In the post above, the current record is supposed to be in red - dunno what I was thinking when I highlighted it in green.
Picks for the semifinals:
First of all, I'd like to mention that the bets I made for the semifinals are made without any consideration for my pending long-term bets. Those bets were made a month ago and since the scenario has changed considerably, I chose not to worry about those anymore.
Germany-Brazil
Germany to advance @ 1.97 (4/10)
Number of Bookings: Over 3.5 @ 2.04 (2/10)
Team with most yellow cards: Brazil (+0) @ 1.71 (2/10)
Under 0.5 goals (1H) @ 2.30 (1/10)
Argentina-Netherlands
Argentina to advance @ 1.75 (5/10)
Under 0.5 goals (1H) @ 2.56 (1/10)
I believe we will see many yellow cards tomorrow for several reasons:
1) Yellow cards have no meaning for the final, so players can afford to be booked as long as they are not sent off.
2) The loss of Neymar means that Brazil will have to play more physically than they already did, Germany on the other hand will have to answer in a similar way.
3) In a game as important as this, all dirty tricks should be used. That entails goalies and non-booked players to waste as much time as possible, which should trigger more yellow cards.
4) Frustration could be another factor.
5) After the public reaction on the Neymar injury, referring to the ref failing to protect "smaller" players like him, I think FIFA will instruct the refs to not be so hesitant with yellow cards.
After all, as corrupt as Blatter and friends may be - they surely don't want to see the best players beating out of the finals due to injuries.
I will wait to see who is the ref in the Argentina game, but will likely do the same there. I love Argentina to advance, their game against Belgium convinces me that they can defeat the Dutch. After all, I still don't see why so many like Oranje. This team plays mediocre at best - they live of Arjen Robben and their oustanding coach. The rest of the team is nothing more than average and if it wouldn't have been for their relatively easy draw I believe they wouldn't have made it this far.
BoL everyone