FIFA World Cup 2018 - Some Bold Predictions!

Team to go all the way: Germany

Image Source: https://twitter.com/DFB_Team/media

A bold prediction again!
Let's go through what it all looks like this time round.

First, a brief background:
The FIFA World Cup 2018 will be hosted by Russia and some top teams have been eliminated during the qualifiers to the World Cup - namely Italy, Netherlands, USA & Chile.

Last World Cup winners: Germany - 2014
Last Euro Cup winners: Portugal - 2016


So who all are in the race this time round?
Familiar names, but this time round many of them look fearsome.


The 8 teams that can make it to the Quarter Finals are:


1. Germany
Stregth: Bench as good as 1st team of many minnows!
Weakness: Young team
Watch out for: Werner, Muller, Kroos, Ozil, Hummels, Neuer (and nearly everyone!)

Key:
a. Extremely astute coach who can bring the best out of players, even the youth!
b. Strength in depth

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

2. England
Strength: Young team - no psychological barriers of the past
Weakness:
a. Lack of depth & defence, and
b. Defensive mid-field not as great as the top teams
Watch out for: Kane, Alli, Sterling, Rashford

Key:
Creative attack complemented with the lethal Harry Kane

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation,
 Note: England usually prefer to play with 3 defenders under Southgate, the current coach):

3. Brazil
Strength: Strong attack
Weakness: Weak links left in defence with the absence of Dani Alves and David Luiz (both through injury)
Watch out for: Neymar, Coutinho, Jesus, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Firmino

Key:
The brazilian flair in attack, led by Neymar

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

4. Belgium
Strength: Amazing midfield & attack
Weakness: Pressure handling on the big stages - Lack of manager's experience at the top stage (Martinez has won only the FA Cup as a mojor trophy in his coaching career)
Watch out for: Eden Hazard, Lukaku, De Bruyne, Courtois

Key:
This Belgium side is labelled the Golden Generation, and rightly so! An attack that would be envied by the topmost teams

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

5. Portugal
Strength: Freshly crowned the European Champions in 2016 - a psychological advantage
Weakness: Rely on their defensive game and closing out teams to progress.
Watch out for: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Pepe

Key:
a. Santos, their manager has the tactical nous to make the best of the existing talent & turn the group into a strong team.
b. Cristiano Ronaldo has been phenominal in the World Cup qualifiers, scoring 15 Goals in 9 games and further assisting 3 goals. Such a form, on the back of helping his club claim a successive 3rd Champions League, could be decisive.

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

6. France
Strength: Enviable lineup with a strong bench too for attack
Weakness: High expectations on young shoulders
Watch out for: Mbappe, Pogba, Griezmann, Lemar, Dembele, Lloris

Key:
If Deschamps can harness the individual potential into the team, then this team can go far with its Exceptional talent

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

7. Argentina
Strength: Lethal attack - So good that they could afford to leave out the joint top scorer of Serie A (Italy's top league)!
Weakness: Mediocre midfield and defence
Watch out for: Messi, Dybala, Higuain, Aguero, D'Maria, Mascherano

Key:
a. If this Argentine team wants to go far, they will have to ensure they do not ship in many goals
b. The lethal attack needs to bind together, which has most often underperformed and failed to get the best of their star Messi

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

8.Spain
Strength: Creative and Sharp attack - Strong defence
Weakness: As always, binding of the team, mainly coming from the top two teams of La Liga who play in pretty different ways
Watch out for: Iniesta, David Silva, Diego Costa, Isco, Ramos, Pique, De Gea

Key:
Creative attacking talent & a solid defense. If the team can band well together making the most of their talents, then they sure can go far

Predicted starting line-up (not necessarily the same formation):

Wih all the top teams boasting of super star attacks, the battles will mainly be won in the midfield.


So taking a closer look at the midfield, the 4 teams that can make it to the Semi Finals are:
Germany, Brazil, Belgium & France


From here, it gets close and the teams that can make it to the Finals are: Brazil and Germany, indeed the ones with the strength in depth to reach the last mile.


