The FIFA World Cup 2014 Thread

[robertlouis]

Yes indeed, great days!! But how did you feel in 1990? Surely there was a great opportunity missed...like the penalties...

I watched the England v Germany semi-final in a bar in Brittany (I was there on business). The two of us arrived just as Lineker equalised and started shouting for them.

Only to realise that every other person in the bar, apart from the mildly intimidated staff, was wearing a West Germany shirt.....

[Stavros]

They were probably gobsmacked to hear a Scotsman cheering for England...

[robertlouis]

They were probably gobsmacked to hear a Scotsman cheering for England...

I think that's how we were able to escape unscathed. Without tunnelling.

[Stavros]

I was told of an incident in the 1970s when two Irishmen went into a pub in the North where there was a wedding party and got a bit tipsy and one started singing The sash his father wore...let's just say that it was a 'Catholic wedding' and you really don't want to know what happened next. And it wasn't football. I have tended to find Germans quite relaxed about it anyway, or is it just them being smug because they have been in 11 semi-finals and won the cup three times?

[The Piper]

Without tunnelling.

[robertlouis]

Meanwhile, in another part of the world cup forest, Sepp reconfirms his corrupt twattery in all its glory.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ld-cup-mistake

[Stavros]

Has anyone given some thought to the potential winner of the Golden Boot? I have backed England to win the Cup, but I would also like to back one or two individuals for the boot, and maybe do an accumulator on the group stage winners.

The problem is that while the opportunity to score a few goals is higher in the group stage where there are weak teams, it does not always work out like that as England has shown in the past when drawing 0-0 against teams we ought to have beaten on paper. In addition, I puzzled by Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece because I assume Greece is one of the weakest teams in the competition, but don't know enough about Colombia and Japan, except that the latter usually has a good defence and can score goals -but the winner or runner up in Group C will play their counterparts in Group D, where I don't see Italy, Uruguay, England and Costa Rica giving away goals, except for a bias against Costa Rica due to my ignorance of the team.

So high scoring possibles are Group A -Brazil, Mexico, Croatia and Cameroon; and Group F -Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria and Iran.

This means that on paper either Brazil or Argentina has the form to score the most goals in the Group stages and be hot favourites for the semi-finals, and this in turn gives the following a good chance:

Brazil -Neymar at 10/1; Fred at 25/1, but what about Hulk at 40/1? -looks a tasty bet,

Argentina -Messi is overall favouite at 8/1, Aguero is 16/1, the over-rated Higuain is 25/1.

Suarez was third favourite behind Messi and Neymar, but it looks like he will miss the tournament through injury which is a major blow, as he has been in devastating form and had the potential to lead Uruguay to the final.

Ronaldo has also been in blistering form, but Group G play Germany, the USA and Ghana where goals might be hard to score. Interestingly, the winner and runner-up in Group G will play their counterpart in Group H -Belgium, Russia, South Korea and Algeria, which may give Ronaldo more opportunities to score; and at 14/1 must be a good bet, you wouldn't get odds like that on a horse. But saying that, Argentina in the second round will play a team from Group E -France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras so the prospect for more goals increases as these are all weak teams, while Brazil may struggle score against either Spain, Netherlands, Chile or Australia in Group B.

Overall conclusion so far -the Golden Boot could go to someone from Argentina, or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Unless someone wants to make a case for Wayne Rooney...?

[The Piper]

My friend drew Messi in the company sweepstake last time round.
Thought he was on a banker......oooppps. No goals.

[robertlouis]

Has anyone given some thought to the potential winner of the Golden Boot? I have backed England to win the Cup, but I would also like to back one or two individuals for the boot, and maybe do an accumulator on the group stage winners.

The problem is that while the opportunity to score a few goals is higher in the group stage where there are weak teams, it does not always work out like that as England has shown in the past when drawing 0-0 against teams we ought to have beaten on paper. In addition, I puzzled by Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece because I assume Greece is one of the weakest teams in the competition, but don't know enough about Colombia and Japan, except that the latter usually has a good defence and can score goals -but the winner or runner up in Group C will play their counterparts in Group D, where I don't see Italy, Uruguay, England and Costa Rica giving away goals, except for a bias against Costa Rica due to my ignorance of the team.

So high scoring possibles are Group A -Brazil, Mexico, Croatia and Cameroon; and Group F -Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria and Iran.

This means that on paper either Brazil or Argentina has the form to score the most goals in the Group stages and be hot favourites for the semi-finals, and this in turn gives the following a good chance:

Brazil -Neymar at 10/1; Fred at 25/1, but what about Hulk at 40/1? -looks a tasty bet,

Argentina -Messi is overall favouite at 8/1, Aguero is 16/1, the over-rated Higuain is 25/1.

Suarez was third favourite behind Messi and Neymar, but it looks like he will miss the tournament through injury which is a major blow, as he has been in devastating form and had the potential to lead Uruguay to the final.

Ronaldo has also been in blistering form, but Group G play Germany, the USA and Ghana where goals might be hard to score. Interestingly, the winner and runner-up in Group G will play their counterpart in Group H -Belgium, Russia, South Korea and Algeria, which may give Ronaldo more opportunities to score; and at 14/1 must be a good bet, you wouldn't get odds like that on a horse. But saying that, Argentina in the second round will play a team from Group E -France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras so the prospect for more goals increases as these are all weak teams, while Brazil may struggle score against either Spain, Netherlands, Chile or Australia in Group B.

Overall conclusion so far -the Golden Boot could go to someone from Argentina, or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Unless someone wants to make a case for Wayne Rooney...?

It would be coffin-shaped and made of oak.....

[Stavros]

It would be coffin-shaped and made of oak.....

Grim sort of humour...the man himself is confident he is going to perform well, so a punt on him might be worth £10 as he is 40/1.

Meanwhile Suarez may play after all, not sure how bad his injuries are.