Decided to do as Ive always done and make a new thread for 2 summer months that complete my "year." Unfortunately this has been my worst year ever, only up +104.9* to the second. last year at this time i was +635... just been tough sledding for me... anyhow the following is copied from other thread.
World Cup:
Couple predictions, Haiti has the longest odds out of all 32 teams.... My prediction is they surprise. They may not win a game but i think they give it a go. I dont feel they are the worst team in the cup. Same with Nigeria. Nigerians coach is Pitts womens soccer coach, very familiar with him. He actually follows me on twitter (fun fact lol). But hes a quality coach, they dont have the talent of other teams but think he gets the most out of them.
Going to post my thoughts on each group:
Group A - Norway will win the group but this team has been disappointing with that culminating in a humiliatingly defeat to england last year. Norway is one of the original soccer powers with the USA. They had Ada Hedberg still but the rest of the team hasnt done much especially defending. That defeat to england was a masterclass in what not to do tactically. Defending was dreadful. This is what i said during that match last year on last years summer thread "What in the actual fuck in true Norwegian coach doing. England is going down the right flank over and over abs over again and norway is getting sliced up..the left back is getting caught out and the center backs are not staying connected with the left back leaving too much space in behind the back… like this is basic stuff. The replay on the 6th goal is EXACTLY what I wrote above. Look how disconnected the center backs are from left back.. there’s like 15 yards between center backs and left back.. like .. like i dont Get how this can’t happen at this level. Ian Darke now saying what I said 25 minutes ago about right flank..here’s what needs to be done or what I’d do if i were Norway coach.. I’d stop having my outside back go out by touchline to defend. I’d stay more Central and put the onus on the outside mid to track back and defend out wide in defensive 3rd im so utterly disgusted that a team of norways level has a display like this.. i just Don’t get it , if norway were taught to defend this way the coach should be fired at half. If the players aren’t listening they should be benched. How much worse can the subs be…Emma Hays (Chelsea coach) at half must have been reading my comments She’s saying exactly what I said. Maybe i need To apply for a job over there"
For this alone I really wanted to bet someone else to win the group but somehow think norway still wins the group
Group B- This is a pretty straight forward group Aussies and canada will advance but as I said I think Nigeria is more competitive than the experts believe
Group C- Same as group B, spain and Japan will advance
Group D- England is runaway winner of the group. China is always good defensively but struggle scoring. Haiti will compete... Danes should take second but if looking for value this could be a group to play around with
Group E- Another group that's pretty straightforward, usa & dutch will advance but portgual will be competitive, one of the up and coming women soccer countries.
Group F- Theres zero chance for jamaica and panama to advance. In fact theres a better chance of van halen showing up to the game and signing panama.
Group G- Sweden for sure advances, italy was a surprise at last world cup but have tailed off since, the problem is I dont think Argentina and south africa can compete.
Group H- Germany has a cakewalk to the knockout round. Columbia and korea are a coin flip for 2nd. columbia is pretty compact defensively and narrowly lost in Copa America final.
To win the cup. Going for value here and believe these teams can win. I don't want to put futures on USA and England as I feel more can be made game by game with them. Spain, if Putellas is healthy and ready to go they have a real shot. Remember this team could have beat the Americans in 2019 if not for 2 PK goals. Spain was hard done in that match and they played the Americans the best and at times were the better team. Only thing that worries me is the behind the scenes drama within the Spain team. Germany, could of, maybe should have won euros. France at +1000 is great odds but just like ive said about Belgium men, this team has been hyped for years.... but what have they won? With that said at +1000 I have to dabble.. Going to take a flier on the aussies as well, home crowd, a budding team with some real talent... plus they have Sam Kerr,, also, canada is being disrespected here. they are always a quality side and just won the Olympics
France 3* to win 30*
Spain 3* to win 18*
Germany 3* to win 21*
Aussies 1* to win 12*
Canada 1* to win 29*
Team finishes:
Aussies quarterfinals 3* to win 6*
Canada round of 16 15* to win 10*
Columbia round of 16 8* to win 5*
Norway Quarterfinals 3* to win 6* I know I bashed them above but japan would be a good matchup since they dont have a killer attack
First game picks in next post but last thing for this post. The Americans got a great draw for knockout round if they win their group as they should. Unlike in 2019 when they drew spain, france, england prior to finals.... They are looking at the following, Italy, Norway/Japan (If Norway defending is anywhere near euros id expect them to get thrashed by americans) and possible sweden/spain in semis. They avoid Germany, England, France hosts Australia, and to a lesser extent canada, brazil. That other side of the bracket will be brutal if it plays out as I think.
