Jumat, 11 Juni 2010
2010 Japan World Cup Predictions
Nickname: Samurai Blue
Number of World Cup appearances: 3
Best World Cup finish: Second round (2002)
Team Breakdown
The Japanese are never going to blow you away with their footballing skills, but to that same point they are never a side to take lightly. Naturally, by virtue of playing in Asia, this side isn’t going to get a whole lot of credit, and perhaps rightfully so with comparisons to the rest of the major elite. But still, Japan has ability and they will not be the tournament’s minnow.And to Japan’s credit as an Asian power, this is their fourth consecutive World Cup appearance, and throughout the qualifying process the Samurai Blue dominated. In 2002 Japan was able to advance beyond the group stage when they co-hosted the tournament with South Korea. However, four years ago in Germany was not a favorable result. They’ll look to draw on their success from that Round of 16 appearance and fight to be a squad worthy of advancing in Group E.
2010 Japan World Cup Odds
Japan is currently listed at 300/1 futures odds to win the World Cup.
They are 12/1 to win Group E.
Key Player To Watch
There isn’t much to debate with regards to Japan’s fiercest weapon on the pitch. Midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has played in Europe for a handful of years and is his country’s top football export and is most known for his spectacular free kicks where he creatively places the ball in corners of the net that cannot be reached by opposing goalkeepers.
Best Team Asset
Knowing full well how poorly the Japanese played in Germany in 2006, a lot more is expected and desired from both players and supporters alike. In 1998 and 2006 they were left in the group stage but if a trend is developing where they advance every other World Cup, then 2010 might be another surprise run for Japan.
Key Team Weakness
Producing in Asia is not like producing in the World Cup, and that seems to be the biggest factor holding Japan back. They do not have enough players getting experience in the top club leagues around the world, as most make their living in the J-League (Japan’s top domestic club league). And you can also draw on Japan’s lack of consistent play against the best internationally. Yes, occasionally Japan gets friendly matches from those in Europe, South American or Africa, but sporadic isn’t good enough.
Japan World Cup Predictions
When the dust settles there is too much talent from the remaining three Group E sides. Netherlands will easily handle Japan and that alone will leave them hoping for two wins against Denmark and Cameroon, and that just isn’t going to happen. Perhaps advancement would be more likely if they were drawn into Group A, the weakest in my opinion, but not among this four.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
Like some of the more unproven teams, I would take a wait-and-see approach with Japan. Their first match against Cameroon is too early to back them and their second match against Holland is a daunting task. But if the Japanese find themselves 0-2 going into their finale against Denmark on June 24 with nothing but pride on the line, there might be a situation to take a flyer on the Asian football nation.
Japan World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Cameroon, June 14, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Free State (Mangaung/Bloemfontein)
v. Netherlands, June 19, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Durban (Durban)
v. Denmark, June 24, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Royal Bafokeng (Rustenburg)
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2010 Denmark World Cup Predictions
Nickname: Danish Dynamite
Number of World Cup appearances: 3
Best World Cup finish: Quarterfinals (1998)
Team Breakdown
The Danes have to like their World Cup group much better now, knowing full well that not many gave them a chance to reach the finals once their European qualifying group was announced. Denmark was paired with the likes of Portugal, Sweden and Hungry but made quick work of their pairings by winning UEFA’s Group One and insuring automatically qualification and also forcing the Portuguese to find their spot in the 2010 World Cup via a play-off.Denmark may be relatively unheard of at the World Cup, but each of its three appearances has seen them advance to at least the Round of 16. And despite coming into South Africa as perhaps a current unknown commodity, the Danes have World Cup talent in Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner, Liverpool’s Daniel Agger and other European talent like Jon Dahl Tomasson and Christian Poulsen.
There might not be a whole lot written about Denmark, lacking a high-powered offense like Spain or Brazil or the dramatics of England or Argentina, but this Scandinavian country is every bit as capable to be a potential dark horse of the tournament come this summer.
2010 Denmark World Cup Odds
Denmark is currently listed at 100/1 futures odds to win the World Cup.
They are 9/2 to win Group E.
Key Player To Watch
Nicklas Bendtner has really come of age with North London club Arsenal in the EPL. He is only 22 years old but he has gained a vast amount of experience at the top club level throughout Europe and has also shown to be one of Denmark’s most valuable pieces. Bendtner has the height to attack in the air and the strength to keep opponents off the ball when he possesses it. Granted, scrutiny from Gunners’ supporters has come because of his inconsistent finishing ability. However, in way you could counter that with his passing skills atop the formation.
