World Cup 2014 - Who are you picking?

[H. Palmer]

They need to add reviews on scoring plays. Bosnia scored one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament so far, yet they were denied by a blatantly incorrect call from the line judge.

They are now out of the tournament for one person's mistake.

There is no accountability in association football. It's okay to make mistakes, but the team must have an opportunity to challenge a call.

American/Canadian football gets a bad rap, but in this respect they get it right. It is understood that people make mistakes, but each team has multiple opportunities to challenge a ruling.

Rugby is even more thorough. You get to hear the discussion between the refs, and the players, and the extra officiating crew that reviews the plays. It is 100% transparent and fair.

Completely right. Football has an archaic way of ad hoc arbitrage and it seems it's getting worse not better.

There are several sports that have more advanced ways of dealing with arbitrage bias. Hockey is another one.

It is due to FIFA that is in effect a pyramid of corruption that progress is only going slowly.

Then we are just talking about referee bias. Don't even think of organizing a World Cup in countries like Qatar where they have introduced slave labor to build the stadiums and facilities. FIFA seems to be operating outside the law and outside human decency.

 

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[GuestUser113]

Wow, usa denied at the very end. smh. Oh well. Gotta beat Germany now. Clutch play by Ronaldo.

 

[H. Palmer]

USA needs a draw against Germany to go to the knock out phase.

If Germany is smart, they just hand it to them.

 

[DeletedUser394]

After that last minute debacle I'm now a fan of every team in the entire tournament, except Portugal. Can't wait to see who destroys them, but I'll enjoy every damn second of it.

Won't be watching past this point. Maybe I should thank the Portuguese. Snapped me back to reality and reminded me I don't want to waste my time watching this garbage. Watching grown men play a ball game.

Yes I'm upset. I had a lot of money riding on the game and it would have paid out handsomely. Instead I get a push.

Anyway, F*ck that.

 

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[H. Palmer]

After that last minute debacle I'm now a fan of every team in the entire tournament, except Portugal. Can't wait to see who destroys them, but I'll enjoy every damn second of it.

Hahaha, join the club!

 

[GuestUser113]

USA needs a draw against Germany to go to the knock out phase.

If Germany is smart, they just hand it to them.

I have never followed the tournament or soccer. So, I am not aware on how it works. What happens in this knock out phase?

 

[H. Palmer]

I have never followed the tournament or soccer. So, I am not aware on how it works. What happens in this knock out phase?

Until now you have only been looking at the pool phase.

Every win gets you 3 points, every draw 1 point.

For all 8 pools the first two countries go to the knock out phase.

USA already has 4 points. It only needs a draw against Germany.

In the knock out phase, if you lose the match, you're out.

In case of a draw, it will be decided by penalty shoots.

 

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[LimitLessJG]

Forzaaaa Italiaaaa

 

[Dark Water]

USA needs a draw against Germany to go to the knock out phase.

If Germany is smart, they just hand it to them.

USA automatically goes on with a draw against Germany.

If Portugal beats Ghana, USA can go on by losing to Germany. The USA has a positive goal differential on Portugal of +5. So if USA loses by 2 and Portugal wins by 2, we are still in.

If Ghana beats Portugal, we only have a goal differential of 2 on Ghana. So if we lose by 1 and Ghana wins by 1, we automatically go on because the next tie breaker is total goals during group stage. We currently have 4, Ghana has 3. If Ghana equals us in total goals at the end of both matches we go on because we beat Ghana, the third tie breaker.

If Portugal and Ghana tie, we automatically go on no matter what.

Right now I think we have about an 85% chance to move on. This is because Germany decimated Portugal and if either game draws / Portugal wins we are GOLD! LETS GOOO!

 

[D11FYY]

They need to add reviews on scoring plays. Bosnia scored one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament so far, yet they were denied by a blatantly incorrect call from the line judge.

They are now out of the tournament for one person's mistake.

There is no accountability in association football. It's okay to make mistakes, but the team must have an opportunity to challenge a call.

American/Canadian football gets a bad rap, but in this respect they get it right. It is understood that people make mistakes, but each team has multiple opportunities to challenge a ruling.

Rugby is even more thorough. You get to hear the discussion between the refs, and the players, and the extra officiating crew that reviews the plays. It is 100% transparent and fair.

This it actually irritates me how this cannot be done or should be done even.
They have that many match officials but yet don't want to advance in fairness of the game, The lower leagues wouldn't have the capabilities and finances to do this but still it would make a fair game. Especially if they incorporated it into the Cup games for a fair chance against the biggest teams. Refs Biased/Fifa Corruption is beyond a joke.
I dare say if you had a vote with football fans over 90% would probably agree that the game needs shook up to make decisions more correctly.

Germany reason being people had Bayern as favorites for the Champions League again this year after last seasons victory and the romping's that they have been giving teams in the Bundesliga. Also winners Real Madrid narrowly made it through against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg.
They do have the quality but also a very youthful but skilful side ; I love the Germans more the fact that they are well disciplined.
I fancy Klose to be up near the top goal scorer of the competition (yet again).

Can see America actually doing well this year I think them or Columbia will be my "lucky" teams to reach the Semis

Says it from the beginning and still will America and Columbia are the dark horses imo.
America have had a tough group Portugal have an amazing team, but people over look the American team simply because the standard of the league. Little do they realise that most of the players have or is playing in Europe to a decent quality.
U S A ! ha .

 

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[1step]

America have had a tough group Portugal have an amazing team, but people over look the American team simply because the standard of the league. Little do they realise that most of the players have or is playing in Europe to a decent quality.
U S A ! ha .

We absolutely have no chance to win but your call of making the semis looks like a pretty good call especially at the start of the tourney. Belgium hasn't looked as good as they are hyped to be and thats more than likely who we would play next. It could open up well for us to make a run to the semis.

Germany wasn't very impressive vs Ghana and I don't think the next game will tell a lot as theres not a ton to gain for either team. I think they are in a group of about 5 teams with a realistic chance to win it but I don't think there is a favorite at this point, there are a lot of very similar teams which should make for a great few weeks.

 

[Thoelk]

What a game!

Howard MVP no doubt about that... But our boys played so good! I'm proud!
Our bench is superb, haha!