2010 World Cup: Group E Preview
June 11th 2010 14:08
The Oranje should easily dominate this group and finish on top. Behind them however, all three teams can hope to advance to the next round.
Overview
Perennial chokers, the Netherlands hope that this time, they'll make it through to the final. They were the first European team to qualify, winning all their games and conceding only two goals. In three pre-tournament friendlies, they have three victories, defeating Mexico (2-1) and Ghana (2-1) and thoroughly thrashing Hungary (6-1). They are talented, experienced, play some beautiful football, and yet, I can't shake that nagging feeling of them failing once again. They should breeze through the group stage but don't expect miracles after that.
Full squad list
GK: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Michel Vorm (Utrecht), Sander Boschker (Twente Enschende)
DEF: Gregory Van Der Wiel (Ajax), John Heitinga (Everton [England]), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburger SV [Germany]), Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Suttgart [Germany]), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Edson Braafheid (Cletic [Scotland])
MID: Mark Van Bommel (Bayern Munich [Germany]), Nigel De Jong (Manchester City [England]), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan [Italy]), Demy De Zeeuw (Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael Van Der Vaart (Real Madrid [Spain])
FW: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool [England]), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal [England]), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich [Germany]), Eljero Elia (Hamburger SV [Germany]), Ryan Babel (Liverpool [England]), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan [Italy])
Keep an eye on: Ibrahim Afellay
The speedy winger has been on my radar since Euro 2008. It's amazing that he hasn't gotten calls from big clubs yet. Still, considering Huntelaar's turbulent season at Madrid and Milan, maybe it's for the best that he stays in the Eredivisie.
Overview
The Danes quietly qualified for the World Cup by finishing three points ahead of Portugal in Group 1 and count on a side with plenty of experience (which brings me to wonder why guys such as Rommedahl and Tomasson are still around). Still, they lost two of their three preparation games and any side counting on Bendtner as their main striker leaves me doubtful. Hopefully, they'll prove me wrong.
Full squad list
GK: Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City [England]), Stephan Andersen (Brondby), Jesper Christiansen (Copenhagen)
DEF: Simon Kjaer (Palermo [Italy]), Daniel Agger (Liverpool [England]), Lars Jacobsen (Blakburn Rovers [England]), Per Kroldrup (Fiorentina [Italy]), Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar [Netherlands]), Patrick Mtiliga (Malaga [Spain])
MID: Christian Poulsen (Juventus [Italy]), William Kvist (Copenhagen), Daniel Jensen (Werder Bremen [Germany]), Martin Jorgensen (AGF Aarhus), Thomas Kahlenberg (Wolfsburg [Germany]), Jakob Poulsen (AGF Aarhus), Thomas Enevoldsen (Groningen [Netherlands]), Christian Eriksen (Ajax [Netherlands])
FW: Jesper Gronkjaer (Copenhagen), John Dahl Tomasson (Feyenoord [Netherlands]), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal [England]), Mickel Beckmann (Randers), Soren Larsen (MSV Duisburg [Germany]), Dennis Rommedahl (Ajax [Netherlands])
Keep an eye on: Christian Eriksen
He is the youngest player of the tournament and will provide much speed to an ageing Denmark squad.
Overview
Japan easily qualified for the World Cup but preparation games seem to show that they're not prepared to deal with the big boys this time around. They lost to Serbia, Korea Republic, England and Cote d'Ivoire – all World Cup teams prepared to do whatever it takes to reach the next round. I don't expect Japan to pick up a single point this time around.
Full squad list
GK: Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale), Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata)
DEF: Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers), Daiki Iwamasa (Kashima Antlers), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F Marinos)
MID: Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble [France]), Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama F Marinos), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg [Germany]), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow [Russia]), Junichi Inamoto (Kawasaki Frontale)
FW: Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata), Yoshito Okubo (Vissel Kobe), Takayuki Morimoto (Catania [Italy])
Overview
Cameroon had three friendlies to prepare for the World Cup. All three games were against European opposition. They lost two of those matches (3-1 against Portugal, 4-3 against Serbia), and drew the other (1-1 against Slovakia). Not too reassuring for the Indomitable Lions. As a squad they rely far too much on Samuel Eto'o (understandable considering his skills), but his volatile temperament might make things a bit difficult.
Full squad list
GK: Idriss Kameni (Espanyol [Spain]), Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor [Turkey]), Guy Ndy (Valenciennes [France])
DEF: Benoit Assou-Ekoto (Tottenham [England]), Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco [France]), Rigobert Song (Trabzoonspor [Turkey]), Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham [England]), Geremi (Ankaragucu [Turkey]), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes [France]), Aurelien Chedjou (Lille [France]), Stephane Mbia (Marseille [France])
MID: Alexandre Song (Arsenal [England]), Landry Nguemo (Celtic [Scotland]), Jean Makoun (Lyon [France]), Eyong Enoh (Ajax [Netherlands]), Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern [Germany]), Joel Matip (Schalke 04 [Germany])
FW: Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan [Italy]), Achille Emana (Betis Sevilla [Spain]), Eric Choupo Moting (Nurember [Germany]), Pierre Webo (Mallorca [Spain]), Mohamadou Idrissou (SC Freiburg [Germany]), Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport)
NETHERLANDS
Overview
Perennial chokers, the Netherlands hope that this time, they'll make it through to the final. They were the first European team to qualify, winning all their games and conceding only two goals. In three pre-tournament friendlies, they have three victories, defeating Mexico (2-1) and Ghana (2-1) and thoroughly thrashing Hungary (6-1). They are talented, experienced, play some beautiful football, and yet, I can't shake that nagging feeling of them failing once again. They should breeze through the group stage but don't expect miracles after that.
