2018 World Cup

[thebasketballreasons]

What interesting end to the two group B games. Despite playing below their normal for, Spain will have an easy path and is guaranteed to play in the finals. They will rout Russia and Croatia, then snatch a narrow victory against Belgium of England. Portugal however, will be humiliated by Uruguay in round of 16.

 

[bMORE607]

What interesting end to the two group B games. Despite playing below their normal for, Spain will have an easy path and is guaranteed to play in the finals. They will rout Russia and Croatia, then snatch a narrow victory against Belgium of England. Portugal however, will be humiliated by Uruguay in round of 16.

Lol @ guaranteeing Spain will play in the final.

 

[thebasketballreasons]

Lol @ guaranteeing Spain will play in the final.

Belgium is a formidable opponent but the lack of experience will come into play in a stage as big as semi finals. England on the other hand, is just not good enough to hang with Spain, a semi finals appearance will be like winning the trophy for England.

 

[bMORE607]

Belgium is a formidable opponent but the lack of experience will come into play in a stage as big as semi finals. England on the other hand, is just not good enough to hang with Spain, a semi finals appearance will be like winning the trophy for England.

Belguim made it the quarters last world cup and has more experience then England. Unless you got those two mixed up and are trying to say that Belguim isnt that good enough.

Spain has not looked great. Way to many defensive lapses, they shouldn’t overlook anybody.

 

[bMORE607]

Belgium is a formidable opponent but the lack of experience will come into play in a stage as big as semi finals. England on the other hand, is just not good enough to hang with Spain, a semi finals appearance will be like winning the trophy for England.

Just looked at the bracket and you are correct, the bottom half that Spain is in is going to be much easier.

 

[dukedevilz]

Belgium is a formidable opponent but the lack of experience will come into play in a stage as big as semi finals. England on the other hand, is just not good enough to hang with Spain, a semi finals appearance will be like winning the trophy for England.

Some of the Belgium guys are relatively young, but the core players are still intact from the 2014 team... Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Mertens, Witsel, Vertonghen, Alderweild, Courtois. This is the golden generation for Belgium football. They are legitimate contenders.

If they're in the bottom half of the bracket with teams like Spain, Mexico, and Switzerland, I think they should be the favorite. They have a lot of skill, a lot of creativity, they're young, they're talented. Brazil vs Belgium would make an excellent World Cup Final, IMO.

 

[jhmossy]

France-Argentina in the Round of 16 has got me rock hard

 

[thebasketballreasons]

Uruguay 3-0 Portugal
Spain 4-0 Russia
France 2-1 Argentina
Croatia 2-0 Denmark

 

[speedfrk]

France-Argentina in the Round of 16 has got me rock hard

It's a good matchup. I've only got a Chubb tho.

I think Uruguay Portugal is the fun game

 

[dukedevilz]

Uruguay 3-0 Portugal
Spain 4-0 Russia
France 2-1 Argentina
Croatia 2-0 Denmark

I would be very, very surprised if either Uruguay or Spain won by 3+ goals. Last World Cup, the largest margin of defeat in the Round of 16 was 2 goals. Russia admittedly looked very pedestrian against a quality Uruguayan team, but they dug themselves in a pretty big hole in the 1st Half with an own-goal and a red card. Not sure I could ever see Portugal losing by 3 goals, though, to be honest. That pick seems a bit ambitious. Teams tend to play a little more conservative in the knockout stages, as they're not worried about goal differential.

 

[klize17]

Come on Germany!! I don't say this often, but lets pull it out!

 

[klize17]

Thats Rough.

 

[schoonerwest]

Thats Rough.

Is Germany done?

 

[bMORE607]

RollLaughRollLaughRollLaughRollLaughRollLaughRollLaugh

 

[klize17]

Is Germany done?

Done, finished, finito

 

[schoonerwest]

Done, finished, finito

Just read where this is the 3rd World Cup in a row that the defending champs didn't make it out of group play.

 

[bMORE607]

 

[klize17]

Just read where this is the 3rd World Cup in a row that the defending champs didn't make it out of group play.

First time Germany hasn't made it out of the group stage as well.

 

[klize17]

His ass will be fired before he even makes it out of the lockeroom with stinky fingers.

