This man could be the difference between the Dutch having a shot at the title, or just being a sexy pick without substance
Don’t overthink this one. The Dutch are better all around the pitch and will have Arjen Robben back to terrorize the Slovak defense to no end. With maybe the exception of Paraguay, I was completely underwhelmed by the Group F fixtures and thought that Group E was worthy of a Group of Death title once we figured out that Japan was a real threat. This is a straightforward pick, so let’s spend our remaining time talking about more interesting aspects of the Dutch team.
A lot of people have started jumping on the Dutch bandwagon as the sexy sleeper pick to win the World Cup. I would strongly urge you to reconsider. See, the Dutch play gorgeous soccer when they are attacking and scoring goals, and have a good number of well-known players. There is no doubting their skill level. However, Edwin Van der Sar is no longer in international football, which means that there is no steadying hand behind a fairly middling back line. So far they have taken the fight to every opponent they have faced and have yet to have to defend in depth. Remember our rule about not picking teams that have not faced adversity? You can apply that to Netherlands, but you can even add the aspect that no one was even made them play a complete game yet. Let’s see what they do if they come up against Brazil next round and have to deal with that onslaught, or what would happen if they were to have to face Argentina or another ruthless attacking side. I am not doubting the ability of the Netherlands, but I am doubting whether their defense is World Cup ready. They are the sexy pick, but it does not come with just enough substance for me. It may turn out that they are champions when all is said and done, but until they prove they can deal with a team really attacking them, let’s hold off on the Dutch Gravy Train.
Netherlands 3-0 Slovakia
2:30 PM- ESPN- Brazil vs. Chile
I like Chile. I really do. It is just a shame that they had to get 2nd in Group H and run into the Brazilian Bandsaw this early on. I had this high-octane team giving some bigger teams some problems, but I just don’t think that Brazil is one of those teams they can challenge. I actually would have loved to see Netherlands-Chile, but barring a miraculous upset, that is not going to happen. Brazil is too tested, too strong, and just too good to dip out this early. Even given Chile’s quality play, Brazil has advantages at every spot on the field. I think Chile can grab a goal as Brazil conceded one to the Ivory Coast and North Korea, but I have a hard time seeing them holding Brazil under 2 goals. Think of this like the Argentina-Mexico game. Both teams have some attacking talent, but one can back it up defensively and is just more talented. Since we got that score right, let’s stick with it.
I hate Group F. I really do. Good thing Group E plays today too or I might have my first soccer-less day in a while.
Group F
Barrios has a chance to show the Kiwis what is good in the hood (Barrio= neighborhood in Spanish)
10:00 AM- Paraguay vs New Zealand
This figures to be another somewhat boring game, though Paraguay showed goal-scoring potential in their pivotal game against Slovakia in which they took command of this group. South America will keep rolling if Barrios gets support and they do not let New Zealand muscle them around too much. I think Paraguay wins the game and wins the group so they can avoid facing the Netherlands in the first round of the knockout stages. I have been rolling with my South Americans since Day 1 and I am sticking to it. Paraguay wins the group.
Paraguay 2-0 New Zealand
10:00 AM- Italy vs. Slovakia
I am not sure what to think of Italy having a shot at missing the second round. On the one hand it really turns me on because it means Italy’s unattractive football is out of the next round, but on the other hand, it is Italy. And no, I don’t regret using the phrase “turn-on”. How could they not move on??? It would be unthinkable. Slovakia has also disappointed at every turn this tournament, but I have no reason to believe they will step up, score a goal, and keep a clean sheet. Not happening. Italy advances and prepares to potentially lose to whomever wins Group F (Netherlands).
Italy 2-0 Slovakia
Group E
The rest has been good for Robben, who should be ready for the next round.
2:30 PM- Netherlands vs. Cameroon
Speaking of the Netherlands… This is their game to lose. Fortunately for them, they can afford to lose it and still advance. However, they are not losing this game. Even if they rest guys, they are more disciplined and talented than a Cameroon squad that has really fallen a bit flat. I fully expect the Duth to kick Cameroon out of the tournament with their wooden shoes. I know Cameroon is already out, but I needed an excuse to make a joke about wooden shoes, so cut me some slack. If not for the high talent level, this would be a bad game to watch. Neither team has anything to play for as far as results, and the more talented team will not be breaking their necks to do anything. However, the skill level makes up for a lot and this should be a fairly entertaining match. Netherlands win in uninspiring fashion.
