Colombia and Thomas Muller heavily favoured by the team!
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With the quarter-finals of the World Cup upon us, the CaughtOffside team has got together and predicted how we think the greatest football show on earth will play out in the next ten days…
Feel free to agree, or (more likely) disagree as much as you please!
Which four sides will reach the semi-finals?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Germany, Colombia, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Adam Davies:
France, Brazil and Argentina and Netherlands.
Steve Green:
France, Colombia, Argentina and Netherlands
Mark Brus:
France, Brazil, Argentina and Netherlands
Andy Morris:
Germany, Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands.
Which quarter-final is going to be the most entertaining?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Brazil v Colombia. The home crowd made the match against Chile pulsating, and it’s going to be even more tense this time around, against arguably the best team in the competition so far.
Adam Davies:
Netherlands v Costa Rica.
The Dutch have been perhaps the most exciting team going forward in the tournament, scoring the most goals of any team, while Costa Rica have impressed with their pressing and stamina, and in lightning counterattacks. Every other tie has at least one team which has had a slightly cagey approach, and this clash of styles could prove a gripping watch.
Steve Green:
France vs Germany has all the makings of a classic, but I actually think it could be quite boring as they try and cautiously outdo each other. Brazil vs Colombia should be great, though. Colombia will sense that they can take the hosts as their respective form has been quite contrasting.
Mark Brus:
Brazil v Colombia for me. The South American sides have lit up this tournament and these two have been the best. With Neymar and James Rodriguez on show, we’re guaranteed goals and entertainment.
Andy Morris:
They should all be great spectacles. Brazil against Colombia looks particularly tasty though. The star-studded hosts will be under pressure from their expectant fans to attack constantly, which will play into the hands of the Colombians, who are deadly on the break. I fancy Brazil to edge a five-goal thriller in Fortaleza.
Which player will take the tournament by storm now it’s reached the last eight?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Thomas Muller. Big game player, with the ability to score goals when it matters most.
Adam Davies:
Lionel Messi. I know – thanks a lot Captain Obvious. Messi has carried Argentina thus far, helping an otherwise underwhelming team reach the quarter finals with a goal in all but one match. He can make the difference against the best defences in the world.
Steve Green:
I don’t think you can look any further than either Arjen Robben or James Rodriguez. They’ve both been incredible and don’t look like slowing down at all.
Mark Brus:
I expect Robin van Persie to really hit form now. He’s been one of the best strikers in the world in recent years and this could be his last chance at a major tournament.
Andy Morris:
Argentina have got a bloke called Lionel Messi and I reckon he will drag his nation to their first World Cup final since 1986. Some people are moaning that Messi has yet to hit top form. Although there is still room for improvement, he has been the player of the tournament so far in my eyes. His record so far reads: played four games, scored four goals and won four man-of-the-match awards.
Which big name star will fail to reach his lofty expectations?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Lionel Messi. He’s had a storming tournament so far – but teams will literally mark him out of the game. At times, Switzerland closed him so aggressively there was nothing he could do to even retain possession. Through no fault of his own, he won’t be allowed to take matches by the scruff of the neck – although I’d love him to reach his jaw-dropping best before the tournament’s close.
Adam Davies:
Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid striker has had a great tournament so far, but the best team France have yet faced has been Switzerland. His country’s next opponents will not be so forgiving.
Steve Green:
I don’t think you can look any further than either Arjen Robben or James Rodriguez. They’ve both been incredible and don’t look like slowing down at all.
Mark Brus:
I hope I’m wrong because I’m a big fan of his, but Lionel Messi has had to carry this Argentina side so far, and might become increasingly isolated as they take on better teams. Belgium are good enough to keep him quiet, as would the other big teams still in the tournament, who are a step up from who Argentina have played so far.
Andy Morris:
I can’t help but feel that David Luiz is destined to produce a monumental gaff that will end Brazil’s challenge in farce.
Who will finish the tournament as top scorer?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Thomas Muller. Having predicted Argentina and Brazil to flop – I’ll have to go with Germany’s biggest goal threat as my top scorer as well!
Adam Davies:
Neymar. Despite the colossal expectations on his shoulders, the 22 year-old has continually played excellently on the big stage. His performances at last year’s Confederations Cup and in the World Cup so far indicate that he is mentally equipped to cope with the pressure of being avatar of a nation.
Steve Green:
I could see Thomas Muller landing that one.
Mark Brus:
This tournament looks made for Neymar, and I think he’ll do it purely because Brazil have the momentum required to reach the final, so he’ll have more games than the likes of James Rodriguez or Thomas Muller.
Andy Morris:
Whoever it is, I reckon they will need at least seven to win it outright.
Who’s going to win the World Cup, and why?
Jordan Chamberlain:
Germany. They proved against the Algerians that they can scrape through even when playing badly and completely under the cosh. It’s their time under Joachim Lowe to lift a major trophy. Argentina are a one man team, while the expectation and pressure on Brazil is imply too much to handle.
Adam Davies:
Argentina. I concede that they were terrible against Switzerland, and my logic is that they can only improve. The talent throughout their squad is impossible to ignore, with Messi leading from the front. As with Uruguay in 1950, Brazil’s South American rivals will claim the trophy at the Maracana – much to the hosts’ chagrin.
Steve Green:
The heart says Colombia, the head says the Netherlands. Both have been great, but I think the Dutch could edge as they’ve been to the final a few times before.
Mark Brus:
I expect it’ll be Brazil or Holland. The host nation maybe aren’t the most complete side, but they have the fans behind them and the magic of Neymar and will surely grow in confidence as they go on. I’d like to see Holland win their first World Cup and they arguably look the best side overall, but I’d probably bet on Brazil.
Andy Morris:
Germany are the best team, but I still can’t see there being a European winner. Argentina are the pick of the South American sides and their team is full of players who are used to coping with big-match pressure.