ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Ghana

The last world cup was heartbreaking for Ghana. Last minute penalty miss and then beaten by Uruguay on penalties to go out of the world cup, was disheartening for all who watched. Can the present team put that horror show behind them?

Well unfortunately they got the worst group possible, Germany, USA and Portugal. All the teams are physically quite strong and are hard to beat. Any of these four you would fancy in any other group. It really is the group of death.

Looking at their squad Ghana still have a good core of the 2010 team left. The heavy hitters are still around; Kevin-Prince Boateng, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan. Players that would walk into the starting lineup of most of the world cup teams. Ghana certainly have the personal to do well.

They are a team that can also score goals, as they proved in the qualifying as Africa’s top scorers with 25 goals. So back to front that have a good squad.

But its the group of death. Germany are a match player for player, USA under Klinsman will be tough and a Portugal with Ronaldo are always dangerous. The games will be very close and tight in this group, but unfortunately I will have to go with the two European teams to make it out, Germany to top the group and Portugal to follow.For Ghana the first game is key, they need a win against the USA to have any chance of progression from the group.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Switzerland

Switzerland remind me of a mini Germany, and apologies if that offends any Swiss readers. But they are a solid rigid team, that plays exactly to form.  You know that the Swiss are not going to let in many goals, will go about their work quietly, and, on their day, can beat any of the top teams, including Brazil as they have done a few months ago.

The real battle for the Swiss in group E will be against their near neighbors to the west, France. I can see the Swiss frustrating the French forward line, keeping the game tight, and snatching a late victory.

The other two teams in the group, Honduras and Ecuador, the Swiss should have no problem disposing of. But having said that, Switzerland did beat Spain and drew with a very poor Honduras team in the last world up resulting in a first round elimination, so one can never tell with this team.

A key plus for the Swiss is their manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld. Born near the Swiss border, In Germany, the wily old manager is a dab hand at getting the best out of a limited team. He has made the Swiss team a very solid unit and difficult to break down.

As for the players, nothing exciting stands out, but they do have a lot of decent players who on their day can turn a game. From Xherdan Shaqiri, and Gökhan Inler  in the forward line ready to pounce, with Gelson Fernandes sweeping up any loose balls, a defence marshaled by Philippe Senderos, all with one of the best goalkeepers in Europe Diego Benaglio between the sticks, its a good squad. Not exciting but not too shoddy of a team either.

If they can top the group, and I predict they will, then they could play either Nigeria or Bosnia in the next round. I’d fancy the Swiss to dispatch both of these teams. But if all goes to plan, the Germans would be up next. That would a great European derby game, but you would imagine that the Germans would come out on top over their Swiss neighbors.

Switzerland. Good chance to get to the last eight, which would be a great achievement for a team with no obvious world class stars.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Russia

With all the negative publicity that Russia is getting these days I fully expect the team to come out gunning to victory in their first match against Korea. Russian pride has taken a dent on the world stage, so nothing like a comprehensive victory on the field to settle matters. Christ they were even booed in the Euro-vision.

Still though I don’t see them getting a result against a very good Belgium team, and it will be all to play for then in the final game against the Algerians for Russia. They might just get out of this group, maybe a draw against Algeria will be enough for them to exit the group.

After that I can’t see them going further in the competition. Can they beat Germany or Portugal? I don’t think so. They are too static of a team for that.

Capello is in charge, and back again for another world cup adventure. The old maestro has nothing to prove with an illustrious club career, but last time out he was found wanting. But then the English sometimes can be an unmanageable bunch, maybe the Russian’s are more used to discipline and would be more eager to carry out Capello’s instructions. A wounded Capello, who wants to prove that he also can do international management, could easily get the Russians in the right frame of mind to cause an upset or two in this world cup.

As for the players, not one of the squad play outside of the Russian league. Is this a problem? The Russian league has improved but you would think this might be a handicap. No player with a major European club for a nation has big as Russia is not good.

key player is Yuri Zhirkov. who exploded on the scene with a good Euros in 2008 but since his move to Chelsea its been all downhill. At 30 he needs a good world cup to remind us all what we once saw, that initial skill and vision. A career wasted so far.

Russia to make the second round then come unstuck against either Germany or Portugal.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Algeria

Was pleasantly surprised with Algeria in the last world cup. Apart from the first game, they ended up playing some decent football and gave England the fright of their lives and could have sent them home if only they had put away all the chances they got. Therein lies their problem, they are a well defensive unit that doesn’t give away too many cheap goals, but they also struggle to score. Luckily they have got one of the easier groups in this world cup and I think they will fight it out with Russia and Korea for that coveted second place. It could easily come down to that final game against the Russians for a be all playoff for the second round. I think Russia will nick it as they have superior strikers on their team but it will be close. And the Koreans will be also be there or thereabouts.

