D is for Dude, as in "Dude... estas serioso?!?!". Also dog (poss my favorite animal). Denver, a very much top notch midsize American city. And dacha, which I hope to one day own.
Group D
Australia, Germany, Serbia, Ghana
This could be a very interesting group. The omnipresent Germans are the favorites and in all likelihood will find themselves in the round of 16 after three games. To me the other three teams are pretty interesting.
Ghana- I like Ghana's chances probably more than those of any other African country. They went through in the last tournament despite drawing a very difficult group. This time around they have a squad mostly in their mid 20s which should be able to utilize that experience. What will make or break Ghana, in my opinion, is the health and fitness of Michael Essien. He is an absolute beast. When he is healthy Essien is one of my favorite midfielders to watch. He is strong, skilled, powerful, and smart. A midfield built around an Essien-Muntari partnership should give Ghana a very good chance of making it out of the group stage once again.
PTW- Michael Essien
Germany- The Germans are always, always, always strong and there is no reason to think this time will be any different. Since Low took over the top spot from Klinsman Germany have made it to the Euro final where they lost 1-0 to a dynamic Spanish team and powered through qualifying undefeated (8-0-2). What I find interesting about the German side going into next summer is all the questions surrounding what is in many ways a power in transition. Who will fill the vacancy in goal? After his flop of a debut on the big stage at the Euros is Mario Gomez ready to be the machine he is at club level for the national team? Can Klose continue his domination of world cups (and maybe challenge for the all time goal record?)? Is Philip Lahm's offensive contribution worth the risk he exposes the German defense to? All of these questions will be answered next summer, but most likely after the group stage. There is too much skill, experience, focus, and organization to think Germany won't make it through.
PTW- Bastian Schweinsteiger. In 2006 and 2008 he showed flashes of true brilliance and he has been very exciting to watch at club level. I get the feeling that maybe Schweinsteiger has stalled a bit and has not been able to make the leap to stardom many people expected but he seems to be a player that dials it up when wearing a German shirt. He is big and fast and mean but also skilled and smart.
Serbia- The fact that Serbia won a group with France in it to qualify should be enough for them to be taken seriously. It is often easy to group the lesser known European teams into a "pretty good/not so bad" also ran group of nations, but I think this Serbian squad has a legitimate chance to make some waves. With months still to go, I see them battling Ghana for the second spot. They face each other in an opening match that will probably be passionate and urgent because they know what lies ahead. Serbia have a solid defense comprised of players who shine at some of the bigger European clubs. Nemanja Vidic may be one of the best 3 central defenders in the world. There is skill going forward and on any given day Dejan Stankovic looks like a world beater at Inter Milan. It will be up to him to drive the attack.
PTW- Dejan Stankovic.
Australia- This is by no means a bad team, but I think Australia are doomed to finish last in Group D. They reached a huge milestone in 2006 by reaching the round of 16 and this squad has many guys who play in the bigger leagues of Europe so they have a fighting chance but I don't see them being as powerful as Ghana or as technical as Serbia. Of course to see them make it through would not be a huge shock either. If that were to happen it would be on the back of Tim Cahill's creativity and playmaking and Scott MacDonald's finishing. There are pieces to work with, I just think they come up a bit short.
PTW- Mark Schwarzer. I suspect the Fulham goalkeeper will have his hands full. He will have to make saves he shouldn't to give Australia a chance.
The race for second should be a good one in this group.
My group predictions:
1. Germany (7)
2. Ghana (4)
3. Serbia (4)
4. Australia (1)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Group C
C is for -amongst other things- Calvin, Cheese, and Croatia.
Group C
England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria
Group C has one borderline elite team and three good, hungry teams looking to make their mark. This might be a good one.