Netherlands 1-0 Cameroon
2:30 PM- Denmark vs. Japan
This is a game to watch. If Denmark plays anything like they did against Cameroon (wide, wide open), we are in for another treat. That was some of attacking football at its best, and if the Danes are in the mood for it, they could give us a very good match. However, entertaining does not guarantee them any kind of result, and Japan will surely be looking to counter-punch if Denmark goes for the goals with gusto.
I am somewhat torn on the pick, though. So far, England, Germany, Netherlands, and Italy (maybe) are the only European teams remaining. That is pretty slim pickings, and all of those are traditional superpowers. Is Denmark good enough to really match up with that kind of name brand power? Not really, but they definitely have a shot. If they were even on Goal Differential with Japan (instead of trailing by 1), I would pick Denmark to advance because they would only need the tie. However, they need to win, and by the same token, Japan needs only to draw Denmark to advance. I think Denmark is the better team, but Japan can scrape a draw out of this game. It will help them tremendously if they can get the first goal because suddenly Denmark will be facing a 2 goal hole and it will prove a hole they cannot climb out of. It will not help that Kjaer will miss the game.
I think Japan gets an early one and hangs on for what could be one of the more tense games of the tournament so far (not including US drama).
Denmark 1-1 Japan and Japan advances to play Paraguay.
There is no question in Bendtner's mind how good he really is, but the confident Dane just isn't ready to lift his team to the next round.
I searched "Paraguay v Slovakia Entertaining" and this is what I got.
This could be a tough one to watch. Neither team looked especially adventurous in its opening match, and any scoring that occurs is likely to be the result of a defensive lapse than a great attacking move. Fortunately, it is the early game so most of us will either still be asleep or on our way to work. South American teams have done very well so far, and for that reason I will go with Paraguay. They drew a much tougher team in Italy,, and I think they can sneak one by Slovakia to nudge them closer to qualification.
Slovakia 0-1 Paraguay
10:00 AM- Italy vs. New Zealand
This has all the makings of a blowout. Italy was not very impressive against Paraguay, but they also drew the USA in the first match of the 2006 World Cup before going on to win the whole tournament. This is a painfully easy group and Italy should skate by New Zealand who did well to even earn a point against a mediocre Slovakia squad.
Italy 3-0 New Zealand
2:30 PM- Brazil vs. Ivory Coast
Drogba could give the Ivory Coast a boost toward the second round.
Thank God for this game. The other two are not going to be too entertaining, but this one should be an absolute cracker of a match (yes, the British accents are rubbing off on me). Brazil did not look especially impressive for most of its opening fixture, but that was against a staunchly defensive North Korean squad that did not even really try to press forward until the last gasps. Ivory Coast, on the other hand, impressed against a talented Portugal side without Didier Drogba for most of the match. Ivory Coast really impressed me, and if they were facing Portugal again, or a team less talented than Brazil, I would pick them to win. However, Brazil is a different animal. They are more talented than Brazil at just about every position. They have amazing depth. Everyone on their team can hammer one home from long distance. They just have a phenomenal team, and I am on record as picking them to win it all. I think Brazil will win, but it will be one of the best matches of the tournament (though Denmark-Cameroon was on hell of a game).
Brazil 2-1 Ivory Coast
Maicon’s goal against North Korea resembled the goal of a man Maicon is compared to, Roberto Carlos.
New Zealand, like a few of the other countries in the competition like North Korea, are not expected to do much. Even a goal would be a great achievement for the Kiwis. and this game is certainly a chance for them to get that goal. However, anything less than a defeat would be a shocker for the “All Whites” of New Zealand. Slovakia is not wildly talented, but they are a quality side that is more than capable of dispatching New Zealand. Marek Hamsik is the man to watch for the Slovaks who are in their first World Cup as an independent nation.
Slovakia 2-0 New Zealand
10:00 AM- Ivory Coast vs. Portugal
Familiar foes after years at Manchester United and Chelsea now get to face off on the World's biggest stage.
This is the match of the day. A victory for either side should guarantee them a spot in the second round, and with so much on the line, you can expect to see both teams going all out in their opening match. Portugal boasts the creative power of Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Simao (Atl. Madrid), Deco (Chelsea) and Tiago (Atl. Madrid), but have really struggled to find the back of the net. They will need big performances out of Hugo Almeda and Liedson if they are to make any noise in this tournament.
