2006 World Cup

[BigDavis75]

Here is my final eight:

Germany, England

Netherlands, Portugal

Italy, Brazil

France, Switzerland

Final four:

England vs. Netherlands

Brazil vs. France

Final:

France vs. Netherlands


WINNER: France

France has the best midfield and a top 2-3 group of forwards. They look amazing.

 

[Zeno]

My round of 16 teams...

Germany V. Sweden
Argentina V. Iran

England V. Poland
Portugal V. Netherlands

US V. Australia
France V. Spain

Brazil V. Czech Republic
Ukraine V. S. Korea

Quarterfinals...

Germany V. Argentina

England V. Portugal

US V. Ukraine

Brazil V. Spain

Semi-Finals

Brazil V. Portugal

Germany V. US

Final

Portugal V. Germany

Champion

Portugal

 

[Zeno]

U.S. beats Angola in closed-door game

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) -- Brian McBride scored as the United States beat Angola 1-0 on Monday night in a closed-door practice game played without fans or media.

U.S. players didn't wear uniform numbers for the game, which did not count as an official international and allowed free substitutions. U.S. team spokesman Michael Kammarman said McBride scored but provided no other details.

Angola team spokesman Arlindo Macedo said U.S. captain Claudio Reyna was impressive for the Americans, though Kammarman declined to say if Reyna played or not.

Reyna has not been out since straining his right hamstring May 23 against Morocco.

"They didn't wear numbers, and the United States didn't want to give names of players," Angola coach Luis Oliviera Goncalves said.

Angola played with 10 men for much of the match after Loco got his second yellow card in about the 30th minute.

"In the second half we dominated most of the game, but in general it was very balanced," Goncalves said.

The Angolans also said the U.S. team used backup goalkeeper Tim Howard later in the match.

The Americans face Italy, the Czech Republic and Ghana in Group E at the World Cup. Angola will play Portugal, Mexico and Iran in Group D.

Most important question I have is...Is everyone healthy!?

 

[English on tour]

heres a handy predictor from bbc.com

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/spl/hi/predictor/html/football/world_cup_06/default.stm

Brazil it is then!

 

[Ollie]

My best guesses


Second round :

Germany vs Sweden
Holland vs Mexico
England vs Poland
Portugal vs Argentina
Czech Republic vs Croatia
France vs Tunisia
Brazil vs Italy
Ukraine vs Switzerland

Quarterfinals :

Germany vs Holland
Czech Republic vs France
England vs Argentina
Brazil vs Ukraine

Semifinals :

Germany vs France
Brazil vs Argentina

Final :

Brazil vs France

Champion :

Brazil

 

[CaptTurbo]

WINNER: France

France has the best midfield and a top 2-3 group of forwards. They look amazing.

My lock of the year. No way France wins. Im still fuming they managed to fix the world cup that was hosted in france.

 

[SouthNZoneFan]

That make three of us. I'll be arriving in Frankfurt on the 9th. Staying till the 14th. I might make a side trip to Gelsenkirchen on the 12th. Depends on time and budget. From what I read Fanfest in Frankfurt at the MAIN is where the party is going to be at in Frankfurt.

I'll be looking for the Tillman jersey.

http://www.wm2006.frankfurt.de/main.php?bereich=veranstaltungen&content_id=50&event_id=460

Okay - Looks like we are going to miss each other. I will be arriving to Berlin on the 19th of the month. Spend one night there then go the short distance to Cologne. Stay there one night and then go to Gelsenkirchen for a night, then to Nuremburg for the 22nd (USA V Gahna) and then that night back to Berlin that night. We will leave the next day from Berlin!!! Sorry that we missed each other...

 

[SouthNZoneFan]

On a side note, just checked the odds at the local betting house in Durham here and they are offering 80 - 1 for America to win. I think that I am goign to put down 20 pounds on America to win. By my math that is about 1 million dollars.... But they are also 1000 - 1 for Trindad!!! Think that I will put 1 dollar down on them...

 

[CaptTurbo]

NORDERSTEDT, Germany, June 6 (Reuters) - U.S. coach Bruce Arena reported a clean bill of health for all his squad on Tuesday after continuing their World Cup buildup under a veil of secrecy.


The Americans played a practice match with fellow finalists Angola behind closed doors on Monday night, winning 1-0 after the Africans were reduced to 10-men.


On Tuesday following an open training session watched by 1,000, Arena was typically cautious about revealing his hand before their opening Group E match against the Czech Republic on June 12.

'I don't know the first 11,' he said.

 

[Stout]

On a side note, just checked the odds at the local betting house in Durham here and they are offering 80 - 1 for America to win. I think that I am goign to put down 20 pounds on America to win. By my math that is about 1 million dollars.... But they are also 1000 - 1 for Trindad!!! Think that I will put 1 dollar down on them...

Are there odds on us advancing at all? I'd love to lay some money down on that.

