Who will win the WC?

rwo power wrote:So, feel free to make a fresh vote now!

ahh....nice...thanks for doing this.

bosnia chance to win this wc > spain

fact

Germany.

RealGunner wrote:Does anyone think that chile have a chance?

They look the best of all so called non-big teams. What impresses me most is how much they have improved defensively since Bielsa's team of 2010. We probably have just six big teams left with a real chance - Brazil, Italy, Germany, Argentina, France and Netherlands. Chile can easily be placed at #7 right now.

Another key point that some people are making and is beginning to make more and more sense is that not one team looks particularly strong. They all have significant weaknesses. It all depends on whose weaknesses get exposed when and how.

Absolutely. Anyone can win this WC. No clear favourite.

It seems now that the so called Favourite is out of the group stage now. Spain. Yes.

For the rest , none of them are very strong on paper. Be it Italy , Germany , Brazil or Netherlands. Once the group stage is over it will be like One game at a time and the team where someone or the other is on FIRE will take the advantage. Here at this stage , i think that the team where they have either good individuals or where the total team game is clicking.

zenmaster wrote:It seems now that the so called Favourite is out of the group stage now. Spain. Yes.

No Spain were certainly not the favourites this time. Bookies rated them no better than #4. However considering that they had arguably the strongest squad on paper and their massive achievements in the past several years, while they were there teams would be worried about their pedigree. At this moment there isn't a single team left in WC 2014 about which we can argue that it is significantly better than the rest, maybe not even significantly better than the rest in any aspect of the game. It's as even as we could ever hope for.

The Spain era recently ended. Before that we had the Brazil era. Before that the France era. Before that the Brazil era. Before that the Germany era. So on. Now the top seat is completely vacant and no one can really tell who will lay claim to it next.

zenmaster wrote:
For the rest , none of them are very strong on paper. Be it Italy , Germany , Brazil or Netherlands.

Why do you think Germany don't look strong on paper?

Germany still have a lot to prove to me.

They have no fullbacks, no wide players who can make an impact and one striker who is 36 years old.

I don't think, no hell with that i know that their no fullback/all AM line up will come unstuck against someone.

Agree with Mole. Destroying a poor Portugal side from questionale pen and set piece then vs 10 men dont impress me at all.

The tournament hasnt even started for them yet in my eyes , still have to see what they are about.

Muller has to keep scoring goals (he can though, I did predict him to be top goalscorer) because...yeah, what Mole said.

Im more concerned by the goals and chances they been giving away in friendlies pre WC than I am impressed by what happened vs Portugal, basically thats what I am saying.

Great quality in the side, but questionable balance.

messixaviesta wrote:

zenmaster wrote:It seems now that the so called Favourite is out of the group stage now. Spain. Yes.

No Spain were certainly not the favourites this time. Bookies rated them no better than #4. However considering that they had arguably the strongest squad on paper and their massive achievements in the past several years, while they were there teams would be worried about their pedigree.

Agree about the #4 spot.

Bookies rating for this WC :

Brazil 4.5
Argentina 6
Germany 7
Spain 8.6

But if we talk  statistically , then what you said is absolutely right. They had an immense squad with good depth in all department. My main reason behind marking them favorite was the current form , depth and the bookings rating. But well , we know what happened.

Hapless_Hans wrote:

zenmaster wrote:
For the rest , none of them are very strong on paper. Be it Italy , Germany , Brazil or Netherlands.

Why do you think Germany don't look strong on paper?

VERY strong no , I would have said Spain looks Very strong on paper.

brazil have this in the bag, brazil will win . if Italy build slowly why not brazil ?

The Germans always destroy the group. This is well known. The tournament for the Germans begins after that.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Germany still have a lot to prove to me.

They have no fullbacks, no wide players who can make an impact and one striker who is 36 years old.

I don't think, no hell with that i know that their no fullback/all AM line up will come unstuck against someone.

First of all, the question was about 'on paper', not about the actual performance.
Apart from the left back and the striker position, I don't know how a team could be stronger on paper.
Of course, with a fit Reus, Gündogan, and Gomez in the squad, but still.

Second, the team indeed does still have a lot to prove, but not necessarily to you

Then, 'no wide players who can make an impact' - Schürrle, Götze, Müller, Draxler and Podolski can all make an impact, and make an impact every game.

As for the 'tournament hasn't really started for them yet', yeah well that may be a way to look at it, but already they've taken apart the main group rival, and for other teams the tournament has already finished

As for the no fullbacks, we#ll see how the team is set up without Hummels, Lahm might move back to right back with Schweinsteiger next to Khedira.

All of the favourites are yet to prove themselves, it's only the second round of the group stages.

zenmaster wrote:
Agree about the #4 spot.

Bookies rating for this WC :

Brazil 4.5
Argentina 6
Germany 7
Spain 8.6

But if we talk  statistically , then what you said is absolutely right. They had an immense squad with good depth in all department. My main reason behind marking them favorite was the current form , depth and the bookings rating. But well , we know what happened.

Agree completely.

I feel like if I had to guess right now, the finals will be contested between Uruguay/Chile and Netherlands/Belgium.

El Cujo wrote:I feel like if I had to guess right now, the finals will be contested between Uruguay/Chile and Netherlands/Belgium.

want to bet?

Hapless_Hans wrote:

El Cujo wrote:I feel like if I had to guess right now, the finals will be contested between Uruguay/Chile and Netherlands/Belgium.

want to bet?

Do I want to bet on a guess before the group stages are even done? Probably not.

El Cujo wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

El Cujo wrote:I feel like if I had to guess right now, the finals will be contested between Uruguay/Chile and Netherlands/Belgium.

want to bet?

Do I want to bet on a guess before the group stages are even done? Probably not.

you can't blame me for trying!!

Hapless_Hans wrote:

El Cujo wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

want to bet?

Do I want to bet on a guess before the group stages are even done? Probably not.

you can't blame me for trying!!

Well, who do you think are going to be in the final? You can choose from 4 teams like I did, then I will bet against you for who is more accurate.

El Cujo wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

El Cujo wrote:

Do I want to bet on a guess before the group stages are even done? Probably not.

you can't blame me for trying!!

Well, who do you think are going to be in the final? You can choose from 4 teams like I did, then I will bet against you for who is more accurate.

hmm, it's really tough. I agree, we should wait at least for the second matchday to finish.
Need to take a second look at France and Argentina..

El Cujo wrote:I feel like if I had to guess right now, the finals will be contested between Uruguay/Chile and Netherlands/Belgium.

Seriously???

Uruguay - They are warriors and they have Suarez but how far can that take them. A major portion of the team is clearly over the hill. They are anyway likely to be out in the group stage itself.

Chile - Wonderful team and very significantly they have sorted out their previous defensive woes but do they have the pedigree and confidence to go that far?

Netherlands - Possible but defence could be shown up any time, very dependent on Robben and insanity can strike van Gaal any time.

Belgium - The hype is unbelievable. After Algeria scored the first goal that day I was about to make a post ridiculing them and all their hype. They did show some character to win. I can't see them going too far.

costa rica vs bosnia, the finale

The polls has changed to take off the nations out right? But wouldnt it be good to also include that to show how many voted wrong as the WC progresses?