Slovenia- To be honest I don't know much about this squad. I saw parts of their two legs against Russia and was very impressed. They played well and the fact that they knocked off what was a heavily favored Russian squad with world class talent speaks for itself. As an Inter supporter I have caught glimpses of Rene Khrnin but not enough to know his game and I am not even sure he will figure prominently in the Slovenian squad. I know it is not much but the most I can say about this team is they are one of those classic lower end European/South American teams that will be beaten by the better teams if taken seriously but can ruin dreams if not.
PTW- It would be a lie to claim I know enough about any of these guys to say.
England- If the tournament were to start today the only teams ahead of England would be Spain and Brazil. Taking everything into consideration- skill, grit, experience, manager, depth, etc- England look like a legitimate title contender. They blazed through qualification and seem well poised to win this group. If there is one possible danger scenario it may the possibility of a problem in central defense. As of right now I imagine Terry, Ferdinand, and Lescott are the center-halfs and it is not irrational to think fitness concerns could plague the trio. But still that is a long shot. If England do not win group C it will likely be their own fault.
Algeria- Much like Slovenia I am kind of in the dark about the Algerians. I know they played those dramatic two games last month against Egypt to put themselves in at the death. The clips I saw showed gritty and determined players playing their hearts out. This may go against current conventional wisdom but I am not high on the prospects of African football at either club or country level. Africans players are phenomenal, but I will take a national team seriously when they reach a world cup semi-final. Being that South Africa are hosting this might be the year, we will see. Just a quick note: everyone talked about how Algeria defeated the defending two-time champion of Africa to win their berth. Fair enough. Egypt have not appeared in a World Cup since Italy 1990. Just saying.
PTW- See Slovenia.
USA- Living in America it is easy to get swept up in speculation. Some people are ready to declare the US a heavyweight, others are eternal doubters. Personally I see a talented pool of players who have enough experience at the highest levels to be a threat. There is also a certain bit of hunger I think. What makes me a little nervous about the USA is a tactical guilelessness on the part of Bob Bradley. I have rarely if ever seen make a mid-game correction that worked. The other thing is a tendency in past American squads to want to live on previous results. Last summer in the Confed Cup was a great achievement, but let's be honest: the US finished 2-3 and only beat one team better than them (Spain). If they want to go through they need to be focused 100 percent on England, Slovenia, and Algeria. They might know what you did last summer, but none of them care. This might be meaningless, it might not: The US are Terrible in Europe, but do pretty well elsewhere. World Cups 1990 (Italy), 1998 (France), and Germany (2006) saw the US earn a total of 1 (ONE!!!) point in 9 matches. Meanwhile they made it through a true group of death on home soil in 1994 and played respectably in the loss to eventual champion Brazil, and reached the quarter final in Asia 2002. So I think that is a good sign, maybe. They should go through in second place.
PTW- Landon Donovan. For all the divided opinions on Landon he is the one player with unique characteristics on this team. There are plenty of guys that can work and run and tackle, scoring may not be in surplus but they have finishers, but Donovan can change the dynamic of a game with his blend of skills.
Group C prediction:
1. England (7)
2. USA (5)
3. Slovenia (4)
4. Algeria (0)
Group C
England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria
Group C has one borderline elite team and three good, hungry teams looking to make their mark. This might be a good one.
Slovenia- To be honest I don't know much about this squad. I saw parts of their two legs against Russia and was very impressed. They played well and the fact that they knocked off what was a heavily favored Russian squad with world class talent speaks for itself. As an Inter supporter I have caught glimpses of Rene Khrnin but not enough to know his game and I am not even sure he will figure prominently in the Slovenian squad. I know it is not much but the most I can say about this team is they are one of those classic lower end European/South American teams that will be beaten by the better teams if taken seriously but can ruin dreams if not.
PTW- It would be a lie to claim I know enough about any of these guys to say.
England- If the tournament were to start today the only teams ahead of England would be Spain and Brazil. Taking everything into consideration- skill, grit, experience, manager, depth, etc- England look like a legitimate title contender. They blazed through qualification and seem well poised to win this group. If there is one possible danger scenario it may the possibility of a problem in central defense. As of right now I imagine Terry, Ferdinand, and Lescott are the center-halfs and it is not irrational to think fitness concerns could plague the trio. But still that is a long shot. If England do not win group C it will likely be their own fault.