And eventually, this time too, do not be surprised if Germany lift the World Cup!


Golden Boot Winner: Timo Werner

Image Source: https://twitter.com/DFB_Team/media

Reasons:
a. Smart in one-on-one situations and in front of Goal (including tight angles)
b. Comfortable when man marked
c. Looping headers
d. Pace and movement - whizzes past defenders and splits open defenses
e. Deft first touch
f. Assists - Splitting & selfless, both!


Enjoy!

FIFA World Cup 2014 - Some Bold Predictions!

FIFA WORLD CUP 2014 - Some Bold Predictions!

Team to go all the way: Germany

Image Source: https://twitter.com/DFB_Team/media



Germany may not be a common choice, with a lot of people supporting Messi & therefore Argentina and then there is the whole world backing Brazil, because they play at home!!
But put down the team line ups and it would be apparent that the star studded German line up has what it would take to lift the Ultimate Prize.
But the story does not end at the strong line up. It is much more than that. lets look into a few other compelling reasons:

1. Form of players: Most players in the German line up play as first teamers in top European Clubs, mainly Bayern & Dortmund of Germany. Now the Bundesliga may not be the most watched league in the world but then these two teams have been breaking a lot of ground in European cups too! Further these teams are making all the right noises because of their very players. Most players have been at the peak of their forms!


Image Source: http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/bayern-munich/champions-league/news/blatter-praises-bundesliga_94442.html

2. Coach: Joachim Low may not have the credentials of a Felipe Scolari or a van Gaal, but he surely has the tactics to beat the likes of England in World Cup 2010 & Portugal in 2014, both by big margins (vs Eng: 4-1 & vs Por 4-0)! Low prefers flowing football, but unlike the Spanish, its not tiki taka. The style is more direct with long passes and the team also is a great threat on counter attacks! With a strong tactical bent of mind, Low can put Germany on par even the likes of Italy in tactical superiority.


Image Source: http://www.cam111.com/photonews/2012/06/14/146194.html

3. Right mix of Youth & Experience: The team boasts of experienced professionals like Phillip Lahm and Manuel Neuer as well as exciting youth like Mario Gotze and the relatively young Thomas Muller. Look at the whole team line up and this fact is amplified.


Image Source: http://it-blogger.net/post/Klose-Reus-Lahm-Neuer-Podolski-und-Oezil-Wallpaper-zur-Fussball-WM-2014.aspx

4. Cohesion in the team: Since most of the players are from the top two German teams, they understand each other pretty well and this makes it easier for them to gel well. This is a very important factor for teams fighting in the World Cup, a fact well exposed by Argentina in 2010. Even with a strong team on paper, the Argentinians could not gel pretty well and therefore could not even get the best out of the then in form Messi!


Image Source: http://fanclub.dfb.de/index.php?id=610

5. Strong Substitutes for each position: This fact can well be a differentiator for Germany. With a strong first team line up, Germany also boasts of a super strong bench! Name a first team player and you will find his perfect replacement on the bench. When the likes of Schweinsteiger, Klose & Podolski do not even start a big game like the one vs Portugal (2014), you know what kind of quality the team has even on bench. Forget bench, they have not even taken the future Barca keeper (Ter Stegen) to the World Cup!


Image Source: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/d3Biht5bdkV/Germany+v+Portugal+Group+G+2014+FIFA+World/NaxkboY1Q-R/Miroslav+Klose

The above five points are the biggest strengths of Die Mannschaft which make it the team to beat at World Cup 2014.

Risks: Given all the rosy picture of the German team in Brazil, it does not mean the team faces no risks. The one biggest problem that the fans of Die Nationalmannschaft  fear is its choking in big games. History has ample evidence that Germany fail at the crucial moments. So to take the World Cup home this time, the Germans will have to ensure they take care of this folly that has haunted them enough!


