2014 FIFA World Cup - Brazil

  • Thread starter Akmuq
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You can do a lot in eleven days. If any of the stadiums were in such a state that it would be impossible for them to be ready in time, FIFA would have stepped in by now.
 
prisonermonkeys
You can do a lot in eleven days. If any of the stadiums were in such a state that it would be impossible for them to be ready in time, FIFA would have stepped in by now.
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Go read up about them then, because some of them and other projects required for the world cup won't be finished on time. Mostly roof structures and the surrounding infrastructures are the problem.
 
I think no translation is needed, but I will anyway:

(Warning: Fragile)

qucho-copa-fragil-20140601.jpg
 
Russia have announced their final 23-man squad, Arshavin and Pogrebnyak both miss out as all 23 players are from the Russian Premier League.

Pretty impressive for a top 15 nation to have an all domestic team and telling of the growing strength of the RPL.
 
prisonermonkeys
You can do a lot in eleven days. If any of the stadiums were in such a state that it would be impossible for them to be ready in time, FIFA would have stepped in by now.
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And done what exactly?

The stadium that hosts the opening game in 10 days time is not finished, and the second (and final) 'test' match could only host 40,000 people because one of the temporary stands was not approved on safety grounds. That means the first time that stand will have ever been used to capacity will be in the World Cup opener itself.

FIFA cannot cancel the first match of the Brazil 2014 World Cup - they cannot relocated it either - it's too late. Perhaps they will have to turn away 25,000 ticket holders though, and run the risk of kicking off the World Cup with a riot.
 
CarManiac 425
Russia have announced their final 23-man squad, Arshavin and Pogrebnyak both miss out as all 23 players are from the Russian Premier League.

Pretty impressive for a top 15 nation to have an all domestic team and telling of the growing strength of the RPL.
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Especially if Russia have a strong showing, winning a couple of big matches.
 
@AJHG1000 It's funny how they say Israel isn't even an elite team... when THEY AREN'T an elite team either :lol:

Well, we neither, but we are 10 times better than them...

:lol:
 
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Falcão was expected to not be able to play in the WC, at least I expected that, given his injury.
 
m8h3r
Especially if Russia have a strong showing, winning a couple of big matches.
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I think we will really have to fight hard to win the group, since we are paired up with Group G in the round of 16.

I honestly think people are overestimating Belgium, I can definitely see us playing out a Draw against them. So it'll come down to whether we can beat Korea and Algeria (we definitely should) and how convincingly we can do it, which'll be more problematic since our strikers are pretty average.

If we top the group, we'll most likely play Portugal, whom we've beaten in the qualifiers and stand a solid chance against. If we finish 2nd, we're up against Germany and it'll then take a miracle.
 
Falcao had actually been training last few weeks but I think him taking part in the tournament would've been unlikely..

England play their second warm up game against Ecuador in Miami tomorrow, apparently Roy is going to make changes and Ben Foster has been told that he will start...
 
I can't help but feel England really needed a proper world class team to play in the third friendly. Peru, Ecuador and Honduras whilst giving Hodgson a chance to try some new things out they aren't exactly challenging opposition.
 
MUSC4EVER
Falcao had actually been training last few weeks but I think him taking part in the tournament would've been unlikely..
England play their second warm up game against Ecuador in Miami tomorrow, apparently Roy is going to make changes and Ben Foster has been told that he will start...
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Shouldn't be anywhere near the squad, quit on your country for whatever reason and you don't deserve another chance. Yet don't sing the stupid and rubbish "national" anthem and everyone goes nuts, so much so that Hodgson is insisting that everyone should sing it, nice to see he's got his priorities right.


Pagey279
I can't help but feel England really needed a proper world class team to play in the third friendly. Peru, Ecuador and Honduras whilst giving Hodgson a chance to try some new things out they aren't exactly challenging opposition.
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Yes but no team who's qualified will play another who has qualified in case they end up meeting again at the world cup, so you are left trying to pick teams who at least play a similar style to ones you will face in the World Cup. In the same way they are playing in Miami as it's a lot nearer to the conditions in Brazil than England is, the problem with this though is the ground will be practically empty and the games could lack any atmosphere and that won't help the players.
 
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Pagey279
I can't help but feel England really needed a proper world class team to play in the third friendly. Peru, Ecuador and Honduras whilst giving Hodgson a chance to try some new things out they aren't exactly challenging opposition.
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The world class teams think that too, which is why none want to arrange a match with England...
 
ASH32
Yes but no team who's qualified will play another who has qualified in case they end up meeting again at the world cup, so you are left trying to pick teams who at least play a similar style to ones you will face in the World Cup. In the same way they are playing in Miami as it's a lot nearer to the conditions in Brazil than England is, the problem with this though is the ground will be practically empty and the games could lack any atmosphere and that won't help the players.
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Unless I'm mistaken or misread something here, England play/ed Ecuador and Honduras who both qualified.
 
I think the two England friendlies are quite good preparation - the group is very tight and it might come down to who can get the best result against Costa Rica. England play Costa Rica after they have already played Uruguay and Italy, and so they may be more suited to the conditions than they might have been if it were their first fixture.

That said, England's group is still too close to call. My money (a whole £1) is on Uruguay and Italy to progress. I must admit, however, I am supporting England - I just can't see them qualifying as I believe Uruguay will be too strong for them and Italy will be tough to score against. England's best hope is that they can hold Italy to a draw and Uruguay beat Italy - but I think a more likely outcome is that Italy will either beat England and/or hold Uruguay to a draw.
 
I think England aren't playing the big teams in the warm ups because they want to save as much energy as possible for when the tournament starts...and besides the play two big teams in their first two games...

10 changes expected by Hodgson tonight, Milner at right back, Lampard to start and be captain, Rooney to play on left with Lambert up front..
 
Just for a bit of fun I decided to make a full prediction for the World Cup like Famine's. It's too big for me to be able to post it as an image but here's the link: World Cup Predictionizer
 
Pagey279
I can't help but feel England really needed a proper world class team to play in the third friendly. Peru, Ecuador and Honduras whilst giving Hodgson a chance to try some new things out they aren't exactly challenging opposition.
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I shall eat my words. Ecuador are quite plainly good enough opposition for England as they are currently winning.
 
England 1-1 through Rooney, scruffy goal but it has been coming as England look threaten in attack, defence is a bit all over the place though!
 
Absolutely appalling stuff from Valencia there, a mistimed challenge from Sterling and Valencia grabs the back of his neck then rams his hand into Sterlings throat. Subsequently they both get sent off. It's not very often you see two red cards in a friendly.
 
2-2 it finished....also Italy only managed a 1-1 draw against Luxembourg!
 
MUSC4EVER
2-2 it finished....also Italy only managed a 1-1 draw against Luxembourg!
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Well at least we can be optimistic about that! England played alright in that game but nothing really to shout about. Barkley made a few good runs and Lambert's goal was good. Oxlade Chamberlain played really well, putting in a few crosses. Bit of a stupid tackle by Sterling which was deserving of a red card and Valencia deservedly getting a red card as well but I can understand his reaction because if his foot was planted it probably would have broken his leg.
 

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