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| Australia | Ecuador | Ghana | Japan | Paraguay | Poland | Switzerland | Tunisia | United States |
The
teams listed in this grouping are considered good teams that for some reason are
not expected (at least by us) to make it out of the group stage. Some of these
teams are quite good but the luck of the draw has them grouped with much
stronger teams, while other listed here are really not that good at all but
could make things interesting by putting up a good fight. And there are five or
six that have designs on making it to the next round, and will be quite
disappointed if they don’t. All of them are good teams, though, that will all
make a run at the second round, but they just don’t have enough given their
particular dynamics to make it through -- yet!
After a
32-year absence, when they made their only other appearance – coincidentally,
also in Germany – Australia is
returning to the World Cup. Back then, they were unceremoniously bounced from
the tournament having collected just one point from three matches. They are much
stronger and more confident this time around.
And guess who leads them this time around? None other than Guus Hiddink, the Magician of Korea who led a South Korean side that had never even won a World Cup match to the semis four years ago. The national hero of South Korea who gained honorary citizenship; if the charismatic Dutchman leads this bunch to the knockout stage he would reach similar status down under.
Don’t
count on it not happening, because in many ways Australia is the figurative 15th
European side in Germany. There is the very real possibility that, with maybe
one exception, every single player on the Socceroos roster either plays in
Europe or is a naturalized citizen from Europe. So clearly there is talent on
the ground. They ran away from their qualifying group, scoring 21 goals in 5
matches, and sent the country into one long celebration when they eliminated
Uruguay – a team they’ve had all kinds of problems beating in the past and
the squad that eliminated them from participation at Korea/Japan four years
earlier -- in a playoff.
Anyone
want to argue that Hiddink isn’t the best football coach in the world? The
professorial Hiddink has an absolute belief in his one intellect, convinced that
he is smarter than anybody he faces. His tenure with Australia so far has seen
him complete the “Euro-fication” of the Socceroos, confirming the image of
the squad as the 15th European side. The European philosophy and
tactics characterize the 3-5-2 scheme they employ, with plenty of attacking
options to fully realize this approach.
The
midfield is where the attacking creativity takes root, and so few midfields work
as well together than Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Bresciano. The primary
schemer is the Italy-based Bresciano, who isn’t as well-known as his two
compatriots but is nonetheless their primary creator. All three have a knack for
scoring goals and do it as well as any midfield you will see in Germany. Jason
Culina is as solid as any defensive midfielder in front of the defense, and one
of the better all-around wingers in Europe is speedy Brett Emerton, who is as
good on the ball as anybody from touchline to touchline.
Mark
Viduka and John Aloisi are the strikers up front. Aloisi plants himself in the
box and stays there, finding the least bit of an opening to finish his shot as
the primary sharpshooter. Viduka is a bull of a forward just behind Aloisi who
has the ball skills to come back to the midfield, break down the defense and
either create his own shot or find Aloisi or any one of a number of
forward-moving midfielders. Unfortunately for Australia there is no depth up
front beyond these two.
The
three-man backline has rarely been tested at the highest level, so they are
going to have to come together in Germany on the fly. Hiddink could take as few
as six out-and-out defenders to Germany. Lucas Neill, Tony Popovic and Tony
Vidmar are the primary defenders, with Stan Lazaridis seeing plenty of time off
the bench. What they lack in high-level experience make up for by the fact that
they have been together for years, so they work very well and communicate with
each other very well. Nothing special in the net, where Mark Schwarzer and
Zeljko Kalac have are the same age and aren’t anything special. Schwarzer
probably gets the nod because he is the first-choice for his club team in
England while Kalac sits and collects cobwebs in Milan (Brazil keeper Dida keeps
him on the bench).
His
game smarts notwithstanding, arguably Hiddink’s greatest strength is his
ability to galvanize a side for a major tournament, as he did with South Korea
four years ago. Working against him this time, however, is the fact that the
Socceroos have not played a single match since their last qualifier in November
and won’t play one until late May, just a few weeks before the tournament. He
will only have four weeks to prepare a squad that has traditionally suffered
because of a lack of preparation. Kind of hard to believe that Hiddink agreed to
this little prep time for a Group F draw that includes international mainstays
Brazil, Croatia and Japan.
Key Player: Mark Bresciano.
