The Ichi
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Post by The Ichi on Jun 8, 2014 23:52:15 GMT -5
I'm baffled how my friends think THAT England squad are going to do well this year. I'm baffled by that fact you are judging England based on a couple of basically meaningless friendlies. If that's the case, France will win the whole thing since they just smashed Jamaica 8-0 and Italy will do terribly since they drew 1-1 with Luxembourg. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I still have their shite 2010 performance fresh in my mind. And we were in a far less intimidating group that year. I'd love to be proven wrong of course.
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Urethra Franklin
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Post by Urethra Franklin on Jun 9, 2014 0:19:59 GMT -5
I'm baffled by that fact you are judging England based on a couple of basically meaningless friendlies. If that's the case, France will win the whole thing since they just smashed Jamaica 8-0 and Italy will do terribly since they drew 1-1 with Luxembourg. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I still have their shite 2010 performance fresh in my mind. And we were in a far less intimidating group that year. I'd love to be proven wrong of course. Honestly, there is significantly less pressure on England going into Brazil than there has been in some time heading into a major tournament. They are expected to fail miserably. No expectations, means the team is going to be loose and I think that bodes well for them. How far will they go? I think they come out of the group and, depending on the Round of 16 draw, I could see them into the quarters.
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Post by crashmatsbazz on Jun 9, 2014 4:59:34 GMT -5
Can't believe I have to endure a month of Adrian Chiles. Seriously ITV, piss off. He's the best they could do? Adrian Chiles and the Verve for a month! thanks ITV!! Bring back Saint and Greavies!
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Post by crashmatsbazz on Jun 9, 2014 5:20:22 GMT -5
I've done a few of these simulators and i've got a Brazil Argentina final every time, but honestly look at the South American teams this year and there defense and goalies are not the best at all, the Argentinian team have a pack of lions up front and in midfield, but in defense and net it's more like cuddly toy lions!
I think the Ivory Coast are gonna win group C and will end up playing England in the last 16, this will help England get through to the quarters. Then it will be home-time for us. Hopefully we can have a good tournament (England that is) and the press don't destroy them too much when they come back home.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2014 9:12:21 GMT -5
Michael Bradley is our best player by such a large amount. Has been our best player for years, but it's more evident now that Donovan is old, fat, and off of the team. better than Jozy Altidore? I don't think so.
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Wailing Fungus
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Post by Wailing Fungus on Jun 9, 2014 9:18:13 GMT -5
Having just signed up to both a World Cup Fantasy League & Predictor Challenge, I thought I'd set up one of each for FAN seeing how fun the Premier League one can be (plus links for the rules, if it helps): McDonald’s FIFA World Cup™ FantasyFAN-tasy WC League | Rules & HelpCastrol's FIFA World Cup Predictor ChallengeFAN-tasy Predictor | Rules & HelpPassword (for both): FAN14WC! Both the Fantasy League and Predictor are both run on the same website, so you only have to sign up once.
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comahan
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Post by comahan on Jun 9, 2014 10:00:55 GMT -5
Michael Bradley is our best player by such a large amount. Has been our best player for years, but it's more evident now that Donovan is old, fat, and off of the team. better than Jozy Altidore? I don't think so. Easily imo. Jozy is solid, but isn't great by any means. He gets on hot streaks like any striker, but he's cold more often than he's hot, and it seems like he's always searching for form. Bradley is an extremely versatile midfielder that can play the holding role well, and excels when he's freed up to be a creator. Jozy wouldn't have most of the chances he gets if it wasn't for Bradley creating them. I think Bradley has been the USA's best player as far back as 2009. He doesnt put up the stats that an attacking forward like Jozy will - most midfielders don't, but he's absolutely the pulse of the offense, while always putting in a good shift on defense as well.
