Здравствуйте Syndicate Members!
The 24th Chapter of our beloved Sportsbook begins
now. This Summer marks the entrance into our 16th year. We’ve been
doing this for SIXTEEN years! Wow. It felt as if Vladamir Putin’s “Phone-in
Special” early in the week lasted that long, but that’s because it was just
that inherently depressing. ; ( Sigh. For those unfamiliar with this project,
the Syndicate serves as a sort of “Summer Unity Festival”. This friendly bookie
and his old mates rejoice in the “Great Global Unifier”, trading barbs, bets,
and riffs. It’s a chance for us all to relax, unwind, and decompress with “Friends
& Football”. We all have ourselves a bit of irreverent fun over the course
of a traditionally “silly season”. Over the course of sixteen long years, the
pleasant distraction of a Summer International Football Tournament has never
failed to raise or spirits and reinvigorate our intellectual instincts.
….
….
Er…can Russia really assist us with this?
What a difference a year makes. Last Summer’s colorful coverage
of Euro 2016 is now but a distant memory. As we attempt to convene to celebrate
how colorful the World can be, the day-to-day realities of international news
seem to indicate that the World is falling apart. The demise of international
institutions. The hostile takeover of governments and information. The exponential
growth and spread of violent religious extremist terrorism. It’s pretty damn
dark out there.
Everyone had their own way of dealing with the “new normal”.
Your friendly bookie skims through the news he once cannibalized in order to
get to the “Charlemagne Column” in the Economist. The plethora of ignorance out
there leaves him desperately yearning to read about concepts like “Gesinnungsethik”
and “Schuldesnpolitik”. Syndicate Members report a similar desire to retreat
from the shallow headlines and bury themselves in abstract esoteric concepts. Oh
how tempting it can be to pack up crates of interesting books and resolve to go
live under a tree for a few years without speaking to anyone.
….but we can’t do very well do that, can we?
As bleak as things look, there’s no sense in denying oneself a
break from all the misery. Football will continue to give us something to
cheer, laugh, and talk about irrespective of whatever nonsense the New Global
Order throws at us.
I still stand by what I wrote in 2013.
From CC 2013—Semifinals:
E-mail Riff of the
Day
(Female)
Reader: Instead of counting “Hot Girls”, why don’t you address the Brazilian
Protests?
From “WBC 2013: Round
Four”:
--One piece of writing I can
link to is the fascinating vlog of Chilean activist Camila Vallejo. Here’s a
Guardian article that will take you all the way to the Promised Land:
Yes, I’m attracted to her.
That doesn’t mean she’s not a genius!
Your friendly bookie
obstinately refuses to be a shallow individual, no matter the costs may be ; )
While we’re all engaged in the frivolous exercise of watching football,
everyone should pay heed to the legitimate grievances of those in lands that
lack social justice. You may point out that the U.S. also lags behind when it
comes to “Social Justice”, but that’s nothing more than a moot point. Whatever
tribulations you face, it doesn’t compare to the challenges a full third of the
world must deal with. Poverty sucks. I can attest to that. Nevertheless,
“abject poverty” sucks even more. Imagine not knowing when your next meal will
come.
The people of Brazil
rise up in reasonable and rational opposition to policies that affect their
daily lives. The movement began as a simple gathering of voices opposed to an
increase in transit fees. Confronted with the opulence of the Confederations
Cup, ordinary citizens understandably wondered why all of these ornate new
stadiums were being erected directly in their faces. The World Cup may bring a
hoard of tourism dollars, but will the money be adequately re-distributed?
Brazilians have had to
put up with far too much wasteful nonsense. After Lula’s departure, the
Rousseff administration has been plagued by one scandal after another. The
manner in which corrupt government officials aggrandize and enrich themselves
constitutes a personal affront to all those who seeking to make a living in an
unfair society. Rousseff herself is a former Guerilla Commander who spent years
in prison fighting for the same rights that the protesters currently reach for.
The moral of the whole
sordid tale is as follows: Life remains unfair. My Syndicate Members know this.
The key is to remain humble, even in the face of improbable success When
Rouseff addressed the nation; she reminded everyone that peaceful protests were
completely acceptable. She also promised to invest all of the World Cup income
in the “Bolsa Familia Program”. Time will tell if that promise will be
fulfilled, but the words sounded sincere in any case. Brasilia my full
permission (as if that means anything) to rise up in protest just as the South
Africans did in 2010 and 2013. It’s not cool to have people celebrate a
manufactured carnival on your doorstep ;)
Sorry to be the
arrogant Westerner seeking escape from his First World Problems. I just love
football. Love your movement too….
Group A
(Russia, New Zealand, Portugal, Mexico)
Russia—“The Golden Eagles”
Combing back through previous Syndicate Chapters enabled
your friendly bookie to relive the decline and ultimate collapse of this
country’s football program. I revisited the days when Dick Advocaat actually
fielded a promising eleven; when Andrei Arshavin, Roman Pavyluchenko, And Sergei
Ignashevich led with pace, zest, and zeal; when Alexander Kokorin still had
legs. There’s been no shortage of praise written in this Sportsbook about the
once auspicious fortunes of a country we’ve all rooted for. Sadly, both the
football team and the country have fallen into a state of moribund torpor.