Time for the rest of the world to find out just how good this guy is. Years of
plying his trade in Serie A has prepared the 27-year-old goal-scoring innovator
for this moment. If Hiddink wants this Euro-style attacking midfield to work,
especially against the three teams they’re playing at the group stage, then
all three attacking midfielders – Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell included – are
going to have to be the proverbial foot on the pedal. And it starts with
Bresciano.
Four years
ago Ecuador was just happy to have
made their first ever World Cup – and it showed; they finished bottom of their
group and went crashing out with barely a whimper. This incarnation has no such
plans to go out so quietly.
Their qualification process was a little more difficult this time. In scoring just 23 goals and allowing 19 in 18 fixtures Ecuador was nobody’s idea of a power elite. They were practically indestructible at 8,800 feet above sea level at home but were virtually everybody’s whipping boys on the road, managing only one win in nine qualifying road fixtures. Still, Ecuador, making only its second appearance in this tournament, both consecutively, is making it clear to the rest of South America for the last five years that there is a new football mainstay on the continent.
Current
coach Luis Fernando Suarez is charismatic and ambitious to the point that --
after the side’s embarrassing fiasco at the 2004 Copa America, in a purge not
unlike that having been undertaken by the Netherlands – he mercilessly purged
many of the old guard players. What he has done is replaced them with a slew of
youngster who are short on talent but are well-motivated and have technical and
tactical qualities.
Suarez
makes up for the lack of innovative quality by utilizing a well-defined,
tactically rigid 4-4-2 formation that can morph into a 4-5-1 or a 5-4-1 at any
moment, with the midfielders dropping back in defense and a slow build-up from
the back. He has to do this because the side has two main weaknesses. The first
is that Ecuador has a glaring lack of European experience; few of the players
have played for European clubs, and the national side has only ever played three
full internationals in Europe.
That
leads to the second main weakness, a lack of ability to play against a type of
football which they have much experience. This manifests itself mostly on
defense, where there is a clear inability to defend against teams who are
dangerous in the air, are good at link-ups and can counterattack. First-choice
goalkeeper Edwin Villafuerte and his backups are not sure how to deal with
crosses. Of the four-man backline of Ulises de la Cruz, Giovanny Espinoza,
Neicor Reasco and Ivan Hurtado, only Hurtado has the experience and calm
demeanor to deal with an opponent’s aerial ability and set pieces. He is the
defensive organizer who makes superbly timed tackles and positions himself well.
The
midfield begins and ends with Edison Mendez, the highly talented all-rounder
whose versatility means that he can and will be used anywhere. Usually found in
an attacking role, Mendez frequently switches between going forward, switching
to the flanks and dropping back at a stopper. Which doesn’t say much about
Edwin Tenorio, Marlon Ayovi, Luis Antonio Valencia and Walter Ayovi. Even at
this late a date coach Suarez is still trying out other midfielders.
Up
front, Augustin Delgado is Ecuador’s all-time top scorer and still an
excellent finisher, especially in the air, but he is now struggling with fitness
issues, especially now that he has fallen out of favor at the club level. That
will leave the scoring onus on either Ivan Kaviedes, Carlos Tenorio or Jhonny
Baldeon, all of whom are young and energetic but have yet to score with any
regularity for the national side.
Ecuador
is in a Group A draw – along with Germany, Costa Rica and Poland – that
gives them the possibility of getting through to the second round. But it would
be unwise to write off Ecuador. Making it to the last World Cup has done wonders
for their self-belief.
Key Player: Agustin Delgado.
Edison Espinoza does way too much for this team and for him to practically be
everywhere on the pitch is asking way too much. That said, these guys are going
to show little attacking quality in playing a slow build-up style. It seems that
they are going to take few chances on goal because of it, and against teams like
Germany and Poland that run a textbook European style that is anathema. So it is
imperative that Delgado make quality shots.
Ghana’s
circuitous route to their first-ever world cup is all the more amazing
considering their past. For close to forty years the Black Stars have been
recognized as one of the best sides in African football, having been the first
nation to win the African Nation’s Cup, the continent’s premier football
championship along the lines of the European Championship and the Copa America,
four times. Yet it took this long for them to finally get to the sport’s
premier stage.
The
dream was realized at long last when they topped a not-so-easy qualifying group
that include the Congo and South Africa, two relatively frequent participants in
international football competitions. Qualification was made all the more
difficult by the fact that Ghana started off the campaign badly and, more
importantly, went through four coaches and had an obscene number of line-up
changes in the process. But their success merely underscores the considerable
talent at their disposal.
