World Cup 2010 – The Greatest Show on Earth IV

We have come to week 4 in our look at this year’s World Cup in South Africa and have arrived at the first group of death. There is always one but this time I think there is 2. Group D gives us Germany, Australia, Serbia and Ghana. Contrasting teams from very different cultures with a happy mix of  styles and who knows, perhaps a hint of an upset maybe!

Group D

Germany   -   The Team,   FIFA ranked 5,   Price to win group 1.95

Australia   -   Socceroos,   FIFA ranked 19,   Price to win group 9.0

Ghana   -   Black Stars,   FIFA ranked 27,   Price to win group 5.6

Serbia   -   White Eagles,   FIFA ranked 15,   Price to win group 4.9

Germany

The obvious favourite to win the group. An absolutely fantastic record in the World Cup. They have competed in 16 tournaments and have reached the semis in 11 of those. Having won it on 3 occasions, they have also finished runner-up 4 times, 3rd three times and 4th once, incredible.

The team is built for tournament play. It does not matter how poor they are playing coming into a tournament, their mentality is such, that they invariably surpass their expectations. Physically strong, mentally strong and a team spirit second to none. With no outstanding individuals, they perform as a team and that is why they are so difficult to beat. Vastly experienced, with the overwhelming majority of the current squad playing in Germany, only 4 playing in other countries. Ballack, who is the captain, plays with Chelsea, Hitzlsperger at Lazio, Huth at Stoke and Hinkel at Celtic.

Having said all that, you know what you are going to get with Germany. Whichever 11 start, they will be 11 committed players, difficult to beat but maybe not the greatest skill levels in the world. Do they have the creative wit to unlock defences? Are they able to keep out the best attacks in the world? I think not. This could be a very tricky group and the combative Germans will have their work cut out to win it.

Australia

It is perhaps to their credit that the Socceroos now expect to get to every World Cup. They have had terrible trouble previously getting to the finals, having so many different play-offs to win, invariably ending with matches against Soth American opposition. The route for qualification has now been simplified for them in the Asian group and they were in fact one of the first teams to qualify for South Africa, with no defeats and only one goal conceded.

Team manager is Pim Verbeek from the Netherlands, who has been there since 2007. Our own Terry Venables did look after them 97-98, when they finished as runners-up to Brazil in the Confederations Cup in 1997 in Saudi Arabia. Lucas Neil (Galatasary) is the captain and also at Galatsary is Harry Kewel. Quite a number of their squad play in Australia, which is perhaps detrimental to their hopes but there are also a number at English and other European clubs. Schwarzer, Jones, Emerton, Grella and Cahill, to name a few.

You get the feeling with Australia that this is perhaps not their strongest squad ever and in this particular group it is going to be mighty difficult for them. Their first game is against Germany and if they don’t get anything from that game, then it becomes impossible for them because I can tell you, it will not get any easier for them. I would like to think that they will progress but I am afraid their chances are slim at best. In this mini group of death there are no easy games.

Ghana

With a very young and inexperienced team in the recent Africa Cup of Nations, Ghana put up a very creditable performance to finish runners-up behind Egypt. With a few of their established stars back for the World Cup, they can be expected to build on that Angolan tournament and make a good showing in South Africa. This is only their 2nd World Cup, having qualified for the last one in Germany as well. In fact they were the only African nation to get past the group stages in Germany, losing out to Brazil in the round of the last 16.

Ghana have come on exceptionally well in the last 10 years of development. Their tactics and skill levels are now spot on, they are natural athletes and physically well suited to the rigors of the modern game. The coach is Miloran Rajevac from Serbia and the captain will be either Essien (Chelsea) or Stephen Appiah the Bolgna midfielder. Ohter English based players are, Kingson (Wigan), Mensah (Sunderland), Pantsil (Fulham) and Boateng (Portsmouth).

It will be a fantastic tussle between Ghana, Serbia and Germany to see who dominates this group and certainly very difficult to predict. Ghana are obviously playing on their own continent but the conditions will not be entirely what they are used to, temperature and altitude wise. The return of Essien after injury will be a major boost, if that happens and we should all expect a good showing from Ghana. They are however still a young side and will only get better as time passes and maybe their best opportunity will be at the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil.

Serbia

A really solid team, who beat France in their qualification group to reach the finals. They have won 8 of their last 10 games, including wins against 3 other qualifiers, Algeria, South Korea and South Africa. Difficult to break down and a well drilled unit, who will take some beating at any level.

Radomir Antic is the coach, with Dejan Stankovic, the Inter Milan midfielder, the captain. They have a number of English based players in, Vidic (Man Utd), Ivanovic (Chelsea), Stojkovic (Wigan) and Milijas (Wolves). They will relish the group they are in because they are without doubt real fighters and it is going to take that sort of team to get out of this group.

Again, they are a team with no great stars but they are a team who believes in a strong work ethic, which transforms into strong performances and it is this that will take them a long way in this tournament. They will have a battle with Ghana and Germany but I think they do have a great chance of going through to the knock-out stages.

Group D

A really tough group, which is not going to be easy for anyone. Unfortunately the Australians have got the short end of the straw here, drawn in a difficult group and having to play the Germans first, that is not ideal because the Germans will know that they have to beat them to get through this group. I think the Australians will finish bottom of the group and it will be a fight to the death for the other 3.

Ghana are a really up and coming team and may be a great team for the future, whether their future is here and now, I am not so sure. They are young and maybe not quite tough enough yet to grind out the results they will need here. Serbia and Germany are both strong in mind and body and are built to withstand the pressures of such a tournament. So, I will take Serbia and Germany to qualify from this group of death, with Serbia to beat Germany to the top spot.

Final Placings

1   Serbia

2   Germany

3   Ghana

4   Australia

Next week we will be looking at Group E, which includes Holland, Denmark, Japan and Cameroon.