World Cup 2014: Group Stage Preview

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s that time again.

The World Cup is upon us in just a couple of days.  The stage is set across the country of Brazil for the greatest spectacle in international football.  We’ll be focusing more on individual matches and groups later, but here is an in-depth preview of every single group, team by team, and predictions for the Round of 16!

 

Group A – Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

Key Players:

• Brazil:  Neymar – LW (FC Barcelona, ESP)
• Croatia:  Luka Modric – MF (Real Madrid CF, ESP)
• Mexico:  Javier Hernandez – ST (Manchester United FC, ENG)
• Cameroon:  Samuel Eto’o – ST (Chelsea FC, ENG)

BRAZIL

Confederation:  CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualification:  Host Nation

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Julio Cesar; Dani Alves, David Luiz, Silva, Marcelo; Gustavo , Paulinho, Oscar; Neymar, Fred, Hulk

We’ll kick things off in this absurdly long preview article with the host nation, Brazil.  The Green and Yellow are the favorites to win their sixth World Cup since the tournament began in 1930.  The last time they hosted the tournament was in 1950 and finished runners-up to fellow South Americans, Uruguay.  Captain Thiago Silva is one of the best center backs in the world and will lead a star-studded back line that includes Barcelona fullback Dani Alves, Chelsea center back David Luiz, and Real Madrid left back Marcelo.  They will be the men in front of Toronto FC GK Juilo Cesar, who is enjoying a resurgence in the MLS in the Great White North.  Brazil generally plays a 4-3-3 and will include the selection of Fernandinho, Ramires, Oscar, Paulinho, and Willian.  The embarrassment of riches translates over to the forwards as well, led by Barcelona winger Neymar.  Fred will play the striker role while the wildly inconsistent Hulk will play the right wing.  When these three are on, there may not be a defense that can stop them.  However, we’ve seen stretches of goal droughts in their friendlies, so they aren’t perfect, but they are usually a scary three headed monster to stop.

CROATIA

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  Second Round; Defeated Iceland 2-0 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Subasic; Srna, Corluka, Lovren, Pranjic; Rakitic, Modric; Perisic, Kovacic, Olic; Mandzukic

The Croatians are a popular darkhorse selection to go deep into this tournament, and it isn’t difficult to see why.  The Blazers are loaded with experience and will present a real problem for teams with their 4-2-3-1 attack.  35-year-old Stipe Pletikosa has 110 caps for his country, but the belief is that Danijel Subasic may get the start ahead of the Rostov keeper.  Subasic had a solid season at AS Monaco and looks primed to have a stellar World Cup.  The back line is led by Captain Darijo Srna of Shakhtar Donetsk who, at 112 caps, continues to surge on for his country at age 32.  The real star of this team, though, is 28-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric.  Modric is a phenomenal passer and has vision that some players can only dream of.  He will play a holding midfield spot along with Ivan Rakitic, who at age 26, already has 61 caps for his country.  The attack is spearheaded by Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandzukic, who will be fed by Wolfsburg midfielder Ivica Olic.  The Croatians will be a tough challenge for anyone, and to have them open the entire tournament against Brazil will certainly be a feast for the eyes for football fans.

MEXICO

Conferdation:  CONCACAF (North and Central America)

Qualification:  Intercontinental Playoff; Defeated New Zealand 9-3 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (5-3-2):

Ochoa; Aguilar, Rodriguez, Marquez, Moreno, Guardado; Herrera, Pena, Fabian; dos Santos, Hernandez

Somehow, Mexico managed to qualify for the World Cup.  We’re not entirely certain how, but after firing Jose Manuel de la Torre and installing Victor Manuel Vucetich as an interim manager, El Tri finally settled on Miguel Herrera, who immediately installed a 5-3-2 formation to play more to Mexico’s strengths.  Chicharito Hernandez needs to prove that he can play on the biggest stage in this tournament, and he’ll be helped up top by Giovani dos Santos Oribe Peralta.  Herrera has brought in nine defenders due to his 5-3-2 formation that has the fullbacks pushing up high but leaving three center backs for defense.  Andres Guardado will be expected to lead the charge on the back line, though he’ll have plenty of help with experience in the likes of Rafael Marquez and Francisco Javier Rodriguez. Guillermo Ochoa is expected to start in net, but this isn’t a sure thing as Jose de Jesus Corona could get the nod.  Either way, both keepers have plenty of experience.  The question, though, is whether or not El Tri can provide enough offense to get out of their group.

CAMEROON

Confederation:  CAF (Africa)

Qualification:  Third Round; Defeated Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Itandje; Bedimo, N’Koulou, Matip, Nyom; Song, Mbia, Enoh; Moukandjo, Eto’o, Choupo-Moting

Winners of the “best kit in the World Cup” for several tournaments now (Hey, it counts for something!), the African nation shows amazing consistency for qualifying out of the CAF.  They’ve managed to make the Finals seven of the last nine tournaments if you count this year.  However, they need to be better than just getting to the big stage.  Of the previous six qualifications, only once have they advanced past the group stage, which was in 1990, reaching the quarter-final.  Captain Samuel Eto’o is almost certainly playing in his final World Cup at the age of 33.  He experienced a solid season at Chelsea, scoring nine goals in 21 appearances for the Blues.  He will have to be brilliant if Cameroon is going to survive this group, though.  The midfield isn’t what we would call a mess, but it is certainly a step down from the quality of the rest of the group.  Stephane Mbia and Jean Makoun are the most seasoned midfielders, but Makoun isn’t expected to start due to lingering injuries.  Instead, expect Alex Song and Eyong Enoh to start alongside the Sevilla midfielder.  The back line will have a mixture of styles with Bedimo, N’Koulou, Matip, and Nyom expected to start, though available off the bench are Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Dany Nounkeu.  Charles Itandje will get the start in the net.