The Key player for me is Madjid Bougherra, the captain of the team. He is a pretty intimidating central defender and is expert at lining up his defence.  With him in charge on the pitch I would be always fairly confident if I was an Algerian fan. He is the talisman of the team and a player I do enjoy watching. 

Sofiane Feghouli is another player who catches the eye. He has had a great season with Valencia this year, and his speed and crossing ability can cause all sorts of problems for defences.  But who will meet these crosses? I don’t think Algeria have the firepower to progress and that is why the Desert Foxes will be going home after the first round.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: France

They so nearly not made the World Cup, but what a turn around for Les Blues. At home against Ukraine to win 3-0 and go through to another world cup.

France, the great pretenders, what can you say. They can be very frustrating to watch at times, seemingly not caring enough to work the yards to win a game. But they definitely have some awesome talent in the squad.

Hugo Lloris, the captain, is an exceptionally gifted keeper who well marshals his defence. A defence with Evra bombing forward all the time, Pogba getting his foot about and harrying in midfield, with an all star forward line of either Giroud or Benzema or Ribery ready to pounce. They haven’t a bad team at all the French. But can they be bothered enough? How many times has this French team disappointed? They really have never replaced Zidane. They need a midfield general to direct attacks and get the team moving along, someone who inspires and leads by example. They need a leader on the pitch, but they dont have one, and they wont be winning any world cup this time around.

That and the fact that I dont rate Didier Deschamps, the water carrier. His very public spat with Pires proves he isn’t all right in the head. No master tactician here.

key players for me will be Benzema or Ribery. The two players haven’t done it for their country as of yet. Both are amazingly talented footballers but sometimes you would wish someone would give them a good kick up the arse. They never look like they enjoy playing the beautiful game.  Get them clicking then France have a real chance of at least getting to the last eight. 

The game against their neighbors, the Swiss, will be a great game of this world cup. I can see it as a game decided by one goal, but will be full of tension and canny football. Who blinks first gets top spot in the group. I fancy the Swiss at the moment. But overall I still think France are a team that could easily go on a small run and end up in the last eight. But no further.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Honduras

Honduras for me were the worst team in the last world cup. They appeared lethargic and it seemed they had no idea what they were meant to be doing on the pitch. So imagine my surprise when I see they have only gone and qualified for another world cup. Well done to the manager, Luis Fernando Suárez on that front.

It’s not that they don’t have some talent in their squad, they do. Wilson Palacios is one of their key players, a player who has donned the shirts of a few English clubs at this stage. Quick and a good passer, on his day he can cause problems.

The coach has also worked wonders before in the world cup. He took Ecuador unexpectedly into the second round in the 2006 world cup, so he is a man who can oversee a shock.

But the overall depth of the squad is short, and I don’t think they will give Switzerland or France too many problems. Despite Switzerland making a pigs ear of trying to beat them in the last world cup.

I feel their world cup adventure will boil down to the game against Ecuador in a third place group decider.  A draw perhaps?

At the end of all this Honduras might still be searching for that elusive first world cup win. Honduras to go home early, again.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Iran

Can’t see Iran doing a whole lot in this years world cup. Against fast paced teams like Argentina and Nigeria they will struggle, and they wont get much from the Bosnia game either.

Only six of their squad play in Europe, while 14 are home based players. That stat tells you all you need to know. They simply will struggle to compete and would do well do get even one goal from the three games, even if they are Asia’s highest ranking team.

A positive is that in qualifying they kept ten clean sheets, and are meant to be solid at the back. But will that be enough to shut out Messi and co? The world cup is a different ball game to the Asian qualifying process. In three world cups they have never got past the first round, so expect more of the same then and I predict nul point from Iran.

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ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup:Mexico

Mexico: They just about got over the line in qualifying suffering some shocking defeats in the process and using over 40 players in that campaign. And if you look at their squad it’s a little bare, not much quality has been added since the last world cup. It really seems that Mexico are going backwards with their national team.

Rafael Márquez, is still around, a great player in his prime, but how old is he now? He looked slow four years ago, cant think how he will survive with the high temp game that Brazil and Cameroon will play against Mexico.

Mexico, like Cameroon are a team that are always a pleasure to watch, but this time it might be a case of hiding behind the couch as I can see them shipping a lot of goals.
Key player is Javier Hernández, its about time for the Manchester United player to really show the world the talent that we only have got glimpses of so far in his career. Its not like he had a taxing season with United after all.

Final prediction, Mexico not to get out of the group

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