World Cup 2006

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 18 May 2006 22:42

I'm surprised there isn't a topic about this already. The biggest sporting event in the world starts in about 3 weeks. Exciting! Who are you going for? What are your predictions? etc.

I'm obviously going for Australia although I don't think we'll make it past the group games - Obviously Brazil will get through and after that I think Croatia although I'll be going for Japan if Australia don't make it. Actually Australia and Japan are the two teams I'd like to see win and Brazil is the team I think will win - all in group F - convienent

.

Apart from that I'll go for all the African, Asian and central American teams (ie. not European teams, or the US). I think argentina italy and england won't make it to semis. Semis will be Brazil, Germany, France and I'm not sure about the last - maybe the Czech republic.

mahhkohh · Post by **mahhkohh** » 19 May 2006 03:00

i´m not realy into soccer, but i allway watch the wm and em games.

i´m cheering for, of course, germany... if they dont get too far i hope one of the asian teams gets far... also i´m for the realy small teams, i hope they come far and are threated nice here in germany.

i think england should win.... but i hope germany does(just out of patrotism, and its in germany, so it would be a good thing)

what i am realy afraid of is all these stupid brain fucked hooligans, i think i will not go and watch the games on a central place in a big city, i admit i´m afraid too... but yeah, i hope it will be a peacefull and enjoyable worlds

sniikeri · Post by **sniikeri** » 19 May 2006 07:02

I'm really excited!

The best thing about Finland never getting to the Football World Cup is that I don't necessarily have to pick sides and can just enjoy good football.

BainbridgeShred · Post by **BainbridgeShred** » 19 May 2006 10:43

Can someone post up the original groupings of teams or whatever the hell you call them?

quadgun · Post by **quadgun** » 19 May 2006 11:16

Groups and Standings

As for who I'm rooting for, probably england and czech republic.
and yea, poland of course, i hope we can make it out the group at least, so that we're not humiliated like last time.

i hope america eats shit and dies at world cup, mainly because i hate the style of american soccer and all the bandwagon fans that come along with it
I also dont think the US should be ranked 5th in the fifa world ranking

germany has the advantage of being at home ... but maybe that can be a disadvantage having all that pressure

brazil .. not much to say ... you just know theyre going to do good

ill edit this later, gotta run

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 19 May 2006 11:29

Well, a country outside of Europe have never won a world cup in Europe. And a Country from Europe have never won outside Europe..
I think Brazil will win though.
Czech and Sweden will play well.
Iran could make a really big surprise. They got a easy group and a decent team.
And i always love African football so I will cheer on those.

Just call me hagesy · Post by **Just call me hagesy** » 20 May 2006 00:14

Brazil will not win this world cup.

Australia will make it past the group stage, as long as they can get that win against japan first up. If they don't get that first win, it will be pretty tough.

Everyone says brazil just due to ronaldinho. They say this could be the best brazilian team ever, i don't think so.

Argentina are playing excellent football at the moment.

Germans are always hard to beat, and will be doubly hard on their home soil.

I would love to see an african team make the semis but i doubt it.

Even though i hate the way they play football, i believe germany will win. Brazil will not make the final.

Uranos · Post by **Uranos** » 20 May 2006 00:52

Final Brazil vs Germany for sure

sniikeri · Post by **sniikeri** » 20 May 2006 08:47

Just call me hagesy wrote:Everyone says brazil just due to ronaldinho. They say this could be the best brazilian team ever, i don't think so.

Why is that? This time they've even got a good goalie (Dida). Talking about goal scoring, Ronaldinho isn't the only one who can do them: there's also Ronaldo, Robinho and Adriano (I think Ronaldo will sit on the bench though).

Argentina are playing excellent football at the moment.

Couldn't agree more. Wonder if Messi can play.

Germans are always hard to beat, and will be doubly hard on their home soil. --
Even though i hate the way they play football, i believe germany will win.

They've said that we won't see the traditional German football that much this time - they are going to play creative (I've heard). That's why Klinsmann decided Jens Lehmann to be the first goalkeeper: for faster attacks.
It's interesting to see if there'll be "Team Germany" or just "Ballack and the rest". *edit: not saying that Ballack would be a player who keeps the ball selfishly all the time but that he's The Player of Germany. If he's good, Germany's good.*
Anyways, Germany is has always been one of my two European favorites. Holland is the other.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 22 May 2006 17:41

I think Germany will at least make the final. They aren't the best team on paper - though they are good, best two goalies in the world- but they are such a well drilled tournament outfit. They know how to win this type of comp. They've done they're best to throw it away by signing Klinsman (i'm not a fan) but i don't think he'll be too detrimental.
I think Argentina and will not break the growing habit of underperforming at the World Cup (see the last couple of attempts).
I think England will perform better than in the previous attempts, simply because this year they actually have some talent, not just a bunch of overrated, overpayed pretenders. I'm refering to Lampard as talent, and most of the others as overrated wannabes (including Beckham who I firmly believe is the single most overrated player in the history of football). Not sure about Rooney, I will watch with interest - I'm actually kind of hoping he's the next Gazza - ie. he has a good few games then gets injured meaning he can't be blamed for England's inevitable failure, and returns home a hero. He'd then proceed to eat far too many pies and underperform for the rest of his amusing career.
I think Mexico is another team to watch - probably get to Quarterfinals maybe semis. Good as a team, all have solid skills, they play a style of football that is an interesting midway between the European style and the Sth American style.
I'm not entirely sure about Brazil. Another team who knows what it takes to go all the way. I don't think Ronaldinho is the key, I think it will come down to how their defensive midfielder performs - I believe Edsomthingorother (Ednillson?) who plays for Barca will play that spot, and he is good, but not as young as he once was and it's a long tournament.
I think Tierry Henry will be a star in a lacklustre French team. Hard to say if he'll receive the support required to really be one of the players of the tournament. He has all the skills though, they just need to get him the ball in the right spots.
I'm not convinced Australia will get past the group stages - our defensive is weak, we will simply need to score lots of goals, and for this we will require a touch of luck - we have the players to do it with a bit of luck. I'll just be happy if we beat Croatia, because there will be a number of players who were born and raised in Australia and who learned to play here - who decided to play for Croatia - not sure if they'll make the world cup team but still. I hope we make them regret their disrespect.

