World Cup 2014 Knockout Rounds (SPOILERS, YO!)

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 7:21 pm

Can you believe they have played 48 games? That's just flown by.

anyone making predictions?

Here are mine.

Huitiemes:
Brazil - Chile *2-2 penalties
Colombia - Uruguay 1000-0

France - Nigeria 3-1
Germany - Algeria 2-0

Mexico - Netherlands *1-1 penalties
Costa Rica - Greece 0-1

Argentina - Switzerland 4-2
Belgium - USA 2-3* extra time

Quarters:
Brazil - Colombia 3-2
Germany - France 1-1* penalties

Mexico - Greece 1-0
USA - Argentina 2-3* extra time

Semifinals:
Brazil- France 1-2
Mexico - Argentina 1-3

Bronze medal;
Brazil - Mexico 2-1

Final:
France - Argentina 3-2

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 7:31 pm

I like your France as Champions prediction. Which reminds me, can we get an update on the pool? I am too lazy to try and find the point system. Pissed France and Nigeria, my two advancing teams, play each other.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:11 pm

Yeah, that's a shame. FOR YOU! Suck it!

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:17 pm

FWIW, I think Spain, Netherlands, Chile was the group of death.

Post by **brian** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:27 pm

govmentchedda wrote:FWIW, I think Spain, Netherlands, Chile was the group of death.

With the benefit of hindsight yeah.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:07 pm

It was equal to our group before the tourney. Spain is miles better than they showed at this WC. Chile is fantastic, as are the Dutch.

Did you notice that we (USMNT), had a win that felt like a tie (Ghana), a tie that felt like a loss (Portugal), and a loss that felt like a win (Germany)?

H/t partially @MeninBlazers

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:12 pm

Klinsmann said it himself.

"It's called a death group because we're in it"

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 7:46 am

Huitiemes:
Brazil - Chile 3-2 (on a cheap penalty call by an intimidated ref)
Colombia - Uruguay 3-1

France - Nigeria 3-1
Germany - Algeria 3-0

Mexico - Netherlands 1-3
Costa Rica - Greece 2-0

Argentina - Switzerland 2-0
Belgium - USA 2-3

Quarters:
Brazil - Colombia 3-2
Germany - France 3-2

Netherlands - Greece 3-0
USA - Argentina 0-3

Semifinals:
Brazil- Germany 1-2
Netherlands - Argentina 1-2

Bronze medal;
Brazil - Netherlands 2-0

Final:
Germany - Argentina 1-3

Post by **Sabo** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 2:08 pm

Recurring groin injury might keep Vincent Kompany on the sidelines in game versus US.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 2:52 pm

Sabo wrote:Recurring groin injury might keep Vincent Kompany on the sidelines in game versus US.

Well that is good news for the US. It looks like Jermaine Jones broke his nose in the collision with Bedoya. He is expected to play. Just about any other player, I'd worry about that changing their play, but Jones is a tough dude. I also just saw that Jozy ran in practice. That is a great sign. Don't know if he will be able to play, and I hope they don't rush him back just to reinjure his hammy and waste an early substitution.

Post by **brian** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 2:54 pm

The Sybian wrote:
Sabo wrote:Recurring groin injury might keep Vincent Kompany on the sidelines in game versus US.
Well that is good news for the US. It looks like Jermaine Jones broke his nose in the collision with Bedoya. He is expected to play. Just about any other player, I'd worry about that changing their play, but Jones is a tough dude. I also just saw that Jozy ran in practice. That is a great sign. Don't know if he will be able to play, and I hope they don't rush him back just to reinjure his hammy and waste an early substitution.

If they're on the fence about him, I'd rather see them bring Jozy in as a late sub if we need an offensive spark. But I trust the physios and Jozy that they're not going to push it unless he can go.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 3:12 pm

Listening to Howler radio and they raised an issue I had not thought about or heard much about, but Ramadan starts tomorrow. This impacts Algeria, Benzema (France), Ozil (Germany), Shaqiri (one of several on the Swiss roster)

NY Times wrote:Islam provides some exemptions to fasting for Ramadan, for the sick and for those who are traveling, and the United Arab Emirates’ soccer team was granted an exemption during the 2012 Olympics by the country’s highest religious body on those grounds. Muslims are also permitted to catch up on missed fast days at a later date, although this is sometimes frowned on in the Middle East and parts of Africa

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 3:32 pm

I heard that. They are travelling so I think it's ok.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 3:41 pm

NY Times wrote:Islam provides some exemptions to fasting for Ramadan, for the sick and for those who are traveling, and the United Arab Emirates’ soccer team was granted an exemption during the 2012 Olympics by the country’s highest religious body on those grounds. Muslims are also permitted to catch up on missed fast days at a later date, although this is sometimes frowned on in the Middle East and parts of Africa

Islam - The Religion of Pfft, No Biggie on the Rules

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:14 pm

Some thoughts:

* I'm not sure even on hindsight, that I'd even cede the Group of Death to the other group.
Spain (crap) = Portugal (pants)
Germany > Netherlands (barely)
Chile > Ghana (clearly)
US > Australia (clearly, if not, than more than barely)

* For the second WC in a row, UEFA is kind of shitting the bed. I was curious about this, so I did some quick numbers, progressing to the Knockout Stage:

2014 - 6/13
2010 - 6/13
2006 - 10/14
2002 - 10/15

I'm not ready to call that a decline in UEFA, or even a real trend, but... 2018 in Russia is going to be extremely interesting to see how CONCACAF and AFC handle things. (BTW, CONCACAF had 2/3 in 2002, 1/3 in 2006, 2/3 in 2010 and 3/4 this year... CONMEBOL absolutely doesn't give a shit... 2/5 in 02, 3/4 in 06, 5/5 in 10, and 5/6 this year.)

