Its still the greatest event in the world
[QUOTE=“Bandage, post: 931488, member: 9”]Location is pretty ideal for Ireland on the other hand. There’s a small number of games taking place at midday Brazilian time, which is 5pm here, but most games will be evening/night time kick-offs in Ireland.
.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, might give the Ivory Coast v Japan a miss though. Times even better in CET.
Prandelli has seemed to rule out calling Totti up for the World on the basis of an interview he gave today. Guiseppe Rossi is back in training which is a boost, hopefully he can return to action before the end of the season. Our attacking department is extremely competitive with only Balotelli really assured and as many as 12 players fighting it out for the remaining four positions. Destro’s suspension has a put a real dampener on his chances - hopefully Roma are successful in his appeal and he can continue his recent form until the end of the season to make him undroppable. I like Immobile but Destro is a better striker and I think they are in direct competition for one spot. Gilardino has been in good form this season but he’s still well past his best and it would be disappointing if he was chosen. It would also be disgraceful is Osvaldo goes given his terrible attitude and poor form this season, the same applies to Giaccherini who can’t get a game with the bottom team in the EPL this season.
I also saw that Sami Khedira has returned to training with Real Madrid so there is a good chance he could make it to the World Cup yet which would be a big boost for Germany as he’s a very underrated player.
Any update on Falcao’s chances? I would say it is very unlikely he will make it which is a shame.
I wrote a preview for Group A the other day. I haven’t put it up yet because I’m waiting to break the website first re-do the front page of the site first.
I can assure everyone that it’s not worth waiting for though.
I’m declaring for Portugal as I believe the perennial underachievers will follow their Iberian neighbours out of the wilderness. Plus I was out for a run this morning and a fella in front of me was wearing a Portugal track suit top, and I couldn’t catch the bastard, this despite changing to a more upbeat track on my iPhone and all. I saw that as a sign so lumped €50 ew on them @ 33/1.
I know Italy have the toughest route imaginable but I’m very hopeful of our chances, I think our mentality sets us apart from the other nations, we are battle hardened and possess an inner belief that other countries don’t have. Prandelli is a shrewd tactician and we have plenty of smart and adaptable players who have a great understanding of the game.
My main worry would be Prandelli picking the right personell which I have previously highlighted concern over. I will hold off until the squad is named but I would be hopeful we can pull it off. We can’t afford to start off slowly like we usually tend to in major international competitions though.
If Sterling and Sturridge carry their form into the WC and if that dinosaur Woy plays Gerrard in the deep role he now plays with Liverpool, we could go far. Sterling could make the same impact a young Michael Owen did when announcing himself to the world in 1998. Woy pretty much needs to play as Liverpool do now, Henderson in the middle with Ox- Johnson and Cole giving width, Rooney and Sterling playing off Sturridge… Woy will go 4-4 fucking 2 tho.
I will be throwing my support behind Bryan Ovideos, Costa Rica, providing he can return from injury in time . Despite his horror leg break last January, Ovideo is making a rapid recovery and is on target to return in time for the World Cup. He’s a thoroughly alright sort and has become very popular with the fans. He waited patiently for an opportunity in the Everton first team, and when the chance finally came along following an injury to Baines earlier in the season, he performed superbly. Costa Rica have been drawn in the Group of Death along with Italy, Uruguay & England and face likely elimination in the group stage, but if they can replicate the spirit of World Cup '90, when they beat Scotland and were narrowly beaten by Brazil, they may cause an upset somewhere along the line.
If Ovideo fails to regain fitness in time, or the Costa Ricans are eliminated in the group stages, I will be transferring my support to Belgium. Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas have both had big parts to play in our success this season and both are key players in the Belgian team. Former Goodison favorite, Marouane Fellaini, will also be in the squad, though his place in the first eleven may be under threat given his nightmare season at Old Trafford. Belgium have been drawn in Group H with Russia, Algeria and South Korea, which may not be as easy as it looks on paper. It’s vital they get off to a win in the opening match V Algeria. The Africans are the group outsiders but have a number of Italian based players and may prove a tough nut to crack. Russia have a very poor record World Cup record and were eliminated during the group stages of their previous two appearances in 1994 and 2002. South Korea could provide Belgium’s sternest test, as their high octane style can be punishing on the opposition in energy sapping heat & humidity. The heat may not be a hugely debilitating factor for the European teams in this group however -The groups host cities of Rio, Sao Paolo, Belo Horizonte and Cuiaba in the South East enjoy temperatures in the mid 20’s during the winter months of June & July, and is generally much cooler than the North, where the heat and humidity are at their highest.
