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OT - World Cup. Who will be the "Dark Horse"?

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Check out the link. Their team looks stacked!

http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/06/04/which-country-could-be-the-dark-horse-at-the-world-cup/

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Columbia is a great shout! Mexico not bad either. Belgium just look class! That team...

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Columbia is a great shout! Mexico not bad either. Belgium just look class with that squad!

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Belgium can''t be dark horses because for about two years now everyone has been saying how fantastic their side is/is going to be. They will more likely be the side who fail most to meet expectations.

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I dont think Uruguay or Croatia will get outa there groups.

Without Falcao Colombia still have as striking options:

Bacca - Sevilla

Ramos - Dortmund

Martinez - Porto

Gotta nice group and James Rodriguez of Monaco in midfield is awesome.

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I think Belgium can, seeing as they failed to make previous World Cup or Euro''s. Completely new squad...

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Chile would be dark horses, but are unfortunate to have been drawn in a group containing both Spain and the Netherlands. I still wouldn''t be that surprised if they are able to make it out of the group though. Colombia and Japan are also, I think, not rated as highly as they should be. Japan in particular will hopefully be amazing to watch. The technical quality of their midfielders, their attacking full-backs and relatively poor centre-backs should make for very entertaining games. Bosnia and Hercegovina are also a very attacking team who might just be able to get out of the group stages but they''ll have to better Nigeria to do so. 
Group C looks the most competitive group by far and has such a contrast in footballing styles (Greece''s defensive strength, Colombia''s vertical football, Japans technical quality and the Ivory Coasts strength and pace) that I think every match will appeal to someone.
 

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[quote user="Phillip J Fry"]Chile would be dark horses, but are unfortunate to have been drawn in a group containing both Spain and the Netherlands. I still wouldn''t be that surprised if they are able to make it out of the group though. Colombia and Japan are also, I think, not rated as highly as they should be. Japan in particular will hopefully be amazing to watch. The technical quality of their midfielders, their attacking full-backs and relatively poor centre-backs should make for very entertaining games. Bosnia and Hercegovina are also a very attacking team who might just be able to get out of the group stages but they''ll have to better Nigeria to do so. 
Group C looks the most competitive group by far and has such a contrast in footballing styles (Greece''s defensive strength, Colombia''s vertical football, Japans technical quality and the Ivory Coasts strength and pace) that I think every match will appeal to someone.
 
[/quote]

I agree on Bosnia. I think they should get out the group if they handle conditions, as Nigeria aren''t up to much. Japan struggled with the conditions at last years Confed Cup and started to flag in the 2nd halves so don''t think they will progress out of the group stage.

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Nothing to do with conditions affecting the Japanese players, they play in just as hot and humid conditions in the Japanese summer (the season runs on a calendar year in Japan).

They flagged because the have problems in defence, the Japanese centre (2 CBs and 2 CMs) is probably the softest in the whole World Cup.

This is the best Japan squad on paper ever, but all their good players play in one position. They have to attack relentlessly for the entire 90 mins, which creates the fatigue problems.

But they can cope with the humidity no problem. I''ve been to watch games in southern Japan in August where the temps are in the 30s and humidity is in the high 90%.

Group C; Japan, Colombia, Greece and Ivory Coast is the tightest in the World Cup - any of those teams could top that group, but any of them could easily finish bottom.

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It is an interesting group and I wouldn''t be surprised if Japan don''t make it through, or indeed finish bottome of it.

The thought of Yaya Toure running at the Japanese defence is something all Japan fans like myself are scared of to say the least. However, victory against Belgium recently and a very impressive performance against Costa Rica the other day have provided some hope. Few teams outside of the top countries can boast such creativity in midfield, although Konno at the back is way, way below the standard of a team expecting to get out of a group needs in defence.

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Surprised France are going under the radar so far... They''ve fallen apart at the last couple of tournaments but they have a much better coach now and some very talented players who''ve learned from past experiences and matured a lot more, and same as England there are low public expectations this time. Would have walked their group had they not been in with Spain, and although the playoff defeat to Ukraine was poor, the second leg they looked much much stronger. Plus they have the easiest group of the lot and if they win it, most likely a very winnable second round game as well...

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The swiss for me, easyish group and flying wingbacks and wingers who have been class at club level this season. Solid keeper and cm and derdiyok isn''t the worst striker.

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[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]The swiss for me, easyish group and flying wingbacks and wingers who have been class at club level this season. Solid keeper and cm and derdiyok isn''t the worst striker.[/quote]

Derdiyok isn''t in the squad. Drmic should be starting up front for them.

