GROUP C PREVIEW

GROUP C - "The Cauldron of Initiation”

Overview: At least two teams from Group C are very likely to become memorable surprise teams in this tournament. The priority candidates are hyper-talented Colombia, even if Falcao is missing, and carefully put-together Japan.

Seeing Vidal as a tourist against Australia yesterday makes me think that Colombia might actually be better off without superstar Falcao if he is not fit. Three excellent centre forwards will compete to fill his role without a real quality drop, and young speed-demon Carlos Carbonero of River Plate gets to strengthen the bench instead.

Japan are, as I indicated in my detailed preview, a work of art, capable of dominating and winning matches against even good opposition this time around. We are talking about two golden generations in two very different countries at the top of their game, all the more reason to expect “the unexpected.”

However, Greece are a new team and are not by far the worst team in the tournament, their expertise at taking one or three points and sliding through is still very much something to be feared by anyone. Their start striker, Olympiakos, Champions League and Fulham performer, the goatbearded terminator, Kostas Mitroglou needs only one or two chances to score, and their defence is very capable as tradition dictates.

Ivory Coast are a talented team, but their top stars are too old (Drogba) or exhausted from superb club seasons (Yaya Toure) and its up to the youngster generation to step up and drive the team bus. If some of their talent plays well, and doesn’t pull a Cameroon, anything could happen in Group C.

Although logic and merit dictates Colombia and Japan, with Ivory Coast to challenge for second and Greece last, if the table is exactly opposite to this in three matchdays it will not be a shock, but rather a single lucky roll of the dice.

The Big Questions:

Speed and technique (Colombia), discipline and craft (Japan), determination and strength (Greece), or power and inertia (Ivory Coast)?

Is it unfair to write off Ivory Coast as has-beens?

How slippery are Greece?

Teams: (click on team for links to my or other previews)

COLOMBIA – “Los Cafeteros”

(Neighbours say the coffee is white and taken without water in it)

Strengths: Bags of ability in all elven positions on the pitch, a real silent contender in terms of quality, a phenomenal, experienced coach, the element of surprise and no small surprise at that. Speed and strength, goals, technique, difficult to attack and play possession against.

Weakness: World class striker is out, others might not have the confidence even if they have the class, some real ancient dinosaurs start towards the back of the team, discipline and nerves could shatter under pressure.

Likely formation: 4222 – the formation that is traditionally Brazillian and was coined in Brazil, and gives a good distribution and fluidity between offense and defence. A minimum of four players find themselves in any area of the pitch at one time, and usually at least 6 in defence.

Coach: 10

José Pékerman

An underappreciated great, who made Argentina the power that it is together with Marcelo Bielsa, he was unlucky when heading Argentina team at the German World Cup, but his team put on some exhilarated performances there (like against Yugoslavia). Be surprised by nothing that Pekerman’s teams achieve.

GK: 8.5

DEF: 8.5

MID: 9.0

ATT: 9.0 – even with Falcao missing

The star: One of the best right wing players in the world game, but still to get recognition for it outside of Italy where he is largely responsible for Fiorentina’s top season. Juan Guillermo Cuadrado is a real creator and ace, and a top club is very likely to swoop in for this complete player this summer.

Pace, dribble, ship container of tricks, thundering shot, neat finishing, agility.

The defender: Cristián Zapata is very valued in Italy after great work at Udinese and decent performances for Milan, he is at his best for Colombia though. Wingbacks Armero and Zuniga are world class for their national team.

Technical, fast, strong, determined, a big game 90-minute player, a bit shaken on confidence perhaps.

The midfielder: Fredy Guarín is the midfield general of Colombia. The interman launches counterattacks and keeps the team’s tempo full-throttle.

Decisive, orchestrating, long-range shooting, focused.

The attacker: Teófilo Gutiérrez is largely unknown in Europe, but has a tremendous respect in Argentina where he has significant success in club football. This fast offsides-breaker and finisher can be a real wild card for Colombia against any high defensive line. He will play wide of target men Jackson Martinez, Bacca or Ramos.

