can't see beyond a European winner to be honest. Spain have the bones of past squads but have added some players from past successful age grade teams too, and they have the best coach in the business. Italy haven't got great talent, but they could quite conceivably bore the opposition into submission, they've won world cups with worse squads before doing that. Germany, England and France have a chance for the semis too and the Dutch might not have a row.

[Dave Cahill]

Outside bet: Belgium

[fourthirtythree]

... and the Dutch might not have a row.

Crazytalk!

[offshorerules]

I don't see Brazil winning it. Very ordinary team and their superstar is completely overrated.

Brazil are bookies favourites at 3-1, Argentina next with Germany third at 11-2. Might be worth an e/w punt on Germany.

[Vamos los azules]

I go for Germany in every major tournament for no reason other than you always seem to get a good run for your money. I might be putting the kiss of death on them now but they just seem to put their heads down and get on with the football better than many other nations.

[Leoslovechild]

I go for Germany in every major tournament for no reason other than you always seem to get a good run for your money. I might be putting the kiss of death on them now but they just seem to put their heads down and get on with the football better than many other nations.

A European team has never won in South America and I don't see that changing this time either unless Belgium upset the apple cart

Hard to see beyong Brazil or Argentina no matter how bad they are playing or their squads are...It's in South America

[Dave Cahill]

A European team has never won in South America and I don't see that changing this time either unless Belgium upset the apple cart

Hard to see beyong Brazil or Argentina no matter how bad they are playing or their squads are...It's in South America

Theres only been one Final in the modern era in South America and that was 'won' by the most european team on the continent. Things have changed a lot since then, there are no real geographic advantages (except altitude) nowadays as sports science has found ways to combat those traditional advantages. The modern footballer too is a global animal - at anything approaching the top level they'll spend a considerable amount of time travelling the globe for tournaments, promotional work, Continental competitions, international matches or going home during breaks. The day when not being able to get a nice cup of tea put off the visiting team is gone.

European football is the real power, the World Cup suffers in a comparison of quality to the Champions League and even the European Championships. It'll be an all European semi-final lineup, at worst three out of four if Argentina get their sh!t together or Uruguay don't have a nutty (though thats as likely as the Dutch not having a row).

[nelly the elephant]

Outside bet: Belgium

Undoubtedly an extremely talented group of players..........too soon for them though? This is their first qualification for a major finals since 2002.

[Avenger]

unless Belgium upset the apple cart

If ever a team was set up to fail, its this Belgian team. Everyone is tipping them.

[Avenger]

Brazil are bookies favourites at 3-1

I don't care if they are bookies favourites or that they are the host nation. They are not a good team.
They'll probably have a favourable draw due to being the hosts but as soon as they meet a team that knows what they are doing, they are toast.

[Dave Cahill]

unless Belgium upset the apple cart

If ever a team was set up to fail, its this Belgian team. Everyone is tipping them.

They've plenty of talent, enough to go all the way, but they are callow and all it would take is for a player in training to call another player the wrong name at the wrong time in the wrong language and it'll all go off

[paddyor]

Going with 2 of the old powerhouses in Germany and Italy. Can just picture them sauntering around in formation waiting for an over eager "local" to make a mistake. how many of the last 5 QFs haven't featured 7 out of 8 European teams?. IIRC they've generally only feature 1 South American team across a few climate(Mexico doesn't count).

No to Belgium: Too Dutch/too French
No to Spain: I just don't fancy them
No to Uruguay: Liverpool are better this year than last year and they're better than Uruguay. Whether Liverpool/Uruguay are good or bad Suarez can't win them a trophy

[fourthirtythree]

Going with 2 of the old powerhouses in Germany and Italy. Can just picture them sauntering around in formation waiting for an over eager "local" to make a mistake. how many of the last 5 QFs haven't featured 7 out of 8 European teams?. IIRC they've generally only feature 1 South American team across a few climate(Mexico doesn't count).

No to Belgium: Too Dutch/too French
No to Spain: I just don't fancy them
No to Uruguay: Liverpool are better this year than last year and they're better than Uruguay. Whether Liverpool/Uruguay are good or bad Suarez can't win them a trophy

Yeah, Europeans have dominated the business end of the last few world cups. I'm actually excited now and I've barely had a chance to watch soccer in years.

Oh, and Mexico doesn't count as South American as it's in North America.

[jezzer]

Outside bet: Belgium

Memories of Enzo Scifo (sp?) in 86. They got to the semis iirc - I was rooting for them in that tournament with Norn Iron.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

unless Belgium upset the apple cart

If ever a team was set up to fail, its this Belgian team. Everyone is tipping them.

Yeah I'm thinking along similar lines. They've a brilliant side on paper and obviously did well in qualifying but I wouldn't trust guys like Hazard and Fellaini to actually perform. Someone like Vermaelan sounds good on paper too but realistically, is he up to much? Verthingen too is a lovely footballer but prone to mistakes.

My scepticism regarding Hazard might be harsh but there's something about him that I just can't warm to. Seen him do some brilliant things for Chelsea but then be anonymous in far too many games, just not a fan. Lukaku could tear it up for them though, huge fan of him and he'll make life he'll for whoever he plays against. Seems very tough mentally and very driven to me, wont let up unlike some of his team mates. Also think Jamuzaj could do well for them off the bench, rarely failed to improve United even when his form wasn't as good after Christmas. Overall I just don't think they'll perform but they do have an easy group so should make it through to the knockouts anyway.

No idea who will win but am picking Portugal as a dark horse. Ronaldo's performance in Sweden was one of the best I've ever seen and he really seemed like a man on a mission. He could make up for some of their other deficiencies. Even with their tough group, he could drag them out of it.

I'll plump for Spain though. Xavi's demise will be a major hindrance but I think they've added pace, have improved in defence, had two teams in the CL final, and have better strikers (if they need them) than they've had for years.

[Dexter]

Outside bet: Belgium

Memories of Enzo Scifo (sp?) in 86. They got to the semis iirc - I was rooting for them in that tournament with Norn Iron.

That was a great tournament.
I was rooting for Denmark..remember that Danish team of the 80's and early 90's? Great side. They played great stuff through the tournament and then had a bad day against Spain, going from 1-0 up to getting battered 5-1. Speaking of Belgium, one of the best games was the play-off game Belgium Vs USSR, 2-2 at 90mins and 4-3 at the end. Probably the last really good World Cup tournament.

[Dave Cahill]

Great piece by Scott Murray in the Grauniad about the classic 1982 clash between West Germany and France

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blo ... -battiston