Algeria- Much like Slovenia I am kind of in the dark about the Algerians. I know they played those dramatic two games last month against Egypt to put themselves in at the death. The clips I saw showed gritty and determined players playing their hearts out. This may go against current conventional wisdom but I am not high on the prospects of African football at either club or country level. Africans players are phenomenal, but I will take a national team seriously when they reach a world cup semi-final. Being that South Africa are hosting this might be the year, we will see. Just a quick note: everyone talked about how Algeria defeated the defending two-time champion of Africa to win their berth. Fair enough. Egypt have not appeared in a World Cup since Italy 1990. Just saying.
PTW- See Slovenia.
USA- Living in America it is easy to get swept up in speculation. Some people are ready to declare the US a heavyweight, others are eternal doubters. Personally I see a talented pool of players who have enough experience at the highest levels to be a threat. There is also a certain bit of hunger I think. What makes me a little nervous about the USA is a tactical guilelessness on the part of Bob Bradley. I have rarely if ever seen make a mid-game correction that worked. The other thing is a tendency in past American squads to want to live on previous results. Last summer in the Confed Cup was a great achievement, but let's be honest: the US finished 2-3 and only beat one team better than them (Spain). If they want to go through they need to be focused 100 percent on England, Slovenia, and Algeria. They might know what you did last summer, but none of them care. This might be meaningless, it might not: The US are Terrible in Europe, but do pretty well elsewhere. World Cups 1990 (Italy), 1998 (France), and Germany (2006) saw the US earn a total of 1 (ONE!!!) point in 9 matches. Meanwhile they made it through a true group of death on home soil in 1994 and played respectably in the loss to eventual champion Brazil, and reached the quarter final in Asia 2002. So I think that is a good sign, maybe. They should go through in second place.
PTW- Landon Donovan. For all the divided opinions on Landon he is the one player with unique characteristics on this team. There are plenty of guys that can work and run and tackle, scoring may not be in surplus but they have finishers, but Donovan can change the dynamic of a game with his blend of skills.
Group C prediction:
1. England (7)
2. USA (5)
3. Slovenia (4)
4. Algeria (0)
Friday, December 25, 2009
Group B
B is for Bro Down. It is also for Belgium and Bark. A few other things too.
Here is how I see it playing out in South Africa:
Group B
Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria, Greece
This is a somewhat interesting group. I think the consensus is that the group is made up of a wounded superpower (Argentina) and three good, very solid but not great teams from different corners of the world. I see that but in the end I suspect group B will shake out more or less along traditional lines.
South Korea- Over the last fifteen years or so South Korea has become recognized as one of the better Asian squads. Other people give that more weight than I do, but they are not a minnow. Still, an inspection of past performance and the makeup of the current team make them look like the weakest team in group B. Their only notable World Cup campaign came in 2002 and was so repulsively reliant on blatant FIFA Favors that I can not take it seriously. They went 1-1-1 in a moderate group in 2006 and their best recent showing in a very modest confed was third place in 2007. As far as the squad they feature Ji-Sung Park, a constant presence in the Manchester United line up, but other than that it is comprised of journeyman and domestic based players. There is nothing in this team that suggests it will shine in the group phase.
PTW: Ji-Sung Park. He has played in big games and won important trophies (his Champions League flop last spring is probably an aberration) and will not wilt on the big stage. He is also industrious and hardworking and can have the kind of pace to create something.
Nigeria- Their appearance in this WC is not a fluke, Nigeria have a very respectable record over the last two decades at senior and Olympic level. They are what you would expect from a solid African team: powerful and hardworking. This squad also contains some good skill players with important experience at the height of European competition. Although I think there are some soft spots, particularly in the wide areas of the field, a passage to the round of 16 is very much a possibility.