Synopsis:

This is one of the more difficult groups to predict.  Brazil will be the tournament favorites and, thus, should have no problem getting out of the opening group.  The challenge in this group is predicting the runner-up and who advances with the Brazilians.  Luka Modric may be the best passer in the world and will be the engine for the Croatian attack, which are considered dark horses in this tournament.  Mexico had an absolute disaster of a qualification that saw a change at the manager spot and, even with that change, the Mexicans needed help from the United States to get into the continental playoff against New Zealand, which they dominated.  Cameroon will have experience, but I don’t believe they are a real threat to get out of this group.  It comes down to Croatia and Mexico, and I believe that Modric and Company will survive.

Prediction:

1)      Brazil

2)      Croatia

3)      Mexico

4)      Cameroon

Group B – Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia

Key Players:

• Spain:  Iker Casillas – GK (Real Madrid CF, ESP)
• Netherlands:  Wesley Sneijder – CM (Galatasaray FC, TUR)
• Chile:  Arturo Vidal – CM (Juventus FC, ITA)
• Australia:  Tim Cahill – MID/FW (New York Red Bulls FC, USA)

SPAIN

Confederation: UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First Round; Won Group I (20 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Casillas; Alba, Ramos, Pique, Azpilicueta; Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Xavi; David Silva, Costa, Iniesta

Current World Cup holders Spain are yet again going to be a heavy favorite to win it all.  The vaunted 4-3-3 that is spearheaded by a strategy of passing as many times as possible before looking for the perfect slot has worked brilliantly for the Spanish in both the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.  However, some chinks in the armor been presented, especially when looking at their match against Brazil in the Confed Cup last season which led to a 3-0 blasting by the host nation.  Diego Costa is expected to be healthy and ready to go for the opening match against Netherlands, which is great news for a team that shouldn’t have to rely on Fernando Torres to score.  Costa has been a monster this season, but a late season hamstring problem eventually kept him out of the Champions League final for all but nine minutes.  Manchester City star David Silva continues to show he’s arguably the best creator in the world and will join Costa and Iniesta up top.  Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, and Xavi will once again be in the midfield with 304 caps between the three players.  Cesc Fabregas, Juan Mata, and Santi Cazorla will be available for selection off the bench.  The back line undergoes some change this time around.  Pique and Ramos will form the center half while Jordi Alba and Cesar Azpilicueta will slide into the fullback positions.  Iker Casillas had a resurgent club campaign that was capped off with a Champions League title and he is ready to add another trophy to the cabinet.

NETHERLANDS

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First Round; Won Group D (28 points)

Projected Starting XI (3-5-2):

Cillessen; Indi, Vlaar, De Vrij; Blind, Clasie, De Jong, Jaanmat; Sneijder; van Persie, Robben

Netherlands got all the way to the final last year, only to run into Spain in juggernaut mode.  The Dutch are back for another run, but they will look a little different in several positions.  Maarten Stekelenburg was left off the roster by Louis van Gaal and has opted to bring in Jasper Cillessen from Ajax to fill the keeper spot.  The entire back line from the 2010 squad is gone as well.  Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 will be highlighted by Ron Vlaar and Stefan De Vrij.  The Netherlands Midfield is a rather strange layout as, while they call it a 3-5-2, it really appears as a 3-4-1-2, with Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder playing the #10 role.  He’ll be the man to feed Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, two of the most dangerous forwards in the world.  The question, though, will be whether this tournament will go like 2012, where the Dutch failed to gain a single point in Euro 2012, or will it be like 2013 that was far more successful?  The opening matchup with Spain will be a delight to watch as the Dutch still haven’t forgotten what happened at the World Cup in 2010.

CHILE

Confederation:  CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualification:  Third place, 28 points

Chile Projected Starting XI (3-5-2):

Bravo; Jara, Silva, Medel; Mena, Diaz, Aranguize, Isla, Vidal; Vargas, Sanchez

Doing well in the World Cup comes down to having the right players peaking at the right time and whether or not your superstars step up when needed.  Chile have two world class players on their roster in two very vital positions.  Alexis Sanchez has enjoyed a good spell at FC Barcelona and is expected to start up top with Eduardo Vargas to lead the attack for La Roja.  Arturo Vidal may very well be the best midfielder in the world at this point in time.  The Juventus star has thrived in Italy and is coveted by many top clubs, though it seems that the 27-year-old midfielder is happy to stay in Turin and Serie A.  Chile’s success will come down to Vidal’s ability to link up the two dangerous strikers at the top, though Charles Aranguiz and Marcelo Diaz will be enough to support Vidal in his important role.  Claudio Bravo will start at goalkeeper for Chile behind the three center backs of Jara, Silva, and Medel.  Chile’s success will hinge on their ability to slow down the dangerous attacks they will face in this rough draw and whether Vidal can separate himself to link up with the attackers.  If they succeed at both, then Chile could be a surprise team in the Round of 16.  If they don’t, they’ll be headed home after three matches.

AUSTRALIA

Confederation:  AFC (Asia)

Qualification:  Fourth Round; Second place Group B (13 points)

Australia Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Ryan; Davidson, Spiranovic, McGowan, Franjic; Jedinak, Milligan, Bresciano; Oar, Cahill, Leckie

You have to feel for the Socceroos.  They are definitely the odd man out in this group, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to go down without a fight.  Australia does have a solid striker in the form of NYRB Forward Tim Cahill, but the success of the Aussies is going to come down to their inexperienced back four.  Matthew Spiranovic is the senior member with just 18 caps.  The other three starters have just 25 caps between the two of them, while their backups, Alex Wilkinson and Bailey Wright, have almost no international experience.  Mathew Ryan, the 22-year-old goalkeeper from Club Brugge, will get the start with just seven caps under his belt.  Needless to say, the defense is in a transitional period, and the World Cup is the absolute worst time to be going through it.  Mile Jedinak is the new captain of the Socceroos after displaying a great season at EPL side Crystal Palace, and while he’ll have some experience around him, it’s hard to argue that the midfield isn’t going through a similar transition.  The bottom line is that Australia are trying to inject youth into their squad on the world’s stage, and while youth can sometimes prevail, it’s doubtful that will be the result in this tough group.

