The world cup is soooo close now I have been looking forward to this moment for a such a long time everytime I see world cup ads or world cup flashbacks I get pretty emotional

GROUP E

NETHERLANDS:

The dutch world cup dreams are in tatters after the injury to Arjen Robben they were playing so well and looking so sharp so this is the last thing they would have wanted. It will be touch and go whether he will make it if he doesn't then although I wouldn't completely rule them out it would be very damaging indeed. The Oranje have alot of quality in their ranks but Robben offers something different nobody else in the side offers he is a genuine world class player. Robben is the type of player who can produce brilliance at any given moment forget his goal against United if you want to see a proper volley just look at his goal against Dortmund he is so complete. Elia and Babel might have alot of pace but they wont be as effective anyhow these things happen all they can do is hope for the best and see if he makes it. With or without Robben they will play a 4-2-3-1 formation with De Jong and Van Bommel sitting then the 3 attackers most probably VDV/Sneijder Robben? and Kuyt with Van Persie leading the line. I would choose Sneijder in a blink of a flash and maybe if there are injuries both him and VDV will play but normally its one or the other unfortunately. Most sides envy the attacking quad of the dutch and to be honest its nice to see such an attacking riches of talent particulary when so many star players are missing for one reason or another. In the qualifying they won all their matches and although I accept they had the nicest possible group you cant take away the level of consistency they achieved. They were by no means brilliant but they didn't need to be to overcome the likes of Norway and Scotland but honestly it doesn't matter who the opposition are this side are capable of beating anyone. They proved in the last euro's what a great side they are you can never predict the possibilites for a WC but they have what it takes to get all the way. Forget about the individual talent though the collective spirit and the unity within the squad is the best I have ever seen they have killed their demons. Normally they hate each other and there always seemed to be alot of infighting although recently you did have RVP slamming Kuyt and check out Huntelaar pushing VDV because he wouldnt let him take a free kick against Scotland. Still though its alot better than before but like most sides they have glaring weaknesses particulary in goal and at the back. Van Der Sar had been the no.1 for such a long time but his role has now been taken by the Ajax GK Steklenburg someone who I dont rate at all. He is just a slightly better Almunia he never feel comfortable with him in goal and he is always liable to conceading. The defence has a great promising RB in Van Der Wiel he likes to get forward and supply good crosses but most importantly he is strong and solid at the back. However he is the only player to write home about I have great respect and admiration for Gio he HAS been had a fantastic career but age catches up with everyone and against talented LWs he could struggle. The CB's dont inspire alot of confidence in me out the lot I rate Heitinga the most but thats not really saying alot this is one area where they could well get exposed. Im extremely confident that the Netherlands will escape the group but after that "shrugs shoulders" it will come down to small details they have the potential to do anything but at the same time they have the potential to implode.

Hopes and dreams:

To become world champions for the first time

Star player:

Van Persie- He has been on fire since his return

My prediction:

Netherlands 1 Denmark 1

Netherlands 4 Japan 1

Netherlands 3 Cameroon 0

Anything is possible

DENMARK:

