Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

[NUFAN]

Yeah, again, this is fine on paper, but there's little joy to be had from watching a team full of players who look like they'd rather be on a beach somewhere.

I feel as though you're being a bit harsh on Africa. Perhaps they've overall been a bit disappointing but I think one of the best things about the World Cup is how FIFA currently gives out the number of teams for each confederation. Probably South America are the most unlucky not to get an extra opportunity IMO. Its not that hard to bash any confederation, for instance perhaps Europe gets too many teams:

Countries to have let in 5 goals in a game*
- Spain
- Switzerland

Countries knocked out of the Cup after 2 games
- Cameroon
- Australia
- Spain
- England
- Honduras
- Bosnia and Herzegovina

Greece have been poor too but still in with a chance.

*yes the teams that scored 5 might be from Europe

 

[NUFAN]

Add another European minnow to the list in Portugal.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Anyone know why the Group B matches are being held before the Group A matches for the final group phase? I don't want to cry about host advantage but it gives Brazil an opportunity to pretty much pick who they'd want to play between Chile and Netherlands.

 

[sledger]

TV reasons I suspect.

 

[Cabinet96]

I guess they want the hosts on at prime time for people in the host country.

I take it everyone is watching Chile-Netherlands and Croatia-Mexico though?

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, I'm not trying to bash the smaller nations, it's just unfortunate that many of the African teams over the last few tournaments have shown up and really done little to suggest there they're for anything more than just making up the numbers.

That really hasn't happened this time though, Cameroon aside. Big improvement over some of the sides that stank the place out in '06 and '10.

 

[NUFAN]

I guess they want the hosts on at prime time for people in the host country.

I take it everyone is watching Chile-Netherlands and Croatia-Mexico though?

Australia-Spain and Croatia-Mexico for me

Contemplating not waking up for Australia's game though tbh, 2am isn't ideal for a match with little meaning.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I feel as though you're being a bit harsh on Africa. Perhaps they've overall been a bit disappointing but I think one of the best things about the World Cup is how FIFA currently gives out the number of teams for each confederation.

I sort of agree but that it's only based on political negotiations is annoying. Should be some kind of formula based on on-field results for some spots.

Though given the way they use on-field results to produce the Fifa ranking it may be good that they haven't tried to devise a similarly flawed system.

 

[The Sean]

Ugh, why are Brazil wearing white shorts rather than blue? There's no clash and it just looks wrong.

 

[BeeGee]

Come on Cameroon!!

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

God, Brazil look so average sometimes. Defensively all over the place, and Fred is worthless again.

edit: Damn that's a nice finish from Neymar though.

 

[The Sean]

Yeah, Brazil continue to look largely unimpressive overall but, considering the stratospheric level of expectation on him, Neymar is doing a pretty fair job of matching the hype so far.

 

[Furball]

Yep. WORLD cup, not Europe and S America cup. Spread the joy, increase the audience.

I think it's interesting that when I make the same observation about the cricket World Cup I get shot down.

I'm not for excluding them altogether but sides like Sweden or Serbia would be much worthy of a place than ****e like Cameroon or Honduras.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think it's interesting that when I make the same observation about the cricket World Cup I get shot down.

I'm not for excluding them altogether but sides like Sweden or Serbia would be much worthy of a place than ****e like Cameroon or Honduras.

Yeah, but they'd also be more worthy of a place than, say, Greece based on performances in this tournament so far. Europe definitely always has the countries that seem most unlucky to miss out but I think that comes down to luck in qualifying groups and maybe performance in qualifiers more than an issue with too many places going to lesser confederations. I'm sure there's better teams in Africa than the Cameroon that showed up for the Croatia game that didn't make it too, like Egypt etc.

While I think you should include lesser countries in the cricket World Cup too, it's not really analogous because Canada and Namibia aren't making the World Cup at the expense of Zimbabwe, they're making it at the expense of having a smaller tournament. And also because the gap in quality is much bigger. Brazil are way better than Honduras but they aren't going to beat them 20-0 without breaking a sweat or anything which is the equivalent of what happens in cricket World Cups sometimes. These days the gap is honestly not that big, even compared to 10-15 years ago.

The competition will inevitably be expanded to 40 teams some day and when that happens I think at least half of the 8 extra spots will go to Europe and remove this as an issue anyway. Really hard to think of half a dozen European teams this Cup is missing.

 

[sledger]

Cameroon are absolute dog. It's like they were trying to concede for the goals. The headlines will read about Neymar the boy wonder, no doubt, but the bloody keeper jumpes out of the way for the second goal and the defence were just out for a stroll on the first.

Mexico and Croatia not much of a game so far either. Hope it livens up.

 

[BeeGee]

Yeah, but they'd also be more worthy of a place than, say, Greece based on performances in this tournament so far. Europe definitely always has the countries that seem most unlucky to miss out but I think that comes down to luck in qualifying groups and maybe performance in qualifiers more than an issue with too many places going to lesser confederations. I'm sure there's better teams in Africa than the Cameroon that showed up for the Croatia game that didn't make it too, like Egypt etc.

While I think you should include lesser countries in the cricket World Cup too, it's not really analogous because Canada and Namibia aren't making the World Cup at the expense of Zimbabwe, they're making it at the expense of having a smaller tournament. And also because the gap in quality is much bigger. Brazil are way better than Honduras but they aren't going to beat them 20-0 without breaking a sweat or anything which is the equivalent of what happens in cricket World Cups sometimes. These days the gap is honestly not that big, even compared to 10-15 years ago.

The competition will inevitably be expanded to 40 teams some day and when that happens I think at least half of the 8 extra spots will go to Europe and remove this as an issue anyway. Really hard to think of half a dozen European teams this Cup is missing.

Yeah, and the other difference I'd add is that soccer is a global game and cricket isn't. Cameroon will have their entire nation (and probably a lot of other African supporters) following them in this WC. Almost nobody in Canada would notice or care if Canada was in the Cricket WC.

 

[straw man]

Great goalkeeping there by that defender

 

[sledger]

That's it for Croatia then. Shame.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Well that was coming. Guess Croatia is done.

 

[The Sean]

What a player Rafael Marquez is.