Big Question: Who’s going to win Group E?

i have a dream..

Czech rep
Ghana
Italy
USA

i agree with u “bob” italy is gonna rock this time.
1)italy
2)czech rep
3)usa
4)ghana
things wont be the same as it was in wc2002, the big/best teams will advance.

As I live in the USA, I feel very confident of the USA team!

African teams are good for the second round, but not later on!

My “sophisticated football model” predicts:

1. USA
2. Ghana
3. Italy
4. Czech Rep

I think the backward order is the right one :-). Italy and Czech Rep. will be on the top the group.
More of my “right” prediction is here: http://fo.reca.st/wm.php?u=gogi

USA
Italy
Czechs
Ghana

1. Czech Republic
2. Italy
3. United States
4. Ghana

Italy will top this group.

USA will surprisingly finish second, with a superior goal difference to Czech.

Ghana couldn’t even progress to the second round in this year’s African Cup.

I just ran this through the super computers at CERN:

1. Italy
2. USA
3. Czech
5. Ghana

Ghana did not have Essien playing for them in the African nations cup. He will make the difference to the team.

1. Italy
2. Ghana
3. Czech
4. USA

The bottom-line is: We can expect a GREAT match on June 22 – Czech Republic v Italy. With both teams already having been assured passage to the Round of 16, they will be fighting to win the Group in order to escape Brazil.

I think that 4 pts will be enough for the second-place team to get through. I think that the Azzurri will pip the Czechs for Group winner because of great defense and strikers who take the best advantage of every situation.

It is great fun handicapping the other Groups. However, I don’t relish having to make picks in this Group. Everytime I look at it, I see my beloved US sitting at 3rd (and sometimes even 4th).

So, taking the stars (and stripes) out of my eyes, here’s my prediction:

Italy – 1st
Czech Rep. – 2nd
US – 3rd
Ghana – 4th

totally correct 4 once

1.Czech Republic
2.Italy
3.USA
4.Ghana

Italy draws with Ghana (Italy´s overdefensive concerns vs a physical side who is not affraid of Italy´s fouling and game stopping techniques)

Cze draws with US (US discipline, drive to prove us wrong and fight against unconsistant tallent – we´ve seen it before)

Italy beats US (US are just too naif for Italy and will learn something)

Cze beats Ghana (Cze skill will win)

Cze (should) beat Italy (same reason PLUS they don´t want to meet Brazil and they ARE better than Italy. However, Greece´s shadow is also on CZE´s head…)

Ghana beats US … Or the other way around ;-), but I think Ghana can beat the US…

So… Cze for sure at the top! Don´t dare to predict the rest… ;-)

1. Italy
2. Czech
3. USA
4. Ghana

(I have to admit to being amused when the USA didn’t get seeded and got stuck in this group.)

To be honest….odds are favourite this time….

1.Italy
2.US
3.Checz
4.Ghana

US has improved in FIFA rankings and they have played the pre world cup…Italy are alltime favourites…checz will be washed away…coz key here will be Ghana…trust me…dont underestimate the Africans team what surprises they may bring….neone putting money !!!!

You gotta believe.

Italy
USA
C. Rep.
Ghana

Italy
USA
Ghana
Czech Rep

The key Czech players are either too old, or too inconsistent. Ghana will surprise some people with a strong midfield.

However it ends up, it’s gonna be close–goal difference deciding spots, I think.

My computer calculations based on the ELO rankings comes up with this prediction:

USA 1:2 Czch
ITA 4:0 Gha
Czch 3:1 Gha
ITA 1:1 USA
Czch 1:1 ITA
Gha 0:3 USA

Czech Republic 7
Italy 5
USA 4
Ghana 0

1. Czech Rep.- 7 points
2. Italy – 3 points
3. Ghana – 2 points
4. USA – 2 points

1. Italy
2. USA
3. Czech Republic
4. Ghana

Italy 3 wins
United States 1-1-1
Czech Republic 1-1-1
Ghana 3 losses

czech
usa
italy
ghana

USA ties both Italy and C Republic and beets Ghana. Second place will come down to who wins out of Italy vs Cz. If they tie then it will be decided by goal differential and that favors Italy. I think that the Italians will be surprised by USA skill and speed on the ball. Go USA!

toughest group to handicap for me – with possible exception of czech – they are strong this year.

Italy is at a weak point (for them) – I mean come on – WALES beat them!

Ghana is better than you all think – and the US is NOT better than four years ago despite what Bruce Arena would have us think.

