2014 World Cup - 1/8 Finals

Axeslammer wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:That's why 2006 and 98 were so good - because the big teams made it to the latter stages.

2006 was an utter crap tournament

True, 2006 was not a good WC.

And 98 had only one big team in the semis. Holland and France are second order, and Croatia are 3rd.

mongrel hawk wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:That's why 2006 and 98 were so good - because the big teams made it to the latter stages.

2006 was an utter crap tournament

True, 2006 was not a good WC.

And 98 had only one big team in the semis. Holland and France are second order, and Croatia are 3rd.

So lack of big teams in 98 meant good tournament

Axeslammer wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:That's why 2006 and 98 were so good - because the big teams made it to the latter stages.

2006 was an utter crap tournament

bitterness   

mongrel hawk wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:That's why 2006 and 98 were so good - because the big teams made it to the latter stages.

2006 was an utter crap tournament

True, 2006 was not a good WC.

And 98 had only one big team in the semis. Holland and France are second order, and Croatia are 3rd.

When i talk about latter stages, i mean quarter finals - Brazil, Argentina, Holland, France, Italy, Germany were all there. The only surprises were Denmark (this was because Spain flopped in the group stages) and Croatia (because England couldn't top their group). Even so, that Croatia team had some good players.

Holland and France were both star studded sides back then - no way they were 2nd order.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

mongrel hawk wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:That's why 2006 and 98 were so good - because the big teams made it to the latter stages.

2006 was an utter crap tournament

True, 2006 was not a good WC.

And 98 had only one big team in the semis. Holland and France are second order, and Croatia are 3rd.

When i talk about latter stages, i mean quarter finals - Brazil, Argentina, Holland, France, Italy, Germany were all there. The only surprises were Denmark (this was because Spain flopped in the group stages) and Croatia (because England couldn't top their group). Even so, that Croatia team had some good players.

Holland and France were both star studded sides back then - no way they were 2nd order.

I'm talking about 2nd order in terms of history. Holland had an excelent team and deserved to reach the semis, as well as France was the best in the world and deserved to win the WC.

Sorry, but this year Italy and England deserved to be out. And if we had 1 or 2 WCs in South America per decade (like we have in Europe), Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay would reach the final stages as often as England, Croatia, Holland and France.

The fact that the WC is often held in Europe make some European teams look better than they really are.

Home advantage makes a hell of a difference. Just look at the winners in Europe and outside Europe and you'll see how it changes everything.

The only European team that ever managed to win outside Europe was Spain in the last WC. And the only time a non-European team won in Europe was Brazil in Sweden.

Most people here just don't know what's a WC in South America. Don't be surprised if we have a final like Colombia-Mexico.

The thing with WC2002 was that we didn't get to see any big teams face eachother. We were all expecting games like Italy-Spain, France-Argentina, Portugal-Brazil but instead we had to watch Senegal, USA, Korea and Turkey fight it out. That world cup had a really good generation of players too. Was looking forward to seeing Zidane, Totti, Figo, Crespo etc. in the KO stages. Instead we had Brian Mcbridge, Hasan Sas, Salif Diao and Ahn Jun Wang.

I hope this world cup doesn't end up like that.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:The thing with WC2002 was that we didn't get to see any big teams face eachother. We were all expecting games like Italy-Spain, France-Argentina, Portugal-Brazil but instead we had to watch Senegal, USA, Korea and Turkey fight it out. That world cup had a really good generation of players too. Was looking forward to seeing Zidane, Totti, Figo, Crespo etc. in the KO stages. Instead we had Brian Mcbridge, Hasan Sas, Salif Diao and Ahn Jun Wang.

I hope this world cup doesn't end up like that.

True. We had Argentina-England, Brazil-England and Brazil-Germany only, I guess.

In this WC we already had Italy-England, Italy-Uruguay, England-Uruguay, Spain-Holland just in the group stages.

We can have Brazil-Uruguay in the quarters. I know you don't rate Uruguay, but Brazil-Uruguay is a hell of a clássico in South America. We can also have Germany-France.

And this is a possible semi-final:

brazil-germany / argentina-holland

Not bad, eh?

mongrel hawk wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:The thing with WC2002 was that we didn't get to see any big teams face eachother. We were all expecting games like Italy-Spain, France-Argentina, Portugal-Brazil but instead we had to watch Senegal, USA, Korea and Turkey fight it out. That world cup had a really good generation of players too. Was looking forward to seeing Zidane, Totti, Figo, Crespo etc. in the KO stages. Instead we had Brian Mcbridge, Hasan Sas, Salif Diao and Ahn Jun Wang.

I hope this world cup doesn't end up like that.

True. We had Argentina-England, Brazil-England and Brazil-Germany only, I guess.

In this WC we already had Italy-England, Italy-Uruguay, England-Uruguay, Spain-Holland just in the group stages.

We can have Brazil-Uruguay in the quarters. I know you don't rate Uruguay, but Brazil-Uruguay is a hell of a clássico in South America. We can also have Germany-France.

And this is a possible semi-final:

brazil-germany / argentina-holland

Not bad, eh?

