Predictions

I just can't see Nigeria and Argentina not making it out... despite them being crap of late. Very beneficial draw for the two sides.

Greece plus just about any of the other teams.

This is not a shoo-in for anybody and even Korea can sneak through, but I think Greece is one of the two teams that advances. Likely Argentina based on history, but they will have to pull it together between now and then.

1- Argentina
2- Greece

most likely this group is Argentina and Nigeria

If Greece doesn't win their first game v Korea they will have to come and play against Nigeria and not defend(knowing ARG awaits after). In this scenario I think we will handle them easily. If they beat Korea and play defence against us, it could be tough. Korea also has given us troubles at youth level, but in a must win game, I think we take them.

Nigeria has a very good record of making knockout stages in WC's , we've been in the group of death all 3 of our previous tournaments, twice we topped the group, we should advance from this group as long as we aren't too cocky and respect Korea and Greece.

1. Argentina
2. Nigeria

Talent wins out for group supremacy. With the rest of the group pretty even, being on the continent will make a big difference for the Nigerians.

we have a weak coach as well who likes to play players who suck at the expense of obviously more talented ones. Hopefully he is replaced before the WC, but its looking less likely. By the way I hope Yak stays injured, he sucks, we have much better strikers, but our stupid coach keeps picking him even when he just got off injury and hasn't played for his club, while other strikers who are scoring for their clubs are confined to the bench.

I guess its a good thing we didn't play that friendly a couple of weeks back

hey guys, a proud korean here. just wanna let everyone know that our korean team is very tough with young new talents. i feel very good about our chances getting a spot in the knockout stage

I think this is a VERY interesting group. No clear winners in my book and although I'll be supporting Korea, it will be difficult for them to advance through the group stage. Many Koreans feel that our team is underestimated and I definitely agree. We'll put on a show that will surprise you guys.

I say Argentina and Korea although Nigeria is the other big concern. We must beat Greece the first day!!!!

Park Chu Young at AS Monaco
Ki Sung Yong at Celtic FC

Our U-20 World Cup team which made the Quarters in this year's World Cup has many potential NT starters.

Frankly, I wouldn't be so disappointed if we didn't progress to the R16, good learning experience, we should be a formidable side in 2014.

1. Nigeria
2. Argentina

we'd probably be most like Ivory Coast, but we have a much better defence and goalie than they do, but our attack and midfield wouldn't be as good.

Park Chu Young is currently 24 years of age and during the 2006 period, he had a loss of form. He's been playing with a lot of confidence nowadays and I hear that the Frenchman love him. He's no Messi, but PCY is the only decent striker on our team. If he were to be injured, our offense would be dramatically weakened like we saw in Serbia VS Korea. (1-0) and Denmark Vs Korea (0-0).

Please be easy with him when we play you guys.

Ki Sung Yong holds tremendous potential. Being one of the Korean Blue Dragons (Lee Chung Yong and Ki Sung Yong), I'm interested in how he'll do at Celtic. I'm sure it'll be a valuable learning experience and he'll only improve for the World Cup.

I think any teams have good chance of advancing,

Greece is one of the worst European teams in the world cup along with Slovakia. But still a decent side, although they never regained any success after Euro 2004.
Argentina is on a such a shitty form, I don't know which team will show up, but still have enough individual talents to beat any teams.
Nigeria had tough time in qualifying and I heard they are replacing their coach, because players dont believe in him. Martins is out of form, he only plays throwaway matches and usually on the bench, Yakubu is been out for while cause of injury, I dont know how well he will come back from it.
Korea has been in decent form and comfortable qualifying and beat decent teams in friendlies, although most them were at home. After Denmark and Serbia friendlies away from home displayed some signs that they can perform outside away from home.

I can kinda see where this is going, Argentina probably fall out again just like in 2002. Its up for grabs for these three teams, but I fancy Nigeria and Korea going through.

Another Korean-American fan here.

Frankly, before the draw, I had all along wanted to avoid the likes of Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. These teams pose the worst kind of havoc for the Korean NT with their crisp passing game, good organization, and fast -paced attack, just to name a few of their strenghs.

I am sure that some of us Koreans might be "happy" to catch Argentina, a much storied team in the history of soccer, at a bad timing with Maradona at the helm, but please lets not forget about the fact that the same Brazil, which struggled with the regional qualifying eight years ago, literally cake-walked all the way to WC championship in 2002.

In other words, it would be a highly foolish and unsubstantiated presupposition to assume that Argentina team will show up for the main event in the same form we have witnessed in the past six months or so.

