2010 FIFA World Cup Tips

List of 10 Nominees released – Villa and Sneijder head betting

Who is the best player at the 2010 FIFA World Cup? Think you know? Then you can you money down on the short listed 10 players for the Golden Ball Award. This award was won by the master Zinidane Zidane at Germany 2008, and there are some big shoes to fill in World Cup history. Between them, the World Cup finalists Spain and Holland have five players in the list of ten, with Spain edging things with three. Xavi, David Villa and Andres Iniesta are on the list, while Holland are represented by Arjen Robben and Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder. It is likely that the winner is going to come from that shortlist of the shortlist, with the main candidates being Sneijder and Villa if you look at World Cup betting. Both have been pivotal in the success of their names, both netting five times in the tournament. This means that Sunday’s World Cup Final will be a shoot-out for the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball and the World Cup itself. It could be a very happy day for one of them. Villa’s goals have carried Spain, while Sneijder is the engine room and the creative spark for Holland, and can pretty much stand up and say that he has carried the expectations of the team.

But if you want to look outside of them, then the next likely candidate will be the master passer Xavi, who sits in the centre of the Spanish midfield, and pulls all of the strings there. He puts on master classes of passing, control and patience and most of the good work that Spain do, goes right through him. His team mate Andres Iniesta has also been shining, with his array of passing and movement skills, as well as showing some fantastic close control when taking the ball into tight space to create openings for others. He, Villa and Xavi are all hugely influential in their own way, so who would you pick out of them? Xavi is fully deserving and makes the best outside bet behind Villa and Sneijder, and it would be a second prestigious triumph for him after winning player of the tournament at Euro 2008. Holland’s Arjen Robben has made a major impact since returning from injury. His pace and trickery has ignited the Netherlands, and they really were missing him. Has he done enough though to win the Golden Ball?

Out of the remaining five nominees, there is one prominent name who is not expected to win. Argentina’s Lionel Messi played some fantastic football during the group stages, and was mightily unlucky not find the back of the net at least once. His dazzling talents were all there on display, he just could turn his performances into productive ones in terms of goals. That, and Argentina’s early demise will keep him out of the running. Other nominations, which are there to give recognition for having had good tournaments as opposed to being expected to win, are Germany duo Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Oezil, Uruguay’s Diego Forlan and Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan. Rightly they have all made a big impact at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in their own way, but anyone other than Xavi, Sneijder or Villa, really would be a surprise. The winner will be announced after the World Cup Final on Sunday, so the players have one big final chance to impress.

Golden Ball Outright Betting
Wesley Sneijder: 15/8 at Victor Chandler
David Villa: 15/8 at Victor Chandler
Xavi: 7/2 at SkyBet
Andres Iniesta: 10/1 at Victor Chandler
Arjen Robben: 14/1 at SportingBet
Mesut Oezil: 28/1 at Bet365
Bastian Schweinsteiger: 33/1 at Paddy Power
Diego Forlan: 33/1 at Bet365
Lionel Messi: 100/1 at Paddy Power
Asamoah Gyan: 100/1 at Bet365
 

World Cup 2010 Third Place Play-Off Odds

Uruguay to win: 9/2 at SportingBet
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
Germany to win: 8/11 at Bet365

Uruguay

Uruguay, after battling well against Holland in the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi final, find themselves in the third place play off match against Germany, a fixture which is often met with scepticism. Usually nations simply give a run out to the squad players who have not really gotten a chance to shine at all through the tournament. This devalues the game a little bit, but after missing out on a place in the World Cup final, how motivated are nations supposed to be? Moral and interest probably won’t be that high, but Uruguay can be very proud of the progress which they have made through the tournament. After basically coming from nowhere, they were on the brink of making the World Cup Final, when they had been fully overlooked in World Cup betting at the start of the tournament. Their strengths have been in the way they stick together as a team, and while their style has not been the most exciting to watch, they have certainly contributed to the World Cup in a large way. After being the last of the 32 teams to qualify for South Africa 2010, they exceeded everyone’s expectations, and now they can finish in third place, which would crown a big step forward for the nation.

