World Cup Preview - Group C - Ivory Coast
FIFA ranking: 21st
Coach: Sabri Lamouchi
Game Schedule:
June 14 – Ivory Coast vs. Japan (Pernambuco, 9:00. EST, ESPN)
June 19 – Ivory Coast vs. Colombia (Brasilia, 4:00 p.m., ESPN2)
June 24 – Ivory Coast vs. Greece (Fortaleza, 4:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Prospects: Every time the World Cup spins around, soccer watchers predict big things for African sides such as The Ivory Coast. It's true that they have one of the most talented teams assembled by an African nation with bags of European experience. Yet, the squad looks mighty thin beyond the first team and tournament experience at the latter stages always seems to favor the European and South American sides.
Key Player: Manchester City's Yaya Toure is the most dynamic all-round midfield talent on the planet; he'd walk into any of the 32 World Cup teams.
Youngster to watch: I have to give a shout-out to former Leeds United star Max Gradel - now at St. Etienne and still only 24.
Who Will Get the Goals: Les Elephants are overly reliant on 36 year old Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba to supply the finishes; he made need some support from rejuvenated Roma winger Gervinho.
Who Will Get the Cards: Liverpool's Kolo Toure has never been a true center back and he's gotten a bit creaky at this point.
Funniest Name in the Squad: Eintract Frankfurt defender Constant Djakpa
Prediction: The closing match between Ivory Coast and Colombia should decide this group, and I'm sticking with me guns in picking the Elephants. But that merely gets them a Round of 16 match with World Cup standbys Italy. Another Round of 16 exit.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 12:23 PM
1 Comments:
I agree . The Cote D'Ivoire should edge out Nippon for second place and go out to Italy in the round of sixteen. I need to make a correction: The Elephants have been third in their group the previous two World Cups, so this would be their fist time participating in the knockout stages.
My next correction in youngster to watch is that Gradel is 26, so would he still be considered a youngster? Most of the stars are established players , so is there a youngster to watch?
Yaya is obviously the key player. The cards : How about the vile Cheick Tiote. I would already start him on a card as well as former Spud, Didier Zokora, now on Trabzonspor and losing a step at age 33.
Several players can get the goals. There is Drogba, Salmon Kalou , and Wilfreid Bony, who at age 24 may be the youngster to watch.
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