2018 World Cup

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
So we are only a few months away from the tournament that a certain country did not qualify for that is to be hosted by another country that I care not to name(only joking here about the latter).

With that said. Who are your early favourites?

For me in spite of my home country failing (as if they stood a chance in this one anyway)...this will be must see tv. this one is about the haves and have-nots. Brazil, Germany, Belgium, and France are loaded with talent. Then there are the fringe sides like Spain, Argentina, and Iceland(they beat England so it must be so).

I think Brazil have quietly formed into the most talented side with a lot to prove. They are my pick to pay back Germany for winning on their home soil 4 years ago. Of corse much is made of Brazil not winning in Europe, but is Russia really Europe? They have scores to settle with a few European sides.
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
anyone got any predictions? Who are you backing with the states out? I think I’m keeping my options open. Would like to see Belgium do well. I like some of the English players but heaven forbid the media hype if England actually are a threat. I think Brazil are the team to watch aside from Germany.
 

dreamcastrocks

Chopped Liver Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Posts
45,668
Reaction score
10,868
anyone got any predictions? Who are you backing with the states out? I think I’m keeping my options open. Would like to see Belgium do well. I like some of the English players but heaven forbid the media hype if England actually are a threat. I think Brazil are the team to watch aside from Germany.


England's midfield is too shallow to compete. France is going to be really dangerous. I still think Germany wins it. They are the best team in the world right now and have the best collection of players and depth.
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
I agree about England’s midfield. They will be overmatched against other top sides. Yeah France are loaded with talent. You would think the location favours Europe since they won’t have to play in the heat. most of the Brazilians are playing in Europe now. Hard to go against the Machines I mean z Germans. Let’s see if they can go back to back.
 

Stout

Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Posts
37,905
Reaction score
20,495
Location
Pittsburgh, PA--Enemy territory!
+2 about England's midfield. I hope England get crushed and don't advance to the knockout rounds. If that muppet Southgate had any legit reasons not to take Shelvey, okay, but he said some pretty idiotic things to justify excluding him, so I hope they suffer for it. Also should have taken Lascelles, but that's a different story. Should make me happy, saving Newcastle players wear and tear and injury, but still.

That said, I haven't been paying enough attention because the US isn't involved. I will be watching quite a lot, but just don't know, right now. Off the top of my head (and looking at the groups) you have to give Portugal, France, Belgium, and France a legit shot. Germany probably is favored, though. My darlings to root for, since the US didn't make it, will be Iceland, Serbia (let's raise Mitrovic's value!), Denmark, Australia, and Poland. The only teams I hope do worse than England are Iran and Mexico lol
 

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
75,874
Reaction score
32,632
Location
Scottsdale
Question: If you were doing a draft (pool) of teams, in what order would you rank them?

You get points for wins, increasing the further the team goes.

What order would you draft teams?
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
Question: If you were doing a draft (pool) of teams, in what order would you rank them?

You get points for wins, increasing the further the team goes.

What order would you draft teams?
We will have to do this. Give me some time to have a look.
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
+2 about England's midfield. I hope England get crushed and don't advance to the knockout rounds. If that muppet Southgate had any legit reasons not to take Shelvey, okay, but he said some pretty idiotic things to justify excluding him, so I hope they suffer for it. Also should have taken Lascelles, but that's a different story. Should make me happy, saving Newcastle players wear and tear and injury, but still.

That said, I haven't been paying enough attention because the US isn't involved. I will be watching quite a lot, but just don't know, right now. Off the top of my head (and looking at the groups) you have to give Portugal, France, Belgium, and France a legit shot. Germany probably is favored, though. My darlings to root for, since the US didn't make it, will be Iceland, Serbia (let's raise Mitrovic's value!), Denmark, Australia, and Poland. The only teams I hope do worse than England are Iran and Mexico lol
Looking at England’s midfield I don’t see a holding midfielder that has Shelvey’s passing ability. Maybe I’m naive to some of those guys but even AS questioned his former mate on BBC over the decision. Why you wouldn’t want him serving the likes of Kane and deli(who both fancy long serves) is beyond me? Yes shelvey has been rather inconsistent over time and a knucklehead but has been in great form of late(better than I’ve ever seen). he also plays on a defensive minded side which is what England would need when overmatched. I’m with you on this one.
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
Question: If you were doing a draft (pool) of teams, in what order would you rank them?

You get points for wins, increasing the further the team goes.

What order would you draft teams?
are you just asking for rankings overall? I only ask because of the groupings and most people would start by picking the 2 countries from
Each group depending on how they are sorted.
 

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
75,874
Reaction score
32,632
Location
Scottsdale
No - trying to pick winners - most points if you pick the eventual winner of the entire cup. So a team in a tougher group would likely be picked after a team in an easier group, just because better chance of advancing.
 

dreamcastrocks

Chopped Liver Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Posts
45,668
Reaction score
10,868
Looking at England’s midfield I don’t see a holding midfielder that has Shelvey’s passing ability. Maybe I’m naive to some of those guys but even AS questioned his former mate on BBC over the decision. Why you wouldn’t want him serving the likes of Kane and deli(who both fancy long serves) is beyond me? Yes shelvey has been rather inconsistent over time and a knucklehead but has been in great form of late(better than I’ve ever seen). he also plays on a defensive minded side which is what England would need when overmatched. I’m with you on this one.

Henderson and Shelvey have the same passing ability. The problem is, outside of Henderson, they have nobody. Alli needs to play further forward behind Kane to get his maximum ability. Dier is a defensive minded midfielder that can't pass. I think they will play a 2 person defensive midfield with Henderson and Dier and just let the rest of Sterling, Alli, and whomever else they want to throw in there up front interchange with Kane.