The Ivory Coast, on the other hand, has no such problems scoring goals. Didier Drogba should be fit for the match, and when paired with Salomon Kalou or Aruna Dindane, the Ivory Coast has a formidable strikeforce, mostly thanks to Drogba rather than Kalou. However, the biggest reason they are so good is because Drogba is usually unguardable and the other play off him. If he cannot get free, the Ivorians do not have the same killer instinct and an be in trouble. However, they also have solid defenders and midfielders in Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Kolo Toure (Manchester City), Yaya Toure (Barcelona) and Abdul Kader Keita (Galatasaray) give the Ivory Coast a squad unusually strong on star power for an African nation.
I do not expect Drogba’s broken arm to be an issue for him, but I think that if Portugal can neutralize him, the rest of the players will struggle to play up the quality they are accustomed to. I could see this game going either way, making a pick completely impossible to make with any confidence. I am going to take Portugal to win on a penalty kick.
Portugal 1-0 Ivory Coast
2:30 PM- Brazil vs North Korea
You know how difficult that last pick was? That is how easy this pick is. Brazil has all the stars, all the results, and all the ability to squash North Korea. Even a goal for North Korea would be an upset unless it was a meaningless one at 6-1 or something. Brazil will romp.
The World Cup is almost here, so what should you know about the teams, groups and so on? I am glad you asked, here are the nuts and bolts to the World’s sport. It is a bit of a lengthy article, so while I would love for you to read the whole thing, feel free to jump around. Hopefully it will be long, but an easy read.
Group A
Oops
I would like to officially change the name of this group to “Group Ehhhhhh”, as in all the teams are decent but you cannot be any more than lukewarm on them (as in, how was the movie? Ehhhh, it was ok).
France is the most talented team in the group, but they really struggled in qualifying, have a coach who really has struggled to make him team work, and the culmination of it all has been a mediocre team from what should be a really good team. A team boasting Franck Ribery, Nicolas Anelka, Patrice Evra, Thierry Henry, Florent Malouda, and a host of other stars, there should be no question of if they will be advancing, but the French have been so inconsistent but they needed Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland to sneak into the field. Expect them to advance, but to underachieve.
Mexico is a team that is more familiar to most Americans because it is our rival. They are somewhat like France, but less talented. They should probably be a better team than they are, but with so many homegrown stars that do not play in Europe, they do not pop quite like the French team does on paper. Keep an eye on Javier Hernandez, the recent Manchester United signing, as he tries to impress in South Africa. I think he will impress and is absolutely worth keeping an eye on when you are not sure what to look for in a game of two teams you don’t know. Mexico should be advancing, but with Uruguay and hosts South Africa fighting them for that last spot, it will not be an easy task.
Diego Forlan
Uruguay is best known for world class striker Diego Forlan of Atletico Madrid. He is so good that he might steal a game for Uruguay, but they are still not expected to advance. Luis Suarez of Ajax also looks to make an impression on the world’s largest stage as he and Forlan form a formidable strike combo. Uruguay also is one of the few nations to win multiple World Cups and hope that their duo of fantastic strikers, their solid but unspectacular midfield and an ok defense are enough to advance them.
South Africa is certainly not the favorite in the group, but they have something in their favor. No host nation has ever failed to advance to the knockout rounds. Now South Africa is probably one of the worst host nations in a while, but the fact that home field advantage is in play is HUGE. I expect them to pull out at least one surprise result if for no other reason than the power of the home crowd at the World Cup. Steven Pienaar is the man to watch as he is likely to be at the center of any South African moves to attack. Look for the fans to be using annoying horns that will absolutely sabotage any coverage trying to happen.
Group B
Argentina are the runaway favorites here. They boast the best player in the world in Lionel Messi, and though he has not set the world on fire with the national team, he is still truly electric and should be at the center of Argentina’s every move. However, Argentina’s talent does not stop there. Their list of strikers alone is staggering: Diego Milito (of Inter Milan and THIS ARTICLE), Gonzalo Higuain (coming off a huge goal haul for Real Madrid), Sergio Aguero (the recent Chelsea transfer who has all the talent in the world), and Carlos Tevez (the fiery Manchester City striker who has impressed me just about every time I have watched him). Unfortunately, there are only so many striking spots so much of this talent goes to waste. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that scoring should not be a problem for Argentina. The trouble has also come in the form of Diego Maradona. He may have been one of the best players ever, but he has also been one of the most frustrating managers for Argentina. His ridiculously talented squad fumbled through qualifying (including a 6-1 loss to Bolivia), and once they qualified, he told everyone to “Suck it” (yes, it is an exact quote). Argentina, when playing to full potential, is one of the best teams in the world, but they have a lot of progress to make as a team instead of a group of good players, if they are to claim the ultimate prize.
