2018 FIFA World Cup Group C & Group D

[LeeEvans]

France:

This French side is one of the favorites to win the World Cup this summer. They have unbelievable players in not only the starting XI but also all the way throughout bench, the entirety of the squad and even the reserves. France finished runners up at Euro 2016 on home soil after losing to Portugal and they certainly have the talent to do one better in Russia. One reason people remain skeptical is the manager, former French legend, Dider Deschamps who often deploys France in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. Many people do not believe he gets the best out of the squad available to him and most of his critics think that anything less than victory this summer should see the end of the end his reign.

 Captain Hugo Lloris will start in goal although this is something of a debate amongst French supporters. Lloris has had a rough patch of form for both club and country. On his day, however, he is one of the best keepers in the world and his ability to act as a sweeper as well gives the France side the ability to play higher up the pitch and put the opposition under pressure. With the injury of Laurent Koscielney, Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti will start in the center of defense. Fullback is probably the biggest weakness for the side. Benjamin Mendy is coming back from injury but his match fitness and sharpness is a big question. Sidibe on the other side is a good player but not someone who quite matches the rest of the star-studded squad.

France have an embarrassment of riches in midfield and in the forward areas. In midfield N’golo Kante is certain to be the holding midfielder. Anyone who watches the English Premier League knows his unbelievable defensive ability and the centerbacks will certainly benefit from having Kante in front of them. Paul Pogba has been under criticism for performances at Manchester United and with the national team but Didier Deschamps seems set to maintain the faith with him. Blaise Matuidi and Corentin Tolisso will likely be the players competing for a spot in the starting XI should the manager set them up in 4-3-3.

Up top France has incredibly exciting players. Antoine Griezmann is the undisputed star for the national team and will either start next to another forward or on the right wing. New PSG star Kylian Mbappe will be the main man in a 4-3-3 although Olivier Giroud would likely start should they go with a 4-4-2. Thomas Lemar or Ousmane Dembele will likely start on the left. Both players have struggled this season, Dembele through injury and Lemar with his form but are uniquely talented players and any opposing fullback they come up against will need to be at the top of their game to defend against them.

Star Player:

Antoine Griezmann. The star amongst stars. Griezmann is one of the best forwards in the world and he has proved that at club level and, more importantly, internationally with startling consistency. France’s final appearance at Euro 2016 was mostly on the back of Griezmann and was rewarded by being named player of the tournament.

Breakout Player:

Klyian Mbappe. Every French player is well known around the world. Mbappe gained recognition for his performances for Monaco and then his monster transfer to PSG. He is part of the famous front three of PSG alongside Neymar and Edinson Cavani and is already a star. However, I think this could be the time that he breaks out for the national team and starts to make his mark. 

Denmark:

For the first time in 15 years Denmark are going to a World Cup without Morten Olsen at the helm. Åge Hareide is the man who took over for the Danish icon and has shown glimpses that he might be able to improve upon the former legendary manager. Denmark are firing on all cylinders and have an excellent chance to advance out of a pretty difficult group. Denmark will almost certainly lineup in a 4-3-3 and a large part of their success is managing to get the best out of their star player while still maintaining a strong team spirit.

Leicester City legend and son of former Denmark star Peter Schmeichel, Kasper Schmeichel starts in goal and a very good all-round keeper. He is a good shot stopper and has shown a penchant for big time penalty saves. I would not be surprised to see a Denmark get a result that determines their World Cup progression due to a massive penalty save by Schmeichel. Denmark has a strong central defensive partnership with Simon Kjaer and Andreas Bjelland. Bjelland players for Brentford in the English Championship and is a calm presence on the ball and can pass the ball out from the back. He has managed to keep Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen out of the side which is quite impressive given Christensen’s form.

Denmark has two very talented players in midfield. Thomas Delaney just recently signed for Borussia Dortmund and is a big, strong and talented player in midfield. He is a danger from set pieces but that is not meant to diminish his abilities on the ball. The aforementioned star player of the Danish side is Tottenham star, Christian Eriksen. He is an incredibly well-rounded attacking player and is the largest single source of Denmark’s attacking threat. Eriksen is an excellent set piece taker, has incredible vision and passing range and is also an excellent goal scorer. He is the swiss army knife for the Denmark squad and key to their success this summer.

