Jumat, 11 Juni 2010
2010 Honduras World Cup Predictions
Nickname: Los Catrachos
Number of World Cup appearances: 1
Best World Cup finish: Group stage (1982)
Team Breakdown
Central America is an area that too often gets swept under the rug, with the attention understandably being given to the top South American teams or even elsewhere towards Europe or Africa. But Honduras is one nation that has talent that needs to be given its accolades. Stars like Wilson Palacios, David Suazo and Mayner Figueroa all make their living playing in Europe and several others are situated in domestic leagues throughout Europe’s vast football continent. 1982 was their only World Cup appearance, and it was a brief one with a group stage exit. But if you expect this long shot to just show up and take a beating you are completely mistaken.
Honduras fought tooth and nail just for their tournament berth, needing a final victory over El Salvador and some timely help that they received from the United States when the Americans earned a late draw against Costa Rica. The U.S.’s late goal sent Honduras through and Costa Rica was forced to battle it out in a playoff with Uruguay, ultimately falling short of South Africa.
2010 Honduras World Cup Odds
Honduras is currently listed at 500/1 to win the World Cup.
They are 25/1 to win Group H.
Key Player To Watch
Carlos Pavon is one of Los Catrachos’ best players and he plays domestically with club side Real Espana. He led the team with seven goals in qualifying and in those 10 matches Honduras had just one loss. 500/1 odds is likely a good number comparatively to other World Cup teams in this year’s field, but something tells me this team is going to show much more than oddsmakers are expecting from the Central American country. Pavon is one of the leaders that will carry the load.
Best Team Asset
One of the few teams that power countries won’t get up to play is Honduras. It is what it is, but Honduras can bank on the fact that someone like Spain isn’t going to stay up late at night worrying about this team, and that can play into the hands of this minnow.
Key Team Weakness
Honduras can’t compete with offensive genius of the Spaniards. Maybe the same can be said when up against the second place group favorite Chile. And even Switzerland has more on the table with their experience, so Honduras doesn’t have a whole lot to rally around, other than playing the disrespect card and knowing not many outside their home country will expect anything to come from their World Cup showing.
Honduras World Cup Predictions
Three games and out for Honduras, and not to say that the Central Americans can’t earn a victory, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Their group play schedule isn’t favorable at all, getting Chile and Spain off the bat and after those two games it could be all be sealed for an early exit. Fourth-place finish for Honduras is my prediction.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
If things play out like they should, Honduras will be 0-2 after matches against Chile and Spain. That will leave them all but out of the tournament, but in their third match against Switzerland on June 25, you can’t rule out teams earning a win to salvage something after already knowing their World Cup fate. Facing the Swiss will still have them at +120 odds or so, and that has value. Probably the best bet, if any, for Honduras in this tournament.
Honduras World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Chile, June 16, 2010 – 7:30 a.m. ET at Mbombela (Nelspruit)
v. Spain, June 21, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Ellis Park (Johannesburg)
v. Switzerland, June 25, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. at Free State (Mangaung/Bloemfontein)
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2010 Chile World Cup Predictions
Nickname: La Roja
Number of World Cup appearances: 8
Best World Cup finish: Third (1962)
Team Breakdown
It’s been 10 years since Chile’s last World Cup berth. However, they were a pleasant surprise with a second-place finish in CONMEBOL (South America region). Even more impressive were their 32 goals scored, eight more than Paraguay and nine more than Argentina.The Chileans love to attack and get up the field. Humberto Suazo leads a host of youthful, fiery go-getters who are hungry for success at the highest possible international stage. Several names you should get to know are Matias Fernandez and Alexis Sanchez. At just 24 and 21 years old, this duo is ready to shine after doing well leading up to South Africa with a combined seven goals and eight assists. Add that total to leading goalscorer Suazo’s 10 and you have a lethal trio that could really keep Spain up at night and perhaps make Group H anything but elementary.
2010 Chile World Cup Odds
Chile is currently listed at 50/1 odds to win the World Cup.
They are 9/2 to win Group H.
Key Player To Watch
The above mentioned trifecta are going to either lead Chile to success this summer or their inexperience on the big stage will doom them. I don’t think Chile is just these three great players and nothing else, but if these big names don’t rise to the occasion at the beginning of the tournament, they will struggle against other teams that won’t let the opportunity go to waste.
Best Team Asset
Thirty-two goals in qualifying is something to be proud of, and that goal-oriented mindset will have to carry over. I think it will, for the most part. Chile is, of course, second to Spain in terms of skill but ahead of both Honduras and Switzerland. If the Chileans come into South Africa with the same free spirit they surprised most of South America with during the qualifying process, then there is reason to believe more success can be had.
