Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - The Battle of the Predicting World Cup Pundits Continues.....{ Re: COMPREHENSIVE SCORE CARD>>LINED UP PUNDITS' PICKS FOR WC KNOCKOUT STAGE.

Bolaji, your always incisive, commentaries let you  down in blaming Odemwigie, who along  with the exceptional goalkeeper, Enyeama, was Nigeria's best player,  and with whom no one could fault overall.

It was always down to concentration and exhaustion-- most Nigerian players looked exhausted, which is what Odemwigie was with that errant clearance -- and why was he there and not the defenders?  He didn't  "cause" it except in singular case of causality.  Where were the defence when Greizmann ran into press Yobo (who I also generally thought has a good World Cup)?  There were multiple effects, and putting the blame on one player do  is not fair.

What I  would say is that while I didn't think France very good, on this day Nigeria, we were no better, and perhaps the difference was one of  the twins of conditioning, cohesion, and yes, coaching for all of what Keshi has achieved. Can you imagine Nigeria playing like Algeria against Germany did?  I think that despite  Germany's so-called defensive frailties (they actually only gave up one goal here), the Algerians were magnificent. I never felt that way about Nigeria, as their execution, as you say was generally just poor-- how many passes went astray by comparison with the Algerians who would pass in and out of many tight positions? They had a map of the game and executed it, and at decisive moments had their luck and bad luck against, after all,  a relentlessly superior German side. 

To reiterate, I  thought that Algeria were magnificent, and anyone who has watched Algeria over the years as I have (I lived there in the late 70s)  will know that they a peculiar brand of football that is incisive, skillful and capable, like all African teams,  of occasional wonderful improvisation that all  African teams have.

I only wish that the breakthrough to the quarters and beyond would come. It will come down to coaching as the the talent is there. It is, like all things developmental, down to sustained application and maintenance--look at Costa Rica, who are, in fact a "middle income" country.

Pablo

 

On 2014-06-30 9:00 PM, Mobolaji Aluko wrote:

My People:

Africa is out......Nigeria was fooled into thinking that soccer was only one half, not a game of two halfs...our set pieces were woefully taken.....our defence periodically panicky....our offense did not (like France and Germany do) look for that last person who could be better placed to score....Moses too often on the ground complaining....Odemwigie actually caused the second goal, not Yobo (arising from a needlessly and carelessly caused corner kick), and periodically tried to be pretty even in defence...

Algeria "tried", but time ran out...it would have won in extra extra time...

Anyway,  two more games for this round....too close to call who will win among these five Naijawave pundits, because none of them has called the two remaining games exactly alike - except the two "friends" Aluko and Ezebuihe (Argentina, USA) and Deno Lee and Aduba (Switzerland, Belgium), with Otuonye calling it Argentina, Belgium....

By the way, Ezebuihe is the only pundit that got it 100% predictions today...France, Germany....congratulations to him, immediately after two disastrous predictions....

We shall see on Tuesday....

Bolaji Aluko

ROUND OF SIXTEEN PREDICTIONS BY NAIJAWAVE PUNDITS

 

Match	Winner was..	Otuonye Predictions	Ezebuihe Predictions	Deno Lee Predictions	Aluko Predictions	Aduba Predictions
Current Prediction Score at 6/30/2014, pm	- --------->	5/6	4/6	4/6	4/6	5/6
Brazil vs. Chile	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil
Colombia vs. Uruguay	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia
Netherlands vs. Mexico	Netherlands	Netherlands	Mexico	Mexico	Netherlands	Netherlands
Costa Rica vs. Greece	Costa Rica	Costa Rica	Greece	Costa Rica	Greece	Costa Rica
France vs. Nigeria	France	Nigeria	France	France	Nigeria	France
Germany vs. Algeria	Germany	Germany	Germany	Algeria	Germany	Algeria
Argentina vs. Switzerland	TBD	Argentina	Argentina	Switzerland	Argentina	Switzerland
Belgium vs.  USA	TBD	Belgium	USA	Belgium	USA	Belgium

 

On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 3:41 AM, Mobolaji Aluko <alukome@gmail.com> wrote:

 

ROUND OF SIXTEEN PREDICTIONS BY NAIJASPACE PUNDITS

 