A dogged, hard grafting team, Uruguay have suffocated teams and have hit hard on the counter attack. They have been helped with a wonderful attack which consists of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. It will be interesting now just how far Uruguay can go in terms of building upon this success. Being the second smallest populated country at the World Cup, Uruguay have made the best of their resources, and now they need to ensure that they become a force to be reckoned with in South Africa for some time to come. Their eventual undoing was not having enough creativity in midfield. While Forlan was playing with an injury, the Uruguay side were missing the creative influence of Nicholas Lodeiro in the middle of the park, and therefore the South Americans failed to get any real quality distribution forward. They also had to play their semi final against the Netherlands without the quality of Suarez up front, who was red carded in Uruguay’s quarter final triumph against Ghana for punching a shot off the line. His controversial action paid dividends as Ghana missed the last minute penalty, and Uruguay pushed on through in a penalty shoot out. Who really would have predicted Uruguay finishing in the last four at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The last four was supposed to be all about the glamour sides like Argentina and Brazil, but in a World Cup full of surprises, the success of Uruguay has been one of the biggest.

They will not have won many friends because of the Suarez handball, but they deserve their plaudits. Star man Diego Forlan, who hit four goals in the tournament, revealed that he had been playing the semi final with an injury, but he can hold his head high knowing that he has been one of the best performers of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Whether the semi final will be the end of his World Cup adventures remains to be seen, as his injury may well keep him out of the third placed match. It is always a strange occasion watching two teams who are a bit apathetic towards the occasion take to the field. But the match is there to be played, and one player returning to the side will probably be Suarez, who has three goals to his name. Injuries and suspension hurt Uruguay badly ahead of their semi final match, and now coach Oscar Tabarez will hope to inspire his men to finish third ahead of Germany. Against the odds, Uruguay were the last South American team left in the tournament amongst Europe’s best, and now what would really be the crowning moment on their 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, would be for them to really come out of their shell and put on a fiesta of football against Germany. There really is nothing to lose anymore for them, after their World Cup dreams ended with a 3-2 defeat by Holland. There has been enough quality in the side though to suggest that they have plenty to build with, but four years is a long time in football, and Uruguay need to use that time wisely in nurturing their youngster.

Germany

The biggest question surrounding Germany, will be how well their youngsters will respond to the disappointment of losing to pre tournament favourites Spain in the semi finals. Germany have been one of the most thrilling teams to watch at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, putting four goals past Australia, England and Argentina on their way to the semi finals. Joachim Loew has built a fantastic young team, but they fell just a little bit short when it mattered most, as the experienced Spaniards got the better of them. Germany may feel like they let themselves down in the end, adopting a much more conservative approach to the game against the Spaniards, as opposed to going out and playing their own match. The Germans were sitting back far too much, worrying about the threats of the Spaniards. All it took was a lapse in concentration at the back from the German defence, which let in Spanish defender Carles Puyol with a headed goal. With the Germans famed through history for their discipline in defence, it was a tough blow for them to suffer. The Germans were also missing four goal Thomas Mueller for the semi final, and his absence felt quite big. That extra little spark when breaking forward was missing, and the chances for the Germans were few and far between.

We did not see the expansive, thrilling German side that had took the tournament by storm. Instead we saw caution, and hopefully, for the World Cup third place match, the attacking Germany will re-emerge. They will be favourites against Uruguay on the day, naturally, and it will be a chance to stretch their legs again without any pressure upon them. After being starved of service in the semi final, striker Miroslav Klose will be hungry to put the ball in the back of the net, as he looks to equal Ronaldo’s World Cup goal scoring record of 15. This could be the German goal scoring legend’s swan song in World Cup history, and while it would have been more fitting for him to have gotten his goal in the World Cup final against fierce rivals Holland, he will have to settle for the chances which come his way against Uruguay. After all, all goals count, no matter who the opposition are.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil will be the next marker for these young Germans on the world stage. They looked to be packed with talent, with the likes of Thomas Mueller and Mesut Oezil dominating the team. Germany have invested heavily in their youth, and coach Joachim Low and Jurgen Klinsmann can be credited with all the hard work they did in shaking up German football, and adapting a more positive approach to their game. Sadly it deserted them against Spain, but that is what playing against the best in the World will do to you. Perhaps it was a touch of the big stage nerves as well, because the Germans did not look anywhere as near as confident on the ball as they were in their quarter final demolition of Argentina. The pitch for the Spain v Germany semi final didn’t help the game either, which turned out to be an low key affair, in which the Spaniards dominated possession. Even after the goal, and with the Germans pushing further and further forward, there was little penetration from the Germans. They only really had one clear chance which fell to Kroos instead of Klose, which Spain’s keeper Iker Casillas parried away. No doubt Joachim Loew will give his youngsters another crack at the whip against Uruguay, as this will be a big test of their mental toughness.