The
arrival of their current coach -- 60-year-old Serb Ratomir Dujkovic, the newest
miracle worker of African football – coincided with Ghana reeling off five
straight wins in their last qualifying fixtures and overtaking the Congo and
South Africa to secure a World Cup berth. Now that they’ve made it they expect
a lot from the talent they have even though they are in a tough Group E draw
with Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States.
Dujkovic
utilizes a free-flowing 4-4-2 formation but relies heavily on the talent of just
a few players to carry the side. As with most African sides Ghana is very-well
conditioned and has pace to burn, so they will run all day.
Nothing
special in goal – reflexive but undisciplined Sammy Adjei gets most of the
work – but the backline is better than advertised. European-based Sammy
Kuffour is the anchor in the back, and though not well-known he has been at the
defensive center of first Bayern Munich’s and then Roma’s successful
campaigns in both their domestic leagues and their European competitions for
almost a decade, so he is as experienced and organized as they come. He is the
disciplined heart of a defense that includes John Mensah, Emmanuel Pappoe and
John Painstil, who are athletic and determined but would be lost without Kuffour.
The
midfield is Ghana’s strength, especially moving forward. Stephen Appiah is the
driving force who played an invaluable role in Ghana’s qualification. With the
exception of Kuffour he has the most European-based experience on the team, and
it shows. He thinks fast, moves even quicker, and is their primary scorer (which
isn’t a good thing). Africa’s most expensive player currently is Michael
Essien, the midfield hammer with the all-around skills to break down both an
attacker on defense and a defender going forward; he is a bull of a man who can
impose his will on anybody. The Black Stars don’t so much have out-and-out
wingers as much as have midfielders who switch from side to side and are
everywhere, Hamza Mohammed and Sulley Muntari having been the primary ones
during qualifying and Abubakari Yakubu and Otto Addo being given tryouts more
recently.
Up
front it’s Matthew Amoah and not much else. The tricky and quick forward, who
uses his attacking skills to make up for his lack of stature, is the only
consistent scorer they have up front. Either Goodwin Attram and Joetex Frimpong
will get the nod partnering Amoah but they can’t be counted on to score
anything, and the same for Prince Tagoe, who has been getting a long look by
Dujkovic recently.
If
recent form since qualifying is any indication, things aren’t looking up for
Ghana. They’ve lost every single friendly since qualifying as of this writing,
and they suffered the ignominy of crashing out of the African Nation’s Cup
dead last in their group in February. Besides, this is their first-ever World
Cup. That said, there is way too much of a plethora of talent here to just
excuse them.
Key Player:
Matthew Amoah. It’s
really too bad that Stephen Appiah is counted on for much of the scoring,
because opposition defenses can shut down a midfielder’s goal-poaching,
especially at this level. And that was proven during the recently completed
African Nation’s Cup, when Appiah wasn’t allowed into the penalty area. So
if Ghana has any designs on leaving a mark on their first World Cup, up front
scoring becomes an imperative.
Japan is no
longer just some pesky little mosquito from Asia that the rest of the football
world looks down upon as no real threat. Far from it, they are now an
international football mainstay that can now be counted on to give fits to
anybody who plays them. Now making their third trip to this tournament, all
consecutively, they have been arguably the best side from Asia for close to ten
years now, and have made inroads in international competitions such as the
Confederations Cup against some of the best sides in the world.
They aren’t just doing it with verve, stamina, speed and heart anymore. For the better part of the decade now Japan has displayed the skill, discipline and teamwork to effectively compete on the international scene. Of note is how they press their attack against teams who are clearly better than they are.
What’s
impressive is Japan now have several players who play their club football in
Europe and South America, and they have gained necessary experience playing in
international competitions and lining up tough friendlies against world-class
competition. But what is most remarkable is that Japan has done more than just
enter these international competitions and place athletes on elite foreign
clubs: Japan has won those competitions and won some surprising friendlies. And
those domestic players on foreign clubs are making an impact and showing some
world-class form.
The original architect of this improvement, Philippe Troussier, was replaced right after Korea/Japan by Zico, the Brazilian-born advocate of “The Beautiful Game” who has now brought attractive flair to the disciplined, organized and workmanlike side. It is hard to argue with the results: the team is the current Asian champions, and with many more foreign-based players at his disposal than Troussier, Zico clearly has a much better side than at any other time. Which is to say that Japan is clearly not intimidated by their Group F draw with Brazil, Croatia and Australia – they’ve defeated all three at some point over the last five years.