Czechs through for sure. second spot could be any of them but I’m going to go for Ghana as a surprise

1. Italy
2. USA
3. Czech Republic
4. Ghana

Anything can happen, but the only way one can predict a US advancement (other than by a fluke like 02)is if you don’t watch the Euro’s play clubs play.

Italy, CR and even Ghana have higher level players than we do, plus we have sucked against teams in friendlies, only beating the minnows….wake up US fans!

1. USA
2.Italy
3. Czech Rep
4. Ghana

Czech Republic is overated (Crotia is who everyone should be talking about). Itlay has a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot come WC time, but maybe they get it somewhat together this time. USA has been missing their top European players in recent friendlies.

This will be the results

Italy – Ghana 3:0
USA – Czech Rep 1:3
Czech Rep – Ghana 0:0
Italy – USA 6:1
Italy – Czech Rep 3:1
Ghana – USA 2:0

So
Italy 9 pts
Czech Rep 4 pts
Ghana 4 pts
USA 0 pts

This is because Italy finally has a team that is not only made of big names but people that want to succeed so they will definitely kick ass in their first match, beat USA by a lot. Usa is an overated crappy team. I guess the one thing that we can say they suck at. Jamaica- USA 1:1 Seriously what are they doing at the world cup. Then Italy will go ahead and beat the Czech republic another very overated team, yet 1000 times beter that USA.

Italy will then go ahead and win the world cup. Brazil will not be in the final. If they are not a problem Italy will have their 4th World cup. A Long awaited achievement.

In my mind, this is one of the most predictable groups.

1. Italy
2. USA
3. Czech Republic or Ghana.

Why. Italy because they are good enough to win cup this time round.
The USA 2nd, why? They will use the threat of economic sanctions against the Czech Republic and Ghana if these nations dare try to beat them…. Just joking, I just think Czech’s are over rated. If anything Ghana might get 2nd place, but I just don’t know enough about them.

What is cool about this group is that everyone believes 2nd place will face Brazil. The way I see it is that Brazil will struggle to get 2nd place in group F and this will change the thought process of everyone!!!! I just can not wait anymore!

Massimo,

In my BBC prediction thing I had Croatia v Italy in the final with Croatia winning 2:1 just like in 2002 :-)

BTW I what I tried to post is that I belive Brazil will struggle to getr first in Grout F.

[...] And despite the widely held belief that the USA will not make it out of this tough group, we’ll be hoping they do so we can validate our tickets to their second round match, potentially against Brazil. How sweet would that be! [...]

ITALY
CHECK
GHANA
USA

Man Italy has the best team of the comp — even better thab Brazil 9without kaka and rohnaldhinio brazil is nothing) so they will def finish top .. unless they be stupid

1.Czech Republic
2.Italy
3.Ghana
4.Usa (too weak)

GROUP E Predictions by Dave Hamilton

Advancing: ITALY and CZECH REPUBLIC

ITALY looks like they may once again be a solid contender for at least the quarterfinals now that Giovanni Trapattoni’s “all defense and counterattack only when possible” schemes are history. There is a reason Trappy is doing Swabian ravioli advertising at this World Cup rather than leading Azzurri after finally giving way to Marcello Lippi. The new skipper will demand more attacking, led by the irrepressible Toni and late addition Filippo Inzaghi, a hot player coming off an excellent season with AC Milan. Speaking of hot, the talented but temperamental Francesco Totti will need to be on his best behavior because some of his antics will definitely not be tolerated on this stage. If he is, that only adds to the firepower available. If all else fails, Lippi can fish one of his old whipping boys, Alessandro Del Piero, off his bench and hope someone can get him the ball. And the midfield should be in good shape with the Milan pearl, Andrea Pirlo, setting up the attack. The strength of the Italian side, however, clearly remains its defense, always necessary to advance past the round of 16. Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta are rock-solid, and Juve’s Gianluca Zambrotta — with four Italian league titles under his belt — keeps it all together. A player to watch: Fabio Grosso, who is listed as a defender, but mobile enough to be deployed as a midfielder. The last line of defense, Gianluigi Buffon, is as good as they get in net. FORZA AZZURRI!