Fresh off their pitiful bellyflop in the 2016 Euros, the hosts now must head
into combat having lost their best player—Artem Dzyuba—to injury. Pour the Stolichnaya
now, Russian Syndicate Members. ; ( It only gets worse from here ; (
The roster reads like some sort putrid attempt at a
practical joke. Russia’s 23 have only scored 31 goals in international
competition among them. Iron Man “Leonid Slutsky” did his patriotic duty in
taking temporary control of a national team in shambles, but could find no one
better to pass the reigns off to than career keeper Stanislac Cherchesov. As
I’m quite certain I’ve written before in these pages, keepers are notoriously
bad at building squads. The Russians now have an almost entirely new back four
consisting mostly of Right Full backs. It should prove absurdly easy for even
the most novice of technicians to draw them out. Kombarov is the one holdover,
and he’s had an uninspiring season to say the least.
Where will the goals come from? Zhirkov has scored one in
nearly four years. Glushakov and Samedov
are well past their prime. Miranchuk, Golvin, and Poloz show promise, but are
they truly ready for prime time? The old Syndicate Precept of the “Trappatoni
Tenet” finds itself in full effect here. I cannot trust a team drawn solely
from domestic league players. The “Home Synthetic Turf Advantage” counts for
little if there isn’t any creativity on the pitch. Smolov needs someone to feed
him!
Thumbs down. A humiliating rock bottom finish remains a real
possibility. Nothing fancy about these bears. One cannot storm the castle with
nothing but pawns.
Projecting the Ruskie Lineup (4-5-1)
Fyodor
Smolov
|
Aleksandr Samedov Aleksandr Golvin
|
Yuri Zhirkov Denis Glushakov
|
Alexsei Miranchuk
|
F. Kudryashov V. Vasin I.
Smolnikov D. Kombarov
|
Igor Akinfeev
|
The Talisman— Igor Akinfeev “A Syndicate Classic—Russia”
From EM 2004—“Revenge of the Syndicate”:
Russia
The pesky little
scrappers are back. Following a spurious victory over the Welsh during the
qualifying playoffs stage, this ragtag group of CSKA Moscow mediocrity graces
us with their presence. Personally, I believe that any elimination of U.K.
Country using apocryphal methods constitutes karmic suicide. I anticipate very
little out of this squad other than a potato-flavored belch.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
The Karmic Curse of
Unsubstantiated U.K. elimination during the qualifying playoff stages continues
to hold. Just look at the French in 2010. Eh? We have a complimentary concept
to keep the “EU-Wing Theory” company J
Merely have to conjure up a name that academia will find more suitable. Ah
hell. “The Karmic Curse of Unsubstantiated U.K. Elimination” sounds nebulous
enough.
New Zealand—“The ‘All-Whites’”
The Kiwis come along. Cool. We’ve not seen the men’s team
since the 2010 World Cup. As if it weren’t peculiar enough that a team
christened the “All Whites” had the odd distinction of playing in the first
World Championship played on African Soil, they turned in one of the most
bizarre tournaments ever; drawing thrice in the group stages. Having written
tomes of material about the women’s team, I find it somewhat hard to
concentrate on the dudes. Suppose I’ll have to simply soldier on through ; ) It
proves difficult to avoid overrating this team as they do sport some compelling
talent. Add to that the excitement surrounding the back-to-back victories of
the “All Blacks” in the Rugby World Cup and it’s just simply hard to proceed
with some honest handicapping. Soldier on through, Vicey ; )
There exist a few holdovers from the 2010 Squad, but Chris
Wood, Winston Reid and Tommy Smith were mere children when we convened those
seven years ago. Shane Smetlz is still around, playing in the Indonesian League
of all places. Insofar as I can discern, the plan is to deploy Smeltzt alongside
former Bundeliga prospect Marco Rojas as “soft buffers” nary to stray inside
the 18. They’ll do their work on the flanks. Championship Star Chris Wood serves
as the hard lateral target whilst this beguiling young livewire from Ipswich
Town—Monty Patterson—acts a semi-sweeper and punches through if left open.
A solid midfield and defensive corps must execute and
mitigate any damage that can ensue on the counter. I’ve honestly no clue why
Stefan Marinovic from SpVgg Unterhaching was left as the #1 choice to tend the
net. Perhaps it’s because he has a strong record on penalties. Presumably that’s
reason enough ; )
Cannot bring myself to write these guys off easily. The
defensive mix appears solid and the attack has great potential. Inherent biases
are admitted above. Decide for yourself if your friendly bookie backs the wrong
horse.
Projecting the Kiwi Lineup (4-4-2)
Chris Wood Monty Patterson
|
Shane Smeltz Marco Rojas
|
Ryan Thomas
Michael McGlinchey
|
Tommy Smith Storm Roux
|
S. Brotherton T. Tzimopoulos
|
Stefan
Marinovic
|
The Talisman—Chris Wood 
How did such a talented striker miss the “Leicester City
Miracle” in 2016? A spell of rotten luck. An injury-plagued season in 2014-2015
led to him being loaned off to Ipswich during the heat of the relegation
battle. Although he was eventually recalled, Nigel Pearson showed little
interest in retaining him as the Summer Transfer Window approached. The burly
target man eventually signed for Championship Side Leeds, where he’s been on a
serious tear ever since. Coming off a 30-goal season, expect him to make his
presence felt in this tournament as he angles for a new contract. Also expect
him to be playing for another Premiership Side come Autumn. “A Syndicate Classic—New Zealand”
From WM 2010— Round
Two:
Tuesday---
New Zealand vs.
