The Confederations Cup Thread/ City Player Watch.

[supercrystal7]

With the luck of the draw - probably. Otherwise, no they won't. Spain, Germany and Argentina all are better in my opinion and in a WC game will beat Brazil. Italy have a bigger chance of reaching the semi's than Brazil in my opinion.

I don't see why Argentina are being so hyped. The favourites for me will be Germany and Brazil. Germany will probably be the best in the world at the time, but Brazil have home advantage. Spain are reliant on Xavi as are Barcelona. If his form does not pick up then Spain won't win. Brazil, Italy and Germany are likely to all be a lot better this time next year.

Spain also have the problem with their first choice players the Barcelona lot and Silva not playing the same style of football as the more direct guys like Mata, Martinez, Navas

Argentina have the players available to reach a Final in my opinion and Messi will be as motivated as ever. I agree with what you said about Germany though the only problem I see for them is the heat and humidity in Brazil. If they manage to get used to it quickly then I can't see anyone stopping them.

Messi will be motivated, but he has been motivated at every international tournament and come up short so far. Setting up to suit one players strengths is not always in the best interest for the team no matter how good the player. Weather could be a factor, but Germany, Spain and Italy have very good subs. Depending on the draws they could probably win a lot of matches with their second teams. Argentina cannot.

Spain next year I believe will have some new faces in the squad, or at least they need to. Isco and Thiago have what it takes to get into that team in my opinion and they are needed. Their speed and dribbles will help Spain quite a lot. We'll see though, 1 year especially in football is a lot of time.

Isco and Thiago are not in the class of Iniesta and Xavi for me. They may have new faces, but they are not as good as the old ones. Further more I don't think Del Bosque will change things too much for the world cup. It will likely be a case similar to Italy in 2010 where the manager sticks to the team that has got him so much success even if they are on the decline, though no where as bad as the Italian team. I expect Spain to make the quarters or semis at least.

 

[Syth]

I don't see why Argentina are being so hyped. The favourites for me will be Germany and Brazil. Germany will probably be the best in the world at the time, but Brazil have home advantage. Spain are reliant on Xavi as are Barcelona. If his form does not pick up then Spain won't win. Brazil, Italy and Germany are likely to all be a lot better this time next year.

Spain also have the problem with their first choice players the Barcelona lot and Silva not playing the same style of football as the more direct guys like Mata, Martinez, Navas

Argentina have the players available to reach a Final in my opinion and Messi will be as motivated as ever. I agree with what you said about Germany though the only problem I see for them is the heat and humidity in Brazil. If they manage to get used to it quickly then I can't see anyone stopping them.

Messi will be motivated, but he has been motivated at every international tournament and come up short so far. Setting up to suit one players strengths is not always in the best interest for the team no matter how good the player. Weather could be a factor, but Germany, Spain and Italy have very good subs. Depending on the draws they could probably win a lot of matches with their second teams. Argentina cannot.

Spain next year I believe will have some new faces in the squad, or at least they need to. Isco and Thiago have what it takes to get into that team in my opinion and they are needed. Their speed and dribbles will help Spain quite a lot. We'll see though, 1 year especially in football is a lot of time.

Isco and Thiago are not in the class of Iniesta and Xavi for me. They may have new faces, but they are not as good as the old ones. Further more I don't think Del Bosque will change things too much for the world cup. It will likely be a case similar to Italy in 2010 where the manager sticks to the team that has got him so much success even if they are on the decline, though no where as bad as the Italian team. I expect Spain to make the quarters or semis at least.

Well after so much disappointment for Messi in previous World Cups don't you believe he will be even more motivated now? I'm not saying they will play only to suit him, they have Kun, Higuain, Di Maria etc. They are really weak in defence though so that may cost them. I completely agree with what you said about Germany,Spain and Italy being able to win games even with their subs whereas Argentina could not. Again something that may cost Argentina next year, but you never know.

As for Isco/Thiago, I don't think they are on Xavi's or Iniesta's level yet and it will take them some time to get there but they are more than capable of playing a part in the Spain squad next year. Xavi in my opinion is past it and I'm not sure how much he will contribute next year. The problem is VDB will continue to use him no matter his form..

 

[justsomeone]

I think the team with the best chance to beat Brazil next year is Belgium.

Germany is really overrated. Bayern relied heavily on Robben and Ribery who don't play for Germany. They are a well-oiled machine but they lack creativity.

 

[Manc in London]

Three of the better players in the tournament play for Brazilian clubs whose season runs from May to October. While world class european based footballers had just completed a season and looked like they needed a rest. Not a surprise some Brazilians looked better than they are.

It would not surprise me if Brazil got to the semi finals in the next WC if they have a number of players playing in the Brazilian league.

