Group D features 4 very talented teams. With the injury to Drogba of the Ivory Coast, Group D has become, in my opinion, the group of death for this world cup. All 4 teams feature marquee players that are known world wide. Each team brings its own style but one theme is common among them all, strength. Each team plays physical soccer and thus, if you love the game being played by true men, this is the group to watch. The Germans are the top team in the group. Without a doubt, they are class. I have absolute hatred for their team, but at the same time i have absolute respect for them. They are, even without their captain Michael Ballack, one of the best squads in the world. Following them is the team from down under. The Socceroos play a style that is very English but adds just a little more flair. They are a dangerous team that got robbed by the diving Italians in world cup 2006 and will be out to prove that it was not a fluke that they did well. Next up is Ghana, one of the few African teams people say has a chance if given the proper support. The biggest thing holding them back, however, is the injured Michael Essien. Had he been with the team this group would be extremely unpredictable, without him, its only really unpredictable. Last in the group is another European squad, Serbia. The Serbs are known for the defense with one of the best center backs in the world, Vidic, anchoring the team. All 4 teams could advance out of group play, its the honest truth. Each of them would cause even the likes of Brazil issues. Group D, the true group of death as far as I am concerned.
Germany
The loyal fans from 2006 hope to go deeper this time around
The usual white home kit for the Germans
Followed by the usual road black kit (DC United anyone?)
The Germans, as with seemingly every world cup, are one of the top teams and could easily win the cup. They have talent across the board and on the bench. They have the brute force typical of any German squad and the work rate to match. Germany prides itself on playing the beautiful sport with strength and in South Africa there will be no exception. These men aren't the type you want to meet in a dark alley. With Ballack suffering a bad injury in the FA cup, Lucas Podolski has become the player to watch in my book. The creative forward will find a way to score even if it means chopping you down in the process. Podolski and the rest of the Germans have, as always, a lot of pressure coming from the home land. The German press expects great things, even with their horrible draw in the group stage. The funny thing about this group, to me at least, is that the winner will have to face England or the US. As I have it, England will take second. Do you really want to win this group just to have to face the English? The Germans will take anybody, they don't care.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Jorg Butt. Manuel Neuer, Tim Wiese
Defenders: Dennis Aogo, Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, Arne Friedrich, Marcell Jansen, Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker, Serdar Tasci
Midfielders: Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Marko Marin, Mesut Özil, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Piotr Trochowski
Forwards: Cacau, Mario Gomez, Stefan Kießling, Miroslav Klose, Thomas Müller, Lukas Podolski
Australia
The Socceroos hope not to lose their pants in South Africa...
Yes, I would like fries with that
Oh good, you went and got your manager
Besides looking like a bunch of McDonald's workers, Australia will have some big shoes to fill. In 2006 they were robbed by the Italian submarines and the ref that awarded an Emmey. Timmy Cahill is the man to watch. His play at Everton this season has been top notch and he is the engine of the Australian team. If Kewell can get fully fit my their first match against Germany this team could really cause havoc. I think Australia plays some rather attractive manly soccer. They do it with flair but they don't sacrifice the physical aspect, in fact, they add more. One thing is for sure, you will see some great defense in this group. Each team is known to make a bone crushing tackle and not look back. Australia's Lucas Neill, though he is up their in age, is the enforcer of the back line. Their defeat to the US today was more or less them looking at what they had depth wise. They don't have really any, was the answer. They need Kewell back. I have high hopes that Australia will play much better than they look, not like that is saying much though.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Adam Federici, Brad Jones, Mark Schwarzer
