World Cup 2018 Group F- GER/MEX/SWE/KOR

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With a month to go and squads starting to be announced I thought it would be an idea to start threads for the World Cup. I've put together a guide to all the teams and these threads can then be used to discuss any further developments and of course the games:

Group F
GERMANY
MEXICO
SWEDEN
KOREA REPUBLIC
Schedule
June 17th 16:00        Germany v Mexico
June 18th 13:00        Sweden v Korea Rep

June 23rd 16:00        Korea Rep v Mexico
June 23rd 19:00        Germany v Sweden

June 27th 15:00        Korea Rep v Germany
June 27th 15:00        Mexico v Sweden
Team Overviews

Germany

FIFA ranking: 1^st 

Star Player: Take your pick the team consists of World Class
operators all over the field. If I had to pick one I’d go for the World Cup
loving goal scorer Thomas Muller at 20-1 he is worth at the least punt. 

WC History: 4 times champions 54, 74, 90 (as West Germany)
and the previous WC 2014. They are a team who know what to do in tournament
football, finishing runners up and 3^rd place up 4 times.

Odds: 9/2

Synopsis: Compiling the best-ever World Cup qualifying
campaign by a European team, Germany were absolutely ruthless, winning all 10
of their games and ending up with a gargantuan goal-difference of +39. Coach
Joachim Low would have been especially pleased with the way his team shared the
goals out, with no fewer than 21 players on the scoresheet. Anything other than
the Final and champions would be seen as a disappointment for the Germans and
they are well capable they’ll be the team to beat. Joint favourites with
Brazil.

Squad: 
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Paris Saint-Germain)
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jonas Hector (FC Cologne), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain), Leon Goretzka (Schalke 04), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)

Mexico

FIFA ranking: 15^th 

Star Player: I think it would be a cop out to say Javier
Hernandez so I won’t I’m going to go for the young winger Hirving Lozano moved
to PSV in the summer and had a fine season as PSV won the Eredivisie will be
watched by several scouts during this tournament.

WC History: Quarter finals in the top tournaments they hosted
is the furthest they have been have reached last 16 in each of their last 6
appearances and will be looking to at least match that this year.

Odds: 100-1

Synopsis: topped the CONCACAF qualifying table with ease. As
pointed out they will look to qualify from their group and have a decent strike
force to hopefully fulfill this though a last 16 tie with Brazil most likely
awaits them. 

Squad: 
Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Standard Liege), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul)
Defenders: Diego Reyes (Porto), Carlos Salcedo (Eintracht Frankfurt), Hector Moreno (Real Sociedad), Miguel Layun (Sevilla), Jesus Gallardo (Pumas), Hugo Ayala (Tigres UANL), Edson Alvarez (Club America)
Midfielders: Hector Herrera (Porto), Andres Guardado (Real Betis), Rafa Marquez (Atlas), Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Marco Fabian (Eintracht Frankfurt), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy)
Forwards: Javier Aquino (Tigres UANL), Jesus Corona (Porto), Raul Jimenez (Benfica), Oribe Peralta (Club America), Javier Hernandez (West Ham United), Carlos Vela (LAFC), Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven)

Sweden

FIFA ranking: 23^rd 

Star Player: Emil Forsberg- with the retirement of Zlatan
the RB Leipzig winger became the main attacking and creative force for the
Swedes

WC History: runners up as hosts in 1958

Odds: 150-1

Synopsis: Amid all the euphoria of qualifying for the 2018
World Cup due to their remarkable play-off victory over Italy, it should not be
forgotten how impressive Sweden were in the group phase, pipping Holland to the
runners-up spot, beating France in Solna and being undefeated at home. Under Coach
Janne Andersson, they are first and foremost a highly effective defensive unit.
The proof? Their seven clean sheets. They will be looking to at least finish 2^nd
in this group and I believe it will be a tight battle between themselves and Mexico
for it.

Squad: 
Goalkeepers: Robin Olsen (Copenhagen), Karl-Johan Johnsson (Guingamp), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Swansea)
Defenders: Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Victor Lindelof (Manchester United), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnador), Martin Olsson (Swansea), Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen), Filip Helander, Emil Krafth (both Bologna), Pontus Jansson (Leeds United)
Midfielders: Sebastian Larsson (Hull), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg), Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig), Gustav Svensson (Seattle Sounders), Oscar Hiljemark (Genoa), Viktor Claesson (Krasnador), Marcus Rohden (Crotone), Jimmy Durmaz (Toulouse)
Forwards: Marcus Berg (Al Ain), John Guidetti (Alaves), Ola Toivonen (Toulouse), Isaac Kiese Thelin (Waasland-Beveren)

Korea Republic

FIFA ranking: 61^st              

Star Player: Son Heung-min, the Spurs man is
teams attacking focal point and will be key should the Koreans upset the odds
to progress.

WC History: 4^th place in 2002 as hosts

Odds: 500-1

Synopsis: Korea  Rep. qualified for the 2018 World Cup, but
that is about the only positive thing that can be said about the final round of
the campaign. In their 10 games they won just four and picked up a single point
in five games on the road. That they qualified says as much about the failings
of others as it does about Korea.

Squad: 

Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Vissel Kobe), Kim Jin-hyeon (Cerezo Osaka), Cho Hyun-woo (Daegu FC)
Defenders: Kim young-gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande), Jang Hyun-soo (FC Tokyo), Jung Seung-hyun (Sagan Tosu), Yun Yong-sun (Seongnam FC), Oh Ban-suk (Jeju United), Kim Min-woo (Sangju Sangmu), Park Joo-ho (Ulsan Hyundai), Hong Chul (Sangju Sangmu), Go Yo-han (FC Seoul), Lee Yong (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
Midfielders: Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea City), Jung Woo-young (Vissel Kobe), Ju Se-jong (Asan Mugunghwa FC), Koo Ja-cheol (FC Augsburg), Lee Jae-sung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Lee Seung-woo (Hellas Verona), Moon Seon-min (Incheon United)
Forwards: Kim Shin-wook (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), Hwang Hee-chan (FC Red Bull Salzburg)

Edited by lassassinblanc - 04 Jun 2018 at 7:07pm