Football 2014 FIFA World Cup

[xi0]

Meh, I don't think we're going to advance. We only have 3 full days of rest (1 less than Germany) after playing in Manaus, and we all saw how England and Italy performed in their matches following playing in that fucking hothouse.

 

[Kaiten]

Well thanks to that Germany is in the next round. Like 90%. Portugal and Ghana have to pray.

99.7%

Meh, I don't think we're going to advance. We only have 3 full days of rest (1 less than Germany) after playing in Manaus, and we all saw how England and Italy performed in their matches following playing in that fucking hothouse.

Ghana screwed us over pretty bad against Germany. I'm rooting for Portugal to win 1-0 against Ghana. Odds still favor the US advancing after the draw. As long as they don't get blown out by Germany, or Ghana does not blow out Portugal.

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NM. Rooting for a draw. Forgot, point differential doesn't matter if Ghana and Portugal draw, US still advances with a loss.

 

[Hardy]

99.7%

What are the odds of you guys winning the cup? Real talk.

If you lose and Ghana wins, one of these matches by a 2 goals margin, you're out. Portugal has to destroy Ghana on the other hand, lol.

---------- Post added at 11:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 PM ----------

Found it... 1 % (like Costa Rica and Ivory Coast), the 9th highest.

 

[Kaiten]

What are the odds of you guys winning the cup? Real talk.

If you lose and Ghana wins, one of these matches by a 2 goals margin, you're out. Portugal has to destroy Ghana on the other hand, lol.

All the US needs to advance is a Portugal - Ghana draw. That's the ideal scenario. Ghana hasn't won yet, let alone scored enough to overcome a 2 goal margin. It is a possibility that can't be ignored, if the US can't draw. That's my primary worry. I have little hope for actually beating or drawing against Germany. Portugal is pretty much screwed.

Found it... 1 % (like Costa Rica and Ivory Coast), the 9th highest.

Well, yes. We're not a soccer playing country. Placing in the knockout round would be a victory.

---------- Post added at 10:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 PM ----------

This World Cup has, so far, been a success in the States. As popular as any soccer event I can remember, including the '94 Cup.

 

[xi0]

What are the odds of you guys winning the cup? Real talk.

Why invoke "real talk"...? None of us thinks we're going to win, but to make it into the knockout round 2 WCs in a row would be nice. Especially in a WC that has been as memorable and entertaining as this one.

 

[Leoat12]

Netherlands coach insinuated that we are afraid of them and talked rubbish about the schedule saying that we would "choose opponents". Felipão give a properly answer for that and I complement saying that either Chile or Netherlands will be difficult matches, we don't have the luxury to choose anyone, I mean, anyone can in the round of 16. lol
This World Cup turned out to be a tournament to see who pursues Brazil more. Shameful.

Anyway, my bet for tomorrow:

Australia x Spain ( )
Netherlands x Chile (It is a hard game though. I expect a great match and Chile can really win this)
Brazil x Cameroon
Croatia x Mexico

 

[xi0]

This World Cup turned out to be a tournament to see who pursues Brazil more. Shameful.

Pursue? What does this mean exactly? Elaborate pls

 

[Hardy]

Why invoke "real talk"...?

Just in case you thought I was shitting on you... but apparently it only made it worse

None of us thinks we're going to win, but to make it into the knockout round 2 WCs in a row would be nice. Especially in a WC that has been as memorable and entertaining as this one.

I agree. It's an even bigger feat considering the group you have.

 

[Leoat12]

Pursue? What does this mean exactly? Elaborate pls

Coches out there don't lose the opportunity to talk about our team, provoke and stuff.
This very thread is an example too.

 

[xi0]

Just in case you thought I was shitting on you... but apparently it only made it worse



I agree. It's an even bigger feat considering the group you have.

Just because us 'Muricans are in here enjoying the matches and especially when we play well, we get shit on?

I can get hyped all I want, but I think I have plenty of perspective. I'd say the same of most USMNT fans. It's actually kind of weird, considering I can't really say the same of a lot of the fans of some of the traditionally great teams.

---------- Post added at 12:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 AM ----------

Coches out there don't lose the opportunity to talk about our team, provoke and stuff.
This very thread is an example too.

The WC is in Brazil. They get hype that they wouldn't receive if it wasn't for that fact. Plus, it's the media's job to ask these kind of questions for that exact reason, it's up to the coach whether he gives people anything to write/talk about. That isn't "shameful", it's how sports have always been.

