The Groups Selected

Here are the groups:

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
South Africa	Argentina	England	Germany
Mexico	Nigeria	USA	Australia
France	South Korea	Algeria	Serbia
Uruguay	Greece	Slovenia	Ghana
Group E	Group F	Group G	Group H
Netherlands	Italy	Brazil	Spain
Denmark	Paraguay	North Korea	Switzerland
Japan	New Zealand	Ivory Coast	Honduras
Cameroon	Slovakia	Portugal	Chile

Let's look at them and I'll make some semi-educated guesses:

Group A: The conventional wisdom largely has it right: France and Mexico will probably go through, with France winning the group. France could not have gotten an easier group. South Africa may be the first host country to not make it out of the first round. Uruguay has some talent up front, but their defense is wretched. The Mexicans and the french should feast.

Group B: Argentina and Greece go through, with Argentina winning this weak group and Greece squeaking through on stubbornness. South Korea will be running all over the place, but their skills are crap. Nigeria is but a shadow of the times that appeared in 1994 and 1998.

Group C: USA and England go through with England taking the group, although despite their skill at many positions, the English have crap goalkeeping these days. A few have said look out for Slovenia as they eliminated Russia, but they did so on away goals and against a Russian team, most of whose players play in Russia and were playing at a point nearly at the end of the Russian League season. In the end the US experience in big games should be the edge against both Algeria and Slovenia. This is clearly the best draw the US has gotten in years, perhaps ever.

Group D: Germany and Serbia go through with Germany winning the group. Ghana may surprise, but I believe that they got lucky in 2006 against the US with a wretched penalty call. Michael Essien is the most solid player on the team, but we saw what happened when he couldn't play. Australia is cursed by the draw this time.

Group E: Netherlands and Denmark go through with Netherlands winning the group. Japan will be an appetizer for these two teams while Cameroon, Samuel Etoo notwithstanding, is also a shadow of its former self.

Group F: Italy and Paraguay to go through. Slovakia may cause some headaches, but this may be the one group where everyone except New Zealand gets a win.

Group G: Time to go a little out on a limb, here: Brazil and Ivory Coast go through with Brazil taking the group. Ivory Coast has some solid players with significant European League experience. Portugal has Cristiano Ronad, Deco and a few players that have a lot of miles on them. It will be close, but the decisive match will be Portugal v Ivory Coast. Expect everyone to feast on North Korea.

Group H: Spain and Switzerland go through with Spain winning the group. Honudras has some talented players, but wretched defending and Chile is not much better.

186 days to go. Can't wait!

Comments

[pc]

I like the Ivory Coast to squeeze through too. Cant wait to see Drogba-Ronaldo!