PTW: Jon Mikel Obi. If not for the heavyweights he shares the Chelsea midfield with, this guy would be a superstar already at 22. I think he is the player to watch because he can anchor a midfield and destroy oncoming attacks, scoop the ball and start the play the other way. Very well rounded and very dangerous. His one drawback is an occasional lack of discipline and that kind of thing can be disastrous with hair trigger referees and the 3 game season that is the group stage.
Argentina- A true enigma, it can be said they are the South American mirror image of France going into this tournament. This team is overloaded with talent (although most notably up front, they have players who start on elite European clubs at every position) but burdened by a manager who is more or less out of his mind and not very good at coaching. Whereas France must deal with a guy everyone agrees is a kook, the overwhelming larger-than-life persona of Maradona makes it difficult to shrug him off. It will be up to a veteran presence in the squad (someone like Veron or Zanetti, if they are called to South Africa) to make his teammates understand the shirt is more important than anything else and they have to win despite Maradona's insanity.
PTW: Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and it would be hard to pick anyone else. Even if I wanted to Maradona's inexplicable team selections put all but him and captain Javier Mascherano's presence in doubt. Messi's shortcomings with the national team are way overblown and really amount to 4 qualifying matches. He impressed at Copa America 2007, played well early in qualifying, and destroyed the Olympic tournament. He has excelled in the big games at club level and knows this may be his moment to cement his place as one of the games greats. I suspect a solid performance by Messi will carry Argentina far.
Greece- Not a European superpower but a very solid team. Qualifying through UEFA is never easy and the Grecians (*) won an impressive play-off against the Ukraine. Although they have strayed from this formula a bit recently the Greek MO has been discipline, tight marking, defense, and capitalizing on the chances they get. It won them a Euro in 2004, another appearance in 2008, and a trip to South Africa. That they are managed by a master in Otto Rehhagel is perhaps their best asset. He has been pulling the strings for a long time and the Greeks know to listen to him. I see them battling Nigeria for second in the group and actually like their chances quite a bit. They play the patient, sober (boring?) game that might be needed to knock off what is perhaps a better Nigerian team. Nigeria are strong and domineering, but the Greeks may well be able to pick them off in the middle of the park and counterattack. That is going to be the game to watch in group B.
PTW: This really is a bland, generic, faceless squad so I am going to pick Otto. It is in his hands.
My group prediction:
1. Argentina (7)
2. Greece (5)
3. Nigeria (4)
4. South Korea (1)
Here is how I see it playing out in South Africa:
Group B
Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria, Greece
This is a somewhat interesting group. I think the consensus is that the group is made up of a wounded superpower (Argentina) and three good, very solid but not great teams from different corners of the world. I see that but in the end I suspect group B will shake out more or less along traditional lines.
South Korea- Over the last fifteen years or so South Korea has become recognized as one of the better Asian squads. Other people give that more weight than I do, but they are not a minnow. Still, an inspection of past performance and the makeup of the current team make them look like the weakest team in group B. Their only notable World Cup campaign came in 2002 and was so repulsively reliant on blatant FIFA Favors that I can not take it seriously. They went 1-1-1 in a moderate group in 2006 and their best recent showing in a very modest confed was third place in 2007. As far as the squad they feature Ji-Sung Park, a constant presence in the Manchester United line up, but other than that it is comprised of journeyman and domestic based players. There is nothing in this team that suggests it will shine in the group phase.
PTW: Ji-Sung Park. He has played in big games and won important trophies (his Champions League flop last spring is probably an aberration) and will not wilt on the big stage. He is also industrious and hardworking and can have the kind of pace to create something.
Nigeria- Their appearance in this WC is not a fluke, Nigeria have a very respectable record over the last two decades at senior and Olympic level. They are what you would expect from a solid African team: powerful and hardworking. This squad also contains some good skill players with important experience at the height of European competition. Although I think there are some soft spots, particularly in the wide areas of the field, a passage to the round of 16 is very much a possibility.