 

[Zeno]

NORDERSTEDT, Germany, June 6 (Reuters) - U.S. coach Bruce Arena reported a clean bill of health for all his squad on Tuesday after continuing their World Cup buildup under a veil of secrecy....

'I don't know the first 11,' he said.

Arena knows exactly who he is starting, he is trying to give himself whatever edge he can. The lineup Vs the Czechs will probably even be different than the lineup Vs Italy, he changes his lineups based on match-ups, always has--although he made a mistake Vs Mexico in the game at Azteca stadium (which he fixed for the start of the second half), he is really quite good at getting the right players on the field for the opponent.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Current Odds

USA 30-1 to win it all

To won Group E we are 13-2. We are the third best odds out of 4.

2 odds that stickout to me Croatia 65-1 (cant count em out)

Iran 17-1 to win the group.

 

[BigDavis75]

Arena knows exactly who he is starting, he is trying to give himself whatever edge he can. The lineup Vs the Czechs will probably even be different than the lineup Vs Italy, he changes his lineups based on match-ups, always has--although he made a mistake Vs Mexico in the game at Azteca stadium (which he fixed for the start of the second half), he is really quite good at getting the right players on the field for the opponent.

I think the most change will be with our outside fullbacks from game to game. Although Cherundelo is great, I don't like his size vs. the Czechs. Also, Ching might get some decent PT depending on how Arenas is feeling with EJ and the possibility of the 4-5-1.

 

[BigDavis75]

My lock of the year. No way France wins. Im still fuming they managed to fix the world cup that was hosted in france.

Can you elaborate on this?

France's one weakness is on defense. They have Gallas (who is amazing for you non-Chelsea watchers) and Chimbonda but their other two might be Sylvestre and um....... Buomsong.

I love the rest of their team though, Makalele is the best holding player in the world and Vieira is a top 2-3 center midfielder. Also, Zidane is still a very good player and I personally love Saha, the youngster from Man U. Sisse and Henry are the forwards but they also have Trezuget who maybe will play MF.

 

[Zeno]

I think the most change will be with our outside fullbacks from game to game. Although Cherundelo is great, I don't like his size vs. the Czechs. Also, Ching might get some decent PT depending on how Arenas is feeling with EJ and the possibility of the 4-5-1.

I think Ching only plays if McBride gets hurt or tired. If EJ doesn't play it will be Wolff--although I still have a feeling Arena is going to put Donovan up top with McBride in order to get his best players on the field.

I absolutely agree with you on Cherundolo--Bocanegra may get a start in the Czech game in his place. If we take a lead a MF or Forward may come out and Cherundolo may come in as a 5th defender off the bench though.

 

[English on tour]

On a side note, just checked the odds at the local betting house in Durham here and they are offering 80 - 1 for America to win. I think that I am goign to put down 20 pounds on America to win. By my math that is about 1 million dollars.... But they are also 1000 - 1 for Trindad!!! Think that I will put 1 dollar down on them...

you can get 20-1 on them to make the semi finals - might be a safer bet for you James!

still good odds and if you win the thing then who cares about money anyway!!!!

 

[Ollie]

Can you elaborate on this?

France is evil, that was the 06/06/06 swd's post

France's one weakness is on defense. They have Gallas (who is amazing for you non-Chelsea watchers) and Chimbonda but their other two might be Sylvestre and um....... Buomsong.

I love the rest of their team though, Makalele is the best holding player in the world and Vieira is a top 2-3 center midfielder. Also, Zidane is still a very good player and I personally love Saha, the youngster from Man U. Sisse and Henry are the forwards but they also have Trezuget who maybe will play MF.

Honestly, I like our chances (we probably won't win but I'm confident that we'll reach at least the semifinals) but I respectfully disagree with your points.

Our main force is our defense, it's a very solid unit (only 2 goals allowed during the qualifyfing phase). Replacing Gallas to centre back, his best position, instead of left back should reinforce it.

So, our back-4 will be Abidal-Gallas-Thuram-Sagnol and hopefully Sylvestre, Chimbonda and Boumsong will ride the bench.

I agree with you on Makelele, a very underrated player, but Vieira suffers from pubalgy, and he's really diminished and inconstant. And I hope Zidane will be physically ready, cause he really looks tired. I'm afraid that the midfield is our main weakness : the ball takes too long to go from midfielders to forwards, and there's too ill-advised midfield plays.

On the offensive side, Henry will play for sure, but no one knows who will play alongside him, if there's someone. My guess is that will be Saha, but it could be Cissé or Trezeguet too (Edit : Won't be Cissé, he just broke his leg). One sure thing : there's no way Trezeguet plays MF, he couldn't dribble the ball to save his life.

 

[CaptTurbo]

When France won they werent even thought of as any sort of favorite to win. It was a huge upset. At least as far as any huge soccer fan has told me. I am no expert.

World Cup in France - France wins (upset)
World Cup in South Korea (South Korea final 4 huge upset)

Id bet my house on Germany making it to the final 4 or better in Germany.