No
one knows Japanese football better than Zico, who has been in Japan for over 15
years now. The 4-4-2 formation he uses is less rigid than his predecessor’s,
but he clearly has much more attacking talent.
The
midfield could entirely comprise players of European experience. With Hidetoshi
Nakata, Koji Nakata (no relation), Shunsuke Nakamura and Shinji One it surely
wouldn’t lack for attacking quality. The most famous player is Hidetoshi
Nakata, who has experienced his greatest success as an attacking player in the
past but may be given a more defensive role in Germany. Ono is the most
creatively gifted. But the one to watch out for is Nakamura and his left footed
curling free kicks, through balls and corners. The most consistent source of the
“unexpected”, Nakamura scores some of the most spectacular goals. Yet
despite all this, Zico is still undecided about the makeup of the midfield going
into Germany. Local J. League stalwarts such as Mitsuo Ogasawara, Masashi
Motoyama, Takashi Fukunishi and Yasuhito Endo have been making an impact since
qualification.
Zico
favors a four-man backline because he is especially enamored of his wingers.
Naturalized Brazilian-born Alex on the left and Akira Kaji on the right are
extremely important in distribution on the wings so are very important to the
way the team plays. The main man in the center of defense is Yuji Nakazawa,
whose speed, height, timing and heading are priceless, and he’s also dangerous
up front in set pieces (he scored three goals in Japan’s 2004 Asian Cup
triumph). Akira Kaji and Tsuneyasu Miyamoto have been the primary center-backs
switching off as Nakazawa’s partner in the center, but Teruyuki Moniwa and
especially Yuichi Komano, a quick a rugged player who is useful everywhere on
the defensive end, have been getting long looks of late. Nothing special in the
net, where Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, the keeper at France ’98, has reclaimed his
spot as first-choice keeper over Seigo Narazaki, the first-choice four years
ago.
The
hotly debated part of this team has been the choice of strikers. Takayuki
Suzuki, Atsushi Yanagisawa and Yoshito Okubo are all energetic types and adept
at creating space. Naohiro Takahara and Tatsuhiko Kubo offer more physically
powerful options, while Masashi Oguro is not averse to taking as many shots as
he can get his feet on. Suzuki, Takahara and Yanagisawa have done a lion’s
share of the scoring, though.
It
is good that Zico has plenty of options everywhere, but he better settle on a
set lineup going into Germany and soon. Japan has gotten so good so fast that
now it isn’t hoped that they do well – it is expected. Zico is under a lot
of pressure to steer the Asian champions into the knockout stages despite how
tough Group F is going to be to get out of.
Key Player: Yuji Nakazawa.
Under Zico this is a more attacking team than in years past. Japan is not
adverse to sending people forward in waves, and with the center-halfs he has in
Alex and Akira Kaji that leaves the center of defense on an island. The three
other teams in their group are attacking teams, also, so Nakazawa and whoever
partners with him in the back are going to have to be a wall.
Making
their third successive World Cup appearance, Paraguay
is a decidedly average side. They are a jack-of-all-trades team that is
relatively proficient at everything but not especially good at anything. This
has characterized Paraguay for more close to six years now. At the end of the
last century you’d be hard-pressed to find a team that did so much with so
little, especially at France ‘98. They took the American anthem “defense
wins championships” and went three levels of overkill with it; defense was all
they had. No offense to speak of and no midfield control but oh how they could
smother you in the back.
Since then their performances have been as average as their recently completed qualifying campaign. In 18 fixtures they won 6, drew 7 and lost 5. They scored 23 goals and allowed 23 goals. Pretty run of the mill stuff but there is a recent historical pedigree: Paraguay made it to the knockout stage of all their previous World Cups. With only a few exceptions this side has been using the same personnel for almost ten years now.
Anibal
Ruiz has been the “caretaker” coach since Korea/Japan, but the Uruguayan has
managed to hang on to the job despite the peaks and valleys. Utilizing many of
the same players for years is what lends itself to his favored 4-4-2 zonal
formation in which solidarity is the main characteristic.
At
35 Carlos Gamarra is still the anchor in the back. Regarded by many in South
America as the best center-back in the world, Gamarra is an exceptional tackler
with almost clairvoyant anticipation and positioning skills and an unquestioned
leader. He needs to be, because the best thing you can say about his line-mates
– Julio Cesar Caceres, Denis Caniza and Julio Manzur with help from Paulo da
Silva – is that they are experienced and very disciplined and organized when
they heed their leader Gamarra. Paraguay no longer has the commanding presence
of Jose Luis Chilavert in the net, and trying to cobble together some
consistency from keepers Justo Villar or Derlis Gomez has been somewhat of a
chore.
