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Group C: Our Infallible Prediction
Comments(37)What more can be said about Group C? Everyone and their mother have labeled this the Group of Death from the moment the names Argentina and Netherlands were drawn together.
I won’t dispute this label (sorry US friends, your group isn’t as tough), but I will go boldly where no man has gone before.
I will predict that neither Argentina nor Holland will advance from this group.
Go ahead, clean the coffee you just spit out on your computer screen, stop laughing and hear me out.
Let’s start with Serbia and Montenegro. While the country name is different, the team is one that has experience of being successful on the world stage. In ten qualifying matches, S&M only yielded one goal. Folks, that is nasty good defense. The type of defense that means the Plavi will have a chance to win every game they play in Germany. The type of defense that will shut down and frustrate the potent offenses of Argentina and Holland.
Côte d’Ivoire is my other choice from this group. The Elephants have never been in the World Cup, but don’t confuse lack of pedigree with lack of talent. Aruna Dindane, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora, Arthur Boka, Blaise Kouassi and Barry Copa are all skilled players. But it is Didier Drogba who will lead the Elephants into the second round. I think the Chelsea striker is primed to have a World Cup for the ages. With Dindane supporting him up front, Drogba will lead a Côte d’Ivoire attack that will outscore both Argentina and Holland.
As for the two teams that won’t advance, I just have a hunch that neither is going to live up to expectations this summer. Argentina has a lot of weapons but finding a combination of players that gels remains coach Jose Pekerman’s biggest challenge. There is no doubt that Argentina could advance and go far in the tournament, but I think in the end its inconsistency will be its downfall.
The Dutch side also has its share of stars and expectations are high after Holland failed to qualify in 2002. But for some reason I see Holland being the France of 2006 – an early exit for a team that on paper should go deep into the tournament. Sorry Dutch fans, you won’t have your shot against Germany this time.
For those keeping score at home – and really you should be since these picks are golden – here are my predictions for the first two groups.
Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 37 comments.
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haha, i predicted the same thing: ivory coast group winner, serbia & montenegro runner-up.
Posted from 
Germany
This is a very tough group but Argentina and Holland will come out on top (Argentina will be group winners)… Argentina’s player are by far the most skilled and talented players in the group and arguably some of the best in the world for that matter… toughness combined with finesse, excelent players (Messi,Crespo,Riquelme,etc) and world class coaching can easily lead the Argentines all the way to win the world cup in 2006
Posted from 
Canada
I thinks Serbia & Montenegro will win the group, with Argentina being the runner up. Ivory Coast 3rd, Holland 4th. It will be alot of close matches, low scoring (except for CIV matches LOL)
Posted from 
United States
Holland tops this group I’m afraid. Van Nistelrooy, Robben and Makaay will see to that.
Ivory Coast are the runners-up.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
you know what they say… opinions are like a-holes.
everyone’s got one…
Argentina / Netherlands to the next round.
Argentina will steamroll this group. The toughest game will be S&M…Responses to some of the above: Argentina vs Brazil (last 3 games) 1) FINALS COPA AMERICA: Arg dominates entire game, Adriano ties in min. 95 with last touch of the game (I call it a tie); 2) WORLD CUP Q: Arg destroys Brazil 3-1 with perhaps THE game that has kept Riquelme (for better or worse) in charge…unbelievable performance; 3) FINALS CONFEDERATION: Brazil dominates an Argentina team w/o Ayala, Crespo, Riquelme, Messi, Mascherano, etc. – the B Squad.
Argentina and Brazil are way, way better than the Rest of the World. FAR behind are Spain and England. This said, Argentina is more tempermental than Brazil and they CAN stumble if they get in a funk…
Posted from United States
I do think that Argentina will win the group with Holland 2nd. Argentina has a super star in Messi that no one can stop their defense is suspect at times. Holland also has alot of stars on their team and does well in the past 3 world cups that have played. Serbia qualified ahead of Spain, but will not make it because defense alone can’t give you the points you need to get out of the group. Ivory Coast its a shame they have to be in this group but that is football. They will finish 3rd but will show some class in their play
Posted from United States
Every WC presents its share of surprise. And drama. We all know that if HOl and ARG go through nobody will be surprised. But if both go home in group stage, people will say that HOl had already been playing poorly – for what’s expected from them – since the qualifiers and that ARG was incosistent, or that the right cocktail wasn’t found, or basicly anything. And it’ll only last until the next game. After that, nobody will talk about any of them any more.
Things like the order in which who plays who, the outcome of the previous match and how each team deals with extreme adversity, usually counts more than a classical prediction.
Imagine Ivory Coast beats ARG (1-0 is the same as 6-5) – I mean, it is possible, right? All the others will be affraid of IC, so will probably make more mistakes when playing against them. And ARG is FORCED to win the next match… And in 90 mins, everything changes. I even go as far as saying, in a group so competitive as this, it’s gonna be who makes less mistakes that goes through. Not who plays best or has the most potent attack.
Yes, this is a brave prediction.
This would be fun to see happen, but I’m not so sure…
Ivory Coast could defenitely make it with a good run, but look at the players on Argentina and Holland. Could S+M and Ivory Coast really make it?