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AdamAFL was sooooo wrong
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Post by AdamAFL was sooooo wrong on Jun 9, 2014 10:21:41 GMT -5
I'm baffled by that fact you are judging England based on a couple of basically meaningless friendlies. If that's the case, France will win the whole thing since they just smashed Jamaica 8-0 and Italy will do terribly since they drew 1-1 with Luxembourg. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I still have their shite 2010 performance fresh in my mind. And we were in a far less intimidating group that year. I'd love to be proven wrong of course. To be fair, Italy's performance in the 2010 WC was even more abysmal than ours. They finished BOTTOM in a group with Slovakia, Paraguay and f***ing New Zealand. One of the most embarassing performances from a "big side" ever. better than Jozy Altidore? I don't think so. I certainly hope Altidore isn't your best player. If he is, you might as well not bother turning up.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2014 10:56:21 GMT -5
This is what Altidore can (and hopefully will) do
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Post by DiBiase is Good on Jun 9, 2014 11:06:06 GMT -5
The USA should get the 2022 World Cup. Qatar shouldn't have even been in the bidding process because they cannot host it at the usual time. That alone should have disqualified them I'd rather anyone get the World Cup than the USA again. If they get to host it twice before the country that gave the sport to the World does, it will be a travesty.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2014 11:17:54 GMT -5
Along with USA, the other countries in the running for 2022 were South Korea, Japan and Australia. South Korea and Japan did joint-hosting in 2002 and Australia had only 1 vote to host the games. And honestly, it'd be messed up if England/UK (or any other country for that matter) got the 2022 games when they never even submitted a bid for it.
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Post by DiBiase is Good on Jun 9, 2014 11:49:19 GMT -5
Along with USA, the other countries in the running for 2022 were South Korea, Japan and Australia. South Korea and Japan did joint-hosting in 2002 and Australia had only 1 vote to host the games. And honestly, it'd be messed up if England/UK (or any other country for that matter) got the 2022 games when they never even submitted a bid for it. Not saying the UK should get the 2022 tournament because they're not allowed to host it then, nor can they bid in 2026. I think they'll bid strong for 2030 as it's 100 years since the first and the only bid more fitting than the country who invented it, would be the country who first hosted it, Uruguay. I just don't want America to host another World Cup until the sport is seen as more than one played by kids. Also, the 94 World Cup was f***ing atrocious.
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Post by 'Foretold' Joker on Jun 10, 2014 5:29:53 GMT -5
As we will be light on football for a couple of days ...
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Post by kingoftheindies on Jun 10, 2014 11:41:27 GMT -5
Maybe I'm being harsh, but I still have their shite 2010 performance fresh in my mind. And we were in a far less intimidating group that year. I'd love to be proven wrong of course. To be fair, Italy's performance in the 2010 WC was even more abysmal than ours. They finished BOTTOM in a group with Slovakia, Paraguay and f***ing New Zealand. One of the most embarassing performances from a "big side" ever. better than Jozy Altidore? I don't think so. I certainly hope Altidore isn't your best player. If he is, you might as well not bother turning up. While Jozy was really bad for Sunderland in year 1, I wouldn't judge him just on that. I'm a yank homer but Jozy didn't help his cause much at all. The issue with Jozy is that if he's not involved in the attack early, he can't get involved later. Also, when he goes on long droughts (14 months with the Nats team before the Germany game last year, and since December with club and country this year) he presses too much. Against Turkey, Jozy worked insanely hard to win the ball and be a target man and he did a good job, but he thought too much when he was asked to shoot and missed some really easy goals. If he stays at Sunderland I think he'll do better in year 2 (can't do much worse). But Jozy is not our best player. Michael Bradley has been the best for 2 years. I always felt Mikey got too much hate because his dad was the coach, but the 2 year stint in Italy made him 100 times better. He was always good, but he'd run around the pitch like a chicken with its head chopped off. Now? While I don't know if I'd consider his passing World Class just yet, it's probably just a notch below. Only reason he isn't in Europe still is Toronto FC offered him a 600% pay increase from what he was making at Roma. After Mikey, I'd probably say Fabian Johnson and then Matt Besler are our next best players. 94 was atrocious but the popularity is night and day from what it was then. A big part of that is the youth movement in the last few years. I'm 5 years removed from graduating high school and when I graduated there was 1 soccer academy in the whole country. You had select travel teams, but one legit academy. Now each MLS team has one, as do most NASL and USL Pro teams. I think the set up would be better. Probably still play in the Rose Bowl and East Rutherford, but you'd also probably get Columbus, Dallas, Seattle, and Jacksonville which are all better than the Cotton Bowl or the Silverdome.