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Brazil - Uruguay because i'm intrigued by that rivalry. I don't mind Uruguay, they have some good players.

That semi final would be pretty good, but i think one of Brazil, Argentina or Holland will fall before the semi finals. Hopefully we see a Brazil - Argentina final. We havn't seen that matchup in a world cup for a very long time.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

mongrel hawk wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:The thing with WC2002 was that we didn't get to see any big teams face eachother. We were all expecting games like Italy-Spain, France-Argentina, Portugal-Brazil but instead we had to watch Senegal, USA, Korea and Turkey fight it out. That world cup had a really good generation of players too. Was looking forward to seeing Zidane, Totti, Figo, Crespo etc. in the KO stages. Instead we had Brian Mcbridge, Hasan Sas, Salif Diao and Ahn Jun Wang.

I hope this world cup doesn't end up like that.

True. We had Argentina-England, Brazil-England and Brazil-Germany only, I guess.

In this WC we already had Italy-England, Italy-Uruguay, England-Uruguay, Spain-Holland just in the group stages.

We can have Brazil-Uruguay in the quarters. I know you don't rate Uruguay, but Brazil-Uruguay is a hell of a clássico in South America. We can also have Germany-France.

And this is a possible semi-final:

brazil-germany / argentina-holland

Not bad, eh?

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Brazil - Uruguay because i'm intrigued by that rivalry. I don't mind Uruguay, they have some good players.

That semi final would be pretty good, but i think one of Brazil, Argentina or Holland will fall before the semi finals. Hopefully we see a Brazil - Argentina final. We havn't seen that matchup in a world cup for a very long time.

Brazil-Uruguay is VERY, VERY BIG here. The only games that would have more (or the same) media attention in Brazil would be against Argentina, Italy and Germany.

I agree with what you said. That semis would be the ideial semis. I think Brazil can fall to Chile (though I think we will go through). If Brazil faces Uruguay, I think it's 50-50. I won't be the least surprised if we lose. Holland can fall to Mexico, but if they beat Mexico they are in the semis. Argnetina can fall to anyone. If Messi don't have a good game, they can even fall to Switzerland, whcih would be a pity. But I guess one of Gerrmany/France is guaranteed.

Chris Jones @MySecondEmpire 3m
Fron Brazilian on my bus, looking at US fans wading in water:"There is a disease you get from rat piss and they are going to get it."

What idiot gave the WC to such a backward country?

mongrel hawk wrote:Most people here just don't know what's a WC in South America. Don't be surprised if we have a final like Colombia-Mexico.

That's fine for fans of the europa league, but I agree with Bobo. The neutrals want the big teams to play each other. Even if the games are shit, they are still more interesting that watching teams we don't care about. I mean if there is a brazil-argentina final there will be parties with your friends, picking sides, arguing with your mates about just how overrated neymar is, taking the next day off work etc. If it's colombia-mexico, it'll be valderama's team versus some persistent fuckers in green, I might have it on in the background while having my dinner at home, a massive anticlimax to a world cup.

110% wrote:

mongrel hawk wrote:Most people here just don't know what's a WC in South America. Don't be surprised if we have a final like Colombia-Mexico.

That's fine for fans of the europa league, but I agree with Bobo. The neutrals want the big teams to play each other. Even if the games are shit, they are still more interesting that watching teams we don't care about. I mean if there is a brazil-argentina final  there will be parties with your friends, picking sides, arguing with your mates about just how overrated neymar is, taking the next day off work etc. If it's colombia-mexico, it'll be valderama's team versus some persistent fuckers in green, I might have it on in the background while having my dinner at home, a massive anticlimax to a world cup.

I get it.   

People like suprise results, its harder to predict the world cup then the CL that's for sure.
But this is the result of suprise results, oh well..good quarter finals then.

so europe qualified 6 out of 13. less than 50%.

south america: 5 out of 6. almost 90%.

concacaf: 3 out of 4: 75%

africa: 40%, almost as much as europe.

think about it.

Asia are the big fail: 4 teams got a grand total of 3 points between them.

I get the thing about wanting to see the big teams.. But this world cup has been fantastic entertainment nearly every game, so if this continues but we aren't seeing big team a vs big team b I don't really care. Portugal for example, I found to be a bit shit to watch.. As were Spain. The entertainment seemed to come from their opponents.

It's like.. I never really look forward to watching Chelsea matches, especially against another big side, as they're usually shit. Plus we do still have some entertaining big teams in the mix anyway.

Up to this point, still my favourite world cup.

christmasborocooper wrote:I get the thing about wanting to see the big teams.. But this world cup has been fantastic entertainment nearly every game, so if this continues but we aren't seeing big team a vs big team b I don't really care. Portugal for example, I found to be a bit shit to watch.. As were Spain. The entertainment seemed to come from their opponents.

It's like.. I never really look forward to watching Chelsea matches, especially against another big side, as they're usually shit. Plus we do still have some entertaining big teams in the mix anyway.

Up to this point, still my favourite world cup.

  

And as long as France don't win it, it will be hard to beat for Russia and Quatar/USA for me   

mongrel hawk wrote:so europe qualified 6 out of 13. less than 50%.

south america: 5 out of 6. almost 90%.

concacaf: 3 out of 4: 75%

africa: 40%, almost as much as europe.

think about it.