Having both Lallana, Jack Wilshere, and Oxlade Chamberlin hurt is also not ideal.
 

dreamcastrocks

Chopped Liver Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Posts
45,668
Reaction score
10,868
Question: If you were doing a draft (pool) of teams, in what order would you rank them?

You get points for wins, increasing the further the team goes.

What order would you draft teams?

I would pick the big teams of Germany, France, Brazil, and Argentina. The first 3 will probably win all of their group stage games.

Out of the next group, I'd take Spain, Belgium, England, and Mexico.
 

Stout

Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Posts
37,905
Reaction score
20,495
Location
Pittsburgh, PA--Enemy territory!
Henderson and Shelvey have the same passing ability. The problem is, outside of Henderson, they have nobody. Alli needs to play further forward behind Kane to get his maximum ability. Dier is a defensive minded midfielder that can't pass. I think they will play a 2 person defensive midfield with Henderson and Dier and just let the rest of Sterling, Alli, and whomever else they want to throw in there up front interchange with Kane.

Having both Lallana, Jack Wilshere, and Oxlade Chamberlin hurt is also not ideal.

lol No they don't. Their passing ability on the ground is comparable, but Henderson can't even come close to Shelvey at pinging it forward with the long ball. Not by a long shot. The criticism in not taking Shelvey isn't in starting the game or anything. The question is what happens when an inferior team packs it in defensively during a draw, or a good team has stymied you defensively, and you NEED the long ball to break them down? What happens then, when you have easily the best long ball player at home watching the World Cup?

Maybe he never comes on, never gets any minutes, because England breeze through or they lose without that being the problem. Maybe, but why take that chance?
 

dreamcastrocks

Chopped Liver Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Posts
45,668
Reaction score
10,868
lol No they don't. Their passing ability on the ground is comparable, but Henderson can't even come close to Shelvey at pinging it forward with the long ball. Not by a long shot. The criticism in not taking Shelvey isn't in starting the game or anything. The question is what happens when an inferior team packs it in defensively during a draw, or a good team has stymied you defensively, and you NEED the long ball to break them down? What happens then, when you have easily the best long ball player at home watching the World Cup?

Maybe he never comes on, never gets any minutes, because England breeze through or they lose without that being the problem. Maybe, but why take that chance?

Completely disagree. Henderson can ping that 40 yard ball consistently. They just don't ask him to do it very often as they don't play the long ball consistently. This is coming from someone who has seen both players extensively with Shelvey being an ex-Liverpool player. I would have rather seen Shelvey on the team vs Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
 

Stout

Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Posts
37,905
Reaction score
20,495
Location
Pittsburgh, PA--Enemy territory!
Completely disagree. Henderson can ping that 40 yard ball consistently. They just don't ask him to do it very often as they don't play the long ball consistently. This is coming from someone who has seen both players extensively with Shelvey being an ex-Liverpool player. I would have rather seen Shelvey on the team vs Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

We'll agree to disagree on that, but will agree he should have been in the squad.
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
Between this year and last year shelvey has played a lot better. And his name coming up recently by the English media is for good reason. Of corse shelvey at Newcastle is probably asked to do more than what Henderson does at Liverpool with all of the stars around him. We will see how he does with only English players to pass to.
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
No - trying to pick winners - most points if you pick the eventual winner of the entire cup. So a team in a tougher group would likely be picked after a team in an easier group, just because better chance of advancing.
If you want rationale feel free to read mine. If not you can just skip to my rankings.

Of the teams that have the realistic talent to win the World Cup...France have the easiest group. It would be a complete shamble for them to not advance. Brazil are also a shoe in but I think their group is a bit more difficult. Germany are the favourites as expected but a couple things to consider. It is very difficult to go twice in a row. Germany are also in a tricky group. Mexico and Sweden are not known for being world beaters but they do routinely get results in the group stages vs superior sides. Then there is South Korea who are actually better than most people realize(easily better than the USA for me). They should be good for an upset in the group stages. If you want to make an attempt to turn a small amount of money into a large amount bet on Germany not advancing through. Now don’t take my advice though because history says Germany are the safest bet to make it to the quarterfinals just by showing up. Beyond that Argentina, Spain, portugal, Belgium are all talented enough to go the distance, but perhaps not as talented as Brazil France and Germany. This is where you want to factor in the damage done in the group stage. Croatia is talented enough to be in a third place match. Denmark, Poland, England, and Uruguay are all the next tier down that could push the top countries if it all comes together for them. For concacaf teams. Costa Rica and Mexico are pretty close to one another. Mexico have great ability to hold the ball and pressure teams but I just don’t think Mexico have the goal scoring to beat the top countries in the knockout stages. That’s typical though.

My rankings:
Brazil
France
Argentina
Germany
Belgium
Spain
Croatia
Portugal
Uruguay
England
Poland
Denmark
Colombia
Mexico
Sweden
Serbia
Egypt
Russia

I would guess the knockouts would have most of those teams in it but there are always a couple no one saw coming.
 
Last edited:

gmabel830

It's football season!!
Joined
May 8, 2011
Posts
12,416
Reaction score
7,049
Location
Gilbert, Arizona
Salah left CL final injured.. hopefully fine for the World Cup

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,027
Reaction score
2,341
Location
Vegas
Salah left CL final injured.. hopefully fine for the World Cup

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
yeah I hope he is ok. Its a shame he went off Liverpool lost whatever chance they had when he went off. certainly Egypt's WC is on his shoulders. no matter who you support...he's a player we all want to watch in the world cup.
 
Top