Are Australia the weakest in this group?

The injuries to Essian & Ballack have leveled the playing field in this group a lot and made it even more difficult to call... Australia to qualify for 2nd round with Germany.

 

I beleive Ghana is the weakest team in this group.

 

Suspect this group may well come down to Germany 1st and then the other 3 being separated by who fares best against Germany and a 1 - 0 result somewhere that someone will rue giving up that lone goal.

I just hope Germany don't explode out to a quick start and have 1st place stitched up before their last game.

 

meh, the Serbia-Australia match is a "six-pointer". If you lose this one, stealing a point against Germany won't mean much.

 

These are the sort of groups I prefer to watch, when every game really matters. I don't think Germany will sail through it though.

 

PV is still a "lucky general" whereas Hiuus's seems to have run out.

 

I see it a bit differently. An injury to a single player is less of a worry to Germany than to Essien's team. However, Germany have also lost Traesch, Westermann, Adler and Enke (first choice keeper to suicide this year) in addition to Ballack. I think there are one or two bench players that have been ruled out as well. So they are bit more depleted than just losing Ballack. Combined these injuries have weakened Germany a bit. But if it was just Ballack I don't think it would affect Germany much at all.

 

Completely agree...but you forgot Rolfes, who probably would have been the Ballack replacement.

 

I don't know if you are aware, but Ghana already has 4 injured midfielders (including the backup to Essien and the backup to the backup to Essien), 5 players are back from long injuries and have hardly played due to this in the past 6 months, whilst 3 players are what Rajevac called the 'walking injured' (Sulley Muntari, John Mensah and Richard Kingson).

Germany's woes are slightly smaller than Ghana's...

 

Hmmm, you might want to read the full post. I think I said as much.

 

Who are these then? Agyemang Badu and?

 

2 things;

Let's just wait until they take the pitch before making any judgements and;

Cahill, believe it or not is not our best player. If they ever manage to get him fit, Kewell is our most creative player. Maybe not as freakish as to what he can do in circumstances, but better allround.

 

Chipperfield > All.

 

God the US v Australia game was painful to watch, US should make the round of 16, Australia to be on the 1st plane out of South Africa.

Australia play a dreadful brand of football something like England circa 1970-80's very little pace and skill, they rely heavily on physical play and aggression. Constant cynical fouling and rough challenges, it's like their mission is to try and stop other teams playing football rather than actually try and play some themselves. Serbia and Germany are far superior and if there is any justice they should win, and win handsomely but they should be careful they don't get dragged down to Australia's level and it turns into a grindfest otherwise Australia can probably scrape a couple of 0-0's.

 

what a load of garbage thsi thread regarding the USA game.


The players were told two hours befre kick off that Brad Jones son has luekemia and it's veryerious. We know how to make second rounds and have far greatern talent than the USA.

Serbia are a joke right now and ghana are in ttatters. 2 weeks ago I wouldn't of said this but Australie will get through.