Image Source: http://www.nationalturk.com/en/germany-vs-italy-euro-2012-highlights-video-germany-fails-in-favourite-role-match-fixing-scandal-years-boost-italy-to-finals-20535
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Golden Boot Winner: Thomas Muller

This may sound too bold a prediction, but so it is!


Image Source: https://twitter.com/DFB_Team/media

Already bring the top scorer in 2010, if Muller can top the scoring charts again in 2014 then he will be the first person to repeat the feat in a World Cup ever!

Though we have the likes of Ronaldo, Messi & Neymar competing for this prize, it is not so much about an individual as it may seem to be. What could Messi do in 2010 without the support of his team?
Ronaldo has faced a similar problem and all the more, the sooner a team walks out of the tournament, the lesser are the chances for their Star Player to bag this prize.
The debate then would be that Messi & Neymar's teams can goo all the way and in the process allow the two stars to go on goal scoring sprees!


Image Source: http://www.emirates247.com/sports/fifa-world-cup/who-will-shine-brightest-in-fifa-world-cup-brazil-messi-neymar-or-ronaldo-2014-06-11-1.552436

So then what is it that makes Muller even a competitor for this trophy?
Probably his simplicity! But more so his instincts. There is some reason why he prefers to call himself the Raumdeuter or "interpreter of space". He more often than not drifts into in the right place at the right time. And to top this super skill he keeps things simple and therefore leaves less chances for goof ups! Further, with the likes of Kroos, Gotze and Ozil around him, he is assured of chances being created from every corner of the final third of the pitch. The pre-requisites for a striker to become a top scorer are therefore naturally fulfilled, which therefore makes Muller one of the most eligible candidates for this top individual prize!

Image Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/thomas-muller/images/13900895/title/thomas-muller-co-photo

Don't be surprised if on 14th July 2014 newspapers across the world have the headline: "Germany Win the World Cup"!!!


Image Source: http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/sport/silvio-gazzaniga-pap-coppa-mondo-oggi-vincono-solo-i-soldi-847591.html

Time will tell how true the above predictions turn out to be. So lets leave that aside for the time being and sit back and enjoy the thrilling World Cup that has got off to a Flying Start!




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Top billings - 31 Jan - 1 Feb, 2012

The top billing of the week - Valencia vs Barcelona

Former Valencia player David Villa (R) of Barcelona greets his old teammate Pablo Hernandez of Valencia during the la Liga match between Valencia and Barcelona at Estadio Mestalla on March 2, 2011 in Valencia, Spain.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images Europe)

The first leg of the Copa del Ray semifinal clash between the Spanish heavyweights. An increasing gap at the top in the La Liga and ultra competitiveness in the Champions League mean that this Cup offers the only real chance for the Catalans to get a trophy this season to Camp Nou!
Fixture: 8pm GMT, 1st Feb

The top Billing of the Premier League - Everton vs Manchester City
With FA Cup action over the past weekend, the EPL resumes in the midweek.
Fixture: 8pm GMT, 31st Jan
Other good Fixtures: Manchester United vs Stoke City

The top Billing of the Serie A - Lazio vs AC Milan!
Milan are one point adrift from the top spot in the table and would look to keep the pressure at the top.
Fixture: 7.45pm GMT, 1st Feb


Another interesting midweek!!!

Review - Jan 20 - 22, 2012

England:
Manchester United pull off a 2 - 1 win at he Emirates in the biggest match of the weekend.

Photo courtesy: Manutd.com
Elsewhere, City scrape through a 3 - 2 win versus Tottenham.

Italy:
Inter clinched a 2 -1 win versus Lazio to extend their unbeaten run to eight games now.

Spain:
Barcelona and Madrid recorded comfortable wins versus Malga and Bilbao respectively. And Messi scored another hat-trick!

Germany:
 Monchengladbach stunned Bayern Munich with a 3 - 1 win while Schalke registered a win over Stuttgart with goals from youngsters Joel Matip, Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Julian Draxler (all under 21 starlets!)

