Argentina vs. Iran (12:00 p.m. ET)
Where: Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte
What I'm watching Argentina for: Messi, and to see if Iran can raise any red flags regarding Argentina's rearranged back four on defense. (They won't, but you have to have something to look for besides Iran running a blockade and praying for another draw.)
What I'm watching Iran for: To see Messi cut through them like a hot butter knife, all the more entertaining if Higuaín starts up front with Messi this match. Iran's clearly in overwhelmed-and-coping-well mode, but a team with that little ability to counter facing a team like Argentina is just there for a survival test they will, by script, ultimately fail.
Intangibles: Messi tiring of firing shots into a wall of Iranian defenders, and simply dribbling and grinning while sipping a Pepsi for the cameras.
Announcers: Adrian Healey and Roberto Martinez
Watchability: 4/10, since Argentina scoring is always good, but Iran not scoring in return makes this very lopsided and an exercise in accounting more than anything.
Germany vs. Ghana (3:00 p.m. ET)
Where: Estadio Castalao, Fortaleza
What I'm watching Germany for: The return of Bastian Schweinsteiger, continued scoring, and to see if we can get through an entire Germany game without a single reference to them being mechanistic, merciless, or any other Teutonic cliché. We will fail, but it's the effort that counts
What I'm watching Ghana for: To see if they can generate a goal against a tougher defense than the one they just faced. Ghana dominated possession against the United States, yet fell short of generating more than a single goal against a defense which is, well...The United States' back four.
Intangibles: Germany refuse to leave the comforts of their ridiculous beach compound, which would be totally understandable.
Announcers: Jon Champion and Stewart Robson
Watchability: 6/10 if Ghana can manufacture a few goals and be physical with Germany's attack up front. Both teams need this win, so the game could be sneakily intense in the second half.
Nigeria vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (6:00 p.m. ET)
Where: Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá
What I'm watching Nigeria for: A rearranged lineup to create more scoring opportunities, since the Super Eagles posted zero in the goal column against Iran. They do not have the option of relying on the draw here, and are facing a team with more than a few ways to score. It's essentially the same message cut-and-pasted from every other preview of a Nigeria World Cup match from the past decade, but in short: WAKE UP AND DO SOMETHING, NIGERIA.
What I'm watching Bosnia and Herzegovina for: More of the same, since they actually played really well, and need to change little from their performance in a 2-1 loss to very good Argentina.
Intangibles: "Nigeria wakes up and does something."
Announcers: Daniel Mann and Efan Ekoku
Watchability: 5/10, mostly on the provision that Nigeria could do something interesting based solely on our unfair memories of them being really cool 20 years ago.
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1iW58N1
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