Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup Thread

[Haarithan]

England are far from done if you ask me. Italy rested 6 first team regulars in the 3rd/4th playoff versus Uruguay in this year's Confederations Cup, and still outplayed them and won the game on penalties.

Reason? Uruguay simply just have a non-existent midfield and defence. Their full backs in Maxi Pereira and Alvaro Perreira are as average as they come, and I'm not even going to talk about their once heroic CB in Diego Lugano - looks a painful shadow of himself now.

Keep Suarez and Cavani at bay, and England should do just fine against the Uruguayans. Italy clear favorites to top the group though.

 

[thedon5]

Their full backs in Maxi Pereira and Alvaro Perreira are as average as they come, and I'm not even going to talk about their once heroic CB in Diego Lugano - looks a painful shadow of himself now.

Just ask Skater. I believe he was terrible in his first league start for West Brom. Also agreed on these other two full-backs, they're not the quickest either and will struggle against the likes of Walcott, Townsend and Sturridge.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

England are far from done if you ask me. Italy rested 6 first team regulars in the 3rd/4th playoff versus Uruguay in this year's Confederations Cup, and still outplayed them and won the game on penalties.

Reason? Uruguay simply just have a non-existent midfield and defence. Their full backs in Maxi Pereira and Alvaro Perreira are as average as they come, and I'm not even going to talk about their once heroic CB in Diego Lugano - looks a painful shadow of himself now.

Keep Suarez and Cavani at bay, and England should do just fine against the Uruguayans. Italy clear favorites to top the group though.

England and Italy to go through then for you? Perhaps you're right - as you said, Uruguay haven't got much going for them other than their attack. I just hope we can put up a slightly less toothless performance against Italy than we did in the Euros - or at least not allow their playmaker to sit in midfield and pull the strings all day without once being bothered.

 

[War]

World Cup Conspiracy Theory Seen on Video | FTBpro

HMMMMMMMM!!!

 

[War]

BBC Sport - 2014 Fifa World Cup: England can conquer heat, humidity and travel

Speaking to my family in Trinidad & Tobago - a potential cheap travel option to get the Manaus exist - instead of going via the Rio route.

Travel from UK to Trinidad - Trinidad to Guyana. Then link up with the Brazil Embassy in Guyana that apparently is driving people across the border, down to Manaus & this drive is about 22 hrs.

 

[thedon5]

England and Italy to go through then for you? Perhaps you're right - as you said, Uruguay haven't got much going for them other than their attack. I just hope we can put up a slightly less toothless performance against Italy than we did in the Euros - or at least not allow their playmaker to sit in midfield and pull the strings all day without once being bothered.

That's not a bad thing though, having just a great attack. Look at how Liverpool do having just Suarez, Suarez and Cavani would destroy England a lot of the time.

 

[Haarithan]

Yeah, for me the Uruguay - England clash is almost impossible to predict, considering both have their own strengths and weaknesses. A draw looks most likely if I had to predict the scoreline right now, so I guess it'll come down to how the sides fare against Italy and Costa Rica.

 

[thedon5]

Costa Rica are no pushovers and definitely darkhorses of the group. Bryan Ruiz is a top player for them, our young forward on loan at Olympiakos, Joel Campbell, is also someone who can easly change a game. Players like Borges, Barrantes, Diaz, Saborio and Bolanos will be threats too.

 

[Bevab]

Costa Rica are no pushovers and definitely darkhorses of the group. Bryan Ruiz is a top player for them, our young forward on loan at Olympiakos, Joel Campbell, is also someone who can easly change a game. Players like Borges, Barrantes, Diaz, Saborio and Bolanos will be threats too.

And then there's Oviedo....

Ruiz hasn't been that great though for a long time.

 

[thedon5]

He has still played quite well for Costa Rica. He was absolute dynamite for Twente. He has had a lot of injuries really.

 

[War]

Ye Costa Rica is very solid team, saw a lot of them in CONCACAF qualifiers. Their solid form was one of the main reasons why Mexico had to get to the W-Cup via the play-off's.

No easy games for England basically. Even if the come out the group, its Colombia/Ivory coast likely in R-16 and Brazil/Spain in quarter's. So if ENG get to quarters this time with the so called "Golden Generation" passed their peaks - that will be bloody good world cup.

 

[War]

World Cup: Ten Questions - ESPN FC

 

[War]

World Cup 2014: Referees will use 'vanishing spray' in Brazil - World Cup 2014 - Football - The Independent

 

[Bevab]

A bit weird that there has not been calls for including this in more areas, I've seen this work well actually. (At least in the Liga MX)

 

[War]

Giuseppe Rossi, the pint-sized package England have reason to fear | Richard Williams | Football | The Guardian