2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

[Psychotic]

Uruguay just better in the end. Same story as Italy.

Exactly. Nightmarishly hard group, England always the weaker of the three.

PS: Hey, Bubba. Liverpool 2 Manchester United 1.

Just sayin'.

[Aulayna]

Highlight of the night

ROONEY.jpg

Hodgson not pleased with the result

hodg2.jpg

[Yellow_Magic]

I'm really glad we didn't hype England up before the World Cup - it's made this painful for a shorter duration of time.

[Psychotic]

I'm really glad we didn't hype England up before the World Cup - it's made this painful for a shorter duration of time.

This year England fans have been the only ones who said their team wouldn't win it, bar the odd nutter. I've seen quotes from even the Nigerians, South Koreans and the Americans saying they can do it. I enjoy saying England are crap a lot more than having any hope. It's like, well, of course we lost to Italy and Uruguay, we're bobbins. At least we're self-aware about it xD

[Jess]

I missed the beginning of Terminator 2 because of this crap. I am most displeased.

[Bubba]

MMMMF MMMMF I LVOE BELGIUM!

[Raistlin]

Jiro,
Nicolas,
Raistlin,
Shauna

lmbo

Too bad you can't see the timing of my vote, which was only made well after Spain's original trouncing. For the record, my vote was for irony.

[DarkBahamut]

Wish I posted when this thread started so I don't look like I'm lying.

My top 4 before the tournament started were:
1. Argentina (My favorite team. Mainly because I'm a big Messi fan. He's basically the only reason I continued to watch soccer after Ronaldinho declined. And recently, I became a fan of midfielder Angel di Maria, due to seeing glimpses of what he did for Real Madrid in the last season. After the first match against B&H and picking him in my fantasy team, I've become fond of Marcos Rojo.)
2. Germany (They've consistently been doing well for their country, but haven't won the big one. I would love to see a team that can be so fundamental and execute such a tactical, old school play so well. They also have a bunch of stars. They're scary to go against.)
3. Netherlands (Love the Van Persie-Robben duo. Gained a lot of respect for them after the 2010 WC. They played well and it would be nice to see a team that comes back after losing; kind of like my Lakers after they lost to the Celtics in '08.
4. Brazil (No, I'm not band-wagoning just because they've won the most World cups ever or that they're the home team. They are just so DAMN fun to watch sometimes! With such exciting players like Neymar, Oscar, Dani Alves, Marcelo, etc. how can you not want to root for them?! But my main reason for liking them is because two of my top five favorite players, Ronaldinho and Kaka, played for Brazil. And that era with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho together, wow. I mean, that's what I'm trying to say! If they can still be exciting to watch compared to that 2002 WC squad, it's an amazing feat.)

But wow, this tournament has been great. 66 goals in 23 games. Upsets, almost upsets.

[DarkBahamut]

I'm really glad we didn't hype England up before the World Cup - it's made this painful for a shorter duration of time.

I still think they'll beat Costa Rica and Italy will win their last two games...Meaning England should still go through. But obviously, they're defense looks too weak to survive esp. in the later rounds of this tournament.

[Psychotic]

Was going to make a long post about Gerrard, Rooney, the defence and how England are over-reliant on young players when it's our big names who need to step up, only to read this article which does it all for me in a much more eloquent way, a good read:

www.football365.com/f365-says/9355137/F365-Says

A final word on it

Before the game, too many people in England laughed about my attitude over the last few years. This is a very good time for me. I want to see what they think now.

That's the one positive I will take from that match. Good for you, Luis. You deserved that.

...but I've been defending you in the football thread for years why did you have to go and hurt me too

Meanwhile, an accumulator is at an end it seems.

Good choices, though Japan's lack of cutting edge will not go down well against the organised Greeks, and likewise Russia keep things very tight at the back and Belgium haven't shown to me they've got what it takes to break that down. I think they'll both be 0-0 draws.

Sorry Old Manus.

[Old Manus]

Sickener. Japan were all over the Greeks who played the most negative football I've watched (SPOILER)It was worse than Chelsea, but they're just such tiny little people that they couldn't win any headers and kept getting crunched in the tackle. Didn't help that they COULD NOT FINISH FOR LOVE NOR MONEY. Should have cashed out.

Also BBC Sport front page this morning: WOY WONT WESIGN EVEN AS BRAVE ROO AND HIS ENGLAND FACE ELIMINATION

What is this trout? They're not even out yet and the media are already brewing up some completely unjustified resignation angle? Results aside, England have played the best football I've seen them play in a major tournament since the late 90s. Uruguay and Italy are just better teams, and in Suarez, Pirlo and Cavani they have players who could beat England on their own. England subbed on Rickie Lambert. What were they expecting?

[AssassinDX]

I'm really glad we didn't hype England up before the World Cup - it's made this painful for a shorter duration of time.

This year England fans have been the only ones who said their team wouldn't win it, bar the odd nutter. I've seen quotes from even the Nigerians, South Koreans and the Americans saying they can do it. I enjoy saying England are crap a lot more than having any hope. It's like, well, of course we lost to Italy and Uruguay, we're bobbins. At least we're self-aware about it xD

This is true, but the annoying thing is that this England team is reasonable and should have every right to progress quite far - the big problem is the fact that it's a very tough group they're in and as mentioned Italy and Uruguay are simply better teams. I don't like Roy particularly but there's not much he can do when both losses have at least two world class players on the opposing teams - two more than England have, the possible exception being Sturridge.

[Old Manus]

the possible exception being Sturridge.

2/10 thanks for playing

[Yellow_Magic]

I'm really glad we didn't hype England up before the World Cup - it's made this painful for a shorter duration of time.

I still think they'll beat Costa Rica and Italy will win their last two games...Meaning England should still go through. But obviously, they're defense looks too weak to survive esp. in the later rounds of this tournament.

England have got to beat Costa Rica and Uruguay on goal difference, though, and I think that's a big ask. Honestly, it really is too hard to expect anything from England anymore, soooo

#ComeOnNetherlands

[Psychotic]

the possible exception being Sturridge.

2/10 thanks for playing

Yeah, Sturridge - and none of his team mates - are world class. Gerrard and Lampard used to be between 2005-2010 (ish) and you may have been able to make a case for Rooney at one point. Sturridge is still young, he, Sterling and others certainly have the potential, but then they also have the potential to go the route of Aaron Lennon or Shaun Wright-Phillips instead.

Anyway look, if Italy beat Costa Rica and it looks like England will do the same, why the smurf would Italy and Uruguay do anything other than play for a draw? Uruguay would go through, Italy would top the group, problem solved all round. It's over.