On the wing Ugandan born Pione Sisto offers a mix of pace and dribbling ability that is lacking from the rest of the Denmark side. Sisto plays for Celta Vigo in Spain and has been very impressive and fits their high energy style that, in many ways, Denmark has implemented into their national team. Everyone’s favorite, Nicklas Bendtner is out through injury and Nicolai Jorgensen is likely to start up top in his place.

 

Star Player:

Christian Eriksen. I talked about him at length earlier but it is not possible to overstate his importance to this team. In so many ways, Denmark goes as far as Eriksen can take them. He had a massive hand in their qualification for the tournament and with him at his best Denmark can be confident of getting past the group stage.

Breakout Player:

Pione Sisto. He’s an exciting player to watch and his pace will cause the opposition problems. He will benefit from Eriksen’s vision and range and I think those two will be the main source of Denmark’s attacking threat.

Australia:

Australia has become an almost ever presence at the World Cup in the last 20 years. However, it appears that Australia one of its poorest sides in recent memory and in a lot of ways, appear to not really know the direction that they want to go. Their former manager Ange Postecoglou was a high tempo and wanted his team to press high up the pitch. After flirting with failing to qualify for the World Cup, Australia beat Honduras in a two-legged playoff to secure their spot. However, Postecoglou lost his job and former Netherlands and Saudi Arabia manger Bert van Marwijk has taken over. Van Marwijk is the antithesis of Postecoglou and he values solidity and tactical organization and is much more negative than the overly adventurous Postecoglou. Van Marwijk plays a 4-2-3-1 formation and the midfield five is strength of the team.

Matt Ryan starts in goal for Australia and has rebounded from a rough start at Brighton and was the undisputed starter for Albion. Trent Sainsbury is the leader of the defense and a quality defender but the rest of the backline is underwhelming and could be exposed. Aaron Mooy and Mile Jedinak, of Huddersfield and Aston Villa respectively, are excellent players and will be the holding midfielders for the side. Mile Jedinak is the captain and scored a hat-trick against Honduras to clinch the Socceroos’ qualification to the World Cup. Aaron Mooy has struggled to translate his club form to international level but if he can change that he offers an incredible passing range and goal scoring ability from midfield.

Robbie Kruse and Matt Leckie are most likely to be the starting wingers and are extremely quick players and will be threats on the counter. They are dangerous players but don’t offer much in possession and are pretty one-dimensional players. Tom Rogic of Celtic will start at attacking midfielder and is a creative player who Australia will need to unlock defenses. Tomi Juric or Andrew Nabbout will start at forward with Juric if he is fully fit.

Star Player:

Mile Jedinak. Australia’s captain who leads by example. He is a strong defensive midfielder who manages to get on the score sheet consistently with the national team. He’s a threat from set pieces and Australia will need him to be in the form that he was in against Honduras in the playoff games to have a chance to progress to the next round. Also, just look at that beard. 

Breakout Player:

Daniel Arzani. At 19 years old, Arzani is coming off a breakout year in the A-League with Melbourne City. He can play at attacking midfielder or winger and could get a chance to start over Kruse or Leckie. He’s a player who can offer a bit more creativity than the two wingers and his combination with Rogic could provide a spark. He might have to be patient and come off the bench at first but he is almost certain to get his shot.

 

Peru:

Manager Ricardo Gareca is a legend in Peru after leading the national team to the World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Peru managed to qualify for the tournament after beating New Zealand in a two-legged playoff following finishing fifth in the South American region ahead of the likes of Chile and Paraguay. Peru usually play a 4-2-3-1 but can switch to a 4-4-2 when chasing a game. Peru and Denmark will likely be the two sides fighting for second place in the Group C and a spot in the knockout round.

