World Cup 2010, Easy, Easy, Easy!
Dec 5th, 2009 | By KevB8ll | Category: General Football, Kev's RamblingsEngland have been drawn to face the United States, Algeria and Slovenia in the group stage, (group C), of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
What an easy draw, we can be concentrating on who we will get after qualifying with 9 points. It could well be Germany, as they are in a difficult group with Australia, Serbia and Ghana and they could well finish 2nd, as they aren’t as strong as previous years – so we are in the semi finals – easy, easy, easy!
Spin forward 6 months to Saturday 12th June and the score comes in…
England 0 – 3 USA.
Well it is England after all!
(More on the World Cup to come!)
Pride comes before a fall.
None of the teams mentioned are an easy ride.
USA finished top of their qualifying group and sit 14th in the FIFA World Rankings – just 5 places behind England.
Algeria also finished top of their group and sit 28th in the FIFA World Rankings, ahead of teams we may have considered a tougher test such as Sweden and Turkey.
Slovenia finished second in a group that contained the Czech Republic and Slovakia, both relatively strong sides. They sit 33rd in the FIFA World Rankings, also ahead of Sweden and Turkey. Sides that we would have felt a little less optimistic about.
So, be prepared for a tougher ride than many believe. England won’t waltz this group if they believe they will.
I think you missed what I meant!
Australia in the second round, please. I’d have to take a trip to Sydney to watch it on the big screen in Darling Harbour… be fun watching so many depressed Convicts!
I missed the USA scoreline!
But seriously, there are one hell of a lot of people expecting England to walk this group and I have a feeling they’re going to be very disappointed.
Especially if players are continually picked on name alone and not on form or ability.
The good thing for England though is that they do’nt have much to worry about as far as offensive threats for Algeria Slovenia and USA, I’ve only watched a handful of qualifiers for Algeria and Slovenia but it seems they rely more on maintaining good form than quick counter attacks or offensive prowess. Slovenia in particular has impressed me with its discipline.
As for the US we will be entering the WC trying to rebound from injuries, One to our best young forward Charlie Davies (who likely wont make the WC squad after a car accident), and a Knee Injury to our best Centre back Onyewu, he should be recovered in time but will be lacking in match time prior to the WC.
England should run away with first, the battle for second should be interesting.
I think England will cut them down in the group. But if they’ll meet the mechanical squad of Germany or the illusionist squad of Brazil, they’re most likely to loose.
I admire the rise of the USA team during the past 20 years…