Germany V Uruguay Betting Tips & Prediction

Match Verdict – Who is likely to come out on top of this one? The Germans will be favourite and it is easy to see why. With the pressure off, their young stars could well find the freedom to express themselves. The biggest hope for this game, is that Uruguay actually play more of an open game, more open than we have seen them at the tournament so far, and that will leave them with a big in their column before heading back to South Africa. They have been one of the success stories, and whether or not Forlan plays could be a key factor in them finishing third or fourth, and missing Lodeiro and captain Lugano hurt them in the semi’s. Tabarez may just throw in the unused players now their tournament is over, which may help in seeing them be more expansive. Germany will be of the mindset that they want to build for Euro 2012 and beyond, so we should see a strong side from them. Their youngster have a great future in front of them, and a third placed finish at the World Cup would be a major triumph for their technical and mental ability. A win for Germany would be a good thing for football, championing the success of youth.

Under 2.5 Goals 21/20 at SportingBet

Current Uruguay v Germany Odds:

Spain v Germany Betting Stats

Over Under 2.5 Goals
If, like most punters, stats are your thing, we will explore them here for the Germany v Spain World Cup Semi Final. Let’s look at the goal scoring threat of both sides to start. With Torres not contributing anything but wasted chances, Spain are relying heavily on David Villa for goals, who has netted all but one of the nation’s goals at the World Cup. While Spain have been stuttering, there is the quality there to step up a gear, and they are arguably the best side in the world at the moment. Do they look as if they have three goals in them? Against a good side, not really. They have not been that dominating in terms of creating clear cut chances, even though they always dominate possession. Germany in contrast have been scoring for fun. Germany are on a 2.60 average goals per game, while Spain are averaging a far less at just 1.20. This means that goals should be fully expected from the Germans who have been potent in front of goal, largely thanks to their strength and ruthlessness in going on the break. Miroslav Klose is the main man which they will go to of course, and they will be missing Thomas Mueller who has hit four during the tournament, which is a huge blow to them. Still, add together the goals averages and you should be pretty safe going over, as both sides could have plenty of goals in them. Semi final’s usually don’t produce three goals, but records are tumbling at South Africa 2010. Looking at the four World Cups prior to South Africa 2010, only 2 of the eight matches made it to the three goals. Well worth a punt here though:
Spain V Germany Over 2.5 Goals: 6/5 at Bet365

World Cup History for Match Odds
Germany have the edge over Spain in World Cup meetings, having won two of their three encounters, with the other one having ended in a draw. For the record, here is the World Cup history between the two nations:
1994 Group Match: Germany 1, Spain 1
1982 Second Round: Germany 2, Spain 1
1966 Group Match: Germany 2, Spain 1
This is a tough match to call as Germany are the most explosive side at South Africa 2010, but Spain will likely dominate all of the possession. "Paul the Octopus" in Germany predicted a Spanish victory, so whether you want to go with an octopus or from form guides and stats, Spain are still the favourites to win the match, but the question will be who will have the more firepower at the end of the day, and that, at the moment, appears to be Germany.
Spain to win: 7/4 at Bwin
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Germany to win: 15/8 at Boylesports

To Qualify:
Spain are tipped to go through, but really, what would be more enticing that a Germany v Holland World Cup final. You may think that England are Germany’s old foes, but if you have spent time in Germany, and I can speak from experience, you will be told that the Dutch are their main rivals. Likewise Germany is pretty much at the top of the Dutch hit list, so that final would stir up some fantastic rivalries. In many ways, this should be the final, with Spain being a fantastically accomplished and experienced teams, up against the young German upstarts. The bookmakers again only just lean towards Spain in this market, showing how close the two teams are. So therefore, the next market may be a better option. If you like your historical stats, then Spain have never been to the World Cup finals (this is their first time in the semi’s) whereas Germany have been to the Final seven times. They also have four semi final defeats under their belt, including at Germany 2006 against Portugal.
Spain: 18/19 at Bwin
Germany: Evens at Totesport

Draw No Bet
Whoever you plump for, going for the Draw No Bet option will bring you shorter odds than outright betting, but at least it gives you coverage. You’ll probably have a preference already in your mind as to who you want to win, but getting a stake refund for them drawing at the end of ninety minutes appeals to a lot of people. Again, there is little to chose between the two teams on this one, but for a World Cup semi finals, taking Evens for both is pretty good odds. Only two of the last eight World Cup semi final matches have gone to extra time.
Germany – Evens at Boylesports
Spain – Evens at Bwin