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Post by Mighty Attack Tribble on Jun 10, 2014 11:59:04 GMT -5
To be fair, Italy's performance in the 2010 WC was even more abysmal than ours. They finished BOTTOM in a group with Slovakia, Paraguay and f***ing New Zealand. One of the most embarassing performances from a "big side" ever. I certainly hope Altidore isn't your best player. If he is, you might as well not bother turning up. While Jozy was really bad for Sunderland in year 1, I wouldn't judge him just on that. I'm a yank homer but Jozy didn't help his cause much at all. The issue with Jozy is that if he's not involved in the attack early, he can't get involved later. Also, when he goes on long droughts (14 months with the Nats team before the Germany game last year, and since December with club and country this year) he presses too much. Against Turkey, Jozy worked insanely hard to win the ball and be a target man and he did a good job, but he thought too much when he was asked to shoot and missed some really easy goals. If he stays at Sunderland I think he'll do better in year 2 (can't do much worse). Altidore is, to my eye, just another Heskey. He's reasonably prolific in leagues of a lower standard (the Dutch league and MLS, and most of his goals for the US have been against teams low in the world rankings) but just doesn't have anywhere near the quality to be a prolific goal scorer at the top level. He works hard and is a solid team player, though.
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Square
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Post by Square on Jun 10, 2014 16:45:14 GMT -5
The USA should get the 2022 World Cup. Qatar shouldn't have even been in the bidding process because they cannot host it at the usual time. That alone should have disqualified them I'd rather anyone get the World Cup than the USA again. If they get to host it twice before the country that gave the sport to the World does, it will be a travesty. Also the Australians had a much better proposal for the World Cup and it would be a fantastic boost for the nation's football league.
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Post by G✇JI☈A on Jun 10, 2014 19:38:07 GMT -5
Australia and New Zealand could co-host 2022. Since I don't think Australia have enough large capacity stadiums spread out throughout the country. I think it's 12 stadium required.
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Post by Mr PONYMANIA Mr Jenzie on Jun 10, 2014 19:44:14 GMT -5
Australia and New Zealand could co-host 2022. Since I don't think Australia have enough large capacity stadiums spread out throughout the country. I think it's 12 stadium required. which is exactly WHY FIFA give countries world cups, to promote the leagues! are they gonna promote the qatar leagues?
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Post by G✇JI☈A on Jun 10, 2014 19:57:14 GMT -5
Saw this on the BBC Sporf (yes Sporf) twitter feed.. Can't see it: pbs.twimg.com/media/BpzS_Y-IUAAcMfE.pngWould like to post John Oliver's piece on FIFA from the most recent 'Last Week Tonight'... But it may be a little on the politics side of things. But it's on youtube. I recommend you give it a looksy.
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Post by DiBiase is Good on Jun 10, 2014 20:39:36 GMT -5
Australia and New Zealand could co-host 2022. Since I don't think Australia have enough large capacity stadiums spread out throughout the country. I think it's 12 stadium required. I'd really like that. If there is one good thing FIFA has done, it's their whole policy of giving the World Cup to nations where football is gaining in popularity but who in the past would never have been considered as hosts. But it has to be done with a plan, not just for the sake of it. Had Qatar had a solid plan where they outlined how they were going to refurbish stadiums to compensate for the intense heat, rather than the "we're doing something about it" plan, then a lot of concerns would be answered. There are human rights issues there and in Russia too, which should be a factor in the decision (but we won't be discussing them here). Australia and New Zealand would make sense as it would be winter there but the kind of winter where the majority of players are used to with their respective clubs. They have stadia in place already and shy of a few improvements are ready to go now. Plus, with the exception of Antarctica, every other Continent would then have hosted the biggest sporting event in the world at least once.
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