The Two Robbies Daily: Round of 32 preview
The Two Robbies sit down to preview the matches coming up this week in the round of 32, assessing what's the most likely outcome, who will be the star performers and what they expect to happen in each match.
Video Transcript
Welcome to the Two Robbies Daily, where we're gonna take a look at all round of 32 games.
Brazil versus Japan, I think is a blue-chip game of the knockout round starting.
The Blue Samurai, mate, are, I think, slight favorites in this one.
Well, they're plus 250 to advance.
a- and I like that because, Brazil, we know have got better.
We know they've got Vini Jr.- and a few other star players.
But Japan are ready for those guys.
Yeah.
Japan are, are, are the antidote to, I think, this expansive and improving Brazil team.
We saw Japan right from the beginning.
Yeah.
Super organized.
We know their coach said that they're, they're in this tournament to win it.
Yeah.
They're confident.
They defend mostly out of a 4-5-1.
They counterattack very quickly.
I just think against Brazil, it's gonna surprise them and surprise everybody.
Yeah.
I, I think an upset is on the cards here.
There's a speed and athleticism to Japan that will, I think, will trouble Brazil.
Yeah.
And they won't be giving cheap goals away like Scotland were either.
Germany versus Paraguay, next up, Robbie Earle.
Yeah.
Germany, I think improving.
I think when you consider the Germans, I, I always look at Florian Wirtz in midfield.
A player that's still yet to fulfill his potential for me.
Yeah.
Kai Havertz, of course, the striker, I think is preferred right now.
And just in terms of odds and bets, Kai Havertz to score and Florian Wirtz to get an assist is plus 211 anytime in the game.
Now, against Paraguay, they're heavy favorites.
This is, I think, one of the most tilted games in this round.
No issues for Germany?
I, I wouldn't be surprised i- if Wirtz assists Havertz and they get the goal.
In, in one move.
And that, that goes, goes on to win the game.
I think you're right with Germany.
I think they're the, the team in the competition that seems to be inching towards their best form.
And I, I can only see a German winning this one, I gotta be honest.
Yeah.
I mean, Leroy San, I still, still feel has got more to come from him.
But they got enough to win this game for sure.
Ivory Coast versus Norway.
A, a fascinating match up.
Contrasting styles, star players.
You know, Norway, many people's dark horse for this tournament.
We both enjoyed Ivory Coast.
Yeah.
You picked them up really early, Rob.
I did, yeah.
With the attacking players there, we've got Diamande, Amad Diallo.
They've got some attacking threats that can hurt Norway.
Absolutely.
And, and I think when we look at Norway, we can't look beyond Erling Haaland, the goal scorer, the powerball at the top end of, of the pitch.
And can Martin degaard get himself to the highest level where he can be producing goals?
But no, I went early with Ivory Coast, and I'm gonna stick with Ivory Coast.
You think both, you both think they're gonna advance, Ivory Coast?
I, I think so, Rob.
I, I just feel that they'll have a little bit too much- Yeah in, in the attacking line.
In a tight game, I think they go through.
France versus Sweden.
Many people's favorite France to go on and win the competition, Rob.
Are they playing so well that, that they've just gotta keep that momentum going?
Yeah, they have.
I mean, they're gonna outscore so many teams in this tournament.
I mean, I think midfield-wise, they're strong as well.
They do tick all the boxes.
Complacency possibly.
They switched off in the last game.
Yeah.
Conceded a goal.
but I think in terms of the bets, you've gotta be thinking of the goal scorers, the star players.
Yeah.
Over 1.5 goals for France.
Dembele to score, Mbapp to score- Yeah is plus 182.
Doesn't seem like huge odds.
No.
But if those two things happen with those two players- They score then they're gonna get over the 1.5 goals.
So strongly fancy France to, to make it a strong one.
Well, yeah, and based off, off what we've seen i- in games leading up to it, you know, Mbapp's already firing.
You know, Dembele coming in with a hat trick last time out.
Yeah.
Olise, the supply line, Rob.
Yeah.
And I tell you the thing for me with France, it looks a more together group of players, and this is down to Didier Deschamps- Yeah than we've seen in some while.
Yeah.
They're a scary outfit.
So here's an interesting one, Mexico versus Ecuador.
Mexico have been pretty perfect in the group stage, Rob.
Yeah.
But I have got quite a strong feeling for Ecuador.
After watching them against Germany- Yeah come from behind in a must-win game in the group stage to advance.
They did it.
We know they've got a brilliant defense.
PSG's Pacho they have back there.
Yeah.
Hincapi from Arsenal.
Moiss Caicedo, the defensive holding midfield player.