Synopsis:

Group B is going to be a bloodbath for the top two spots.  Holders Spain are still considered to be the best team in the world via the hilarity that is the FIFA World Rankings, but last year’s Confederations Cup shows that the Spanish had issues with Brazil.  It didn’t help their cause that they have one of the more difficult groups to deal with.  They will have a rematch of the 2010 World Cup Final in their first match against the Netherlands, who will boast an attack that features the likes of Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben.  The key for the Dutch, however, will be if Sneijder can recapture the magic that he had in the 2010 campaign.  Everyone knows that RVP can score goals almost at will while Robben can (and will always) cut inside to slash towards the goal.  However, Chile and Australia will be no slouches to deal with either.  Arturo Vidal is one of the most dangerous midfielders in the world and can really set the bar high if they jump on the Socceroos quickly in their opening match.  Chile will more than handle themselves against the two UEFA clubs.  This group will come down to the Netherlands/Chile match as I believe the winner there will join Spain.

Predictions:

1)      Spain

2)      Chile

3)      Netherlands

4)      Australia

 

Group C – Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

Key Players:

• Colombia – Fredy Guarin, CM (Inter Milan FC, ITA)
• Greece – Giorgos Samaras, LW/ST (Celtic FC, SCO)
• Ivory Coast – Yaya Toure, CM (Manchester City FC, ENG)
• Japan – Shinji Kagawa, CM (Manchester United FC, ENG)

COLOMBIA

Confederation:  CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualification:  Second place (30 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-4-2):

Ospina; Armero, Zapata, Yepes, Zuniga; Cuadrado, Sanchez, Aguilar, Rodriguez; Ramos, Gutierrez

This group was turned onto its head just a couple of days ago with the announcement that Radamel Falcao would not be healthy enough for the World Cup for the Colombians, which is a colossal blow as he was expected to spearhead the 4-2-3-1 attack for his country.  The good news for Colombia is that they have a few experienced strikers that can fill the gap.  Any of the four forwards could see ample playing time with Falcao sitting this one out.  Adrian Ramos of Borussia Dortmund and Teofilo Gutierrez look to be the expected starters, though it won’t be surprising to see Carlos Bacca or Jackson Martinez receive ample time as well.  The midfield is stacked enough to give plenty of support to the men up top, featuring the likes of AS Monaco’s James Rodrigues and Toulouse’s Abel Aguilar.  David Ospina will be a rock in the net for to Colombians behind a seasons back line that features captain Mario Yepes of Atalanta.  The question, though, is whether the Colombians can survive without one of the best strikers in the world?  We’ll find out in a few days.

GREECE

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  Second round; defeated Romania 4-2 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Karnezis; Holebas, Manolas, Papasthathopoulos, Torosidis; Maniatis, Tziolis, Katsouranis; Samaras, Mitroglous, Salpingidis

Greece is the team that will lull any team to sleep and then strike only when the time is right.  Giorgos Samaras is on his way out at Celtic after a terrible campaign that saw the forward find the net only seven times in 19 games.  He will be called upon to lead the attack for the Greeks, which means he’ll need a short memory to forget about his troubles in the Scottish Premier League.  The good news for him, though, is that he’ll most likely be out on the wing in his natural position and let Konstantinos Mitroglou play the traditional striker role in Greece’s 4-3-3.  There’s no way to put this lightly, though:  Greece are boring to watch.  They will play eleven behind the ball, force the opposition to break down their tightly packed midfield and back line, and if they can’t, break on the counter and try to score quickly.

IVORY COAST

Confederation:  CAF (Africa)

Qualification:  Third round; defeated Senegal 4-2 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Barry; Boka, Bamba, Kolo Toure, Aurier; Zokora, Tiote; Kalou, Yaya Toure, Gervinho; Drogba

Yaya Toure is on a different level than almost everyone else who plays in the midfield.  His brilliance at Manchester City led the Citizens to their second Premier League title in three years.  Expect to see that brilliance carry over into the World Cup.  Didier Drogba, even at 36 years of age, is still dangerous up top, along with players such as Gervinho, Bony, and Kalou.  The question for the Ivorians will come down to their suspect back five.  Kolo Toure had an up and down season at Liverpool while Didier Zokora, at age 33, is suddenly without a club team, but the two are the most experienced defenders that the Ivorians have at their disposal.  Boubacar Barry will man the net in what will be his final World Cup, but players such as Arthur Boka and Sol Bamba, while having plenty of experience, are shaky at best.

JAPAN

Confederation:  AFC (Asia)

Qualification:  Fourth round; won Group B (17 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Kawashima; Nagatomo, Yoshida, Konno, Uchida; Endo, Hasebe; Kagawa, Honda, Okazaki; Kakitani

The Japanese could be a surprise in this group.  The Samurai Blue cruised through AFC qualification and was technically the first team out of qualification in the world.  I have an irrational fear of CAM/CF Shinji Kagawa as, when he’s in the right system, can be one of the best creators in the game.  He will be joined by Mainz 05 Forward Shinji Okazaki, who is the most experience forward for the Japanese at 75 caps.  Keisuke Honda had a decent season at AC Milan and is looking to capitalize on his momentum with an excellent cup.  Pay attention to Standard Liege GK Eiji Kawashima as he is capable of being a brick wall when he’s at the top of his game.

 

Synopsis:

Overall, this group may be the hardest to predict.  With Falcao out of the tournament, the Colombians are no longer the far and away favorite.  The Colombians will still have the boost of playing on their home continent, but it’s anything but a slam dunk for them to escape this group.  If their strikers can’t pick up the slack, they could find themselves going home early.  I think the Ivory Coast will lock this group down, with the Japanese being a surprise and getting to the knockout rounds.