This will be Denmarks first world cup since 1998 when they lost 3-2 to a Rivaldo inspired Brazil and I have to say im really pleased to see them back. I saw alot of their matches in qualifying and I was really impressed they stuck to their style of play and topped a group which contained Portugal and fierce neighbours Sweden. Denmark might not have the flair of the Dutch but they have one of the best team structures around from back to front they have strength and steel in abundance. A compact side with physical strength they play a solid 4-3-3 but that is more like 4-5-1 when they dont have the ball. The miss match of the age group is so vast from Bendtner-Tomasson to Eriksen-Poulsen the group has very young players to experienced pros playing in the twilight of their careers. Nickolas Bendtner needs no extra confidence he has alot of self belief now he has the chance to prove himself on the biggest stage he is someone who could make a huge difference. A player whos main attributes are is strength height and his heading and according to the man himself has no weaknesses at all. A man renowned for scoring late goals if the game is tight and tense at the game dont be at all surprised if Super Nik popped up with the winning goal. With Tomasson playing as the sole central striker Bendtner will occupy LW and will drift in and do a job for the team while remaining a handful for defenders. The not so speedy Dennis Rommedahl will offer support to the strikers but like everyone else he will also do a defensive job for the team. In midfield the experienced and thuggish Christian Poulsen will be the anchorman looking to make himself well known Van Persie and co should be very careful indeed. In goal will be the experienced Thomas Sorensen he will know what its like to be in a side that likes to play long balls out. In defence will be Liverpools Daniel Agger who has suffered alot of frustating knee injuries but he should be fine for the opening match. Partnering him will be the much talked about Simon Kjaer a player who despite only being 21 is already a leader for Denmark. One of the finest up and coming CBs in world football he has pace good composure on the ball strong in the tackle and excellent aerial ability. With Palermo failing to secure a CL spot his future will be up for debate and a good showing at this years tournament should secure him a big move that his talent richly deserves. I fully expect Denmark to get 2nd place in the group and quite comfortably infact they wont be a walkover for anyone in the knockout stages.

Hopes and dreams:

Getting to the quaterfinals

Star player:

Christian Poulsen- Symbolises everything Denmark is about

My predictions:

Denmark 1 Netherlands 1

Denmark 3 Cameroon 2

Denmark 2 Japan 0

I fancy them to cause a shock and beat Italy in 2nd round

JAPAN:

Despite having gone backwards in their development compared to 02 and 06 the Japanese coach bizarrely went out and claimed his sides objective is to make the semi finals. A huge and unrealistic target for a Japan side that is extremely low on confidence and despite playing well for 60 minutes against a poor England side they have been completely off colour. Recent defeats to South Africa and most of all South Korea will have dented their morale even further the hopes and expectations are an all time low. Not since France 98 have Japan gone into a major tournament with such little hope from the public however they still remain one of asia's strongest nations. Like alot of national sides from the Far East they are built by simular characteristics working hard running and playing with alot of pride. Technically and tactically they used to be far superior to their South Korean counterparts but while the Koreans have continued to grow the Japanese for some reason have faltered. Nakamura remains an ever present in the side despite having a torrid year however his importance has now been replace some of the younger places particulary Honda. Lets put things intp prespective just over a year ago this guy was playing in the dutch second division and nobody had heard of him. Now he is playing for CSKA Moskva having scored a great free kick that sent Sevilla out of the CL(check it out) suddenly the stoplight is firmly place on him. He has a long way to go before he can be spoken about in the same breath as Nakata but if Honda keeps on progressing he can write is own name into Japanese folklore. Morimoto might have a distinctive look of a buddha but lets make no mistake about it this kid is a serious player he has a special talent. I dont know what he weighs but he always looks so skinny nevertheless its perhaps an advantage and one of the reasons why he can twist and turn his makers so easily. Unfortunately he is only used as an impact player for the NT as things stand but given enough time he can expose tired looking defences. In goal they are pretty solid and have good depth the defence is very organised and strong but is prone to errors from lack of concentration. Having Tulio at the back is like having Lucio and Samuel into one a physical no nonsense defender not afraid to put his head anywhere and likes pulling peoples shirts. However Japan are to make it through they will need to raise their game significantly.

Hopes and dreams:

Second round

Key player:

Tulio- Needs to stamp authority

My prediction:

Japan 2 Cameroon 2

Japan 1 Netherlands 4

Japan 0 Denmark 2

First round exit

CAMEROON:

Im sorry Cameroon fans(sorry Erm) but after the utterly disgraceful pathetic dam right childish behaviour of "captain" Samuel Etoo I am tempted to dismiss your chances. Roger Milla questioned Etoo's contribution to Cameroon by suggesting he does wonders at club level but nothing with Cameroon I dont know if he said this to make Samuel think "ok I'll show you" but its had the opposite effect. What Etoo said in response just isn't right for someone of his age and experience this is the national team captain for crying out loud and he threatens to walk out dear oh dear. If he wants to act like this then maybe he should sit under a tree with a banana and just hand the captaincy over to Alex Song his cousin Rigobert is what you call a commited proffessional. Samuel Etoo got himself in a friendly match soon after those comments he is clearly shot to pieces mentally it could have huge consequences and severly damage team morale. Cameroon have the most talent in Africa after the Ivory Coast so its not a question of individual quality rather focus and discipline. I dont want to say anymore about Etoo he isn't Cameroons all time scorer for nothing but he just needs to settle down let his feet do the talking and inspire his country to great times. The lions were far form convincing at the ACON back in January after only just scraping through an easy looking group on goals scored and then capitulated against eventual winners Egypt aet. They have massively unachieved for a number of years now the biggest disapointment would be failure to qualify for the last world cup they owe their loyal fans some much needed joy. In goal they have one of La Liga's best shot stoppers(ask Barcelona) in Carlos Kameni unfortunately he is either very good or terrible its always one or the other. The defence is very young but contains household names while the midfield and attack is equally as strong every position has alot of quality. Alex Song started off playing CB for Cameroon but has since moved into midfield and has been an ever present consistently being a star performer. Even though Cameroon had a bad tournament at the ACON he was simply brilliant and was their best player in every game by a country mile infact so he will be vital for them. Jean Makoun will play both roles looking to drive forward as much as possible with Celtics N'Guemo and the powerful Emana battling it for the other midfield spot. Since 1990 the Cameroons have failed to get out the group stage now for that to change they need their captain to change as well.

Hopes and dreams:

Finishing 2nd in the group

Star player:

Samuel Etoo

My predictions:

Cameroon 2 Japan 2

Cameroon 2 Denmark 3

Cameroon 0 Netherlands 3

Group stage exit yet again looms

GROUP F

ITALY:

It is very easy to forget that the Azzurri go into the tournament as the defending champions but if the confederations cup has anything to go by they could be in for a nasty surprise. I have been far from convinced by the Italians for quite some time now they have alot of problems and going into the world cup they are completely out of form. In Marcello Lippi they have a world champions one of the most experienced and top level managers around but his failure to freshen up the squad with fresh blood will be his undoing. Some of his decisions are not for sporting reasons that is evident the only reason he has left Antionio Cassano out of the squad is because Cassano had a bust up with Lippi's son. Whenever a manager leaves out a star player for non sporting reasons I cringe ahhh thats ok at least Balotelli and Rossi will be the squad.........idiota. Balotelli might be a hothead but he is a massive talent however I was certain that Rossi would make the squad but yet again unexplainable decisions have been made.Iaquinta? Not acceptable if I was the manager my side would contain Buffon Maggio Canna Chiellini Criscito De Rossi Marchisio Pirlo Candreva Gilardino Cassano I would have Rossi and Mario on the bench. Everyone will always have their own opinions thats fine but instead of talking about a team mixed with young and experience we are dealing with players coming off poor seasons who are clearly past their sell by date. Lippi will pick experienced back four a strong combative midfield 3 players most likely Pirlo De Natalie and Camoranesi will support lone hitman Gilardino a bit like what he is used to with Fiorentina. Is Buffon the Buffon of 06? Is Pirlo the Pirlo of 06? Is Cannavaro the Cannavaro of 06? no no and no the first two especially have suffered a series of injuries in the past year or so. Infact Pirlo has recently suffered a knock in training and is a massive doubt for the opening match against Paraguay. In terms of individual talent this is the worst Italy squad ever for a major tournament but what you need to understand with the Italians is they are very patriotic their cohesion and spirit can never be questioned. Despite all the problems they faced pre 2006 with the calciopoli scandal they rallied round and united into a close knit group. I believe the semi final clash with Germany really did nail down exactly what they are all about that late Fabio Grosso goal remains with me forever im sure it does with Grosso too watching the world cup at home or on holiday. Cannavaro is one of the best defenders of his generation but the fact he has now gone into semi retirement suggest even he knows his time is drawing to an end. Nevertheless knowing he only has one last shot of the big time just might bring the best out of him just like it did with Zidane 4 years ago when he dragged France up a steep mountain all the way to the final. Despite being written off by many they may and should still reach the quater finals/semi finals but anything more would be a big surprise.