Slovakia
vs. 
As my
friend ---------- has so repeatedly and eloquently pointed out, pretty much
anyone from the Pacific Rim is allowed into the World Cup. A feeble Oceania
qualifying pool once again forces me to write a few lines about this
mind-numbingly uninteresting New Zealand squad known as the “All Whites”. Here
we go: This is Africa. NO ROOM FOR “ALL WHITES” HERE. Benin deserved your spot.
Go back to those majestic cliffs.
THE LINE: Slovakia + 2 Goals
WHAT
TO WATCH FOR: Will the announcers be able to pronounce Vladimir Weiss
correctly? How many goals will FCK Super striker Erik Jendrisk score? Looking
forward to watching both my long lost Russian cousin and my team’s star
forward.
Editor’s retroactive notes:
RESULT: New Zealand 1, Slovakia 1. Call it
the “Legend of the Kiwis” if you must, this was the first of many occasions
that I lost money betting on the “All Whites”. It was already a forgone
conclusion that I would lose money when Winston Reid latched onto a Shane
Smeltz cross in the 93rd,
ripping off his shirt for a yellow card in celebration of the unlikely draw.
About all I care to write about occurred after Vittek directed an outstanding
Sestak cross downward for the lead in the 50th.
Prior to Reid’s heroics, he most assuredly should have been sent off on a Red
for his clumsy tackle of Vittek in the 67th.
Furthermore, Tony Lochhead should have been dismissed on double yellows
following his inexcusable tackle on Jendrisek in the 77th.
Overall, had the officiating crew been on their toes, the Slovaks would have
been awarded two penalties for an easy spread cover. Goddamn Kiwis. I do
believe we’ve found a new subject of ire.
Portugal—“The Navigators”
Hard to fathom, but the reigning European Champions actually
barely made it out of their group last Summer. Perhaps that’s why Fernando
Santos has elected to go all-out and bring his best team to Russia. They may
never get another chance at glory. An organization such as the DFB has little
interest in capturing a Confederations Cup Title. My beloved Krauts would much
rather utilize this opportunity to test drive some new talent and delegate
leadership experience to a younger generation. Absolutely not the case here.
The Navigators have come to double up and dominate. If you’re looking for a
favorite to win the tournament, look no further.
The gang’s all here. Bruno Alves and Pepe have been called
up for what surely will be their “Swan Song”. Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Quaresma
don’t have long left either. Jose Fonte got selected for fuck’s sake! It’s a
full frontal assault aimed at milking every last bit of cache that this Golden
Generation has left. There are nevertheless some exciting new faces to report
on.
FC Porto’s Andre Silva may very well be the next big thing.
He broke through in a big way for both club and country this year. As if his
21-goal season with his club wasn’t impressive enough, he’s already tallied seven
times in eight Caps for his country. AC Milan snatched him up for a hefty fee
four days ago. Benfica screwed up right and proper when they let their prospect
Bernardo Silva sign with Monaco. He’ll play for Manchester City next year on a
six-figure weekly income. Gelson Martins, another striker, hasn’t truly broken
through yet. He’s still another one to watch.
The Navigators have been a part of EVERY major Syndicate since
our inception in 2002. To put that in perspective, we’re talking four consecutive
World Cups AND four consecutive European Championships.
Success breeds talent, which in turn breeds more success.
Don’t expect them to abscond anytime soon. Do expect them to win this
tournament.
Projecting the Portuguese Lineup (4-3-3)
Andre Silva
|
C. Ronaldo Nani
|
A. Gomez J. Moutinho W. Carvalho
|
Eliseu
Pepe
|
Bruno Alves Cedric Soares
|
Rui Patricio
|
The Talisman—Cristiano Ronaldo 
The debate should largely be over by now. Cristiano
Ronaldo—frustratingly vainglorious as he may be—is the best footballer ever.
Over the course of 14 years at the highest level of the game, he’s consistently
found a way to improve his game. At the age of 32 he’s in the best form of his
life. Before even considering an attempt to debate me, review the tapes of the
latest Champions League Final and tell me he’s not the best you’ve ever seen.
He’s just too damned good for the words of an amateur writer. He will not
relent. He will not be dethroned. Everyone needs to shut the hell up and let
him perch atop his sovereign chair. His form will dip eventually. Age catches
up to all of us. Until that time, do not deny reality. The matter is closed. “A Syndicate Classic—Portugal”
From EM 2008: Syndicate United
Portugal
(Winning Odds 1-1)
A
hearty welcome back to Europe’s new shining beacon of regional integration. One
week to go before the Irish vote on the Lisbon Treaty. The vote wouldn’t be so
close if they had qualified and were presently strutting on the European Stage.
Alas, they’re not here and feeling somewhat alienated. The Lisbon Lads,
however, are present and I couldn’t be more ecstatic I wish to take a moment to
celebrate the inclusion of Christiano Ronaldo and the Navigators. Petit, Simao,
and Deco return to provide us with some top-notch entertainment. Ronaldo, now
the footballer of the year, has been playing like a Man U God. Once again they
bring one of the best teams in the tournament. We’re all glad you’re here.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Unmentioned
in the hastily scribbled out primer were newbies Bosingwa and Nani. Controversy
swirls around Bosingwa, reportedly kicked off the national team for
psychological issues. Nani has truly come into his own as Ronaldo’s most
effective Man U replacement. He’s another frightening cog in the
blood-curdlingly talented squad to compete this summer.
