World Cup 2010 – The Greatest Show on Earth VII

Group G is THE “group of death”, there is always one but this time there are 2 with group D also in there pitching. Group G though means that one of the fancied teams will go out at the group stage and will not enter the knockout phase. Could it be that Brazil will not get past the group stage? Will Portugal or Ivory Coast knock Brazil out before they have even got to the knockout? Everything will become as clear as mud as you read below.

Group G

Ivory Coast  -  The Elephants,  FIFA ranked  25,  Price to win group  5.2

Portugal  -  The Machines,  FIFA ranked  4,  Price to win group  5.0

Brazil  -  Samba Kings,  FIFA ranked  2,  Price to win group  1.64

North Korea  -  Chollima,  FIFA ranked  105,  Price to win group  65.0

Ivory Coast

Oh Sven what have you done? Jumping out of the frying pan into the fire, he left Mexico in the lurch and went and joined the Elephants to take on the toughest group at this year’s finals. Ivory Coast have only qualified for the finals twice and unfortunately they have been drawn in the group of death both times. They didn’t get out of it last time but can they do so this time?

They were a shadow of their former selves at the African Cup of Nations this year, going out in the Quarters to Algeria. They seemed leg weary and sluggish throughout the competition with their big names underperforming in every single game. Their new manager Sven Goran Eriksson will have a difficult job in trying to lift their spirits.

Massive experience right throughout the side could not lift them in Angola and outside of that squad there does not appear to be much coming through. A number of UK based players were in the Africa Cup of Nations squad including captain Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Kalou, also of Chelsea, Toure (Man City), Meite (West Brom), Eboue (Arsenal), Bamba (Hibernian), Dindane (Portsmouth). The first 2 games have given Ivory Coast a mountain to climb, Portugal and then Brazil with the minnows of North Korea their final game. Their top players have all had a long old season with one International tournament thrown in. To perform now on the biggest stage of all is asking a lot.

This is another group where the very first game will frame the group dynamics. Ivory Coast take on Portugal in what could be a decider for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in the group. Absolutely anything could happen in this group and we will see how it shakes down in our summing up at the end.

Portugal

Portugal made a real mess of qualifying, only getting to South Africa by the skin of their teeth. They won their last 3 matches to make it into 2nd place just 1 point ahead of Sweden (will Sven get his revenge). This led them into a 2 legged play-off with Bosnia-Herzogovina, with Portgal winning both games 1-0. They now have their place at their 5th World Cup but will they make it out of this group.

Querioz is the manager (he was Sir Alex’s right hand man for a number of years). Now Querioz is a good coach and a good 2nd in command but he is not a manager. He can’t make those correct decisions under pressure in a big game, and but for the way Portugal finished the qualifying group, he would have lost his job by now. Teams know how to play Portugal, they know what they have to do to stop Portugal playing. Ronaldo is the captain and he is the key to Portugal, if you can stifle him you will stifle Portugal and any team that can do that will have the beating of Portugal.

There is a strong Chelsea influence with 5 players from there possibly making their final 23 man squad, Hilario, Ferreira, Carvalho, Bosingwa and Deco. other English based players include, Nani (Man Utd) and Boa Morte (West Ham). They do have the experience but do not have the consistency. They did finish 4th at the last World Cup in Germany in 2006 and 3rd when it was played in England in 1966.

Key to their hopes is the very first game against Ivory Coast and depending what happens there. It will be make or break for one of those sides. However, I am sure they would both settle for a draw and so that is probably what will happen.

Brazil

Are the Samba Kings on a roll or will they get hijacked in this difficult group? Don’t be fooled by this Brazil side, they are not the side of old, they do have a lot of big names in their side and have masses of experience but they are just at the tipping point, just past their best, just too old and just not good enough.

