2014 FIFA World Cup Finals Discussion

Wow, that was more impressive than Holland - Roja. Germany is just a scary team. Right now, I favour them to win it, even if that'd be the first time a northern hemisphere team wins the cup if it's played n the Southern hemisphere.






Also, we're gonna miss this guy when he hangs 'em up. Perfect passing, insight, and that free kicking ability combined with economic efficiency. Juninho would've be proud if that one had gone in .

You might be right about Henderson. He had a good game, but I'm hoping that Gerrard's lack of legs these days would mean that he'd stay back more, allowing the more forward thinking Barkley to come forward when attacking. We all know Gerrard hasn't got the discipline to do it himself

it wouldn't be the first, as Spain won in S.Africa

I missed the Germany game. Well, I missed the first half and didn't feel like watching a Germany training session against 10 men, so forewent most of the second half and got some dinner.

Nigeria have been poor. Even if they nick a win here, a win they wouldn;t merit, they looked bad.

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Amazing! U.S. scores 32 seconds in against Ghana.

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I've had a terrible World Cup today. Missed the Germany/Portugal game, saw the Iran/Nigeria game and then turned over 1m 36s into the Ghana/USA game. I think I'll just give up today.

Entertaining ending of the game. Congratulations, USA!

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USA second goal reminded me of this.



Not the action, so much, just the joy and disbelief.

That's a dangerous game to play though. On the other hand Italy could say that with a little more luck (if the two that hit the woodwork and one off the line all went in) they could have battered you!

Sorry just feel the need to temper all these English hopes! One admittedly quite impressive performance and all of a sudden lots of English people are back to being quite high on the team. I read an article somewhere that was mainly about dropping Rooney because even at just 28 he already represents England's past and they need to look to the future. This guy was already talking about looking good enough to compete at the next Euros and the next World Cup.

Yeah they were a little fortunate. They only really showed what they could do for a 15-20 minute spell after Messi's brilliant goal. Though that's why I don't think you should ever write a team off or go nuts about them based on the first game; takes teams a game or so to get themselves into the tournament a lot of the time. The important thing is just to get the win; do that and you've done well.


Oh boy you've had a bad day of it! I saw the Germany/Portugal game and skipped most of the Iran/Nigeria game because I just felt it was going to be the tournament's first stinker. Sometimes I wonder about how many teams each region should get. I know Europe already has lots but surely the likes of Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Serbia and yes even Scotland (stop laughing! We've been playing good stuff for the last year ) could contribute more than the likes of Nigeria, Iran and Honduras.

Anyway Germany looked absolute class. They were my pick before the tournament and nothing I saw there made me question that. Good keeper, solid defence, good footbal and in attack got so much movement, link-up and creativity. Also how good is Thomas Muller? He may not look like the most naturally gifted of players but I think he's a cracking player. Really intelligent, works hard for the team, makes great runs, always seems to find himself in the right positions in the box and more often than not scores when he does. I think he'd be a massive success in England and would have been a great signing for Man Utd if the stories about them wanting him were true.


Anyway what are we thinking is the best goal of the tournament so far? Van Persie's header? Messi's trademark goal against Bosnia? Something else?

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Oh, that's quite true. Had we been unlucky, it could've been walloped.

I didn't think we'd get out of the group and, while I'm more positive than I was at the start, thanks to Costa Rica's win, we still need to win both games to be sure of qualifying, so in that respect nothing has changed despite the loss, but we looked better. Hence the confidence.



I'd have loved to've had him at United. I think he gets slightly overlooked, here anyway, because of other players in the Bayern team, but he's top quality and, like Gotze and Reus, he's been on United (and every other top European team probably) radar since his late teens.

At the moment, I'm saying van Persie.

Let's see what Belgium can do today....

There's 1 hour and 30 minutes left and then our country will finally play their first game of football on a big tournament since 2002!

I've just seen an advert on the rolling billboards at the Belgium/Algeria game for Moy Park.

A poultry processor from Dungannon alongside Addidas and Visa? Are minging chicken Kievs popular in Brazil? Or Ghent?

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1-1. Fellaini just scored.

Well, that was a horrendous game from the Belgians (especially in the first half), but I'm very glad we won.

Let's hope we'll start better against the Russians!

I like both, The Belgians and Russians. I have Belgium winning the group, but I must say the first half performance against Algeria was surprising. They'll have to show much stronger against Russia, and S. Korea for that matter.

Russia vs S. Korea prediction:
2-0

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Neymar is getting dangerously close to getting a yellow card...

I thought Algeria was going to be a tough game, they've got some decent players (Bougherra, Feghouli, Bentalab etc.), likely to be more used to the heat and were always going to play defensively. Add to that a Belgium side with pressure on them, and every time I have seen them they seem unsure on a system, weren't moving the ball fast enough in the first half. I think Chadli's a poor player, especially when compared to the rest of the team, and although definitely talented, Lukaku can often be frustrating. Were much more effective when they took of him and the two Spurs midfielders.

I think I'll get a card before Neymar does.

It went way too slowly indeed. Dembele and Chadli are not that quick. They like to walk with the ball and search for an opening or make an action. You can have one of those players in your team, but not two of them. Otherwise there's no pace in your game. We need another quick passer on the midfield, in stead of Chadli. Dembele is at least strong and keeps the ball in the team, so he can stay.

Brazil - Mexico was a fun match. Too bad nobody scored, though. The Mexican keeper was amazingly good!

Ochoa is a great keeper to get in FM'10.

If England had played as poorly as Brazil just did, they'd have been caned by everyone.

Yeh I'm not the biggest fan of Chadli anyway, but I always used to like Dembele when him and Sandro was together, he used to be a lot more direct and powerful and seems to have lost a bit of confidence and ability to influence games after last season with Spurs.

Yeah, Brazil match was good, both teams seemed happy for the draw. Great to see Marquez still going strong for Mexico too.

Yup, Ochoa is a FM hero, expect to see everyone being linked to him now, he's a free transfer too apparently

Yep, Arsenal and Liverpool are being linked to him today.

United have got Swansea first game again next season. And we're being linked with Khedira. *fingers crossed*