Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

[Cabinet96]

If Vidal is fit I'm backing Spain and Chile to progress.

 

[sledger]

It might be that they have lots of good young players that I am just not aware of but it looks like the worst Dutch squad I can remember.

If Football Manager and sections of the press are to be believed a lot of their young players are pretty decent. Veltman, de Vrij, Martins Indi, Clasie, Blind, Vilhena, and Lens have all been given good write ups/ratings.

 

[Pothas]

We will wait and see I suppose, hope they are because we will get an excellent group in that case.

Would still be very surprised if Spain fail to top the group, defence is just so much better than the other two. Think they are very decently priced for the whole tournament, can see no justification at all why Germany are shorter odds.

 

[Nate]

Nah we got this.

 

[Burgey]

Apparently we were the first country to arrive in Brazil for the tourney. In keeping with union rules, first in, last out. Looks like we're heading for the final then.

Can only see us making it out of the group by jagging a win vs Chile, a draw against one of the others and hoping it's enough. Truly a horror group.

 

[the big bambino]

We're screwed royal. Can see some truly humiliating defeats in store for Oz.

 

[Burgey]

Kennedy and Rojic left out of the final squad. Says a lot about how well we are going that two players of such quality can be omitted.

 

[watson]

Kennedy and Rojic left out of the final squad. Says a lot about how well we are going that two players of such quality can be omitted.

Can't leave Kennedy out of the squad as he was one who scored the goal to get us into the World Cup finals in the first place.

Who else is there now that can score a goal when Cahill gets injured or sub'd? No one.

 

[Burgey]

Apparently his back was ****ed.

 

[NUFAN]

no goal scorer is favourite to score the most goals for Australia this World Cup.

 

[watson]

Apparently his back was ****ed.

Pretty much a metaphor for Australia's chances right there.

But perhaps the strategy is is to sneak into the next round by virtue of 3 points from 3 x Nil-all draws and a goal difference of 0.

Could work if Spain thrashes Holland and Chile by a huge margin, and Holland thrash Chile by not such a huge margin.

 

[NUFAN]

Pretty much a metaphor for Australia's chances right there.

But perhaps the strategy is is to sneak into the next round by virtue of 3 points from 3 x Nil-all draws and a goal difference of 0.

Could work if Spain thrashes Holland and Chile by a huge margin, and Holland thrash Chile by not such a huge margin.

Spain 7
Netherlands 4
Australia 3
Chile 1

Nice try.

 

[watson]

What about if Holland & Chile draw Nil-all?

Surely we're not expected to win something in order to advance to knockout phase?

 

[NUFAN]

Chile could draw with the Dutch and all the other scenarios you mention happen, for us to progress. Spain wouldn't even need to thrash the other teams for it to finish 7-3-2-2.

If either Australia or Chile win their opening match, they are going to put pressure on the last world cup finalists. It's why I think Uruguay are a big chance of progressing in there group, as I'm confident they'll beat Costa Rica which will put pressure on the loser of England and Italy (or both if they draw). I still can't believe Netherlands didn't get a seeding.

 

[Nate]

Squad seems light on full-backs, but good aside. Happy that Taggart made it.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I still can't believe Netherlands didn't get a seeding.

Losing to Denmark at the last major tournament will do that to you.

 

[duffer]

I love Alexis Sanchez. So awesome.

 

[Salamuddin]

Carn CHile. Please thump Australia.

 

[Nate]

No Vidal.

 

[watson]

Carn CHile. Please thump Australia.

I've lived in the Middle East for some years, and seen a large portion of it from Najran to Istanbul. The reason that much of it is a complete dump is that people put their ethnic, religious, and politcal ideologies before their fellow countrymen, and the country that they live in.