I think having finally made it to a major tournament, Belgium are going to be shown up a bit. They've got Hazard, maybe Courtois as very top players and then a lot of good but overhyped players. They're the new Czech Republic.
Who will flop at the World Cup?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
The Dutch, The Belgians and the Argies
Portugal.
I think chile is coming out of that group #1.. So either spain/holland will be a flop.
The US will not win a single match in their group. Not sure if this is a flop considering they probably aren't expected to do much.
England will fail miserably but this once again is probably not a flop.
France will also flop and I'm predicting they don't get out of the group stage.
England will fail miserably but this once again is probably not a flop.
France will also flop and I'm predicting they don't get out of the group stage.
What is people's problem with Belgium?
All anyone has ever said is that they are dark horses. Seems alot of people are bitter about it, no idea why.
All anyone has ever said is that they are dark horses. Seems alot of people are bitter about it, no idea why.
Bitter over what?I don't get what there's not to get. They're getting hyped up as dark horses and are fifth favourites to win it, only behind Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany but people don't think they're actually that good. Simples.
Theres nothing wrong with being dark horses. Comparing their squad to others means thats a reasonable assessment yet people at like people are calling the favourites.
I don't get what there's not to get. They're getting hyped up as dark horses and are fifth favourites to win it, only behind Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany but people don't think they're actually that good. Simples.
Mate, they're fifth favourites to win the whole thing. They may be dark horses but they were ranked 5th in the FIFA rankings when the draw was made. You'd be well within your rights to say they'll flop. People on here and in general think they could possibly make it to the semis or even go all the way. No chance. Second round exit, for me which equates to flopping, for the team they have. Their team is nowhere near as good as the sum of the individual players they possess.
I think you're bitter of the people who don't rate Belgium.
I think Belgium will make it out of the group stages.
But their lack of experience could tell in the knockout stages.
I'm not expecting great things from Germany.
I've found German teams very very boring to watch this year and they seem to severely lack a 'Plan B'. Bayern Munich inpaticular have really bored me this season.
The style of play by those of Spain, Brazil and Argentina will destroy them.
Would including England be fair?
I've not read much of the media so far surrounding our World Cup chances, but I'm assuming with our resources at the moment, people can't be expecting us to go on and reach any further than the quarter finals?
Will be good to see how players such as Lallana and lambert fair on the big stage.
Can't see them progressing out the groups if I'm honest.
On the other hand, maybe the lack of pressure may work in our favour?
Other notable mentions:
Portugal, Holland.
I think both of their defences will struggle.
But their lack of experience could tell in the knockout stages.
I'm not expecting great things from Germany.
I've found German teams very very boring to watch this year and they seem to severely lack a 'Plan B'. Bayern Munich inpaticular have really bored me this season.
The style of play by those of Spain, Brazil and Argentina will destroy them.
Would including England be fair?
I've not read much of the media so far surrounding our World Cup chances, but I'm assuming with our resources at the moment, people can't be expecting us to go on and reach any further than the quarter finals?
Will be good to see how players such as Lallana and lambert fair on the big stage.
Can't see them progressing out the groups if I'm honest.
On the other hand, maybe the lack of pressure may work in our favour?
Other notable mentions:
Portugal, Holland.
I think both of their defences will struggle.
Bayern Munich's style of play is more like Spain's than it is Germany's.
I have a feeling Spain will go home early. And the death of Tiki taka will happen.
Germany was playing Louis van Löw (van Gaal style with Löw touch) in World Cup 2010. That has changed a little as the teams sit more and more back against them. But it is still less control and more offense than e.g. Spain.
I took the data of all club competitions of Reus, Müller, Özil and Götze - if we play with a false 9 - and the data of Fabregas, Iniesta, Pedro, Silva and Costa to show some spanish constellations - just to show this. Özil was a lot more productive in the recent years - and for Germany - but Reus with his boom in April and May has probably equalised that.
Reus, Müller, Özil, Götze
70 goals, 65 assists, 12747 minutes
182 minutes per goal, 196 minutes per assist (broken down on one player)
1.98 goals per match, 1.84 assists per match (the 4 players together)
Fabregas, Iniesta, Pedro, Silva
43 goals, 63 assists, 13553 minutes
315 minutes per goal, 215 minutes per assist (broken down on one player)
1,14 goals per match, 1,67 assists per match (the 4 players together)
Fabregas, Iniesta, Pedro, Costa
70 goals, 54 assists, 14648 minutes
209 minutes per goal, 271 minutes per assist (broken down on one player)
1,72 goals per match, 1,33 assists per match (the 4 players together)
Fabregas, Pedro, Costa, Silva
75 goals, 57 assists, 14068 minutes
188 minutes per goal, 261 per assist (broken down on one player)
1,91 goals per match, 1,38 assists per match (the 4 players together)
You really see the difference if you take Fabregas as a false 9. But even with a forward in the form of Costa the German option still seems to be more dangerous.