Prediction:

1)      Ivory Coast

2)      Japan

3)      Colombia

4)      Greece

 

Group D – Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy

Key Players:

• Uruguay:  Luis Suarez, ST (Liverpool FC, ENG)
• Costa Rica:  Keylor Navas, GK (Levante UD, ESP)
• England:  Joe Hart, GK (Manchester City FC, ENG)
• Korea Republic:  Park Chu-Young, ST (Arsenal FC, ENG)

URUGUAY

Confederation: CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualification:  Intercontinental playoff; defeated Jordan 5-0 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-4-2):

Muslera; Caceres, Godin, Lugano, Pereira; Rodriguez, Gargano, Arevalo Rios, Ramirez; Cavani, Suarez

Uruguay will lean heavily on the attacking duo of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.  Suarez just wrapped up a brilliant season at Liverpool in which he secured PFA Player of the Year honors in the Barclays’ Premier League.  Cavani transferred to PSG before the latest club campaign and enjoyed a 16 goal season in 30 appearances playing alongside of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  Diego Forlan will also be in the mix, though at age 35, some question just how much he will bring to the table after a six goal campaign in the J-League.  The midfield has plenty of experience at the international level, led by Atletico Madrid MF Christian Rodriguez.  Expect to see Diego Perez as well, along with a combination of Walter Gargano, Alvaro Pereira, and Egidio Rios.  The back line will be well seasoned, with Captain Diego Lugano joining Diego Godin, Maxi Pereira, and Martin Caceres.  Fernando Muslera is the man in the net, though Martin Silva could step in if needed.

COSTA RICA

Confederation:  CONCACAF (North and Central America)

Qualification:  Fourth round; second place (18 points)

Projected Starting XI (3-4-3):

Navas; Umana, Gonzalez, Acosta; Diaz, Borges, Tejeda, Gamboa; Ruiz, Campbell, Bolanos

Costa Rica enjoyed a solid qualification campaign in CONCACAF, as previously mentioned.   The Ticos enjoyed victories over the United States (3-1) and Mexico (2-1) at home, but also managed a draw at Estadio Azteca over the Mexicans.  The Ticos favor a 3-4-3 attack that has Captain Bryan Ruiz playing either the #10 role or even playing at the top in the striker role.  Joel Campbell plays the #9 role when Ruiz is not, and Campbell will almost certainly get his chance after a decent season at Olympiacos.  The midfield will feature any combination of six players, including Celso Borges, who leads the way with 62 caps.  The back line has decent experience as well, featuring Michael Umana of Saprissa and a pair from the Columbus Crew in Giancarlo Gonzalez and the speedy Waylon Francis, though Francis only has one cap and will more than likely be a backup in this tournament.  Mainz 05 CB Junior Diaz is the rock that will need to step up if the Ticos are to survive the group.

ENGLAND

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group H (22 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Hart; Baines, Jagielka, Cahill, Johnson; Gerrard, Henderson; Welbeck, Rooney, Lallana; Sturridge

Nobody ever knows what to expect from England in the World Cup anymore.  The Three Lions are loaded with talent, but have had less than stellar performances in the last four World Cups by their standards, including a bow out in the Round of 16 in South Africa.  Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are expected to make their final international appearances at this tournament with 213 caps between the two players.  They would love a deep run to cap things off, but expect to see players such as Jack Wilshire, Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson, and Ross Barkley in the midfield at some point in the tournament.  Wayne Rooney comes into the tournament with 90 caps and will play the #10 role primarily while Daniel Sturridge will get the start at striker after a fantastic season at Liverpool.  Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka will be in the center while Glen Johnson and Leighton Baines will be on the outside.  Joe Hart had an up and down season at Manchester City, but was good enough down the stretch to help the Citizens in the Premier League.  He will be relied on heavily if England is to make a deep run.

ITALY

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group B (22 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-2-1):

Buffon; de Sciglio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Abate; Pirlo, De Rossi, Verratti; Marchisio, Candreva; Balotelli

Italy is stacked yet again for the World Cup. The four-time champions are looking for the next trophy on the mantle after a terrible 2010 tournament that saw the Italians fail to get out of the group stage for the first time since 1974.  Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano are expected to be the workhorses up front for The Blues.  Andrea Pirlo will head into his final World Cup tournament with 108 caps and will lead the midfield with Daniele De Rossi, Marco Verratti, , and Claudio Marchisio all expected to see heavy play time.  Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, Mattia De Sciglio, and Ignazio Abate are the expected starters in the back four, though Mattia De Sciglio could see time as well.  36 year old Gianluigi Buffon will add to his 139 caps in what should be his final World Cup.  The Italians are ready to explode and will be a tough out in this tournament.

Synopsis:

This group looks hard to predict on the surface, but I don’t think it’s as difficult as it seems.  The Uruguayans have had a rough go of it in World Cups while the Costa Ricans, while enjoying qualification, are going to be run over by the more experienced teams in this group.  I think Italy has a great chance of sweeping this group and I’ll give the nod to England simply because of their depth and experience over Uruguay.  I won’t be surprised if England heads home early, however, as Suarez is as dangerous as they come, even with him coming off of an injury.  If Suarez can’t go, though, England should comfortably advance with Italy.

Predictions:

1)      Italy

2)      England

3)      Uruguay

4)      Costa Rica

Group E – Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras

Key Players:

• Switzerland – Josip Drmic – ST (FC Nurnberg – GER)
• Ecuador – Antonio Valencia – MF/FW (Manchester United FC – ENG)
• France – Hugo Lloris – GK (Tottenham Hotspur FC – ENG)
• Honduras – Jerry Bengston – ST (New England Revolution FC – USA)

SWITZERLAND

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group E (24 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Benaglio; Rodriguez, Von Bergen, Djourou, Lichtsteiner; Inler, Behrami; Stocker, Xhaka, Shaqiri; Drmic

Switzerland have a very balanced squad that is captained by Gokhan Inler.  The 29 year old midfielder from Napoli will hit 75 caps in this tournament.  He will be joined by Tranquillo Barnetta and Xherdan Shaqiri, along with a host of other talented players in the midfield.  The real pressure is on Josip Drmic, the expected starter at striker.  The 21 year old only has six caps to his name, but with a youth movement that includes Haris Seferovic (22 years old), Mario Gavranovic (24 years old), and Admir Mehmedi (23 years old), Drmic should see ample playing time.

