Group C pits 1966 champions England with CONCACAF powerhouse the United States of America. A fairly lacklustre group is rounded out by Algeria and Slovenia.
England ($1.10 to advance) - Many experts felt that this was England's best shot at the title since 1966. While that may have been the case the loss of captain Rio Ferdinand in defense is a major blow and probably ends their chances of winning the title. A firing Wayne Rooney could carry them a long way but any injury to him would see a quick exit with their lack of depth up front. They will probably fight hard before losing on penalties during the knockout rounds.
USA ($1.80) - Have lost their way a bit after making a strong run to the Quarters in 2002. However, they have quietly gone about their business topping CONCACAF (again!) in qualifying and dispatching Australia 3-1 in a warm up friendly. Their quick strike force looked good in that game and that performance would suggest they have the ability to advance from what is a relatively weak group.
Algeria ($5.00) - It would be fair to say that what The Falcon knows about Algerian football would fit on the back of a postage stamp. Algeria took every minute of qualifying just to get here having to defeat African powerhouse Egypt in a sudden death playoff in neutral Sudan to book their ticket to South Africa. While they may benefit from a home continent bonus my basic geography knowledge would suggest the Algerian climate is quite different to that in South Africa. Doubt they'll be a threat.
Slovenia ($3.00) - Did exceptionally well to qualify out of Europe defeating the Guus Hiddink led Russia on away goals in a two-legged playoff. They will play the usual role of a tough, strong, Eastern European side who can defend well as a team and pinch the odd goal when required. Whether they have the genuine overall quality, especially in attacking areas, to advance deep into the tournament is another matter.
What 2 Watch 4 - England v USA - Dubbed the 'Terrorism Game' by some as the game most likely to be hit by an Al-Qadea attack on the tournament. This game also marks the 60th anniversary of one of the great upsets in World Cup history when the Yanks pulled out a 1-0 win over England in Brazil - I guess you can watch the game for either reason.
Suggested Investment - In what could be a fairly clear cut group if you can shop around and find $2 for England and the US to qualify I would snap that up.
Prices courtesy of Betfair.
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