Who's the favorite to win this group ?

If that happens I say the other way around. Poland beating Colombia, Colombia beating Senegal, and Senegal beating Poland.

 

Yup. The way I see it Colombia will beat them in a close match. Then Japan will play spoiler and tie or even beat one of the other two teams like last World Cup.

 

Cool, but it was 4 - 0.
They are ordinary, it is not a suprise that on a bad day they lost to another ordinary team like Danmark. Colombia and Senegal are ordinary as well. Lets face it, no real powerhouse in this group.
Even the bookies value Colombia and Poland very close (2.6 vs 2.9 in direct match).
I wouldn't be surprised with any result in this group, even Japan + Senegal advancing.

And that is what makes this group so entertaining. I so can't wait!

 

As long as Colombia is healthy and Pekerman is the manager Colombia is the favorite and not ordinary at all.

 

Sure, sure, go bet your money on them

 

A lot can happen between now and June. Injuries can occur and bad form and lack of playing time so I am not saying it is a guarantee.

But I do believe the manager will be one of the key differences as he was four years ago. He will have them ready to play come June.

 

True. It's always fascinating to watch a group that is pretty much unpredictable.

 

Above all else- they have a quality manager! I know the work of Vahid Halilhodžić fairly well, as he has managed a bit in Croatia too. Professional, and can shape up a team. Algeria are now nowhere, without him.

 

A lot of good coaches have had croatian roots.

 

Not a bad day for Colombianos today.
James continuing to prove how lethal of a play maker "maestro" he is for Bayern in their romp over Dortmund.
Luis Muriel scoring a goal and running down the left flank and making Barca look bad on many plays.
Juan Cuadrado comes back from injury earlier than expected , comes off the bench and helps Juve beat Milan with a header golazo.

Not bad at all.

 

Any news or updates on injured players? Colombia's starting players are seemingly going to make it in time for the world cup in terms of fitness but I don't know about the other countries.

 

Vahid Halilhodzic is rumoured to have been let go. Any truth to this?

 

If that is the case then Japan is in even more deep trouble than I initially thought.

 

I've heard those rumours too but I can't seem to find an official source.

 

I saw on Korean media (Daum Sports) that Halilhodzic will be officially sacked on the 9th and they were using Yahoo Japan as a source.

 

He is fired.

 

So the next Japanese manager has only a few friendlies to implement his style & tactics and then play Colombia in the first match.

I know anything is possible and I don't want the team to be overconfident...
... but I would be lying if I did not say it makes me feel very confident for three points. ( Even more confident than before when I brought up the Asian teams never beating South American teams stat.)

It is the ideal situation to open up against a team like that. Could not have hand picked a better team to start off with really (except maybe Saudi Arabia.)

 

mmm
http://www.independent.com.mt/artic...ach-Halilhodzic-ahead-of-World-Cup-6736187715

 

Questionable act by Japanese FA. He qualified them with one game to spare after they had started the last round with a 0-1 home defeat to UAE and were in serious danger of missing the direct spots for a time. But at the end Japan came in first and qualified in style with a convincing 2-0 win over Australia.

He had some not so good friendly results but it wasn't that bad to sack him in my opinion.

I think the Japanese FA is not happy with his counter-attacking style of play. Japan is traditionally a side that prefers to keep posession and take the game to the opponents. But he tried to adopt his tactics he used when in charge of Algeria. He had success with Algeria four years ago in Brazil, but it seems that Japanese FA wasn't optimistic he can produce similiar success with Japan with those tactics.

 

I can not imagine Japan beating Colombia in that game. Just not going to happen.

 

Any info on what the new manager is about? Will Japan return to their short-passing, possession-heavy style of play?

Halilhodzic had been sacked months before WC2010 (by Ivory Coast), as well, and would later lose his job again after a fight with Dinamo's president. IIRC there were also mutterings in the press when Algeria were going to Brazil2014 (public opinion demanded he'd keep his job this time). Makes it look like he's a bit of a contentious manager and I've heard he puts his players through the wringer (wouldn't surprise me if out-of-favour players have leaked to the press during Halilhodzic's career).

 

Poland and Colombia for sure.
Senegal is weak and Japan has no future at all.

 

Kinda worried Colombia only has Egypt as a friendly before the world cup. Meanwhile France is preparing with all the friendlies they got in advance.

 

Regardless of having an opinion - the thing you wrote about Japan is despicable and should have no place on this forum.

 

I will say

1. Poland
2. Colombia