Edit ( November 2018)
Well, I never got round to looking at the World cup or anything much over the summer. Have to wait 2 years for the European one then!
I'll leave the text below as a reminder that my ability to procrastinate for England far exceeds the ability of its team to win football trophies
I can't believe we are already in another World Cup season.
I haven't had a moment to look at any predictions for this. I hope that I will be able to do so when we get to the round of 16 and through to the final, but my calendar is stuffed and that may not be possible.
However as ever it is time to declare my biases
First the Netherlands aren't in it so that makes it easy. Though I am now torn between supporting Spain, Argentina and Iceland!
Second, there are an awful lot of teams for which I don't usually do analysis. This makes it difficult and time consuming for me.
Third there are a number of teams I don't expect to progress. I won't be looking at their charts at all
So my non astrological predictions would be:
Group A
Russia ( on basis of home advantage)
Uruguay
Group B
Spain
Portugal
Group C
France
Australia
Group D
Iceland
Argentina
Though neither Croatia nor Nigeria can be ruled out here
Group E
Serbia
Brazil
Though Switzerland also have a good chance
Group F
Germany
Mexico
All these are good teams but in the end if you are in the German group you need to lower your expectations
Group G
Belgium
England ( sadly I shall have to put up with English Media hype for a bit longer)
Group H
perhaps the hardest of all to read. Probably
Poland
Colombia
but anything could happen
If I have a few minutes I'll be concentrating on the groups that are tougher to assess.
As regards the final 4 I'm struggling a lot more than I was in 2014. I still think Germany will do well again and that Brazil may well get knocked out at Round of 16. But between England, Belgium, France, Spain, Argentina and Mexico it is harder to guess and will depend on the exact group results and who plays who. Russia will probably do better than rankings suggest but I can't see them winning. Iceland could also progress to Quarter finals but probably not further.
It is definitely all to play ( and predict) for this year.
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