Given the wealth of talent in their squad, their is huge pressure on this Belgium side to perform well…It should be remembered however that this is their first major tournament since 2002, and with the exception of Van Buyten and Simons, none of the current squad have World Cup experience. A lot will depend on how they cope with the pressure of that first match, nonetheless, Belgium have a proud World Cup Record and have only failed to progress from the group stage once out of their last 6 appearances, and who can forget their marvelous run to the semi-finals in 1986. Should they progress from the group stages they will face either the winner or runner up from Group G, which could be any two from Germany, Portugal, USA or Ghana…One would expect the former two to emerge. If they can get over that hurdle they could be on course for a meeting with Argentina or France in the quarter finals. All in all, it will be a very tough path for them if they are to achieve success. Their inexperience at a major tournament could be a big factor, but there is no doubt they have the talent, and if they can hit form they could beat anyone.
I will also be keeping a close eye on our neighbours, England, who may have as many as three Evertonians in the squad. Alas for the English, I fear they are facing a first round exit…There’s not a hope in hell they will beat either Italy or Uruguay, while if the Costa Ricans are to cause an upset, it will most likely come in their final group game versus England in Belo Horizonte on June 24th.
[SIZE=6]World Cup 2014: Brazil lunchtime kick-offs ‘inhumane’[/SIZE]
By Tim Vickery BBC Sport
No European team has won a World Cup held in South America - it is one of those facts that on examination is not quite as significant as it might appear. They have only had four opportunities, the last of which was way back in 1978.
Perhaps, then, this fact has little relevance for 2014. The world is vastly changed since 1978. In psychological terms, it feels much smaller. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean is not such a marathon trek. So maybe this will be the year that Europe breaks its South American duck.
However, in terms of climate, this will be the most difficult South American World Cup yet for the European visitors. June and July are winter months. Uruguay (1930), Chile (62) and Argentina (78) can be decidedly cold at this time of year.
The previous Brazilian World Cup (1950) was mainly played in the south eastern cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, where winter temperatures are mild. But the tournament timidly pointed the way to a more decentralised future for Brazilian football, taking one match up to Recife in the north east.
Sixty four years later, the north east will stage a third of the World Cup, with games in Salvador, Fortaleza and Natal as well as Recife. This region is untouched by winter - it boasts tropical heat all year round - as do Manaus to the north and Cuiaba to the west, two other host cities.
In temperature terms, matches in all of these cities will resemble those of North American World Cups (Mexico in 1970 and 86, USA in 94), where many of the matches were played in sauna-like conditions - and, also, where the Europeans have never come out on top.
Added to this is the fact that world governing body Fifa is staggering the matches with three different kick-off times per day, all of them accessible to the European TV audience. At this time of the year Brazil is four hours behind the UK. The only way to fit in three separate matches and reach a big European audience is to start early. So 24 matches will kick off at 13:00 local time - 17:00 in the UK.
In the venues of the south and the south east, this is not a problem. But up in the north east - where seven of these early kick offs take place - teams are likely to be exposed to fierce heat. Even the next kick off time (16:00 local, 20:00 UK) can be uncomfortable; Spain and Italy really suffered through their semi final played at this time in Fortaleza in last year’s Confederations Cup.
But as for the 13:00 starts, it is unthinkable for a major domestic game to be played in these venues at that hour. When I speak to local players and coaches about the lunchtime kick-offs in the north east, I consistently hear the same word: “Inhumane”
Argentina were the big winners of the draw, and not because they line up in their group matches against Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria - but because they will play the entire tournament without once having to confront the heat of the north east.
At the other end of the scale are Germany. Not only are Portugal, Ghana and USA tricky group opponents but the Germans have 13:00 kick-offs in Salvador and Recife either side of a 16:00 start in Fortaleza.
Even if, as predicted, they make it through safely to the knock-out round, they will surely have paid a price for such prolonged exposure to the conditions. Their athletic capacity will have been drained.
