Can Brazil leave some points behind ?

Marcelo is alone a force by himself in Brazil. He is a formidable beast! David Luiz is a strong defense, and Neymar is even a better striker. I am cheering for Brazil this WC. I don't see any points being left behind by Brazil. Brazil and Croatia will advance to the next level.

 

Of all the defenders you had to mention to mentioned David Luiz???

 

I liked the way he played in confederation final against Spain. Why shouldn't I mention him? what's your problem?

 

Nothing. He's got a whole lot of flair and is fun to watch, but defensively he's a liability.

 

He´s so unreliable that there are rumors linking him to minor clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

This is what I call being a liability.

 

And Cahill has him benched at Chelsea...

 

Can they? yes. Will they? no. Brazil will win every game in the group by 2 goals at least. They'll probably lead Croatia 3-0 at half time. Croatia won't be able t muster Brazil's pace, ferocity and home crowd in the opening 45. They'll be gunning for blood.

 

Well, not so long ago, many croatians lived through a full scale war with real bullets and bombs doing their harm, very close to their homes. So I don´t think cheering crowds against them, will do anything to affect croatian players mood in that game. (at least not them, or anyone who has suffered a similar issue)

If they stick to their "agenda" and if Brazil doesn´t score on them to early in the game, they might come out of it with a good result (a small defeat or even a draw) or maybe even surprise everyone, and beat the hometeam in their opening game. More so if for whichever reason, whom scores first is Croatia and holds the lead for a long time during the match (as whom will really get affected by crouds, these will be the brazilian players and its staff).

In any case, imho, I believe Brazil will end group phase with 3 clean victories over all its opponents. At next stage though, nothing will come easy.

 

Probably because David Luiz seems to have the qualities that would fit well into a tiki-taka system, not necessarily because he is a great 1-on-1 defender.

 

I agree with you, but being better fit into one system doesn't automatically mean that David Luiz is unreliable, which was the point I previously didnt agree with.

Personally, I don't rate DL that high as a defender. Ok, he´s very good (otherwise he´d not be tied to top teams like Barça or Bayern, teams that can buy literally any defender they want to), but not the best money can buy out there. Anyway, not being a superb defender is far from saying he´s unrealiable. That was my point.

 

Its possible, they sometimes start slow and build up, unless they meet France hehe.

 

lol...
croatia played few times vs brasil .. last time it was in WC 2006 in germany ...
and brasil won with 1:0 ...
brasil nt now is weaker than that generation.. and croatians have stronger and more experienced team...
in comparision: brasil have better attack and defense lines... but imo croatian midfield is better..

probably brasil will win.. but will be very tight.. and not 3-0 at half time

 

Don't think they will, but they certainly can. Just look at the Spain/Swiss game in 2010.

 

Croatia is very happy and proud to play the opening game of a world cup in Brazil against Brazil.
There are talented players, Srna, Modric and Rakitic can face Brazilians players, Corluka is also the kind of player that can rise his level at the right time, but don't know if others will be able to do the same against Brazilian armada.
Brazil is much more complete...

 

Croatia with there new coach i think will give Brazil a harder game then most expect but Brazil will more then likely win. Not having Mandzukic is huge as he is i terrific form. Rakitic and Modric are also in great form and Croatia will go as far as those three trio take them. Croatia's biggest weakness is leftback they don't have a good one. Pranjic is there starter and he is descent going forward but defensively very shaky.

 

if mexico can get the huge upset i would be soooooooo happy... the stars would have to align in mexico's favor for this to happen.. neymar having an awful game, peralta and gio with a bit of luck and alot of focus. anything can happen but the chances are unlikely... a tie itself would be a "victory" for mexico.

 

Watch Mexico v Brasil in the confeds.

Mexico was arguably the better team for the majority of the game.

And that was when Mexico was still trying to qualify and at their worst in many many years.

Some Brazilians honestly think theyre losing that game and hate that we're in their group.

We will see.

 

I really think we will have a draw against Mexico. Everytime Mexico plays against us they bring their A game and play their hardest. Look at the past Brasil vs Mexico matches in the Confed cups,friendlies and Copa America. Those matches are close tough games. So I would not be surprised we have a draw against them. I never underestimate Mexico even though they struggled to qualify they are in the world cup. That is all that matters. They ar ein and they have a clean slate. So I expect a hellish low scoring defensive match.

 

Last and only time Brazil played Croatia at the world cup 2006, Brazil won 1-0 after a very competitive and entertaining game.
Croatia had many opportunities to score against the defending world champion and a draw would have been deserved.

I know that Mexico has a good team with very skilled players, i appreciate them. But it would be a mistake to underestimate a nation that have reached semi-finals of a world cup several times (ex-yugoslavia included) and that use to give a hard time to the best teams in the world...Croatia is the only nation in the world along with Brazil against whom Italy doesn't lead the head to head by example.
We were very close to go through a group stage with italia and spain at the last euro, the 2 finalists of the competition, draw against italia and a loss 1-0 against spain, goal taken in the last 2 minutes cause we had to open our side in order to score after miracle save from casillas and an obvious penalty that have not been whistled in our favor...by the way i wish we find Spain again on our road if we reach the round 16.
Germany, Italia, England, Argentina, Netherlands, Spain, France and others...we have drawed or beated them both at least once since indepandance....

Rakitic yesterday against Real Madrid was masterclass performance again.
Mandzukic is the forward of the best bayern munich of all times, the current best team in the world.
Modric get standing ovations from Santiago Bernabeu.

And players like Srna, or Olic are confirmed at international level and got experience...When kovacic is one of the most promising u20 in europe.
It would be a huge mistake to think we can't compete.

 

Mandzukic is out of the Brasil game. And he'd arguably Bayern's least important starter.

 

My mistake...it was more about whom might go through than just about brazil game.
But players as Olic, Jelavic and Eduardo can also score.

Mandzukic is just the best scorer of bundesliga with less games than his challengers...
He scored in the final, quarters single and return, and round 16 of the last champions league.

He has been the forward of the best bayern munchen of all times and kicked Gomez out of the team, whether you like him or not.

 

Coming from a Serb whose strikers suck.

 

Let the Gringos and the Africans underestimate us. Niko Kovac will have these boys fit and motivated in Brazil i have no doubt about that. With Rakitic Modric playing great in spain and Mandzukic leading Germany in goals all of our best players are in great form. Kovacic is the key factor as he is young and very talented but not getting regular playing time at crappy Inter. If he can perform like he did against Iceland well then we will be difficult to defend with 3 great technical players like Rakitic Modric and Kovacic.

 

Oh yes... the legendary beheading of the Icelandic behemoth. I still can not believe the World Cup will be without Iceland and their world class team.

 

Kovacic got still a lot to work on and to prove...but i don't think you become number 10 at inter milan and on the pitch with croatian team at a such young age without reason.
He got the level to be one of the young stars of the world cup, like Andre Ayew was for Ghana in 2010.