Dunga, who won with the World Cup with Brazil in the USA in 1994, took over as Manager after the World Cup of 2006, has moulded them into a different sort of team than what we are used to. Gone are the days when anyone of the team could pop up in any part of the pitch. They now all have their own particular jobs to do on the field of play.

They no longer have the firepower up front. Adriano, Robinho, Grafite and Nilmar, just don’t cut it for me. The midfield is not as penetrative as normal, Kaka has been overshadowed this year at Madrid and of late he has been injured as well. Is he going to be at the World Cup? If he is, will he be as good as normal? I don’t think so. The one area where they are solid is at the back, which is most unusual for the Canaries, this is an area where they usually struggle but this time they are back to front and will struggle to create and take their chances.

Of course they have the best record of any team in the World Cup. They have won it 5 times, the last being in South Korea in 2002, with the fabulous Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho and they are the only team to have played in every World Cup finals. Possible English based players to make their squad will include, Anderson (Man Utd), Alex (Chelsea), Gomes (Spurs), Aurelio and Lucas (Liverpool).

North Korea

North Korea my favourites for the group, no I’m only kidding. This is only their 2nd ever World Cup final place and if anyone out there is old enough to remember, you will know that their first time was in 1966, yes 1966 in England. You may also remember that they did incredibly well.

The most historic result in North Korean football ever, happened on 19th July 1966 at Ayresome Park, the home of the mighty Middlesboro, when they beat the even mightier Italy 1-0 with a headed goal just before half-time by Pak. That unbelievable result took the most unfancied Koreans to the Quarter Finals of the 1966 World Cup, where a game was about to unfold that will live in the memories of anyone who saw it.

The Quarter Final was North Korea v Portugal, with the legendary Eusebio, the God of Portugese football. The game was played on 23rd July 1966 at Goodison Park, the home of Everton. It kicked off at 3pm and by 3.25pm the Koreans were 3-0 up. It was pure fantasy, beyond belief, dreamland, but then reality kicked in and Eusebio took control, scored 4 goals and Portugal went on to win the game 5-3. One of the most fantastic World Cup games ever.

Of course this has nothing to do with what will happen this time round but nostalgia is a great thing. The Koreans are made up of native North Koreans and Zainichi Koreans born in Japan, which is where they all play their football, except for one, Kim Kuk-Jin plays with FC Wil in Switzerland. Unfortunately there will be no heroics this time round. They will be outplayed, outpassed, out-manouevred and out-skilled in every game and finish bottm of the group but it will have been nice to see them again after so long.

Group G

When I started this piece I thought that this was the “Group of Death” but now after some thought about it maybe it will become the “Group of Pussycats”. Yes it goes without saying that North Korea will finish bottom and I accept that but the other three?

All 3 of them have holes in their make-up. They are all past their best. They will not pass the test. They are all on the wane and by the end of this group one of them will be on the plane—-home.

Brazil are obviously favourites for the group and I think they have been very lucky with the way the draw has come out for them. Playing North Korea first will be a big advantage, getting 3 points in the bag and then assessing how the other game went on between Ivory Coast and Portugal.

Brazil also play Portugal last and it may be that the close ties between these two countries could allow them to both progress through with another convenient draw. That of course could all change depending on how Portugal fare in their first game.

I did say at the start of this that the opening game between Ivory Coast and Portugal is key to the whole group and that is definitely the case. Neither will want to lose, they will both be frightened to go for the win in case they leave themselves open at the back. It has got to be a draw, that is the only logical conclusion and that is what I will go for.

Ivory Coast’s next game will be against Brazil and I think they will just find it too difficult to break down the Brazilians, who will go on and win 2-0. Portugal will beat North Korea and draw with Brazil in the final game. Ivory Coast will be edged out and Brazil will head the group from Portugal.

Final Placings

1   Brazil

2   Portugal

3   Ivory Coast

4   North Korea

Next time we will look at the final group, where we will find the European Champions Spain. After that I will go beyond the Group games and look at how things will progress and who we shall see in the final.