ECUADOR

Confederation:  CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualification:  Fourth place (25 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-4-2):

Dominquez; Ayovi, Erazo, Guagua, Paredes; Montero, Noboa, Mendez, Valencia; Caicedo, Valencia

Ecuador is thrilled to be back in the World Cup mix after a disastrous qualification for 2010.  Antonio Valencia captains La Tri for this tournament and will play a mixture of striker, right midfield, and right wing.  Ecuador favors a 4-4-2 or sometimes a 3-5-2, but will switch to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 if necessary.  Felipe Caicedo and Jaime Ayovi will split the time at the #9 up top.  Maximo Banguera is expected to get the start at goalkeeper, but Alexander Dominguez is more than capable in the backup role.  The defense will be a tad thin as only six defenders are making the trip, including Walter Ayovi, who at 89 caps and 34 years old will be in his final international tournament.

FRANCE

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  Second round; defeated Ukraine 3-2 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Lloris; Evra, Koscielny, Sakho, Sagna; Matuidi, Cabaye, Pogba; Remy, Benzema, Valbuena

France may be the toughest team to breakdown in this entire tournament.  Les Bleus favor the 4-2-3-1 or the 4-3-3 as their formation, relying on Karim Benzema at the top.  Franck Ribery will now miss the World Cup with his nagging injuries, so the slack will have to be picked up by Matuidi and Remy out wide.  Paul Pogba, at just 21 years old, is expected to see a ton of playing time.  Hugo Lloris will captain the French after his second season with Tottenham that saw him record 14 clean sheets in 37 matches.  In front of him is a solid back four that includes Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Mamadou Sakho, and Raphael Varane.  This is a deep team that should make some noise.

HONDURAS

Confederation:  CONCACAF (North and Central America)

Qualification:  Fourth round; third place (15 points)

Honduras Projected Starting XI (4-5-1):

Valladares; Beckeles, Bernardez, Figueroa, Izaguirre; Najar, Espinoza, Garrido, Palacios, Garcia; Bengston

Honduras has the tall task of trying to make something out of this group that does not favor the CONCACAF squad.  Los Catrachos finished third in qualification behind Costa Rica and head of Mexico, but it was an adventure for the Central American squad.  After a terrible 2010 World Cup where they failed to score a single goal, the focus is to play better attacking football and try to escape out of this group.  Jerry Bengston and Carlo Costly are going to have to go nuts at the top.  One issue that the Hondurans had last year is that their strikers received almost no service from their midfield.  Oscar Garcia will have to play better than he did in 2010, while Wilson Palacios and Jorge Carlos need to step up and provide as much support for Garcia as he can.  Maynor Figueroa has 104 caps in the defense for Honduras and will try to anchor the back line that has some good international experience, but who were obviously shaken in the last World Cup.

Synopsis:

Group E is a strange one.  France is loaded with world-class talent but since winning it all on their home soil in 1998, they’ve been all over the place.  2002 and 2010 resulted in being eliminated in the group stage, but were runners-up in 2006 to Italy so nobody knows what to expect from Les Bleus.  Switzerland was the team that everyone wanted to be drawn with out of the Top 8, and they are using that as their fuel for their World Cup run as they feel disrespected by everyone else.  Honduras may very well just be happy to be in Brazil after finishing third in CONCACAF, while Ecuador is making a return to the finals after sitting out 2010 for failure to qualify.  The bottom line, though, is that France should win this group.  They have the most talent and the best tactics out of all four teams.  The problem, of course, is that France has been a mess and even had to go to through the UEFA playoffs to get here.  Switzerland is a steady group that does nothing really great, but everything solid.  Ecuador has a lot of speed that can slash a midfield apart, while the Hondurans are probably going to have a difficult time taking on the other three.  I look for France and Switzerland to get out of this group, but don’t be surprised if Ecuador slips in.

Predictions:

1)      France

2)      Switzerland

3)      Ecuador

4)      Honduras

 

Group F – Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Key Players:

• Argentina: Lionel Messi – ST (FC Barcelona – ESP)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina:  Miralem Pjanic – MF (AS Roma – ITA)
• Iran:  Alireza Haghighi – GK (Sporting Covilha – POR)
• Nigeria:  John Obi Mikel – MF (Chelsea FC – ENG)

ARGENTINA

Confederation:  CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualification:  First place (32 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Romero; Rojo, Fernandez, Garay, Zabaleta; Mascherano, Gago; Di Maria, Messi, Aguero; Higuain

One of the clear cut groups in this tournament is Group F.  Argentina was practically handed the Round of 16 on a silver platter with this draw while Bosnia and Herzegovina look to be the second team to come out of this group.  Nigeria will have the capability to surprise one of these teams while the Iranians will try to show that they belong in the World Cup.  Lionel Messi is no longer the youngster who seemed overwhelmed at the international stage in 2006.  In 2010, he played a more attacking midfield role behind Gonzalo Higuain under Diego Maradona.  Now, with Alejandro Sabella manning the ship, Messi could play a variety of roles, especially with the embarrassment of riches La Albiceleste has with Higuain and Sergio Aguero. Ezequiel Lavezzi is there for good measure out on the wing.  The midfield is highlighted by Real Madrid wide man Angel di Maria, who was Man of the Match in the Champions League Final against Atletico Madrid.  Javier Mascherano and Augusto Fernandez will complement di Maria.  If there is one weakness on this team, it comes at goalkeeper.  Sergio Romero had a decent season at AS Monaco, but he is far from a sure thing when it comes to stopping shots.  There was very light talk of Mariano Andujar possibly taking over, but right now it seems that Romero has the job.  He has a staunch defense in front of him to assist with led by Pablo Zabaleta and Ezequiel Garay.