Correct Score
This is always an interesting, yet difficult market to call. For this one, the best guide is to look at results between the two teams, and results through the tournament. It’s worth looking at the average goals scored first off, and with Germany’s at 2.60 and Spain’s at 1.20, so it seems like a 2-1 victory for Germany would be a pretty safe bet here. It’s a decent price to snap up as well, hovering around 10/1 at most online bookmakers. On the flip side of that, both sides have only conceded two goals each during the tournament, which means that while there really is an enormous amount of potential for a lot of goals in this match, the defences of both teams are pretty solid and tight, which will keep the count down. 2-1 is always a great scoreline to plump with when looking through correct score markets, and bear in mind that two of the last three encounters between Germany v Spain in the World Cup have ended in a 2-1 victory for the Germans. Spain did beat Germany 1-0 in the final of Euro 2008 of course, but the German side is much changed since then.
Germany 2-1: 10/1 at SkyBet
Other best priced options:
Draw 1-1: 11/2 at Boylesports
Spain 1-0: 7/1 at 888Sport
Germany 1-0: 15/2 at Blue Square
Draw 0-0: 8/1 at Bet365
Spain 2-1: 10/1 at Victor Chandler
Spain 2-0: 12/1 at 888Sport
Germany 2-0: 14/1 at Blue Square

To win on Penalties
We like a good penalty shoot out. There is no better drama in football, as long as your nation is not participating, or your bet is hinging on it. Germany of course are the penalty kick kings, have won all four of their shoot outs in World Cup history. Their last one came in the Quarter Finals of Germany 2006 where they beat Argentina 4-2. The other three teams which have fallen to Germany on penalties at the World Cup, is Mexico, France and of course, England. Spain however, are not faring quite as well, having only won 1 out 3 World Cup shoot outs. Their first failure was against Belgium in ‘86 and their last was sent them crashing out of the 2002 World Cup when they lost 3-5 to South Korea in the Quarter Finals. Their only success came in the round previous to that in 2002, when they beat the Republic of Ireland 3-2. You would back Germany in a penalty shoot out.
Germany – 9/1 at Paddy Power
Spain – 9/1 at Paddy Power

Anytime Goalscorer
It is always worth looking at this market as opposed to First Goalscorer, as your odds are lower but realistically you have a little more chance of landing a winner. It is well worth simply backing the strikers in this market, and when you look at tournament David Villa going for around 4/1 it is not to be sniffed at. While Villa is pretty much a one man goal machine for Spain, don’t discount their attacking midfielders, as there is some serious quality in there when it comes to goals, so look at Iniesta and Xavi to get in on the act. It could be a midfield break which splits this tie wide open. For Germany, all of their midfield and attack look to have goals in them, but Klose is the main man for them, with Podolski and Oezil the most likely candidates to get in on the action.
David Villa: 9/2 at Bwin
Miroslav Klose: 13/2 at Bet365
Fernando Torres: 13/2 at Bwin
Fernando Llorente: 8/1 at Bet365
No Goalscorer: 8/1 at SkyBet
Lukas Podolski: 8/1 at Stan James
Mesut Oezil: 14/1 at Totesport
Andres Iniesta: 14/1 at Bet365
Xavi: 16/1 at BetFred

Let’s look at a Villa v Klose Head to Head

Germany v Spain Asian Handicap
Always a great market to explore. Why? Because you get extra coverage for your money, as you can back a loser and still win. The teams and World Cup odds for the Spain v Germany semi final are pretty tight, so you are not going to find too extravagant odds in this market, unless you think Germany is going to run up another goal fest for example. You will need to stray out towards a handicap of two to get some serious prices going, but you’ll need to ask yourself how realistic that will be? Are Germany two goals better than Spain, or vice-versa? As to be expected, both teams for 0 Asian Handicap are around Evens, same as most other prices, so it’s not really dabbling into that. So where are the best prices at? Looking in the minus as the teams are closely matched, bookmakers are not going to give nice prices in giving a team an advantage. You will find better odds on the Germans in the minus, as Spain slightly edge things in terms of betting. Whichever way you lean, just ask yourself how many goals you think either team will win by. If its going to be close, then a price of Spain -1 for 17/5 at Bet365 is a pretty decent price. That brings a stake refund for Spain winning by 1 goal, and a full priced win if they win by 2 clear goals. Germany at -0.75 for 47/20 at Bet365 is a decent price as well, and that will give a half win for Germany winning by 1 goal, and a full win for them winning by 2 goals. The Asian Handicap market is always worth dipping into, and however strongly you fancy Spain or Germany to win by, you can back your margin for some good prices.

