French Connection (formerly known as London Connection)

The World Cup, probably the worldwide biggest event of the year, is about to start in a couple of hours, so here are my thoughts for the first teams going into action...

GROUP A PREDICTION
1) Germany
2) Ecuador

Germany
Pros: Good individual players such as Ballack, Schweini, Metzelder, Podolski... Home side. They are probably the luckiest football nation in the World, never rule them out in a big tournament even though every possible sign points to a failure... Plus they don´t have a worse team than in 2002 and they made it to the Final then...
Cons: Horrible defense. If they don´t take Huth of their lineup they are f*cked against any team with a quick or technical forward... (wait I´m watching the game preview just now and Huth is not starting...)
Weak Link: Klinsmann: Their coach is a joke!! No game plan nor nothing. Also they rely too much on Ballack...
Tip: Out in Quarter Finals

Costa Rica
No comments here. It´s their fun to be in the World Cup but they have no real chance of actually doing something worthy in the tournament.

Poland

Not sold on them. Could turn out to be a solid team and if Smolarek keeps his scoring touch from Borussia, who knows...

I´ll say they will at least(!) draw Poland in game one if they don´t win at all... Have improved dramatically in the last couple of years and are very strong physically...

1) England

2) Sweden/Paraguay

Pros: Good overall team with some great defenders and world class midfielders as well as good strikers and their keeper, Robinson, is quality as well. They have known each other for a while now. Bust with confidence because for many of them it´s their World Cup.

Cons: Ericsson is too defensive minded in my eyes. Fitness concerns for their strikers and only a 17-year old kid with zero experience to come in if either Crouch or Owen go down in the first games. Not sure how they would react to being behind on the scoreboard in a big game...

Weak Link: Beckham. It´s like playing with 10 players. All this "he´s the captain"-, "he´s tha guy to lead us to the Finals"-sh*t is what this guy´s career has been about!!! Like George Best (rest in peace) said a few years ago: "He (Beckham) cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that he's all right." He is just good for taking free kicks and crossing the ball a few times per game. He is the MOST OVERRATED FOOTBALLER of these days, really!! And if anyone thinks otherwise you´re crazy!!! Have you ever seen him beat someone off the dribble? Create something on the right side? Change a game? Make a team better? NEVER EVER!! You think anyone in Barelona would want to have this guy on our team instead of Ronaldinho... Deco, Eto´o...?!?! But that´s another thing...