Nigeria is perhaps the best of the rest of the teams in Croup B. They are pretty solid everywhere, but not stunning anywhere and will need for the home-continent advantage to kick in for progression to the knockout stages to become reality. As I look through their roster, I recognize a lot of names, but they all go under the category of “yeah he is pretty decent’ rather than “yeah they can count on him”. Obafemi Martins has been the savior in the past, but he is getting up there in years. If Nigeria is to advance, they are going to need to score some goals, which is not always easy for them. For the record, I do realize that I used the term “home-continent advantage” and how ludicrous that sounds, but the World Cup is that big a deal.
South Korea is yet another Asian team that I do not know much about. Ji-Sung Park (of Manchester United) is the man to watch for the Koreans, and that is about all I can be sure of. He was on fire through qualification and has played well on big stages throughout his career and I expect nothing less here. Keep an eye on him, but if South Korea is to advance, it will be thanks to his supporting cast since he cannot advance them alone.
Greece. What to say about Greece… Well, no one will accuse them of attacking too much. If you tune into a Greek game, enjoy the names resembling spilled alphabet soup, and a brand of football that is absolutely suffocating. For the fans. Though there are scorers such as Gekas, there will not be much offensive and attacking football from the Greeks. However, that could be just enough to advance them in this group, as no team other than Argentina really sticks out. I cannot question the fundamentals and possession of Greece, but the Pentagon would be impressed with how much Greece defends.
Group C
Wayne Rooney wants to eat you alive.
England will be the favorites here, and rightfully so. They are not deep at striker, but Wayne Rooney is a good guy to have flying solo up top. I am not sure if England will go with the 4-5-1 formation with Rooney up top, but I think it is best for them to start with at least. If they want to sub in Peter Crouch or Jermain Defoe that is fine but the lone wolf up top might be best. There is also an embarrassment of riches at midfield with Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and a host of talented midfielders to feed Rooney up top. The English defense is equally impressive with John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ledley King, Ashley Cole, and Glen Johnson. They are really pretty loaded, and should be the favorites to move well beyond the group stages. A fun note about England for the casual observer: England is notoriously bad at penalty kicks. Keep your fingers crossed that they are eliminated by PKs if they are indeed eliminated because it would be funnier than you think. Another great thing about England is being able to mock their accents. Really, who spells COLOR with a U? Stop it, England.
Donovan and the Americans hope to strike a blow to England.
United States does not easily turn into a coherent sentence about the team. The Americans should be moving out of the group stages, but will be playing second fiddle to England. Landon Donovan will be key, as will Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard, but if the US wants to move on they are going to need for the defense to take about 20 steps up, and Jozy Altidore is going to have to be a scoring threat. Jozy is still young, and wildly talented, but he tends to disappear for long stretches of time. The win against Turkey definitely boosted morale, but for the US to be successful beyond the group stages, they will need to step up the D in front of Howard and get some fluidity when attacking. For more on US Soccer, check out the review of the US vs Czech Republic friendly. A lot of good info on there about the team as well as the game.
Algeria is probably not going to advance but could make things interesting. Here is all I actually know about Algeria: Their nickname is the Desert Foxes, which is pretty cool, and the only player whose name I truly recognized on their roster was Nadir Belhadj. Accordingly, you should watch him as he is pretty good. However, I am pretty clueless about the Algerians. They are not a team that should be slept on, but they are a team that the US should expect to beat. Looking at their qualifying results, they should be a decent watch and I wish them all the best when playing Slovenia and England. No comment on my wishes when they play us.
Slovenia is a spelling bee waiting to happen. Again, I apologize and know nothing about them but that their names could not be more difficult to spell for your average Joe. Just looking at the numbers, I would say watch Milivoje Novakovič (yes, I had to copy it) who has 14 career goals, or in other words 10 more than anyone on the roster. i am going to go ahead and bet that teams need to stop that guy if they want to beat Slovenia. I am going to go ahead and guess that Slovenia is defensive minded if their leading goalscorer has 14 goals in 37 national appearances. That really is not a bad ratio, but when no one else has more than 4 it seems to hint at something.
