Spain:
Key Player: Andres Iniesta
In what has been a most difficult season for the Spanish maestro on and off the pitch which has seen he and his wife go through tough times and he and his Barcelona teammates receive a lot of criticism, Andres Iniesta is going to try and put all of this behind him and pull the strings once again in a huge tournament for Spain. No team has managed to retain the World Cup since 1962 and for that reason alone, it seems that people are keen to tip the likes of Brazil and Argentina over the Spanish, but it would be foolish to write Spain off with stars such as Iniesta, Xavi, Ramos and a manager as strong as Vicente Del Bosque. Expect Iniesta to play in an advanced role, as usual, as Alonso, Busquets and Xavi fill the midfield slots, but this freedom is likely to mean that Iniesta will be a likely contender for Player of the Tournament after this World Cup.
Striking Dilemma: Diego Costa or Fernando Torres?
On paper, this decision seems the most straight forward decision in all of the Spanish 11, but, Vicente Del Bosque has kept his cards close to his chest about which of these two strikers he is to choose ahead of the clash with the Netherlands. Costa, who won La Liga and was runner up in this season's Champions League with Atletico Madrid has had a sensational season and has kept the pace with Ronaldo and Messi throughout the season in terms of goals. Often, he was seen as the one player who was better than the average Atletico team member and his goals carried Atletico through in difficult times. But, now it seems he will be in the Premier League next season and may just be replacing the very player he will compete with for a place in the Chelsea starting 11. Fernando Torres has always managed to keep his place in the mind of manager Del Bosque as he has been known to score important goals on the international stage, but one must surely feel that his dismal form for Chelsea will be the turning point when Del Bosque makes his decision on which of the two to start. The possibility always exists that Fabregas, who has confirmed his move to Chelsea, may play up front and Del Bosque may venture into the tournament with his rock solid 6 players in midfield.
Netherlands
Key Player: Arjen Robben
I find it extremely unusual, that when people discuss the top 5 players in world football- Arjen Robben's name is one of the last to be considered. In what has been an extremely successful career to date both internationally and at club level, Arjen Robben has achieved what many are unable to do in 20 year careers. Having received his runner up medal at the World Cup in South Africa, Robben will surely be one of the Dutch players who are keen to make up for their disappointing defeat in the World Cup final to Spain, with a game against the hosts tonight. Robben, who is known for his tendency to cut in off the right wing on to his wicked left foot, is one of the most unstoppable dribblers in world football. People often criticise his reliance on his stronger foot, but why not use what works? Having won all that Bayern could win in the last 2 years, Robben will be extremely keen to change his runner up medal from 4 years ago in this competition into a winners medal, but let's not expect Holland to make it too far in the competition.
The Future of Manchester United: Louis Van Gaal and Robin Van Persie
As a Manchester United fan, I must take this chance to express my excitement about Louis Van Gaal's appointment at the club. Van Gaal, who's job truly begins when he arrives following the World Cup, has a huge task on his hands as he aims to bring back the glory days at Manchester United. One way in which he will surely plan on doing so is reigniting the spark in Robin Van Persie's displays at the club. The lethal striker came in for a lot of criticism from fans who claimed he "faked" injuries just so he could avoid playing under David Moyes. The two supposedly have a very strong bond together and Van Persie has wasted no time in saying that the coming season will be infinitely better than Manchester United's last, under Scottish manager David Moyes. Rumours have circulated that Van Persie was one of the main players behind the squads dislike of Moyes, but his hat trick vs Olympiakos still showed us all that Van Persie is the man to lead Manchester United forward. Van Gaal will be under a lot of scrutiny early on at United should he flop with the Dutch squad in this World Cup as people will be quick to question if he's still the right man for the job at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Time will tell, but I know for one, I'll be keen to get a greater insight into his philosophies during this tournament.
Chile
Key Player: Arturo Vidal
One thing is for sure in this group, should Chile progress past the group stages in this tournament, they'll need Vidal to hit his top form very early on in the tournament. Personally, I don't watch a lot of Serie A (More of a Premier League and La Liga expert- odd for a Blogger to admit such lack in knowledge, yes) but having watched Juventus' run in the Europa League, it is very clear to see that Arturo Vidal is far beyond the ability of a man who is playing in the Europa League. Let's not be surprised if we hear of any of Europe's elite making a huge offer for this star after the World Cup. I expect Chile to surprise a few people and I think Vidal's energy and desire to keep going in every match will be a huge factor in their success. Medel beside Vidal will have a huge influence as well as he tries to make up for the dip in his reputation following his move to Cardiff.
Goal Scorer: Alexis Sanchez
Now here's one man who benefited hugely from Tata Martino's somewhat unsuccessful time at Barcelona. Sanchez, who managed to keep Neymar and Pedro out of the team in some games this season, will be one of the stars of the tournament for me. When at Udinese, he was fancied to be as good as Cristiano Ronaldo with his regular flicks and tricks, his unbelievably good dribbling and his ability to score goals, but his undoubted potential never fully materialised. That being said, this year saw a motivated Alexis on the pitch for Barcelona and he upped his performance level so much that I'd have him as a contender for team of the tournament. 19 goals in 34 appearances in La Liga last season with 10 assists too, if Sanchez continues with that efficiency, he may give Spanish and Dutch defenders nightmares during this tournament. A man to put in your Fantasy Football teams!
Australia
Key Player: Mile Jedinak
What a season Jedinak had for Crystal Palace. People seem to forget him when they talk about Crystal Palace's main players. Jedinak's discipline in the centre of midfield is what allows for players like Bolasie and Puncheon to attack so much. Of course, way back in November, people weren't saying much about Palace players, but I think Jedinak showed great character in the second half of the season. His ability to stick his foot in for a tackle and his fantastic positioning may save Australia from three drubbings, but let's not expect Jedinak to become a miracle worker. I can't see Australia getting a point in this tournament, but if they were to score, Jedinak's ability in the air may cause problems at set pieces. I don't fancy his stock to be effected by the performances of Australia as nobody expects much from them in this tournament.
All Eyes Will Be On: Tim Cahill
Since his move to New York Red Bulls, not a lot of talk has been had about Tim Cahill in terms of footballing ability. To be honest, I'm not really sure what to expect when he arrives in Brazil because I haven't seen him play in a while. From his time at Everton, we know he has a keen eye for goal, but always replied on great reactions to make up for a slight lack of pace. This reaction time may have slowed due to his drop in level of where he plays. American football, whilst holding a bright future, is not an area I would want my main goal threat to be playing going into a World Cup. This World Cup could have a negative impact on Cahill's image which has been growing all throughout his career. But one thing that is for certain is: He'll be remembered as a great of Australian football when he does retire and I presume this is set to be his last World Cup as he's not getting any younger.
Prediction:
Any man brave enough to write off Spain finishing top of this group would be crazy, in my opinion. The first set of matches in this group will be interesting as Spain may be most vulnerable here and the Netherlands will look to exploit this. However, should the Netherlands not manage a result against Spain, I see the squad losing confidence and ultimately, I don't see them progressing. Chile are my bet for 2nd place with their game against the Dutch being key. Australia will be this group's "Whipping boys". Don't go betting on Australia to get any points.
GROUP C WILL FOLLOW SOON!!
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