Mexico—“The Aztec Warriors”
I miss Miguel Herrera as much as you do, mates. Horribly
unfair how one of the most animated and passionate football coaches ever to
lead a National Team had to be jettisoned for the petty crime of assaulting a
goddamned “armchair analyst.” He was grossly undercompensated as well,
particularly considering the miracle he pulled off righting a sinking ship to
somehow get Mexico to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. Herrera wouldn’t have
allowed El Tri to be taken to the woodshed by the Chileans last Summer. It
simply wouldn’t have happened under his watch! Okay. There’s my rant ; ) There’s a damn good football team to talk
about. There’s my segue ; )
Chicharito paired up front with Giovanni dos Santos
constitutes a dream combination. Dropping Raul Jimenez and Carlos Vela into
supporting roles has worked wonders. Love the idea of a “German Axis Line”
consisting of Jürgen Damm and Marco Fabian to solidify the midfield. The two
Hectors are fine fullbacks. Osorio undertakes a bit of experimentation with
both his centerbacks and his keeper.
No matter. El Tri will still perform well. See you in the
Semis, Jugadores.
Projecting the Mexican Lineup (4-4-2)
Javier Hernandez Giovanni dos Santos
|
Raul Jimenez Carlos Vela
|
Jürgen Damm Marco Fabian
|
Hector Morena Hector Herrera
|
Rafael Marquez
Oswaldo Alanis
|
Rodolfo
Coto
|
The Talisman—Javier Hernandez 
“A Syndicate Classic—Mexico”
From WM 2014—Round of 16:
SUNDAY—
The
Netherlands vs. Mexico
Special thanks to
Syndicate Member 13-M, who sent in the following link last night:
Hehe. #6 is my
favorite, though #13 comes in a close second.
Our tubby little
Danny-Devito-Doppelgänger’s luck has just run out, however.
The loss of J.J.
Vasquez (double yellows) likely means he has to move Layun to midfield, swing
Hector Moreno out to left back and start Salcido in the center. At least that’s
what I would do. Having gone through this glorious link once again, I don’t
quite think our boy Herrera has much of a mind for tactics. It looks as if he
has more of a mind for the Early Bird Special over at the Golden Corral.
Thanks to Syndicate
Member 53-M for that link. : )
There certainly seems
to be a lot of interest in this one. The line is virtually assured of rolling.
No matter how hard it rolls, this one won’t even be close. Surely van Gaal has
a plan for Herrera’s wholly predictable 5-3-2 (or 5-3-1-1 if you prefer) with
Chicharito as the late-game sub. In fact, I predict below that van Gaal will
counter with his own 5-3-2, deputizing the red hot Memphis Depay for use in
central defense.
Farewell El Tri. See
you in four years. In the meantime, studying the brackets leads one to predict
a Germany vs. Holland Third Place Match. I’m so confident that this will be the
end result that I’m prepared to give myself 3 to 1 odds.
Vicey’s
Fearless Group Prediction (Straight Up Odds for bookie)
1)
Portugal 2)
Mexico 3)
New Zealand 4)
Russia
Overall
Championship Odds
Portugal (Straight up) Mexico (4 to 1) New Zealand (5 to 1) Russia (6 to 1)
Semi-Finals
Odds
Portugal
(NO BETS) Mexico
(NO BETS) New
Zealand (2 to 1) Russia
(2 to 1)
Group B
(Cameroon, Chile, Australia, Deutschland)
Cameroon—“The Indomitable Lions”
Our African Heroes return. Hell yes. The memory of Vincent
Aboubakar’s epic tournament winning goal in the late stages of February’s final
match shall not soon fade from this bookie’s memory. Truly a goal worthy of a
Continental Championship. Syndicate Members who found themselves too busy or
mostly disinterested in this year’s African Cup of Nationals are encouraged to
scroll back a bit a relive what was a truly great competition; one we all had
the privilege of watching on a large non-peer-to-peer screen for the first
time. Though it may not have been the most popular Syndicate Chapter, those of
us who watched it together thoroughly enjoyed a great experience ; )
The squad from this Winter’s Title Run mostly returns
intact. Nikoulous Nkoulou and Clinton N’Jie are the only players who have been
dropped. Mandjeck, Siani, Bassogog, Aboubakar, Zoua, Fai, Teikeu, Oyongo, and
Ngadeau-Ngadjui all return. Accordingly, there doesn’t appear to be any
drastic change to Broos’s tactical method.
Basic footballing logic thus dictates that opposing sides,
having done their homework and studied the films, should be able to neutralize
the Lions and keep them out of the Knockouts. One never knows, however, and
your friendly bookie absolutely loves being proven wrong. ;)
Two noteworthy new faces to tell you about. Andre-Frank
Zambo Anguissa—a dude desperately in need of a nickname—is a young prospect who
plays his club football for Olympique Marseille. He’ll most definitely get some
minutes in the Third Group Stage Match. Moumi Mgamaleu, an Austrian League
player, is off to a cracking start with the national team andmight be a regular
fixture for years to come.
Not much hope for Les Indompibles in this one, but it’ll
still prove fun.
