World Cup Group B

Bar the Bull

Bar the Bull

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
9,534
Location
Llandubno, West Wales (very west)
Spain 8/11
Netherlands 3/1
Chile 4/1
Australia 100/1

This group is the cool kids' group. The best team in modern international football, Spain, have not been given an easy draw. Chile are a very attacking team, with good forwards, Artur Vidal and a dodgy defence. They looked good against England last year, and the bits and pieces I have seen of them in recent times have all been similar. They create and miss lots of chances, and seem particularly dodgy on set pieces. Spain are Spain; it is possible to imagine them losing a match, but no matter who the opposition, you would have to fancy them to get out of any group over three games. Given that Australia are in transition, this leaves Holland probably scrapping Chile for the final place. We all know their forwards (RVP, Sneijder and Robben) but a lot of the others play for Ajax, PSV, etc. Are they any good? Weirdly, I know less of their players than Chile's!

I guess I will be backing overs in all Chile's games.

Tempted not to have a bet in this group, can anybody sway me?
 
I like Chile to progress from the group (19/20) but 4/1 to win the group is fair enough. If you think they will go through and score a few, Alexis Sanchez at 66/1 for top goalscorer is a decent price.
 
It's quite possible that they'll play Croatia in the last 16 but you already commented on the 'Dutchness' of the Netherlands defence. It'll be too late when he gets a hat-trick against Australia. :whistle:
 
tiggers1972 said:
I've got a sneaky feeling Spain will fail to get out of the group, father time and fatigue combined.
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That's the way I've gone in the several different competitions that I've entered. Easy enough to imagine Spain, Chile and Netherlands drawing between them and the group depending on goals scored against Australia.
 
The end of the season Hamm.
Barcelona v Atletico La Liga decider, following week Champions League final, that's the majoriy of their squad.
Just a hunch
 
Didn't their league finish later than others in Europe, Hamm? Also, Champions League involvement. The fatigue could be as much mental as physical.
 
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I think Holland are very average. And they, especially with someone like Vlaar in defence, are just the type of team Chile will love playing against.

Robben is obviously a huge danger to any team, but I think Sneijder is gone (and was kicking up a fuss before the tournament) and RVP starting to regress slightly (had an average season).

I still think Spain are excellent, and think Chile will qualify with them - for this to happen, Chile are possibly going to have to beat Holland (which I would nearly have them favourites for) - hence, I think the best bet in this group is 21/10 Chile to beat Holland.

In fact, the best bet might be the 10/3 Spain 1st - Chile 2nd straight forecast.

I think the World Cup is usually for me about taking a view on 'big' teams to oppose - the Dutch, and because of the hype Belgium, are 2 for me this time around.
 
tiggers1972 said:
The end of the season Hamm.
Barcelona v Atletico La Liga decider, following week Champions League final, that's the majoriy of their squad.
Just a hunch
Click to expand...


archie said:
Didn't their league finish later than others in Europe, Hamm? Also, Champions League involvement. The fatigue could be as much mental as physical.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you are right, I don't think an extra game will have a huge effect over the course of a season. Costa could be a different issue though.
 
Some points are similar to what I think but the stats he uses are meaningless - same problem as what i was saying yesterday about data - football, in the way they try to do it, is not open to American style number crunching.
 
I think Spain could have a field say against the Dutch. Minus 1 at 13/5 is worth a decent interest, and I think 5/6 in match odds better than it should be. I will wait till I see the lineups before I decide how heavily to go in. It's a shame football isn't like racing with 24/48 hour decs... :D
 
Incredible game.

I thought Spain would win easily after 40 mins, if Silva scored that chance...

Robben was savage.

Pique, Ramos and Casillas were like 3 drunk clowns and at least 2 of them shouldn't play the next game.

Will be hard to see Spain come back from that.

Goal difference makes a bad night worse..
 
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