Match	Winner was..	Otuonye Predictions	Ezebuihe Predictions	Deno Lee Predictions	Aluko Prediction	Aduba Prediction
Current Prediction Score at 6/30/2014, am	----------->	4	2	3	3	4
Brazil vs. Chile	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil	Brazil
Colombia vs. Uruguay	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia	Colombia
Netherlands vs. Mexico	Netherlands	Netherlands	Mexico	Mexico	Netherlands	Netherlands
Costa Rica vs. Greece	Costa Rica	Costa Rica	Greece	Costa Rica	Greece	Costa Rica
Nigeria vs. France	TBD	Nigeria	France	France	Nigeria	France
Germany vs. Algeria	TBD	Germany	Germany	Algeria	Germany	Algeria
Argentina vs. Switzerland	TBD	Argentina	Argentina	Switzerland	Argentina	Switzerland
Belgium vs. USA	TBD	Belgium	USA	Belgium	USA	Belgium

1.  The game is still wide open between myself and Otuonye; it hangs on the match between Belgium and USA

2.  If Nigeria beats France today, Ezebuihe is out of the race with me; I will come out ahead of him since the rest of our predictions are identical. In fact, he might be entirely out of the race at that point - or already!

3,  No matter what happens in the remaining matches, Aduba will come out ahead of Deno Lee; their predictions are identical.

4,  The price of winning is a trip to the next World Cup in Russia, courtesy the LAST of the predicters! :-)

And there you have it.

Bolaji Aluko

On Sun, Jun 29, 2014 at 11:30 PM, Baduba54 <baduba54@aol.com> wrote:

	Otuonye	Aluko	Aduba	Ezebuihe	Deno
Brazil (BRA)  Vs Chile (Chi)	BRA	BRA	BRA	BRA	BRA
Colombia (col)  Vs Uruguay (Uru)	COL	COL	COL	COL	COL
Netherlands (Net) Vs Mexico(MEX)	NET	NET	NET	MEX	MEX
Costa Rica (CR) Vs (Gre)Greece	CR	Gre	CR	GRE	CR
France (Fra) Vs  (NIG)Nigeria	NIG	NIG	FRA	Fra	FRA
Germany(Ger) Vs   (Alg) Algeria	GER	GER	ALG	GER	ALG
Argentina (Arg)Vs Switz'land(Swi)	ARG	ARG	SWI	ARG	SWI
Belgium (Bel)   Vs    USA (USA)	BEL	USA	BEL	USA	BEL

 

Aduba

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Collins Ezebuihe <collyezebuihe@hotmail.com>
To: africanworldforum <africanworldforum@googlegroups.com>; baduba54 <baduba54@aol.com>; chatafriksports <chatafriksports@yahoogroups.com>; nigeria360 <nigeria360@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: gukaegbu <gukaegbu@comcast.net>; adey45 <adey45@yahoo.com>; Phil Ihediwe <phil_ihed@hotmail.com>; B o l a j i A l u k o <alukome@gmail.com>; topcrestt <topcrestt@yahoo.com>; Deno <sirdeno2000@yahoo.com>; Rotimi Ogunsuyi <rogunsuiy@yahoo.com>; orausa <orausa@yahoogroups.com>; orluatlanta <orluatlanta@yahoogroups.com>; ndiigbo-atlanta <ndiigbo-atlanta@yahoogroups.com>; imostatecongress <imostatecongress@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sun, Jun 29, 2014 7:07 pm
Subject: SCORE CARD>>LINED UP PUNDITS' PICKS FOR WC KNOCKOUT STAGE.

SCORE CARD:
 
1.  Vin  "Kool Breeze"  Otuonye    4 out of 4...Perfect
 
2.  Collins   Ezebuihe    2 out of 4
 
3.  Sir Deno   Lee         3  out of  4
 
4.  VC. Bolaji    Aluko  3  out  4.
 
 
 
 



 

---

From: collyezebuihe@hotmail.com
To: africanworldforum@googlegroups.com; baduba54@aol.com; chatafriksports@yahoogroups.com; nigeria360@yahoogroups.com
CC: gukaegbu@comcast.net; adey45@yahoo.com; phil_ihed@hotmail.com; alukome@gmail.com; topcrestt@yahoo.com; sirdeno2000@yahoo.com; rogunsuiy@yahoo.com; orausa@yahoogroups.com; orluatlanta@yahoogroups.com; ndiigbo-atlanta@yahoogroups.com; imostatecongress@yahoogroups.com
Subject: LINED UP PUNDITS' PICKS FOR WC KNOCKOUT STAGE.
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 19:16:38 +0000

A.  PICKS BY VIN "KOOL BREEZE" OTUONYE
 
Brazil over Chile
Colombia over Uruguay
Netherlands over Mexico
Costa Rica over Greece
Nigeria over France
Germany over Algeria
Argentina over Switzerland
AND
Belgium over USA
 
--------------------------------------------
 
B.  PICKS BY COLLINS EZEBUIHE
 

1.   Brazil  Vs Chile   
Brazil has chilled Chile multiple times in the past. Today the Brazilians will again deep freeze Chile in Thermocool refrigerator. Pick: Brazil

RESULT:  Brazil won as I predicted.

