Coming into the Quarterfinals the Total Soccer Index had been 100% accurate in predicting the Knockout stage winners:

 

When removing Cavani player performance, for Uruguay, prior to the Quarterfinals, the Total Soccer Index had been 100% accurate in predicting the quarterfinal winners:

That ends up seeing the TSI being 12 for 12 in predicting the next stage winners.   Still waiting for Audi or Fox Soccer to be my sponsor. 😉

Now with the semi-finals upon us here’s what the tea leaves show in the Total Soccer Index:

I’m an England supporter and the numbers are pretty bloody close; 8.83 for Croatia and 8.41 for England – squeaky bum-cheek tight to be sure.

A couple of things could influence the outcome – most assuredly the fitness of the players and any lingering issues with injuries – especially for the Croatian goal keeper – Subasic.

For Belgium, their number, 11.04 remains highest in the index – as they have the entire World Cup competition – just like Germany, who won the Cup in 2014.

In closing:

My odds on favorite to take the World Cup since group stages were completed has been Belgium – I don’t waiver from that as they are playing the best ‘team’ soccer of anyone else.

That said, I want England to win it all so I can listen to this song for the next 24 hours:

• Football’s Coming Home
• Recommend skipping the ad.
• Course, the video and audio will need to be updated as appropriate. 🙂

As a reminder – the Total Soccer Index was developed to account for the ‘bell curve’ of team activities in a game.  Apart from secret formulas the primary statistics used to create the index include:

• Possession
• Passing Accuracy
• Penetration
• Creation
• Precision, and
• Finishing
• For both teams in attack and how successful the opponent is in attacking.

Best, Chris