2010 FIFA World Cup Preview: Part 5 of 8

GROUP E

Netherlands: Highly fancied to win the tournament, the classy Dutch team boasts incredible skill and talent. Solid at the back and fluent through the midfield, players like Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder will look to both assist and score goals.  The only superpower in the group and should advance with no troubles.

Player to Watch: Arjen Robben (Midfielder) Has settled at Bayern Munich after a few seasons out of favour at Real Madrid. Was in devastating from this season for his club and should help propel his team through.

Denmark: Denmark is the ‘dark horse’ of the World Cup. No one really knows much about them or their star players. However they are a good side and could cause some upsets in Group E with their flawless play. Injures have hit them hard and may yet again disturb their preparation.

Player to Watch: Nickalas Bendtner (Striker) 22 years old and already an established player in his team. The young striker hails from Arsenal has maturity issues, but if he can let his football do the talking, the Danes may make it out of the group.

Japan: We all remember Japan from 2006, our first ever win against our fellow Asian superpower. This time they come up in a group that they are unlikely to progress through. The Japanese have lots of creativity, but turning opportunities into goals have been the major issue. Still looking for there first win on foreign soil.

Player to Watch: Makoto Hasebe (Midfielder) With the fading of Shansuke Nakamura, this new kid on the block poses all the attributes of becoming the next ‘golden boy’ of Japan. Creativity and consistent performances have grabbed the attention of Coach Takeshi Okada.

Cameroon: The Cameroonians pose great talent but their recent underachieving performance at the African Cup has showed that they are not ready for the big stage. This could be a big problem for the African country. Samuel Eto’o will need help from his team mates if they want to turn around their performances.

Player to Watch: Samuel Eto’o (Striker) The national hero and champion of Inter Milan. Has goal scoring ability that is devastating at his best and poses great ball control. He has all the attributes of a great striker, but can he perform on the big stage?

Teams through to round of 16: Netherlands & Denmark

Headline: “DEVASTING DUTCH!”

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