Defenders: Michael Beauchamp, David Carney, Mark Milligan, Craig Moore, Lucas Neill
Midfielders: Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill, Scott Chipperfield, Jason Culina, Brett Emerton, Richard Garcia, Vincenzo Grella, Mile Jedinak, Harry Kewell, Carl Valeri, Dario Vidosic, Luke Wilkshire
Forwards: Brett Holman, Joshua Kennedy, Nikita Rukavytsa
Ghana
The Black Stars will be in search of someone to fill the massive gap Essien left
The awesome home kit, featuring the star
The not so awesome road kit, yikes
Ghana has the capabilites to be the dark horse of the tournament. If they had Essien, I would really but into that statement. A solid holding mid can really be the cornerstone of a team. Without that piece, however, Ghana will be searching for answers. The man to fill the gap, or at least attempting to fill that gap, will be Inter's Sulley Muntari. The skilled midfielder has some quality speed and is willing to do the dirty work. In fact, he does it a bit too much at times. He is a known hothead and will get a cheap yellow or possibly even red if provoked. While nobody can really fill the shoes Essien left, Muntari is a decent attempt at answering the problem. Looking across their roster you see names that arent very well known. Dont let this fool you. The Black Stars are talented, deep, and well organized. They will be a force to be reckoned with.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Adjei, Stephen Ahorlu, Richard Kingson
Defenders: Lee Addy, Ibrahim Ayew, Samuel Inkoom, John Mensah, Jonathan Mensah, John Pantsil, Hans Sarpei, Isaac Vorsah
Midfielders: Anthony Annan, Kwadwo Asamoah, André Ayew, Derek Boateng, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah
Forwards: Dominic Adiyiah, Matthew Amoah, Asamoah Gyan, Owusu-Abeyie Quincy, Prince Tagoe
Serbia
The Serbs are a strong talented team that could easily send a top team home early
Their English... I mean Inter... I mean home kit
They are really just trying to be english arent they
Serbia is one of those nations you look at and say "how are they so good". They arent huge, they dont have quality players across the board, yet they always seem to be causing problems. They are a big physical team with defenders and midfielders at some of the premier clubs in the world. 3 of the most notable names are Stankovic, Ivanovic, and Vidic (say ic a couple more times just for fun). Inter Milan, Chelsea FC, and Manchester United... not too shabby. These 3 are the backbone of this team. Their strength in the back and through the middle are what makes this team so hard to beat. With a team that prides itself on defense, its really hard as an american to see the name Neven Subotic on their roster. The talented young man lived here in Salt Lake for awhile, moving here when he was 10. It is a dark mark on the US Youth system that he wasnt picked for the U-20 world cup and is now playing in the defense of one of the best defensive teams in the world. You wont be scoring many goals against them, and they likely wont be scoring many against you, but they are talented and will kill you on set pieces. Could they be the team to push the Germans? Given that they are actually healthy, its hard to argue against it.
Roster:
Goalkeepers: Andjelko Djuricic, Bojan Isailovic, Vladimir Stojkovic, Branislav Ivanovic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Aleksandar Lukovic, Ivan Obradovic, Antonio Rukavina, Neven Subotic, Nemanja Vidic
Midfielders: Milan Jovanovic, Gojko Kacar, Milos Krasic, Zdravko Kuzmanovic, Nenad Milijas, Milos Ninkovic, Radoslav Petrovic, Dejan Stankovic, Zoran Tosic
Forwards: Danko Lazovic, Dragan Mrdja, Marko Pantelic, Nikola Zigic
Matches:
6/13: Germany 2 - Australia 1
6/13: Serbia 1 - Ghana 1
6/18: Germany 2 - Serbia 2
6/19: Ghana 1 - Australia 2
6/23: Ghana 3 - Germany 3
6/23: Australia 1 - Serbia 2
Derived Standings
Germany 5 pts, +1 GD, 7 GF, 6 GA
Serbia 5 pts, +1 GD, 5 GF, 4 GA
Australia 3 pts, -1 GD, 4 GF, 5 GA
Ghana 2 pts, -1 GD, 5 GF, 6 GA
Key:
pts = Points
GD = Goal Differential
GF = Goals For
GA = Goals Against
With Group C already figured out, here is the first knockout stage:
USA 2 - Serbia 0
Germany 2 - England 2 (5-4 pens, Germany)
Best Kit in Group D: Serbia Home
- Honorable mention to the German Kits and Ghana Home
Worst Kit in Group D: Ghana Road
- Honorable mention to the Australian Kits
Cheers,
15 to 32
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