Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup Thread

[War]

CBF want action taken on Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa - ESPN FC

Ha the CBF sounds quite vindictive and dumb here.

 

[thedon5]

Soldado literally can't do anything on his own. All he has is a good finish and decent positioning, pretty much nothing else. He is a glorified Darren Bent with less pace. I have never seen him dominate a game.

Michu on the other hand can, as can all of the other names you have mentioned. Soldado is the only one.

 

[War]

El Tri won't use Javier Hernandez, other European stars, coach says - ESPN FC

Wow brave & strange decision by Mexico's interim coach. Sure the travel between Mexico & New Zealand will be tough on El tri's foreign/european stars, but to not pick Chicharito & co for such an important game (although NZ are not superb) just because of that is stunning i'd say.

 

[War]

New Zealand name Storm Roux in World Cup qualifier squad - ESPN FC

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=2218138/index.html?cid=facebook_2014fifaworldcupbrazil - Boateng in Ghana squad to face Egypt

 

[CG123]

"Better" article on our squad here (more than 2/3 paragraphs):

Soccer: Key players back for All Whites, Roux named in squad - Sport - NZ Herald News

 

[CG123]

FFS, by far our most important player gone:

Soccer: Reid out of Cup playoff - Sport - NZ Herald News

 

[thedon5]

Ouch.

 

[War]

Patrice Evra in France squad despite controversy - ESPN FC

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Mickael Landreau (Bastia)

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Monaco), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United), Gael Clichy (Manchester City), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Samir Nasri (Manchester City), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United), Dimitri Payet (Marseille), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Loic Remy (Newcastle United)

So we looking at a possible XI of:

Lloris

Sagna Koschielny Abidal/Varane Evra/Clichy

Matuidi Pogba

Nasri Cabaye/Valbuena Ribery

Giroud

Very lethal, should handle the Ukraine threat fairly comfortably once they play to potential.

 

[War]

Lamouchi names C?te d'Ivoire squad - FIFA.com

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FFS, by far our most important player gone:

Soccer: Reid out of Cup playoff - Sport - NZ Herald News

Ye massively unfortunate for you guys, especially with the MEX taking depending on your view of it an almighty risk or utterly disrespecting NZ by leaving out all their EURO stars for this play-off.

 

[War]

Uruguay FA allow Suarez to play for Liverpool this weekend | Premiership News | Tribal Football

 

[CG123]

Under three days now until three years of planning from NZF goes on the line, I just hope that they can bring it back here with something still to play for.

 

[thedon5]

I hope we can keep the goal difference to maximum one, let's humiliate them and their decision to not call-up their European players like Chicharito and Giovani dos Santos.

 

[War]

New Zealand out to stun Mexico in World Cup playoff by Rob Brooks - ESPN FC

 

[ved_]

I'd certainly not mind if you could add a poll up there.

 

[shravi]

I'd certainly not mind if you could add a poll up there.

I would.