Pedro Gallese, who plays in Mexico with Veracruz, will start in goal. The backline is solid and better as a sum of it parts than its individual parts with veteran Alberto Rodríguez and Christian Ramos as central defenders. The holding midfielders Renato Tapia and Yoshimar Yotún are underrated players who work well with each other. Yotún plays for Orlando City in the MLS and is a versatile player who can play on the left in midfield or defense. Tapia plays for Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie and is also a versatile player who can play on the right or center of defense.

The three attackers in front of the holding midfielders are André Carrillo, Christian Cueva and Jefferson Farfán and all three are excellent players for Peru. Christian Cueva plays for São Paulo in Brazil, he plays behind the forward and is a creative player who links well with the forward and wingers, he is responsible for most attacking play in the Peru squad.

Most of the news surrounding Peru has surrounded the status of their captain and star player Paolo Guerrero. Fortunately for Peru, his suspension has been lifted and he is available for the tournament. The 34-year-old Guerrero plays for Flamengo in Brazil and is the all-time leading scorer for the national team and scored five goals in qualifying including a crucial equalizer against Uruguay on the last round of qualification.

Star Player:

Paolo Guerrero. The forward embodies the grit and spirit of this Peru side. He leads from the front and has a penchant for scoring important goals.

Breakout Player:

Edison Flores. Flores plays in Denmark with Aalborg and could potentially start over Carrillo and played very well against Paraguay and Ecuador.

[LeeEvans]

Argentina:

Messi. Let’s get that out of the way right from the start. Argentina has the best player in the world and, in my opinion, the best player of all time in their squad. For so long he has shouldered the hopes of a nation and thus far has been unable to overcome the final hurdle including losing the final in Brazil at the 2014 World Cup against Germany. Qualification for the 2018 World Cup was nothing short of disastrous. Although Argentina finished third, their qualification was not secure until the final match day and they fired their manger Edgardo Bauza during the qualification campaign. Argentina replaced him with Jorge Sampaoli who was the former manager of the Chile national team and led them to a 2015 Copa America triumph. Sampaoli managed to get Argentina to the World Cup but there is still a feeling that all is not well in the side, more than ever the only discernable tactics and play style seems to be get the ball to Messi and let him do all the heavy lifting. The fact he has been able to shoulder the load is a testament to his abilities as a player but it is hard to imagine this leading to him lifting his first World Cup trophy this summer.

The Argentina squad is undoubtedly very top heavy. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero was ruled out through injury meaning that Willy Cabellero will likely start in goal despite seeing very little game time at Chelsea. Nicolas Otamendi is the foundation of the backline but the talent surrounding him is shockingly poor. Federico Fazio or Marcus Rojo will likely partner Otamendi but neither player is reliable. The fullbacks are even less convincing and there is little evidence the group has improved in the lead up to the World Cup. Midfield has its own questions with veteran Lucas Biglia coming off a back injury and his fitness uncertain. Giovani Lo Celso is likely to start next to him and the PSG player is mostly untested at international level. Javier Mascherano could potentially start next to Biglia but he is in decline and most likely will come off the bench. Generally speaking the midfield is old and not incredibly talented like so many of the past Argentina sides.

Argentina has an incredible amount of attacking talent with the likes of Higuain, Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Dybala and, of course, Lionel Messi. Argentina have struggled to find a way to get all of these parts to work together and they continue to struggle to be more than just a team of individuals. Sergio Aguero is likely to get the start up top although Higuain and Dybala are more than able to come on and make a difference.

 

Star Player:

Lionel Messi. Honestly what more can one say about Messi? He’s arguably the best player in the history of the game and does it all for Argentina.

Breakout Player:

Giovani Lo Celso. At 22 the PSG player has the ball distribution that is really lacking among the rest of the midfield.

 

Iceland:

The small nation of Iceland has followed up their major tournament debut at Euro 2016 by qualifying for their first ever World Cup by winning their qualification group above teams like Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey which is an incredible achievement. Iceland were the stars of Euro 2016 and they will be hoping for a repeat performance at the World Cup. Heimir Hallgrímsson became the sole manager after Euro 2016 and sets Iceland up in a 4-5-1, he also continues to work part time as a dentist. Iceland are a compact and defensive side who are dangerous from set pieces and counter attacks, they aren’t flashy but they are effective and work extremely hard for one another.