There is a trend.

 

[Ollie]

France win was a huge upset ? They were second favourites with Germany at 8/1 ! How that would be an upset is beyond me...
And winning games on golden goals and PK is a mark of luck, fortune, fate, resilience... but not of fixing games.
Korea semifinal was an upset in 2002 but co-host Japan didn't advance past the second-round. So they didn't fix the world cup correctly and didn't favor the biggest economic market in Asia?

Playing on his own soil for a one-month-long competition is a huge advantage, and if there's a fact proven by world cup history it's that every host team have overachieved (well, excepted Spain but they're the biggest underachievers of the world).

And yes you can bet Germany will be in the final 4 (I wouldn't bet my house on it, though). Not because there's a fix but because they're usually making it to the final 4, unfortunately.

 

[Stout]

When France won they werent even thought of as any sort of favorite to win. It was a huge upset. At least as far as any huge soccer fan has told me. I am no expert.

World Cup in France - France wins (upset)
World Cup in South Korea (South Korea final 4 huge upset)

Id bet my house on Germany making it to the final 4 or better in Germany.

There is a trend.

Um, I'm sorry, but your soccer fan is either lying or a dolt. France was a huge, huge favorite to win the cup that year. They were a great side, AND playing with home field advantage. Trust me, I was stationed in Germany that year, and I heard a ton of grumblings that France would probably win it, much to everybody's chagrin.

 

[Zeno]

When France won they werent even thought of as any sort of favorite to win. It was a huge upset. At least as far as any huge soccer fan has told me. I am no expert.

World Cup in France - France wins (upset)
World Cup in South Korea (South Korea final 4 huge upset)

Id bet my house on Germany making it to the final 4 or better in Germany.

There is a trend.

France in 98 was a great team. They followed that up with an impressive Euro run. Going in to that WC they were considered a top 4 or 5 team by any soccer expert you could find.

France this year isn't a favorite as far as I am concerned. They'll make it out of group play but no further than the quarterfinals IMO.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Um, I'm sorry, but your soccer fan is either lying or a dolt. France was a huge, huge favorite to win the cup that year. They were a great side, AND playing with home field advantage. Trust me, I was stationed in Germany that year, and I heard a ton of grumblings that France would probably win it, much to everybody's chagrin.

ah apologies then. I heard it from more than 1 but they are all Croatian fans (ie Homers)

 

[Ollie]

Croatia... ah, Brač and Hvar are so cool

 

[BigDavis75]

France is evil, that was the 06/06/06 swd's post


Honestly, I like our chances (we probably won't win but I'm confident that we'll reach at least the semifinals) but I respectfully disagree with your points.

Our main force is our defense, it's a very solid unit (only 2 goals allowed during the qualifyfing phase). Replacing Gallas to centre back, his best position, instead of left back should reinforce it.

So, our back-4 will be Abidal-Gallas-Thuram-Sagnol and hopefully Sylvestre, Chimbonda and Boumsong will ride the bench.

I agree with you on Makelele, a very underrated player, but Vieira suffers from pubalgy, and he's really diminished and inconstant. And I hope Zidane will be physically ready, cause he really looks tired. I'm afraid that the midfield is our main weakness : the ball takes too long to go from midfielders to forwards, and there's too ill-advised midfield plays.

On the offensive side, Henry will play for sure, but no one knows who will play alongside him, if there's someone. My guess is that will be Saha, but it could be Cissé or Trezeguet too (Edit : Won't be Cissé, he just broke his leg). One sure thing : there's no way Trezeguet plays MF, he couldn't dribble the ball to save his life.

On defense, it would surprise me if Chimbonda doesn't start. I understand he is uncapped but he really had a breakout year this year in the EPL. I'm not sure why I forgot Sagnol, I didn't have a roster in front of me. Anyway that Buomsong is on the bench though is good. I also think Thurman may be too old to still be effective, he certainly isn't going to light up the net like he did earlier in his career. I guess I will have to go with you, but my starting four would be Gallas-Chimbonda-Sagnol-? (probably Abidal at Left back)

I still think (if Cisse is injured for good) that Saha-Zidane-Vieira-Makelele will be the MF and they are the strongest unit. All of those guys are big time players except for Saha and he is really coming into his own IMO.

 

[Ollie]

Cissé is definitively out, he broke his right leg tibia in some weird contact with a chinese player, exactly the same way he broke his left leg two years ago. This guy's bones are made of glass.

I heard Chimbonda made a very good EPL season (he wasn't really impressive in France, that's why he's maybe underappreciated) but unfortunately for him, he's stuck behind Sagnol in the right back depth chart and won't play centre back so I guess he won't play at all.

Anyway, coach Domenech have pretty much set our team : back-4 as described, midfield will be Malouda-Makelele-Vieira (or maybe "Scarface" Ribéry)-Zidane and forwards will be Henry-Trezeguet or Saha. Don't know if he's gonna call back a player after Cissé's injury, though.