mahhkohh · Post by **mahhkohh** » 23 May 2006 13:01

Uranos wrote:Final Brazil vs Germany for sure

again??? nono, then that would be the first time the final is the same 2 teams in a row, that never happend, and wont happen this time... just because brazil has this freaking talent too make a schoolboy goal in the last minute and steal the title from germany...(see the last final, ronaldo made this type of goal i dont wanna see ina n worlds final, and wins the trophy for them...)

Uranos · Post by **Uranos** » 23 May 2006 23:12

Well just because it hasnt happened before it doesnt affect the chance of it happening. Those stats are pretty stupid most of the time. Brazil isnt just Rhonaldinho. Im not up to date with soccer or anything but will Roberto carlos, ronaldo, rivaldo, all those guys play?

krawallier · Post by **krawallier** » 24 May 2006 08:23

"vorrundenaus 2006 - first round loss 2006"
"deutschland vom platz fegen - wipe germany away"

that's my prediction. or at least my hope. it would prevent our city being swamped with drunk euphoric hools glorifying germany. i'd much rather have a couple crying hooligans

EDIT: also i think the german team is shit, if they make it to the next round or even farther, it is going to happen because they play ugly n efficient football...

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » 24 May 2006 09:13

i second that max, the preparation for fifa world cup is enough for my taste yet already. frankfurt is covered with bleachers for thousands of soccer fans. apart from that, the prizes for partying/eating in restaurants will rise. 1 month of no-amusement

skoxn · Post by **skoxn** » 24 May 2006 11:01

harrr, newspapers told, that the polish hooligans will show up with chainsaws...

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 04 Jun 2006 07:52

So Australia just drew with Holland - 1 all and we were down to ten men for the last 30 minutes too. Good signs although personally I thought we were super lucky - we basically had 1 good chance apart from the goal while Holland had about 6 or 7 good chances and we were only kept in the game by the fact that they kept kicking the ball at Schwartzer (sp

) Also the fact that we took out two of their best players helped as well. Anyway all the Australian camp seemed happy and considering Cahill will definitely have improved a great deal by the time the Japan game comes ahead and Kewell will be back in the team and will make a huge difference - I'm going to say I think we have a chance to make the 2nd round. Japan could only beat Malta 1 - 0 so their attack still needs a lot of work. I think considering we have 3 really top class attacking players we should be able to beat them although it definitely won't be an easy game.

I'm still predicting Brazil to win - I just can't see who can beat them or how. Forget about Ronaldinho - I think they'd still beat pretty much everybody and Ronaldinho has been looking so strong as well in creating opportunities.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 05 Jun 2006 00:33

I wouldn't read too much into Japan only scoring 1 goal - I doubt it was a full strength team.
I thought we were flattered by a 1-1 scoreline, and i also think from what i saw the dutch are totally overrated. They are good and will get out of their group, but they will need to improve to get to the semis. They only look good when going down the flanks and had little creativity in attack. This may have been due to the substitution of a number of their key players though and considering that a second string team dominated and was never really in danger of losing will give them confidence in their depth. They lack a player like davids in the middle behind the strikers, though you can't really blame van basten for dropping davids and looking to the future. I was worried by the fact that we only created 2 scoring opportunities and that the only players who looked up to the standard of play that will be required were Aloisi and Schwarzer. I thought our defence was really fragile and is not quick enough nor skilled enough and we struggled to clear the ball, usually we didn't get clear until Schwarzer was able to get the ball and punt it forward. Emmerton was totally out played and really isn't cut out to defend, though he was out of position so its no surprise, more worringly Vince Grella - this is one of the guys who will be responsible for ronaldino - was clearly not up to standard and will no doubt be targeted as a defensive weakness, luckily for him Scott Chiperfield played fairly well just behind him.
AS for Brazil, I heard that Ednillson or whatever his name has an injured knee and will miss at least the first game - he's the guy that wins the ball and gets it to Ronaldino. This is a big loss as it means they're attaking capabilities are vastly more limited than they would otherwise have been, placing added pressure on the flanks and Ronaldinio to create goals. THis increases a good oppositions chance of holding posession in the midfield and containing brazils attacking movements.

quadgun · Post by **quadgun** » 07 Jun 2006 15:20

FRIDAY!
i cant wait!

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 07 Jun 2006 15:52

1. British hooligans banned from traveling overseas.

2. Iranian president intending to visit.

World Cup needs a Discussion section topic also.

edit: ill start one later

-n

Robert wojci · Post by **Robert wojci** » 07 Jun 2006 15:56

yeah im a british person so, like most of you im totally hooked and cant wait for it to start, england should definiteley get out of their group and go farther!

hopefully rooney will play soon though...