 
2.   Colombia   Vs   Uruguay
Ouch, Luis Suarez took out his Uruguay team in a very biting manner! Pick: Colombia.

RESULT: Colombia won as I predicted.
 
3.     Netherlands   Vs    Mexico
A lot of people, including a Very Confused Professor turned Sports pundit in the Niger Delta of Nigeria,  have already crowned the Netherlands among the 2014 Knockout stage winners. Those folks better take Doan's pills for a sure to come upset stomach after this game. Pick: Mexico.

RESULT: Netherlands won, contrary to my prediction.
 
4.       Costa Rica   Vs    Greece
Heck, I always liked Phidipides the Greek runner. Today, his countrymen will "win one for the Gipper." Pick: Greece.
 
5.      France    Vs      Nigeria
It is truly better to be lucky than to be good. May be Jonathan should reward the Referee in that Nigeria-Bosnia-Hez game with an oil block.
Pick: France
 
6.       Germany    Vs     Algeria
These Germans will likely score 2 goals in the first half, in time to put in Miraslov Klose to get his 16th WC goal to stay in front of Ronaldo as the scoring champion. Pick: Germany.
 
7.   Argentina    Vs    Switzerland
After the Argentina-Nigeria game, Lionel Messi's grandfather chastised his grandson for playing soft. Well, Messi will work to make the old man happy with this one and also prove that Argentine girls are sweeter than Swiss girls. Otitigbe, I love cha cha! Pick: Argentina.
 
8.       Belgium     Vs      USA
Leopold might roll over in his grave today. Pick: USA

------------------------------------

 

C. PICKS BY SIR DENO LEE

 

Brazil Vs. Chile...................Brazil

 

Switzerland Vs. Argentina....Switzerland.

Argentina has not really impressed me. Yes Messi has done good but the team is just average. The Swiss have a formidable attack that will trouble the Argies back line. 

 

France Vs. Nigeria.................France unless an all out attacking match with Nigeria winning 3-2 or 4-3. Anything less than a total of 3 goals scored and France wins.

 

U.S.A. Vs. Belgium...............Belgium once big boys step up. If they continue to play as group stage, USA will win 2-1 or 1-0.

 

Nertherlands Vs. Mexico...... Mexico will win. The massive support will see them through. 

 

Costa Rica Vs. Greece..........Costa Rica will win 2-0 or 3-1. Only way Greece can win is if they score first then pack the bus.

 

Uruguay Vs. Colombia......... Colombia will win that match.

--------------------------------------------------

 

D.  PICKS BY VC BOLAJI ALUKO

1.  Brazil plays Chile...................Saturday, June 28, 5 pm......VC Aluko prediction: Brazil wins

2.  Colombia plays Uruguay.......Saturday, June 28, 9 pm.....VC Aluko prediction: Colombia wins

3,  Netherland plays Mexico.......Sunday, June 29, 5 pm.......VC Aluko prediction: Netherland wins <==========

4.  Costa Rica plays Greece......Sunday, June 29, 9 pm.........VC Aluko prediction: Greece wins

5.  France plays Nigeria..............Monday, June 30, 5 pm.....VC Aluko prediction:  Nigeria wins <============

6.  Germany plays Algeria...........Monday, June 30, 9 pm.....VC Aluko prediction: Germany wins

7.  Argentina plays Switzerland..Tuesday, July 1, 5 pm.........VC Aluko prediction: Argentina wins

8.  Belgium plays USA.................Tuesday, July 1, 9 pm .......VC Aluko prediction:  USA wins

But to my surprise, what do we now have from Collins Ezebuihe?

1.   Brazil  Vs Chile.........................Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: Brazil

2.   Colombia   Vs   Uruguay.........Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: Colombia.

3.   Netherlands   Vs    Mexico.......Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: Mexico. <==============

4.   Costa Rica   Vs    Greece..........Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: Greece.

5.   France    Vs      Nigeria.............Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: France <===============

6.   Germany    Vs     Algeria..........Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: Germany.

7.   Argentina    Vs    Switzerland...Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: Argentina.

8.  Belgium     Vs      USA...............Very Crazy Ezeb(f)(w)uihe Picks: USA

 

It is only a crazy fellow that will predict Netherlands over Mexico, or some other country over his own....unless of course he has disowned his own country, which is not impossible, the way he writes.

 

#################################################

 

Note: Dr. Aduba's picks came in too late to qualify for listing.

 

 

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