Predictions

RainhamGill

Vital Youth Team
With the World Cup just around the corner, why don't we play a game of predicting the various controversial issues and talking points that always seem to raise their head before a big international tournament. Here are a few to start...

1. Criticism of the new ball.
2. The England flag debate.
3. The inevitable mention of 1966.
 
11. Belgium will everyone's "dark horses" as on paper they have one of the best squads but no one will be surprised when they don't win it.

12. Germany however have had a shaky qualification so are "there for the taking" but no one will be surprised when they win it.

13. England will thrive under the low weight of expectation this time around. They'll qualify from their group, everyone will get excited causing Three Lions on The Shirt to fly to number one in the charts. No one will be surprised when they don't win it.
 
Baghdad, regarding your point 7, we will definitely hear this quote:

"There's no point practicing penalties because you just can't recreate the pressure."

By that logic, there's no point in doing any kind of football training at all before any kind of competitive match!
 
15. FIFA issuing statements about cracking down on racism and violence during the tournament, only to issue £10 fines to any countries involved in it when it inevitably happens.
 
Are you suggesting Bob that the Russian state would interfere with the outcome of a significant global event? Nonsense!
 
Anyone remember when the USSR doctored the fencing foils so that they could trigger off the scoring system without touching the oponent.
 
South Korea's run to the semi finals in 2002 was somewhat suspicious. From what I remember they did play pretty well, but there were quite a few 50-50 referee decisions that seemed to go their way.