Round of 16 Predictions

[Jangle]

Moderators please do me the honours and pin.



Here is my list of winners:

South Korea
USA
Germany
Mexico
Netherlands
Brazil
Japan
Spain



Based on my predictions, it will be a Spain vs Brazil finals.

[wbvs]

Moderators please do me the honours and pin.



Here is my list of winners:

South Korea
USA
Germany
Mexico
Netherlands
Brazil
Japan
Spain



Based on my predictions, it will be a Spain vs Brazil finals.

well mi kno u ai 100% suh dat gi mi black stars hopes

[Jangle]

I am an analyst....(yeah right) not an emotionalist.

[Lazie]

Moderators please do me the honours and pin.



Here is my list of winners:

South Korea
USA
Germany
Mexico
Netherlands
Brazil
Japan
Spain



Based on my predictions, it will be a Spain vs Brazil finals.

uruguay
USA
England
Argentina
Netherlands
Brazil
Paraguay
Spain

[Sir X]

To Jangle list

Ghana, Argentinia, the list looks right barring those two.

[Bruce]

My Prediction

LEFT BRACKET:
Uruguay over South Korea
USA over Ghana
Holland over Slovakia
Brazil vs. Chile

QUARTERFINALS:
USA over Uruguay
Holland over Brazil

SEMIS:
USA over Holland


RIGHT BRACKET:
Argentina over Mexico
Germany over England
Japan over Paraguay
Spain over Portugal

QUARTERFINAL:
Germany over Argentina
Spain over Japan

SEMIS:
Germany over Spain

CHAMPIONSHIP:
USA over Spain

[Lazie]

LEFT BRACKET:
Uruguay over South Korea
USA over Ghana
Holland over Slovakia
Brazil vs. Chile

QUARTERFINALS:
USA over Uruguay
Holland over Brazil

SEMIS:
USA over Holland


RIGHT BRACKET:
Argentina over Mexico
Germany over England
Japan over Paraguay
Spain over Portugal

QUARTERFINAL:
Germany over Argentina
Spain over Japan

SEMIS:
Germany over Spain

CHAMPIONSHIP:
USA over Spain

... but bruce, if Germany beat Spain in the semis, how the US gonna beat Spain in the final?

[Peter R]

yuh smoke too Bruce? lol

[Exile]

Nevva know YOU smoke? Just seeing the "too".

[Karl]

Good selections, Bruce!
...but if the upsets continue you may have to make changes as we go along.

...and Lazie & Peter: Thanks for pointing out the Spain mix-up I missed it.

[Karl]

Round of 16 Predictions

Hey - Uruguay is through!

USA v Ghana --- Ghana!
Ghana plays some of the very best TEAM passing game seen in this World Cup.

The players are strong and fast.
They just cannot continue to miss so many chances. To come good in this match.

Germany v England ---- Germany!
Of the two the Germans are stronger. ...better TEAM game. England seems to have stage fright. Even Joe Cole when he came on appeared 'busted' immediately. That being 'busted' without even starting to take part is a sign of fear!

Some persons can walk on the big stage and are inspired. Some freeze and wet their pants!

Argentina v Mexico - Mexico!

Mexico is the first opponent Argentina meets that can match them across the field, player for player at technical brilliance. The Mexicans do not give up! Should run the Argentinians into the ground and expose the Argentinians vulnerabilities on the right at the back.

Netherlands v Slovakia --- Netherlands!
...the Dutch are a far better team. Could be a rout.

Brazil v Chile --- Brazil!
Two attacking teams. Brazil has the better defense. ...and better attacking options. Brazil to score more than 1 goal.

Paraguay v Japan ---- Japan!
Paraguay is a hardworking team...but so are the Japanese. Besides the Japanese are more TEAM orientated and has that extra touch of creative brilliance up front.

Spain v Portugal ---- Spain!
Far superior all-round TEAM. ...for Portugal to win the individual brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo has to take then through against a Spanish team that man of man is superior.

[Jangle]

so I'm 0 - 2 in this round. I am happy for Ghana still as I was very conflicted with my choice.

[Karl]

Observer EDITORIAL: Crunch time in World Cup 2010

Crunch time in World Cup 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010




It's down to the nitty gritty. After two weeks of sometimes joyful, sometimes boring football and plenty of excitement off the field, the FIFA World Cup has arrived at the knock-out stage, the Round of 16.

Half the 32 teams, including defending champions Italy and the beaten finalists in 2006 France, have gone home. Never before have both champion and beaten finalist from the previous World Cup been eliminated at the Group stage.

Coaches and players of the survivors are acutely aware that the cautious tactic of wait and see and safety first remains relevant -- but only to a limited extent. For now there has to be a winner. No more tolerance for the draw -- be it tame or drama-packed. If after 90 minutes there's no winner, there will be half-an-hour of extra time. And if there is still no winner, the dreaded penalty shootout follows.

Already the sharp edge from the shocks and drama of recent days is fading, but some high and low points will linger long in the memory.

Italy drawn alongside Paraguay, Slovakia and little-thought-of-New Zealand could hardly have asked for better. But out they went, winless, and last-placed in their Group. Perennially touted for their sturdy defence, the Italians shockingly gave up three goals in their loss to Slovakia. They often seemed a pace or two behind their opponents -- perhaps vindication of the pre-tournament criticism that coach Mr Marcello Lippi had relied too heavily on the old guard. The heroes of 2006 were four years older and far less hungry.

But perhaps even more disappointing was the shambolic performance of the French, not just on, but off the field. Reports of coach Mr Raymond Domenech being verbally abused, the accused player Mr Nicolas Anelka being sent home, and players refusing to train as a result, will no doubt have lasting consequences for French football.

Pre-tournament hopes that an African team would go all the way on home soil have all but disappeared. Ghana, up against the United States this afternoon, remains Africa's only hope.

For the CONCACAF (Caribbean, Central and North America) and Asia, the news is much better -- both with two representatives in the Round of 16: USA and Mexico in the case of CONCACAF and Japan and South Korea for Asia.

The most satisfied confederation so far must be South America. All five of their representatives -- Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay -- have come through with some style. None more so than the Argentines, whose talismanic Mr Lionel Messi has -- despite his lack of goals -- lit up the tournament with his deft skills.

The most attractive pairing in the Round of 16 is perhaps Tuesday's Iberian clash of silky smooth Spain and her highly skilled, small neighbour and sister, Portugal.

But contests such as Germany versus England and Argentina against Mexico set for tomorrow as well as Brazil versus Chile on Monday can't help but whet the appetite.

We can hardly wait.


http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/edito...p-2010_7747333

[Peter R]

mi! not at all... the other "smoker" is HL..LOL