2006 World Cup

Okay, yeah, I'm an American, and therefore clearly don't know much about football (soccer to us and the Aussies, of course). However, unlike most Americans, I do follow the world's greatest sport quite a bit and know more than just that the Detroit Tigers currently have the best record.

Group A: Winner = Germany, 2nd = Poland
Group B: Winner = England, 2nd = Paraguay (sorry Sweden, upset)
Group C: Winner = Netherlands, 2nd = Argentina
Group D: Winner = Portugal, 2nd = Iran (sorry Mexico, upset)
Group E: Winner = Italy, 2nd = USA (sorry Czech, upset)
Group F: Winner = Brazil, 2nd = Japan (sorry Croatia, big upset)
Group G: Winner = France, 2nd = Switzerland
Group H: Winner = Spain, 2nd = Ukraiine

2nd round:
Germany over Paraguay
Netherlands over Iran
Italy over Japan
Ukraiine over France (great match)
England over Poland (barely)
Argentina over Portugal (barely)
Brazil over USA (I don't have the cajones to pick the USA here!)
Spain over Switzerland

3rd round:
Germany over Netherlands
Ukraiine over Italy
Argentina over England
Brazil over Spain

Semifinals:
Ukraiine over Germany
Brazil over Argentina

Final:
Ukraiine over Brazil


Okay, surrrre, the smart money says to take Brazil. But given my recently discovered fondness for yummy nubile divchynas and divchynkas (or dyevushkas and dyevachkas if you're russian), I'm going with the team that gets censorrred here. Funslover had a good point way up there. Besides, their team is actually very good...

Just my naive predictions. Sorry for buttin' in, and don't be hatin'...

RM

Yeah well, I think the football reflects the general society of a country in a bit.
THat thing with Davids in 1996, I'm not sure it was racism. Guus Hiddink was coach back then and Im 100% sure it couldnt be a racismconflict cause GUus the man is a living legend. Bad words impossible here. For the Aussies: I think he will take you to second round and you're not even withouth chance then. For Holland I dont know, they have such a tough group to get through. In the poule I think it will be very close. In my fantasy I see Holland becoming the champions, but its probably largely based on hope. BUt you never know. They have hungry and smart players and if Van Basten is able to keep the group strongly united I think they might be the winning surprise of the tournament. Other favourites for me england, brazil, germany. If Messi will glitter then they have a pretty good chance too. Outsiders france, Spain.
And also countries like Tsjechie, Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, maybe serbia/mont and Ivorycoast.
Man, its unbelievable how much everybody wants this tournament to get started, isn't it?
I have to fake illness a lot to my boss cause I'dd like to see all matches if possible. LIMITED APPOINTMENTS FROM JUNE 9TH Till the final (what is it july 9 soomething)
Anywayzzzz we shall see :wink:

[quote="ramblin'man"]Okay, yeah, I'm an American, and therefore clearly don't know much about football (soccer to us and the Aussies, of course). However, unlike most Americans, I do follow the world's greatest sport quite a bit and know more than just that the Detroit Tigers currently have the best record. :)

Group A: Winner = Germany, 2nd = Poland
Group B: Winner = England, 2nd = Paraguay (sorry Sweden, upset)
Group C: Winner = Netherlands, 2nd = Argentina
Group D: Winner = Portugal, 2nd = Iran (sorry Mexico, upset)
Group E: Winner = Italy, 2nd = USA (sorry Czech, upset)
Group F: Winner = Brazil, 2nd = Japan (sorry Croatia, big upset)
Group G: Winner = France, 2nd = Switzerland
Group H: Winner = Spain, 2nd = Ukraiine

[b]2nd round[/b]:
Germany over Paraguay
Netherlands over Iran
Italy over Japan
Ukraiine over France (great match)
England over Poland (barely)
Argentina over Portugal (barely)
Brazil over USA (I don't have the cajones to pick the USA here!)
Spain over Switzerland

[b]3rd round[/b]:
Germany over Netherlands
Ukraiine over Italy
Argentina over England
Brazil over Spain

[b]Semifinals[/b]:
Ukraiine over Germany
Brazil over Argentina

[b]Final[/b]:
Ukraiine over Brazil


Okay, surrrre, the smart money says to take Brazil. But given my recently discovered fondness for yummy nubile divchynas and divchynkas (or dyevushkas and dyevachkas if you're russian), I'm going with the team that gets censorrred here. 8) Funslover had a good point way up there. Besides, their team is actually very good...

Just my naive predictions. Sorry for buttin' in, and don't be hatin'...

RM[/quote]That would be a good party in Kiev and far surroundings. I totally agree. When ukraine becomes world champion I will have a toast on all the fungirls and other great chicks they produce

Final:
Ukraiine over Brazil

yoooooo
Bet this and you will be a rich Man !!!!!!!

ramblin'man wrote:

The U-team come out of the group of hell (Group 2) in the qualifiers and did so quite easily. The only other groups that had more that two legitimate contenders were 7 and 8. Group 2 had Turkey (third in WC2002), Denmark and the current EuroChamps, Greece. When Ukrain clinched, they had a 6 or 9 point lead in the standings.