Kári Árnason and Ragnar Sigurdsson should start in central defense for Iceland and they are good friends off the pitch and complement each other on it. They start in front of film director Hannes Thor Halldórsson in goal who is a solid if not spectacular keeper. The fulbacks, Hördur Magnússon and Birkir Már Saevarsson are quality players who are adept at getting forward and help spring counter attacks. Midfielders Aron Gunnarsson and Gylfi Sigurdsson are the stars of the team. Gunnarsson is captain for the side and is a great defensive midfielder who plays for Cardiff and he possesses a very dangerous long throw that Iceland are not shy to use. Gylfi Sigurdsson shoulders the vast majority of creativity in the Iceland side. Despite having a shaky year at Everton he has shown his quality with Swansea and is key to the Iceland side. He has good passing range, a powerful long range shot and is a dead ball master, Sigurdsson will go a long way in deciding how Iceland do at this tournament.

On the wings Gudmundsson and Bjarnason are good goal scorers and Gudmundsson is coming off an incredible season with Burnley in the Premier League. Up top Bödvarsson will likely start although Alfred Finnbogason of Augsburg could challenge for that spot, Finnbogason is a very talented goal scorer while Bödvarsson works a little harder from the front and constantly runs the channels to relive pressure and start counter attacks. If it hasn’t become clear yet Iceland have far and away the coolest named players of any nation at the World Cup.

Star Player:

Glyfi Sigurdsson. Devastating goal scorer and principal creator for the Iceland side, everything runs through him and he is most likely the one to produce any magic for the team.

Breakout Star:

Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson. I’m going to say Gudmundsson even though he just had a great year with Burnley. His left foot is amazing and he offers goals, speed and is really incredibly well rounded. Defenders are not going to look forward to him cutting inside from the right hand side.

 

Croatia:

Croatia under manager Zlatko Dalic play in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Many managers have struggled to get the most out of the midfield talents of Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric for the national team. Dalic has decided to move Modric further upfield and while it means he sees less of the ball than in a traditional midfield role the time he does have on the ball is in much more dangerous positions. Croatia finished second behind Iceland in qualifying and had to qualify for the World Cup via the playoffs against Greece which they won after a dominating first leg away performance in which they won 4-0. Croatia have one of the oldest squads at the tournament and this has the feeling of a golden generation’s last chance to achieve something on the world stage.

In defense, Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren will likely partner Vedran Corluka. Left back is once again a weakness with Ivan Strinic the likely man given the challenge in Russia. Ivan Rakitic is deployed in one of the pivot roles in midfield and has to a little more defending than usual but he has the passing range to bring the ball out from deep and create attacks. A more defensively sound midfielder will start next to him, meaning Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozović likely find a spot on the bench.

Ivan Perisic starts on the left and he is a very dangerous player who adds some dynamism to the side. Modric pulls the string behind the forward and his incisive passing should lead to chances for the wingers and whoever starts at forward. Mario Mandzukic will start up top and he is a lethal finisher who can score goals in a manner of ways, he is flashy but he is deadly. Andrej Kramaric will start on the right and while he is more effective as a forward he and Mandzukic combine well and their movement is key to the Croatia attack.

Star Player:

Luka Modric. Now, more than ever, Croatia flow through Modric. While he is undoubtably a better player a little farther back in midfield, for Croatia, he provides the incisiveness that the team has strangely lacked for too long.

Breakout Star:

Andrej Kramaric. A star at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, Kramaric is finally receiving the chance to prove his talents on the national team. He is a good finisher and his movement is something that defenders often struggle with him. Mandzukic is the hammer up top but Kramaric pops up in the dangerous areas and teams will need to keep an eye on him.