Posted from Canada
I don’t know if they can make it. I didn’t say that. I know it’s possible though. I just said that whatever we say now, everything will look much different after a couple of rounds… 
My how people forget history. Argentina didn’t make it out of the group stages, and their group in 2006 is eerily similar to the one of 2002. You have a European giant (England/Netherlands), an African team riddled with talent (Nigeria/Ivory Coast), and a European team that can shut out of the most potent attackers at any given time (Sweden/Serbia and Montenegro).
Argentina get sent home packing again.
Holland wins the group, and Ivory Coast comes in 2nd.
Posted from United Kingdom
Hard to go against pedigree of Argentina and Holland. Serbia has outside chance at runnerup with some unexpected offensive power. 1.Holland 2.Argentina
Posted from United States
Bidemi – I don’t feel HOL has the “stuff” to be top of this group. Theorically. But it’s a lotary…
I feel ARG and IVC will play agressivelly in the 1st match. I feel this match will set each of these team’s pace in the following games.
HOL and S&M will play conservatelly and maybe draw. HOL will fear a killer-counter. Both need to avoid a 1st match defeat.
In the last match, IVC will give 100% against S&M and HOL might beat ARG easierly than the other way around. The chance of a lot of cards is also big.
This means SM MUST beat ARG. This also means ARG MUST beat SM.
I feel SM will have an overall “buffering” effect in the group and IVC a “havoking” effect.
I still feel that the most consistent will win. Everybody will be in a situation where if you score you can lead the list, if you concede you can be at the bottom. The “coldest” team will win. Not the best attack.
Posted from 
Netherlands
My predictions are …
Prays. Many, many prays. For us, this group would be harder than that from Korea/Japan four years ago.
If you ask me right now , I preffer to qualify at the second place, that key is more accesible.
Posted from 
Argentina
[...] For one thing, the Elephants are in the most difficult group. We’ve predicted that they will beat out Argentina and Netherlands to advance to the knockout rounds, but we wouldn’t bet our piggy bank on this happening, let alone for the team from Africa to go on to win the tournament. [...]
Posted from United States
[...] Group C [...]
Posted from United States
While Bob’s picks really speak to the underdog in all of us, how many of us would put our own money on either Cd’I or S&M? Really.
Personally, I’d love to see the Elephants advance. Though I wouldn’t be surprised to see them get out, I can’t put my money on them.
As for S&M, Italy might be able to use their defense to earn championships, but that’s because they’ve got world-class strikers who will take advantage of their opportunities. Who on S&M will be able to score, giving them the 1-nil victory and 3 pts they surely will need to go along with 2 draws?
Realistically, we’ve got to tip the favorites. In addition to great talent, the Netherlands have two things going for them: 1) proximity to home means great fan support; and 2) Ruud will feel the need to vindicate himself against recent developments at Man U.
However, the Orange are young and always seem to find some internal reason to mess up.
Argentina, however, have the stars, the experience, and the coaching. Riquelme and Messi will be one of the pairs of the tournament.
Argentina – 1st
Netherlands – 2nd
Posted from United States
I don’t think Holland will win against IVC nor Argentina. In stead they will play a draw.
They are likely to win from S&M, and will finish second as ARG beats IVC.
Posted from 
Norway
The surprise winner of this group will be Serbia & Motenegro due to their fantastic defense. I cannot be convinced that another great Argentina team will allow another early exit. However, even with all their star-power, they will be unable to defeat S&M’s defense. THIS I PREDICT.
Posted from United States
Nice prediction. The Dutch have a very weak defense. They play in a 4-3-3 formation most of the time, meaning that the middlefield will be overpowered by the opponents. Only Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie are more than modest talented (Maybe Kuyt, but he has got a terrible season).
The Serbs have a very strong defense, but how to advance to the next round without scoring goals? Kezman didn’t turn out the big player some saw in him and Milosevic is not the striker he once was.
I think Argentina and Ivory Coast will advance to the next round but not much further. The group of death is destined to vanish after the second round. The past learns this is always the case.
Posted from Netherlands
The Dutch have not lost an international game, with the exception of italy, in a long long time. Van Basten is like a God in this country and all the players are totally pumped to play for him unlike some of our previous coaches, Van Gaal or Advocaat. Although the names might not be as fancy as usual, I think this is going to work to the Dutch advantage. This is a team, not a motley crew of international stars.
Argentina will also go through. I’m sorry ivory coast and S&M, but you don’t have a chance.
Posted from 
China
Yo foot ball maniacs.I bet
The Côte d’Ivoire will win against Netherlands.Say it 1-0.
Don’t you guys agree?
Posted from 
Indonesia
Cote d’ivoire was definitely a good side and gave Holland and Argentina a lot of problems. But even when they were dominating against Holland in the second have, the amount of really good opportunities was pretty much identical.
This prediction was doomed from the start.
Posted from United Kingdom
i live work
Posted from 
Islamic Republic Of Iran
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I would say the Dutch and the Serbs will advance, thanks to argentina’s incosistencies as stated in the article. Ivory coast Can not be counted out as they have nothing to lose. Also the Dutch and teh Serbs are both European and will have a lot of support in the stands, and it will play a role no matter what people say.
Posted from
United States