Projecting the Lion Lineup (4-4-2)
Vincent Aboubakar Jacqes Zoua
|
Christian Bassogog Robert Ntip Tambe
|
Georges Mandjeck Benjamin Moukanjo
|
Ambrose Oyongo Collins Fai
|
Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui Adolphe
Teikeu
|
Fabrice Ondoa
|
The Talisman—Benjamin Moukandjo “A Syndicate Classic—Cameroon”
From CAN 2017—Semi-Finals:
Thursday,
February 2nd
Cameroon vs.
Ghana
vs. 
Two great coaches
square off in a fairly even fixture to be decided by whom makes the right moves
at the right time. Intriguing on many levels. Not easy to pick a winner. Expect
no fewer than 2,345 “sideline shots” of Avram Grant and Hugo Broos intently
surveying the field. The prevailing side will enter the Final as favorites.
Broos floored us all
with a completely unconventional 4-2-3-1 that featured neither Clinton N’Jie
nor Vincent Aboubakar. He placed a great deal of faith in Robert Tambe and Karl
Ekampi, two unknwons with a mere twenty caps and one National Team Goal between
them. Staples Aboubakar and Mandjeck didn’t even enter the match until the 102nd
minute. Truly some courageous moves from a coach presiding over one of the
youngest teams in the competition. Way to throw down the gauntlet!
Encountering a lineup
so drastically removed from his forecast, your friendly bookie initially saw
the ten changes as an indication that “Les Indomitables” weren’t playing for
the win. How wrong he was! While no player could be said to have turned in a
standout performance, the boys defended as a compact collective, wearing down
their worthy adversaries with steady tacking from Adolphe Teikeu and Michael
Ngadeu-Ngadjui.
By contrast, the
attack sputtered throughout most of the 120. Bassogog and Moukandjo spend most
of the match hamstrung by Aliou Cisse’s rigid 4-5-1. Siani and Fai were
similarly precluded from asserting themselves much on the right. Zoua produced
his customary one quality chance, but spent most of the match in obscurity.
Before falsely
assuming that the Cameroonians have a low-octane-offense, one must take into
account that Aboubakar and N’Jie remain firebrand talents. Slotting Siani back
on the left and starting Mandjeck means they’ll once again find themselves on
the receiving end of well-paced balls from Moukanjdo & Co.
The team we saw on
Saturday constituted a deviation from the eleven that Broos is putting together
for the title run. This bookie projects a return to a more aggressive approach
come Thursday.
Avram Grant picked a
serviceable eleven on Sunday, once again proving that the Israeli Legend knows
full well what he’s doing. The Ayew brothers were given a clearly delineated
lane whilst Acquah and Atsu were charged with drawing coverage to give them
enough space. One never felt the absence of Asamoah Gyan. Wakaso and Partey
were dually deputized to fill his role; a part the two Spain-based midfielders played
quite well. The “Gold Coast Playas” have now advanced to their sixth semi-finals
in as many tournaments. They’ve accomplished this historic feat absent their
talismanic fullback and experienced captain. Kudos.
With Gyan returning,
betting against this team looks a scary proposition. They remain vulnerable
enough to be beaten, however. Especially along the left flank. As predicted,
Atsu’s form dropped considerably. This bookie also Acheampong napping and
playing catch up on a few occasions. For all of his sagacious skill, Grant
hasn’t managed the minutes of his star players all that convincingly.
Fatigue has to catch
up with players like Amartey and Boye eventually. Should the Indompitables be
able to deploy their First String attack, opportunities to pierce the back line
will abound.
Don’t expect it to
happen right away, but the Lions will find a way through.
Chile—“La Roja Americana”
Hell yes!! The surprise winners of the Copa America
Centenario are more than welcome to join us! However, before getting to
wonderfully eccentric human paraquats like Arturo Vidal, there’s a movie I’d
like to recommend to my Syndicate Brothers. Be advised that it’s not an
especially epic movie. Hollywood has its ways of taking creative liberties with
true stories. Anytime one watches a film adapted from an actual event, one
should don one’s “cynicism glasses” and assume that the production was mostly
guided by overpaid marketing committees and prima donna actors. Such was most
assuredly the case with the movie I’m about to extol the virtues of. Gentlemen
of the Syndicate, I wholeheartedly endorse a deep viewing of “The 33”!
“The 33” is a dramatic adaptation of the events surrounding
the improbable rescue of 33 Chilean Miners from a collapsed cooper shaft in
2010. It stars Antonio Banderas and Lou Diamond Phillips. Now that we’ve gotten
that out of the way, you MUST see this movie! It’s not really about the film
per se. It’s about reminding oneself of how incredibly BADASS the human race
can be if we pool our resources and work together. The movie itself is nothing
more than a well-done-farcialized echo of what actually transpired. It has
great merit, nevertheless, in reminding us that what actually transpired DID
really happen.
Most every aspect of our human civilization looks good in
this very true story. Government institutions stepped in to lead expensive
rescue efforts that private companies wouldn’t dare undertake. Engineers from
around the world descended upon the Atacama Desert to undertake complex
drilling operations in order to design an intricate way of feeding,
maintaining, and ultimately pulling out the trapped miners. Let’s not forget
the team itself. Thirty-Three men somehow found a way to organize themselves,
rationing a three-day-supply of food over the course of seventeen days before
surface teams could reach them. They overcame the constraints of a crowded five-meter
refuge shelter, shook off all of their nicotine/alcohol withdraws, and
withstood 100+ degree heat for over two and a half weeks!
