Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

[Pothas]

Croatia been really disappointing here.

 

[The Sean]

2-0 Mexico. That's just about that, you'd think.

Disappointing from Croatia - a lot of quality in the squad, would have expected better.

 

[sledger]

Croatia been really disappointing here.

Yeah, they've not got it together at all. Not been able to make things happen at all.

 

[Pothas]

Rakitic been wasted, played far too deep.

Mexico been good though, really impressive considering how awful they were supposed to have been in qualification.

 

[The Sean]

Goal difference really tasty now.

And as I say that, Brazil score again.

 

[sledger]

Rakitic been wasted, played far too deep.

Haha, they obviously heard you. Great assist there.

 

[sledger]

Niko Kovac is just so cool. Like a Bond Villain or something.

 

[Cabinet96]

Bad news, Brazil are now going to be forced to pick Fernandinho (presumably) which means they're going to become a much better side all of a sudden.

 

[Burgey]

Jeez, is it Mexico-Netherlands next round? Tasty prospect if so

 

[The Sean]

Rakitic been wasted, played far too deep.

Haha, they obviously heard you. Great assist there.

He's a fantastic player - it's criminal that he's on his way to Barca for only 20 million Euros.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah and Brazil v Chile. Two very interesting ones.

 

[The Sean]

Jeez, is it Mexico-Netherlands next round? Tasty prospect if so

Brazil v Chile equally so.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think that takes us back to 3 goals a game for the tournament? 108 in 36 games.

 

[The Sean]

And those two games bring us back up to an even 3 goals/match tournament average. Incredible.

 

[The Sean]

I'm on a blinding roll of utterly redundant posts by being 30 seconds slower than everyone else.

I blame alcohol.

 

[sledger]

Desperate for Chile to boot them out. Can't stand Big Phil.

 

[sledger]

 

[Pothas]

Desperate for Chile to boot them out. Can't stand Big Phil.

Got mixed feelings about this.

I want Chile to win for sure but I do think the whole tournament needs the hosts cliche holds true for this one. It has been great to watch and would still be without Brazil but something would be missing without them going into a semi-final with the massive pressure that will be coming their way.

 

[Cabinet96]

Haha, love these. Robert Lewandowski almost joining Big Sam at Blackburn in 2010 a personal favourite of mine.

 

[silentstriker]

I agree in principle, but there's no denying that on the whole the teams from Africa for the last few tournaments (with the exception of Ghana perhaps) have been really poor. As I said earlier, it's not like they're short on quality or anything, but the teams always seem to be disjointed, striking over pay or some other scandal, or show up at the tournament looking like they don't give a crap. Cameroon last night were a prime example of this, and it was the exact same story with them 4 years ago. Same with Nigeria, they played like dogs against Iran the other night, and they were a non-runner 4 years ago too. Ivory coast look a bit better this time, but they were also garbage 4 years ago.

Yea but would the lesser sides from Europe really result in a better tournament? Maybe they're a little better but you aren't really excluding anyone who is going to win the tourney. All you're doing is denying whole regions a compelling reason to be involved in the sport and getting rid of the global flavor which makes this tournament as good as the Olympics.