Europe underperformed. I expected Russia, Portugal, Bosnia and one of Italy/England to make it through.

I guess it's a shame for SA that they will lose another 2 teams at the next round.

I think the most exciting matches for this round are the 2 all SA matches and the Holland-Mexico match. Hopefully there are no more upsets.

Don't really know who to support now. Normally i would go for Argentina because they have alot of Serie A players, but that's no longer the case.

debaser wrote:Asia are the big fail: 4 teams got a grand total of 3 points between them.

Yeah, real bugger. Before the World Cup i had both Japan and South Korea to qualify.

Don't know about Africa...even though they have 2/5 this time (nearly 4/5 even!) they disappointed me.

mongrel hawk wrote:so europe qualified 6 out of 13. less than 50%.

south america: 5 out of 6. almost 90%.

concacaf: 3 out of 4: 75%

africa: 40%, almost as much as europe.

think about it.

I thought about it. I think its perfectly fine as it is.
The problem is after those 5 qualified SA teams and 3 Concacaf teams, there is no more real quality to add to a world cup from those confederations. But those 5 (3) teams are pretty good.

Europe underperformed and the real "euroshite" teams in this tournament are not much better than the SA-shite teams who didn't qualify. But since europe has far more countries, everything is fine to me.

One World Cup is also a small sample size.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

mongrel hawk wrote:so europe qualified 6 out of 13. less than 50%.

south america: 5 out of 6. almost 90%.

concacaf: 3 out of 4: 75%

africa: 40%, almost as much as europe.

think about it.

Europe underperformed. I expected Russia, Portugal, Bosnia and one of Italy/England to make it through.

I guess it's a shame for SA that they will lose another 2 teams at the next round.

I think the most exciting matches for this round are the 2 all SA matches and the Holland-Mexico match. Hopefully there are no more upsets.

Don't really know who to support now. Normally i would go for Argentina because they have alot of Serie A players, but that's no longer the case.

It's pretty obvious that by having more teams, and playing each other, European teams would be knocking each other out. Spain were the big let down but were knocked out by Holland essentially. Chile beat them but that first raping by Holland left them scarred. Portugal were essentially knocked out by Germany (and pepe), and Italy/England were cheated by incompetent refereeing.

On the other hand I never expected Greece to make it through, interestingly they didn't have to play another European team. I would find it hilarious if they somehow won it. It really would be the BWCE then, and we could talk about Greece as 1 of the big 5 and all that shit.

debaser wrote:Asia are the big fail: 4 teams got a grand total of 3 points between them.

Compared to previous WCs they've regressed while other teams have gotten more solid.
But Asia will always have to battle against the seeding structure too. An argument could certainly be made that if they were 1st or 2nd seeds in Group E (France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras) and F (Argentina, Nigeria, Bosnia & H and Iran) they would have had better overall results.

Asia did disapoint though.   

partial predictions:


brazil 65% - 35% Chile

Colombia 60% - 40% Uruguay

Holland 60% - 40% Mexico

Costa Rica 60% - 40% Greece

Argentina 65% - 35% Switzerland

Belgium 55% - 45% USA

Germany 90% - 10% Algeria

France 70% - 30% Nigeria

So Europe dominates?

Kimbo wrote:So Europe dominates?

Europe dominates cause they won the last 2 WCs.

However, in terms of 2nd round, the last 2 WCs were a fiasco for Europe, qualifying less than 50% of their teams, while South America qualifies between 85% and 100%.

Conclusion: Europe top teams are still top teams, while South America top teams should win this WC to keep in touch with Europe. On the other hand, European non-top teams are a big, steaming pile of Euroshite.

In a nutshell:

Europe Top Teams > SA Top Teams in the last decade.

SA non-top teams > European non-top teams in the last decade.

  

While Rest of World slowly getting to 5 teams now every time...

7 of the last 8 semi finalists have been from Europe...So its hardly just the winners.

mongrel hawk wrote:

Kimbo wrote:So Europe dominates?

Europe dominates cause they won the last 2 WCs.

However, in terms of 2nd round, the last 2 WCs were a fiasco for Europe, qualifying less than 50% of their teams, while South America qualifies between 85% and 100%.

Conclusion: Europe top teams are still top teams, while South America top teams should win this WC to keep in touch with Europe. On the other hand, European non-top teams are a big, steaming pile of Euroshite.  

In a nutshell:

Europe Top Teams > SA Top Teams in the last decade.

SA non-top teams > European non-top teams in the last decade.

  

But if you're talking about the last decade 2006 was total European domination, all 4 semi-finalists were European, one of them being Portugal. 6 of the quater-finalists were European.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting though, you want to reduce the size of the world cup? Or do you want Venezeula and Peru to stink the place out rather than Russia and England?

If you look at the European teams that have gone out at the group stage this time how many of them are actually shite? Croatia were good and unfortunate, Spain are Spain, Italy were poor by their standards but still ok, Bosnia did well and them even being at the world cup is a good story. I'd say Portugal, Russia, and England were shit, but much more was expected of them.