The captain: Mario Yepes is a veteran granite rock in defence, his lack of speed is made up for by his leadership and phenomenal sense of position. He is a coach on the field to his colleagues.

The prospect:

James Rodriguez is 22 and has 5 goals in 22 games for Colombia from midfield. Falcao’s Monaco colleague, his surging midfield play and eye for scoring and creating are likely to make him a name at this World Cup.

Juan Fernando Quintero, 21, is heavily compared to Pirlo, and his passing, free kicks and game-winning ability are ranking him really highly as one of World Football’s major prospects.

Long shot, ingenuity, unpredictable, crafty, still needs to learn to impose himself for 90 minutes, can appear slow at times.

GREECE – “Ethniki Galanolefki"

(Translation: be always dramatic, kick them in the knee, and score goals with your bum cheeks)

Strengths: Some technical players, and a lot of brute force and good defensive qualities. New players yet same old for the Greeks, well not all new players, 6 are over 30, and the emblematic Karagounis and Kastouranis are still there full of life and drama. There is new talent that blends in well. Underrated, even by me. 5 of Greece’s last 8 wins were 1-0. The wingbacks work real wonders on the counterattack now.

This team is very well integrated and very well trained.

Weaknesses: Limited game plan, Greeks control games in defensive shells, but find it hard to adapt to tactically skilled teams. Lack of high-quality squad depth. A bit thin in the goalkeeping department. Some of the key players had very injury-hit seasons and little playing time, and there are new draftees especially in goal.

Many key players were a bit old for the strain of a World Cup five years ago already.

Likely formation: 451 defensive is standard and classic, but under Santos the defence has gotten tighter than under Rehagel and the goals more frequent. Could deploy 541 against bigger teams.

Coach: 7.6

Fernando Santos

The old Portuguese melchancholic grump has improved on Rehagel’s team to some respect, but the extremely defensive antics are also what limits the team. So far they find it very hard to chase an opponent’s lead, and their entire strategy comes on leaving no space and counterattacking.

GK: 7.1

DEF: 9.2 – even when not playing defensive, they are great defenders

MID: 7.4 – better than past midfields, Greece can actually play possession now if needed

ATT: 8.2 - 53 national team goals among 4 players

The star: who else would have a defender as a star? Dortmund’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos is now the heart of the Greek team, and it’s his grit and determination that have given the Ethnikos so many clean sheets in recent years.

Tackle, determination, positioning, experience, teamwork.

The defender: They are all top class, but the highly underrated player is Roma’s Vasilis Torosidis who can play in a number of positions very well, but plays best on either side as a full back.

Deep crossing, power, speed, tackle, work, experience, highly underrated and forgotten despite significant class.

The midfielder: Panagiotis Kone is a workhorse for Bologna, and plays with passion and determination, although some would say he is better without a ball than with one. He is an attacking midfield with a major defensive contribution level, perfect for the Italian game. Despite all this his team suffered relegation from Serie A this year.

Determined, hardworking, big-game player, long-range shooter, lack of top technique.

The attacker: Kostas Mitroglou was supposed to save Fulham from relegation after thundering in many goals for Olympiakos in the Champions League, but he opted to get injured instead. On the day he is probably the best striker Greece has ever had, and his style is best described as “Heavy Tank.” But his form for this cup remains a mystery. 89 goals in 195 clubs games, including 17 in 19 for Olympiacos this season.

Strength, perfect finishing with foot, bum, or head. Impossible to mark, wins duels with anyone, bulldozer, coming back from long term injury, no match fitness.

The captain: Giorgos Karagounis, only 10 goals in 135 games is a surprising statistics, given that many of his goals came in key games when the world was watching. He is the emblematic, explosively joyous drama queen that puts the fire in the Greek belly.

Long-range shot, passion, tackle, game-winning, legendary determination.

The prospects:

Ioannis Fetfatzidis has a heck of dribble, and bags of pace. All 164 cm of him play for Genoa in Serie A, and although he doesn’t score goals he is key to Greece’s counterattacks.

Panagiotis Tachtsidis is in the squad, but he is the future of the Greek defensive midfield. That disciplined anti-football and counterattack job is becoming his profession now.