 

[dukedevilz]

lol Germany is the World Cup favorite according to those of us who voted in this thread. Maybe some people will edit their pick. I'll admit I picked Germany myself, so this is definitely surprising/shocking, but also kind of funny.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

There is so much wrong here.

 

[bMORE607]

There is so much wrong here.

He actually sniffed his ass like 5 minutes later that game but the gif cuts out.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

He actually sniffed his ass like 5 minutes later that game but the gif cuts out.

Granted we've all been there, but on tv, during the world cup?

 

[bMORE607]

Granted we've all been there, but on tv, during the world cup?

Happened during Euros 2016, but yea caught on live tv doing that.

 

[dukedevilz]

Joachim Löw does weird stuff all the time. That's just who he is.

 

[bMORE607]

Side note I don’t care how weird he is, if Germany fires Löw, I will try to drive my car across the Atlantic to pick him up and bring him back so he can fix US soccer.

 

[dukedevilz]

Side note I don’t care how weird he is, if Germany fires Löw, I will try to drive my car across the Atlantic to pick him up and bring him back so he can fix US soccer.

Seriously. He has built Germany into a world power. The program was still solid in 2006, but they were more like 2nd-level elite (teams nowadays like Uruguay, Colombia, England, maybe Portugal). Germany did well in the 2002 WC, but most of the credit I believe goes to their goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn. In 2006, they played well, but they were also hosting - huge, huge advantage...

They didn't make it past the group stages in the Euros in 2000 and 2004. Germany went all of 2003, 2004, and 2005 without being in the top 10 of the World Rankings. Since Low has taken over in 2006, they have never been lower than 6th. Germany is always a threat to win every competition... It didn't feel that way in the early/mid 2000's. Would gladly take him as the US Coach.

 

[thebasketballreasons]

Knockout Stage Prediction: Spain wins world cup

Round of 16:
Uruguay 3-0 Portugal
Spain 4-0 Russia
France 2-1 Argentina
Croatia 2-0 Denmark
Brazil 3-1 Mexico
Sweden 0-0 Switzerland(pen 5-3)
Belgium 3-0 Japan
Columbia 1-0 England(aet)

Quarter-Finals:
Uruguay 0-1 France
Spain 4-1 Croatia
Brazil 2-0 Belgium
Sweden 1-1 Columbia(pen 3-4)

Semi-Finals:
France 3-2 Brazil(aet)
Spain 2-1 Columbia

Finals:
France 0-3 Spain

 

[Big_Blue79]

^ I have the same semi-final, but I have Brazil beating Colombia in the final (not because it is the most likely outcome, but because it will win my pool)

 

[jhmossy]

Two absolutely filthy goals in this France-Argentina match.

First, Di Maria. Then, Pavard.

 

[ChiTownSean]

Number 10 for France is comically more athletic than everyone

 

[jhmossy]

Number 10 for France is comically more athletic than everyone

He is dragging his nuts all over Argentina

 

[FaithPlusOne]

Number 10 for France is comically more athletic than everyone

He’s also only 19. I think we’ll be hearing a lot about him over the next decade.

 

[ChiTownSean]

He’s also only 19. I think we’ll be hearing a lot about him over the next decade.

That's insane, he looks a lot older... I'm looking up some stuff but is he linked to any of the major club teams?

Edit he's already on PSG lol

 

[bMORE607]

I expect to hear the firing of Jorge Sampaoli in the coming weeks.

 

[bkingUK]

That's insane, he looks a lot older... I'm looking up some stuff but is he linked to any of the major club teams?

Edit he's already on PSG lol

No he's legit for PSG. The Mbappe kid and Gabriel Jesus who plays for Manchester City / Brazil are probably the two best young players in the world.

 

[jhmossy]

My goodness. Cavani to Suarez to Cavani. That was gorgeous soccer.

 

[Bert Higginbotha]

World Cup starts tomorrow. Who ya got?

No one.

Soccer, socker, sucker..... No one cares.

 

[ChiTownSean]

No one.

Soccer, socker, sucker..... No one cares.

Guessing the sun is way past the yardarm for you, Bert?

 

[Bert Higginbotha]

Guessing the sun is way past the yardarm for you, Bert?

You bet.

I had rather watch grass grow than watch soker (spelling?) coccer, sokker, soccer, sucker..... I don't know.

........ Grass grows faster! RollLaugh