Who's winning it?

[Pliskin]

22 minutes ago, lcfc278 said:

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

That’s it, big Wout will be the difference….. all jokes aside though we know full well he will opt for the two old boys…. When Belgium could have a pretty solid back four if they went for the younger lads.

[Stadt]

Argentina, Spain, or The Netherlands. I'm not having Brazil, besides Argentina they haven't played anyone half decent for years. The good European sides are underrated by the bookies because they essentially all have understrength squads in the nations league playing other strong sides.

[foxes_rule1978]

England

[foxes_rule1978]

7 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Argentina, Spain, or The Netherlands. I'm not having Brazil, besides Argentina they haven't played anyone half decent for years. The good European sides are underrated by the bookies because they essentially all have understrength squads in the nations league playing other strong sides.

Netherlands Spain haha 

[Sly]

England / Belgium or Argentina / Brazil. 
 

Could be anyone from those 4. 
 

I actually think England have their best chance at winning this bizarrely, since about 1998. 

[KrefelderFox666]

38 minutes ago, Sly said:

England / Belgium or Argentina / Brazil. 
 

Could be anyone from those 4. 
 

I actually think England have their best chance at winning this bizarrely, since about 1998. 

Those were my Top 4 teams before the WC started. The way things are going, England has a great opportunity. Yesterday was the perfect opening game, a poor team who are probably mentally not focussed on the football (with all the stuff going on back home and what might happen to them and their families) which allows England to build momentum and confidence. The weak group will allow that to build further. There also look to be few challenges in the Last 16 and QF. So SF spot is easily attainable. Then it's about turning up for the big games, and who knows, like 2018 there might be surprise teams going deep.

[foxes_rule1978]

Not Argentina 

[Raj]

Saudi Arabia.

$$$$$$$

[fuchsntf]

Can I change my mind after every group game,& knock out stages…

[Dan LCFC]

Probably too early to say this but the allegations against the South Americans haven't exactly cleared. I do rate Argentina and think people talking them down totally as a team after earlier are being harsh (although they were terrible) but you do wonder if yet again it's a record built on being able to avoid the Europeans. I wouldn't be shocked if Brazil for example for all their talent end up looking poorer than the likes of Spain and Germany, or even England to be honest.

 

France were largely slept on for me, their squad is still brilliant.

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

5 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

France were largely slept on for me, their squad is still brilliant.

I know that impressions after one game when half the teams haven't even played yet don't mean very much, but France do look very good in every area.

[KingsX]

fivethirtyeight.com projections are updated after each result.  They have yours (England) third most likely to make it out of the groups and fifth to win the WC.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-world-cup-predictions/

 

[Sly]

Brazil are sloppy. 

I don’t think this is their greatest team. 
 

France have looked the best so far. 

[Lionator]

I don't think there's an obvious winner so far but it's clear England, France, Spain and Brazil are all looking very strong, with Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal doing enough to still be seen as a threat. Don't rule out Argentina after one game either.

[ARTY_FOX]

Between England France and Spain on early showing. Everyone else has been extremely disappointing. Potential for an outside winner. 

[Dan LCFC]

After one showing, gun to my head, Spain.

[Deeg67]

If Belgium had even a replacement-level manager they’d be co-favorites with France for me.  As is, lucky to get to the quarter-finals.

[Sly]

Brazil are the favourites at 11/4. You can see why on that 2nd half display.

 

Spain, England and France are all 7/1. 
 

Fees about right after the first round of games. 
 

Argentina, Portugal and Belgium are better than they showed but will

stuggle against the favourites I think. 

[Col city fan]

I guess the value bet will now be on Argentina who could easily win their next two games.

Their odds would have lengthened after that humiliating loss.

But it’s hard to see past Brazil. Holland are bang average, bar a couple of really good players. Germany are not the force of old. Belgium look too slow. Denmark won’t win it. The African teams will bough out soon enough.

That leaves England, France and Spain with as good a chance as any I guess.

[Dan LCFC]

1 minute ago, Col city fan said:

I guess the value bet will now be on Argentina who could easily win their next two games.

Their odds would have lengthened after that humiliating loss.

But it’s hard to see past Brazil. Holland are bang average, bar a couple of really good players. Germany are not the force of old. Belgium look too slow. Denmark won’t win it. The African teams will bough out soon enough.

That leaves England, France and Spain with as good a chance as any I guess.

I backed Spain as soon as Brazil won the other night. Brazil are good but I don't think they're quite 23/10 good.

[KFS]

England 

[tom27111]

It'll be a powerhouse again.

 

Brazil for me.

 

I think Neymar out for a couple of games will be a positive. 

 

People will come in to try and make that place in the starting line up their own.

 

Plus what they have on the bench is outrageous. 

 

Make me laugh in the match thread that people were doubting them at half time and slating Richarlison. 

[trabuch]

I hope the best team with the most positive manager wins. So not England then. Argentina won't win it unless they can get over their "pass to Messi" mentality. Brazil will bottle it at some point, as will Spain. So it's ****ing France isn't it - which I do not like. I'd really like Belgium, but it won't happen -despite having some world class players, the manager's a bit shit (like England)

[tom27111]

Just now, trabuch said:

I hope the best team with the most positive manager wins. So not England then. Argentina won't win it unless they can get over their "pass to Messi" mentality. Brazil will bottle it at some point, as will Spain. So it's ****ing France isn't it - which I do not like. I'd really like Belgium, but it won't happen -despite having some world class players, the manager's a bit shit (like England)

 

Remember the last time Argentina lost their opening game to an underdog?

 

1990.

 

They didn't win it, but their talisman dragged them to the final.

 

They're a much better team now.

 

And that talisman is probably drug free 

 

There's probably 6 teams that can win it.

 

I don't forsee a shock win like Denmark and Greece have previously done in Euro's.

 

It's intriguing. And helped by the fact it's on neutral ground. (Although it shouldn't be THERE)!

[Col city fan]

22 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

It'll be a powerhouse again.

 

Brazil for me.

 

I think Neymar out for a couple of games will be a positive. 

 

People will come in to try and make that place in the starting line up their own.

 

Plus what they have on the bench is outrageous. 

 

Make me laugh in the match thread that people were doubting them at half time and slating Richarlison. 

Yeah I don’t get the slating of Richarlison. He’s clearly a berk of a bloke, but a very talented footballer when he’s on it.