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| USA-Belgium Bullet Points |
10:21 AM ET on 7/2/14 by Jay Soester |
Join in the World Cup discussion on our message board...
Make sure to get your World Cup Pickem game score picks in before the start of each game, especially with the Quarterfinal matchups set.
For those of you reading this that had barely seen the sport before, welcome to the best of soccer.
- Someone told Tim Howard that Guillermo Ochoa was the best goalie in CONCACAF. He took offense. Hopefully he won't internationally retire now, even if it's technically Guzan's turn.
- He was spectacular obviously, but they defense wasn't anywhere near as bad as the shot total made them look. A good chunk of the shots were allowed by design and a decent amount were due to pushing forward.
- The defense was well organized and kept Belgium from developing cohesion (which they've struggled with all tournament). Gonzalez and Besler covered well. Beasley and Yedlin were very strong given how frequently they went forward and didn't allow many runners when bunkered into the defensive third.
- If Fabian Johnson doesn't get hurt, I don't know what happens. I imagine he and Yedlin are terrorizing Hazard and Vertonghen at some point while simultaneous fighting to get back and defend them, but I don't know who the third sub is and when Yedlin comes in.
- I'm impressed Klinsmann had the balls to yank Beckerman and put in Cameron. It made plenty of sense. Beckerman might be a better team defender, but Cameron's better one on one in front of a defense and is a shitload more athletic (and taller) for the likes of Belgium's attackers (and set pieces). He played attacking mid not too long ago (at the club level) and was more comfortable pushing forward and distributing than Kyle Beckerman would have been. Cameron fit better into a stretched game. It's just a shame Beckerman didn't go hair-to-hair with Fellaini.
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| USA-Germany Bullet Points |
12:27 AM ET on 6/28/14 by Jay Soester |
Join in the World Cup discussion on our message board...
Make sure to get your World Cup Pickem game score picks in before the start of each game, especially with the Round of 16 matchups set.
- The US played with a wait and see approach. Bunker down, keep it close and make sure 1-0 was good enough either way. Push to score if things get away. It worked. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't tactical (or technically, it was), but it worked. I'm hoping not to read anything into the attack given that strategy. When we finally broke out of the shell in the last 5-10 minutes, we created a few chances solid chances, especially the Bedoya shot that started from midfield interchange.
- Bedoya had to do better on the shot in stoppage time. He's been doing his work up and down, but not in the box, or really even in creating chances.
- Howard has to do better with the rebound that set up the goal. I realize it's wet, but you can't put it to the top of the box in that situation, at least get some air under it. He was strong as usual otherwise.
- I didn't agree with starting Davis or Gonzalez, but it worked out.
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| USA-Portugal Bullet Points |
10:11 AM ET on 6/23/14 by Jay Soester |
Join in the World Cup discussion on our message board...
Make sure to get your World Cup Pickem game score picks in before the start of each game.
- If you had told me before the game we'd draw, I'd be more than content. I'd prefer not to do it by conceding with less than a minute left, however.
- The late Portuguese goal kept Jermaine Jones from passing Henry Kissinger as the best German-American in history.
- The midfield was gassed at the 60 minute mark. For that reason, I thought we'd concede another goal. I didn't anticipate us scoring twice before that, however (I could have seen once). Jones' goal stunned me a tad, especially something that beautiful. Jones was absolutely gassed at the 90 minute mark. All of our midfield gave the ball away far too easily as we got tired, they started off well.
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| USA-Ghana Bullet Points |
10:11 AM ET on 6/17/14 by Jay Soester |
Join in the World Cup conversation on our message board...
And make sure to get your World Cup Pickem game score picks in before the start of each game.
- You don't see a team defending nearly all out give up a goal with less than ten minutes to go come back to win it anyway very of ten...I enjoyed the hell out of it.
