A Great Week of Footy Ahead

I’ve had March 1 circled on my calendar for a few months now. No, it’s not my birthday (June 29, feel free to send me a check and/or cash), but it is an early present for World Cup fans. Seemingly every team in the tournament is playing a friendly on Wednesday and most teams will be featuring rosters that will be similar to what we will see in Germany this summer.

The two marquee matchups of the day have to be Italy against Germany and Argentina taking on Croatia. I’ll be watching the German team closely to see if it displays better form than what we have seen over the past year. I’ll also be keeping an eye on Italy’s frontline as a number of players jockey to win a spot on the Azzurri World Cup roster. With Totti out with an injury, this might be an opportunity for one of the fringe forwards to punch their ticket to Germany.

Croatia and Argentina should be a true battle. Croatia’s defense is good, really, really good. Argentina has so much firepower that the biggest challenge its coaches face is which combination of players work best together. Will we see Lionel Messi in action against Croatia’s stingy backline? I certainly hope so.

Another contest worth viewing is Spain and Cote d’Ivoire. Spain has been decimated by injuries, which might actually help in the long run. As its proven players heal their bodies, coach Luis Aragones will have the opportunity to evaluate some of his younger guys including 18-year-old stud Cesc Fabregas. Spain should be tested against an Ivory Coast team that looked solid finishing in second at the African Cup of Nations.

One additional game to keep on your radar is the United States against Poland. The US has been feasting on weak opponents the past couple of months, which has given Bruce Arena an opportunity to get an idea of how his domestic league players fare in international play. With his European-based players in the mix for this one, Arena will see if the US can do something it rarely does: win on European soil. Poland is an excellent test and should give the US an idea of what it will be like when it faces the Czech Republic and Italy this summer.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the games. Check out the individual team blogs as well to get a preview of what lies ahead as well as analysis after the final whistles blow.

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