Nigeria:

German manager Gernot Rohr leads the Super Eagles into Russia and Nigeria will be another team who plays a 4-2-3-1 formation. In contrast to Croatia, Nigeria’s 4-2-3-1 is much more defensive and the team is built on a strong defensive formation. Nigeria lack some of the star power that they once had but have found a new resiliency that was once a criticism of the side.

Leon Balogun and William Troost-Ekong are the center backs for the side and compliment each other well, one is more of a ball playing defender and the other is more physical and is strong in the air. Ogenyi Onazi and Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi are deployed as the defensive midfielders in front of the backline and are excellent at breaking up play, however they do struggle going forward and contribute little in terms of passing or creating opportunities. Due to this the front four are asked to create almost everything on their own, fortunately for Nigeria their star players are found in this area. Mikel John Obi is the captain for Nigeria and he is the metronome for the side, he sets the pace and spreads the ball around with an authority no one else in the side can replicate. Victor Moses of Chelsea is not deployed as a wingback like he is at club level but instead is unleashed on the wing and is constantly running at defenders and trying to create havoc behind defenders. Former Watford player Odion Ighalo will start up top and he does a good job of holding up play and giving the wingers and Mikel a chance to get forward.

Star Player:

Mikel John Obi. In a side that struggles to retain possession and doesn’t have many strong passers, Mikel is the key to the Nigeria side. He controls the midfield and is the embodiment of what a captain should be, he is ever present and at the heart of everything Nigeria do.

Breakout Player:

Francis Uzoho. At 19, he should be the starting goalkeeper and became the youngest foreign player to debut in La Liga.

[drd23]

I'd argue that Mooy is our star player, but its not like it matters because we'll do well to get more than a point out of the group

All anyone wants in Australia from the first game against France is to not get destroyed like we did in 2010 when our first game was against Germany.

Also, Postecoglou quit after securing qualification, in large part because of constant complaints about his chosen formation and style of play that was neither getting results or putting the players in best position to perform well, rather than him losing his job

[LeeEvans]

9 minutes ago, drd23 said:

I'd argue that Mooy is our star player, but its not like it matters because we'll do well to get more than a point out of the group

All anyone wants in Australia from the first game against France is to not get destroyed like we did in 2010 when our first game was against Germany.

Also, Postecoglou quit after securing qualification, in large part because of constant complaints about his chosen formation and style of play that was neither getting results or putting the players in best position to perform well, rather than him losing his job

I don't watch enough of Australia to really argue the point. Mooy is unquestionably the most talented player for Australia, I've just read a lot that says his form for Huddersfield hasn't transferred over to Australia and I went for a performance over talent. Like I said though, you'd know better than I. 

Good catch on Postecoglou, definitely meant that he left rather than got fired. I'm kinda disappointed that they hired Van Marwijk, Australia were a blast to watch to watch in 2014 and it seems like they still have awful results this WC but will also be dire to watch. 

I agree Australia will face an up hill task of getting anything from this group. I think Peru will be their best chance of getting anything, definitely one of the worst Australia sides in quite some time. 

[drd23]

49 minutes ago, LeeEvans said:

I've just read a lot that says his form for Huddersfield hasn't transferred over to Australia and I went for a performance over talent.

This is pretty much true, but I think a large part of that is the way that Australia has played over the last 3 or 4 years and the fact that the guys typically on the end of his more incisive passes are either frequently off-side - Robbie Kruse in particular is always off-side and somehow always looks surprised when he is - or unable to convert.  Mooy's dead ball work hasn't been of his typical standard for the Socceroos though

53 minutes ago, LeeEvans said:

definitely one of the worst Australia sides in quite some time. 

As I said in one of the other threads, this squad over the last 3 or 4 years is the worst that I can remember going back to before 1997.  Its been a number of years since we've had a player good enough to get even somewhat regular game time at a good club in a top league

[Hunter2_1]

Group D is the group of the kits.

Probably also the hardest to predict - wouldn't be surprised to see a massive jumble there. I'm pulling for Croatia! Beautiful place, beautiful people, some good footballers.

[LeeEvans]

3 hours ago, Hunter2_1 said:

Group D is the group of the kits.