Group D
Great name.
Germany is going to be hurting without captain Michael Ballack, but from a purely soccer perspective, it would be foolish to call him irreplaceable. He was certainly a great leader and an influential player, but he is perhaps a bit over the hill and the torch has been handed to Bastian Schweinsteiger (great name) in central midfield. There is one guy to watch, but you should really just watch the Germans in general. They play good football, win a ton, and have a flair for the dramatic to make up for their lack of general flair. They will advance but do not seem to be generating much hype outside the group. I think they can handle the 2nd place team of Group C in the first knockout round but who knows beyond that. Philip Lahm is another guy to watch. he will be the guy who plays defender streaking up the sideline to send in a cross then having to bust his ass to get back on defense.
Australia is better known for their wacky rules to American football than their soccer, but they play both down under. The Socceroos have a shot at the second round, but will not sneak up on everyone like last year. Everton midfielder Tim Cahill will be the man to watch for Australia, but they will need huge games out of Fulham Keeper Mark Schwarzer and co. if they are to end up in 2nd in a very very strong group.
Serbia have a very underrated squad. Frankly, that is true of most of central Europe, and Serbia is no exception. Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan) and Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United) are the best known guys and are certainly worth watching, but this could also be a coming-out-party for youngster Radosav Petrovic. He is just 21, but he has a chance to make his mark if he gets time on the pitch. Serbia is my pick to advance out of this group, but largely because of factors that will be discussed momentarily. I do not know about Serbia, but there are 3 names to look for.
Essien would have been big for Ghana.
Ghana took what was perhaps a mortal blow when Michael Essien was ruled out of the World Cup. It also made my job much tougher since he is just such an obvious choice as their best player and a guy to watch. Instead, let’s go with Portsmouth (for now) midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng. He had a pretty good season for a dismal club, and should have a chance to shine in this group. However, he is not a huge scorer (if you don’t believe me, check out his penalty kick against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final) and Ghana is likely to struggle with goals. Ghana would have a shot with Essien but it is going to be tough for the Black Stars as it is.
Group E
This Robin needs no Batman.
Netherlands should be the team to beat in the group and is among the teams to beat in the tournament. Boasting playmakers like Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Rafael Van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal) and a host of other solid guys. They will not be the same team as they were in Euro 2008 where they tore everyone apart early, as they lost Edwin Van der Sar to international retirement, but they are still a phenomenal team and should not have a problem moving on. Watch Robben and Sneijder especially, but also watch those orange jerseys. First off, I love them, but second, you might wonder why they are wearing orange when orange is nowhere to be found in their flag. It is because their parliament is called the House of Orange after William of Orange. History lessons on OuttaTownClowns? Check.
Denmark qualified pretty strongly, but will have their work cut out if they hope to advance further. To me, they are a pretty average European team. A striker who people think is better than he is (Nicklas Bendtner), a decent organizer and defender in back (Daniel Agger) and general quality without much depth or flash. They have an excellent shot at advancing, but it will not be easy, and they will need for guys all over the field to play their best if they want to advance.
Japan is yet another example of an Asian team I know nothing about. Shunsuke Nakamura is the man to watch, but that is about where my analysis of Japan ends. Apologies.
Cameroon can be summed up in two words and an oddly placed apostrophe: Samuel Eto’o. He is one of those guys who can single-handedly lift his team to the knockout stages, especially in a group where there is not a ton to be worried about. Jean Makoun is also worth keeping an eye on, but looking over their roster another thing caught my eye. Rigobert Song and Geremi Njitap have combined for (drumroll please) 244 caps. If that is not experience (and perhaps a sign of aging), then I do not know what is. Also, their nickname is The Indomitable Lions. That is just an awesome name. Awesome enough for me to pick them to advance and cross my fingers.
Group F
The defense of the title begins.
Italy is kind of in the same boat as Germany this year in that they are clear favorites to win their group but not much is expected of them as far as deep runs in the competition. They are still the defending champions and deserve respect, but their lack of striking firepower, aging key players and a coach with the creativity of a boulder could spell trouble for Italy. The Azzurri do have some young talent in the form of Giuseppe Rossi, Alberto Gilardino and they are certainly two guys you should keep an eye on, but if you watched the last World Cup, you will recognize many of the names as much of the roster is similar. Do not look for Italy to get too aggressive though as manager Marcello Lippi much prefers the conservative game. That does not mean that Italy will not score much, but do not expect stunning soccer out of Italy. One oddity about this Italian team is that every player but one (Giuseppe Rossi, Villarreal) plays domestically. That is very rare in today’s day and age but we will see how it works for the defending Champions.