World Cup 2010 Castrol Index Ranking (which analyses overal performance)
1) Philipp Lahm (GER 9.79)
2) Sergio Ramos (ESP 9.74)
3) Gerard Pique (ESP 9.70)
4) Joan Capdevila (ESP 9.66)
5) David Villa (ESP 9.62)

Uruguay v Holland Betting Odds

Holland to win: 7/10 at Paddy Power
Draw: 13/5 at SkyBet
Uruguay to win: 11/2 at Bet365

World Cup Semi Final
Date: Tuesday, July 6th
Kick Off: 19.30 GMT

Uruguay

Despite having four teams in the Quarter Finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South America have only one representative left, as the remaining Europeans took charge of the competition. Uruguay saw the favoured Brazilians and Argentineans fall by the way side, as they themselves battled through to the semi finals in a tight match against Ghana. Uruguay had the unenviable task of taking on Ghana in the Quarter Finals, who were the last remaining team from Africa. That meant supporters from South America were heavily outnumbered on the African continent, but they were the ones who smiling at the end, after seeing their team win through on penalties. Uruguay have been commended throughout the tournament for their strong defensive play, but they largely had the upper hand in all aspects of their contest against Ghana, who lacked a little punch up front. But it was Ghana who struck first, with a long range effort from midfielder Muntari, who caught Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera off guard. It took a great free kick from striker Diego Forlan to draw Uruguay level, but all of the controversy game at the end of extra time, when fellow striker Luis Suarez cleared a shot off his own goal line with his hands. He saw red and Ghana star striker Asamoah Gyan had the chance to put his side into the semi finals, the first time an African nation had been there, from the penalty spot. Gyan hit the bar, and the game went to a shoot-out, which the South Americans won 4-2.

Uruguay have played well throughout the tournament, even if they have not been one of the most exciting teams to watch. They have a superb resilience and team work about them, which is the underlying root of all of their success. They have scored crucial goals when they needed to, and have defended for long periods of game, being quite comfortable in their role of being a defensive team. But they are a side which show a lot of quality when they have time on the ball, with Diego Forlan being at the heart of most of it. While known for his striking prowess across Europe, the number has more tricks up his sleeve than just putting the ball in net. You can watch and admire how he finds space, delivers dead balls with accuracy as well as picking out creative passes. Uruguay are just as comfortable on the ball as any other South American team, but because they have not go the out and out quality as Brazil or Argentina, they work to tactics which work for them. That is being conservative and by giving very little away, it means that they do not have to chase games too hard. Uruguay’s defence works from the front to the back, and the forwards press quite hard to stop the ball getting forward in the first place. The scrapping and quality tackling is a strength of the Uruguayans, especially in midfield, where there are three core players who keep compact. With the two wide forwards dropping back to held in midfield, there is a tough sky blue wall for opponents to get through.

But the South Americans naturally have very good quality up front as well, particularly in the link between Forlan and Suarez. Now however, after his indiscretion in the Quarter Final, Uruguay will have to do without Luis Suarez as they take on Holland in the semi finals. This is quite a big blow for Uruguay, as Suarez is quite the prolific scorer. But, because they generally set up with three players up top, they may be able to cope. Uruguay do put out three forwards, with Forlan linking up between attacking midfielder and extra forward. It is a system which offers a lot of defensive benefits, as well as having the power in position to attack on the counter attack. Uruguay will go into their semi final match as underdogs against Holland, as the Dutch have been riding high on a long run of unbeaten games. But Uruguay can take confidence into the match, simply because of their defence, and knowing that the Netherlands have not looked particularly great through the tournament. Holland v Uruguay will see the South Americans thinking that this as a chance to bring down one of Europe’s elite, by playing a tight, compact game as they always do. Uruguay are a great World Cup Betting tip to grind down, dent the confidence of, and beat Holland.

Uruguay are not a prolific team going forward though, but that does not mean that they do not have goals in them. They are a huge threat from set pieces, and when hitting teams on the break. Holland’s style will suit Uruguay to some extents, as the South Americans will be facing a patient team which like to knock the ball around and look for beautiful goals. Uruguay will be pretty confident that they can negate the threats from Holland, simply by keeping things tight in the middle of the park, and cutting off the supply line to the forwards. They will have to deal with opponents who like to throw a bit more width into their game than any of their opponents have done so far, but with Suarez having to be absent, it may allow for an extra out and out midfielder to spread out and clog up the midfield, leaving just two strikers up top. There is not a harder working team left in the tournament, and the Uruguay strikers always drop back as much as possible anyway, so they always seem to have extra midfielders on the pitch.

