Brazil 2014 - Group E Preview

WHO IS IN GROUP E?

SWITZERLAND

Well no one is talking about them that’s for sure. The top seeds heading into group C are the only seeded side no one seems to even be mentioning in the discussion for the knockout rounds. To the contrary though, this is an incredibly well-balanced side with a few sprinkles of individual brilliance splattered throughout the squad.

Qualification for Brazil was quite a straightforward task for the Swiss; Facing Iceland, Slovenia, Norway, Albania and Cyprus meant a total of 24 points out of a possible 30 as La Nati finished the group unbeaten, conceding just 6 goals in 10 games. In that ilk, defense will be very integral to the Swiss game plan.

They are a side who like to pass the ball crisply and quickly while employing a high pressing style. This is the system of coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, and the back four along with defensive midfielder Gokhan Inler will be tested as a result. The Swiss will likely start in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Xherdan Shaqiri on the right side of the 3.

Shaqiri is a key part of the side, his pace and power cutting in onto a cultured left foot from the right side will cause sides problems. He is similar in style to his Bayern Munich teammate Arjen Robben in that aspect. Along with Shaqiri, Stephan Lichsteiner will be a lively runner down the right. The Juventus man will line up at right back for Switzerland but will bomb forward at will, it is the style he employs at the Turin side on the right side of a 3-5-2 formation.

Granit Xhaka is a midfielder with the potential to be a star in the tournament. He may play in the Number 10 role, but he is also adept further reserved in the midfield. The Borussia Monchengladbach maestro has enjoyed a fine club season in his first at the German outfit and will be hoping to be a shining light in Group E.

FRANCE

Didier Deschamps men are yet to implode, and look to be working in tandem for the first time in a long time. The former Marseille boss has done his utmost to remove to toxic atmosphere which clouded the last World Cup for the French, and has done so, even if it is at the expense of a top quality operator like Samir Nasri of Manchester City.

Unlike the Swiss, qualification was far from a straightforward process for the French. They finished just three points behind group winners Spain on 17 points (Only five teams in group, hence less points). The two games that cost them automatic qualification from the group were, at home to Spain (1-0 Loss) and away in Georgia (0-0). Thus, they entered the play off stages. In that, they were drawn to face the Ukraine over two legs to decide who would be on the plane to Brazil. It all started terribly for Les Blues, losing 2-0 in Kiev, but a three nil victory in the reverse fixture thanks to a Mamadou Sakho double and a Karim Benzema goal.

Three men absolutely key to the progression of France in this tournament are, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and Yohann Cabaye. The three men in midfield have formed a telepathic understanding; Cabaye retaining possession, Pogba sitting deep, collecting possession from the defenders and making things happen whatever way he can and Matuidi using his tireless style to hassle opposing players while adding a touch of flair when on the ball.

For many in France, the defense is a worry. For one it is inexperienced at International level, and secondly, Deschamps is still unsure on what his central defensive pairing will be. It looks likely that Sakho and the exciting talent of Raphael Varane will slot in there, but Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal is also an interesting option. Patrice Evra will add the experienced head at Left Back and Mathieu Debuchy will be hoping to keep his fine international form up at right back.

In the attacking department, Karim Benzema and Olivier Giroud appear locked in a battle to start up front, unless Deschamps decides to go with both and play with just the diminutive Mathieu Valbuena providing them with the ammunition. This is the freedom of formation afforded to France without the obvious quality of Franck Ribery as there is no pressure to play with natural wide men then.

ECUADOR

Missed the last edition of FIFA’s showpiece competition, Ecuador are back for a third crack at the World Cup. In their previous two outings (2002, 2006) La Tri have got one knockout game to their credit. That was a narrow one nil defeat to England in the Last 16 in Germany 2006. But this Reinaldo Rueda side are a bit different to the previous Ecuador sides.

They qualified in fourth position from South American qualifying with 25 points. The same amount as fifth place Uruguay, but Ecuador avoided the play off against Jordan on the tiebreaker of goal difference. La Tri’s top scorer in qualification was Felipe Caicedo with six goals.

Caicedo will be a key player for Ecuador, as he will lead the line for the side, who like most will be playing a 4-3-3 4-2-3-1 formation. Now with over 50 caps for his country, Caicedo is also an experienced member of the group, having taken over the striking reigns from Ivan Kaviedes and then the tragic Chucho Benitez at the start of qualification for this tournament.