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[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]The swiss for me, easyish group and flying wingbacks and wingers who have been class at club level this season. Solid keeper and cm and derdiyok isn''t the worst striker.[/quote]

 

My grandmother is Swiss and my dad supports them at all major tournaments.

Ottmar Hitzfeld is one of the most decorated managers in the game and has taken Switzerland to the top 8 in the world rankings.

the Naopoli trio of Inler, Dzmeaili and and Behrami are solid and will add vital club experience to steady the ship.

Xherdan Shaqiri is very much the man of the moment and a trbel winner with Bayern (liverpool currently chase him)

 

upfront they are weak, the days of Knup, Turkyilmaz and chapuisat are long gone now and much missed.

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quote user="I''d fly over 1p5wich tomorrow...

The swiss for me, easyish group and flying wingbacks and wingers who have been class at club level this season. Solid keeper and cm and derdiyok isn''t the worst striker.

Derdiyok isn''t in the squad. Drmic should be starting up front for them.

Hadn''t realised he wasn''t going, I was mainly drawn to them by their wide players. I''ve heard some great things about Drmic though, he banged them in in the Bundesliga last year and just got a big move to Leverkeusen. Is Derdiyok injured or just not picked?

I would bet some money on the Swiss getting to a quarter final. If they can pip the usually sluggish French to the top spot in their group, they likely get Bosnia in the next round.

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[quote user="jas the barclay king"]

[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]The swiss for me, easyish group and flying wingbacks and wingers who have been class at club level this season. Solid keeper and cm and derdiyok isn''t the worst striker.[/quote]

 

My grandmother is Swiss and my dad supports them at all major tournaments.

Ottmar Hitzfeld is one of the most decorated managers in the game and has taken Switzerland to the top 8 in the world rankings.

the Naopoli trio of Inler, Dzmeaili and and Behrami are solid and will add vital club experience to steady the ship.

Xherdan Shaqiri is very much the man of the moment and a trbel winner with Bayern (liverpool currently chase him)

 

upfront they are weak, the days of Knup, Turkyilmaz and chapuisat are long gone now and much missed.

[/quote]

Does Barnetta still get a game? Decent tekkers on him i seem to remember to compliment the more direct Shakiri

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From what I have read, many believe that Belgium and Uruguay will do well, so not really a "Dark Horse"......for me, Chile or the USA to spring a shock or two!

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user="Phillip J Fry"]Chile would be dark horses, but are unfortunate to have been drawn in a group containing both Spain and the Netherlands. I still wouldn''t be that surprised if they are able to make it out of the group though. Colombia and Japan are also, I think, not rated as highly as they should be. Japan in particular will hopefully be amazing to watch. The technical quality of their midfielders, their attacking full-backs and relatively poor centre-backs should make for very entertaining games. Bosnia and Hercegovina are also a very attacking team who might just be able to get out of the group stages but they''ll have to better Nigeria to do so. Group C looks the most competitive group by far and has such a contrast in footballing styles (Greece''s defensive strength, Colombia''s vertical football, Japans technical quality and the Ivory Coasts strength and pace) that I think every match will appeal to someone."

I agree on Bosnia. I think they should get out the group if they handle conditions, as Nigeria aren''t up to much. Japan struggled with the conditions at last years Confed Cup and started to flag in the 2nd halves so don''t think they will progress out of the group stage.[/quote

Pretty much exactly how it panned out. Struggled 2nd half and couldn''t cope.

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LOL at Belgium been ''Dark Horses''

Pre-Tournament they were 5th-6th Favourites to win it and have been all the rage for 12-18 months!

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[quote user="Jimmy Smith"][quote user="jas the barclay king"]

[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]The swiss for me, easyish group and flying wingbacks and wingers who have been class at club level this season. Solid keeper and cm and derdiyok isn''t the worst striker.[/quote]

 

My grandmother is Swiss and my dad supports them at all major tournaments.

Ottmar Hitzfeld is one of the most decorated managers in the game and has taken Switzerland to the top 8 in the world rankings.

the Naopoli trio of Inler, Dzmeaili and and Behrami are solid and will add vital club experience to steady the ship.

Xherdan Shaqiri is very much the man of the moment and a trbel winner with Bayern (liverpool currently chase him)

 

upfront they are weak, the days of Knup, Turkyilmaz and chapuisat are long gone now and much missed.

[/quote] Does Barnetta still get a game? Decent tekkers on him i seem to remember to compliment the more direct Shakiri[/quote]

 

on occasion.. scored at Wembley not too long ago...

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they did.. potential quarter final against Portgual/Germany if they avoid Argentina in round 2. Portugal are fallable.

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