Probably also the hardest to predict - wouldn't be surprised to see a massive jumble there. I'm pulling for Croatia! Beautiful place, beautiful people, some good footballers.

I'd give Group H the slight edge in hardest to predict. I'm not huge on Nigeria and I think Iceland might find this a tougher task than the Euros. 

You're right about the kits though, all of them are great looking. I think Croatia end up qualifying rather easily although, for being so talented, the tend to not play up to their potential.  

[LeeEvans]

14 hours ago, drd23 said:

This is pretty much true, but I think a large part of that is the way that Australia has played over the last 3 or 4 years and the fact that the guys typically on the end of his more incisive passes are either frequently off-side - Robbie Kruse in particular is always off-side and somehow always looks surprised when he is - or unable to convert.  Mooy's dead ball work hasn't been of his typical standard for the Socceroos though

As I said in one of the other threads, this squad over the last 3 or 4 years is the worst that I can remember going back to before 1997.  Its been a number of years since we've had a player good enough to get even somewhat regular game time at a good club in a top league

It will be interesting to see if Arzani gets a chance out wide over Kruse or Leckie. I dont think it will be the first match but after that I think he starts one of the remaining matches.

And yeah I agree with you. That backline is poor, Ryan is an okay keeper but he is nothing special. Cahill is more or less done and there isn't anyone to replace him. The midfield is decent but I don't think it's enough to cover the rest of the cracks. This is probably Jedinak's last meaningful match as well. 

[Hunter2_1]

Croatia is my adopted team (aside England), and if YOU TOO feel like supporting Vatreni (The Blazers), perhaps the following can persuade you...

Place

 

 

 

People

 

 

 

 

Stars

 

 

HRVATSKA

Thanks for indulging me Lee. I'm done

 

 

[LeeEvans]

@Hunter2_1 I should take your post down for not including Rakitic as a star! 

I'm really hoping that they can live up to their talent because they have never been as good as their individual parts. Rakitic, Modric, Kovacic, Mandzukic and Kramaric are incredible players are really should be challenging for the quarterfinals at the least. 

[Buddyboy]

Russia WC Prediction

Group A

Uraguay

Egypt

 

Group B

Spain

Portugal

 

Group C

France

Denmark

 

Group D

Argentina

Croatia

 

Group E

Brazil

Costs Rica

 

Group F

Germany

Mexico

 

Group G

Belgium

England

 

Group H

Poland

Senegal

 

 

 

[LeeEvans]

I'll have Group D up tonight finally. 

[LeeEvans]

16 hours ago, Buddyboy said:

Russia WC Prediction

Group A

Uraguay

Egypt

 

Group B

Spain

Portugal

 

Group C

France

Denmark

 

Group D

Argentina

Croatia

 

Group E

Brazil

Costs Rica

 

Group F

Germany

Mexico

 

Group G

Belgium

England

 

Group H

Poland

Senegal

 

 

 

Mostly agree. Group E will be an interesting one. Any of those sides can finish second but Costa Rica and Switzerland are probably the favorites. 

I'll go with Colombia winning group H and Senegal finishing second. 

[Hunter2_1]

22 hours ago, LeeEvans said:

@Hunter2_1 I should take your post down for not including Rakitic as a star! 

I'm really hoping that they can live up to their talent because they have never been as good as their individual parts. Rakitic, Modric, Kovacic, Mandzukic and Kramaric are incredible players are really should be challenging for the quarterfinals at the least. 

Agreed. I don't think they will either. Got a bad feeling.

Perišić is in decent form though, and they tend to lean on him down the left a lot. Corluka and Lovren as CBs isn't too inspiring...

[Hunter2_1]

1 hour ago, LeeEvans said:

Mostly agree. Group E will be an interesting one. Any of those sides can finish second but Costa Rica and Switzerland are probably the favorites. 

I'll go with Colombia winning group H and Senegal finishing second. 

You reckon? I got Serbia second. That MF of Matic, Milivojevic, Milinkovic-Savic looks beastly. Mitrovic on form, plus pace on wings. Full backs defensively are a problem.