I took the data of all club competitions of Reus, Müller, Özil and Götze - if we play with a false 9 - and the data of Fabregas, Iniesta, Pedro, Silva and Costa to show some spanish constellations - just to show this. Özil was a lot more productive in the recent years - and for Germany - but Reus with his boom in April and May has probably equalised that.
Reus, Müller, Özil, Götze
70 goals, 65 assists, 12747 minutes
182 minutes per goal, 196 minutes per assist (broken down on one player)
1.98 goals per match, 1.84 assists per match (the 4 players together)
Fabregas, Iniesta, Pedro, Silva
43 goals, 63 assists, 13553 minutes
315 minutes per goal, 215 minutes per assist (broken down on one player)
1,14 goals per match, 1,67 assists per match (the 4 players together)
Fabregas, Iniesta, Pedro, Costa
70 goals, 54 assists, 14648 minutes
209 minutes per goal, 271 minutes per assist (broken down on one player)
1,72 goals per match, 1,33 assists per match (the 4 players together)
Fabregas, Pedro, Costa, Silva
75 goals, 57 assists, 14068 minutes
188 minutes per goal, 261 per assist (broken down on one player)
1,91 goals per match, 1,38 assists per match (the 4 players together)
You really see the difference if you take Fabregas as a false 9. But even with a forward in the form of Costa the German option still seems to be more dangerous.
I believe Chile will fail at the World Cup. The 'La Roja' are massively dependant on Arturo Vidal, and he recently had surgery and most probably not be at his best in the group stages.
They will probably line up in a 3-4-3
Bravo
Jara - Medel - Gonzalez
Isla - Vidal - Diaz - Beausejour
Sachez - Varas - Fernandez
If you look closely at that team - you will realise that the team's defence is very weak (two of the three starting CBs play for a championship side - plus everyone knows Gary Medel is a defensive midfielder and as Chile are short on CBs he has to play there).
When they will face the likes of Spain and Netherlands I fully expect them to crack especially with a semi-unfit Arturo Vial (whose job it is to cover the central defenders when under attack).
What Chile have on their side is playing in South America. Most of the players will know what to expect out of the conditions and won't be physically inadequate in any way or form.
Everyone expects Holland to crash out, but I believe Spain and Holland will progress leaving behind Australia and Chile.
They will probably line up in a 3-4-3
Bravo
Jara - Medel - Gonzalez
Isla - Vidal - Diaz - Beausejour
Sachez - Varas - Fernandez
If you look closely at that team - you will realise that the team's defence is very weak (two of the three starting CBs play for a championship side - plus everyone knows Gary Medel is a defensive midfielder and as Chile are short on CBs he has to play there).
When they will face the likes of Spain and Netherlands I fully expect them to crack especially with a semi-unfit Arturo Vial (whose job it is to cover the central defenders when under attack).
What Chile have on their side is playing in South America. Most of the players will know what to expect out of the conditions and won't be physically inadequate in any way or form.
Everyone expects Holland to crash out, but I believe Spain and Holland will progress leaving behind Australia and Chile.
All South American teams
Belgium
All African teams. None will qualify for KO rounds.
The World Cup usually comes with a shocking performance from at least one of the traditional giants. France in 2002 and 2010. Argentina in 2002. Italy in 2010. This year I have a feeling it will be one or both of Germany and Spain. Their possession based game can be undone by a disciplined team on the counter or at setpieces.
Bosnia. Don't know why, but I have a feeling they won't win a single match.
England wont come out of their group. Argentina are being talked up again( as they are every World Cup) so I expect them to fall as soon as they play a decent side.
I think England & Italy will be 1 & 2 so Uruguay will count 3rd as a flop
Hmm how does that constitute a flop? No one expects much of them.
Also most people are judging teams out of context. To me 'flop' is an overwhelming favourite who totally underachieves.
So Portugal, Chile, Oranje, Uruguay, England can't really be considered as flops if they fail to get out their group as their competition is tough. Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Arge, Colombia, Belgium are all flops if they don't make it out of their group.
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I can see Holland not getting out the groups, think Spain with their squad will get out of that and Chile will do well.
I think Italy will flop, can see them losing to Uruguay and England, dont' think England will do much in the knock out rounds but no one expects them to so not really a "flop" for me.