 

[Leoat12]

The WC is in Brazil. They get hype that they wouldn't receive if it wasn't for that fact. Plus, it's the media's job to ask these kind of questions for that exact reason, it's up to the coach whether he gives people anything to write/talk about. That isn't "shameful", it's how sports have always been.

I don't remember they pursuing Germany in 2006 like that.
Well, be the best soccer team has its pros and cons I suppose.

Note: "best" here means the one that has more titles and best perfomance in WCs. Before making a ruckus at this.

 

[xi0]

I don't remember they pursuing Germany in 2006 like that.
Well, be the best soccer team has its pros and cons I suppose.

Note: "best" here means the one that has more titles and best perfomance in WCs. Before making a ruckus at this.

I'll just reiterate that there wouldn't be the same level of noise about Brazil if it wasn't hosted there. That doesn't mean they're a bad team, hype can be a disservice to a team as well.

 

[zelllogan]

Teams made of players from big european championships are exhausted. It s starting to be a problem. Those players seems to be exhausted mentally and physically. Teams like USA or costa rica shouldn t be a problem for them. Individually, there is normally a huge difference in quality and performances from them can not simply be explained by the collective. Fifa is even thinking about doping in the case of costa rica. Aside from exhaustion, there is also the fact that the national team is much more important to non-european teams. For a lot of european players, the national team isn t as important as their club. The concept of national pride is simply not that important for most first world countries.

And xio is right, if it wasn t in Brasil, they wouldn t be a favourite. It s far from the best generation they ever had

 

[xi0]

Well, teams from CONCACAF don't get to look forward to something like the Champions League, European Championship, Copa Liberatodores, Copa America, or African Cup of Nations (no one really cares about CONCACAF Gold Cup or CONCACAF Champions League), so the WC is all we really have as far as premiere tournaments. MLS teams don't even care that their players are being taken from their rosters (due to stupid scheduling, but I digress) because the success of the National Team means more than anything else. Our club scene isn't going to get better without the National Team getting better, simple as that.

So on the average, you'd probably say our players care more. Obviously a generalization...but yeah

 

[Nuno]

I don't know how big a problem it is. Most big teams have many players from Europe. For example Argentina has Aguero, Messi, Di Maria and Higuain to mention some. Brazil has Neymar, Marcelo, David Luiz, Oscar, the list goes on. I don't know if these players are really underperforming. Seems more like a team issue overall. That's just two examples from the western non-Europe world. I guess teams like USA are less strained but I don't know how much of a factor that is when you have the type of quality these teams have, they should roll over such opponents regardless of playing at 90%. In Portugal's place only 3 obviously play for "super clubs", and only 1 of them is playing. Even all three I couldn't say underperformed. The team overall just sucks hard. I don't think it's exhaustion, it's the overall mentality being dreadful.

 

[goldb]

Since I couldn't choose a matchup to go with for today( though arguably the tougher match would be Mexico vs Croatia), I went for a general fate of group A. So place your bets as to which teams advance to the next stage. I think it's still mathematically possible for Brazil to be eliminated, with a high-scoring draw? Correct me if I'm wrong and I'll change the poll.

 

[Saintz0r]

Yes, we could be eliminated if we lose and Croacia x Mexico ends as a tie. Mexico would have 5 points and Croacia 4, with a better GD (not likely, though haha)

Well, most of the traditional teams have a lot of players playing in europe. Brasil has 4 of the 23 playing here, all the others play in Europe

The biggest difference, imho, are the fans. Chile/Costa Rica/Mexico/Colombia, etc. have a lot of cheering whenever they play

 

[FrostyMouse]

Well, it would require Cameroon to crush Brazil, which isn't going to happen, but mathematically could.

 

[Hardy]

Well, it would require Cameroon to crush Brazil, which isn't going to happen, but mathematically could.

There are 2 ways for this to happen:

-Mexico and Croatia tie, Brazil loses (by at least 2 goals).

-Croatia barely wins against Mexico, Brazil loses by at least 3.

If Mexico had won 3-0 like they should have against Cameroon, this wouldn't be so hard for them, lol.

 

[Akainu]

Croatia & Mexico I want to believe

In all seriousness though, I expect Brazil to crush Cameroon quite hard, Mexico to keep up the 0, Netherlands and Chile to be a good match and Spain scoring at least one regular goal. Australia might win though.