Uruguay Team News: Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is injured. Captain and defender Diego Lugano is a doubt. Jorge Lugano and Luis Suarez, suspended.

Holland

Holland have not been playing anywhere near their potential of Total Football, the style associated with the Dutch. While they have gone nearly thirty matches now without losing, there appears to be something lacking in their game, an edge that is not quite sharp enough which may see them fail in the Holland v Uruguay semi final. That seems an odd thing to say about a team which just went out and beat Brazil 2-1 in the Quarter Finals. Holland found themselves behind early on in the match after the Brazillian attack were cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. To their credit, they got themselves back into the match with a piece of luck from a cross from key man Wesley Sneijder, which eluded everyone including Julio Cesar in the Brazilian goal. Holland went on to win the match, largely helped by the South Americans completely losing their cool and capitulating, with Brazil’s Felipe Melo being shown the red card. It was a feisty, tetchy match, in which the Netherland were guilty of showing unsportsmanlike conduct, with winger Arjen Robben in particular spending a lot of time on the ground in drawing fouls. He was lucky to still be on the pitch for simulation, as the Dutch players milked all they could in playing up to the referee and agitating the Brazilians.

Holland have not displayed as much firepower as they were expected to have, and while going behind against Brazil was the first time that they have had their backs against the wall, they have not been overly convincing in proving that they have enough to win the World Cup. However, luck does play a huge part in football, and the Dutch are now just two victories away from winning the greatest prize in the game. South Americans Uruguay stand in their way now and it will be tough test for the Dutch, who will need to show a little more passion than they have done. They are on the brink of something good, and perhaps they are saving their best for last, and their best will be needed to break down the resilient Uruguayans. There were rumours of fractions in the Dutch camp after Robin Van Persie was moaning about being substituted in match. He had a very poor afternoon against Brazil, and him not being on song will not help the Dutch cause any. The key man for Holland is Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder, who floats around linking up the midfield and attack. It was his two goals which caused the downfall of Brazil, and Uruguay simply have to find a way to keep him quite. They do that, and they will be giving themselves a huge boost.

At the back Holland lost their main centre half Joris Mathijsen just before kick off, and the aging legs of Andre Ooijer had to step in. The Dutch were not, in any way shape or form convincing against Brazil at the back, and Uruguay will fancy their chances there, especially from dead ball situations. The best way for Uruguay to get through Holland will be going down the middle of the park, where the South Americans will be able to out work, out battle and out tackle the European side. There is not a great deal of toughness in the middle for Holland, with Mark Van Bommel being the main man who holds things together. Quite how he was on the pitch at the end of the match against Brazil is quite a mystery, as he was guilty of some very blatant fouls. He was quite reckless, and if the craft and speed of Forlan can get the better of him, then the South Americans will be in with quite a good chance of winning this one. For Holland, this will now represent their best opportunity to win the World Cup in their history. They will believe that they are facing the weakest team left in the competition, and their place in the final should be already booked. This is something else which could work against their favour, underestimating the technical capabilities of the Uruguayans. Holland need to show a lot more conviction, and a lot more creativity than they have done in the tournament so far, in order to break down Uruguay. They have the talent, but do they have the team to rise again and get the job done without being over complacent?

Netherlands Team News: Gergory Van Der Wiel, Nigel De Jong (suspended). Robin Van Persie, Joris Mathijsen (injury doubts).

Holland v Uruguay World Cup Betting Prediction: Uruguay could again edge this one, adding another upset to the list of unexpected results for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Uruguay +0.75 Asian Handicap for 41/40 at Bet365
 

Current World Cup Betting Prices

European Champions Spain have again stretched their legs at the top of the World Cup 2010 betting chart. After coming into the tournament as outright favourites, their less than emphatic run of results, saw their price lengthen in comparison to Brazil and Argentina, who had theirs shortened. Spain though have had the last laugh over the two South American power houses, as they both fell by the wayside in the Quarter Finals, while Spain ambled on unconvincingly to the World Cup Semi Finals. Spain are now back as favourites to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and the best price around on them at the moment is Spain 2/1 at SkyBet to be lifting the trophy on July 11th in Johannesburg. They have a mighty tough task in their semi final though, as they take on the tournament’s most exciting and in form team, England’s conquerors, Germany. The Germans have been scoring for fun, and their young, dynamic team have looked very impressive. As they are going head to head with Spain in the Germany v Spain semi final and are not starting as favourites in the World Cup betting for that match, they sit behind Spain in the outright market. There are still worth a good punt though, especially as they are priced at 9/4 with SkyBet. Out of a four horse race, that is not bad at all.

