Road To Russia - World Cup Team-By-Team Preview - GROUP H
Poland
Manager:
Adam Nawalka
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Bartosz Białkowski (Ipswich Town), Łukasz Fabiański (Swansea City), Wojciech
Szczęsny (Juventus).
Defenders: Jan
Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszyński (Sampdoria), Thiago Cionek (SPAL),
Kamil Glik (AS Monaco), Łukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund), Artur Jędrzejczyk
(Legia Warsaw), Michał Pazdan (Legia Warsaw).
Midfielders: Jakub
Błaszczykowski (VfL Wolfsburg), Jacek Góralski (Ludogorets Razgrad), Kamil
Grosicki (Hull City), Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Bromwich Albion), Rafał Kurzawa
(Górnik Zabrze), Karol Linetty (Sampdoria), Sławomir Peszko (Lechia Gdańsk),
Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow), Piotr Zieliński (Napoli).
Forwards: Dawid Kownacki
(Sampdoria), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli),
Łukasz Teodorczyk (Anderlecht).
Key
player:
Robert Lewandowski: one of the most lethal strikers in the
world.
One-to-watch:
Arkadiusz Milik:
with superb finishing ability and smart positioning, Milik is very dangerous.
Young
gun:
Piotr Zieliński: with everything needed to be the ultimate
central midfielder, Zieliński is an exciting prospect.
Team
overview/style of play:
A strong and powerful side that is littered with
high quality talent. Dominating in qualifying with a fast passed ball movement
and counter attacking game has worked well throughout the Polish run over the
past few years of success. Looking at the team-sheet from top to bottom, there
is a technical ability along with tactical awareness. Kamil Glik at the back
will be an imposing figure, Krychowiak and Blaszyczykowski in the midfield will
provide passing, crossing and a high work rate, while dominant figure Lewandowski
up top will provide a handful for opposition defences to contain. However,
aside from Lewandowski, many nailed on starters have been out of form or have
been under an injury cloud for most of the past domestic season. This
uncertainty of output could place a strain on the overall utilisation of player’s
strengths in manger Nawalka's game plan.
Strengths:
·
World Class striker that topped European
qualifying goal scoring
·
Tall, powerful and strong defenders
·
Settled starting team with experience
Weaknesses:
·
Difficult grouping in group H
·
Out of form players with seasonal injury
struggles
Predicted
line up:
Jerseys:
Verdict:
Poland
have a strong squad and should make it out of the group stage. Nothing is
assured though in what appears to be the most open group.
Colombia
Manager:
José Pékerman
Squad:
Goalkeepers: David
Ospina (Arsenal), Camilo Vargas (Deportivo Cali), José Fernando Cuadrado
(Once Caldas)
Defenders: Cristian
Zapata (Milan), Dávinson Sánchez (Tottenham), Santiago Arias (PSV
Eindhoven), Óscar Murillo (Pachuca), Frank Fabra (Boca Juniors),
Johan Mojica (Girona), Yerry Mina (Barcelona)
Midfielders: Wílmar
Barrios (Boca Juniors), Carlos Sánchez (Espanyol), Jefferson
Lerma (Levante), José Izquierdo (Brighton Hove & Albion), James
Rodríguez (Bayern Múnich), Abel Aguilar (Deportivo Cali), Mateus
Uribe (América), Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate), Juan Guillermo
Cuadrado (Juventus)
Forwards: Radamel
Falcao (Mónaco), Miguel Borja (Palmeiras), Carlos Bacca (Villarreal), Luis
Fernando Muriel (Sevilla)
Key
player:
James Rodríguez: burst onto the scene at the 2014 World Cup,
and has the individual brilliance needed to win his team tight games.
One-to-watch:
José Izquierdo: with his speed, trickery and crossing
ability, Izquierdo will be a handful for opposition defences.
Young
gun:
Davinson Sánchez: very quick across the ground, a smart
passer and a rock of a defender.
Team overview/style
of play:
Russia
2018 qualification was seemingly doomed to fail, with the side putting in
countless inconsistent performances and dropping points in unlikely situations,
none more evident than their 2-1 loss at home to Paraguay on the penultimate
day of qualification after being up 1-0 in the 89th minute.
This inconsistency lead to 45 players being utilised in the qualifying campaign
by coach Josè Pekerman who struggled to find a decent formula for attack and
defence, with Colombia only managing to score 21 total goals, even with the
likes of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez, Carlos Bacca, Juan Cuadrado and Luis
Muriel at his disposal. Going into the World Cup proper, Colombia will have to
utilise their passing and skilful flair game to break down opponents, as a
tough group with Poland, Senegal and Japan all have solid defensive set-ups.
The past inability to score consistently will have to change with either James
or Falcao hitting international form at the right time.
Strengths:
·
Flair and creativity across the frontline
·
Maturity and experience
· Young and solid talent injection in the
backline (Yerry Mina and Davinson Sanchez)
Weaknesses:
·
Heavy reliance on James to perform
heroically
·
Up and down in qualifying
Predicted
line up:
Jerseys:
Verdict:
Could
finish first in the group, but could also finish last.