Two of the men who will be looking to supply Caicedo with the adequate ammo to fire Ecuador out of the group, share a name. Firstly, the skipper for this tournament, Luis Antonio Valencia of Manchester United will add a raft of pace to the right side while inside him his name sake Enner will look to use his supreme final third pass ability to unlock Group E’s defences.

The side is void of tournament experience with just four of this year’s squad, Jorge Guagua, Edison Mendez, Luis Antonio Valencia and Luis Saritama were apart of the 2006 squad that last travelled to a World Cup. They team will be pushed on by the memory of Christian Benitez, who tragically died last year.

HONDURAS

One of the least known sides in the competition, Honduras go into their second consecutive World Cup and third in total, still searching for a first tournament victory. In their six outings in the showpiece, the Hondurans have drawn three and lost three, a win is something that they will be looking for to avoid three tournaments with no victories.

Honduras qualified in third place from the CONCACAF qualification group, a long way behind winners USA and three points behind second placed Costa Rica. They did however finish above Mexico, a part of World Cup furniture for many a tournament, forcing them into a play off against New Zealand. La H were involved in the qualifying games with the highest goals for and against tally. They netted 13 times but also conceded 12, so expect goals from the Honduran games.

Maynor Figueroa is one of a duo of stalwarts at the back who will be looking to patch up that creaky defence, the Hull City man will add a little bit of pace to the back line as he gains his 106th cap in the Honduran opener. Alongside him will be Victor Bernardez of San Jose Earthquakes. An imposing, powerful defender who is going to be a menace in the in opposing boxes.

Further up the pitch, Oscar Boniek Garcia will be one of the main crafters from midfield, as he looks to emulate his hero, Polish football legend Zbigniew Boniek in his style of play. Roger Espinoza of Wigan Athletic will add some pace down the left hand side and he is a fine creative influence on Luis Suarez’s (Yes that is their manager’s name) side.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Josip Drmic has had a breakout season, bagging 17 league goals for struggling Nuremberg in Germany alongside 3 goals in 7 appearances for his country. He chose Switzerland over Croatia and two of his international goals to date came in a friendly against them in February. His campaign has been rewarded with a move to Bayer Leverkusen and he is the exciting striker that the Swiss have long yearned for.

The obvious choice here is the undoubted talents of Paul Pogba, but that would be too easy. With the absence of Franck Ribery from the squad, the chance to shine on the biggest stage in that left sided birth, falls to Real Sociedad standout Antoine Griezmann. A wide man with bags of pace and skill, he has added goals to his repertoire in the last 12 months, and he has 3 goals in four games for the national side to go along with 16 goals in 31 games for La Real in a great season which will carry on into the World Cup.

While we are on the subject of pacy, skilful wingers, Jefferson Montero, a 24 year old playing his club football for Morelia in Mexico is sure to catch the eye. He is very direct, with the gas to trouble any right back. He is the perfect complement for Antonio Valencia on the other wing and watch for Enner Valencia sliding him in behind the opposing full backs.

Jerry Bengtson of MLS side New England Revolution seems to be a cert to lead the line for Honduras at the World Cup. At 6’2 and with a bulky build, he will be a handful for defences and Bengtson relishes the international stage, scoring 19 goals in 44 games for La H, while he has only netted four times for Revolution in two seasons.

WHO WILL GO THROUGH

Although I like the look of Ecuador’s front four a lot, I cannot see their defence standing up to either Switzerland or France. If it does they will score enough to go through but I cannot see it and so I am going for the European duo to race through, with the Swiss topping the pile.

HOW FAR WILL THEY GO

With Switzerland topping the group, they will likely face Bosnia or Nigeria, they undoubtedly, for me, have the beating of both those sides and they will progress to a quarter final against Germany. That game will not be straightforward for Germany but I see that being the end of the road for Hitzfeld’s men.

France face the tough task of a last 16 date with Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, and Sergio Aguero et al with Argentina. Although it would not surprise me if France shocked an unstable Argentine defence, I see this being a tight win for Argentina and by extension the end of the road for France.

BETTING

Outright:

France 25/1  Switzerland 125/1  Ecuador 200/1  Honduras 1000/1

To Qualify

France 4/5 Switzerland 13/5  Ecuador 4/1  Honduras 25/1