Best Team Asset
Even now I think Denmark is vastly underrated. They took care of Portugal and Sweden to qualify but, still, there isn’t enough credit thrown their way. Playing the underdog role is something that could help this side with the mental approach, and that will be their role when it comes to the betting lines, as value will be there.
Key Team Weakness
I don’t doubt Denmark’s ability to score at the World Cup, but I do wonder at what consistency can they keep their offense up at the highest level. For instance, I wouldn’t be surprised if they netted a goal against the Dutch, but could they fire back if Holland scored multiple goals against the Danes? Consistency is going to be the biggest concern, not allowing for a letdown in any one game during the group stage.
Denmark World Cup Predictions
Denmark has a good chance to make the second round. I don’t see them keeping the Netherlands from the top spot in Group E, but the runners-up position is what they should pin their focus on. Denmark and Cameroon will be throwing blows for that second spot, but until the Danes prove they can beat the best in the world, Cameroon gets the nod to advance and Denmark falls just short.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
Denmark’s first game against Holland on June 14 is going to be a huge test, but at odds of around +350 it might still be too tough to back them here. But look at the ‘over,’ because while Holland is as capable of any World Cup team of scoring, they aren’t impervious to allowing them. A high-scoring game should be in store for Denmark and Holland.
Denmark World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Netherlands, June 14, 2010 – 7:30 a.m. ET at Soccer City (Johannesburg)
v. Cameroon, June 19, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Loftus Versfeld (Tshwane/Pretoria)
v. Japan, June 24, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Royal Bafokeng (Rustenburg)
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2010 Cameroon World Cup Predictions
Nickname: Les Lions Indomables (The Indomitable Lions)
Number of World Cup appearances: 5
Best World Cup finish: Quarterfinals (1990)
Team Breakdown
Cameroon has made more World Cup appearances than any other African nation. However, the Lions were absent from Germany four years ago. Prior to that they were at the Finals in four straight tournaments from 1994 to 2002, but just one of those times did they advance beyond the group stage.For the most part the World Cup has seen Cameroon do some good things, earning points in 11 of their 17 all-time games on the world’s largest stage.
During qualifying the central and western African nation finished atop their group in both the second and third heats. Cameroon dropped just one of those 12 games and tallied 23 goals in all. One of the more experienced nations will undoubtedly have expectations this time around after missing out on the fun in 2006.
2010 Cameroon World Cup Odds
Cameroon is currently listed at 80/1 futures odds to win the World Cup.
They are 17/4 to win Group E.
Key Player To Watch
Without a doubt striker Samuel Eto’o is the magic man for Cameroon and he is not just one of the best players from Africa but he’s currently a shining star atop world football. He flourishes at both the international stage and domestically, past from Barcelona and present for Inter Milan. Everywhere he goes, goals come. One of the best finishers around, and you can easily pin his country’s success on how well he does this summer. Perhaps no one player means more to his side than Eto’o and it will be interesting to see how far he can carry his nation.
Best Team Asset
The Indomitable Lions know what it takes to find success at the World Cup level. They advanced to the quarterfinals in 1990 and, having appeared in four of the last five events coming into to June, Cameroon will not be overwhelmed by the big stage. In fact, it is more than likely the inverse effect. They, like the other African nations, will be inspired by playing on their continental soil and will run with any advantage they can take from it.
Key Team Weakness
As mentioned above, Cameroon has one of the best footballers in the world and certainly Eto’o will be an elite player come this summer. But who else is going to chime in with supplementary help? Others that have the ability are Alexandre Song, who plays for Arsenal, as well as other domestic stars like Geremi and Jean Makoun. Cameroon has the talent, but it is a different story to actually see the results as opposed to hype from its lesser-known players.
Cameroon World Cup Predictions
Cameroon is in a tricky group. Netherlands is the beast among the four, and upstart Denmark and Japan will not be easy wins. This quartet poses the possibility of any two of the four advancing through to the elimination round, and really any combination could fit the bill. Personally, it’s just too tough to see Netherlands ousted this early, even with a stern challenge. Cameroon and Denmark are the two most likely to battle it out for the runners-up spot and the edge would have to go with Cameroon and the star power of Samuel Eto’o’.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
Cameroon will be the favorite in their World Cup opener June 14 v. Japan, but it doesn’t mean you have to lay unfavorable chalk. You can find Cameroon at around +110, +100 or even, at worst, EVEN odds against the Japanese and that would be a strong wager to open their campaign and your betting on the African nation.