IVORY COAST – “Les Éléphants” – French for the dinosaurs

Strengths: Yaya Toure, who has had a Ballon D’Or season with Manchester City. A lot of class, despite the aging stars. Power, technique, counter, goal-scoring, the hurrah after the last hurrah. Talented youth that could step up.

The new generation could come into their own with obvious potential.

Weaknesses: past their peak, same untalented-but-determined goalkeeper, failure at the last African Nations (again), accustomed to losing now, Drogba too old, Kolo Toure too old, Zokora too old.

Gap between inexperienced youth and burned out grandfathers.

Likely formation: an attacking 4-3-3 with very active fullbacks, should be changed for Greece match, 4-2-3-1 possession the alternative for bigger opponents.

Coach: 8.0

Sabri Lamouchi

I am impressed with what France ’98 stalwart Lamouchi has done so far, although I think keeping the old-boys is part of his contract. He is improving the play of young players, and dipping widely into the Ivorean talen in Belgium, Germany and France. I believe firmly that Lamouchi is capable of leading Ivory Coast out of this group, but the odds are against them.

GK: 7.3 – passion and determination and experience makes this score higher, the Ivoreans trust their goalkeeper.

DEF: 7.7 – this could be the source of their problem

MID: 8.9 – Yaya Toure is tired, Cheik Tiote had a bad season

ATT: 8.5 its actually down to Bony and Gervinho, Drogba still starts.

The star: Yaya Touré, not a battleship, not a carrier, but a whole fleet of spaceships is still an inadequate metaphore. His performances for Manchester City this season clinched them the title, but this could also mean the physical and psychological fatigue could be obvious.

Power dynamo, nuclear reactor, thundering goal scorer, unstoppable dribbler, powerful battlestation, incredible inertia, maximum fatigue, ongoing controversy of words with Manchester City and background transfer-saga.

The defender: Kolo Touré had a bad season with Liverpool, and since his suspension for dopping has not ever real come back to his former level.

Experienced, debugger, strong, slower, inconfident, prone-to-own-goals-this-season.

The midfielder: Max Gradel might not have lived up to his big move, or hyped potential (yet). He is still important with successful Saint-Etienne in France, and he is still tricky and all the more efficient.

Dribbler, assister, flair player, poor finisher.

The attackers: Gervinho and Wilfred Bony both.

Gervinho’s good Roma form could be influential on this cup, and he has gotten better at scoring. Spead, dribble, and now efficiency.

Bony’s brilliant touches and good finishing have been the highlight of Swansea’s season, and his price tag for bigger clubs is set at something close to 30 million pounds. 16 goals in twice as many games for the struggling Premiership team. First touch and finishing.

The captain: Didier Drogba has failed to perform for Ivory Coast at both of the last two nations cups, and it’s beyond me why he is still Captain or even selected. He might still do well for European clubs in big games, but he is a shadow of his former Chelsea self now. Off course it is Didier Drogba I am talking about, and he could prove me wrong.

A great, tired, slow, weaker, overconfident, takes place in starting lineup, misses key opportunities and penalties.

The prospects:

Oslo-born midfielder Mathis Bolly is considered by many experts as one of the 5 fastest runners in the game of football. The 21-year-old often plays of the bench in 2.Bundesliga, but his ability is obvious, if not his consistency and knowledge how to use his massive talent. He could still prove decisive if used right as an attacking midfielder to refresh the dinosaurs.

Right-back Serge Aurier has been so impressive that he is set to replace Sagna at Arsenal this summer. He wouldn’t be a drop in class, and even perhaps a step up, and a good signing for Wenger he would make. Likely started for Ivory Coast.

JAPAN – "the Samurai Blue"

Strengths: A great system, great squad cohesion, real world class players in attack. Tactical discipline, and great preparation. Good form, and great desire to impress. Great midfield, attack, goalkeeper and wingbacks. Goal and game control.

Creative.

Weaknesses: An imperfect central defence needing the whole team to work to protect them. Still a lack of strength and height against teams like Greece and Ivory Coast.

Weak in the air or against Greek tanks or Ivorean dinosaurs.