* Klinnsman has said Jozy looks good in training and they are hopeful he's in uniform next Tuesday. That'd be a little over 2 weeks since the injury, which is right inside the general window... just. I don't see any chance he starts, but to have him off the bench if necessary is massive. Not the least of which is the mental boost for the squad.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:34 pm

I still think for 5 automatic spots, Africa is poor. This is the first time ever Africa has 2 teams in the knockout stages.

24 teams
1982 0/2
1986 1/2 (Morocco)
1990 1/2 (Cameroon)
1994 1/2 (Nigeria)

32 teams
1998 1/5 (Nigeria)
2002 1/5 (Senegal)
2006 1/5 (Ghana)
2010 1/6 (Ghana)
2014 2/5 (Nigeria/Algeria)

After their 1990 run, Cameroon has failed the make if out of the group stage 5 times (94,98,02,10,14)

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 8:15 pm

I agree degen. The flip side of that is CONMEBOL especially on recent form. I think CONCACAF is about right.

The politics and numbers will make it impossible to lower Africa's number of slots.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 8:41 pm

I have a feeling we're going to 40 before too long so a lot of this will be academic.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:12 pm

can't see how 40 works though, groups of 5 are really annoying to schedule. A team always has to sit out and the team that sit out last will feel aggrieved.

Rams Fanny · Post by **Rams Fanny** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:48 am

degenerasian wrote:can't see how 40 works though, groups of 5 are really annoying to schedule. A team always has to sit out and the team that sit out last will feel aggrieved.

They would just do 10 groups of four. Two groups (i.e. A and B) play on same day. Matches could be at 1,3,5,7 (or whatever) local time. TV would lose their hour break between matches but I hardly think they'd care. Everyone would have 4 days between group matches and it would work well for the round of 16 as the groups playing on same days would meet each other so no whining about extra time off. It will happen if the product is not viewed as diluted.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:22 am

how do you determine your top 16? 10 group winners plus 6 wildcards?

Since there are only 6 wildcards, 4 of the group winners would be playing each other immediately.
Also if your wildcard teams came from Groups I and J, they would almost certainly play a group winner while having less rest.

Post by **brian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 3:15 am

degenerasian wrote:how do you determine your top 16? 10 group winners plus 6 wildcards?

Since there are only 6 wildcards, 4 of the group winners would be playing each other immediately.
Also if your wildcard teams came from Groups I and J, they would almost certainly play a group winner while having less rest.

I think they'd probably take 20. Could give byes to the top 12 based on total points & make the bottom 8 duke it out. Would be an advantage to winning your group. An extra couple of days off.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:07 am

Conmebol has to eat its own today. All four teams playing today from South America.

Post by **Sabo** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:59 am

Another injury for Belgium. Right back Anthony Vanden Borre broke his ankle and is out for the rest of the World Cup. He isn't their starting RB, so this isn't a massive blow for the team.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:32 am

brian wrote:
degenerasian wrote:how do you determine your top 16? 10 group winners plus 6 wildcards?

Since there are only 6 wildcards, 4 of the group winners would be playing each other immediately.
Also if your wildcard teams came from Groups I and J, they would almost certainly play a group winner while having less rest.
I think they'd probably take 20. Could give byes to the top 12 based on total points & make the bottom 8 duke it out. Would be an advantage to winning your group. An extra couple of days off.

Yes but still 4 of the group winners have to play immediately. Could be germany vs holland

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:40 am

Since we were talking groups of death...here is the original group of death in 1986.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -1986.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

West Germany
Scotland
Uruguay
Denmark

Denmark was a newbie and got put in the last pot with South Korea, Iraq, Canada, Algeria and Morocco. Uruguay got a red card in each game.

Johnny Carwash · Post by **Johnny Carwash** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:33 am

I can't say the name "Neymar" without resorting to the type of high-pitched whiny voice you'd use in school to mock guys who girls thought were cute.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:44 am

This game is so open.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:00 pm

Chile is fun to watch

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:13 pm

Sabo wrote:Another injury for Belgium.

Our witchdoctors are better than Ghana's. You're welcome.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:16 pm

Wow an anti-brazil decision

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 12:49 pm

Tattoos must be big business in Chile

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:14 pm

I refuse to be in awe of a team whose second choice striker is Jo.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:28 pm

Jo Who?

(Jo Mama!)

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:41 pm

This won't be tense at all.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:49 pm

I like the Chilean keeper, based on the last 120 minutes.

howard · Post by **howard** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:51 pm

…or the Brazilian keeper might do well

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 2:33 pm

Our boy @bravesandbirds got a tweet shout out on the Brazil postgame Men In Blazers from Bob Ley's Panic Room. I knew him when.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 6:08 pm

howard wrote:…or the Brazilian keeper might do well

Toronto FC's own!

Colombia looks really, really good. (Says Captain Obvious)

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:51 pm

The Columbian kid can play a little.