On the other side of things, Angulo's just scored for the national team in this tournament.
So I know how Mexico play, I think I know how Ecuador are gonna approach it.
And in that, that being said, Me- Ecuador to, to win, under 2.5 goals for Ecuador is plus 159.
That's basically the odds on what I'm saying, a narrow victory for Ecuador.
I'm going the other way.
I think as host nations, they've had a great start to the competition.
Three wins in, in the three group games.
Confidence is high.
I know that altitude might not be such a problem playing an Ecuadorian team, but I still feel as though that home, the fan base, and that altitude is something that we're gonna look for.
And I'm gonna go the other way.
The host nation, Mexico, who've made it three wins in the first three group games, with the confidence, with the fan base.
I know the altitude probably isn't gonna upset Ecuador too much, maybe more used to those kind of conditions.
But when I think a Mexican win and Ral Jimnez to score is plus 214, I think that's good bit of business, and I think Mexico go through.
So England face DR Congo, an English team that has not been perfect so far, but finished top of the group- Yeah Rob.
Going into this one, should there be a little bit of confidence?
There should be confidence.
There shouldn't be any kind of sense of this is an easy game.
I think Thomas Tuchel will be good at that, making sure the players are ready for this.
I think they can expect a defensive DR Congo side.
but I think they do get the job done.
And I'm gonna, I'm gonna give something a little different here.
I'm gonna go f- with a bet here for England to advance.
Yeah.
And Nico O'Reilly, by the way.
It's an interesting one.
Nico O'Reilly, the full back, that absolutely gets forward.
I think he's about 6'4".
He gets into the penalty box.
He could be the difference maker in this game.
And you're gonna get value here, plus 436 is for that to come through, and that's what I'd go with.
The only thing I would say is England were a little bit loose at times against a Panama team who weren't good enough to, to hurt them.
With someone like Yoan Wissa from D- DR Congo could be more of a test.
But I think I'm with you, I think England find a way to get this done.
Yeah.
Interesting game, Belgium versus Senegal.
Belgium, Robbie Earle.
Aging squad, or still capable of producing something?
Because this is a very difficult game for Belgium.
yeah.
I kind of feel I'm going down the golden generation that's turning a bit rusty.
it's the last- Hoorah for, for Kevin De Bruyne and, and Romelu Lukaku, two greats for Belgian football.
Just not quite sure they're gonna have enough against the Senegalese- They've got Sadio Mane, they got Amadou Onana Yeah, Onana they've got some others that can Djibril Cisse, of course, is their star player now, giving his- Absolutely.
But that, it, it just doesn't quite feel like the right mix at the right time- Yeah in with the Senegalese forward line.
I think there's a real threat, Rob, for, for Senegal.
Well, let's, let's, let's double down on that.
The front line of Senegal is pretty interesting.
Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool player- Yeah of course.
Nico Jackson, a player that always loves to run in behind.
Absolutely.
Iliman Ndiaye off the bench, Ismaila Sarr.
Yeah.
So how about this one?
Senegal to advance, Nico Jackson to score is plus 396.
That's good value, and absolutely something that could happen.
Spain versus Austria on paper, and with recent history, would seem an easy Spain victory, Rob.
Yeah.
Though I don't think it's gonna be easy.
I don't think we've seen anywhere near their best from Spain right now.
No.
Lamine Yamal I would hope will be, will be finding his feet, get a little bit more sharpness about him.
Is it easy to say Spain go through easily?
not easy, but I, I, I think they would be the, the stereotypical nation who you say are gonna improve as they go along.
Now we're in knockout football.
Now it's another step.
It's mentally a different approach.
I expect more control of the game.
As you say, I expect more threat from the wide areas, Nico Williams and Yamal, and Arrasate at the top end of the pitch now.
It's now the big questions are gonna be asked, can he get the goals to see them through?
Switzerland versus Algeria is a interesting game, Rob.
Algeria haven't really shown up at, at this tournament.
Can they find, can they find a way past the Swiss?
I don't think so.
I mean, Switzerland, w- when I watch, I watched those, steady, reliable, consistent- not gonna make too many errors.
Yeah.
And this might be a bit of a grinder when you, when you consider these two teams and how they've done so far.
Nothing spectacular.
I would just favor the European team in this match up, to go through.
Yeah.
And for that, if for Switzerland to advance and Breel Embolo to be the first scorer, that's plus 365, Rob.
Yeah.
That, that's a decent bit of business, isn't it?
That's not bad value, yeah.
Big high-profile game, Portugal versus Croatia.
I mean, the story might be about Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal and Luka Modric for Croatia, Rob, but there's a bit more to it than that.
