Who's winning it?

[Scanchez]

Argentina have a good player called Messi.

 

[TJQuik]

On 15/11/2022 at 09:07, suffolk fox said:

Brazil or Argentina for me.  European teams will struggle with the heat.  Will be watching Belgium cos of our 3 players.  As for England will go out to the first decent team we play after the group stage.  All you need to know about Southgate giving Maddison the number 25 ffs.  He wont play one game, great for us though.

Maddison sitting on the bench for a month would be very bad for us.

[The boy Linacre]

6 hours ago, Scanchez said:

Argentina have a good player called Messi.

 

I think he’s brilliant BUT isn’t he sadly past his sell by date??

Though apparently the Argies are 35 games unbeaten, so the rest must be ok?

on the weather front I read somewhere Englands last 2 group games it will only be 15 degrees, so what is the crack on the temperatures??

[Nalis]

On 15/11/2022 at 11:15, StanSP said:

 

My prediction. 

 

Brazil beating Belgium in the final. 

Mine is very similar in the later stages, with some shocks thrown in for measure like Iran, Morocco, Qatar and Japan getting to the 2nd round.

 

[Ian Nacho]

I'm going to say Argentina because I'd love to see Messi lift the World Cup.

[Buzzell]

Portugal

[ROB-THE-BLUE]

1 hour ago, buzzer_b said:

Portugal

I hope not. Ronaldo would be even more unbearable.

[Jaspa]

Spain

[Jaspa]

 

Right tier looks fun, probably way off with the left. You don't win anything without a strong defence, and I don't think England have one.

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

Whoever's paid the biggest bribes, probably.

[kingkisnorbo]

.. 

Edited 19 November 2022 by kingkisnorbo

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

1 minute ago, kingkisnorbo said:

Do find it rather odd seeing folk saying “I really hope ___ wins it” (when not talking about their home nation). Honestly who is arsed. 

Football teams are not nations though. They have the same name and people often get confused and think they're the same thing, but they really aren't. The 'England' playing in the world cup is not the 'England' people live in, it's just a team selected by the English FA and given the name 'England.' There's absolutely no reason why someone from the country 'England' shouldn't prefer a different team. 

[Foxdiamond]

17 hours ago, Manley Farrington-Brown said:

Football teams are not nations though. They have the same name and people often get confused and think they're the same thing, but they really aren't. The 'England' playing in the world cup is not the 'England' people live in, it's just a team selected by the English FA and given the name 'England.' There's absolutely no reason why someone from the country 'England' shouldn't prefer a different team. 

I think you can admire other teams football but would always want England to win. Crazy if you don't think it does not reflect national pride in whatever country wins it . Rather like saying that City of Leicester and the county did not take pride in football club. Non football fans know it was good for Leicester in total.

[J. James]

On 14/11/2022 at 22:16, brookfox said:

Well they've already paid to host it...

• FIFA have received an integrity alert in relation to Qatar's warm-up matches 
• Sportsmail has learned the alert relates to number of penalties awarded to hosts 
• The number is said to be 'unusually high', which led to the alert being sent out 
• Many of Qatar's World Cup warm-up matches took place behind-closed-doors.

I said a couple of weeks ago that they bought the tournament so buying officials is easier I guess.

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest with those barbarians.

[Buzzell]

On 19/11/2022 at 13:19, ROB-THE-BLUE said:

I hope not. Ronaldo would be even more unbearable.

It’s only because I pulled them in the work sweepstake  

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Spain for me. 

[Lcfc098]

On 17/11/2022 at 22:32, The boy Linacre said:

I think he’s brilliant BUT isn’t he sadly past his sell by date??

Though apparently the Argies are 35 games unbeaten, so the rest must be ok?

on the weather front I read somewhere Englands last 2 group games it will only be 15 degrees, so what is the crack on the temperatures??

You definitely don’t watch leagues outside the prem then. Messi has been one of the best players in the world this season 

[shen]

On 19/11/2022 at 17:55, Jaspa said:

 

Right tier looks fun, probably way off with the left. You don't win anything without a strong defence, and I don't think England have one.

What were you smoking when you made these predictions? 

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Cameroon all going through?

[Lambert09]

there’s something about that brazil team that feels like it will crumble. I’m not sure what it is but i’m just not convinced they’ll go the whole way. 

 

I genuinely have no idea for this tournament. There’s no team to be terrified of.  Could easily go with about 10 teams. I always prefer to watch the opening games before judging. At the euros it was very evident that there was something special about that italy side. 

[Nalis]

1 hour ago, Lambert09 said:

there’s something about that brazil team that feels like it will crumble. I’m not sure what it is but i’m just not convinced they’ll go the whole way. 

 

I genuinely have no idea for this tournament. There’s no team to be terrified of.  Could easily go with about 10 teams. I always prefer to watch the opening games before judging. At the euros it was very evident that there was something special about that italy side. 

For me the team that stands out by the first or second match usually goes out around the quarters or semis. 

 

Thinking Germany 2010,  Netherlands 2014, England 2018

[Unabomber]

Can’t see past England 

[Lambert09]

2 minutes ago, Nalis said:

For me the team that stands out by the first or second match usually goes out around the quarters or semis. 

 

Thinking Germany 2010,  Netherlands 2014, England 2018

oh it’s definitely not a sure fire system. But more because at this stage we base everything on the quality of players teams have rather than knowing how they all fit in a system. 

 

England have clear weak areas but it does work in our system.  Whether or not that Brazil team fully meshes we will find out soon, if it does… well it’s frightening 

Edited 21 November 2022 by Lambert09

[Nalis]

Just now, Lambert09 said:

oh it’s definitely not a sure fire system. But more because at this stage we base everything on the quality of players teams have rather than knowing how they all fit in a system. 

 

England have clear weak areas but it does work in our system.  Whether or not that Brazil team fully meshes we will find out soon, if it does… we’ll it’s frightening 

Agreed, fair point

[Pliskin]

Belgium for me. If Martinez picks the right team that is. They’ve actually on paper got a really balanced team for once, so they could surprise a few.

 

Argentina’s defence is poor, which is why I really can’t see them winning it, if you can’t defend you’re done.

[lcfc278]

1 hour ago, Pliskin said:

Belgium for me. If Martinez picks the right team that is. They’ve actually on paper got a really balanced team for once, so they could surprise a few.

 

Argentina’s defence is poor, which is why I really can’t see them winning it, if you can’t defend you’re done.

Always thought Belgium's defence was their weak spot. But now they've got Wout Faes it's game over!