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group G (25 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Begovic; Kolasinac, Spahic, Bicakcic, Mujdza; Pjanic, Besic; Lulic, Misimovic, Hajrovic; Dzeko

Bosnia & Herzegovina tied with Greece on top of Group G in the UEFA qualifications, but their vastly superior goal differential (+24 vs +8) pushed them through.  The Dragons only suffered one loss in qualification as well, succumbing to Slovakia.  Managed Safet Susic favors an attacking 4-2-3-1 that relys on a powerful striker.  Luckily, he has Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko at the #9 to fill that role beautifully.  The 6’4” striker had ten goals in qualification and is the star of this group.  The attacking portion of the midfield is spearheaded by Zvjezdan Misimovic of Guizhou Renhe in the C-League in China.  The 32-year-old vice-captain is more than likely playing in his final World Cup.  On either side of him will be Izet Hajrovic from Galatasaray and Senad Lulic from Lazio.  24-year-old Miralem Pjanic is no longer the deer-in-headlights player he was four years ago.  He is now a highly coveted player that AS Roma refuses to let go.  Pjanic will be in a holding midfield position, but do not be surprised if he comes up high enough to join in the attack and allows Muhamed Besic to play a lone holding midfield spot from time to time.  The back line will be led by Emir Spahic from Bayer 04 Leverkusen.  He’ll have a relatively seasoned group with him, with the exception of Sead Kloasinac, who only has four caps coming into this tournament.  Asmir Begovic from Stoke City is the unquestioned number one keeper and will most definitely start in net for the Dragons.

IRAN

Confederation:  AFC (Asia)

Qualification:  Fourth round; won Group A (16 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-5-1):

Davari; Pouladi, Sadeghi, Hosseini, Montazeri; Shojaei, Dejagah, Jahanbakhsh, Nekounam, Teymourian; Ghoochannejhad

The Iranians have had a rough go of it on the World Cup Stage in their country’s history.  They have never made it out of the group stage in their history and this year isn’t looking much better.  Carlos Queiroz did lead Team Melli through a somewhat comfortable qualification campaign and escaped Group A in AFC with South Korea, but AFC is one of the weaker confederations in all of football, and the difficulty level gets ramped up exponentially.  There will be a lot of faces that fans of the sport will not notice on this team, but a couple familiar faces are Reza Ghoochannejhad, who plays for England Championship Division side Charlton Athletic and Fulham midfielder Ashkan Dejagah.  The two players only have 28 caps between the two of them, but changes have been necessary to ensure that Iran has a fighting chance in this group.  Captain Javad Nekounam has an astounding 140 caps in his career and will lead the midfield-heavy Iranians.  Pay attention to 20-year-old Alireza Jahanbakhsh from NEC if he gets some playing time.  He is a good young talent and could be a spark off the bench if Team Melli needs it.

NIGERIA

Confederation:  CAF (Africa)

Qualification:  Third round; defeated Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-4-2):

Enyeama; Elderson, Oboabona, Omeruo, Ambrose; Moses, Onazi, Obi Mikel, Musa; Odemwingie, Emenike

We didn’t learn much about Nigeria in their 2-1 loss to the United States just a couple of days ago.  They played a very stagnant 4-4-2 that seemed very disinterested in attacking until the last 15-20 minutes of the match.  Stephen Keshi could not have been happy with the performance going into the World Cup, but at least he knows that Lille GK Vincent Enyeama is up to the task of stopping some big shots.  The 31-year-old keeper is going to be tested time and time again in this group stage.  Efe Ambrose is now questionable after his injury during the friendly against the United States, and that’s not great news for an already thin back line.  John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses are the two stars on this team that fans will recognize, but pay attention to Ogenyi Onazi.  The Lazio midfielder, at just 21-years-old, highlights this youth injection that the Nigerians boast, which is to be expected for the second youngest team in the tournament.  Peter Odemwingie will play alongside Emmanual Emenike as the two strikers.  The Nigerians have to figure out how to play a staunch defense and counter when necessary, or else they’re going to go home early.

Synopsis:

This group is as clear cut as it gets.  Argentina has been throttling teams under the new system while the Bosnians are scoring goals in bunches.  It’s hard to see a way for the Iranians and Nigerians to get out of this group without something crazy happening.  With the devastating attack that comes from facing Messi, Aguero, and Higuain, I don’t think there’s any way that Argentina doesn’t win this group.  The Bosnians are going to be a tough out, but I see them finishing second behind Argentina.  Iran and Nigeria were unlucky to get this draw and will be nothing more than speed bumps for the CONMEBOL and UEFA monsters.

Prediction:

1)      Argentina

2)      Bosnia & Herzegovina

3)      Nigeria

4)      Iran

Group G – Germany, Ghana, Portugal, United States

Key Players:

• Germany:  Mesut Ozi, MF (Arsenal FC – ENG)
• Ghana:  Asamoah Gyan, ST (Al-Ain FC – UAE)
• Portugal:  Cristiano Ronaldo, LW/ST (Real Madrid CF – ESP)
• United States:  Jozy Altidore, ST (Sunderland AFC – ENG)

GERMANY

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group C (28 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Neuer; Durm, Hummels, Boateng, Lahm; Schweinsteiger, Kroos; Podolski, Ozil, Muller; Gotze

Germany is going to be a heavy favorite to not only win this group, but to win the entire tournament.  However, their camp leading up to the World Cup has been an unmitigated disaster.  Injuries currently plague Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira.  To add to the problem, Marco Reus suffered a nasty ankle injury in a friendly against Armenia and will now miss the World Cup.  The Eagles are still loaded with talent, but their camp has had to deal with a roller coaster, even after cruising through UEFA qualification.  Mesut Ozil has to shake off the very average season he experienced at Arsenal that saw him hampered by injuries.  He will be the engine in this attack.  He’ll be flanked by Thomas Muller and Reus’ replacement, fellow Arsenal teammate Lukas Podolski.  Their job is to feed 22-year-old Mario Gotze, who will be playing a little out of his role as a striker instead of the center attack that he is used to at Bayern Munich.  The holding midfield is very much up in the air.  While Schweinsteiger is expected to start, he is not 100%.  Toni Kroos does prefer to play a more attacking role, so that will put more pressure on Schweinsteiger as he will be left in that single holding position if Kroos moves up to join in on attacks.  Philipp Lahm captains this squad again and will have an experienced back line of Hummels and Boateng with him.