Paraguay starts the run of South American teams that are not great but are wily and tricky teams that can sneak up on you. For my taste, there is one too many South American/Central American teams in the field, but that is an argument for another team. Paraguay is a solid team but will not blow you away at any position in particular. Roque Santa Cruz is an excellent striker, but did not get almost any playing time at Manchester City, and Oscar Cardozo of Benfica has had a good campaign but neither are guys you look at and think “game-changer”. Christian Riveros (Sunderland) is the man to watch in midfield as he hopes to help out his boys up top and maybe bag a goal of his own. Paraguay have a definite shot to advance, but they will need to beat New Zealand handily and cannot really afford to lose by more than a single goal. It will be tricky, but progression is a definite possibility for Paraguay.
New Zealand is better known for rugby and Flight of the Conchords than soccer, but the “All Whites” will be measuring success outside of results. Even competing with the teams in their group will be a victory and a simple goal would be a big step for the Kiwis.
Slovakia will be competing with Paraguay for that second spot. They also happen to fit as another somewhat underrated Central European team. They have a very solid team across the board and are probably a touch better than Paraguay, but advancing past the group stages will still be a battle. The man to watch is 22 year old Marek Hamsik (Napoli). He already has 31 caps at 22 and 8 goals in those appearances. He is absolutely a man to watch on a team that could move on in the competition.
Group F
There were more results of women for "Brazil Soccer" than anything else, so why resist?
Brazil is not the team they used to be. The Samba Kids are no more as Manager Dunga has reined in the usual flair of the Brazilian team and turned them into much more of a conservative team with attacking intent than the beautiful football that Brazil used to play. However, that does not mean that Brazil wins less, it just means they will not be as fascinating to watch. Despite being placed in the Group of Death, they are still a virtual lock to advance past the group stages. Boasting names like Kaka, Luis Fabiano, Lucio, Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Maicon and Robinho, Brazil is clearly a team to be feared even if their usual flair is under wraps. They are clearly among the favorites to win the Cup, as always, and with a roster like that, it is well-deserved. I would suggest watching everyone, but in particular Grafite. It is hard to tell who will play for Brazil up top, but he is a guy who could really make a name for himself worldwide with a big performance. Nilmar is another guy to keep in mind, but really, with a team this talented, you should keep an eye on as many guys as possible.
CR9 shows off after a goal.
Portugal boast the world’s 2nd or 3rd best player in Cristiano Ronaldo, and other talents such as Nani, Simão, Deco, Paulo Ferreira, yet really struggled through qualifying. The problem appears to be that they have too many creators and not enough guys to make the supporting runs. That is not to say that they do not have great scorers, but they do not have anyone like Xabi Alonso or the old David Beckham who is there purely to feed the other players. The creativity is good, but when it is such individual creativity, it predictably does not mean team success. Like France, Portugal had to play in the qualifying play-offs to even qualify despite their talented squad. They are certainly a threat to qualify for the second round but their work will be cut out for them in this group.
Ivory Coast is the most talented African team we have seen in a long time. Didier Drogba has a great story (I would suggest this article), a great leader, and a great player, but he is not alone for Les Elephantes. Solomon Kalou (known by some as Kalou-less as in clueless) is a strike
Drogba
partner he knows well from their days at Chelsea, the Toure brother Yaya and Kolo provide veteran presence and outstanding talent, and Emmanuel Eboue, and Didier Zokora serve as outstanding supporting cast for their talismanic striker. They are in the Group of Death, but they are more than able to advance to the knockout stages with solid play. I think they are more than capable of beating Portugal, and if they can, their qualification should be safe. I see all three teams already mentioned beating North Korea, Ivory Coast and Portugal losing to Brazil, and the goal differential being key if Portugal and Ivory Coast draw. However, if Portugal cannot withstand the Ivorian attack, they will find themselves back in Lisbon before they know it.
