Football Fanats 2012

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Sorry. I used this post

Today Chulk earned 2 points, while Bonzai Joe and Duplode 1 each.

Standings:

1 CTG 4
2 Akoss Poo 3
3 Duplode 2
3 Chulk 2
5 Usrin 1
5 Bonzai Joe 1

Pre-arranged win for DEN, lucky win for GER.

For tomorrow:

Spain-Italy 3-0
Ireland-Croatia 0-0

And added the points from this post:

Well, a surprisingly good, enjoyable and open match! Grats, Italy! Most of the people thought about an easy win for Spain or a boring draw (including me), but the game showed something different. Best match of the tournament so far!

3 well deserved points for Chulk, 2 for CTG (but I think he thought about a different kinda match), 0 for others (including me).

So I thought Duplode has 2 points... where am I missing the extra point?

He has three points for three right outcome tips: Russia won, Germany won and Croatia won.

The tips you quoted were mine, I deserve 0 point for them.

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Well, I put all the tips and scores and results into one Excel table, and the standings are:

1 Chulk 8 pts (0-0-0-2-3-1-2-0)
2 CTG 8 pts (3-1-0-0-2-0-2-0)
3 Akoss Poo 5 pts (3-0-0-0-0-0-0-2)
3 Usrin 5 pts (0-1-0-0-0-1-3-0)
5 Duplode 3 pts (0-1-0-1-0-1-0-0)
5 Bonzai Joe 3 pts (0-0-0-1-0-0-2-0)

WAITING FOR SECOND ROUND TIPS!!!

[Duplode]

Key impressions: Italy will go further than we first thought. Germany didn't quite set the world alight against a mediocre Portugal, but Akoss' comments about teams starting too strongly makes sense in this case. Spain do look slightly more vulnerable this time, and Torres, well...  (BTW, not that I follow La Liga ATM, but I have heard good things about Fernando Llorente.)

*Predictions for Round 2*

Greece - Czech Rep. 1-1
Poland - Russia 2-1 (A little optimism won't hurt  )

Denmark - Portugal 1-0
Netherlands - Germany 2-2

Italy - Croatia 2-0
Spain - Ireland 1-0

Ukraine - France 1-1
Sweden - England 0-1

---

P.S.:

Argentina 4 - Brazil 3.... no more to say

I wonder about Duplode's opinion.

I can only recommend you to ask us again about that in a little while - 761 days and 20 hours, to be more precise 

(On a slightly more serious note: in spite of the wholly inconsequential result against our dear neighbours and of the not very inspiring performance against Mexico, this was the first run of games in a long while in which we demonstrated signs of real strength. I might even repeat the party line - "wow, these relatively inexperienced players made a really good impression, they will be key in 2014 blah blah" - weren't it for being so used to seeing the reasons behind the good impressions vanishing as soon as the players become a little more experienced with the NT...)

[Chulk]

He has three points for three right outcome tips: Russia won, Germany won and Croatia won.

The tips you quoted were mine, I deserve 0 point for them.

I didn't mean the tips, I meant he had 2 points in the first post and then you said 3 points for me, 2 for CTG and 0 for the rest (that includes Duplode). So 2+0 is 2. I missed the post where you gave Duplode that extra point for Croatia victory...


2º round tips:

Greece - Czech Rep. 2-1
Poland - Russia 1-2

Denmark - Portugal 1-1
Netherlands - Germany 2-2

Italy - Croatia 2-1
Spain - Ireland 2-0

Ukraine - France 1-2
Sweden - England 0-1

[CTG]

Greece - Czech Rep. 1-1
Poland - Russia 0-1

Denmark - Portugal 0-1
Netherlands - Germany 2-1

Italy - Croatia 1-1
Spain - Ireland 3-0

Ukraine - France 1-2
Sweden - England 0-1

[Usrin]

2nd round:

Greece - Czech Rep. 1-1
Poland - Russia 1-2

Greeks can't repeat the performance they've shown against Poland (they could do it on 1 match of 10). Czechs will catch their only chance for getting a point at the tournament.
Poland will do their best against their traditional enemy at home, but that won't be enough.

Denmark - Portugal 0-1
Netherlands - Germany 1-1

I don't expect too enjoyable matches in this group. The Dutch will be too stressed because they would really need 3 points, and that's why they won't show their best form. Germany will play for a draw successfully.

Italy - Croatia 1-1
Spain - Ireland 1-0

Italy and Croatia has about the same strength, and they won't make it to a decision. Spain will attack for 90 mins, and will have 80% ball possession against an extremely defensive Irish team (fighting for 0-0), but maybe they won't be able to score more than once.

Ukraine - France 1-1
Sweden - England 1-1

Briefly: I don't believe that France and England are really strong today. Ukraine (at home) and Sweden (fighting hard for keeping some chance) can be enough for a draw against them.

[BonzaiJoe]

Czech Republic - Greece 0-1
Poland - Russia 2-2

Greece, with the hope of a quarter final, will play defensively with a strong determination. The disillusioned Czechs will not have what it takes to break through. Poland with home advantage is going to fight very hard, and Russia will be okay with a draw.

Denmark - Portugal 1-2
Netherlands - Germany 0-1

Portugal is pressured to win, so they will put in a greater effort than in the last game, which will be too much for Denmark. Netherlands have shown that they are not the team they used to be, so efficient Germany will pull in a 0-1 victory with a goal in the 82nd minute.