I also big on Paraguay. Its a gut call. Their match with France in WC98 was one of the most exciting matches I've ever watched. An interesting thing happens if Parguay ends up in first in their group, which I think is a possibility:

(I've bolded the changes from RM's playdown:

Group A: Winner = Germany, 2nd = Poland
Group B: Winner = Paraguay, 2nd = England (sorry Sweden, upset)
Group C: Winner = Netherlands, 2nd = Argentina
Group D: Winner = Portugal, 2nd = Iran (sorry Mexico, upset)
Group E: Winner = Italy, 2nd = USA (sorry Czech, upset)
Group F: Winner = Brazil, 2nd = Japan (sorry Croatia, big upset)
Group G: Winner = France, 2nd = Switzerland
Group H: Winner = Spain, 2nd = Ukraiine

2nd round:
Germany over England - imagine the TV on that match!
Netherlands over Iran
Italy over Japan
Ukraiine over France (great match)
Paraguay over Poland
Argentina over Portugal (barely)
Brazil over USA (I don't have the cajones to pick the USA here!)
Spain over Switzerland

3rd round:
Germany over Netherlands That would be an interesting match!
Ukraiine over Italy They had a scoreless draw in a friendly today
Paraguay over Argentina - yes, I'm calling it!
Brazil over Spain

Semifinals:
Ukraiine over Germany
Brazil over Paraguay - but it will be one helluva match

Final:
Ukraiine over Brazil
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I don't need no friggin' sig.

Proximer264 wrote:

I would just like to choose from Mishele, Sylvia, Uma and Sabine
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I don't need no friggin' sig.

Here are my predictions for 2nd round qualifiers without predicting 1st and 2nd places:

Group A Germany & Poland
Group B England & Sweden
Group C Argentina & Holland (Ivory coast might cause an upset though)
Group D Portugal & Mexico
Group E Czech Republic & Ghana (I think Italy are going to choke)
Group F Brazil & Australia
Group G France & Switzerland (Togo are in with a shout)
Group H Spain & Ukrayne (Tunisia might sneak through)

Bad news for France and Liverpool, it looks like Djibril Cisse has broken his leg again in the final friendly match against China. It means he will miss the World Cup and probably won't be available at the beginning of next season. He won't be able to transfer to another club either as no club is going to buy a striker with a broken leg. It hasn't been confirmed yet that his leg is broken but the way his leg bent it must be broken.

Dionysus wrote:

Oh man this guy has such bad luck. He apparently broke both legbones this time. Only 2 years since his last fracture, got one in 2004 against Blackburn, a fracture that was so bad that the doctors then thought they might have to amputate. I´m not sure, but from the piuctures he´s holding his right foot this time, while it seems it was the left foot in 2004?

Good news for England, Rooneys test last night was ok, he´ll probably be ok in time for the 8th finals, if they go through......

jappen wrote:

Yes, it was the right this time. So nows he's broken both legs in two years.
_________________
I don't need no friggin' sig.

i would say this was a good match! the german defense was a little bit weak but we have won! yeah! good bye costa rica!

The goal by Frings was amazing but Germany don't look like tournament winners judging by that performance. They could go far but not all the way to winning the trophy.

Going back to Djibril Cisse, Liverpool have confirmed that Cisse was going to transfer to Marseilles or Lyon this summer. The money from the sale was going to finance the purchase of new players but that's all off now and Cisse won't be able to play again until November.

It now looks like Poland won't make it into the 2nd round. They've lost their 1st game and their next game is against Germany, so it will really be a struggle for them to finish 2nd.

Don't be surprised by a performance by the Poles against Germany. Poland started the match too cautiously, Ecuador settling much quicker. The Poles had a goal disallowed for offside which replays showed should have stood. They hit the woodwork twice in the second half and they now know it is shit or bust next match. Expect fireworks.
Still, on the night Ecuador were the better team and deserved to win. I'm just thinking if Costa Rica (who came 3rd in a shitty pre group) can score 2 against the Germans what can Poland and Ecuador do.
Could be a twist yet.

I think it's going to be very hard for Poland to get anything from their game against Germany considering Germany are playing at home. Also Ballack will be playing so the German side will be even stronger.

I'm going to stick my neck out and predict a surprise win for Ivory Coast against Argentina. The Argentines lost their opening game against Cameroon in 1990 and I think we might see something similar tonight. Argentina have an incredible side though and they will be hard to beat. It will be an exciting game whatever happens.

backfootbob wrote:

I have to say I totally agree...although, the way England played today wasn't very inspiring. I wonder how they'd hold up against sweeden? They need to get the ball to Crouch a little more, especially from corners.