PTW: Jon Mikel Obi. If not for the heavyweights he shares the Chelsea midfield with, this guy would be a superstar already at 22. I think he is the player to watch because he can anchor a midfield and destroy oncoming attacks, scoop the ball and start the play the other way. Very well rounded and very dangerous. His one drawback is an occasional lack of discipline and that kind of thing can be disastrous with hair trigger referees and the 3 game season that is the group stage.
Argentina- A true enigma, it can be said they are the South American mirror image of France going into this tournament. This team is overloaded with talent (although most notably up front, they have players who start on elite European clubs at every position) but burdened by a manager who is more or less out of his mind and not very good at coaching. Whereas France must deal with a guy everyone agrees is a kook, the overwhelming larger-than-life persona of Maradona makes it difficult to shrug him off. It will be up to a veteran presence in the squad (someone like Veron or Zanetti, if they are called to South Africa) to make his teammates understand the shirt is more important than anything else and they have to win despite Maradona's insanity.
PTW: Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and it would be hard to pick anyone else. Even if I wanted to Maradona's inexplicable team selections put all but him and captain Javier Mascherano's presence in doubt. Messi's shortcomings with the national team are way overblown and really amount to 4 qualifying matches. He impressed at Copa America 2007, played well early in qualifying, and destroyed the Olympic tournament. He has excelled in the big games at club level and knows this may be his moment to cement his place as one of the games greats. I suspect a solid performance by Messi will carry Argentina far.
Greece- Not a European superpower but a very solid team. Qualifying through UEFA is never easy and the Grecians (*) won an impressive play-off against the Ukraine. Although they have strayed from this formula a bit recently the Greek MO has been discipline, tight marking, defense, and capitalizing on the chances they get. It won them a Euro in 2004, another appearance in 2008, and a trip to South Africa. That they are managed by a master in Otto Rehhagel is perhaps their best asset. He has been pulling the strings for a long time and the Greeks know to listen to him. I see them battling Nigeria for second in the group and actually like their chances quite a bit. They play the patient, sober (boring?) game that might be needed to knock off what is perhaps a better Nigerian team. Nigeria are strong and domineering, but the Greeks may well be able to pick them off in the middle of the park and counterattack. That is going to be the game to watch in group B.
PTW: This really is a bland, generic, faceless squad so I am going to pick Otto. It is in his hands.
My group prediction:
1. Argentina (7)
2. Greece (5)
3. Nigeria (4)
4. South Korea (1)
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Back/Merry Christmas/WC Group A
Dudes! I am back. I know this blog has been dormant for a while but so what? Who cares?! You are not the boss of me!!!!
So anyway Merry Christmas to everyone. Since I have some time off for the holiday I am thinking of doing a sort of preview for the World Cup, group by group, one a day. First up is Group A, because it is first alphabetically.
GROUP A
South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
This has been called one of the strongest groups for a host nation and I don't disagree. I would also point out South Africa is one of the weakest hosts ever, so that factors into it.
South Africa- Whenever a country hosts the WC it prepares for years and years and usually does a pretty good job of not embarrassing itself. There is no reason to think SA will get blown out but I am not nearly as bullish on them as some others. They have changed coaches twice in the last two years, although the last one was a return so maybe one and a half times. I saw them in last summer's Confed Cup and despite holding on until late against Brazil I saw nothing that really impressed me. They have a couple of players that do reasonably well in the Prem, but most of the squad is unknown to me. I don't think they will be a doormat but it would shock me to see them go through.
Player To Watch (PTW): Benny McCarthy. He is a guy who legitimately threatens to score. I get the feeling South Africa aren't a team that create goals with ease so they will need him to be the hitman he has been at Rovers.
