Hey guys. Not long to go until the tournament kicks off now! Don’t forget to check out our breakdowns of Groups A, B, C and D! Once you’ve taken all of that in feel free to digest our breakdown of Group E.
The Teams:
France, Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras.
The Fixtures:
Switzerland vs Ecuador – 15/6/2014 5PM (BST), France vs Honduras – 15/6/2014 8PM, Switzerland vs France – 20/6/2014 8PM, Honduras vs Ecuador – 20/6/2014 11PM, Ecuador vs France – 25/06/2014 9PM, Honduras vs Switzerland – 25/6/2014 9PM
France:
Strengths:
After their abysmal showing back in 2010, claiming only one point from their three group games, there is very little external pressure being put on them to do anything extraordinary at this tournament so that’s a plus. Beyond that they’re a very physical side which could certainly trouble a few teams who prefer their passing games beyond the group stages.
Weaknesses:
The midfield is pretty solid and the frontline is developing into the dangerous offence it probably should have been during the last tournament; the only real problem (and I’m knit-picking here really) is at the back. Evra is not at all what he was whereas Varane and Sakho haven’t played anywhere near the amount of games that Deschamps would have liked his preferred centre-backs to have played this season.
Key Player:
Karim Benzema. Like Wayne Rooney he is yet to score in a World Cup Finals match and, coming off of the back of a great season for Real Madrid, will surely be aiming to rectify that in Brazil this summer. He’s never really found his club form at international level until very recently with four goals for France this season so Deschamps will be hoping he can continue this upturn in form on the international stage.
Where will they finish in the group?:
They’ll definitely qualify from the group, probably in first place, but a potential clash with Germany in the quarter-finals could kill them off.
Switzerland:
Strengths:
In stark contrast to the Switzerland sides that have preceded in the previous two tournaments, particularly in South Africa, with only one player over 30 in the squad now this squad is packed with young energetic legs – couple that with Ottmar Hitzfeld’s typical German efficiency in getting his tactics spot on and the Swiss could shock a few in this tournament.
Weaknesses:
Defensively they’re not exactly stacked with talent. Expect the side to be disciplined enough when not in possession to cope with this but with names like Senderos, Djourou and Reto Ziegler the prime candidates to join Juventus’ Stephan Lichsteiner at the back, oppositions will definitely be conscious that this defence has its fragilities if they can break down the midfield to exploit them.
Key Player:
Shaqiri and Barnetta are likely to have the majority of the say in how Switzerland do in this group. Switzerland’s wing master and apprentice are by far the most dynamic players in the squad and with Shaqiri being used sparingly by Bayern Munich throughout the season, he should have enough left in the tank to power Switzerland through the group.
Where will they finish in the group?:
They should manage to qualify second in the group baring any hiccups. If they manage to avoid Argentina somehow in the last 16 then they definitely have what it takes to reach the quarters but beyond that it will probably just be a step too far for this side at this point.
Ecuador:
Strengths:
Like most of the other South American sides, physicality and stamina are their main selling points making them perfectly capable of being a nuisance to oppositions.
Weaknesses:
Most of their players come from the Ecuadorian league which could be a plus point in terms of the cohesion as they’ll all be very familiar with each other but the fact that there’s not much in the way of players with broader experience (except Antonio Valencia and Felipe Caicedo) could cost them dearly against the very disciplined French and Swiss sides they’re going to face.
Key Player:
Antonio Valencia. Now one of the more senior players in the side at the age of 28, expect him to play a huge role in the dressing room as well as having the majority of the play being ran through him on the pitch.
Where will the finish in the group?:
It would be a massive achievement to see them qualify for the next round like they did in 2006 but I just don’t see it happening with the competition they have in this group.
Honduras:
Strengths:
A good core of experienced players such as Emilio Izaguirre, Maynor Figueroa and Wilson Palacios should see that the side remain level-headed and give a good account of themselves throughout the group stages.
Weaknesses:
Being thumped by Brazil, the only top-class team they’ve played in the last year or so, showed that they struggle to go toe-to-toe with the better sides. Playing friendlies against Turkey, Israel and England before the tournament kicks off will show what lessons this side have learned from that defeat as well as either making their tournament that much more enjoyable or putting a serious dent into the team’s morale.
Key Player:
It’s hard to look beyond the core players previously mentioned for this one really. Izaguirre is the side’s star player without a doubt but Palacios will have an equally important role in keeping the midfield in check against the powerful midfield of France, the tactical prowess of the Swiss and the tireless Ecuadorians.
Where will the finish in the group?:
Like Costa Rica in England’s group, don’t expect a qualification charge from these guys but do expect them to be taken very seriously as a slipup against this side could ruin one of the other three sides’ chances of progression.