Key Team Weakness
Of the eight World Cup berths, just two have resulted in advancing past the group stage, and Chile’s third place finish in 1962 was as hosts. The experience just isn’t there, but the roster is full of new faces and plenty of hope. You can look at that as a negative or positive. I tend to give the edge to experience and that isn’t a big selling point for backers of Chile.
Chile World Cup Predictions
Putting all of the factors into the outcome machine and I think there is a good chance Chile earns a ticket to the knockout stages. Spain is winning the group and that is certain. But of the three remaining teams I truly believe Chile has the best chance to finish second. Switzerland and Honduras will, of course, prove to be tough outs but the edge goes to the scoring prowess of this fairly unknown football nation.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
I would jump on Chile right from go-street in their first match June 16 v. Honduras. One thing about these newer, fairly unfamiliar teams to the world stage is they won’t be focused too much on expectations and this could be a great opportunity to net three points before they have the daunting task of facing Spain. I would say a number of around -150 is a solid line for them in this matchup and one I would endorse backing Chile.
Chile World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Honduras, June 16, 2010 – 7:30 a.m. ET at Mbombela (Nelspruit)
v. Switzerland, June 21, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth)
v. Spain, June 25, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. at Loftus Versfeld (Tshwane/Pretoria)
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2010 Switzerland World Cup Predictions
Nickname: Schweizer Nati
Number of World Cup appearances: 8
Best World Cup finish: Quarterfinals (1934, 1938, 1954)
Team Breakdown
The Swiss found success in Germany during the World Cup in 2006, advancing to the second round. However, their exit wasn’t as conventional as most teams experienced. Get this: Switzerland didn’t allow a single goal in four games during their run. They did, though, fall victim to their inefficiencies on offense. The Swiss drew in their opener with France and pitched 2-0 shutouts in each of their last two group play matches. Unfortunately, they were bounced by the Ukraine on penalties after a scoreless game leading up to the shootout.If they are going to bring more of a scoring focus to this year’s tournament, the Bayern Leverkusen (Germany domestic club) combination of Tranquillo Barnetta and Eren Derdiyok are going to have to provide their finishers with a bevy of good balls and put them in more favorable opportunities.
Another advantage the Swiss can call upon is the exceptional coaching by head man Ottmar Hitzfeld. He is one of only two men to win the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs. He also has had tremendous success as a coach throughout Germany and will no doubt bring his wonderful football mind to South Africa and guide his squad in the right direction.
2010 Switzerland World Cup Odds
Switzerland is currently listed at 200/1 to win the World Cup.
They are 9/1 to win Group H
Key Player To Watch
Alexander Frei is the ace in the hole for Switzerland. He led his country with five strikes throughout the qualifying process and also scored two of the team’s four goals during the 2006 World Cup. He is the all-time record goalscorer for the Swiss and is great at putting himself in finishing positions atop the formation. Granted, he isn’t the biggest of strikers at only 5-foot-10, but this proven weapon needs only a half-chance to find the back of the net.
Best Team Asset
No one will mistake Switzerland for a world football power, but they did gain a good deal of confidence by winning their qualifying group, beating out Greece in the process. So while they won’t be favored in too many matches, you can always count on a solid, methodical effort from this team. They are experienced and are calm in the key moments. Switzerland will never be overwhelmed with the big stage and do well to keep their wits about them.
Key Team Weakness
As mentioned above, the Swiss don’t overwhelm you offensively. While they do have some very skilled pieces with Frei and Barnetta, Group H as a whole probably puts them near the bottom in terms of capabilities to push forward and be a true scoring threat on a consistent basis. The biggest question regarding this is whether they will change style to play with a team like Spain and Chile or maintain their approach and play their own game.
Switzerland World Cup Predictions
I don’t fancy Switzerland’s chances in a group that obviously greatly favors Spain and has two very solid sides in Chile and Honduras. Perhaps a third-place finish is a good estimate from face value, so replicating 2006’s knockout stage appearance is not likely.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
The Swiss, naturally, are major underdogs in their opening match against defending European champions Spain. In that matchup June 16 I think looking at the ‘over’ is worth a penny or two. The opener of the group stage is more likely to be higher scoring than the second or third, being that teams will then play with the mindset of needing a certain amount of points to advance. Spain should be able to net a couple and I wouldn’t at all be surprised with a tournament-opening treble from the favorites.