Likely formation: a fluid 4231 trained to perfection.

Coach: 8.8

Alberto Zaccheroni (ITA)

Innovator who led both the 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1 revolution. He has worked hard and long in improving Japan and this is his artistic exhibition.

GK: 8.2

DEF: 7.2 central 8.5 flank

MID: 8.8

ATT: 7.8

The star: Keisuke Honda, although he didn’t settle in at troubled Milan under Seedorf. Nevertheless, the very talented player will be looking to find his form and be instrumental for Japan as he was in South Africa and throughout the qualifiers.

He is a bit of an old fashioned magician, and he started his career as a right winger with VVV Venlo in Holland. At 27 he already has 20 goals in 53 caps, a good number from free kicks.

Goal, surprise, flair, focus, big-game, medium-form club season.

The defender: Rarely is a wingback so profilic defensively and offensively for club and country these days as Yūto Nagatomo. One of the few outstanding players are Inter, Nagatomo manages to work hard and show determination (and score 5 goals in Serie A from defence) when his teammates are thinking of jumping ship.

Lungs, scores, defends, assists, covers full field.

The midfield: Yasuhito Endō the midfield anchor of Zaccheroni’s Japan is a 34-years-young. 141 caps and 21 goals are obviously not enough, as he continues to provide the discipline and wisdom in Japan’s midfield and raise the game of the teammates around him. He is now in his 14th year with Gamba Osaka, and showing only a little signage of slowing down.

He is still key, and although I hate comparisons very much “the Japanese Pirlo” because it’s rather strikingly true.

The attack: the most successful Japanese player in history in terms of club football is off course none other than Shinji Kagawa with 2 1.Bundesliga and a Premier League title to boot.

The 25 year old-Manchester United forward grabbed 6 goals in his first (championship) season under Alex Ferguson, but had a terrible goalless run this season under Moyes, along with the rest of his squad.

Nevertheless, with a likely move away (unless van Gaal wants him) looming after the cup, Kagawa will be desperate to once again re-demonstrate his midfield playmaking at the highest stage, and Japan will march on if he does.

Dribble, speed, penetration, creativity, goal, lack of confidence, not on top form.

The captain: 7 years in the 1.Bundesliga have made Makoto Hasebe a vital and disciplined midfield dynamo for Japan. His injury this season was such a blow the Nurnberg that they got relegated, but Hasebe is an excellent midfield general and looks a perfect player for Japan.

The prospects:

set to move to Europe very soon is Yoichiro Kakitani, who already has 4 goals in 9 games for Japan, and this young, flexible striker has an excellent feeling for goal. He is especially known for his stunning first-touch shots with body movement fooling the opposition goalkeeper.

still with Yokohama F. Marinos at 24, he is already a huge star in Japan due to his crafty and energetic dribbling, and sizzling goal scoring. Manabu Saito is the next big Japanese talent waiting for the European stage. He is excellent in both direct and possession football, linking play perfectly, but also scores bags of goals.

Find the schedule: here

The pick of the games:

Colombia – Ivory Coast

19^th June - 18h CET – Belo Horizonte

I can’t wait for this one and tip it to be a high-scoring game, with both teams trying to outscore each other. Their styles are contrasting, but nevertheless this should be a cracker of a match.

Ivory Coast - Japan

15^th June – 03h – Recife

A clash of worlds that the World Cup can provide, this is a key game already for both teams and should be bags of fun. Ivory Coast are good but Japan are better prepared.

The food table:

Greece smothers everyone like a calamari in tsatsiki before progressing from this group with a very bulged stomach.

Japan elegantly slip into second with raw fish and crunchy tasty things, and a good cup of green tea.

Colombia and Ivory Coast both do honourable battle, but the lack of concept leaves them tied at third, 1/3 point behind Japan.

The prediction:

This is a hard one, before reanalysing for the purposes of this piece I had Colombia and Japan through. Now, I am again, as always, afraid that this Greek team is actually better than past teams, and that means a lot given that they often manage everything with nothing.

I hold to my prediction, but with great uncertainty.

A hell of a group, perhaps the real group of death.