it's 4 years in the making, so when it finally arrives, you can't help but get excited. This year, I have to say that I am approaching it with a bit of a different twist then years past. I believe " possession football " with an attack minded approach, will win out. I am going to put an additional emphasis on teams that possess quality midfields, since I am a firm believer that The World Cup is won or lost there.
Don't discount the heat as a factor. Don't overlook weak defences or key injuries, and above all, remember that winning a Group, in theory, will give you a weaker opponent in the knockout stages. Hence, I don't believe teams will sit back in their 3rd game, unless #1 in the group is a given. Good luck to all, and feel free to offer opinions in a positive manner. After all, we are here to make some money while enjoying the greatest spectacle this planet has to offer.
Group A : Order of finish
Brazil
Croatia
Mexico
Cameroon
Brazil is the class of this group, and the tournament, for all the reasons that I mentioned above. It will take a Herculean effort to beat them on their home soil. They possess an extremely skilled midfield, an air tight back 4, and numerous players who are capable of breaking down a defence on their own, not that they will need to.
I was on the fence for the longest time over whether I went with Mexico or Croatia to advance through the group stage. Mexico, since they possess the type of midfield that can use the extreme heat to their advantage, and Croatia since they have the deeper talent pool in players like Modric, Mandzukic and Jovetic etc.
in the end, I just don't know where the goals will come from with Mexico, when they will need them most.
Unfortunately, Cameroon just don't have any real depth to their squad, but do have the ability to pull off a tie that may upset the order of things.
Group A bets :
June 12
Brazil 1st half @ 1.70 ( 3 units ) vs Croatia
I expect the crowd to be in full dance mode, with the drums pounding, and the team to be keen to make an early impression. The absence of Mandzukic, due to suspension, is an added plus, but not a major factor. Brazil should dominate this game from start to finish.