Switzerland World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Spain, June 16, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Durban (Durban)
v. Chile, June 21, 2010 – 10 a.m. ET at Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth)
v. Honduras, June 25, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. at Free State (Mangaung/Bloemfontein)
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2010 Spain World Cup Predictions
Nickname: La Furia Roja
Number of World Cup appearances: 12
Best World Cup finish: Fourth (1950)
Team Breakdown
Two years ago Spain couldn’t break its international tournament jinx. That is, until it ran the table at Euro 2008 and captured its first European Championship in 44 years. Now La Furia Roja are the favorites heading to South Africa in 2010. The Spanish style of football comes a close second to the one Joga Bonito employed in the flamboyant Brazil game. It’s fluid and graceful, yet powerful and dominant. It has lots of ball possession with an exceptional passing game, almost like have a handful of Steve Nashes running around setting each other up for goal scoring chances.
Spain absolutely blitzed opponents during their qualifying campaign with 28 goals scored in just 10 games (10-0-0 record). No one was better.
FIFA’s No. 1-ranked team has some of the best players in the world playing on the best club teams in Europe. Everything is working for them, so there will be no such thing as excuses if they don’t advance to at least the semi-finals. They are the one world power that hasn’t had to deal with off-the-field drama like an England or Holland or underachieving results during qualifying like Argentina. They are the strongest team in the world with the fewest number of weaknesses. The Spanish reign will be monsoon-like in June and July.
2010 Spain World Cup Odds
Spain is currently 4/1 favorites to win the World Cup.
They are 1/3 favorites to win Group H.
Key Player To Watch
The striking partnership of David Villa and Fernando Torres is the best in the world. The midfield combination of playmakers Andres Iniesta and Xavi is simply unfair. But one key player that really gives this unit another level of excellence is Sergio Ramos. The full-back will never receive the hype that his offensive teammates are given, but he boasts versatility at his defensive position that most teams in the world cannot match. One of the most physically fit young players I have ever seen, and his stamina allows for attacking from his right back spot. He loves getting forward and setting up teammates on the wing. His set pieces, too, are a real threat and his talents are boisterous if nothing else, but he creates a real surplus in the starting 11.Take note of this young Spaniard.
Best Team Asset
Take your pick. Spain can pour on the goals or choose to beat you with their exceptional defense. They will run over you with a pure offensive relentlessness or casually rock you to sleep with their everlasting ball possession until you expose your own flaws. Spain’s best asset is their versatility and ways they can beat you. La Furia Roja has way too many of the best footballers in the world to try and scheme to take just one or two out of the game. Have fun stopping them, because it will not be easy.
Key Team Weakness
Spain’s biggest weakness isn’t as concrete as is its many attributes. The Spanish should find easy work in Group H and a 3-0 breeze through the group phase is something to lock into real quick with a futures wager. My only concern is if they don’t wind up being challenged in group play, how will they fare in their first knockout round game? Winning group H would give them the runner-up in the ‘Group of Death’ aka Group G, and that is not necessarily the best situation for a team that is the favorite for this tournament. That would leave them a likely matchup with Ivory Coast or Portugal, hardly worthy of just a Round of 16 matchup, and one can only imagine if one of those two teams wins Group G and Spain and Brazil butt heads in this spot. Wow, what a potential clash of titans that could be.
Spain World Cup Predictions
Great things will be desired from the Spanish in South Africa, and for the most part they will live up to these expectations. The World Cup is similar to the NCAA Tournament. You can be an exceptional team but wind up not winning a title. Spain is a No. 1 seed, so even if they advance to the Final Four of the World Cup, nothing is guaranteed and a loss to another world power, while disappointing, is not always avoidable. You can’t progress in this event without beating really good teams. World Cup success has always found a way to elude this country, but of all the teams this Spanish side is the safest bet in the field.
Key First Round Match (best betting opportunity)
Odds backing Spain in the group play stage will likely all be around -200 or so in each of their three games, so while Spain will find success, value isn’t necessarily there. And while their offensive brilliance might suggest looking at ‘overs,’ they are just as good defensively so that isn’t as easy to lock into either. The best opportunity for a group play wager is to root for Spain to beat Switzerland and for Honduras to beat Chile. Then, perhaps, the odds on the Spanish against another 1-0 side in their second game on June 21 would provide for maybe a more manageable line. If nothing else a winning play would be Spain to capture Group H.
Spain World Cup Group Play Schedule
v. Switzerland, June 16, 2010 – 10 p.m. ET at Durban (Durban)
v. Honduras, June 21, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. ET at Ellis Park (Johannesburg)
v. Chile, June 25, 2010 – 2:30 p.m. at Loftus Versfeld (Tshwane/Pretoria)
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