Full squad list
GK: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Michel Vorm (Utrecht), Sander Boschker (Twente Enschende)
DEF: Gregory Van Der Wiel (Ajax), John Heitinga (Everton [England]), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburger SV [Germany]), Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Suttgart [Germany]), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Edson Braafheid (Cletic [Scotland])
MID: Mark Van Bommel (Bayern Munich [Germany]), Nigel De Jong (Manchester City [England]), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan [Italy]), Demy De Zeeuw (Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael Van Der Vaart (Real Madrid [Spain])
FW: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool [England]), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal [England]), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich [Germany]), Eljero Elia (Hamburger SV [Germany]), Ryan Babel (Liverpool [England]), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan [Italy])
Keep an eye on: Ibrahim Afellay
The speedy winger has been on my radar since Euro 2008. It's amazing that he hasn't gotten calls from big clubs yet. Still, considering Huntelaar's turbulent season at Madrid and Milan, maybe it's for the best that he stays in the Eredivisie.
DENMARK
Overview
The Danes quietly qualified for the World Cup by finishing three points ahead of Portugal in Group 1 and count on a side with plenty of experience (which brings me to wonder why guys such as Rommedahl and Tomasson are still around). Still, they lost two of their three preparation games and any side counting on Bendtner as their main striker leaves me doubtful. Hopefully, they'll prove me wrong.
Full squad list
GK: Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City [England]), Stephan Andersen (Brondby), Jesper Christiansen (Copenhagen)
DEF: Simon Kjaer (Palermo [Italy]), Daniel Agger (Liverpool [England]), Lars Jacobsen (Blakburn Rovers [England]), Per Kroldrup (Fiorentina [Italy]), Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar [Netherlands]), Patrick Mtiliga (Malaga [Spain])
MID: Christian Poulsen (Juventus [Italy]), William Kvist (Copenhagen), Daniel Jensen (Werder Bremen [Germany]), Martin Jorgensen (AGF Aarhus), Thomas Kahlenberg (Wolfsburg [Germany]), Jakob Poulsen (AGF Aarhus), Thomas Enevoldsen (Groningen [Netherlands]), Christian Eriksen (Ajax [Netherlands])
FW: Jesper Gronkjaer (Copenhagen), John Dahl Tomasson (Feyenoord [Netherlands]), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal [England]), Mickel Beckmann (Randers), Soren Larsen (MSV Duisburg [Germany]), Dennis Rommedahl (Ajax [Netherlands])
Keep an eye on: Christian Eriksen
He is the youngest player of the tournament and will provide much speed to an ageing Denmark squad.
JAPAN
Overview
Japan easily qualified for the World Cup but preparation games seem to show that they're not prepared to deal with the big boys this time around. They lost to Serbia, Korea Republic, England and Cote d'Ivoire – all World Cup teams prepared to do whatever it takes to reach the next round. I don't expect Japan to pick up a single point this time around.
Full squad list
GK: Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale), Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata)
DEF: Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers), Daiki Iwamasa (Kashima Antlers), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F Marinos)
MID: Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble [France]), Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama F Marinos), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg [Germany]), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow [Russia]), Junichi Inamoto (Kawasaki Frontale)
FW: Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus Eight), Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata), Yoshito Okubo (Vissel Kobe), Takayuki Morimoto (Catania [Italy])
CAMEROON
Overview
Cameroon had three friendlies to prepare for the World Cup. All three games were against European opposition. They lost two of those matches (3-1 against Portugal, 4-3 against Serbia), and drew the other (1-1 against Slovakia). Not too reassuring for the Indomitable Lions. As a squad they rely far too much on Samuel Eto'o (understandable considering his skills), but his volatile temperament might make things a bit difficult.
Full squad list
GK: Idriss Kameni (Espanyol [Spain]), Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor [Turkey]), Guy Ndy (Valenciennes [France])
DEF: Benoit Assou-Ekoto (Tottenham [England]), Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco [France]), Rigobert Song (Trabzoonspor [Turkey]), Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham [England]), Geremi (Ankaragucu [Turkey]), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes [France]), Aurelien Chedjou (Lille [France]), Stephane Mbia (Marseille [France])
MID: Alexandre Song (Arsenal [England]), Landry Nguemo (Celtic [Scotland]), Jean Makoun (Lyon [France]), Eyong Enoh (Ajax [Netherlands]), Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern [Germany]), Joel Matip (Schalke 04 [Germany])
FW: Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan [Italy]), Achille Emana (Betis Sevilla [Spain]), Eric Choupo Moting (Nurember [Germany]), Pierre Webo (Mallorca [Spain]), Mohamadou Idrissou (SC Freiburg [Germany]), Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport)
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