North Korea can be summed up in only a few words for me. That is because I know nothing about them. Thanks Kim Jong-Il. I did see them get a draw with Greece though, so that was impressive. Still, a goal would be wildly impressive for North Korea. Think of the World Cup as North Korea’s Nuclear Test. Impressive it was there at all, but a complete dud as far as any bang.
Group H
Just the number of great players in this picture is staggering.
Spain is the best team in the world. Fernando Torres, David Villa, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Iker Casillas, Carlos Puyol, Joan Capdevila, David Silva, Jesus Navas, Sergio Ramos, Fernando Llorente, Juan Mata, Xabi Alonso, Pedro, Victor Valdes, Pepe Reina. How often can you name almost every player on the roster and they are well-known and world class players? Being the best in the world does not mean World Cup success, but there is no match Spain will go into in which they are not the favorites. Their 3rd string keeper is better than most 1st string keepers. Their strikers are second to none. Their midfield is frightening beyond all belief. Their defense is solid. They play great football. There is not much not to like, but they often fall short on the bigger stages. They get labeled soft because they struggle against the rougher and stronger teams, and that may be a fair assessment, but they are still the most talented team in the world. It goes without saying that anything less than 9 points in this group would be a little surprising.
Switzerland is a very experienced team but without much flash. Alexander Frei is the man up top (40 goals in 73 appearances), but he is starting to get up there in years and needs help if Switzerland is to grab the second spot. Hakan Yakin is also a guy to watch in midfield, but he too is getting up there in years. If the Swiss are to make any kind of noise in this group, they are going to need top notch keeping and solid defending as Yakin and Frei try to handle the scoring almost single-handedly.
Chile is not much of a threat, but after Spain, it will be a scramble for the second round and they could have a shot. The man to watch is Matias Fernandez, the 24 year old, who can change the game. He is not the kind of game-changer someone like Messi is, but he can be big for Chile and could potentially help lift them to the second round. It is not something I would bet on, but it is certainly possible. Apart from him, I do not recognize many names so I will be watching them with curiosity just as much as you.
Honduras is yet another team with a chance at qualifying in a somewhat weak group outside of Spain. Wilson Palacios and Maynor Figueroa are names that will sound familiar to EPL fans, but the men who have been the biggest influences for Honduras are Carlos Pavon and Amado Guevara. However, they are 36 and 34 respectively and will need solid production from everyone else if they want to advance. That is really a theme with this group. The teams have a few outstanding players, but they need the supporting casts to step up if they want to advance. I think Honduras is among the best equipped to step up and step into the second round.
There you have it. All 32 teams and it only took me 4200 words to sum it up! I hope you are as excited for the World Cup as I am, and as time slowly ticks toward kickoff in South Africa, we can do nothing but wait for the glory of the World Cup.
For those of you who have not looked at ESPN lately and have not been paying attention to World Cup news, the Draw was today and gave us plenty to look forward to. Let’s break it down group by group.
Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
This was an unfortunate draw for host South Africa. They are probably the worst team among the four and although they will have a distinct home-field advantage, their work is cut out for them. France has all sorts of talent but has been inconsistent in qualification. They should advance here, but if Domenech cannot get his men together then Uruguay or South Africa could take their spot. Mexico looks like the other team out of the group. They are experienced, talented and definitely could have gotten a worse draw. Uruguay boasts Athletico Madrid’s Diego Forlan, but are otherwise made up of surprising youngsters and crafty veterans. They could pull an upset, but I would not bet the house on it. My Prediction: 1. Mexico 2. France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece
Worth the price of admission
Argentina is clearly the class of this group, but that is to be expected since they are the seeded team. We can assume 7 points out of Argentina at the least, so let’s give them the top spot and look at the rest of it. I do not know much about South Korea except for Park, who is pretty decent. The South Koreans made a surprise run when the World Cup was in Seoul, but I would not bet on it again. Nigeria is among the West African Nations without notable Premiership superstars, but do not have a weak team in the least. However, the second spot will go to Greece, who play an unapologetically defensive style of football, and will thus not likely crash out without really having bad form. I wouldnt expect domination out of Greece, but just enough to advance. My Prediction: 1. Argentina 2. Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
The Americans could not have been handed a kinder group. England is clearly very good and will most likely take 3 points from the match, but Algeria and Slovenia are two teams that the US should beat. Go ahead and give England 7 or 9 points and the Group C win, but barring total failure, the United States should advance with relative ease. If they cannot beat Algeria and Slovenia, then they do not deserve to advance anyway so do not worry about it. Since this is the US’ group I will go ahead and predict how they will do against their group on top of who will advance. My Prediction: England 2-0 USA, USA 2-0 Algeria, USA 1-0 Slovenia. 1. England 2. USA
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana
The Germans are clearly the favorite of the group, but the other three are more than competitive and should provide some very entertaining football. The Socceroos are generally athletic and probably underrated on the international stage but we will see if they can sneak up on everyone like four years ago. The Black Stars of Ghana also have a very solid squad and should be able to compete for the second spot, though they will certainly not win it easy. My personal pick for the second spot is Serbia. They have a solid mix of underrated and well-respected players and many of them have experience on big st ages, though not necessarily this big. My Prediction: 1. Germany 2. Serbia
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Fun Fact: The Dutch wear orange because of William of Orange.
