THE BIGGEST MISSES OF World Cup 2018

Before a ball’s been kicked in anger, or anywhere in Russia, and already there are big misses to talk about.

We’re talking players, not open goal howlers or one-on-one disasters.

Because despite the number of World Cup finalists being extended from 24 teams in 2014 to 32 in 2018, there are still great players who won’t be gracing the world stage this summer.

Whether their team failed to qualify, or their coach failed to select them in their 23, or their body just failed to heal up in time, there are big name players who will be watching the games on telly with the rest of us. 

Here’s a Starting XI of players who are already starting their summer hols and who, together, could probably win the World 

Cup.

You can select yours here…

Who Will Win World Cup 2018 Group G

World Cup Group G Teams

BELGIUM

ENGLAND

PANAMA

TUNISIA

And so to your blogger's home nation, and surely one of the easiest groups in which to predict the two qualifiers.

It will be disastrous if Belgium and England don’t both beat the other two teams and then decide the group winners in their final game.

It would be better for neutrals if Belgium played England first, putting more pressure on the loser in their following two games.

Belgium’s squad is one of the best. Has been for a few years now, but it meant nothing in Euro 2016. Could mean more here with more experience, and better coaching.

England are young and, for once, England Expects Nothing from its World Cup squad, apart from Group qualification.

Hats off to Panama for qualifying for their first World Cup. But let’s not write them off with words like plucky first timers. They have zero pressure on them. Who knows?

And Tunisia. They’ve qualified for World Cups before, but you get the feeling their big game will be against Panama to see who can wrap up 3rd Place.

World Cup Group G Betting

World Cup GROUP G Predictions:

1: BELGIUM

2: ENGLAND

3: Tunisia

4: Panama

Insane To Leave Out Sane?

Not good enough for the World Cup. That’s the take out of Joachim Low’s decision to leave out Leroy Sane from Germany’s World Cup 2018 squad.

Man City fans, and indeed Premier League fans will be puzzled, or a little fearful of the strength of German football that they can afford to leave Sane at home.

It follows Belgian Radja Nainggolan’s decision to quit international football following his surprise omission from the Belgian squad BEFORE it was trimmed to 23 players.

How many international squads would both these players be a shoe-in (or boot-in) for?

Slightly less surprising is Christian Benteke being cut from the final Belgian squad. He’s not been great for Palace this season.

Who Will Win World Cup 2018 Group F?

World Cup Group F Teams

GERMANY

MEXICO

SOUTH KOREA

SWEDEN

Here’s where you’ll find the 2014 World Champions. But DON’T bet on them to retain their title. It’s only happened twice in World Cup history (Italy 1934 and 1938, and Brazil 1958 and 1962).

But DO bet on Germany to win this group. Even average German teams win their World Cup Group, and this German team is still above average, despite all time top scorer in World Cups Klose closing the final chapter on his World Cup career in 2014.

There’s still plenty to recommend this German team. Muller. Werner. Can. Sane. Ozil. They will be too strong for the rest in the group.

I like MEXICO for finishing runners up. They can beat South Korea and Sweden, and qualified impressively.

SWEDEN needed a play off win against Italy to book their place, and narrowly edged out Holland in their qualifying group. Having stopped two big international teams making the tournament, you would think confidence is high. But this is not a vintage Sweden team. Star names are thin on the ground, and so will wins be in this World Cup group.

South Korea finished a distant 2nd to IRAN in qualification. They’d take 2nd in this group, but I can’t see it happening.

World Cup Group F Betting

World Cup Group F Predictions

1: GERMANY

2: MEXICO

3: South Korea

4: Sweden

Who Will Win World Cup Group E?

The World Cup 2018 Group E teams:

BRAZIL 

Costa Rica

SERBIA

SWITZERLAND

Group E stands for educational. Because I believe the teams will finish in alphabetical order, with the two South American teams being propped up by their European group mates.

Brazil will win this group. They always win their group and betting against that is pure folly. Although the other 3 teams all have something decent going for them, they don’t have as much decency going for them as Brazil.

The Swiss have Shaqiri. Costa Rica have Guzman and Ruiz. Serbia has Mitrovic, Matic, Tadic and Milivojevic (the Eeeeeeeeagle!). But Brazil has Alves, Willian, Marcelo, Fernandinho, Casemiro, Coutinho, Firmino, Jesus and Neymar. To name just a few

I’m assuming all these players will be fit for the tournament of course. Even if a few aren’t, Brazil have strength in depth and World Cup experience in abundance. The others, not so much. 

World Cup Group E Betting:

World Cup Group E Predictions:

1: BRAZIL

2: Costa Rica

3: Serbia

4: Switzerland

BBC launches World Cup 2018 Promo

You can link to it here...

I didn't know the Russians were into tapestry.
And why dredge up Lampard's goal that wasn't? Awful memories...

Apart from that, it's all good.

Who Will Qualify From World Cup Group D?

The World Cup 2018 Group D teams

ARGENTINA

CROATIA

ICELAND

NIGERIA

Keep. Your. Money. In. Your Pocket. That’s my advice when it comes to this group. What a tough one to call. 

You would think Argentina would win it, but Messi never seems to have a great World Cup. Player for player, they edge their group mates and it would be a shocker for them to go out in the group stage. But, remember, they didn’t qualify for the 2018World Cup with any ease.

And as for the rest, any one of those could qualify.