 

[MCFC4EVR]

The only real weakness I see in the Germany team is left back spot where they currently have Boateng. I don't know why Del Bosque didn't just move Ramos to RB and play Javi Martinez at CB would've fared better against Neymar than Arbeleoa did that's for sure.

 

[Mdr]

I've massive respect for Germany. They're a strong, hard working team and probably made up of the least amount of cheats, compared to likes of Spain, Brazil etc.
They for me will be favourites and rightly so. Not only do they have an excellent team but the majority of which play in Germany, alongside German players, same way Spain's league is mainly dominated by Spainish players. That for me is England's problem. England is a league dominated by foreign players. Players that are creative and skillful, and at times make the English players seem better than they are. English players are not playing with other English players on a constant basis at their club.
For me Germany are rightly favourites and it will take an extremely organised, hard working team to beat them. Spain by ability alone should have beaten Brazil yesterday but they just didn't work hard enough. At this level skill alone isn't enough.

 

[supercrystal7]

Argentina have the players available to reach a Final in my opinion and Messi will be as motivated as ever. I agree with what you said about Germany though the only problem I see for them is the heat and humidity in Brazil. If they manage to get used to it quickly then I can't see anyone stopping them.

Messi will be motivated, but he has been motivated at every international tournament and come up short so far. Setting up to suit one players strengths is not always in the best interest for the team no matter how good the player. Weather could be a factor, but Germany, Spain and Italy have very good subs. Depending on the draws they could probably win a lot of matches with their second teams. Argentina cannot.

Spain next year I believe will have some new faces in the squad, or at least they need to. Isco and Thiago have what it takes to get into that team in my opinion and they are needed. Their speed and dribbles will help Spain quite a lot. We'll see though, 1 year especially in football is a lot of time.

Isco and Thiago are not in the class of Iniesta and Xavi for me. They may have new faces, but they are not as good as the old ones. Further more I don't think Del Bosque will change things too much for the world cup. It will likely be a case similar to Italy in 2010 where the manager sticks to the team that has got him so much success even if they are on the decline, though no where as bad as the Italian team. I expect Spain to make the quarters or semis at least.

Well after so much disappointment for Messi in previous World Cups don't you believe he will be even more motivated now? I'm not saying they will play only to suit him, they have Kun, Higuain, Di Maria etc. They are really weak in defence though so that may cost them. I completely agree with what you said about Germany,Spain and Italy being able to win games even with their subs whereas Argentina could not. Again something that may cost Argentina next year, but you never know.

As for Isco/Thiago, I don't think they are on Xavi's or Iniesta's level yet and it will take them some time to get there but they are more than capable of playing a part in the Spain squad next year. Xavi in my opinion is past it and I'm not sure how much he will contribute next year. The problem is VDB will continue to use him no matter his form..

Yes Messi will be motivated, because this is the world cup where he can cement his place as truly on the level of Madarana and Pele.

I hesitate to right of Xavi, he has been declining, but he may get back some form. I have been writing off Giggs for 12 years. Anyway I am really looking forward to this world cup. We better make it, because apart from a world cup in England nothing is bigger than a world cup in Brazil.<br /><br />-- Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:54 pm --<br /><br />

The only real weakness I see in the Germany team is left back spot where they currently have Boateng. I don't know why Del Bosque didn't just move Ramos to RB and play Javi Martinez at CB would've fared better against Neymar than Arbeleoa did that's for sure.

They can play Schmelzer, who gives them more balance, but is not great either. Del Bosque as powerful as he is, still has trouble controlling the big egos. Ramos does not want to play right back and kicks up a fuss if he does.

That's why I don't blame Mourinho for Madrid's failure so much. He built a brilliant team, but was forced to bow to certain players.

 

[Syth]

I think the team with the best chance to beat Brazil next year is Belgium.

Germany is really overrated. Bayern relied heavily on Robben and Ribery who don't play for Germany. They are a well-oiled machine but they lack creativity.

Germany overrated? And Belgium to beat Brazil? Okay then..I agree that Belgium, at least on paper, have a squad bursting with talent and potential, but that's where it ends. They have no experience at tournaments and those players still don't play that well together. They are not on a level to beat the likes of Brazil yet.

 

[supercrystal7]

I think the team with the best chance to beat Brazil next year is Belgium.

Germany is really overrated. Bayern relied heavily on Robben and Ribery who don't play for Germany. They are a well-oiled machine but they lack creativity.

You do realise that Robben was not in Bayern's first team last season right? Kroos a German took his place.

You are just repeating a random stereotype, with no basis in reality. Just like the Brazilians are "good going forward, but weak defensively" when they have had the best defense in the world fairly often.

Germany have Kroos, Ozil and Gotze for creativity. This is pretty much as good as you are going to get. Muller is creative in his own way and then they have people, who create by their dribbling like Reus, Draxler and the German Hulk Schurrle.