Got it. Actually I was thinking that it was about the team not getting dirty on the field or something.


No idea who Ron Manager is either.

how 'bout a quick explanation of the point system in the world cup?

Is he hurt? I don't follow soccer much, but I did see some news about him with a gimp.

Yeah he was hurt, kept out of the last three friendlies, but supposedly is at full speed now. His play is crucial to the US's coming out of its group.

in the group stage, as in all the national leagues in the world and any other group based competition it's

win = 3 points
draw = 1 point
loss = 0 points

top two teams in the group of four go through

if teams are equal on points they decide placing on goal difference

then it goes to knockout stages

winner goes through, that's it

this is the hardest group to call - none of those teams are easy beats

thanks splates.

dempsey is us's best player. i love that guy

Hopefully Gerrard can pull off some more magic like he did in the FA Cup Final this year. That last goal was astonishing.

i was having trouble with who to field between gerrard vs lampard. i went with lampard for consistency. i dunno know tho.

Convey or Johnson will be the breakout players... and the consistency of Reyna and O'Brien to set them up (and set up McBride and Donovan) will be the key.

i think group C is the true group of death, although group E is at its heels.

darrin's picks are intruiging and i'm going to be following some of his choices closely, such as serbia montenegro, iran, paraguay, and poland. he takes some risks and i respect that.

the main problem i have with my picks are that there are too many european teams, therefore too many favorites.

i really like the ivory coast because of the defense, but i feel like drogba will be a letdown (like when he missed a penalty that would hvae won the nation's cup for ivory coast) i personally think he will be motivated by that humiliation to egypt in cairo and use that loss at the hands of a host nation to motivate him into playing well abroad.

this is my latest set of picks, but i am bound to change these again before it begins

a
1. germany
2. ecuador
3. poland
4. costa rica

that i feel okay about, although poland is quite intruiging (how many times do i have to mispel (sp) that word before I look it up). i have an ecuadorian friend who has high hopes and i'm going on his hunch.

b.
1. sweden
2. england
3. paraguay
4. t & t

i see sweden in first here because they will need the points in the final game of the group against england and i think they will deliver. this also sets up ecuador to beat them in the next round where they fall to my dark horse ivorians.

c.
1. argentina
2. ivory coast
3. serb
4. holland

this is the most impossible group of them all...i like argentina for some reason even though they (like england) are going to let me down. riquelme is too inconsistent for a month long tournament, but i think if he just comes together at the right moment things will be okay.

it's hard to leave serba and holland out as they are both massive clubs (i especially like serbiamontenegro) but cuts had to be made.

d.
1. mexico
2. portugal
3. iran
4. angola




this group, while not necessarily tough is very hard to pick. i love borgetti and think he will step up big, and then portugal is portugal and after last cup's embarassment (out before knockouts) i think they will be more motivated. i love iran though, especially because of this http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/iran/5058896.stm

they will probably play their asses off for their coach, but even if they win the group they will fall the CIV in the second round.

watch out for oswaldo sanchez to play some inspired goalkeeping after the recent death of his father (think favre on monday night football at oakland people)

portugal has been spanking some crappy teams (lux, cape verde islands) and probably aren't quite ready for the big leagues but i still think they can beat angola and that another collapse agst iran and first round exit would be devastating.

this is the group i am having the most difficulty with.

group e.

i won't comment too much. the italians will go down in flames because they will be distracted by problems back home.

1. czech
2. usa
3. italy
4. ghana

and keep in mind, those are the picks of an optimistic american who wants to see his team play brazil in round two. if i wasn't a yank, i'd probably take czech in first and ghana in second. i have no faith in italy.

group f

interesting group here.

1. brazil

obviously, then it gets interesting. i want to pick the croats just bc their warmups have been good but japan is awfully intruiging...it doesn't even matter who finishes second though as they will have to face cze in round two.

2. croatia
3. jpn
4. aus

watch out for japan to make it through with a surprising show agst croatia in their second game.


group g

i love france, but i have a bad feeling. i originally had them losing to CIV iin the third place game but i wised up. w/o cisse they will be in trouble because henry is bound to have a disappointing cup. i still have them winning the group but watch out for suisse. korea is also dang interesting and i hate to have not picked them.

1. france
2. sui
3. sk
4. togo

and finally, group h

1. ukr
2. esp
3. tun
4. saudis

i think shevchenko is going to deliver hard here. like golden boot hard. he is just going to fucken gonuts and ukr will beat spain in game one giving he spaniards a tough uphill climb that they will eventually make, where they go second place and have to face France in round two.

i'll post the rest of this thing later.