Spain - Ireland 3-0
Italy - Croatia 1-0

Ireland is one level below nearly every other team in the tournament. The Spanish offensive had some difficulties against the strong Italian defensive, but against Irish players from obscure PL-teams, they will dominate completely and score several times. Italy will win a tight match with Croatia.

England - Sweden 1-1
Ukraine - France 0-0

England always scrambles through in the group stage. Sweden will fight for their honour and get their only point in the tournament. France is a very inefficient team, but they have not lost in 22 games and they will not lose against a brave Ukrainian team giving everything they have.

[BonzaiJoe]

2nd round:

Greece - Czech Rep. 1-1
Poland - Russia 1-2

Greeks can't repeat the performance they've shown against Poland (they could do it on 1 match of 10). Czechs will catch their only chance for getting a point at the tournament.
Poland will do their best against their traditional enemy at home, but that won't be enough.

Denmark - Portugal 0-1
Netherlands - Germany 1-1

I don't expect too enjoyable matches in this group. The Dutch will be too stressed because they would really need 3 points, and that's why they won't show their best form. Germany will play for a draw successfully.

Italy - Croatia 1-1
Spain - Ireland 1-0

Italy and Croatia has about the same strength, and they won't make it to a decision. Spain will attack for 90 mins, and will have 80% ball possession against an extremely defensive Irish team (fighting for 0-0), but maybe they won't be able to score more than once.

Ukraine - France 1-1
Sweden - England 1-1

Briefly: I don't believe that France and England are really strong today. Ukraine (at home) and Sweden (fighting hard for keeping some chance) can be enough for a draw against them.

That's very persuasive. After reading this, I want to make the same predictions as you. Instead, I'll edit my own post to make post-rationalizing arguments for my own predictions, even though they are in fact almost completely arbitrary (I've predicted the 'second most likely' results compared to what I've predicted in another prediction game, which is how I actually think the matches will end)

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

I was very busy today, I can submit my tips only now.

For today:

Czech Republic - Greece 0-1
Poland - Russia 1-1.

Czech Republic seems to be the second weakest team in the tournament after Ireland...

Italy... well, they are better and more organized than it could be expected, but I still can't imagine them in the semi finals... they have Buffon in the goalie with a decent defence (who has ever seen a bad Italian defence?), but as for the offensive part of the team... they lack world class players (unlike in the past decades), it is very Pirlo-dependent, and still, we haven't talked about strikers... Di Natale is good, but not as good to be the top forward of a medal contender. And the others are not better either... Balotelli is just a clown...
Prediction: hard fought quarter final or 3rd place in the group.

[CTG]

Go Russia... I need those points!

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Only 2 point-scoring tips out of 12 on Stunts Forum for today's 2 matches. Fortunately, one of them was mine (3 points for POL-RUS 1-1). BJ also earned 2 points (he tipped POL-RUS 2-2).

1 Chulk 8 pts (0-0-0-2-3-1-2-0-0-0)
1 CTG 8 pts (3-1-0-0-2-0-2-0-0-0)
1 Akoss Poo 8 pts (3-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-0-3)
4 Usrin 5 pts (0-1-0-0-0-1-3-0-0-0)
4 Bonzai Joe 5 pts (0-0-0-1-0-0-2-0-0-2)
6 Duplode 3 pts (0-1-0-1-0-1-0-0-0-0)

Btw Greece would have deserved a point against Czech Republic - they fought hard and their disallowed goal should have counted. Though, Russia and Poland played a better game, a realistic result the draw is, I think I saw the two qualifying teams there.

It seems we won't score any points for tipping the top goalscorer...

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Denmark - Portugal 2-3
Netherlands - Germany 1-1 (though I can imagine any outcome for this game)

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

It was a more exciting day than others had thought...

The Dutch are in trouble! I thought around the 60th minute that they want to get their coach fired... But then they start to put pressure on the Nationalelf... But Germany was really good today. They played like the Netherlands (...) when they needed simple but efficient offensive football, they played like FC Barcelona when they needed to possess the ball as much as possible (mid second period, it was such unusual from the German team), and they played like Italy when that was needed: they killed football and time in the end... I wonder if they can qualify, if Germany doesn't take the game against Denmark seriously, they have no chance...

When I reached the point/match ratio, I remained scoreless again...

[Overdrijf]

The Dutch struggle is all part of the plan to sell the movie rights. Germany has been bribed to beat Denmark. Portugal is going to get ahead 1-0, but then in the break van Marwijk is going to give an incredibly motivating speech (well, he's going to do so in the movie version anyway, in the live version we can't hear him) and the Dutch will score 3 times, while the audience starts humming a rock ballad. Then the rest of the games untill either the finale or the next match against Germany are going to be played in montage style, where nothing happens except for a few brilliant moments they'll be able to edit together.

That's the plan, honest, they are absolutely not just really bad.

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Tipping game table updated (BJ was the best yesterday, got 4 points, I had 3, CTG and Usrin earned 2 each, while Chulk and Duplode remained scoreless.

1 Akoss Poo 11 pts (3-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-0-3-3-0)
2 CTG 10 pts (3-1-0-0-2-0-2-0-0-0-2-0)
3 Bonzai Joe 9 pts (0-0-0-1-0-0-2-0-0-2-2-2)
4 Chulk 8 pts (0-0-0-2-3-1-2-0-0-0-0-0)
5 Usrin 7 pts (0-1-0-0-0-1-3-0-0-0-2-0)
6 Duplode 3 pts (0-1-0-1-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0)

My predictions for today's matches:

Italy - Croatia 1-1
Spain - Ireland 4-1 (or 5-1... let it remain 4-1)