The Brazil 2014 Official World Cup Thread

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Looking forward to the clash of the cream of striking talent...

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England squad:

Goalkeepers: Hart, Foster, Forster;
Defenders: Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Smalling, Baines, Shaw;
Midfielders: Gerrard, Lampard, Wilshere, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Sterling, Lallana, Barkley;
Forwards: Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Lambert.

 

Uruguay v Brazil
Uruguay v Argentina
Uruguay v Italy

It'll be one of those finals

England 0-2 Italy
England 0-3 Uruguay
England 0-1 Costa Rica

 

Looking forward to Shola dumping Argentina out on the 25th June.

 

England squad by club:

Liverpool 5
Man United 4
Everton 3
Southampton 3
Man City 2
Arsenal 2
Chelsea 2
West Brom 1
Celtic 1

 

England World Cup squad caps broken down by position:

Goalkeepers - 46 caps
Defenders - 138 caps
Midfielders - 302 caps
Strikers - 124 caps

 

Pretty much the squad I'd have taken except for Milner and Smalling. I'd have taken Flanagan, Caulker. I don't like taking some utility player like Smalling to cover two roles, neither of which he has been very good at. Milner is a decent player but the fact is that he is essentially an attacking midfielder and we have found better ones in Wilshere, Barkley, Sterling, Oxlade Chamberlain, Lallana.

Lampard is still a good player but he is not that good in the quarter back role Gerrard plays. The only issue being your other options for back up to Gerrard are Huddlestone and Carrick. We basically suck when it comes to central midfielders able to perform some defensive duties. I'd have hoped Rodwell would have been lurking by now but he is too busy removing splinters from his arse.

I reckon you should be allowed to take 24. I've always thought this.

 

Smalling's gash, but it was a choice between him as utility players or Flanagan as specialist RB cover. I'd also have taken Flanagan as there was no Walker.

Milner should be in there, I think. He's done a job for the champions and there's not a lot better. However, this WC is one too many for Lampard. I'd have sooner seen Carrick or Barry as holding players than Lampard, who can't do it.

 

Shearer has selected his starting 11:

Hart
Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines
Gerrard, Henderson/Wilshire
Lallana, Rooney, Sterling
Sturridge

Looks a fairly exciting team. Looking forward to it more than I thought I would.

 

I always look forward to major tournaments, even when we're ****e. I hate all the negativity but each to their own I suppose. I'm patriotic and just love the whole atmosphere around major tournaments. This England squad has some serious pace and flexibility about it. Shearer's team is good but I want Barkley involved. Also Ox seems to really thrive turning out for England.

 

England will get relegated and sell all of their best players.

 

What the bookies think (well, one of them!):

World Cup 2014 Winner - Win Outright
Brazil 3/1
Argentina 5/1
Germany 5/1
Spain 6/1
Belgium 16/1
Italy 20/1
Holland 25/1
France 25/1
Colombia 25/1
England 28/1
Uruguay 28/1
Portugal 28/1
Chile 50/1
Russia 66/1
Mexico 125/1
Switzerland 125/1
U.S.A 125/1
Ecuador 150/1
Bosnia-Herz 150/1
Japan 150/1
Ivory Coast 150/1
Croatia 175/1
Nigeria 200/1
Ghana 250/1
Greece 250/1
South Korea 500/1
Cameroon 1000/1
Australia 1000/1
Algeria 1500/1
Costa Rica 1500/1
Iran 2000/1
Honduras 2000/1

 

Really looking forward to it. But I like the big tournaments. There's always a party atmos. - there's even going to be a few work related events around it. Also summer footie means you can BBQ and watch it in the back yard while drinking frozen rum cocktails.

Don't expect much from England, but then I never do (though TBF, I thought they outperformed at the Euros and could have gone further with a better draw). So I'll stick to my usual strategy of supporting England till they are knocked out and then rooting for whoever is playing Germany. The main thing is Germany not to win.

Bit disappointed that they didn't take Andy as a plan B. Never really was going to happen, but I just like the thought of it.

 

I think we can do well.
Probably quarters.

 

World Cup Winners
5 - Brazil
4 - Italy
3 - Germany
2 - Argentina, Uruguay
1- France, England, Spain

World Cup Finals
1930 - Uruguay 4–2 Argentina Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay 80,000
1934 - Italy 2–1 Czechoslovakia (after ET) Stadio Nazionale, PNF Rome, Italy 50,000
1938 - Italy 4–2 Hungary Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France 45,000
1950 - Uruguay 2–1 Brazil (Final Group Match) Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 174,000
1954 - West Germany 3–2 Hungary ****dorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland 60,000
1958 - Brazil 5–2 Sweden RÃ¥sunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden 51,800
1962 - Brazil 3–1 Czechoslovakia Estadio Nacional Santiago, Chile 69,000
1966 - England 4–2 West Germany (after ET) Wembley Stadium London, England 93,000
1970 - Brazil 4–1 Italy Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico 107,412
1974 - West Germany 2–1 Holland Olympiastadion, Munich, West Germany 75,200
1978 - Argentina 3–1 Holland (after ET) Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina 71,483
1982 - Italy 3–1 West Germany Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain 90,000
1986 - Argentina 3–2 West Germany Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico 114,600
1990 - West Germany 1–0 Argentina Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy 73,603
1994 - Brazil 0–0 Italy (Brazil win on pens) Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, United States 94,194
1998 - France 3–0 Brazil Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France 80,000
2002 - Brazil 2–0 Germany International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan 69,029
2006 - Italy 1–1 France (Italy win on pens) Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany 69,000
2010 - Spain 1–0 Holland (after ET) Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa 84,490

 

whos your tips guys .. im going for the argentina . at 5 to 1 think it will be south American winner .. good value is neymar at 12.1 for top goal scorer

 

Don't tell me that Pards is getting the England job.

At least we'll see some decent football at our place, so it might be a good thing for us as a Club but not so good for us as a Nation. I just can't see him getting it overtheline.

 

Don't think Argentina will go far, Shola will probably knock them out on the 25th June.

 

I like that Roy has gone for youth as we haven't a chance of winning world cup. But I don't understand how he picks Jones and Smalling both pants.