Mexico- This current incarnation of the Mexican squad is not terribly powerful. They had a rough go of qualifying and Mexico are not a team that usually travels well. Does that help or hurt in a neutral-ish sight like South Africa? Who knows. Beyond the run of form and intangibles I just don't think this line up is that great. It is not awful either Mexico look like the kind of team that will cobble together a starting 11 and take it game by game. One thing that has stuck out to me over the years is the fragility of Mexican teams in international tournaments. Once they go a goal down a game that they looked very much in all of a sudden escapes them as they doubt themselves and their teammates. This is a group where they may well be down a goal more than once and they can not allow themselves to implode if they want to make it to the knockout rounds.
PTW: Rafa Marquez. Although he has seen his starts limited at Barcelona by the emergence of Gerard Pique Marquez remains a quality defender and possibly the best player on this team. As a center-half he will have to be at his very, very best in order to contain the French and Uruguayan strikers. If Mexico don't take at least 2 points in those matches they are not going through.
Uruguay- Maybe it is because I closely watch CONMEBOL, or maybe it is because I am huge history nerd and appreciate their pedigree, but I like this team much more than most people going into next summer. Like all Charua squads they are gritty to the brink of viciousness, and they have a couple of truly elite skill players. Forlan is the reigning Spanish and European golden boot and Luis Suarez holds the crown in Holland. Both of these guys are lethal. With an old but reliable Sebastian Abreu coming off the bench as a poor man's Peter Crouch they have a diverse attack. The flaw in this team is inconsistency. They routinely get results against great teams and drop points to very humble opposition. This may have to do with the thinness of the squad which in turn has to do with the comparatively small and aging population of Uruguay. It is very difficult to predict how they will do but I find myself liking their chances.
PTW: It would be easy to pick one of the bombers up front but I am going to say Diego Lugano. He isn't as talked about in the Americas because he plays in the relative purgatory of Turkish football but he is a fitting captain and embodies the tradition of Uruguayan football. In defense he is tough and rugged when he needs to but also skilled enough to separate attackers from the ball without drawing a foul. The goals he scores often seem to come in big spots like the one in San Jose during the play-in. When Diego Lugano is on Uruguay are a very good team. When he is absent or seems lost they are very run-of-the-mill.
France- For a team who is the current runner-up, has won both a World Cup and a Euro in the last dozen years, and features starters from the reigning English, Spanish, and European champion clubs France are being taken very lightly. And for good reason (sort of). Beyond the obvious legitimacy question of their qualification, Raymond Domenech is a completely inept manager who happens to find himself in command of a squad full of mind blowing talent. His tactical shortcomings are obvious and personal problems with players are legendary. If he is able to keep himself out of his team's own way, or if he is sacked before South Africa, France could be a big contender. Anelka, Henry, Benzema, Ribery, Gomis, and Govou lead what could be a superstar attack. Despite a so-so tenure at AC Milan I am very high on Flamini as a holding midfielder, and the backline which includes Abidal, Gallas, and Evra is more than enough. They have a good pool of keepers to choose from, but like with most things, expect Domenech to make it harder than it should be.
PTW: Franck Ribery. A truly world class attacking player Ribery threatens just as much by creating chances as he does to score goals himself. His absence in qualifiers made the task a little harder than it needed to be. If he is healthy and in form next summer the strike corps will feast on the opportunities he creates.
My Group Prediction:
1. France (9)
2. Uruguay (6)
3. Mexico (1)
4. South Africa (1)
So anyway Merry Christmas to everyone. Since I have some time off for the holiday I am thinking of doing a sort of preview for the World Cup, group by group, one a day. First up is Group A, because it is first alphabetically.
GROUP A
South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
This has been called one of the strongest groups for a host nation and I don't disagree. I would also point out South Africa is one of the weakest hosts ever, so that factors into it.
South Africa- Whenever a country hosts the WC it prepares for years and years and usually does a pretty good job of not embarrassing itself. There is no reason to think SA will get blown out but I am not nearly as bullish on them as some others. They have changed coaches twice in the last two years, although the last one was a return so maybe one and a half times. I saw them in last summer's Confed Cup and despite holding on until late against Brazil I saw nothing that really impressed me. They have a couple of players that do reasonably well in the Prem, but most of the squad is unknown to me. I don't think they will be a doormat but it would shock me to see them go through.
