FIFA World Cup 2010

[westdog54]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Aussies bowed but not broken

From FIFA Website

Australia might not have reached the highs of Germany 2006 when they reached the Round of 16 for the first time, but they depart South Africa 2010 with their heads held.

Missing qualification on goal difference was not a scenario that appeared likely after the Socceroos fell to a stunning 4-0 defeat against Germany in their Group D opener in Durban. By far the heaviest defeat in Pim Verbeek's 33-match reign, the manner of the defeat shocked as much as the scoreline. The Socceroos, who appeared to lack their usual gusto and fortitude against a fleet-footed young Germany team, suddenly found themselves looking down the barrel of elimination before their campaign had barely commenced.

Remainder of Article

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Group G

Brazil - 7pt - +3


Portugal - 5pt - +7


----------------------------------------------------


Ivory Coast - 3pt - +1


North Korea - 0pt - -11

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Spain 2 (Villa 24, Iniesta 37)

Chile 1 (Millar 47)





Honduras 0

Switzerland 0

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Group H


Spain -6pt - +2


Chile - 6pt - +1


------------------------------------------------------


Switzerland -4pt - 0

Honduras - 1pt - -3

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Round of 16


Tuesday 29 June - 4.30am (AET)

Spain

Portugal



Wednesday 30 June - 4.30am (AET)


Brazil

Chile

[chef]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

They are two matches to look forward to.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

How did everyone fare in their tips?

12/16 for me. Those in bold are the ones I got right.

Mexico
France (Uruguay)
Argentina
South Korea
England
USA
Germany
Serbia (Ghana)
Holland
Denmark (Japan)
Italy (Slovakia)
Paraguay
Brazil
Portugal
Spain
Chile

Europe -6/13
South America - 5/5
Asia - 2/4
North/Central America - 2/3
Africa - 1/6
Oceania - 0/1

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Here are the round of 16 matches:


Uruguay v South Korea

USA v Ghana

Germany v England

Argentina v Mexico

Holland v Slovakia

Spain v Portugal

Paraguay v Japan

Brazil v Chile

My selections in bold.

[chef]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Are Brazil and Argentina on opposite sides on the draw TCD?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Are Brazil and Argentina on opposite sides on the draw TCD?

Yes.

Link

[The Boy From Brasil]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

I am so glad that Brasil avoided Spain in the first game of the 16.

Final 16, this is really get exciting. So much riding on every single result now.

My tips:


Uruguay v South Korea

USA v Ghana

Germany v England

Argentina v Mexico

Holland v Slovakia

Spain v Portugal

Paraguay v Japan

Brazil v Chile

[LostDoggy]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

As for the group predictions, I think we're all pretty much on the same page but some thoughts:

• England will do their best to stuff up their group but will get through -- USA upsetting them in echoes of 1950 to top the group not out of the realm of possibility though.. this US team are unspectacular but effective, bloody fast and very clinical in front of goal (Clint Dempsey and Aliedere are very nice players). Pretty much the opposite of England then -- good on paper, but slow and boring in reality. The US are also the only team to have beaten Spain in the last 3 years! (in the semis of the no-one-cares Confed Cup)
• I think Argentina will do much better than everyone is expecting -- Diego IS mad, but he is not stupid, and he knows a thing or two about winning this thing. The same XI have started every match and they will be settled and effective in the tournament. Everyone is focussing on the absences of Cambiasso and Zanetti, but these guys are better for Inter than they've ever been for Argo anyway, and their replacements in the first XI aren't actually bad players.
• Everyone is doomy and gloomy, but I think Australia will surprise. Their tactics look terrible against lower/mid-level teams, but will be ideal against the likes of Germany and Ghana, who won't be able to help themselves in coming forward, thus leaving acres of room behind them. The spine is compact and solid, Brett Holman has also been playing the false nine role pretty well, dropping deep and dragging a centreback with him, leaving space behind the defense, and Josh Kennedy will always be an awkward customer with his height. We also have one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament (top three, I would say, after Casillas and Buffon). If the Aussies get one or two fast breaks right, that'll be all they need to progress.
• Finally, there should hopefully be upsets a-plenty in the group stages. Underdogs/dark horses Chile (especially), North Korea, Japan, and even New Zealand have all shown enough over the last couple of years to show that they will not be easybeats. Cameroon, who have barely scored in 2 years, and unfortunately hosts South Africa, who have been in terrible form, will probably suck.

---

Just re-read my predictions from pre-tournament, happy with the bolded bits (especially the underdog predictions.. Chile was always going to qualify (Bielsa is a gun coach), Japan did well, North Korea (apart from the Portugal debacle) acquitted themselves okay, and how about them Kiwis! -- guess I know a little bit about football.

Am sitting in the press centre (pretty rudimentary type space) after the Spain-Chile match, nice to have the internet and had to jump on WOOF, of course -- don't have much bandwith where I've been based in south Sudan. We dropped into Soweto en route to watch a couple of matches at the office there, came back (well, sort of, we're in Pretoria now) for this game, heading back up to our Zim office tomorrow, then swinging back in the next couple of weeks to catch a few of the later rounds. It's actually been relatively subdued for a World Cup. Everyone talks about atmosphere, but after the first couple of weeks, where it's just a release of four years of pent up energy, it flattens out a bit until the later stages of the tournament. I don't think the African teams sucking has helped either.

Looks like the Doggies have been okay -- next week's the big test though eh?

ps. Oh yeah, and great work TCD. I should just hire you.

[angelopetraglia]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Was at the Spain - Chile game tonight.

A gripping game with a high level of skill on display. Again a questionable call reduces Chile to 10 men. They really took it up to Spain though, even though they were down with 10 men.

Super impressed with Chile, they went toe to toe with Spain. Both round of 16 games involving these teams should be fantastic. Not looking forward to the sleepless nights to watch all these gripping games. One of the best things about being here has been watching nearly every game live at normal times.

Flying back home tomorrow and looking forward to catching up on all things Bulldogs. Funny how only two weeks away totall absorbed in the World Cup makes me feel so out of touch with what is happening with both the Dogs and the wider AFL.

[chef]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Thanks for the link TCD.

My tips

Uruguay v South Korea

USA v Ghana

Germany v England

Argentina v Mexico

Holland v Slovakia

Spain v Portugal

Paraguay v Japan

Brazil v Chile

[Missing Dog]

Re: FIFA World Cup 2010

Again a questionable call reduces Chile to 10 men.

The same ref that sent off Cahill