The
midfield relies heavily on experience. This will be the third World Cup for both
defensive midfielder Roberto Acuna – at 35 the oldest team member but a
scrappy holder just in front of the defense with an acute sense of the game –
and attacking midfielder Carlos Paredes – a true all-rounder who is an
aggressive tackler but can pass well and has the energy to break into the box
and finish. Julio dos Santos has been gaining invaluable experience in Europe
and is becoming a vigorous attacker on the wings. Coach Ruiz has been trying out
a number of midfielder too numerous to mention to round out the starting four.
There
actually is some attacking and finishing talent up front. Jose Cardoza, at 35,
has still scored a lion’s share of the goals but his stamina will come into
question. Clearly the best striker Paraguay has is Roque Santa Cruz, a tall,
rail-thin finisher who is a great header, has unusually quick acceleration for
somebody so thin, and is a fantastic one-touch scorer but whose availability for
Germany is still a major doubt due to major knee surgery. Nelson Cuevas and
Cesar Ramirez are options who have been getting long looks recently with mixed
results, but the best available option is probably Nelson Haedo Valdez, a
back-to-goal finisher who has been killing the German Bundesliga. Probably the
best forward tandem would be Cardoza in the slot behind Valdez if Santa Cruz is
unavailable.
Paraguay
has an all-for-one approach that is schizophrenic at best. Nonetheless, past
World Cups has raised their expectations even though they haven’t had the
quality to surpass the Round of 16. In a middling Group B draw with England,
Sweden and Trinidad & Tobago they should battle it out to the last for a
spot in the next round.
Key Player: Carlos Paredes.
Patterned his game after Diego Simeone, the hugely versatile Argentine
midfielder. So just like four years ago Ruiz is going to run the attack through
him. Paraguay finally has some scoring up front, but a defense that is not as
good as it was four years ago means that a Paredes-led midfield is going to have
to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining much more midfield control than
they have in the past, and they are going to have to shoulder the burden of
creating chances for the strikers.
Making
their second consecutive appearance is Poland,
a not-too-surprising qualifier who finished dead last in their World Cup group
four years ago and are chomping at the bit for reprisals because of it. There
was a time decades ago when Poland could be counted on to make a serious run
deep into this tournament (third-place finishes in 1974 and 1982). But that was
also a time there was a heap of talent at their disposal. Their sixteen-year
absence until Korea/Japan is a testament to that.
Pawel Janas is the second-longest tenured coach at this year’s tournament at six years. He was a key player the last time Poland finished in the money at Spain ’82 and he is anxious to return the side to a winning international tradition. Unlike four years ago Poland has much more quality and talent to draw upon as evidenced by the number of players who now ply their trade throughout Europe. . Poland were actually leaders of their qualifying group throughout the campaign until getting pipped by England on the last day. Nevertheless, with one of the two best second-place records they avoided a playoff and secured an automatic berth.
You
can count on Poland being strong in the air because they clearly believe, the
availability of talent or not, in getting tall players. Janas uses a simple
4-4-2 diamond system, with an attacking midfielder just behind the two forwards
and a defensive hard man to interrupt any opposition attack before it gets into
the penalty area.
The
most important man in that system is the forward midfielder at the top of that
diamond in midfield, Miroslaw Szymkowiak. His experience and fighting spirit are
crucial to their overall performance. His pace, free-kick specialty, dribbling
and eye for the unexpected make him the main creator of scoring chances – or
at least the ones he doesn’t take himself. Szymkowiak along with wingers
Euzebiusz Smolarek and Jacek Krzynowek form an explosive and creative supply
line to the forwards. Sebastian Mila is an energetic attacking substitute for
the two wingers. Mariusz Lewandowski is the interrupter in front of the defense.
This is an innovative attacking midfield, but they have been known to get caught
out of position when not in possession, leaving their defense vulnerable.
The
back four are good in the air and experienced but lack discipline and rely too
heavily on their height and athleticism at the expense of organization. Jacek
Bak and Tomasz Klos are at the heart of this defense, both 33 years old and both
with stamina issues. Klos is even more prone to get caught abandoning his
defensive responsibilities at the expense of going forward way too often. The
best thing you can say about Tomasz Rzasa and Marcin Baszczynski is that they
are enthusiastic; they too get caught out of position. Jerzy Dudek is one of the
better goalkeepers in Europe who can rise to the occasion and has on many
occasions, but his form will be in question come June because he has been riding
the bench for Liverpool for almost six months now.