Germany are priced the same as Holland 9/4 at Victor Chandler at the moment. This says even more about Germany, as Holland have the perceived easier task of taking on Uruguay in their semi final. Taking on the favourites Spain, Germany are priced evenly with the Dutch, which suggests, and rightly so, that the Germans are much better than Holland. Out of the four teams which remain in the hunt for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, neither Holland nor Spain have played particularly well. They have been winning their matches, but not playing any world beating football or running out as emphatic winners. Germany on the other hand have been firing goals in, left right and centre, and look a much stronger bet than the two of them. They are not favourites, simply because they are inexperienced compared to Spain, but out of the Spain v Germany semi final, you would realistically expect the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to emerge.

The other team which should not be overlooked, is Uruguay, the last South American team standing. Come the quarter finals, South America looked to be dominating things with four teams left in. However, the Europeans came through strongly to take three of the remaining four spots in the tournament. So Uruguay are left flying the South American flag, and while controversy surrounds their striker Luis Suarez for punching Ghana’s last ditch attempt at a winner off the line, the Uruguayans are fully deserving of their spot in the semi finals. They are a phenomenally hard working team, but not as expansive of exciting to watch as other nations. They are more than capable of beating Holland in their semi final, simply because they have the capacity to outwork the Dutch, but they are now rank outsiders to win the tournament, out at 13/1 at Bwin to win the World Cup. Are they worth a punt? They are the underdogs, but yes, even if you get them down as an each way bet, at the price they are, they are probably worth a dabble.

Here are some 2010 FIFA World Cup Stats to draw some comparisons to help your World Cup Betting.

To Reach World Cup Final Odds
Netherlands: 1/3 at Totesport
Spain: 4/5 at Stan James
Germany: Evens at Totesport
Uruguay: 13/5 at SportingBet

Name the World Cup Finalists
Spain/Holland: 17/11 at Bwin
Germany/Holland: 17/10 at Stan James
Spain/Uruguay: 6/1 at Bet365
Germany/Uruguay: 13/2 at SportingBet

Betting Guide to Uruguay

The last time that Uruguay were in the semi finals of the World Cup was forty years ago, and not since 1950 when they beat Brazil in the final, have they been within a whisker of glory. Uruguay have won the World Cup twice in their history, but they were soon left behind as the game developed more, with Brazil and Argentina rising to power from South America. Uruguay have been perhaps the surprise team of the tournament so far, winning Group A and pushing on through to the quarter finals. Uruguay have a lot of historical background on their shoulders and for the first time in decades, they are actually looking to embrace their rich football history instead of being overwhelmed by it. They are coached by El Maestro, Oscar Tabarez, who sets up a very disciplined side that is very typical of the South American sides. South Americans use the ball well when in possession, but as not everyone can play like Brazil or Argentina, Uruguay rely on their physical strength and defensive organisational skills. They still have the crisp passing and inventive movement off the ball of South American teams, they are just more cautious in their approach, as they have not got the overall ability to match the Brazils of this world. This, in no way, is detrimental to Uruguay, who have sort of found their niche in play an organised system.

While the style of Uruguay has not had the overall flair of any of the other South Americans, they have attracted more and more interest because of how economical and efficient they are. They know that they have the firepower to go and get goals, but they do not play an offensive game. They sit back and wait for the opposition to be too adventurous going forward, and then strike themselves on the counter attack. While that is the main game plan which has been in operation during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, there have been periods when Uruguay have been a little more adventurous going forward, and they stroke the ball around like any other team from their continent. They have an extra gear into which they can kick, if they really need to, but unless they have to, then they are not going to throw caution to the wind. This is the strategy which has helped them counter teams which are faster than them, and who like to play the ball in the middle of the park. Uruguay have been very disciplined in not giving away many fouls, but their tackling and closing down in midfield is highly impressive. They are a hard working team, and if spirit and work ethic alone could get you to the World Cup final, then they would be there. They have been an oddly negative breath of fresh air in the tournament, and have won their fans. If they do need to chase games, then they could really show their glittering attacking skills, after Tabarez admitted that his team have not been as adventurous as others. The capability to be so though, is there.

