Is there going to be a separate ongoing match thread or do we talk about the matches in here?
You put the US as getting no points just to get a rise out of me, didnt you?So I have done my pre tournament prediction wallchart. Makes for interesting reading unless you happen to be African or @yankspurs.
Odds on me getting every single result wrong more likely but twas good fun doing this tbf.
I still think many people are still underestimating Belgium. They have the talent across the squad to win the entire tournament. They have a world class striker, a world class winger, world class defenders (I include Jan), and the best goalkeeper in the world. They not only have creativity in midfield with the likes of De Bruyne and Mertens, but also have a ton of steel. In fact, I'm not sure any country has the physical presence in central midfield to match Belgium. There are teams with more trickery and guile, but Witsel, Dembele, Fellaini are going to be tough to run over.
You mix in the strength and variety of their bench (Mirallas, Januzaj, Defour, Chadli) and you've got a team that is equipped for knockout stage football where you may have to play 120 minutes. The only thing that can sidetrack them in Lukaku's injury being serious. Benteke being hurt is a massive blow, and they made a major error not taking Batshuayi.
Still, I think they'll give Argentina major problems in the knockout stages, and it wouldn't surprise me to see them make it to the finals.
Switzerland is another team that is absolutely loaded with talent and flying completely under the radar. They'll be very difficult to beat in the knockout stages. Their game with France will be very telling.
You put the US as getting no points just to get a rise out of me, didnt you?
You know it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to fix this cup up as some way of "uniting the country" but its sad that in the stadiums you see the well off Brazilians and you know the grass roots of the country could never go.A protester being pepper sprayed far too close.
Fucking disgusting... he could have blinded that guy! We'll probably never find out either.A protester being pepper sprayed far too close.