World Cup:
Couple predictions, Haiti has the longest odds out of all 32 teams.... My prediction is they surprise. They may not win a game but i think they give it a go. I dont feel they are the worst team in the cup. Same with Nigeria. Nigerians coach is Pitts womens soccer coach, very familiar with him. He actually follows me on twitter (fun fact lol). But hes a quality coach, they dont have the talent of other teams but think he gets the most out of them.
Going to post my thoughts on each group:
Group A - Norway will win the group but this team has been disappointing with that culminating in a humiliatingly defeat to england last year. Norway is one of the original soccer powers with the USA. They had Ada Hedberg still but the rest of the team hasnt done much especially defending. That defeat to england was a masterclass in what not to do tactically. Defending was dreadful. This is what i said during that match last year on last years summer thread "What in the actual fuck in true Norwegian coach doing. England is going down the right flank over and over abs over again and norway is getting sliced up..the left back is getting caught out and the center backs are not staying connected with the left back leaving too much space in behind the back… like this is basic stuff. The replay on the 6th goal is EXACTLY what I wrote above. Look how disconnected the center backs are from left back.. there’s like 15 yards between center backs and left back.. like .. like i dont Get how this can’t happen at this level. Ian Darke now saying what I said 25 minutes ago about right flank..here’s what needs to be done or what I’d do if i were Norway coach.. I’d stop having my outside back go out by touchline to defend. I’d stay more Central and put the onus on the outside mid to track back and defend out wide in defensive 3rd im so utterly disgusted that a team of norways level has a display like this.. i just Don’t get it , if norway were taught to defend this way the coach should be fired at half. If the players aren’t listening they should be benched. How much worse can the subs be…Emma Hays (Chelsea coach) at half must have been reading my comments She’s saying exactly what I said. Maybe i need To apply for a job over there"
For this alone I really wanted to bet someone else to win the group but somehow think norway still wins the group
Group B- This is a pretty straight forward group Aussies and canada will advance but as I said I think Nigeria is more competitive than the experts believe
Group C- Same as group B, spain and Japan will advance
Group D- England is runaway winner of the group. China is always good defensively but struggle scoring. Haiti will compete... Danes should take second but if looking for value this could be a group to play around with
Group E- Another group that's pretty straightforward, usa & dutch will advance but portgual will be competitive, one of the up and coming women soccer countries.
Group F- Theres zero chance for jamaica and panama to advance. In fact theres a better chance of van halen showing up to the game and signing panama.
Group G- Sweden for sure advances, italy was a surprise at last world cup but have tailed off since, the problem is I dont think Argentina and south africa can compete.
Group H- Germany has a cakewalk to the knockout round. Columbia and korea are a coin flip for 2nd. columbia is pretty compact defensively and narrowly lost in Copa America final.
To win the cup. Going for value here and believe these teams can win. I don't want to put futures on USA and England as I feel more can be made game by game with them. Spain, if Putellas is healthy and ready to go they have a real shot. Remember this team could have beat the Americans in 2019 if not for 2 PK goals. Spain was hard done in that match and they played the Americans the best and at times were the better team. Only thing that worries me is the behind the scenes drama within the Spain team. Germany, could of, maybe should have won euros. France at +1000 is great odds but just like ive said about Belgium men, this team has been hyped for years.... but what have they won? With that said at +1000 I have to dabble.. Going to take a flier on the aussies as well, home crowd, a budding team with some real talent... plus they have Sam Kerr,, also, canada is being disrespected here. they are always a quality side and just won the Olympics
France 3* to win 30*
Spain 3* to win 18*
Germany 3* to win 21*
Aussies 1* to win 12*
Canada 1* to win 29*
Team finishes:
Aussies quarterfinals 3* to win 6*
Canada round of 16 15* to win 10*
Columbia round of 16 8* to win 5*
Norway Quarterfinals 3* to win 6* I know I bashed them above but japan would be a good matchup since they dont have a killer attack
First game picks in next post but last thing for this post. The Americans got a great draw for knockout round if they win their group as they should. Unlike in 2019 when they drew spain, france, england prior to finals.... They are looking at the following, Italy, Norway/Japan (If Norway defending is anywhere near euros id expect them to get thrashed by americans) and possible sweden/spain in semis. They avoid Germany, England, France hosts Australia, and to a lesser extent canada, brazil. That other side of the bracket will be brutal if it plays out as I think.
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