Football Fanats 2014 - The year of World Cup

[alanrotoi]

Well, european football is a big lie. Europeans have the business and the clubs but the most important players are from other continents.

[BonzaiJoe]

Well, there are some really important players in Europe from other continents (Messi, Neymar, Suárez, Aguëro, Marcelo, Oscar...), but it's not like there aren't any really important European players (Ronaldo, Robben, Ribéry, Ibrahimovic, Hazard, van Persie, Iniesta...)

[alanrotoi]

There are important european players of course.

[CTG]

Poor performance from the gauchos... surprise in the air?

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Poor performance from the gauchos... surprise in the air?

Moreover, Sliema Wanderers (MLT) - Ferencváros (HUN) 1-0 in half time, EL qualifier, Round 1...
UPDATE: finished 1-1, still a shame...

Other news: NB III East silver medalist Kazincbarcika stays in this division. NB III Centre silver medalist Szeged was chosen to play in NB II next season after NB III East champions Létavértes had failed to get a license.

[CTG]

Moreover, Sliema Wanderers (MLT) - Ferencváros (HUN) 1-0 in half time, EL qualifier, Round 1...
UPDATE: finished 1-1, still a shame...

Sliema missed a penalty...

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Ooooh, probably the best match so far on this World Cup! Belgium should have scored a third one.

[alanrotoi]

So here we are:

Brazil vs Colombia
France vs Germany
Argentina vs Belgium
Netherlands vs Costa Rica.

Any public tip?

[CTG]

I'm pretty sure about NED and ARG victory. The other two is difficult to predict... FRA vs GER seems to be quite balanced, while Brasil will be helped by the refrees versus the stronger (!) Colombian team.

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Netherlands.

(I hope: France, Belgium, Netherlands, who the fúck cares...)

[Usrin]

It might not have been easy to watch ARG-SUI as the only Argentinian in a room full with armed Swiss! 

[CTG]

who the fúck cares...

Me. Colombia plays a great football at this world cup, while Brazil is only suffering.

I hope: Colombia, Germany, Belgium, Costa Rica
Predict: Brazil, France, Argentina, Netherlands

[CTG]

It might not have been easy to watch ARG-SUI as the only Argentinian in a room full with armed Swiss! 

But he's the boss.

[alanrotoi]

My bet:
Brazil
Germany
Argentina
Netherlands

I hope:
Colombia
Germany
Argentina
Netherlads (only because I want to play and win against them, but I have sympathy for Costa Rica)

[CTG]

Power rankings, based on the last 4 matches of each teams:

1 Netherlands - they score whenever they need it...
2 Colombia - strong team unit, excellent strikers
3 France - they can dominate the match against any rivals, but they aren't really effective in scoring
4 Germany - if we don't count the POR match, they don't seem to be convincing. Sometimes the pie was hot even against Algeria...
5 Brazil - suffering... Gaymar Neymar alone is not enough to win the World Cup. However, Neymar+luck+refrees can result a trophy.
6 Belgium - so, the high expectations were right: they are pretty good, playing enjoyable games - but they did not meet any serious opponents so far (that's why they are "only" 6th)
7 Argentina - the same as for Brazil, just with Messi (and they won't be pushed by FIFA). One more thing: Brazil's group was significantly stronger...
8 Costa Rica - great defending, but whatever they did versus Italy and Uruguay, they don't seem to be in the same weight with any of the other 7 teams