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Spain should win. This worked out pretty well for them.
Is this the "weak" side of the bracket?
End of the road for the Russians. Was a good run and I enjoyed watching Golovin, but Spain has too much quality[/QUOTE]
End of the road for the Russians. Was a good run and I enjoyed watching Golovin, but Spain has too much quality
Someone's learnt nothing in this WC. Anything can happen.
Except Mueller scoring 5 goals.... That will not happen.
@cgf @The Abusement Park
I like that name. Dirty Diego.I'd be so happy for my dad for Russia to go through after losing the aunt who raised him this week, but I can't see it happening. Spain's ability to control the match is just too great to let those russian counters burn them too badly or for that russian backline to hold off dirty Diego.
Odds are France-Argentina and Brazil-Germany will be next round matchups. Add Belgium, Uruguay and Portugal to that group, that would make it the much stronger side as opposed to Spain, Croatia, Mexico, England. Not set in stone, still some remaining games but it's a strong probability.Is this the "weak" side of the bracket?
Odds are France-Argentina and Brazil-Germany will be next round matchups. Add Belgium, Uruguay and Portugal to that group, that would make it the much stronger side as opposed to Spain, Croatia, Mexico, England. Not set in stone, still some remaining games but it's a strong probability.
Nothing's done obviously but Brazil is in control of their destiny and sitting at the top of their group with +1 goal advantage. Germany has to win but would also need a Mexico loss to Sweden to finish 1st. Certainly not impossible but the odds of seeing Brazil-Germany in round of 16 are better than not.How do you figure? Whether Germany & Brazil will finish first or second in their respective groups is still very much in the air.
Nothing's done obviously but Brazil is in control of their destiny and sitting at the top of their group with +1 goal advantage. Germany has to win but would also need a Mexico loss to Sweden to finish 1st. Certainly not impossible but the odds of seeing Brazil-Germany in round of 16 are better than not.
You're right, Brazil could play to finish 2nd if it means avoiding Germany and take on Mexico but it's very risky as a loss would put an end to their run. All different scenarios are possible and there are enough shocks in all tournaments to prove it. But it is still more probable that Mexico draws or wins and that Brazil take the top spot. Call it wishful thinking on my end. Look at the bright side: your team would play only the best all the way through.Brazil are up by a goal against the Swiss & the swiss could be drained from their emotional win over the serbs...but Brazil also plays a Serbian team fighting for its life, while the Swiss get the already eliminated (and much weaker than serbia) Costa Rica. So Brazil drawing while the swiss win, or even Brazil winning by less than the swiss is very possible. Plus this group plays after the german group, so those teams will already know whether 1st or 2nd gets germany & we could see some odd shenanigans where Brazil plays for a 1-0 win hoping that the swiss out score them or even that the serbs snag a late equalizer to drag them below the Swiss into 2nd.
Similarly, group F is still very much tbd. The Swedes holding or beating Mexico wouldn't be a shock at all as their bus could well shut the mexicans out, even if the swedes fail to score themselves...although given their height advantage & forsberg's deliveries, seeing the swedes get a goal or two through the air wouldn't exactly be surprising either.
There's just so much still up in the air with these two groups that we could still see a Germany-Brazil r16 match on either side of the bracket.
You're right, Brazil could play to finish 2nd if it means avoiding Germany and take on Mexico but it's very risky as a loss would put an end to their run. All different scenarios are possible and there are enough shocks in all tournaments to prove it. But it is still more probable that Mexico draws or wins and that Brazil take the top spot. Call it wishful thinking on my end. Look at the bright side: your team would play only the best all the way through.
My problem is I see so little offense coming from the swedes, maybe I'm the one underrating Sweden. It would also be disappointing for the mexicans after the miracle they pulled.I don't think Brazil would play for a draw...but if Brazil goes ahead 1-0, I could see them sitting back on that lead while hoping that the swiss win by 2 or more; knowing that even if they give up an equalizer, they would still advance ahead of Serbia. Playing for the draw outright is far too risky, but playing for a 1-0 gives them a nice margin for error.
Maybe I'm under-rating the mexicans, but I think they'll have issues breaking down the swedes if they sit deep like they did against us & S. Korea...while waiting for a set piece or counter to give them the 1 goal they need to jump ahead of mexico. If Sweden gets that goal before they start feeling the pressure to push forward & chase it, exposing themselves to Mexican counters, then I can definitely see them making life very difficult on the Mexican possession game...as they showed against a german team that may have been terrible at defending counters, but who really started moving the ball well as soon as Draxler was subbed off.