Player To Watch (PTW): Benny McCarthy. He is a guy who legitimately threatens to score. I get the feeling South Africa aren't a team that create goals with ease so they will need him to be the hitman he has been at Rovers.
Mexico- This current incarnation of the Mexican squad is not terribly powerful. They had a rough go of qualifying and Mexico are not a team that usually travels well. Does that help or hurt in a neutral-ish sight like South Africa? Who knows. Beyond the run of form and intangibles I just don't think this line up is that great. It is not awful either Mexico look like the kind of team that will cobble together a starting 11 and take it game by game. One thing that has stuck out to me over the years is the fragility of Mexican teams in international tournaments. Once they go a goal down a game that they looked very much in all of a sudden escapes them as they doubt themselves and their teammates. This is a group where they may well be down a goal more than once and they can not allow themselves to implode if they want to make it to the knockout rounds.
PTW: Rafa Marquez. Although he has seen his starts limited at Barcelona by the emergence of Gerard Pique Marquez remains a quality defender and possibly the best player on this team. As a center-half he will have to be at his very, very best in order to contain the French and Uruguayan strikers. If Mexico don't take at least 2 points in those matches they are not going through.
Uruguay- Maybe it is because I closely watch CONMEBOL, or maybe it is because I am huge history nerd and appreciate their pedigree, but I like this team much more than most people going into next summer. Like all Charua squads they are gritty to the brink of viciousness, and they have a couple of truly elite skill players. Forlan is the reigning Spanish and European golden boot and Luis Suarez holds the crown in Holland. Both of these guys are lethal. With an old but reliable Sebastian Abreu coming off the bench as a poor man's Peter Crouch they have a diverse attack. The flaw in this team is inconsistency. They routinely get results against great teams and drop points to very humble opposition. This may have to do with the thinness of the squad which in turn has to do with the comparatively small and aging population of Uruguay. It is very difficult to predict how they will do but I find myself liking their chances.
PTW: It would be easy to pick one of the bombers up front but I am going to say Diego Lugano. He isn't as talked about in the Americas because he plays in the relative purgatory of Turkish football but he is a fitting captain and embodies the tradition of Uruguayan football. In defense he is tough and rugged when he needs to but also skilled enough to separate attackers from the ball without drawing a foul. The goals he scores often seem to come in big spots like the one in San Jose during the play-in. When Diego Lugano is on Uruguay are a very good team. When he is absent or seems lost they are very run-of-the-mill.
France- For a team who is the current runner-up, has won both a World Cup and a Euro in the last dozen years, and features starters from the reigning English, Spanish, and European champion clubs France are being taken very lightly. And for good reason (sort of). Beyond the obvious legitimacy question of their qualification, Raymond Domenech is a completely inept manager who happens to find himself in command of a squad full of mind blowing talent. His tactical shortcomings are obvious and personal problems with players are legendary. If he is able to keep himself out of his team's own way, or if he is sacked before South Africa, France could be a big contender. Anelka, Henry, Benzema, Ribery, Gomis, and Govou lead what could be a superstar attack. Despite a so-so tenure at AC Milan I am very high on Flamini as a holding midfielder, and the backline which includes Abidal, Gallas, and Evra is more than enough. They have a good pool of keepers to choose from, but like with most things, expect Domenech to make it harder than it should be.
PTW: Franck Ribery. A truly world class attacking player Ribery threatens just as much by creating chances as he does to score goals himself. His absence in qualifiers made the task a little harder than it needed to be. If he is healthy and in form next summer the strike corps will feast on the opportunities he creates.
My Group Prediction:
1. France (9)
2. Uruguay (6)
3. Mexico (1)
4. South Africa (1)
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