Senegal
Manager:
Aliou Cissé
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Khadim Ndiaye
(Horoya AC), Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes), Alfred Gomis (Torino)
Defenders: Kara Mbodji
(Anderlecht), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Moussa Wague (Eupen), Saliou Ciss
(Angers), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux), Lamine Gassama (Alanyaspor), Armand
Traore (Nottingham Forest), Salif Sane (Hannover 96)
Midfielders: Pape Alioune Ndiaye
(Stoke), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham), Cheikh N'Doye
(Birmingham)
Forwards: Sadio Mane
(Liverpool), Diao Balde Keita (Monaco), Ismaila Sarr (Rennes), Diafra Sakho
(Rennes), Moussa Konate (Amiens), Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke), Mbaye Niang (AC
Milan)
Key
player:
Sadio Mané: an absolute beast of a footballer
who will give his side much confidence if he brings his A game to the World
Cup.
One-to-watch:
Kalidou Koulibaly: a supreme tackler, strong defender, and
smart reader of the game.
Young
gun:
Keita Baldé: an
extremely fast attacker, who possesses quality finishing ability and ball
control.
Team
overview/style of play:
Having pace to burn is Senegal's best asset. Not many other nations can boast about their running game like the African nation can. Not only this, not many other nations can say they have adequate coverage in wide/central defensive positions to stop Senegalese players like Mane, Keita Balde and Niang from getting in behind and causing a threat. Not only do Senegal have great attacking options they are tight at the back, lead by Napoli juggernaut Koulibaly. Additionally, the midfield provided in the managers set-up will out work almost every opposition and win possession back, along with making surging runs into the box to provide an aerial option from crosses. With midfield dominating, Senegal could beat a lot of possible opponents in the World Cup and have a deep run, with their forwards tearing down the wings and into the penalty area, creating chances and scoring goals.
Strengths:
·
Powerful wing and forward runners
·
Good at getting in and behind opposition
defences in attacking play
·
Top class inform players
·
Strong
Weaknesses:
·
Weak goalkeeper
·
Lack of creativity in central midfield
·
Not knowing what team mentality will
turn up to play
Predicted
line up:
Jerseys:
Verdict:
With
a high class squad, Senegal are in with a real chance of progressing to the
knock-out stages.
Japan
Manager:
Vahid Halilhodzic
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Eiji Kawashima (Metz), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura
(Kashiwa Reysol).
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo
(Galatasaray), Tomoaki Makino, Wataru Endo (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida
(Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg), Gen Shoji,
Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers).
Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe
(Eintracht Frankfurt), Keisuke Honda (Pachuca), Takashi Inui (Eibar), Shinji
Kagawa (Dortmund), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Genki Haraguchi, Takashi
Usami (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe), Ryota Oshima (Kawasaki
Frontale).
Forwards: Shinji Okazaki
(Leicester), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz).
Key
player:
Maya Yoshida: in big match, Japan will need
Yoshida to bring all his Premier League experience to shut down some of the
most dangerous attackers in the world.
One-to-watch:
Shinji Okazaki: a
workhorse striker who never stops running.
Young
gun:
Yosuke Ideguchi: Scoring his debut international
goal against Asian qualifying rivals Australia in a 2-0 win to secure a spot in
Russia 2018, Ideguchi has a big future on the Blue Samurai's right side of
midfield at only 21 years of age.
Team
overview/style of play:
Incredibly technical an tactically sound all over
the pitch despite not having a wealth of playing talent to select from, the
Japanese will set-up with a solid back four and two defensive minded
midfielders to protect them. This style has been successful in the past and in
Asian qualifying, but the inability to defer from this style has been costly
against more formidable opponents. Some exciting attacking outlets in Okazaki,
Honda and Kagawa do provide forward creativity but service into these players
will have to be good for them to really make an impact. The best bet for Japan
to get out of the group will be to absorb pressure and hit on the counter, with
set-pieces also being a priority to score. If they can restrict it to one goal
conceded or even a clean-sheet in games their is a chance. Two or more goals
conceded will be a disaster as it is unlikely the Japanese can score that many
or more in a game.
Strengths:
·
Tactically sound
·
Well-disciplined and smart in possession
·
Fast passing game
·
Collective pressing as a unit
Weaknesses:
·
Lack of reliable goal scorer
· Predictable style of play without much
inventiveness or change, though matter the opposition or score-line
Predicted
line up:
Jerseys:
Verdict:
Will
be competitive in each game, but finishing third or fourth appears most likely.
GROUP A - http://worldwidefantasyclub.blogspot.com/2018/05/road-to-russia-world-cup-team-by-team.html
GROUP B - http://worldwidefantasyclub.blogspot.com/2018/05/road-to-russia-world-cup-team-by-team_31.html
GROUP C - http://worldwidefantasyclub.blogspot.com/2018/06/road-to-russia-world-cup-team-by-team.html
GROUP D - http://worldwidefantasyclub.blogspot.com/2018/06/road-to-russia-world-cup-team-by-team_47.html
GROUP E - http://worldwidefantasyclub.blogspot.com/2018/06/road-to-russia-world-cup-team-by-team_6.html
GROUP F - http://worldwidefantasyclub.blogspot.com/2018/06/road-to-russia-world-cup-team-by-team_8.html
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