Brazil and Argentina rated as heavy favourites by the CaughtOffside team…
SEE ALSO: The 50 best players at the 2014 World Cup.
The CaughtOffside team has got together and used every inch of football knowledge we have to predict what’s going to happen at this summer’s World Cup…
How do you think we’ve done?!
Who’s going to win the World Cup?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Brazil. At a canter ‘n’ all. Filipe Luis, Miranda, Coutinho and Lucas Moura can’t make the squad? Wow. People don’t realise quite how brilliant their home crowd is going to be either yet either.
Adam Davies:
Spain. I’d rather they didn’t, because they won the last World Cup and last two European Championships, but any squad that can leave the likes of Isco and Fernando Llorente behind is pretty formidable.
Robert Summerscales:
Spain. They are the best team in the world and have triumphed at three consecutive major tournaments.
Jacob Daniels:
Argentina. Their attacking four is frightening.
Phil Haigh:
Brazil. Underrated at the back.
Mark Aspostolou:
Heart says England, head says Argentina.
Tom Seymour:
Argentina – South American teams will cope well with the conditions and I can see them spoiling Brazil’s party.
Which player will finish with the Golden Boot?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Fred. (Although Clint Dempsey at 1000-1, who takes penalties for USA, is an unbelievable each-way bet!)
Adam Davies:
Gonzalo Higuain. Argentina were handed a relatively kind draw for the group stage, and should come through as winners.
Robert Summerscales:
Lionel Messi is an obvious answer, but he has a great chance, considering Argentina play Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina in their group.
Jacob Daniels:
Hulk. Will capitalise on the space created by Neymar.
Phil Haigh:
Sergio Aguero: Proved to be a lethal finisher in the Premier League and has an easy-looking group.
Mark Aspostolou:
Karim Benzema.
Tom Seymour:
Gonzalo Higuain – Proven at international tournaments and actually has a better scoring record for Argentina than Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi.
Who’ll be the player of the tournament?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Neymar. He dazzled on home soil last summer in the Confederations Cup, and will love the expectation on his shoulders.
Adam Davies:
Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar may not have had the very best season of his career at club level, but ought to be at his peak in Brazil.
Robert Summerscales:
FIFA will almost certainly give the award to a player from the winning nation. As I’m tipping Spain for glory, I’m going to go for Xabi Alonso.
Jacob Daniels:
Lionel Messi. Finally his time to do it at the World Cup.
Phil Haigh:
Oscar: Not been in the best of form but will shine behind the Brazilian front three.
Mark Aspostolou:
Fancy Eden Hazard to shine.
Tom Seymour:
Neymar – This is set up to be his tournament and I think the 22-year-old can do it.
How far will England get ?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Quarters. Before getting spanked by Brazil, Chile or Spain.
Adam Davies:
The optimist in me says England will get to the quarter finals, after scraping through Group D, and beating either Greece, Colombia, Japan or the Ivory Coast in the last 16.
Robert Summerscales:
I hope I’m made to look silly, but I think England will do well to get four points in Group D. I doubt they’ll make the knockout rounds.
Jacob Daniels:
Quarter final. Kind second round draw after squeezing out of the group.
Phil Haigh:
Quarter-finals: Scraping through the group stages and last 16 but then hitting strong opposition.
Mark Apostolou:
If they can get out of the group then the sky is the limit and by sky I mean quarter-finals.
Tom Seymour:
Quarter-finals. I can see them topping a very close group ahead of Italy, beating the Ivory Coast in the last-16 and the being beaten by Spain.
Which nation will surprise us most this summer?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Russia. They’ll qualify in first ahead of Belgium.
Adam Davies:
Japan. One of the best technical sides in the competition, Japan will keep the ball excellently – even if they are somewhat suspect both at the back and in the striker position.
Robert Summerscales:
Japan’s team is very good technically and pretty fit too. I can see them sneaking out of Group C.
Jacob Daniels:
Switzerland. Defensive solidity with a little bit of flair.
Phil Haigh:
France: After recent failures, they will reach the latter stages this time around.
Mark Aspostolou:
Chile, the thinking man’s ‘Dark Horse’.
Tom Seymour:
All the talk has been about Belgium as dark horses, but I think Switzerland will do well. Especially with Ottmar Hitzfeld as manager.
What will annoy you most about the World Cup this summer!?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Cristiano Ronaldo’s self-indulgent celebrations when he scores.
Adam Davies:
Alan Shearer’s punditry. His simple narration of play fails to offer any insight whatsoever.
Robert Summerscales:
That I’m not there!
Jacob Daniels:
Watching Greece’s three inevitable 0-0 draws.
Phil Haigh:
The usual decent helping of turgid, low-quality games, made all the worse by the heat.
Mark Aspostolou:
Adrian Chiles forever sweaty appearance.
Tom Seymour:
A lack of goals. We saw this in 2010 and with nor surprises among the teams anymore expect goalless draws and 1-0 wins to become more common.
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