Well, as is clearly a developing trend, the seeded team is the clear favorite here and should advance in impressivefashion. They might even have the largest goal differential heading out of the group stage, but regardless, they are through with 9 points. Japan and Cameroon have shots at the second spot, but it is Denmark’s to lose in my opinion. Cameroon will do it if anyone, but the Danish are not bad and certainly good enough to get second in a somewhat lackluster group. However, not all will go to plan and the Cameroonians will push Denmark to their limits. I will even go as far as to say that Cameroon and Denmark will be even on 4 points, but Denmark will advance on GD. My Prediction:1. Netherlands 2. Denmark
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Italy is the group winner, but they may not do it in especially impressive fashion. Their group is quietly somewhat challenging despite lacking the big names and all teams are capable of playing spoiler in the group. I would put my money on Slovakia to advance with 5 points, but if Paraguay ended with 5 and advanced I would nto be surprised in the least. New Zealand is not too bad, but they have yet to play a really quality team in qualification and you may well see a stage-fright group of Kiwis when the bright lights go on. My Prediction: 1. Italy 2. Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal
This is the consensus Group of Death as of the three outstanding teams (not North Korea), only two can advance. I think we can safely assume that Brazil will advance, but the second spot should be a duel to the death. Drogba and the Coast vs. Ronaldo and the Portuguese. Like the old Chelsea vs. Man Utd days? Sure, why not, but should be compelling stuff. It would be easy to say that their head to head matchup will decide the second spot, but the true test is seeing who can potentially pull a point from their fixture against Brazil. If one can get a point there, it will make a huge difference when they face the other because a draw does not leave it up to goal differential. I am going to pick the Coast on this one if only because Portugal have underachieved since their 4th place finish in 2006. I apologize, but I wil not be talking about North Korea because, thanks to Kim Jong Il, no one knows anything about that team. Loosen up and lose the glasses Mr. Dictator, umm I mean President. My Predictions:1. Brazil 2. Ivory Coast
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile
Could the draw have handed Spain an easier group? Probably not. Spain will get 9 points easily and leave the worrying to the amateurs. Switzerland is probably the favorite to advance, but I am going to take Honduras to surprise some and be the second team to advance. The bad news for the second team out of this group is that they have to face the winner of Group G, and that will be Brazil. By the way, this makes Group G all the more deadly because even if you can advance, then congratulations you get to face Spain in the knockout stages. Chile is not a team I know much about so I will not pretend to. My Predictions: 1. Spain 2. Honduras
In case you didn’t know, the winner of Group A plays the second team out of Group B and so on. My picks are in italics Mexico v. Greece | Netherlands v. Slovakia
Argentina v. France | Italy v. Denmark
England v. Serbia | Brazil v. Honduras
ermany v. USA | Spain v. Ivory Coast
I will not bother picking far past there because it is like trying to pick a NCAA Basketball Champion in the preseason. You cannot do it with any accuracy. Regardless, should be some great stuff to come from South Africa this summer. Get hyped.
Cameroon can be summed up in two words and an oddly placed apostrophe: Samuel Eto’o. He is one of those guys who can single-handedly lift his team to the knockout stages, especially in a group where there is not a ton to be worried about. Jean Makoun is also worth keeping an eye on, but looking over their roster another thing caught my eye. Rigobert Song and Geremi Njitap have combined for (drumroll please) 244 caps. If that is not experience (and perhaps a sign of aging), then I do not know what is. Also, their nickname is The Indomitable Lions. That is just an awesome name. Awesome enough for me to pick them to advance and cross my fingers.
OuttaTownClowns 