I hate to use an analogy or even refer to other sports to make this point, but how often have we seen a mediocre regular season NBA team (re: Houston, Lakers, San Antonio) that literally rise to occasion and wipe out all the opponents during the playoff?

Great teams know how to respond, and to say Argentina is just a great team is itself an absurd understatement.

True, we dont have to fear them, but to say that we will beat them is sheerly unfounded.

Back in 2003, when Argentina came to Korea for a friendly after a match with Japan (4-nil for Argentina victory), we lost to Argentina in the score of 1-0, to which many Koreans rejoiced for a moral victory.

But if anyone had watched the game closely, we basically played 9-back deep into our territory for the most of game, with one lonely and helpless forward standing in the middle line for any chance of counterattacks.

If I take a shot at how the game will unfold for KOrea for a dance with Argentina, I think we will, rightly, focus on stopping Messi, a tactic that will prove to be successful, because everyone in the stadium will know that the offense of Argentina will start at the foot of Messi. We will probably use every available tactics imaginable out there to fully stop Messi. We can do so not because we can "control or defend" Messi, but because Korea will inevitably do everything to stop Messi from having a ball with spacious room to roam.

Which leaves Tavez uninhibited, untouched, freely roaming maniac that will cut through the hearts of the Korean defense.

In my opinion (I am sure I am not the only one who thinks this way), Tavez is the key. He holds the wild card to the game, and given the circumstance, there is a good chance that while we may guard tight against Messi catching a ball, we may easily give up a lot of room for Tavaz to roam and freelance through the defense.

I really dont see a way Korean can score a legitmate goal against Argentina. True, their right? or left wing might be a question mark, but a simple dribbling to the corner and trying that floated cross wont do any good, as illustrated by so many games Korea played this year and last year.

We need to unlock the trove of opportunities by trying to gain as many set-piece opportunities as we could.

Traditionally, the number of cornerkicks Korea gets outnumber, if not double, the number of cornerkicks the opponents receive, and I see the same thing in this match.

We need to create as many opportunities (via freekicks, cornerkicks, highkicks, low-blows, etc), and we need to capitalize on these few precious opportunities by sending every Kims, Lees, Parks to the frontier of the Argentina goal post.

In terms of the ball possession, I expect 65:45 in Argentina favor.

I just dont see how in the earth we are going to get back a ball once Argentina has it.

This was one critical factor in my nightmare of having a matchup problem against Argentina.

In order for Korea to be successful, Korea needs to have a ball in their possession. It is not a must or mandatory, but the history shows that we need to keep the ball among us to have any chance.

But in all likelihood, I see a devastated and unfair ping-pong match in this game. Trapped in the ping-pong match against the good passing team of Argentina, we will follow the pace of game, instead of dictating it.

The only chance against Argentina will be to duplicate the efforts shown by Korea in the first half of 2002 WC Group final game against Portugal.

Some of your guys should download this game, again, to fully experience the historical moment, as the first half (not the second half during which Park scored the winning goal) even before the ejection of one Portugal player, is the BEST HALF GAME SHOWN BY KOREAN NT IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF KOREAN SOCCER CIVILIZATION!
I was really shocked and appalled at the fact that many of the Portugal players were caught shocked and appalled at the speed at which the Korean team was playing during the first half. Many of more experienced Portugal players were seen lost, trying to gain any sense amidst the tap dancing blazing Korean team brought to the first half.

My prediction

Korea Argentina
Ball Possession 45:65
Shots 5: 12
Shots on Goal 2: 7
Corner Kicks 10: 4
Fouls 12:13
Yellow who cares...

0-1 Argentina Victory. (The score may not show the dominance)

or if we get lucky.

0-0 (SEE: the match against France in 2006)


NEXT: Nigeria Review

Martins out of form? He has been injured a lot, but when he's played he has been phenomenal for Wolfsburg so far. He has 5 goals despite starting in just 5 matches and coming off the bench in the remaining 5. The only reason why he hasn't been playing that much is because he has had a constant injury issue with his shin and couldn't play more.

That said Nigeria's best player is Odemwingie.

For Korea to advance to the knockout stage, we really need everyone staying healthy. In terms of overall raw talent, Korea is the weakest team in this group, imo.

Argentina will go through, that seems pretty much certain. Between the other 3, who knows, they all seem pretty unimpressive.

That adds to 110.

If we bring our A+ game, then there is no way on hell we can't claim 9 points.