Holland/Italy v Brazil/Spain 
comment withdrawn
Good to see South Korea and Denmark drawn apart until the finalā¦
Good point. One of the few things FIFA have done well is to keep the big guns separate.
Will I send you some money to keep the site going?
See above
See above
:lol:
:lol: :lol:
:lol:
^^^
From BBC:
Elano seemed to suffer the most as the former Manchester City midfielder left the field on a stretcher after injuring his right ankle.
The midfielder screamed with agony after Cheik Tioteās over-the-ball challenge. However, Brazil doctor Jose Luiz Runco said the injury was not serious and believes Elano could be fit to face Portugal.
In your face KIB man - another sensational prediction by my good self. 
KIB is some man to wait till after the events and tell us all how wrong we were.
Heās too much of a pussy and uninformed to come up with some stuff himself.
If I was uninformed surely it would make more sense not to post up uninformed tips? Maybe without posting the answer to that question can you keep it to yourself? Post it to your laptop or something.
I have been recently frightened from putting up informed tips by your good self, the self appointed bluffer spotter on TFK. Iām teethering on the edge here.
Before the WC, I advised punters on how the Dutch were hugely overpriced at 12/1. Those that took the hint have seen that price cut to sevens with a game against Cameroon to come. A win there should see it cut to 6s.
Interesting article on Sennaās absence from Spanish side - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jun/20/world-cup-2010-spain-marcos-senna
I have to say Iām utterly baffled that people just casually dismiss Englandās chances. Think it was KIB making the point above about England players being out of form. Brazil are favourites and yet people forget Kaka and Felipe Melo have had awful seasons, and Robinho had to go back to Brazil to try and find some form.
Past World Cups show form going in isnāt a huge factor anyway. Neither Paolo Rossi and Ronaldo had played a match for two years but ended up being top scorers. Henry and Vieira had both had superb seasons for Arsenal in 2002 and yet both completely flopped for France. France Argentina and Italy in 2002 and Brazil last time were favourites and flopped. Ronaldinho was a disaster. Zidane was the best player in the tournament and had had a poor season and was playing in a French team thought to be going nowhere. I wouldnāt read that much into the poor form of say, Gerrard, Iād say heāll have something to prove and will benefit if anything from escaping from the goldfish bowl of Merseyside.
Kev makes the point about Brazil having superb attacking full backs, and indeed no team has won the World Cup without good attacking full backs for a very long time, something Diego would do well to remember. England certainly have this in Johnson and Cole. There are doubts about Johnson defensively but as a unit itās definitely one of the better defences. The biggest worry for them is ensuring that Ferdinand and particularly Rooney are fit but if they are they will be very fresh (as will Cole) having not played much football lately.
A lot of talk is made about England having a limited squad and thatās true to an extent but look at the other squads, Spain excepted and tell me theyāre any better. Even Brazil have limited their options at the expense of squad unity. Maybe thatās a good decision but Iām not so sure.
Even traditional factors ā in 3 of Englandās last 4 World Cups and 2 of their last three European Championships theyāve only gone out on penalties ā indicate they will be hard bet. 27 out of 27 points in qualifying before a defeat in the final dead rubber certainly indicates so.
Throw in some of the other factors that I mentioned earlier and you have a live contender:
Excellent draw
Probably the best manager in the tournament in charge ā this will mean a lot when you consider some of the other clowns in charge of contenders - eg Diego and Domenech. Donāt think the influence of a good manager was ever better demonstrated than Otto Rehhagel for Greece in 2004, this is a hell of a better England squad and the first time theyāve gone into a finals tournament with a good manager since 1990 (1996 at a stretch).
A much more organised unit than before
A hugely motivated squad
Winter football
They may not win it but to write them off easily is pure head in the sand stuff.
Was it Kev that wrote the above?
It was me who wrote the above and I donāt apologise for writing it because there was some sound reasoning behind it. Thereās still plenty of football to be played too. In 1986 England got one point from their first two group matches against Portugal and Morocco without scoring a goal. They stuffed Poland 3-0 in their last match and ended up reaching the quarter finals. 1990 was a similar story ā that group was shit. Italy were also shit in 1982 and Paolo Rossi couldnāt hit a barn door in the first four matches but ended up being top scorer.
Clearly thereās something badly wrong with England at the moment. I canāt believe Capello is persisting with Heskey and leaving out Joe Cole and they have at least three big problem positions. Perhaps I was over rating Capello, his record on knockout football isnāt that good when examined.
I do think there may be something to Graeme Sounessās theory that theyāve got their altitude preparation completely wrong because a lot of their players, as I said at the time, looked like theyād completely lost their critical faculties against Algeria. Rooney couldnāt control the ball and he wasnāt the only one. There has to be an explanation for that. If it is the altitude well then they will have a problem. But if England can shake off their cobwebs against Slovenia and win the group they will have a good draw. Finish second and they will find it very difficult to make progress ā see my last 16 projections above.
Personally I do hope they get knocked out in the first round because I think it would be hilarious, and I hope Iām left with egg on my face. If they do go out get back to me.
I predicted a Holland-Argentina final by the way, same as yourself. Brazil are looking very ominous at the moment but they have a tough route, presuming they win the group.
Exactly Sid, you saw what you saw at the time and put it up. Others donāt want to or are afraid to. But when they say fuck all only repeat English media shite, and then ridicule others for expressing their own opinions they need to be put down.
KIB shown up here again, how could you think i wrote that? My user name would have been on it?
Iām sticking to Brazil, i think their physicality and system suits this WC, and i remember reading, and remarking here how they were playing physically for this WC as long agao as last summer, with alot of extra strength training being incorporated. Their counter attacking game could be too powerful for everyone.
What do people make of Switzerland at 3/1 to beat Chile todayā¦
Good open game of football here in the rain in Cape Townā¦Both sides creating chances, thse North Korean lads have plenty of moxyā¦Just had a cut off over 2.5 goals at 7/4ā¦
Value.
First meeting of the teams since the memorable quarter final of 1966 when the North Koreans took a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes but ended up losing 5-3.
This is the last 12:30 match. Iām going to have serious early afternoon cold turkey from now on.
smashing bit of pasing and movement there from Portugal for Meireles goal
Meireles gives Portugal the lead with a fine goal.
When the 12-30 matches end you start to feel its already beginning to end. Korea were going well there, that goal was a bit against the run of play youād say.