GHANA

Confederation:  CAF (Africa)

Qualification:  Fourth round; defated Egypt 7-3 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Kwarasey; Inkoom, Akaminko, Boye, Opare; Essein, Asamoah, Boateng; Atsu, Gyan, Ayew

Ghana has been responsible for the past two eliminations of the United States, finishing them off in the group stage in 2006 and then again in 2010 in the Round of 16.  If there is good news for fans of the USMNT, it’s that this team hasn’t improved much and is very much a similar squad to the 2010 unit.  Klinsmann is scouting Ghana in a friendly before the tournament and is confident that the US can pull three points, but let’s go over what to expect from the Black Stars.  Asamoah Gyan ripped the heart out of the United States in South Africa with his 93^rd minute goal to give the Black Stars a 2-1 victory.  Ghana is officially the monkey on the Americans’ back, and Gyan will try to keep it that way.  He may not be in a top-tier league, but Gyan is still a dangerous striker.  Marseille winger Jordan Ayew and Vitesse MF/FW Andre Ayew will round out the other attacking positions.  The midfield boasts Kevin-Prince Boateng from Schalke 04 and AC Milan MF Michael Essien.  Essien will almost certainly be playing in his final World Cup with the youth movement that the Black Stars are pushing, but he’s still very dangerous in his link up play.  The back line’s best player is Daniel Opare from FC Porto.  The 23-year-old is looking to shine in this tournament, especially since he has been linked with a move away from the Portuguese goliaths, and what better way to make that big move than to put on a show for the world?  Adam Kwarasey is a decent keeper, but he isn’t a top notch shot stopper like Richard Kingson was in South Africa, who managed to stop 15 of 16 shots on goal from the Americans.

PORTUGAL

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  Second round; defeated Sweden 4-2 on aggregate

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Patricio; Coentrao, Alves, Pepe, Pereira; Veloso, Meireles, Moutinho; Ronaldo, Postiga, Nani

All eyes are on Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo’s left knee.  The Real Madrid superstar has been experiencing tendonitis for quite some time, long enough to have been held out of the Copa Del Rey against Barcelona back in April, though he did manage to play in the Champions League final.  He has been held out of friendlies and just recently returned to training, but he is still very much a question mark.  Paulo Bento is being very quiet on the matter, and for good reason.  While this squad is more than just Portugal and ten other players, losing CR7 would be a colossal blow for a Portuguese squad that had to go through the UEFA playoff against Sweden just to qualify.  If Ronaldo cannot go, expect someone like Braga FW Eder or even MF William Carvalho step up into Ronaldo’s position on the left wing.  It’s hard to say what Bento will do, and maybe even he could change formations.  Outside of Ronaldo, there is still a load of talent.  Nani will head up the right wing while a solid midfield of Moutinho, Meireles, and Veloso are expected to control possession as much as possible.  The back four of Portugal is fairly strong, with Real Madrid stars Pepe and Fabio Coentrao supporting Sporting CP’s Rui Patricio in net.  No one is quite sure what will happen to Portugal in this tournament, but if they lose Ronaldo, advancing out of the group stage is going to be mighty difficult.

UNITED STATES

Confederation:  CONCACAF (North and Central America)

Qualification:  Fourth round; first place (22 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-4-2 Diamond):

Howard; Beasley, Besler, Cameron, Johnson; Jones, Bedoya, Zusi, Bradley; Dempsey, Altidore

Jurgen Klinsmann has upset some fans by saying that the Americans cannot win this World Cup.  That brutal honesty has been a breath of fresh air for fans of the USMNT, but it’s a tough pill to swallow for those who believe that the Americans can string together victories to get to the ultimate prize.  Truthfully, I have to agree with Klinsmann in that this is not the tournament for the USA.  The draw did not help, but the future is still bright.  This is now Clint Dempsey’s team with Landon Donovan being left off the roster.  The former EPL mainstay at Fulham and Tottenham made a head-scratching move to MLS and Seattle Sounders FC, and last season it looked to be a colossal mistake.  Dempsey had a hard time finding the net and there were concerns about even his status for the national team.  Deuce has put those concerns to rest, though, with a solid campaign this season and is peaking at the right time.  The real question is his striker partner in Jozy Altidore.  Jozy had one of the worst seasons anyone could imagine after exploding for 31 goals at AZ Alkmaar.  Altidore managed just two goals, only one of them in league play, at Sunderland and found himself on the bench more often than not.  He managed to get his scoring boots back with a brace against Nigeria in the final warm up match.  Dempsey and Altidore link up will with each other, but Michael Bradley really is the glue that binds them.  The Toronto FC star has shined in MLS thus far and has proven that he is more than capable of playing the #10 role.  Zusi and Bedoya are expected to be the wide men in the midfield, but Klinsmann has kept mum on his final lineup.  Jermaine Jones should play at the bottom of the diamond in the holding spot in front of the expected back line of Beasley, Besler, Cameron, and Johnson.  Tim Howard reached 100 caps on Saturday and will be in net for his last World Cup.

Synopsis:

People dubbed this the group of death based upon FIFA rankings, but I don’t think this is the hardest group in the tournament.  Still, this is an extremely difficult draw for all teams involved and each team has their share of issues to deal with coming into the tournament.  Germany’s lackluster training camp has been plagued with injuries and inconsistency.  Portugal is worried that Ronaldo’s knee is not going to hold up.  The United States back four has been a revolving door of players.  Ghana has to deal with being the youngest team in the tournament.  The safe selection, if Ronaldo is healthy, is to say that Germany and Portugal come out of this group.  Portugal, however, is not a lock.  They struggled in UEFA qualification and needed a Ronaldo hat trick in the second leg against Sweden to secure qualification.  It shows just how heavily they rely on CR7 to be the catalyst.  The United States needs to get a result against Ghana if they are going to have any chance of escaping to the knockout stage.  The Americans are peaking at the right time and would be a bit of a surprise to come out.  I want to go with the safe pick, but I’m going to say that the United States escapes and CR7 goes home early.  Germany will win this group in either scenario.