Big action in the Midweek with the El Clasico in the Copa del Ray second leg of the quarterfinals at Camp Nou and Barca going in with a one goal lead!

Top billings - Jan 20 - 22, 2012

The top billing of the week - Arsenal vs Manchester United




Undoubtedly the most anticipated match after the 8-2 drubbing of Arsenal at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
Fixture: 4pm GMT, Sunday
Other good Fixture: Manchester City vs Tottenham


The top Billing of the La Liga - Malga vs Barcelona
Barcelona are in high form after winning the El Clasico in the midweek for the first leg of the Copa Del Ray quarterfinals.
Fixture: 5pm GMT, Sunday
Other good Fixtures: Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao

The top Billing of the Serie A - Inter vs Lazio!
Inter are placed fifth and Lazio fourth in the league table. So, an important match for both.
Fixture: 7.45pm GMT, Sunday
Other good Fixture: Not really!

The top Billing of the Bundesliga - Mönchengladbach vs Bayern Munich
Gladbach sit in the fourth position and are only four points away from the Bavarians, who sit atop the league table.
Fixture: 7.30pm GMT, Friday
Other good Fixtures: Schalke vs Stuttgart

Another interesting weekend ahead!!!

Top Billings - 18th January, 2012

A top billing in the midweek - El Clasico!




The Galacticos will hope to wreck maximum damage unto their Catalan rivals in the first leg of the Cpa Del Ray quarterfinals at the Santiago Bernabeu. Securing a lead would be vital for Murinho's men before travelling to Camp Nou on the 25th January, 2012.

Fixture: 18th January, 2012 @ 9pm GMT.

Rooney - Chicharito Partnership, The Magic for United

The United team this season has seemed to lack a play maker and many have speculated the addition of a big name to fill in a vital gap in the Red Devils' ranks.
Look back into the season thus far and there are a few important cues that come out coherently. Sir Alex has constantly claimed that he does not need to make any major additions to team. But most pundits (many self proclaimed) call this decision into question time and again. A deeper look into the team and its games over this season would show why Sir Alex cannot be wrong when it comes to the trade of football!

Consider this:
The Magic called Wazza and Chicha! - Sir Alex has played Ronney in many positions this season. That exercise has gone further than understanding whether Wazza can create a better play from the different positions tried. It has proved to be a yardstick to measure his effectiveness and bring out his best! Chicharito is known to terrorize defenses, a primary reason why he could cement his place on and dislodge Berba from the first team berth. The games this season have proven that Wazza can be the chief creator, but then without a dangerous striker, his efforts would all go in vain. The dangerous partnership that Wazza and Chicha have developed thrives on this very tenet. Rooney need not operate as a striker upfront. His role in the hole behind Hernandez becomes a lethal weapon that most opponents would find difficult to shield. A Messi or a Rooney or an RVP can be marked alone throughout the game, but a killer pair would become difficult to stop for even the best of the teams in the trade.
Wazza's creating and Chicha's ghosting are more than enough!



Nani's Brilliance! - One might think, what if Chicha is blocked just as other lethal strikers are in the modern game? That may be a valid question. But there is more to United than the lethal pair upfront. A creative Nani is another weapon in Sir Alex's armory and when unleashed to full potential can change the course of a game single handed. But that is not to say that Nani should alone shoulder the burden in a more telling game. If and when the Magical partnership doesn't click, a change in tactic to employ Wazza as front man and Nani as a creator would keep any opponent gasping! (Whom all will the ooponents mark - Chicha, Rooney or Nani??)



Valencia's super crosses and Jones' marauding runs cannot be undermined too. On the whole, there are plenty of channels and tactical measures under United's belt.

In Sir Alex's favourite formation of 4-4-2 United do not need to add any new creator. Relying on Rooney to sit in the hole, Hernandez to terrorize defenses, Nani to revel in creativity and the collective brilliance of the likes of Valenica, Jones, De Gea and in fact the Whole Team can help United reach the pinnacle and put behind it the Ghost of Champions League elimination!





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