Maciej Zerawski and Tomasz Frankowski are the primary strikers. They have pace and use their height to their advantage – just like the rest of the team – but they are prone to taking bad shots, which makes their finishing suspect. Naturalized Nigerian Emmanuel Olisadebe is actually the best finisher in Poland but he has been absent from the squad for two years and is only now getting another look.
Just
reaching the knockout stage would be good enough for Poland, which should give
you an idea of just how far down the football food chain they’ve fallen if
this is the maximum requirement. They like their chances in a Group A draw with
Germany, Costa Rica and Ecuador. While many might consider the lack of
first-team regularity at the club level a drawback for their foreign-based
players, Janas actually looks at it as a plus; they should be well-rested come
June.
Key Player: Miroslaw
Szymkowiak. Not because they will
need his creativity up front to either score or create scoring chances – he
already provides that -- but because this team gets all of its cues from him. So
he is going to have to be just as responsible for getting his teammates to play
some ball-winning when they don’t have possession. They get caught on the
counter-attack way too much.
Missing
since 1994 and making only their second appearance in 40 years, Switzerland,
the headquarters of football’s governing body FIFA, makes its return to the
world championships. Not the world’s most successful squad on the
international stage (unless you consider two quarterfinal appearances in their
World Cup past successful), Switzerland has historically been an organized,
workmanlike side that has relied on the talents of a few stars to carry them.
This incarnation is no different.
The
problem, though, is that this time around the two players whom coach Kobi Kuhn
has relied on are either injured or not playing in the run-up to this year’s
tournament – and coincidentally they are both brothers. Defensive rock Murat
Yakin is dealing with hamstring problems that have kept him sideline, and
playmaking midfielder Hakan Yakin is dealing with chronic back problems. Murat
hasn’t played a full fixture for the Swiss in almost two years, and Hakan has
been simmering on the bench in the German Bundesliga for about the same amount
of time. Then there is the third player this team has relied on, top scorer
Alexander Frei, who recently underwent groin surgery, and a fourth, midfielder
all-rounder Benjamin Huggel, who will probably miss the tournament entirely
because of a six-match penalty incurred as a result of a dust-up during the
side’s playoff with Turkey.
Unfortunately
for Switzerland these are the four players whose fortunes are inextricably
linked with their success.
Coach
Kuhn does have some youngsters to try to make up for the injury woes;
Switzerland will have one of the youngest sides in the tournament. Kuhn runs a
pretty standard 4-4-2, which may become more of a 4-5-1 if the midfield and
forward players can’t iron out their injury problems. In finishing second in
their qualifying group to runaway winners France, Switzerland actually did
pretty well, with 2 wins and three losses both at home and on the road. They
even managed to hold the vaunted French to two draws.
The
heart of the defense is Murat Yakin but his absence has pressed Stephane Henchoz
back into the center despite being a shell of his world-class former self (which
is still pretty damn good). Ludovic Magnin and Patrick Muller are the markers on
either side of the center, but the player to look out for is Philippe Senderos,
the young center-back who has been a real find for Arsenal; don’t be surprised
if he gets the nod to partner Henchoz in Germany. Pascal Zuberbuhler is the
keeper but he makes too many blunders in net at the wrong time.
This
is a clearly diminished midfield without Hakan Yakin but Johann Vogel has
brought some calm and experience, and as a result he makes an ideal captain. He
was 17 years old when played for Switzerland at USA ’94. Ricardo Cabanas is
one attacking winger while Raphael Wicky has offered consistency on the other
wing. Nineteen-year-old Johan Djourou is probably going to be pressed into
service if Hakan can’t make it.
Alexander
Frei has been the main scorer up front and nobody else has come even close to
his level of finishing. Johan Vonlanthen is probably more skilled than anyone at
creating chances but has been noticeably inconsistent, and Daniel Gygax has been
pressed into action as Frei’s scoring partner of late.
A
note of optimism has crept in to the Swiss side despite the injury woes. They
are drawn into Group G with South Korea, Togo and France, whom they feel
they’ve got a handle on having gotten a result both times when it mattered. If
they stay organized – and get a lot of help from their fans, who will stream
in from across the border from Germany – then maybe they can do enough to get
to the next round.
Key Player: Johann Vogel.