The CZECH REPUBLIC looks great on paper at least, ranked No. 2 by FIFA, but in truth aren’t the side they were two years ago due to several players recovering from injuries and a number of them on the downside of their careers. Still, they return rapacious goal-scorer Pavel Baros and 6-7 giant Jan Koller up front, with multi-talented Pavel Nedved, Karel Paborsky, Tomas Galasek and young and dynamic Tomas Rosicky, all threats to move forward and feed Koller and Baros or launch their own rockets. But questions do abound: for example, have Nedved and Paborsky lost a step, and will the sometimes erratic Rosicky bring his A-game each match? Marek Heinz can also provide scoring support, either with Baros or as an attacking midfielder. That kind of attack can create far too many problems for opposing defensive sets – if all the Czechs are fit. The ace in their hole, of course, is arguably the best goalkeeper on planet Earth: Peter Cech. He will be fronted by a formidable Zdenek Grygera, Marek Jankulovski (who can also be an attacking fullback) and indefatigable Tomas Ujfalusi, who played every minute of the qualifying campaign (no European clocked more time en route to Germany). All this talent will be directed once again by the gray mastermind Karel Bruckner, who is always good for a surprise.

The UNITED STATES will be hard pressed to match their 2002 World Cup showing — not because they haven’t improved, but because of the luck of the World Cup draw. Hard-working head man Bruce Arena will ensure that his charges are chalkboard-prepared and fit to compete in the inaptly named “Group of Death” (no doubt based on FIFA ratings!). One veteran American sportswriter recently described the team as “plucky,” but plucky won’t get it done in this group, I’m afraid. Arena’s preference for a 3-6-1 alignment and moving midfielders up to support attacks isn’t likely to inspire any more fear in solid defenses than it has in previous years, and attacking clubs can exploit corridors if they do come forward. Tested Brian Mc Bride is coming off a good year at Fulham and offers a big target with aerial skills, and can be expected to be the lone forward. Young Brian Ching offers a similar presence off the pine. Eddie Johnson could be a viable option if Arena decides to change sets. Keep in mind that it was Landon Donovan who led the scoring in qualies, which included a late 3-0 pasting by Costa Rica. Other midfielders who may emerge offensively include Clint Dempsey and the “old man” of the group, Claudio Reyna. Kasey Keller, while still a quality keeper, has passed the zenith of his skills and often is only as good as the remainder of the defense, which might offer resistance against Ghana, but that will be about it. Catalyst Carlos Bocanegra – absent from the recent second-half defensive meltdown against host Germany — and Steve Cherundolo will anchor what nonetheless looks to be a physically outmatched squad. The absence of Frankie Hejduk will also be a serious blow to the U.S. hopes of disrupting offensive thrusts. But the sport being what it is, the Americans might have an outside chance to advance – but I wouldn’t bet on it.

The most exciting thing about GHANA may be the lady-fans in their colored feathery hats, since the four-time African champs aren’t exactly coming off a stellar year and had an extremely-easy route to Deutschland. The Black Stars do feature a rising star worthy of watching up front, Matthew Asamoah Gyan. Workhorse midfielder Stephen Appiah is first-rate and will be bolstered by wingmate Otto Addo. Rumors that MLS child sensation Freddy Adu would suit up and become the youngest Cup competitor ever for his native Ghana were unfounded, but their stern Serbian taskmaster Ratomir Dujkovic did provide some surprises, both with omissions and additions on his roster. The defense — heavy on European experience — is led by Samuel Osei Kuffour, who toiled a dozen years in Germany and appeared in two Champions League finals. Kuffour and Eric Addo of PSV Eindhoven should steady the back line a bit, but the Stars are out of their league this time.

This group is impossible to predict

I would love to see Italy finish in second so they can face and eliminate Brazil in the round of 16. I think the winner of the US-Czech game will win the group.

Czech
Italy
USA
Ghana

Czech will avoid a showdown with brazil in the knockout stages

I agree with Massimo, Italy have always had the skill. Its just a matter if there nerves take over. Italy wins group stage, showdown between czech and usa. If Italy shows what they got early on, they will take the cup. Nobody else can compare to italy other than brazil themself. But lets all remember, the cup is in Germany, and i guarantee a European team winning this year.
Viva italia.

Italy
USA
C. Rep.
Ghana

I don’t know how it’s going to go, but I know how I would like it to go:
1. Czechs (such a wonderful team, whom I’d love to see go all the way)
2. Italy (I would have gone for Ghana, but we do need someone who can beat Brazil, whom most people love but I just can’t stand)
3. Ghana
4. the country that lies south of Canada and north of Mexico

Well I want to usa to win the world cup that’d be awesome but i doubt they may even get out of group e. But i am going to go with this order…

Czech Rep.
USA
Italy
Ghana

I hope the U.S. finishes 2nd in group “E” so we can beat Brazil EARLY in the Cup!!!!
1)Czech
2)US
3)Italy
4)Ghana

USA suck they will be at the bottom of the group.
Italy is a great defensive team and usa got nobody to break it

1. Italy
2. Czech Rep.
3. Ghana or USA
4. Ghana or USA