We’d all do well to heed the lessons of 2010’s “Miracle in
the Desert”. Americans love their Superhero Movies. They love to debate whether
the latest “Thor”, “Wonder Woman”, “Batman”, “Transformers” or “Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles” lived up to their expectations. What they tend to forget is that
we’re perfectly capable of being our own Superheroes if we’d only work together
and pool our resources.
Remind yourselves of that. The badass human race is more
badass than you could ever imagine.
“Chi-Chi-Chi”
“le-le-le”
“Chi-Chi-Chi”
“le-le-le”
Let’s talk some football.
Scarce attention was paid to this country’s amazing
achievement in last Summer in the Copa America Centenario as your friendly
bookie frantically tried to cover the European Championships and coordinate
efforts among 100-some-odd active Global Syndicate Members whilst simultaneously
holding down a demanding full-time managerial job. Whew! It was quite the
Summer. ;)
The Chileans deserve long overdue credit for turning in one
of the most exceptional tournament-level-performances ever. In many respects it
exceeded the German run in the 2014 WM. Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez, Jose
Fuenzalida, Eduardo Vargas, Charles Aranguiz, and Edson Puch played some of the
most gorgeous football ever seen.
Every last actor returns; all in the best form of their
respective professional careers. On paper the Chileans bring to the competition
an even better roster than the Portuguese. This bookie projects a devastating
4-2-3-1 fully capable of dismantling any other eleven in this tournament
promptly.
Is the Kraut nervous? You can damn-well bet on it!
Projecting the Chilean Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Alexis Sanchez
|
Eduardo Vargas Arturo Vidal Edson Puch
|
Marsalo Diaz Francisco Silva
|
Jean Beausejour Eugenio Mena
|
Gary Medel Mauricio Isla
|
Claudio Bravo
|
The Talisman—Alexis Sanchez 
One hundred and ten caps for his country. Thirty goals for
Arsenal this season. Your friendly bookie unabashedly confesses his admiration
for Bundesliga Veteran Arturo Vidal…but that man is an uncontrollable
megalomaniac! He’s the Dennis Rodman to Alexis Sanchez’s Michael Jordan; the
Kobe Bryant to his Shaquille O’Neal. Teams must invariably deal with leadership
struggles. Hotheads wish to seize control of the reigns. A serious problem
ensues when those not coolheaded enough to see the team through wish to act as
if they know what they’re doing. Leadership entails a larger scope. Don’t lose
sight of the forest for the trees. Sanchez must lead this team. “A Syndicate Classic—Chile”
From WM 2014—Day Sixteen Recap:
Goodbyes Section
Chile —“La Roja Americana”
-4 Games Played
-6 Goals Scored
-74 Hot Girls
They shall be sorely
missed, at least by this bookie. Uniquely inequitable structure to the
elimination brackets this year, even more so than usual. Harried Hosts Brazil
must fend off Chile, Columbia, and (presumably) either France or Germany if
they’re to have any hopes of making the finals. By contrast, the bottom half of
the brackets afford nations like Greece, Holland, and Argentina an easy path to
the finals should they advance.
The brackets are, of
course, never fairly balanced. Neither is life. Last night cruel chance and
circumstance claimed its first casualty in this highly entertaining Chilean
side that could have made the semis if not for the hard luck of the draw. They
sure as hell gave us a great show, and made your friendly bookie look like even
more of a damn fool by defying his dire predictions.
From WM 2014—Group
B Preview
Argentine
manager Jorge Sampoli has undeniably assembled the most talented Chilean squad
in over fifty years. He picked up right where his mentor (fellow Argentine
Marcelo Bielsa) left off. The whole staff scouted and recruited with remarkable
success. The result is a squad comprised of a record 13 players playing in
Europe’s top leagues. With so much ability and momentum working for them, the
Chileans have become the fashionable pick among amateur bookies to serve as
this tournament’s Cinderella. In nearly every match they turn out to be
comeback kids! Surely the Glass Slipper fits a country now run once again by
Michele Bachelet!!
Oh
how alluring it is. I want to don my Romantic Robes and tell you that this team
can improbably punch through to the knockout stages, just as they did in 1998
and 2010. I just don’t see it happening. Might as well tell you why.
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
This
should be good…
Alexis
Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas are certainly upgrades over Humberto Suarez and Mark
Gonzalez, but Vargas still strikes me as a “work in progress”. He needs to find
a steady team and display more consistency.
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
Vargas
took all of twelve minutes to set up Alexis Sanchez’s magnificent goal in the
opener against Australia. He was involved in the run up to the second goal two
minutes later. He’d add his goal from the spot in the Spain upset and deserves
full credit for the equalizer last night. It was him who pounced on that slack
throw in to set up Sanchez square. He should have no difficulty finding a
regular place now.
Nothing
too critical to say about Sanchez, especially not after his marvelous season
for Barça, but he benefited greatly from some of the set ups he got from
veteran leaders like Suazo, M. Gonzalez, and Pizzaro. Sampoli can’t be accused
of opting for youth in his selection, but questions regarding chemistry abound.
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
As
intimated above, Vargas had no problems squaring or crossing for him. The Barça
man had no problems finishing.
Why
isn’t Beausejour hitting his teammates anymore? Did it have something to do
with his saga with Borghi? Why doesn’t Vidal seem at home on the national side
anymore? He’s been doing great for Juventus Turin. What’s wrong? Why is it
taking so long for Marcelo Diaz to blossom on the grand stage? Why don’t
Gonzalo Jara and Marcos Gonzales pour forward more often? They’ve got the
aerial skills!