Iceland will make friends all over Russia, not least for the passion of their fans. To call them underdogs does them an injustice. They were Euro 2016 quarter finalists, beating England along the way. No great feat, admittedly.

Croatia has quality players with international pedigree and I always tip them to do well in tournaments (I even predicted they would reach the Euro 2016 Final which did not happen).

And Nigeria are always a good team to watch, perhaps lacking the big name attacking players they used to have.

So how to call this. Look to the support. Geographically, Croatia are the nearest, Argentina the furthest. I’m going to go against the grain with my predictions on this one and hope the Croats justify me backing of them to win Group D! 

This one will be close though, with one, maybe two points separating the four teams.

MY World Cup 2018 GROUP D Predictions

1: CROATIA

2: ARGENTINA

3: Iceland

4: Nigeria

Who Will Win World Cup 2018 Group C

The World Cup 2018 Group C teams

AUSTRALIA

DENMARK

FRANCE

PERU

C rhymes with easy, sort of. And France with advance. In short, France should advance with ease from Group C's fixtures. That's poetry, that. Expectations will be high that les bleus serve up a hat-trick of victories in a group that’s theirs to lose. That isn't poetry, that.

Peru rhymes with woo-hoo and I’m thinking they could have something to celebrate. Why not them beating Australia and drawing against Denmark and going through on goal difference.

Denmark rhymes with When, Narked (yes, the idea is straining a little now), but the Danes will be feeling the pain of group stage exit I fear. Can't see them beating anyone in this group. A couple of draws and a loss to France.

Australia rhymes with nothing relevant, and I fear nothing is what the Aussies will leave Russia with. Always plucky and with no real opportunity to partake in ball tampering, it’s unlikely the green and golds will be winning any gold on the green fields of Russia.

My World Cup 2018 Group C prediction

1: FRANCE

2: PERU

3: Denmark

4: Australia

England World Cup 2018 Squad Announced

Gareth Southgate has announced his squad for the 2018 World Cup.

And, as widely anticipated, and indeed leaked to the press, he has named the squad "England".

Not very original.

What is original is the breakdown of the squad.

10 defenders in the 23. Yes. 10. And Smalling or Bertrand aren't among them.

And only 5 midfielders, most of those with a defensive bias.

This England team isn't going to set the tournament alight with goal fests, is it?

But there's plenty of youth in there...

Just a shame about the name.

England Starting XI for World Cup 2018

Gareth Southgate names his squad for the 2018 World Cup today. And rumours are he's going to name the squad "England".

But ahead of this momentous announcement, here's the 11 I'd like to see start for England against Tunisia. I believe it's a good enough line-up to at least get a draw.

Who Will Qualify From Group B in World Cup 2018?

The World Cup Group B teams

SPAIN 

MOROCCO

IRAN 

PORTUGAL

This one is going to be close. Really close. Seriously.

Why? Because I can't think of another time when so few miles have ever separated the 4 teams in the same World Cup group.

This is how close things are:

Iran’s a little way away admittedly, but the other three are virtually neighbours. Spain and Portugal actually are. That's how close Group Be is going to B

When it comes to matters on the pitch, this is unlikely to be a close group, with a clear top two and bottom two.

Even with Ronaldo missing the tournament, which he might, you’d still fancy the Euro 2016 winners to accompany their next door neighbours Spain into the Round of 16.

Of course, both have to play each other, first up, in the first week’s biggest game, serving up a big derby early on. The winner wins the group but odds have to be sky high that this ends a draw.

Despite the winners of the last three European Championships residing in this group, I don’t see the World Cup winners coming from here. Portugaldo peaked 2 years ago, a few years after this generation of Spanish players.

BETTING:

MY PREDICTED World Cup 2018 GROUP B Finishing Positions

1:  SPAIN

2:  PORTUGAL

3:  Iran

4:  Morocco

And even if that's totally wrong, well, you've just had a free geography lesson!

WHO WILL QUALIFY FROM World Cup 2018 GROUP A

GROUP A

Saudi Arabia

Uruguay

Russia

Egypt

Not SURE about this one? 

RUSSIA, as hosts, will have the pressure on to qualify. But the hosts always qualify from the group stage, right? It’s inconceivable that they won’t. But should the worst happen (which I don’t think it will) the show Moscow on. 

Mo Salah. The mere mention of the name will send pulses of fear through the defences of the other 3 teams in Group A. But as EGYPT’s star man, he risks being marked out of games. Such a talisman, could he steer his nation into dreamland? It’s possible.

Saudi Arabia - any mention of them and the World Cup cannot be allowed to pass without a link to one of the best goals ever scored in the competition. Take a bow Al Owairan and click this link to enjoy his incredible run and finish from USA ’94.

It’s getting on for 100 years since URUGUAY lifted the first ever World Cup. Surely they will see this draw as a group they can safely negotiate? They have the names and, providing Suarez can keep his cool, surely the only challengers for World Cup Group A winners will come from the hosts.

Betting for World Cup 2018 Group A:

MY PREDICTION:

World Cup GROUP A

1: RUSSIA

2: URUGUAY

3: Egypt

4: Saudi Arabia

World Cup 2018 Countdown

It's May. Way-hey.
The countdown to kick off is on.
I was going to do my own countdown, like 50 days to go, here's the significance of the number 50 in terms of World Cuppery.
But that's a hell of a lot of work.

So here's a link to the BBC's World Cup countdown. It's got film clips and everything...