FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014

[spacedoodoopistol]

Soccer brainiac Michael Cox:

Some are suggesting G is the toughest. I can see that argument, but I'm not convinced about Ghana or the US - I think Ghana have gone backwards since 2010 (when they beat the US in the second round), and while Klinsmann is a good coach, I'm not sure about the squad strength.

B surely tougher than D, simply because Costa Rica aren't very strong at all. And Spain are being hugely underrated at the moment, considering their achievements over the past six years make them arguably the best international side of all time...

 

[romeo212000]

Step out big or go home I guess!

That's twice in the last three world cups we've gotten fucked on the draw.

 

[xpuctaqpGT]

There are no problems...only opportunities to excell!

 

[xpuctaqpGT]

That's twice in the last three world cups we've gotten fucked on the draw.

I'm not sure what the remedy is either. We keep winning our qualifying group in convincing fashion. We've gotten out of group stage in 2 of the last 3 cups. I guess we need our fellow concacaf teams to excell so that we can maybe get a top 8 spot for next time. *shrug*

 

[CalamityX11]

Argentina can kiss my ass.... fucking assholes... they don't have to play Messi til the semi-finals lol....

 

[bksballer89]

That brazil/spain round of 16 should be a dandy

 

[CalamityX11]

Groups A-D are certainly top heavy and the toughest road to the finals... such a drop vs E-H

I knew Portugal was going to get pulled into the USA group. If they weren't with Argentina, it was USA.....

Group F & H are very weak.

 

[romeo212000]

I'm not sure what the remedy is either. We keep winning our qualifying group in convincing fashion. We've gotten out of group stage in 2 of the last 3 cups. I guess we need our fellow concacaf teams to excell so that we can maybe get a top 8 spot for next time. *shrug*

What really pisses me off is the group Mexico ended up with after that pathetic qualification performance.

 

[CalamityX11]

Recap:

Group A: Brazil, Cameroon, Mexico, Croatia
Group B: Spain, Chile, Australia, Netherlands
Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Greece
Group D: Uruguay, Italy, Costa Rica, England
Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, Honduras, France
Group F: Argentina, Nigeria, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Group G: Germany, Ghana, United States, Portugal
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Korea Republic, Russia

 

[CalamityX11]

why is everyone acting like Mexico is in a good group? the only team beatable for them is Cameroon and thats a maybe... Croatia > Mexico....

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I mean, on the plus side we didn't draw a South American team so that's good right? I'd imagine it's going to be difficult for anybody going against team's from that continent. They are going to be loud and rowdy.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

why is everyone acting like Mexico is in a good group? the only team beatable for them is Cameroon and thats a maybe... Croatia > Mexico....

I was thinking the same thing, I like that Croatia team a lot. Lots of talent and some great players with Modric and Srna.

That said, I was just looking at their recent results - not great. They lost to Scotland twice in qualifying! That's pathetic.

 

[romeo212000]

I mean, on the plus side we didn't draw a South American team so that's good right? I'd imagine it's going to be difficult for anybody going against team's from that continent. They are going to be loud and rowdy.

That may help is against Ghana and Portugal.

 

[CalamityX11]

I was thinking the same thing, I like that Croatia team a lot. Lots of talent and some great players with Modric and Srna.

That said, I was just looking at their recent results - not great. They lost to Scotland twice in qualifying! That's pathetic.

Even with that, if anyone thinks Croatia or even Cameroon is going to play like New Zealand are fooling themselves and shouldn't really watch the World Cup if thats their perception lol...

Mexico destroyed a horrible, unfit and untalented squad to get in... doesn't mean they're world beaters...

 

[hokiegrad]

anyone else think the world cup logo looks like ?

 

[CalamityX11]

My 12/6/13 early bird predictions

Group A: Brazil, Croatia
Group B: Spain, Netherlands
Group C: Colombia, Greece
Group D: Uruguay, England
Group E: Switzerland, France
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Group G: Germany, United States(why not!)
Group H: Belgium, Russia

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

I generally hate conspiracy talk, and especially FIFA conspiracy talk, but I'll admit on its face this one looks funny......first they made some changes last week in the seedings, moving France from Pot 2 to Pot 4, making them a higher seed and eliminating a lot tough potential opponents. Its strange because now there were 9 teams in one pot and 7 in the other. I guess they want to keep the European teams together in the same pots, but they've done it differently in the past.

Then you look and France ends up with almost the easiest possible group with maybe the single-worst teams in every other group! Its ludicrous to say they're rigging the draws, but France definitely got a big break being moved in the seedings.

 

[CalamityX11]

My 12/6/13 early bird predictions

Group A: Brazil, Croatia
Group B: Spain, Netherlands
Group C: Colombia, Greece
Group D: Uruguay, England
Group E: Switzerland, France
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Group G: Germany, United States(why not!)
Group H: Belgium, Russia

Therefore we'll see:

Brazil vs Netherlands \ / Spain vs Croatia
Colombia vs England / \ Uruguay vs Greece

Switzerland vs BH \ / Argentina vs France
Germany vs Belgium / \ Russia vs USA

which then becomes

Brazil vs Colombia \ / Spain vs Uruguay
Switzerland vs Germany/ \ Argentina vs USA

now we have

Colombia vs Germany
Spain vs Argentina

Final

Germany over Spain....

 

[bksballer89]

Here is the one bright spot of being in this group. IF we advance we have a good chance of making it to the quarterfinals.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I generally hate conspiracy talk, and especially FIFA conspiracy talk, but I'll admit on its face this one looks funny......first they made some changes last week in the seedings, moving France from Pot 2 to Pot 4, making them a higher seed and eliminating a lot tough potential opponents. Its strange because now there were 9 teams in one pot and 7 in the other. I guess they want to keep the European teams together in the same pots, but they've done it differently in the past.

Then you look and France ends up with almost the easiest possible group with maybe the single-worst teams in every other group! Its ludicrous to say they're rigging the draws, but France definitely got a big break being moved in the seedings.

Is it though? The next World Cup is in Qatar (bribes?), soccer is notorious for having fixed matches, FIFA at the end of the day is a business in it to make money. It just seems a little to coincidental that the teams that make FIFA the most money tend to get the benefit of the doubt (Henry handball vs Ireland anyone?). Is it 100% a fix? I won't say that. Is it possible this is all legit and this is simply the way it is? Sure. But where there's smoke...