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
Who
the hell cares? Even with all his theatrics, Vidal played another beast of a
game last night. Beausejour barely factored in despite an added time goal
against the Aussies. Jara and Diaz did just fine. Marcos Gonzalez didn’t make the
final cut. Isla, Mena, and Medel turned out to be better choices
What a show they put
on for us last night! So many memorable scenes that will stay with this bookie
forever. The way Vargas snatched up that loose ball. The way Vidal just ran his
heart out (he covered nearly 11 Kilometers in only 87 minutes of play!). There
was the way Gary Medel kept fighting to stay on the pitch with both of his legs
taped up. He waved off the fourth official when Sampaoli signaled for his
substitution in the 108th. He just didn’t want to quite! How about
that fighting spirit?
There was the manner
in which Pinella audaciously unleashed that long-range effort in the 120th.
The reverberating crossbar let us all know that more thrilling drama was to
come. Speaking of reverberating woodwork, how about Jara’s spot kick that
brought the enthralling shootout to its conclusion? What a titillating blast to
end on! The whole match was a blast, perhaps the best all-around fixture we’ve
witnessed thus far.
For Latin American
fans, the “Red Hot Chile Peppers” return as hosts of the 2015 Copa America.
This Continental Championship runs from the 11th of June to the 4th
of July next Summer. Even if he wanted to make the COMNEBOL Championship next
summer’s event, your friendly bookie just can’t do it. The 2015 FIFA Women’s
World Cup runs contemporaneously (er… “at the same time” in the event that
anyone just decided to NEVER bother with this blog again).
Syndicate Members will
thus have to wait a minimum of two years before your friendly bookie covers the
Chileans again. The Copa America celebrates its Centennial in the Summer of
2016. In commemoration, COMNEBOL will merge with CONCACAF for one special
“Super Tournament” to be held in the United States. If all goes well, this
could pave the way for the potentially awesome CONCACAF-COMNEBOL merger that
all of us diehard football fans have long advocated. It overlaps with the 2016 European
Championship, but your friendly bookie is considering making an effort to cover
both.
Wave goodbye to
Beasajour and Jose Rojas. Everyone else should be back. Vidal, Vargas, Sanchez,
Mena, Medel, Isla, and “Über-Keeper” Claudio Bravo all look set to return.
Australia—“The Socceroos”
Yawn. Hate to phone this one in, but I find myself genuinely tired of writing about this team. It’s the same story every Summer. Your friendly bookie fondly recollects Timmy Cahill’s “Kasiersalutern KO” from the 2006 WM, then proceeds to speculate how the grizzled veteran fits into the revised strategy of the squad’s latest incarnation. None of the is meant to suggest that the Socceroos will not prove competitive in the coming days. Moreover, I in no way wish to diminish the impressive work that Aaron Mooy, Massimo Luongo, Matthew Leckie, and Tomi Juric have put in.
A new generation of Aussies have kept this football program
relevant after the country switched FIFA Divisions and opted to compete in Asia.
Therein lies a great story worthy of some more inspiring words. Somehow the “Cahill
Focus” leaves this bookie felling fatigued with Write-Ups that pertain to this
National Squad. There’s also the fact that, even though FIFA’s Asian Division
proves vastly more interesting on a competitive level than the Oceanic
Division, it remains a ho-hum sort of global agglomeration that doesn’t really
produce an attention grabbing product.
Writing about the Asian Continental Championship in 2015
simply wasn’t that much fun. The 2015 AFC Cup and the 2013 World Baseball
Classic count as the two Syndicate Chapters that your friendly bookie had to
grit his teeth to get through. Drumming up interest in tournaments that don’t
have strong traditions renders one feeling like something of a bullshit artist.
Not good times ; (
Of course I’ll still be watching with high hopes and
expectations. Let it be noted, however, that I prognosticate a Dead Last Finish
for this crew.
Projecting the Aussie Lineup (4-3-3)
Robbie Kruse Timmy Cahill Matthew Leckie
|
Aaron Mooy Massimo Luongo
|
Mark
Milligan
|
Aziz Behich Milos Degenek
|
Ryan McGowan Trent Sainsbury
|
Matthew Ryan
|
The Talisman—Matthew Leckie
Been keeping tabs on this kid since the 2015 AFC
Championship. He made the move from FSV Frankfurt to FC Ingolstadt 04…and he’s
kind of sucked since. Despite encouraging performances for the National Team,
he just can’t seem to get it together on the club level. He has little choice
but to rock out now. Kruse and Cahill aren’t going to get it done. You’ve got a
new contract with Herta BSC, kiddo. You can do it! Tenacious and ravenous. Don’t
lose sight of that net.
“A Syndicate Classic—Australia”
From AFC 2015—Semi-Finals:
Tuesday
Australia
vs. U.A.E.
vs. 
The Socceroo Lineup
projected by your friendly bookie in the Quarterfinal Round was simply
ingenious. I’ll stand by it. A true “Trident-Style Attack” featuring Max Kruse
on the left, Mathew Leckie on the right and good ol’ Timmy Cahill as the
protruding piece of steel is “of the Gods”. It’s too cunning to stop. Bonaparte
himself couldn’t have come up with a better strategy. Had the French Midget
concocted something even remotely similar, everyone in Russia would be munching
on baguettes now.