GROUP E PREDICTION

1. BRAZIL (3.0 Konstantipoints)
2. AUSTRALIA (2.67 Konstantipoints)
3. JAPAN (1.67 Konstantipoints)
4. CROATIA (1.4 Konstantipoints)

BRAZIL: The overwhelming favourites. No nation can even come close to their attacking ability. The question will be – can they defend? Brazil choose not to play many warm up matches (they have only played twice in 6 months) but on both occassions they did not concede including a potential tricky tie at a snowy Moscow. Doubts remain over goalkeeper Dida though, who is prone to the odd howler. Brazil may also miss the injured Edmilson for whom they have no compariable replacement in the midfield anchor role. However, the smart money will still be on them to make their fourth final in a row.
RUS 1-0, NZE 4-0.
Player to watch: Lucio. Brazil's best defender will be under pressure to make sure they are as formidable at the back as they are going forward.

AUSTRALIA: Well organised and combatative, Australia might not be the silkiest team at this years finals but no one will put in more effort. This work rate allied with the experience of coach Guss Hiddink and their small clutch of veteren Premiership players could see Australia finish in second in what is generally regarded as one of the weaker groups in the tournament.
GRE 1-0, HOL 1-1, LIE 3-1.
Player to watch: John Aloisi. Australia’s best bet for a goal has a good international record but can he do it at the very top level?

JAPAN: Lost only one of their six warm up matches but it was a record that flattered to decieve. While they pass the ball superbly rarely giving away possession and have excellent technical skills they lack penetration against physical sides (like Australia for instance) and are themselves defensively inconsistant – they threw away a two goal lead against Germany and lost a brace each against mediocre Bosnian and Bulgarian sides. There slick passing game could pip Australia to second place but more likely to finish third.
BOS 2-2, ECU 1-0, BUL 1-2, SCO 0-0, GER 2-2, MAL 1-0
Player to watch: Shinji Ono. Flopped in European club football but still considered Japan’s best player.

CROATIA: Caused something of a sensation earlier in the year by beating Argentina 3-2 and followed it up with an impressive win over Austria. However, since then their form has been in freefall. They were very lucky to draw with Iran and defeats to Spain and, alarmingly, Poland suggest the dip will not halt at the World Cup. Croatia no longer have world class players like Boban or Suker to call on and the squad is mainly comprised of journeymen.
ARG 3-2, AUT 4-1, IRA 2-2, POL 0-1, SPA 1-2
Player to watch: Ivan Klasnic. Most eyes will be on fellow striker Dado Prso but Klasnic, who plays in German league football, might be the man to get their goals.

Just over 6 hours to go and two weeks holiday from work. Sweeet!

Beers in fridge ready to go.

Awesome. Konstantin thinks we're going through. And with the science behind his points system he CAN'T be wrong.

I would quibble with your choice of player to watch though - if we're to go through, it's going to be all about Bresciano in midfield, particularly since Kewell isn't back to his best yet.

And Grella shielding the defence and setting up the attack will also be vital

only person i've heard talk good about the ozzies, but then again i'm in new york and nobody talks about football here ever except foreigners.

if you look at my stupid picks you'll notice that i went with the safe traditional picks in brazil and croatia...i felt bad abotu having so many european teams in the second round but i just don't really see the aussies going through.

i'm probably wrong though (as usual)

I can completely understand where you're coming from, and it does seem like its the Europeans and a few S Americans that generally go through. I've always maintained though that getting to the WC would be the hardest part, especially given our qualifying path. I think we can do well, it's just a matter of playing to the standard that we've shown we can play at.

Besides, I like the pattern that Hiddink's been forming at the last couple of WCs. Now if only he can carry it through to this one

2 hrs to go!!!

also, brazil could get fucked defensively. will just have to score more goals than tehy let through

Petey's 'underground' players to watch :lol:

SIMAO SABROSA(Por) - Cracking benfica winger.



KALOU Bonaventure(IVC) - Brother of New Chelsea signing. Dead quick.



ONYEWU Oguchi(USA) - American defender, reportedly close to siging with Middlesborough.



ADEBAYOR Emmanuel(TOGA) - Lanky Arsenal striker, chance to shine.



KLASNIC Ivan(Croatia0 - Already mentioned by Kon, 7 goals in 20 apps, looked on song in warm ups.

i nearly had kalou on my fantasy team...good call.

Just seen the argentina team for saturday and messi, along with tevez are on the bench. Do i swap messi with someone else for my team? God i dunno, i'm sure when he is fully fit he will be make the line up.

and messi could always get subsituted and get late goals with fresh legs. . .

Or Saviola & Crespo could hitch a ride on the goal train and he will not get a look in...