World Cup 2018 (bracket challenge too!)

[*bfine32*]

(06-19-2018, 02:00 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: Poland just got hosed.

Poland got outplayed

[Millhouse]

Well I was wrong on Argentina, which I should have known since they squeaked their way in to begin with. It just shows that you can have one of the two best players in the world at forward, and a world class striker in Aguero, and still not have a good team. Croatia just smacked them down today, and clearly looked better.

Argentina though, their midfield just is not that good. And that seems to be their biggest problem. That and they just dont have that "want to win" factor either.

[CKwi88]

(06-21-2018, 06:42 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Well I was wrong on Argentina, which I should have known since they squeaked their way in to begin with. It just shows that you can have one of the two best players in the world at forward, and a world class striker in Aguero, and still not have a good team. Croatia just smacked them down today, and clearly looked better.

Argentina though, their midfield just is not that good. And that seems to be their biggest problem. That and they just dont have that "want to win" factor either.

If I'm taking one thing away from this World Cup, it's that the European game is much farther ahead of the South American game than I even thought.

South America certainly has great players, but Europe has much better teams.

[*bfine32*]

Well one of my Dark horses only need to beat Costa Rica to advance to the knockouts. Swiss looking impressive with a draw with Brazil and a win over Serbia.

[*bfine32*]

(06-21-2018, 06:42 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Well I was wrong on Argentina, which I should have known since they squeaked their way in to begin with. It just shows that you can have one of the two best players in the world at forward, and a world class striker in Aguero, and still not have a good team. Croatia just smacked them down today, and clearly looked better.

Argentina though, their midfield just is not that good. And that seems to be their biggest problem. That and they just dont have that "want to win" factor either.

Unfortunately for Messi a lot of folks only watch soccer during the WC. And someone who has heard that there's a debate about who's the GOAT: Messi or Ronaldo, is thinking this is not even close.

WTS Argentina caught a bit of a break today with Nigeria beating Iceland.

[CKwi88]

(06-22-2018, 07:52 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Well one of my Dark horses only need to beat Costa Rica to advance to the knockouts. Swiss looking impressive with a draw with Brazil and a win over Serbia.

The number six ranked team is a dark horse?

Right up there with Belgium I suppose.

[hollodero]

(06-22-2018, 08:25 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: The number six ranked team is a dark horse?

Yes they are. These rankings are fundamentally flawed.

Betting odds give a better picture. The quota for Switzerland winning the WC was around 100:1.

[*bfine32*]

(06-22-2018, 08:25 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: The number six ranked team is a dark horse?

Right up there with Belgium I suppose.

No need to be nasty. Yes Switzerland is a dark horse to win the Cup. They are not among the top 10 in betting odds. They are just below Mexico. As Hollo pointed out the rankings are flawed. In 2006 US was ranked #4 in the world and finished dead last in their group with 1 point and a -4 GD.

I've never said Belgium was a dark horse. I will say Tunisia is putting up a fight

[CKwi88]

(06-23-2018, 08:37 AM)hollodero Wrote: Yes they are. These rankings are fundamentally flawed.

Betting odds give a better picture. The quota for Switzerland winning the WC was around 100:1.

I suppose I can see them being a dark horse to win it all, but I don't find it surprising at all y'all will more than likely be making it out of the group.

Either way, that was a solid comeback win yesterday. Switzerland are a fun team to watch.

[hollodero]

(06-23-2018, 10:05 AM)CKwi88 Wrote: I suppose I can see them being a dark horse to win it all, but I don't find it surprising at all y'all will more than likely be making it out of the group.

Either way, that was a solid comeback win yesterday. Switzerland are a fun team to watch.

Surviving the group stage was not completely unlikely, sure. Although the group looked tough for them, with last WC's quarter-fnalist Costa Rica in it. They disappoint.

Maybe the Swiss are fun to watch, but I cannot like them. Also, showing Albanian nationalism after scoring for Switzerland, like Shaqiri and Xhaka did, just pisses me off.

[CKwi88]

(06-23-2018, 10:12 AM)hollodero Wrote: Surviving the group stage was not completely unlikely, sure. Although the group looked tough for them, with last WC's quarter-fnalist Costa Rica in it. They disappoint.

Maybe the Swiss are fun to watch, but I cannot like them. Also, showing Albanian nationalism after scoring for Switzerland, like Shaqiri and Xhaka did, just pisses me off.

At this point I'm rooting for them to take the group.

I don't want Brazil anywhere near this Belgium team

[Millhouse]

(06-22-2018, 07:58 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Unfortunately for Messi a lot of folks only watch soccer during the WC. And someone who has heard that there's a debate about who's the GOAT: Messi or Ronaldo, is thinking this is not even close.

WTS Argentina caught a bit of a break today with Nigeria beating Iceland.

Lukaku is tied with Ronaldo with 4 goals, and the first player since Maradona in 86 to score at least 2 goals in back-to-back games in the WC. And I highly doubt anyone will be saying he is just as good as Ronaldo or Messi. Lukaku though has the best CAM in the world in DeBruyne (imo), Hazard, and an overall better team around him where Messi doesn't.

Imo, I have Ronaldo and Messi as the best two players in the world, attackers that is. They are in their own tier together as super-elite. Anyone else is below them.

Germany just scored 1-1. Cmon Sweden!!!

[Millhouse]

(06-23-2018, 10:12 AM)hollodero Wrote: Surviving the group stage was not completely unlikely, sure. Although the group looked tough for them, with last WC's quarter-fnalist Costa Rica in it. They disappoint.

Maybe the Swiss are fun to watch, but I cannot like them. Also, showing Albanian nationalism after scoring for Switzerland, like Shaqiri and Xhaka did, just pisses me off.

Mixing politics and sports so to speak typically is not a good thing, outside of rare reasons to do so like showing national pride after a tragic event or moments of silence etc. And other than those rare reasons, I am not a fan of those players doing it either.

[Dill]

Deutschland!! Still alive.

Another set piece goal.

Thanks so much for the frankfurter, guys! Keep it up.

[*bfine32*]

(06-23-2018, 10:12 AM)hollodero Wrote: Surviving the group stage was not completely unlikely, sure. Although the group looked tough for them, with last WC's quarter-fnalist Costa Rica in it. They disappoint.

Maybe the Swiss are fun to watch, but I cannot like them. Also, showing Albanian nationalism after scoring for Switzerland, like Shaqiri and Xhaka did, just pisses me off.

Well there is talk both could be suspended. That would hurt the chances pf my dark horse.

[hollodero]

(06-23-2018, 04:13 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Mixing politics and sports so to speak typically is not a good thing, outside of rare reasons to do so like showing national pride after a tragic event or moments of silence etc. And other than those rare reasons, I am not a fan of those players doing it either.

Thing is, they could just play for Kosovo, FIFA allowed for that. So that's what these two proud Kosovar Albanians should have done, seeing how much their nationality means to them.

[YorkshireBengal]

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming....football’s coming home

[J24]

(06-24-2018, 07:53 PM)YorkshireBengal Wrote: It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming....football’s coming home

Please don't do this to yourself.

[CKwi88]

Will be interesting to see how the bracket shapes up.

Looking at projections, the left side looks absolutely deadly.

[BengalHawk62]

Viva La Mexico!!!! 

Where do you go to see who everyone will play after the group stage is complete?  I thought I saw Mexico and Germany will play Brazil and whoever ends up 2nd in that group.  Is that true?