Group A - Brazil, Croatia, Mexico & Cameroon

Discuss all the Group A matches here

1. Brazil
2. Mexico
3. Croatia
4. Cameroon

Have to agree with you on this group, although some of the squad decisions look a tad suspect Brazil should still walk the group.

Brazil and Croatia for me.

Brazil
Mexico
Cameroon
Croatia

1. Brazil
2. Croatia
3. Cameroon
4. Mexico

Very average group. Wish England would have been drawn into it, if only to have the first game of the World Cup as Brazil v England!

Croatia lost both home and away to Scotland. Can only see them finish bottom of the group.

Kranjcar ruled out of the World Cup - a bit of a blow that for Croatia.

To be honest, I think anyone of the three teams other than Brazil (who should get all nine points) in this group can make it through in second place, before being chewed up in the last sixteen. It's a very, very poor group.

You might start to wonder if Brazil will go into the last sixteen slightly undercooked; a situation worsened by the steep rise in quality that they will face in the second round (either Spain/Holland/Chile, in all probability).

Brazil will be given tough but not massively hard games, seems a perfect start to me. They need the nation going wild. I think they'd beat Holland or Chile so they get to grow into the tournament wonderfully. I'm expecting both them and Argentina to go reasonably deep into the competition, thus why I had a tickle on Brazil to win with Aguero top scorer at 50s

I think Brazil will make it to the semis, and Argentina as well.

Europe, in the form of Germany and England respectively, to halt their march to Rio.

Duty281 wrote:I think Brazil will make it to the semis, and Argentina as well.

Europe, in the form of Germany and England respectively, to halt their march to Rio.

  

Well, Brazil won the opener, but I think the 3-1 margin flattered them. Very dodgy penalty for the second goal and then Oscar getting the third in injury time 20 seconds after the keeper made a decent save.

Not convinced that we've seen the tournament winners - Neymar and (particularly) Oscar were good in attack, but there was little from the others, while the highly touted defence had a few wobbles against a competent but not outstanding Croatia.

Thought Brazil looked vulnerable down the flanks on the counter. They had a warning prior to the Croatia goal when Olic had a chance from Perisic cross, and the goal came when Alves had vacated his position, allowing Rakitic to drive into the space.

Yeah they've no cover out wide and fullbacks who like to spend most of their time attacking.

Didnt see the game but is it right that Neymar should not have even been on the pitch after an elbow? And that the pentalty was a disgraceful decision...

Wasn't really an elbow, but it did seem like he deliberately hit Modric in the face.

Very poor piece of home refereeing* saved the day for Brazil. They looked very average against pretty poor opposition, a draw would have been a fair result.

*Not that the ref was Brazilian or anything, but he clearly reacted to pressure from the crowd

Don't think Croatia can really be classified as poor, think they have a good group of players with a couple of stars and good organisation. Goalkeeper seemed to be their weak link.

Not sure you can say he saved the day as such, the third goal had nothing to do with the referee, was a good finish. But overall I thought he was poor, everytime Brazil appealed he gave a free kick.

How times have changed, Oscar "takes the shot early...brilliant!!!" whereas I saw a toe poke that should have been saved by a pretty rotten goalie. He should have done better with all three really.

Not a fan of Modric (just can't warm to him) but thought he was very good indeed. Dunno who Croatia have a replacement for Jelavic but they could do with sticking him on the pitch pretty sharpish.

This why us West Indians will always cheer for any team playing against Croatia....

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Ugly-memory-of-France--98-sticks-with-Lawrence-_16781286

hampo171 wrote:Not sure you can say he saved the day as such, the third goal had nothing to do with the referee, was a good finish. But overall I thought he was poor, everytime Brazil appealed he gave a free kick.

The third goal was on the break with Croatia searching for an equaliser. And they were doing that because Brazil had been awarded a laughable penalty to take the lead.

DAVE667 wrote:How times have changed, Oscar "takes the shot early...brilliant!!!" whereas I saw a toe poke that should have been saved by a pretty rotten goalie. He should have done better with all three really.

Not a fan of Modric (just can't warm to him) but thought he was very good indeed. Dunno who Croatia have a replacement for Jelavic but they could do with sticking him on the pitch pretty sharpish.

Manduzukic was suspended, that's not a bad replacement...

Absolutely gobsmacked by Brazil's lack of in-box defending.

Talk about being static, they hardly moved. It's as if they depended on their keeper solely.

I reckon they'll be better come 2018 WC. They will have learnt their lessons by then and changed whatever they need to learn.

1-7 final score, wow.

Duty281 wrote:I think Brazil will make it to the semis, and Argentina as well.

Europe, in the form of Germany and England respectively, to halt their march to Rio.

Well I got one side of the draw right, at least!