GROUP B
Current World Cup holders find themselves in Group B with their World Cup 2010 Final opponents The Netherlands. In my view the Dutch have improved since that day, infact their kick em and hit em tactics they employed in that game seem a distant memory and was ill-advised at the time! The Spanish team is 4 years older and could be considered an "ageing" team, that said they are still a quality outfit, and given the Champions League was contested by the 2 Madrid clubs suggest that they will still be a force to be reckoned with. However in the heat and given a number of the team have UEFA Championship winners medals and World Cup medals will they be as hungry to do it all again?
Chile are the interesting team here, ranked above the Netherlands in the FIFA rankings and from the South American continent they must be considered a threat to this group. Australia make up the quartet, I fear they will struggle to get a goal let alone a point against these 3 teams.
I don't think this group is a given for Spain, despite being ranked 1 in the world they could be vulnerable to teams with more to gain. Spain are 1/6 to qualify from their group, this is incredibly short given the quality of Chile and the Dutch. Spain play The Netherlands first in this group, whoever fails to win that game will be struggling to qualify, I just have a sneaky feeling it will be Spain that will struggle and could be another previous winner to come back and struggle at the next competition.
I can see The Netherlands winning this Group and Chile going through in second place.
Predicted finishing positions
The Netherlands
Chile
Spain
Australia
The Netherlands at 3/1 and Chile at 4/1 to win the group are huge prices, I would avoid the spanish at 4/6 as they are too short and could well struggle from the start!
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