Of course, this is assuming that Hakan Yakin is not available; otherwise the
choice here would be Hakan. Vogel is the best and most reliable midfielder they
have, with the added plus of being in his athletic prime right now and being one
of the few players they have with World Cup experience.
This will
be Tunisia’s third successive
trip to the World Cup, which underscores their status as one of the better sides
in African football. That they have failed to make it out of the qualifying
round of every World Cup (this will be their third overall) is inconsequential
to the current side, who like their chances this time around.
The
Tunisians were one of the more polished, organized and professional sides during
the African qualifying campaign, which is a far cry from four years ago when
chaos was their norm. In 10 qualifying matches they scored 25 goals, more than
anybody in the African section. This in a tough qualifying group that included
World Cup regular Morocco.
Tunisia
is blessed with two things: (1) some talent on the ground that is plying their
trade in Europe, and (2) a world-class coach with experience winning big-time
international tournaments. That coach would be Roger Lemerre, the 64-year-old
Frenchman who won Euro 2000 as France’s head man but who later lost his job
after the defending champions spectacularly crashed out of the last World Cup at
the group stage. While Lemerre appeared downright impotent at Korea/Japan, the
Tunisians were more than happy to give him a try.
He’s
worked out well, at least on the African stage. Tunisia rather easily won the
2004 African Nation’s Cup. And you can contribute the side’s current
professionalism, discipline and organization on Lemerre’s evenhanded and
even-keeled confidence. As with everywhere he’s been he employs a rigid 4-4-2
formation that emphasizes ball control and possession more than creativity. They
are a well-drilled side, and he keeps everybody on their toes by constantly
changing the starting line-up and the roster…
…Which
is not the world’s greatest thing going into a tournament of this magnitude.
At the heart of the defense is Radhi Jaidi, who has been around since France
’98 and is counted on for their steadying experience (who partners with him is
anybody’s guess, including probably Lemerre). The wings are the strength of
this team. Hatem Trabelsi and Khaled Badra are flying wing-backs with speed and
stamina to burn and can wind their way into the attacking end with impunity.
Especially Trabelsi, who was a revelation at Korea/Japan and is attracting
big-time interest from the best club sides in Europe. Goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel
is undoubtedly passionate even for a 40-year-old but man is he short on ability.
At
this juncture I would tell you about their midfield, but this part of the team
is so muddled – and so reliant is this team on Trabelsi and Badra on the wings
-- that I don’t think even Lemerre knows who will man it from game to game. So
there’s no sense in me even trying to B.S. you.
The
strike force is naturalized Brazilian Francileudo dos Santos – period! EDITOR’S
NOTE: Notice that there is so much talent in Brazil that a lot of players have
to find different countries to become citizens of in order to get any playing
time on the international stage. Anyway, Ziad Jaziri or Ali Zitouni will
likely service dos Santos as his “strike partner”.
The
midfield notwithstanding, the polished North Africans feel they have a good
chance of qualifying for the second round from their Group H draw with Spain,
the Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. A team that has Roger Lemerre, has this much
talent and is as professional as they are will clearly be a danger to overlook.
But any designs on the knockout stage means they will have to overcome their
lack of creativity and reliance on one striker for goals.
Key Player: ANYBODY IN THE
MIDFIELD! Lemerre, Dude, stop with
the experimenting and settle on a damn midfield. Then get them to service
somebody other than dos Santos.
Get used to
it, world – the United States is
now a serious player in the football world. For eight years now they have
steadily improved to the point that they can now be counted on as a serious
contender in every competition they enter. They have replaced Mexico as the best
team in North America, and they finally have a football support structure which
is funneling talent at an unbelievable rate. And to top it all off, the USA is
now currently ranked 4th in the most recent world power rankings.
After a disastrous France ’98 the US Soccer Federation set 2010 as the goal
for winning the World Cup. With no apparent hiccups in the intervening eight
years, they appear to be on schedule.
The architect of America’s rise to football prominence is coach Bruce Arena, the New York native who single-handedly introduced structure and ambition throughout the entire support foundations of American football. Because of Arena there is a plan from the youth leagues on up to make American football a world-class presence both internationally and, probably more challenging, on the crowded national sports scene. Because of this there has never been more talent on the ground in the USA than right now as youngsters in record numbers are finally considering soccer (as it is called in the USA) as a viable athletic option past the age of thirteen.