I think Italy will flop, can see them losing to Uruguay and England, dont' think England will do much in the knock out rounds but no one expects them to so not really a "flop" for me.
Have a feeling that Spain will struggle and I think that they'll do a France 2002. England won't pass the groups but that probably isn't a flop considering that Uruguay and Italy are anyway better teams. Belgium IMO will get defeated on KO when it will play against the first decent team.
I think Holland won't get out of the group stages, and the same goes for England I fear. Argentina won't get far either, but they'll get out of their group considering they have an 'easy' one.
I don't quite get why people suggest Belgium will flop at the World Cup. The bookies have us as fifth favourite to win the whole thing (in front of teams like Italy, Colombia, ...) and that's just as stupid as it gets. It's our first big tournament since the 2002 WC and not one of the players was a member of that squad, so it's gonna be new to all of them. I, and almost all realistic Belgians with me, consider the tournament as succesful if we get out of the group stages. That's a minimum because we have a relatively easy group. The only way we'll flop will be if we fail to do that, it's not our fault everyone massively overhyped us and creates unrealistic expectations for the team.. The team is still young and needs to gel more, we'll take this as an opportunity to gain some experience on the highest level and try to compete with the best teams out there (we'll probably get Portugal or Germany when we survive the group stages, will be a really exciting and interesting matchup - I'd love to see us do one over the Germans).
I don't quite get why people suggest Belgium will flop at the World Cup. The bookies have us as fifth favourite to win the whole thing (in front of teams like Italy, Colombia, ...) and that's just as stupid as it gets. It's our first big tournament since the 2002 WC and not one of the players was a member of that squad, so it's gonna be new to all of them. I, and almost all realistic Belgians with me, consider the tournament as succesful if we get out of the group stages. That's a minimum because we have a relatively easy group. The only way we'll flop will be if we fail to do that, it's not our fault everyone massively overhyped us and creates unrealistic expectations for the team.. The team is still young and needs to gel more, we'll take this as an opportunity to gain some experience on the highest level and try to compete with the best teams out there (we'll probably get Portugal or Germany when we survive the group stages, will be a really exciting and interesting matchup - I'd love to see us do one over the Germans).
Brazil
I've been trying to say this on here about 10 times. Other countries seem to overhype Belgium a lot more then we do... We have a very decent squad, for a country our size. It has been 12 years since we got to compete in the WC. Some decent results will do it for me, of course we won't be World Champions, but who cares?
Not me. I think you're rubbish
I wouldn't say rubbish. We didn't lose a game in the qualifying, against teams as Croatia and Serbia, that counts for something at least. 26/30 including a last game against Wales (1-1), which didn't matter anymore.
Germany will comfortably fail. Not because the players are shite but because of Mr Nivea pretending to be a football manager.
I agree with the posters above who suggest that Germany could even struggle to get out of the group stage. If you go back to the group stage of the last Euro, those games were not really convincing, as were the matches in the knock out stage. Germany's totally overrated.
I agree with the posters above who suggest that Germany could even struggle to get out of the group stage. If you go back to the group stage of the last Euro, those games were not really convincing, as were the matches in the knock out stage. Germany's totally overrated.
Rooney and Welbeck, both overrated pieces of shite. Not that England will get out of their group anyway.
What's your username on RAWK, la?Most people in Holland actually expect us to go ou in the group stage, so not sure if it would be called a flop if that actually happens. We have a pretty poor team.
Personally I think either us or Spain are going out in the group stage. England to go out in the group stage as well. Besides that I don't see many upsets in the group stage.
Personally I think either us or Spain are going out in the group stage. England to go out in the group stage as well. Besides that I don't see many upsets in the group stage.
Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia and Belgium.
Holland can't be seen as a flop. Their squad is (mostly) shite.
Holland can't be seen as a flop. Their squad is (mostly) shite.
Brazil
Argentina Italy and the US
Colombia & Belgium. Many people have them as their dark horses but the truth is both sides have been way overhyped. Now, don't get me wrong, I hope Belgium does well at the World Cup but to me they are still far off from winning the competition, possibly for the next Euro their squad will be more developed (as it's a pretty young side right now). Colombia has some decent players but it seems like they rely way too much on Falcao. Sure, they also have players like Martinez, Quintero, and Rodriguez but I feel that they'd have to change their style to suit these players more but alas the World Cup is about to start, there is no time. Also as it is the Colombian side is low on morale so if they struggle as early as in the group stages I doubt they'll be able to pick themselves up.
England will go through top
Argentina have an easy ride in comparison to brazil but I just see them coming unstuck early, probably quater finals