Prediction:

1)      Germany

2)      United States

3)      Portugal

4)      Ghana

Group H – Algeria, Belgium, South Korea, Russia

Key Players:

• Algeria – Rais M’Bolhi, GK (CSKA Sofia – BUL)
• Belgium – Eden Hazard, MF (Chelsea FC – ENG)
• South Korea – Park Chu-Young, ST (Arsenal FC – ENG)
• Russia – Igor Akinfeev, GK (CSKA Moscow)

ALGERIA

Confederation:  CAF (Africa)

Qualification:  Third round; defeated Burkina Faso 3-3 on aggregate (away goals)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

M’Bolhi; Mesbah, Bougherra, Belkalem, Mandi; Yebda, Lacen; Mahrez, Brahimi, Ghilas; Slimani

The Algerians are very much the embodiment of “team play” when it comes to their style.  The highest profile player that will start for Algeria is either Islam Slimani with Sporting Lisbon or Hassan Yebda at Udinese.  The Algerians use a 4-2-3-1 attack that would make technical players love every second of their game tapes.  There’s nothing over the top as it is all about possession and movement.  The aforementioned Slimani has to produce in the group stage.  There’s no two ways about it.  He is being called upon to be the goal scorer since the midfield’s job is to feed him the ball in this system.  The midfielders tend to play a little deeper with their tactics so Slimani’s movement is absolutely key.  The attacking midfield features Nabil Ghilas or Porto and Riyad Mahrez from newly promoted Leicester City.  Neither player has much experience as they have only seven caps between the two.  Yacine Brahimi is expected to play the #10 role in the attack.  The holding mids are almost certainly going to be Yebda and Lacen, though don’t be shocked to see Sofiane Feghouli, Medhi Lacen, or Nabil Bentaleb in the second halves of their matches.  Rais M’Bolhi of CSKA Sofia will go over 30 caps in net and will have a fairly experienced back line that is anchored by Madjid Bougherra, who will Captain the Fennic Foxes.

BELGIUM

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group A (26 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Courtois; Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Kompany, Alderweireld; Witsel, Fellaini; Hazard, De Bruyne, Mirallas; Lukaku

Everyone’s favorite dark-horse looks to be the class of the final group.  The Red Devils are absolutely stacked with talent from front to back.  Captain Vincent Kompany will lead the back line that is full of experience at both the international and club level.  Thomas Vermaelen will start alongside of Kompany at center back while the fullback spots will be taken by Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.  Thibaut Courtois, at just 22 years of age, will start in the net.  He’s no stranger to pressure as he was just seen last month starting in the Champions League final.  Expect to see Marouane Fellaini and Axel Witsel start at the two holding spots, though Witsel could be dropped for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele if he doesn’t get over this recent knock he just picked up.  The attack is a ferocious one that is loaded with EPL talent.  Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne can flip-flop between playing left and center midfield, while speedy Kevin Mirallas will shore up the right.  Christian Benteke was expected to take the spot at striker, but with his injury late in the club season, Romelu Lukaku has stepped up to take that spot, who had a stellar season on loan at Everton and is looking to use the World Cup as his trampoline to show clubs what he can do as he does not expect to return to Chelsea.

SOUTH KOREA

Confederation:  AFC (Asia)

Qualification:  Fourth round; second place in Group A (14 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Sung-Ryong; Suk-Young, Young-Gwan, Jeong-Ho, Yong; Sung-Yeung, Kook-Young; Heung-Min, Ja-Cheol, Chung-Yong; Chu-Young

South Korea qualified in a tie for second out of Group A of the AFC qualification and advanced based on goal differential.  The Taegeuk Warriors have since fallen a bit on hard luck, though.  While their system hasn’t changed too terribly much, the coach staff has.  There are a few familiar faces in this squad, most notably Park Chu-Young of Arsenal, who has 63 caps for his country.  Chu-Young has spent the last couple of years on loan from Arsenal to the likes of Celta Vigo and Watford, but he has yet to make an impression at all after scoring 25 goals in 91 appearances for AS Monaco from 2008-2011.  A big World Cup would do wonders for his club career.  Han Kook-Young will play the #10 role behind him, a 24-year-old midfielder who has done well in the J-League at Kashiwa Reysol.  The real test, of course, will be on the back line.  This defense is not great by any stretch of the imagination, which means that Jung Sung-Ryong will be tested.  The 29-year-old from Suwon Bluewings in the K-League has shown in the past that he is capable of some big saves.  The projected back four only have a combination of 58 caps between them, which may seem like a lot, but in comparison, Belgium’s Vincent Kompany has 59 caps on his own and his back four have a combined 196 caps.  Experience matters at this stage.

RUSSIA

Confederation:  UEFA (Europe)

Qualification:  First round; won Group F (22 points)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):

Akinfeev; Kombarov, Ignashevich, Berezutski, Yeshchenko; Denisov, Fayzulin, Dzagoev; Kokorin, Kerzhakov, Samedov

Not long after he resigned from England in 2012, Capello was offered to take over the Russian National Team.  Capello’s style is a mixture of possession and attack, one that focuses on diagonal runs and finding lanes but not taking too many risks.  It has worked for the Russians, who won their group in UEFA qualification.  Zenit striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov will lead the attack, having scored 25 goals for his country in 81 appearances.  He will be flanked by Aleksandr Kokorin of Dynamo Moscow and Aleksandr Samedov of Lokomotiv Moscow.  The three Aleksandrs have shown a great chemistry with each other and should be feared if they get on the break.  The midfield is led by captain Igor Denisov of Dynamo Moscow.  The 30-year-old has 44 caps for the Russians and is an extremely disciplined midfielder.  He can play possession or he can lead an attack, which is the versatility that Capello needs.  The backline is highlighted by Sergei Ignashevich, who should earn his 100^th cap in this tournament at age 34.  Russia are mixing in their youthful players with the veterans to try and gain experience while staying competitive.  The exception to this is Igor Akinfeev in the net, who will go over 70 caps in this tournament.  Russia is a dangerous team that can lull you to sleep or can lead a dangerous attack.  They are not to be taken lightly.

Synopsis:

Group H looks to be an open and shut case, and I think it goes that way.  The Belgians are the favorites to win this group with their star-studded cast of Barclay’s Premier League players, while the Russians should comfortably take the second position.  The South Koreans can cause some issues with their fast attack, but their inexperience on the backline will be their downfall.  Belgium and Russia are just too powerful of sides for anyone else to consider getting out of this group.  They will move on.

Prediction:

1)      Belgium

2)      Russia

3)      South Korea

4)      Algeria