WC2014 Chat 2014 FIFA World Cup

[Voinjama]

A bit early for predictions, but I'll do it anyway.

 

All the seeds to go through apart from Switzerland. On top of that, Mexico, Netherlands, Italy, France, Portugal, Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Russia. That's my 16

 

Edit: Bosnia.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Voinjama

[AndyM3000]

I count 15!

[andykeenan]

Roy Hodgson's side were scheduled to face the four-time world champions on 15 June at 02:00 BST, but will now kick-off at 23:00 BST on the 14 June.

The following games' kick-off times have been adjusted (all times stated are in BST):

Saturday, 14 June

Ivory Coast v Japan, 02:00 (from 23:00) England v Italy, 23:00 (from 02:00)

Wednesday, 18 June

Cameroon v Croatia, 23:00 (from 20:00)

Spain v Chile, 20:00 (from 23:00)

Sunday, 22 June

United States v Portugal, 23:00 (from 20:00)

Belgium v Russia, 17:00 (from 23:00)

South Korea v Algeria, 20:00 (from 17:00)

[VillaChris]

Italy don't have great defenders currently. I've always thought of Chellini as a very overrated defender and he's probably the best of that bunch. In 2006 they put out Nesta, Cannavaro, Zambrotta and Maldini had recently retired, they just don't have that quality anymore but will still be organised.

 

Again in the final third do they have a fantasista like a Del Piero or Baggio back in the day, I'd say no. But still excellent players in Pirlo, De Rossi, Balotelli and if he can stay fit Guisppe Rossi.

 

Italy are again one of those teams to me that were stronger a decade ago but obviously their reputation demands respect.

 

There is no inbetween with them at tournaments. Unlike England they either do terribly or brilliantly.

 

From going out of euro 2004 at the group stage to winning the world cup two years later and from somehow going out of a group with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia at the last world cup to reaching euro 2012 final, there's no qualifying for the knockouts and then losing to the first decent team they play for them.

[Con]

We play Italy in the jungle, Manaus, at night. About 25 C, 90% humidity. We're not going to be able to get the ball off them, and will be completely knackered by the second-half. If we go behind, Pirlo will pick us off when we take the game to them. Could get embarrassing. 3 or 4 goals. We should do better against Costa Rica and Uruguay as the weather is more favourable to us in those games. Uruguay is a team we should beat on the counter-attack, their defence is ageing and very slow.

[TRS-T]

6pm rather than a 9pm kick off

 

anyone know what thats likely to do to the temperature? im guessing maybe 5 degrees warmer and more humid?

 

going to be great fun chasing the ball for 90 minutes in that, the italians will drain all the pace out of the game and pick us off, played right in to their style of play, stupid decision by the FA, cant see how thats been made for football reasons, and if its not been made for football reasons then what does that say about our FA?

 

It wasn't the FA's decision.

[legov]

 

 

We are going into this tournament with low expectations for a reason.

Yes, and the reason, I'd say, lies in the self-deprecatory nature of you Brits.

It's always "our weather is shit, our women are shit, our national team are shit"

I'll go hide under a table now

Nah. We have always gone into tournaments with huge optimism.

 

 

Well, it does always seem to be one extreme or the other.

 

I think England are better than the English give them credit for these days (these are regulars for top sides after all), but I wouldn't put them as one of the prime contenders for the World Cup. Dark horses, maybe.

[legov]

Roy Hodgson's side were scheduled to face the four-time world champions on 15 June at 02:00 BST, but will now kick-off at 23:00 BST on the 14 June.

The following games' kick-off times have been adjusted (all times stated are in BST):

Saturday, 14 June

Ivory Coast v Japan, 02:00 (from 23:00) England v Italy, 23:00 (from 02:00)

Wednesday, 18 June

Cameroon v Croatia, 23:00 (from 20:00)

Spain v Chile, 20:00 (from 23:00)

Sunday, 22 June

United States v Portugal, 23:00 (from 20:00)

Belgium v Russia, 17:00 (from 23:00)

South Korea v Algeria, 20:00 (from 17:00)

 

****ing spoilt Europeans. If the Aussies can watch games late at night on a regular basis, you can put up with the odd wee-hour kickoff every now and then

[Genie]

I still look back at tournaments gone by and wonder how the hell we did not make it to the last 4 at least.

 

 

[villaajax]

I still look back at tournaments gone by and wonder how the hell we did not make it to the last 4 at least.

 

 

Because England aren't very good?

[Genie]

Back in the early 2000's England had a collection of individuals who were excellent but for reasons still unknown no managers were able to get them to play to their strengths...

Now we don't even have the individuals and are indeed "not very good" :-(

[Stevo985]

I think Euro 2004 was a genuine chance to win something. That England team was decent, we had Rooney exploding onto the scene and a decent run to the final.

 

if we'd gotten past Portugal (which we really should have) it was Holland (who got soundly beaten by Portugal IIRC in the semis) and Greece in the final.

 

That's the last time I actually thought we could win anything. I think that and Euro 96 are the only 2 times we've had genuine chances (in my lifetime) beyond blind optimism.

Edited December 9, 2013 by Stevo985

[Zatman]

A bit early for predictions, but I'll do it anyway.

 

All the seeds to go through apart from Switzerland. On top of that, Mexico, Netherlands, Italy, France, Portugal, Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Russia. That's my 16

 

Edit: Bosnia.

 

so who will qualify from Switzerland group?

[AVFCforever1991]

edit 

Edited December 9, 2013 by AVFCforever1991

[lapal_fan]

The reason we will do nothing in Brazil is because Hodgson will play Tom Cleverley and Phil f**king Jones.

[Paddywhack]

I think Euro 2004 was a genuine chance to win something. That England team was decent, we had Rooney exploding onto the scene and a decent run to the final.

 

if we'd gotten past Portugal (which we really should have) it was Holland (who got soundly beaten by Portugal IIRC in the semis) and Greece in the final.

 

That's the last time I actually thought we could win anything. I think that and Euro 2006 are the only 2 times we've had genuine chances (in my lifetime) beyond blind optimism.

 

I must have missed that one. 

[Stevo985]

Ooooops

 

I meant Euro 96!

Edited December 9, 2013 by Stevo985

[maqroll]

More bad vibes from Brazil:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo3FTMCtG6Y

[Voinjama]

 

A bit early for predictions, but I'll do it anyway.

 

All the seeds to go through apart from Switzerland. On top of that, Mexico, Netherlands, Italy, France, Portugal, Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Russia. That's my 16

 

Edit: Bosnia.

 

so who will qualify from Switzerland group?

 

 

 

France and Ecuador.

[VillaChris]

England's best chance was the 2002 world cup I think.

 

Got out of a tough group of Swedes, Nigeria and Argies, comfortably beat Denmark 3-0 (who themselves had defeated France) and were leading 1-0 v Brazil of course....

 

Get through that and it would've been a very beattable Turkey in the semis and Germany in the final who Engand had beaten 5-1 less than a year before. That was a poor German team aswell, they only got to the final due to a very easy knockout route (I remember U.S battering them in the quarters and that will probably remain U.S.A's best chance ever to reach a world cup final).

 

What a surreal world cup that was. Fond memories of games at 7-8am although the evening always felt empty.