Cameroon World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Japan, June 14, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Free State (Mangaung/Bloemfontein)
v. Denmark, June 19, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Loftus Versfeld (Tshwane/Pretoria)
v. Netherlands, June 24, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Green Point (Cape Town)
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2010 Netherlands World Cup Predictions
Nickname: Oranje
Number of World Cup appearances: 8
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up (1974, 1978)
Team Breakdown
The Dutch are the best football nation never to win the World Cup. 2010’s version of the Oranje could be their best team capable of breaking through, but that is their gift and curse. Always being considered a top contender helps promote confidence, but the building pressure from an entire nation for their football team to finally break through is omnipresent and travels with them everywhere they go.Again they enter an international tournament as one of the perennial favorites, but there is never a shortage of drama dragging at Holland’s feet. So much so you would think they would be better suited for an episode of “General Hospital” rather than battling it out on football’s largest stage. Talent is never an issue, but chemistry is. The biggest knock is that the players, who are as talented as any in the world, have never been reined in with the necessary continuity that a unit needs to soar on the big stage. Midfielder Wesley Sneijder is the team’s best player and he is immensely gifted. However, he is just as notorious for the turmoil he helps creates with his on-the-field arrogance and being halfway cancerous to the team as he is for his skill. He and star striker Robin van Persie, arguably the Dutch’s second best player, flat out don’t get along and that can be traced back to several incidents that seemingly have left their relationship permanently flawed.
The locker room tension is, if nothing else, an ever-growing storyline bound for South Africa, thus making the biggest question surrounding the Netherlands an internal battle for the supremacy of its summer. Which will win out in June:hordes of talent with the desire to finally achieve greatness or a group of underachievers with poisonous instability and a long list of failed results?
2010 Netherlands World Cup Odds
The Netherlands is currently listed at 12/1 futures odds to win the World Cup.
They are 8/13 favorites to win Group E.
Key Player To Watch
Holland’s classic 4-3-3 formation has always relied on a target man up front, as the Dutch control ball possession as well as anyone in the world and really dictate tempo. Robin van Persie is a classy finisher and fits the mold, possibly by default, but the Arsenal striker has been out injured for quite some time with damaged ankle ligaments. His availability for the World Cup isn’t as much an issue as doubters believing he isn’t as great a fit as his production suggests.
Best Team Asset
What the Dutch do so effortlessly and impressively is their dominance of the ball. Midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart really stand out, while winger Arjen Robben has as much pace and energy as anyone in the world on the flank with his runs up and down the pitch. Along with van Persie, Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt always finds himself in the best of positions on the field, and one of the more stable and reliable players you will watch in South Africa. They just wear opponents thin and force teams to constantly be on their toes. If you don’t have the ball, how do you beat this team?
Key Team Weakness
Well, one area where Holland can be exposed is their back four and goalkeeper. Holland’s defense has fallen off considerably in quality over the last decade. Central defenders Joris Mathijsen and Johnny Heitinga are serviceable, but hardly something to write home about, especially considering the imbalance of skill leaning towards the offensive end. Now adding to the problem is relying on someone other than ace goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. He was flat-out brilliant in the net and one of the best in a long time. However, his international retirement after Euro 2008 means the Netherlands must pin their hopes on Maarten Stekelenburg, the 27-year-old Ajax man, who, to his credit, was impressive during his qualifying run (only two goals allowed in six matches).
Netherlands World Cup Predictions
The Dutch could do extremely well and be among the final eight or even four left standing, but the question remains is can they finally raise the trophy? Holland looked absolutely unstoppable during Euro 2008 but ran into a hot Russia team that cut their run short. The Dutch are one the select few nations that would be a wise investment to win the tournament. A tricky group awaits the favorites in Group E, getting upstart Denmark, Japan and continental homeboys Cameroon. When the dust settles the chalk holds up and Holland advances to the elimination round and will be playing well beyond the Round of 16.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
There is no value bet for Holland to win the group (8/13 favorites), but attack their individual lines in group play. If the Dutch crash out of the tournament it will be against another world power in an elimination match, not group play. Don’t be surprised to see a 3-0 perfect record against the other trio. Backing them in their opener June 14 v. Denmark would be a good start.
Netherlands World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Denmark, June 14, 2010 – 7:30 a.m. ET at Soccer City (Johannesburg)
v. Japan, June 19, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Durban (Durban)
v. Cameroon, June 24, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Green Point (Cape Town)
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