OT: The Official World Cup Thread '14

[clyde_carbon]

Will anyone unseat my Spaniards as champs?

I think Brazil has the best chance. They'll have home field advantage, and tremendous talent up front. I don't their mid game that much, though.

 

[CalamityX11]

I don't see Spain winning it again... not this time, likely a final 4 showing but i think they'll got done in in PKs...

they're good but not barcelona good.

I had Uruguay making a strong push but their play of late has been disappointing. I dare say maybe an Italian team being a surprise contender where Germany should remain a power favorite.

Do i give Brasil a nod? Final 4 IMO but to win, i don't see despite the talent up front.

 

[BINGO]

Will anyone unseat my Spaniards as champs?

I think Brazil has the best chance. They'll have home field advantage, and tremendous talent up front. I don't their mid game that much, though.

Nah Clyde, too much pressure. I will be cheering for them but I don't see them accomplishing that tremendous task. Again, too much pressure. BTW, me and several my fellas plan on making that trip to in 2014. I recommend you gather your clique together and make that trip man. We're talking about Brazil fam!

 

[Upstater]

Deutscher Fußball-Bund

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

I don't know how you're not picking the US. Sure they lost to Honduras, and Jamaica a couple months ago....but those are just hiccups! Amazingly we might have already seen the best we'll see from US soccer for a while, they might be pretty sad for the foreseeable future.

I'd make Germany favorites, they're solid at every position with a bench full of talent....and none of them are old, that team will seem even more stacked by 2014 as the youngsters are turning into stars. Hard to count out Spain, and I really like France.

Brazil seems shaky now, lost to England yesterday, but kind of the same......some young players that will probably improve a lot in the next 18 months - at least, they'd better have. But Neymar, Oscar, Lucas, Damaio all could be superstars.

 

[Yoshi]

Are folks are here actually Spanish in ancestry?

I know I am, but it would be interesting to know if there are other Catalans/Castilians/Basques/etc.

 

[Yoshi]

I don't know how you're not picking the US. Sure they lost to Honduras, and Jamaica a couple months ago....but those are just hiccups! Amazingly we might have already seen the best we'll see from US soccer for a while, they might be pretty sad for the foreseeable future.

I'd make Germany favorites, they're solid at every position with a bench full of talent....and none of them are old, that team will seem even more stacked by 2014 as the youngsters are turning into stars. Hard to count out Spain, and I really like France.

Brazil seems shaky now, lost to England yesterday, but kind of the same......some young players that will probably improve a lot in the next 18 months - at least, they'd better have. But Neymar, Oscar, Lucas, Damaio all could be superstars.

Well said Space. Brazil will get a lot of pub because they're playing in front of their nation, but my favorites go to Germany. They don't have to worry about Paul the Octopus picking against them and they are pretty young and pretty deep. I don't think Mertesacker will be starting for them, and he shouldn't, because although he is a pretty decent defender, he's too slow for me and he could really be exposed to smaller, faster forwards.

Spain will have a tough feat because their star forwards - El Nino and Villa, are on the downside of their careers with their frequent injuries or suspect performances on the pitch. At some point, teams will start to learn how to defend "La Masia" and counter at will against them. Plus, I don't know how long Casillas can play at this level and Puyol is getting older.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

Totally agree with both points there. Germany will definitely start Hummels, the other is a question mark....but Mertesacker doesn't do it for me, just too much of a big goof. I don't think much of Boateng either. I think their issue is that they have guys that could play well at centerback like Howedes from Schalke and Badstuber from Munchen, but they have recently used those guys in the left back position. Think they've just been experimenting in these matches, and I bet by the WC they both will start, and one will play center and one will play on the left.

I didn't even think of the striker position for Spain, but that is an issue no doubt. They played Fabregas there yesterday, which I can't imagine is considered a solution. Llorente was a contender until recently but seems to have hit a rough spot. We'll see.

 

[CalamityX11]

Are folks are here actually Spanish in ancestry?

I know I am, but it would be interesting to know if there are other Catalans/Castilians/Basques/etc.

Actually Yoshi, you know my nationality but back in december i was in Madrid, Spain for 10 days or so... nice lovely city, went to the outskirts such as Toledo, Segovia etc... no barca though..

I was actually at a real madrid game(the game where they played the last place team n tied... fuckers!) the inside stadium tour was epic and seeing all the trophies and history was almost overwhelming...