- A win's a win, but we didn't look particularly good...not in the way that team's parking the bus don't look good, but in the genuine not looking good sense. I want to put it down to attrition and backing off after taking the lead, but I'm not getting my hopes up yet.
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| World Cup Roundup |
12:34 AM ET on 6/12/14 by Jay Soester |
With the World Cup upon us, here's a quick round up of tournament news and previews from various websites.
Get your pre-tournament entries in for World Cup Pickem by 3:57 PM ET. Remember, you can change your game score predictions up to the start of each game, even after the tournament starts.
For those participating in World Cup Pickem, check the available game stats: Game Averages & Percentages, Country Prediction Breakdown, and the Knockout Round Frequencies.
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| World Cup Pickem Available |
10:35 PM ET on 6/4/14 by Jay Soester |
World Cup Pickem is now available for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
After signing up for the game, submit your picks for the group stage in the format of scores for each game of the round and the standings of each group will automatically be calculated. Then submit your picks for the knockout rounds in the form of scores for each game. You'll be scored based on the group standings and on the knockout results.
If you predict a team to win a knockout round game via PKs, you'll need to add an extra goal to their score. For example, if you pick Brazil to beat Italy on PKs after a 0-0 final, submit Brazil 1-0 Italy and the system will automatically subtract the goal. Any game that goes to PKs is officially recorded as a draw.
You'll also be scored on the game score picks, which you can change throughout the tournament up to the start of each game.
If you edit your group stage entry after setting your knockout round entry make sure to go back and check your knockout round entry as any predicted results that aren't possible will be assessed penalty points.
The deadline for pre-tournament entries is Thursday, June 12th at 3:57 PM ET. The tournament starts with Brazil vs Croatia at 4 PM ET on the 12th.
Pre-Tournament Entry Scoring:
Correct Group Stage Point Total: 6 Pts
Point Total Within 1 Point: 4 Pts
Point Total Within 3 Points: 2 Pts
Correct Goal Differential: 2 Pts
Goal Differential Within 2: 1 Point
Correct Group Placement: 4 Pts
Group Placement Within 1: 2 Pts
Correct Advancement: 3 Pts
Correct Quarterfinal Pick: 6 Pts
Correct Semifinal Advance/Wrong Game: 8 Pts
Third Place Game Advance Correct/Wrong Result: 9 Pts
Correct Fourth Place: 10 Pts
Correct Third Place: 11 Pts
Correct Final Advance/Wrong Result: 12 Pts
Correct Second Place: 13 Pts
Correct Champion: 15 Pts
In-Tournament Score Picks:
Correct Pick: 3 Pts
Correct Score: 1 Point
Perfect Game*: 1 Point
*In the knockout rounds this includes picking the correct PK winner if applicable.
If you have any problems or questions, please email me as soon as possible and/or use the game thread.
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| 2014 FIFA World Cup Kickoff |
8:48 PM ET on 6/15/11 by Jay Soester |
I wanted to take a few minutes away from the fact that today is the final day of the 2010-2011 season to note the beginning of a marathon that will eventually lead to the 2014 edition of World Cup Pickem.
The first qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup began at 6 PM ET today. Montserrat hosted Belize, in Trinidad, with Belize winning the first leg of their two-legged, aggregate series by a score of 5 to 2. The second leg is scheduled for 6 PM ET on Sunday in Belize, the conclusion of that game will provide the first team eliminated from the tournament. Montserrat now drops its all-time record to 2-23-1 with each of the three non-losses coming against fellow Leeward Island, Anguilla. This is also just the third time since they began international play in 1991 that they have scored more than one goal in a game.
I contemplated creating a pickem game to cover all qualifiers (832 games) leading up to the finals, but given the fact that it spans more than one ASFL2 season, the amount of games and lack of time to prepare, I decided against it. You're welcome, to those who say there are too many games already. I am leaving the possibility open of a game along those lines as a stand alone part of the website in the future, however.
You may be wondering why today's game was played in Trinidad...
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