Yeah.
I mean, I think Portugal ha- has still haven't shown us their best yet.
I still think there's more to come.
I think when you look at match-ups, Vitinha in the middle of the park for Portugal- Yeah PSG's absolute metronome in terms of setting the play up- against Luka Modric is fascinating.
Yeah.
You've got a young kid, or, or, or certainly a younger kid that's, that's I guess he's experienced now, but against Luka Modric.
And, you know, I look back when I played, and I'd rather be playing against Modric than Vitinha.
The younger, the younger upstart.
I remember played against Paul Ince- Yeah when he first started out.
Went on to play for England and Man United and Liverpool.
Yeah.
Wow, was he a, was he a player.
I was like, wow, who's this, this kid Paul Ince?
Dribbled past me a few times.
Yeah.
Run by me, tackled me hard.
I think the young one coming through is more fear- fearsome than the, the, the aging one for me.
I, I'd have to agree, because I, I think while you've got all the technical ability and, and the experience, Rob, if somebody blasts past you with power and with speed And I remember, the player I remember who made me feel old very quickly was playing against Steven Gerrard.
He came on as a sub- Yeah against Liverpool, and he went box to box, mate, and that was my thing, like, come on box to box.
Yeah.
Robbie Earl can go.
He left me for dead.
Yeah.
And I remember thinking, wow, powerhouse, but can do the job I can do.
And so in that respect, I probably think Vitinha might get the better of things.
And that would mean that Portugal would win.
So I think Portugal will go through, and, and maybe the end of an era of some of these brilliant Croatian players.
So Australia versus Egypt, all eyes on the Egyptian king, Mo Salah, who looks to be carrying a little bit of an injury.
Not 100% sure if he'll start this game, Rob.
Egypt haven't quite come to, to the boil, so far in the tournament.
Well, you might say that the team isn't that great around a great player in Mo Salah.
Is that a reason why he's not really burst out yet?
This is a chance to do it, and for those who are a bit more skeptical of where he is in his career right now, which would be me, like, is his talent s- just kinda dwindling a little bit, and that sharpness isn't quite there that used to set him apart, which I think that is the case, he could totally prove me wrong against Australia.
Australia, Rob, very defensively strong.
Yeah.
Some experience back there.
Harry Souttar, big center half, will be playing for them.
but do, do you believe that Mo Salah will come alive in this round?
I kinda do, because I think his experience, his know-how, his understanding of, of what hi- his nation re- requires.
And so for Mo Salah to score, Rob, and for Egypt to go through is plus 247.
You know, there's a bit of value in that- That's pretty nice for, for, for the- Yeah Egyptian fans.
Yeah.
I think the fans will, will jump on that, because that's likely.
I think they'll go through.
I mean, Australia will grind, and they'll defend- and we, they have to be respected.
But if you're right, and if Mo Salah's still got plenty to give, that bet's gonna go well.
And they're not just about defending, Australia.
They have got a bit of craft.
Kristian Volpato was a former Roma player who's come on the pitch, left-footed, very silky, and can make things happen.
So there is still a threat from this Australian team.
Argentina versus, in some ways, the story of the tournament, Cape Verde.
This expanded tournament has given the likes of Cape Verde and others a chance to get through and play the big boys.
The world champions, they're big boys, Rob.
What sort of chance have Cape Verde got against Argentina and Lionel Messi?
Bring it on to my Cape Verde.
Bring it on.
W- You know I w- I was all in from early on.
An 0-0 draw with Spain, a 1-0 win against Argentina's gonna shock the world, my friend.
Well, let's, let's think about the odds for that.
Argentina to get over 2.5 goals, possible, and Lionel Messi to be the first goal scorer is plus 336.
There's your bet.
Save your money.
It's not gonna happen.
Got a tough one to call, Mosty.
Colombia versus Ghana.
We've seen a Ghana team that we know can set up well and, and, and be difficult to break it down- we've seen a Colombian team that is warming up in- into the competition, and has got some attacking threats.
Yeah.
How, how you feel on this one?
I think it's gonna be an interesting game, another one that's, that I can't wait to see it.
I, you know, contrasting styles again.
I, I can't With Ghana, that England game- Yeah the physicality, Rob, we watched it together, like- they were so ferocious in their defending.
Yeah.
So not many goals.
Very, very tight.
How about this for one?
I went through the, went through the possibilities and options.
Okay.
How about this?
Colombia to advance on penalties, under 2.5 goals, which is a low-scoring tie- Yeah is plus 1846, 1,846.
That's some returns.
That- And I think that's pretty possible.
Here's a dollar from me, my friend.
Let's do it.
