The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

The true WORLD football tournament is about to start post your views here:

Our American continent is well represented with strong teams:

Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, US, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Honduras
(in order of strength imho).

Although we go against a favourite Eurpopean contingent:

Spain, England, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Portugal, France, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Greece, Switzerland, and Denmark.
(in order of strength imho).

The African group has some great teams too but not favourites to win it all:

Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, and South Africa.
(in order of strength imho).

The Oceania group could provide another surprise again with the socceroos:

Australia and New Zealand.
(in order of strength imho).

I give little chance to the Asian teams in this cup to advance to the next round but you never know and they have advanced to the next round in recent past cups:

Rep of Korea, Japan, DR of Korea.
(in order of strength imho).

http://www.fifa.com/

world cup fever... catch it

USA! USA! USA! USA!

Hey RiC - good picks except for one small error

Australia is no longer in Oceania and is now the top ranked team in the Asian region

Over here we are quietly confident of making it out of the group stage

If the US finish first in their group and we finish second in ours - we meet in the round of 16

In which case, Amberion, I am quietly confident that Australia will not be facing the US in the last 16 If England don't win their group in the first round, I'll be surprised and very disappointed.

I'm certainly not dismissing the US team, which is a solid outfit. They are fit, and strong, will be well prepared, and did well when they played in South Africa last year. But the more skillful players are in the England team - the key will be how well they play as a team, and whether they can make a fast start. If England don't play at a high tempo from the first whistle, then they'll have real trouble on their hands.

I'm really looking forward to this tournament - there should be some great football to watch over the next month

Amberion wrote:Over here we are quietly confident of making it out of the group stage

I agree that your chances are good. But Ghana and Serbia are no floor mats. You might be unpleasantly surprised if you do not get the best out of your team. South Africans will cheer for Ghana and those vuvuzuelas are LOUD. Just check the sound that awaits Mexico on Friday.

UK Skins Fan wrote:If England don't play at a high tempo from the first whistle, then they'll have real trouble on their hands.

True but ... at this level ... tha tcan be said about them vis-a-vis most every other team they face.

England is the favourite to win its group, no doubt. However, from the CONCACAF games and other international tournaments, I expect the USA to play a great tournament.

So that you remember ... Algeria eliminated the best team from Africa, Egypt, to reach the World Cup. Not an easy team at all.

As of today, World Cup odds per Ladbrokes:

Spain 4/1
England 5/1
Brazil 11/2
Argentina 9/1
Germany 9/1
Italy 10/1
Holland 11/1
France 16/1
Portugal 20/1
Ivory Coast 25/1
Chile 40/1
Paraguay 40/1
Cameroon 66/1
Denmark 66/1
Ghana 66/1
Greece 66/1
Serbia 66/1
USA 66/1
Uruguay 66/1
Mexico 80/1
Nigeria 80/1
South Africa 80/1
Australia 100/1
Japan 125/1
Republic of Korea 125/1
Algeria 150/1
Slovakia 150/1
Slovenia 150/1
Switzerland 150/1
New Zealand 1000/1
Democratic Korea 1000/1
Honduras 1000/1

I disagree with these rankings but what do I know!

Redskin in Canada wrote:

UK Skins Fan wrote:If England don't play at a high tempo from the first whistle, then they'll have real trouble on their hands.

True but ... at this level ... tha tcan be said about them vis-a-vis most every other team they face.

England is the favourite to win its group, no doubt. However, from the CONCACAF games and other international tournaments, I expect the USA to play a great tournament.

So that you remember ... Algeria eliminated the best team from Africa, Egypt, to reach the World Cup. Not an easy team at all.

I expect a more physical battle against the US team than against Algeria and Slovenia. I've no doubt that the US will be up for this game, and it will be vital that England match them for effort and workrate - otherwise, all those supposedly superior skills will count for nothing.

The World Cup hasn't been won by a rank outsider in my lifetime, so it's difficult to look beyond the top eight teams in the world rankings. I don't see England as being second favourites, as the men from Ladbrokes do, but those odds are driven more by the sheer number of loyal England fans piling money on to their team out of loyalty and faith, than by wise old heads

Democratic Korea

I just find something amusing about the combination of these two words...

After a very disappointing showing in the last world cup, I'm looking for good things out of this year's US team. They have been playing extremely well over the last couple of years, with some very impressive victories (and close efforts) in big games. I think that bit of extra experience will help them get over the barrier of playing the superstars from Europe.

My friend scored, last-minute, some tickets to the US - Turkey game in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago. I went with a group of 5, was sitting in the Turkish cheering section, and had a great time. I thought the US team looked quite strong and ready to compete on the big stage.

Can't expect a win against England, but it's always fun to be the underdog. And let's face it . . . no offense, UKSkinsFan . . . England has a history of not showing up to the world cup. So I guess you never know.

You cheeky young man Irn-Bru

England have an appalling record against the major nations when it comes down to the knockout stages of the tournament, but they haven't failed to reach those knock out stages for a very long time. Sure, they didn't qualify for the finals at all in '74 and '78, but since then they've reached the quarter finals, quarter finals, semi finals, then quite literally failed to turn up to the '94 finals in the US, the round of 16 (another disappointment), quarter finals, quarter finals. A disappointing overall record for a nation of England's supposed stature, but not exactly disastrous.

I know you guys like to go back to 1950, but that really is ancient history (even more ancient than England's own glorious rain as champions!).

Saturday's game is going to be tough, and I can foresee a tense and close battle. But I'm quietly confident

BTW - guess who I'm supporting when Uruguay play France tomorrow

I don't know what the ad campaigns have been like elsewhere in the world, but here in the US they have been U2-tastic. What I'd like to know is, when did Bono become a prerequisite for any publicity associated with the continent of Africa?

I think it was around the time he was elected both Pope and Dalai Lama. Oprah made it happen.

hello hello, im at a place called vertigo, yea yea yea yea yea yea yea yea yea yeaaaaaaaahhhhh

Well, RSA really hung in there against Mexico. You have to believe that huge home crowd had something to do with it.

It's halftime in the France - Uruguay game, which has been a rough-edged one. UK Skins Fan might even get his wish!

Go italy, its in my blood!

Wasn't able to watch the opening game, and was disappointed by the France v Uruguay game. France have so much talent, but the coach is a buffoon who really shouldn't be in charge of any international team.

Don't get me wrong - I love to see France struggle, but they have a lot of talent that's being wasted at the moment.

Irn-Bru wrote:Well, RSA really hung in there against Mexico. You have to believe that huge home crowd had something to do with it.

The fact that the Mexican team WASTEDE chance after chance to put the game away in the first half alone was the true culprit.

The front forward, G. Franco, was NOT the man who took Mexico to the World Cup. BIG mistake by the vcoach to put him there. He miserably wasted 3 chances to score.

Wooo!

Dr Mr Green - thankyou for your contribution to the "special relationship".