Ange Postecoglou is
even more astute. He’s really playing it close to the vest; much more so than I
initially thought. The Aussies played an obtusely sneaky 4-1-4-1 against the
Chinks. Kruse and Leckie cleverly pretended as if they weren’t strikers. They
were clearly instructed to hang back and act as wingers. Irrespective of
whether they’ll be asked to do so again, the Flatlanders should have no problem
flattening the severely overtaxed Sheiks here.
Scrap the “Abdulrahman
Axis”. Unimpressive.
Cinderella goes
home….NOW!!
Deutschland—“Glorious Fatherland”
You’ll barely recognize this team as Jogi Löw has opted to
give virtually the ENTIRE First String a well-deserved Summer off. The young
“Core Group” from the “A Team”—Kimmich, Hector, Mustafi Emre Can and Julian
Draxler—return to lead a highly intriguing under-capped assemblage of various
ages. Neuer, Hummels, Kroos, Khedira, Özil, Höwedes, Boateng, Volland, Müller,
Gomez, Schürrle, and Götze are ALL staying home. Enjoy your vacation, Jungs.
We’ll catch you next year. ; ) Löw has once again put together an excellent
selection that will doubtless prove a treat to watch. German fans get to scout some
fascinating new faces whilst simultaneously gauging whether the next generation
of leadership finds itself up to the task. I needn’t remind regular Syndicate
Readers that we also get the chance to wave our flags around a bit ; ) Thank
goodness Summer has finally arrived ; )
Your friendly bookie confidently asserts that this roster of
players most of you have likely never heard of possess enough talent to take
the tournament. You certainly won’t find a single Krauts sinking into a deep
depression should they not. We nevertheless expect a solid effort, some
promising signs, and—of course-- the Semi-Finals.
Ready to meet the New “Nationalmannschaft”?
Sandro Wagner and Lars Stindl are a pair of older journeymen
strikers who only recently earned their first call-ups. It’s clear that Löw
plans to again deploy a “False 9” lineup that doesn’t feature a true big-target
forward. He’s kept a couple of natural strikers in his Kader in the event that
the attack may require a late-game-altering substitution. Neither one of his
center-forwards are projected to start.
Julian Draxler inherits the captain’s armband and the heavy
responsibility of anchoring a “pocket attack”. Flanking him could be any number
of players who have fought their way onto this team with brilliant recent form.
Timo Werner exploded onto the scene with a 21-goal-campaign for RB Leipzig.
Can’t wait to see him in action! Amin Younes, a former Dortmund prospect who’s
development was once in serious doubt, has earned a starting place at Ajax
through sparkling recent form. Julian Brandt and Leon Goretzka have moved up
the ranks of their respective club teams rapidly. Ditto late-bloomer Sebastian
Rudy.
For now your friendly bookie projects starting roles for
Werner, Younes, Rudy, and Goretzka. Diego Demme appears to have brought along
should Werner fail to click chemistry-wise with players he doesn't ordinarily
share the pitch with. Kerem Demirbay and Marvin Plattenhardt are unlikely to
serve little purpose other than “Zeitgewinn Substitutions”.
There are new defensemen to tell you about as well, but I
frankly don’t see Benjamin Henrichs or Niklas Süle starting. Löw doesn’t appear
set to go with inexperience at the back. The roster suggests that the defensive
strategy from last Summer will more or less remain in place. Emre Can serves in
the ultra-defensive flight-directing midfield role that Bastian Schweinsteiger
assumed late in his career. Kimmich and Hector receive the exact same fullback
positioning instructions as they did last year. Ginter and Mustafi close ranks
ahead of Marc-Andre ter Stegen to solidify a veteran defense. Roma’s Antonio
Rüdiger certainly deserves a look, but I don’t quite see how he fits into a Löw
Scheme that runs on shorter, more mobile fullbacks.
The full picture lies below. No need for a classic in this
section. Do us proud, Jungs! Do us proud Jungs!
For the Fatherland! For the Free World!
Projecting the Kraut Lineup (4-5-1)
Julian Draxler
|
Amin Younes Timo Werner
|
Leon Goretzka Sebastian Rudy
|
Emré Can
|
J. Hector S. Mustafi
M. Ginter J. Kimmich
|
Marc-André
ter Stegen
|
The Talisman—Julian Draxler 
“Drax” followed up his impressive Euro performance with a big
move to a big club early in the year. PSG quickly discovered that the speedy
and versatile young phenom can score goals from virtually anywhere on the
pitch. Though he’s most explosive on the left wing, he can push up through just
about any central pocket, and slice through just about any defender with
powerful two-footed prowess. His tools honestly reminds one of a young Lucas
Podolski and it’s no exaggeration to say that he’s ahead of the clip in his
young career. A fine choice to wear the captain’s armband. The other players
will surely follow the lead of a genuine hustler who roves all over the pitch.
Vicey’s
Fearless Group Prediction (Straight Up Odds for bookie)
1)
Deutschland 2)
Chile 3)
Cameroon 4)
Australia
Overall
Championship Odds
Deutschland (NO BETS) Chile (Straight Up) Cameroon (3 to 1) Australia (6 to 1)
Semi-Finals
Odds
Deutschland
(NO BETS) Chile
(NO BETS) Cameroon
(Straight Up) Australia
(3 to 1)
