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)