Arena has been coach for close to eight years now, by far the longest tenure of anybody at this year’s tournament, and has the highest won-loss record of any USA coach ever. While most coaches employ a unique and distinct style of play that is all their own, Arena mirrors the melting pot character of American society in general, and American coaches in particular, and does not have a distinct style all his own, choosing to employ whatever style, scheme or system will get him a win at any given moment (this frustrates the hell out of football traditionalists). But more times than not, American football takes its cues less from its more creative and flashy continental neighbors and more from its tactically disciplined counterparts across the Atlantic. Arena is a classic example of this, ever unwilling to be pinned down. He will utilize a tactically safe 4-4-2 system on most occasions but has so much faith in his player’s inventiveness and creativeness that he will morph his side into an attack-minded 3-5-2 at any given moment. Or Arena will keep the 4-4-2 system and rotate players forward and back, doing anything he thinks will keep the opposition off balance. This works for Arena and the USA because he mans his roster with hybrid players who can play more than one position.
A
perfect example of Arena’s approach in particular and American football in
general is Landon Donovan. With the exception of dropping back into the
defensive line Donovan is everywhere and does everything. At Korea/Japan he
played four positions, forward, central midfield, right midfield, left midfield
– wherever he was needed at the moment – and he did them all well.
Hybrid
players abound for the United States. Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundulo, Bobby
Convey and Frankie Hejduk are hybrid defenders/midfielders who are all thriving
in Europe. Pablo Mastroeni is a central defender and defensive midfielder. John
O’Brien, who had a huge impact at Korea/Japan, is primarily a defensive
midfielder but is also an attacking forward. Same for team captain Claudio
Reyna, who will be heading to his fourth straight World Cup; he began life on
the international level as an attacking midfielder and now he is a
holding/defensive midfielder who is still expected to move forward often and
help in the attack. And then there is DeMarcus Beasley, the speedy winger who
drops back into the backline, dribbles forward, makes long runs into the
offensive end and will even create his own shot with his back to the net.
Even
when the USA wasn’t any good you could still find world-class players in goal.
Kasey Keller is one of the five best keepers in the world and has been in the
zone when playing for the USA. Tim Howard isn’t in Keller’s league just yet
but he is better than any keeper in England, the country where he plays his club
football. Hulking Ogushi Onyewu will get the nod in the center of defense, with
Cory Gibbs or Gregg Berhalter likely joining him, and veteran Eddie Pope
offering experience in reserve.
Ben
Olsen and Eddie Lewis are the compliments to Beasley, Reyna and Donovan in
midfield and can be counted on as pacy, energetic wingers. Chris Klein is
Reyna’s replacement. All three are scoring threats everywhere on the pitch.
At
33, Brian McBride has earned his stripes as the finishing expert up front.
Spending the last four years in the rough and tumble Premier League in England
has turned McBride into a goalscoring machine who can create his own shot no
matter who is hanging on to him. Joining him up front could be Donovan is need
be but most likely will be either Josh Wolff, Brian Ching or recent attacking
wizard Eddie Johnson, all of whom may not be very well known but have come up
with a lot of very important goals both internationally and in qualifying.
The
United States is going into this tournament with a lot of expectations,
especially after their surprise finish at Korea/Japan where they upset favorite
Portugal in the group stage and manhandled Mexico in the Round of 16 before
gamely putting up a losing fight against finalists Germany. The Americans
certainly have the skill and will to make it through a tough Group E draw
against Italy, the Czech Republic and Ghana…
…So why am I not
convinced of their chances in Germany? Because for some inexplicable reason,
their tough group draw notwithstanding, the United States has historically been
just wretched on football’s biggest stage when it has been contested on
European soil. I mean, they didn’t just lose – they failed miserably. At
both Italia ’90 and France ’98 the USA were treated like prison bitches, not
even coming close to securing just a point. What’s more, European squads just
refuse to lose to the Americans on their home continent no matter what the
competition. In Europe it is impossible to separate football fans from the
football; their identity is inextricably intertwined with who they support and
why. Anti-American sentiment in Europe has been rather prevalent for a while,
but now it is palpable and just simply rampant, you can cut it with a knife (we
won’t get into the reasons why; that is a subject for another time).
Key Player:
Landon Donovan. It is a testament to Donovan’s hybrid all-around skills
that he can play anywhere on the pitch. Because of that he fits in perfectly on
Bruce Arena’s roster, doing what needs to be done at any given moment and
doing it well. If anything, it is because the opposition has to be so enamored
of where Donovan is at all times that if frees up the rest of the side, which is
loaded with talented players, to go in for the kill.