Italy also have it hard - though they have made it much harder for themselves with the bizarre option to base themselves outside Rio, a long journey away from all of their matches. After playing England in Manaus the Italians then have 13:00 kick-offs in Recife and Natal.
And to gauge the effects of playing in high temperatures, the Italians have the experience of USA 94, when they lost in the final on penalties to Brazil. Their captain and outstanding centre back Franco Baresi injured a knee early in the competition and underwent an operation.
Amazingly, he was thrown back into action in the final - and even more amazingly, he gave a man-of-the-match performance, blotting out the great Romario. The conclusion drawn by both coaches - Italy’s Arrigo Sacchi and Brazil’s Carlos Alberto Parreira - was that in such conditions it was better to be injured than tired.
Sacchi tells of how, at half time his midfielder Roberto Donadoni announced that if the team pushed up into the opposing half they simply would not be able to get back again. And this, surely, is the most salient point about football in extreme temperatures; it leads to cautious play.
How will the Germans, with their swashbuckling approach, adapt to this reality? In the last two World Cups they have ended Argentina’s dream. But if it happens again this time, Lionel Messi and company should be by far the fresher side.
Bosnia named their provisional squad today. Not sure if they’re first out of the blocks.
The big talking point is that they play 4-4-2 and named a 24 man squad with only 2 strikers - Dzeko and Ibisevic. Those two played every qualifying game together.
Squad is:
Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City), Jasmin Fejzic (Aalen), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka)
Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk), Avdija Vrsajevic (Hajduk Split), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg), Ervin Zukanovic (Gent)
Midfielders: Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhou Renhe), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor), Miralem Pjanic (Roma), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim), Senad Lulic (Lazio), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB), Tino Susic (Hajduk Split), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros), Anel Hadzic (Sturm Graz)
Forwards: Edin Dzeko (Manchester City), Vedad Ibisevic (VfB Stuttgart)
Tino Susic is the manager’s nephew and is a surprise inclusion.
Brazilian Squad
Goalkeepers: Júlio César (Toronto FC), Jéfferson (Botafogo), Victor (Grêmio)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Internazionale), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain), David Luiz (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Dante (Bayern Munich), Henrique (Napoli)
Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Paulinho (Tottenham), Ramires (Chelsea), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Hernanes (Internazionale), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Forwards: Fred (Fluminense), Neymar (Barcelona), Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Jô (Atlético Mineiro)
[QUOTE=“chewy louie, post: 941610, member: 1137”]Brazilian Squad
Goalkeepers: Júlio César (Toronto FC), Jéfferson (Botafogo), Victor (Grêmio)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Internazionale), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain), David Luiz (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Dante (Bayern Munich), Henrique (Napoli)
Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Paulinho (Tottenham), Ramires (Chelsea), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Hernanes (Internazionale), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Forwards: Fred (Fluminense), Neymar (Barcelona), Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Jô (Atlético Mineiro)[/QUOTE]
No Lucas Moura is disappointing.
[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 940650, member: 1”]Bosnia named their provisional squad today. Not sure if they’re first out of the blocks.
The big talking point is that they play 4-4-2 and named a 24 man squad with only 2 strikers - Dzeko and Ibisevic. Those two played every qualifying game together.
.[/QUOTE]
dzeko must be worth an each way punt for top scorer @ 100/1…
As I said previously it is a rather uninspiring Brazil side all the same. Especially when you see the likes of Fred and Jo in the squad. Looks like a side full of workers and lacking a bit of craft
No striker threat there at all.
Mario Gomez comes across as an alright sort after his omission from Germany’s provisional squad
Jesus it is slightly depressing looking at those date of births. I may have to start coming to terms with the fact that I might not actually play for Ireland after all.
[QUOTE=“chewy louie, post: 942104, member: 1137”]Germany have named their 30 man provisional squad
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BnHcvAcIUAAtEmy.png[/QUOTE]
I’m assuming the likes of Meyer, Goretzka and Ginter are in the provisional squad for experience. Durm and Mustafi are very surprising and will probably drop out too.
With Gomez overlooked I’m especially surprised at Max Kruse not being involved. He had a weak second half to the season but he is a bit more established, and reliable, than Volland.