Hopes and dreams:

To retain their crown but thats unlikely

Star player:

Giorgio Cheillini- The next Italian captain in the making

My predictions:

Italy 0 Paraguay 1

Italy 4 NZ 0

Italy 3 Slovakia 2

A second round encounter with Denmark looks to be on the horizon

PARAGUAY:

With all the talk about Maradona and Argentina in the South American qualifying section it may have escaped a few peoples minds what an impressive compaign they had. Having led the table for most of the rounds they then went off the boil a little towards the end of the finishing line and ended up finishing 3rd although only 1 point seperated 3rd and Brazil in 1st. Most South American favour the latin style with free flowing passing but Paraguay earned their results but mixing it up with Santa Cruz and Barrios giving them another another dimension. Having beaten Brazil and Argentina quite comfortably in the toughest qualifying format of them all they will have no fears going into this years tournament. The Paraguarians always seem to obtain results from the bigger nations thats why I fancy them to beat Italy strongs words yes but strong actions will be required. As you all know the sad news will be that Cabanas misses the WC after getting shot in the head however thankfully he is still alive and he is recovering at a rapid pace. In Oscar Cardoza they have a suitable replacement coming off from an excellent season with Benfica just like Santa Cruz he is strong in the air but good with his feet also. Nelson Valdez might not have the same importance as he once did but he and everyone else will be doing their utmost in helping to fill the gap left by Cabanas. Defensively they are so so nothing special but they dont leak too many cheap goals either at the heart of the defence is the captain Paulo Da Silva. Although he has yet to make a full impression with Sunderland his organisation tough tackling and warrior like defending has made him one of the best consistent defenders in south american football. Paraguay dont have the flair or the artistic nature of Brazil or Argentina but they dont have the population nor the resources that the other two process. Out of the 32 teams at the world cup I would place Paraguay somewhere in the middle for class and entertainment value they aren't very inspiring but they aren't particulary boring either. They have never made it past the second round and most likely they wont this time either but they have an excellent opportunity to at least match previous years. Italy will be the favourites for the group but after that Paraguay have alot of hope New Zealand will most likely be the whipping boys while Slovakia are in new territory. If Santa Cruz and co can finally sort their away together away from their home comforts they will be a dangerous proposition.

Hopes and dreams:

To at least obtain a last 16 place

Star man:

Roque Santa Cruz

My predictions:

Paraguay 1 Italy 0

Paraguay 2 Slovakia 3

Paraguay 3 New Zealand 1

Second round defeat to the Netherlands

NEW ZEALAND:

I have such great memories of the Kiwi's triumph against Bahrain a incredible 7 months ago now but I remember it as if it was yesterday. I urged everyone to get behind the boys I have no connection or any particular affiliation I was just desperate for them to make it to the world cup. I was well aware that 1982 was their own previous world cup experience so I was not prepared to see this opportunity slip out their hands. I set my alarm for like 7.30am on a Saturday just so I didnt miss the moment for the first 20 minutes my eyes were about as open as Mr Wu but I was soon wide awake. It was a tense match and looked as if it would stay stalemate until HT but with just seconds remaining a corner was wipped in and Rory Fallon got his head on it to send everyone into a frenzy. The HT interval went quickly and after being fully fresh I was on the edge of my bed watching every moment go by everything was looking so rosey but then something terrible happened. Bahrain had won a penalty after a clumsy tackle from one of the defenders at this point it all you can do is hope for the best. Just as you were resigned to failure Paston makes a great save and at that moment you just knew they were going to do it. Although New Zealand never looked like scoring again to be honest and right up until the final moments it was a back to the wall job so nerve jangling until the end. When the full time whistle went I was so incredibly happy and proud for them not just the players but the fans the people and the country in general. To see such a small nation one which favours several other sports in particular rugby is truely a momentus moment it may not happen again for another 30+ years. I wont hesitate in stating that NZ are the equivalent of a league two side but you can be rest assured that they will be competitive. Ryan Nelsen is by far the most well known figure but you guys should also know Rory Fallon and Chris Killen however since I watch the Hyundai A League show on sky sports im familiar with a vast majority of the players. Shane Smeltz is a goal machine he is the A-league version of David Villa he will be the main target upfront but whether he can do the business at this level remains at best doubtful. Leo Bertos is as quick as lightening his pace could be an element of surprise but having said that offensively they offer very little. Like all small nations they have limitations they will rely on tough and solid organisation height power and pace on the flanks. To say that there is no pressure on the Kiwi's is a massive understatement even a narrow defeat would be seen as a good result they are the side everyone wanted. Slovakia and Paraguary in particular will be under immense pressure to pick up 3 points you just never know shocks can happen but this would be one almighty shock. I dont know what the exact odds are but you would be a millionaire if you put down 50 quid on NZ winning the WC but doing that would be like burning your money. They can get beaten destroyed thrashed humilated and lose every match but they will still be winners in the eyes of many.

Hopes and dreams:

Score a goal

Key player:

Ryan Nelsen will need to play like Bobby Moore but that might not be enough

My predictions:

New Zealand 1 Slovakia 4

New Zealand 0 Italy 4

New Zealand 1 Paraguay 3

SLOVAKIA:

Welcome to the world cup Slovakia! People may often confuse Slovakia with Slovenia but that would be like comparing Emma Bunton with Mel B the comparisons are rather feeble. Unlike their close neighbours Slovakia have genuine household names who grace some of the top clubs in european football but most of all their playing styles are very different. While one team plays looks to defend and play cautiously the other always plays with attacking instincts looking to attack and score as many goals as possible. The boys in blue have several very good players but as soon as you hear the word "Slovakia" you immediately turn your thoughts to Marek Hamsik. The last 3 letters of his surname is very accurate despite only being so young he is already skipper of the NT ahead of more experienced players like Martin Skrtel. Hamsik has been one of the hottest prodigies for the last couple of seasons he is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best players in serie a. What a player a box to box attacking midfielder who has virtually no weaknesses he has the passing of Fabregas the skills of Zidane a bit the striking ability of Lampard and much more. Lavezzi has played with some players but he once said Hamsik is one of the best players he has ever played with he will be desperate to put one over his Napoli team mates from the Azzuri. Vladimir Weiss is another player who you will know alot about he has yet to make any real impact at City yet but also he is a regular in the NT. I hate it when people say "oh hes only in the side because of his dad" what nonsense I remember people used to say Lampard only got in the West Ham team because of his uncle they are just bitter people trying to stir things up. Chelsea's Miroslav Stoch has had a great season winning personally and collectively with FC Twene and although he wont be a starter he will have a good chance of coming on and making an impact. The backline is very strong perhaps a bit dirty at times but neverthless they can deal with the physical and aerial side of the game so well. The biggest weaknesses at the back is their lack of pace sometimes anyway but of movement can cause them problems this will be something the coach will need to sort out quickly. Slovakia will most likely be competiting with Paraguay for 2nd spot it really is too close to call I feel Paraguay have a 51% chance while the Slovaks maybe have 49%. Out of all 4 nations in the group I have no qualms in stating that Slovakia are the best side to watch with but dont under-estimate the dirty work they do. This side has alot of personality so if you think Italy or whoever else will beat them with ease then you are in for a nasty surprise as this group will be so so tight. My belief is Slovakia may just miss out by a whisker due to their lack of world cup experience but in this group anything is possible.

Hopes and dreams:

Second round

Key player:

Marek Hamsik

My predictions:

Slovakia 4 New Zealand 1

Slovakia 3 Paraguay 2

Slovakia 2 Italy 3