World Cup hipster thread

[Killyoursons]

Football hipsters of the PROC - don your Portugal 1984 replica jerseys, crack open a bottle of unpronouncable German beer, and drop some names for the Copa do Mundo. Who should the self-respecting hipster deign to follow this time around?

Obvious candidates for hipster love:
Chile - Bielsema, attacking verve, a rotten group but I'm not convinced by the Dutch
Colombia - missing Falcao but have Bacca and Martinez ready to step up

Slightly longer shots: Japan - have a good recent record, but their key men have had indifferent seasons
Costa Rica - if they had been drawn in an easier group they might have had a chance, but as it is I think they'll take points off of at least one of the big boys

 

[Cloudy O'Ranieri]

Football hipsters of the PROC - don your Portugal 1984 replica jerseys, crack open a bottle of unpronouncable German beer, and drop some names for the Copa do Mundo. Who should the self-respecting hipster deign to follow this time around?

Obvious candidates for hipster love:
Chile - Bielsema, attacking verve, a rotten group but I'm not convinced by the Dutch
Colombia - missing Falcao but have Bacca and Martinez ready to step up

Slightly longer shots: Japan - have a good recent record, but their key men have had indifferent seasons
Costa Rica - if they had been drawn in an easier group they might have had a chance, but as it is I think they'll take points off of at least one of the big boys

I'm backing Chile, Colombia and Japan all e/w myself.

Teofilo Gutierrez is Colombia's most tried and tested striker besides RF. I think it will be a matter of which players play alongside him in attack.

Shinji Okazaki has had a good season for Mainz and Japan have goals in them, only problem is that they'll probably let a few in too!

My love for European teams such as Switzerland, Croatia and Bosnia has been tempered slightly by the fact that they play vital games in the three "worst" venues in terms of climate - Cuiaba, Brasilia and Manaus.

 

[Roundyfield]

You both took all the cool teams. What about an African team, which one has the best shot at a semi-final?

 

[Killyoursons]

You both took all the cool teams. What about an African team, which one has the best shot at a semi-final?

On paper, Ghana and the Ivory Coast are the strongest African teams. IC have an easier group than before, but there have to be doubts about them concerning their failure to deliver in previous tournaments (in particular repeated failures in the ACN), and the fact that some of their key men look a little over the hill. My feeling is it will be Colombia and Japan from Group C.

Ghana have a nasty draw. If they were up against slightly flakier teams I'd give them a shout, but Portugal and Germany are both pretty steady and experienced outfits, and I don't think either will blow up.

Nigeria are the other African team who could havec an impact - in fact, they're the African side I'd be least surprised at making the last sixteen. They are not as talented as previous Niherian teams, but their group is managable and they seem to have gelled in the last year or two under Keshi.

Furthermore, if Nigeria get the runner-up spot they would have the winners of Group E (France or the Swiss), which wouldn't be mission impossible either. IC or Ghana, were they to get through, would likely have tougher opposition. So, short answer is Nigeria (although if they get to the QFs they would be on course to meet Germnay).

 

[Cloudy O'Ranieri]

On paper, Ghana and the Ivory Coast are the strongest African teams. IC have an easier group than before, but there have to be doubts about them concerning their failure to deliver in previous tournaments (in particular repeated failures in the ACN), and the fact that some of their key men look a little over the hill. My feeling is it will be Colombia and Japan from Group C.

Ghana have a nasty draw. If they were up against slightly flakier teams I'd give them a shout, but Portugal and Germany are both pretty steady and experienced outfits, and I don't think either will blow up.

Nigeria are the other African team who could havec an impact - in fact, they're the African side I'd be least surprised at making the last sixteen. They are not as talented as previous Niherian teams, but their group is managable and they seem to have gelled in the last year or two under Keshi.

Furthermore, if Nigeria get the runner-up spot they would have the winners of Group E (France or the Swiss), which wouldn't be mission impossible either. IC or Ghana, were they to get through, would likely have tougher opposition. So, short answer is Nigeria (although if they get to the QFs they would be on course to meet Germnay).

They must play the two latin American teams in severe heat, one of those games being at 1pm local time. It's a big leveller. I can see that group throwing out Ecuador or Honduras as a qualifier.

 

[Killyoursons]

I'm backing Chile, Colombia and Japan all e/w myself.

Teofilo Gutierrez is Colombia's most tried and tested striker besides RF. I think it will be a matter of which players play alongside him in attack.

Shinji Okazaki has had a good season for Mainz and Japan have goals in them, only problem is that they'll probably let a few in too!

My love for European teams such as Switzerland, Croatia and Bosnia has been tempered slightly by the fact that they play vital games in the three "worst" venues in terms of climate - Cuiaba, Brasilia and Manaus.

Speaking of strikers coming off good seasons in Germany, a shout out to Adrian Ramos as well. Colombia really have a nice pick up front. If they had some pace at the back they'd be dark horses - as it is, I think they'll be picked off by a more experienced outfit (maybe Italy in the last sixteen).

 

[Killyoursons]

They must play the two latin American teams in severe heat, one of those games being at 1pm local time. It's a big leveller. I can see that group throwing out Ecuador or Honduras as a qualifier.

I can definitely see Ecuador qualifying from that group, but not as winners. Which means they would presumably face ritual slaughter by Argentina. I'd be very surprised if Honduras got through.

 

[Cloudy O'Ranieri]

The hipster World Cup is well underway. Japan to come later. Do I get extra hipster points for correctly predicting Gutierrez to be the main striker?

 

[Roxetten]

I have Colombia in the buster at work so I am stuck with them whether I like it or not.

 

[Cloudy O'Ranieri]

That Kone is a decent player, a genuine goal threat from midfield. Had a good season in a poor team in Serie A (Bologna, I think).