Tactics: The star players are actually in their forwards, even though a lot of their game is based on defence. When you start spreading names like Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez around, you know you have two strikers who can keep good company with some of the world’s elite. There is a third striker on the pitch, Edinson Cavani, who does a tremendous amount of tracking back when the opponents have the ball. As with all South American teams, the key spot in the team goes to their most creative player, and ex Manchester United player Diego Forlan holds that precious number 10 shirt. He doesn’t play as an out and out striker, leaving those roles for Suarez and Cavani, but Forlan drops in behind them and pulls a lot of the strings. If he does wander up top with Suarez, then you may see Cavani holding back for example. This is because there are three midfielders behind them anyway, with the incredibly consistent Diego Perez the defensive midfielder. With two players either side of him, Uruguay make things difficult for teams who want to go through them. They force opposition wide to snuffle out attacks.
 
Coach: Oscar Tabarez - a very experienced man, who, like any international manager has had his critics. Main points of concerns about him, is that he is not a very inspirational leader, and has tinkered with tactics a few too many times, making the side unsettled. There haven’t been any signs of that though, and that same criticism could be levelled at Argentina’s Maradona, and look what he is doing. His style is not expansive, but he does work with what he has got and gets the best out of them. He isn’t scared of changing tactics during a match, and he will adapt as he goes along to situations

Uruguay World Cup 2010 Stats

Results
Uruguay 2, South Korea 1
Uruguay 1, Mexico 0
Uruguay 1, South Africa 0
Uruguay 0, France 0

Goals: 6 For, 1 Against
Cards: Y3, SY1, R0
Top Passer: Diego Forlan (188 passes, 58% completion rate)
Most Fouls: Luis Suarez, 8

Last 10 Match Uruguay Form:  WLWDWWDWWW

Probable Route to Winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup: Ghana (Q/F), Brazil (S/F), Spain (F)

Uruguay Betting Tips

Stage of Elimination
Quarter Finals: 13/8 at SkyBet
Semi Finals: 5/6 at SportingBet
Winners: 11/2 at Bet365
Runners Up: 7/1 at Coral

Uruguay’s Top Goal scorer
Luis Suarez 1/5 at SkyBet (3 goals)
Diego Forlan 4/1 at Ladbrokes (2 goals)

Uruguay Betting Tip: Uruguay 11/10 at Bet365 to beat Ghana in Quarter Finals

Paraguay V Spain Preview

Kick-off: Saturday, 3rd July – 19:30 GMT
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
World Cup Quarter-Final

Paraguay

Picking a successful dark horse is no easy feat, so congratulations are in order if you were clever enough to hand-pick Paraguay beforehand. However, the vibe inside camp is that the South American surprise package aren’t done just yet despite surpassing pre-tournament expectations by progressing as far as the quarter-finals, where a luxurious encounter against the reigning European champions awaits them. Both the coach and their celebrity forward, Roque Santa Cruz, have expressed their wishes to progress further in the tournament and indicated that there is still far more to come from their team-mates. But do the Paraguyans really have what it takes to knock the Spanish well and truly off their perch?

Paraguay have already set a new personal best just by making the last-eight, with their previous best merely a couple of Round of 16 appearances. The feeling within, though, is why should they let up now when the possibility of making the semi-final is strong despite the quality of their next opponent. If the South American’s are to go that step further, and it would be a pretty significant step as well, they need to pose more of a threat in the final third, as just three goals thus far is a poor tally and one that won’t strike any fear whatsoever into the Spanish ranks. The coach, Gerado Martino, has called for more goals, urging his star-studded forwards to pull their socks up for the good of the team, but as of yet the likes of Lucas Barrios, Nelson Valdez and Roque Santa Cruz, who all have the class and credentials to score at this level, haven’t performed.

Guranies topped a surprisingly exciting Group F above the 2006 FIFA World Cup winners Italy, as well as Slovakia and New Zealand. The confidence would have been oozing out of the players after such a momentous effort in getting to the top of the pack, but that early hype and euphoria seemingly diminished as nerves limited Paraguay against Japan. Martino’s men came across all sorts of problems breaking down a well-drilled Japanese defence, almost getting caught on the break as they pursued an opening goal. In the end, with neither side possessing that killer final ball of finish, it went down to penalties and it was Paraguay who kept their cool as they calmly fired home all fire of their spot-kicks. They’ll now have every confidence in their penalty taking ability should they manage to frustrate and nullifying the Spanish for 120 minutes, which in itself looks a huge challenge let alone beating Del Bosque’s charges without the need of a shoot-out.

It almost goes without saying that Paraguay need to offer a lot more up front if they’re to contest the right to play in the last-four of the competition, as while their defence has done remarkably well up till  now, with only Italy breaking through their rugged rearguard, they’ll do well to keep out a highly talented Spanish team. With that said, it does appear their best chance of winning this game is by defending stoutly and nicking a goal, either on the counter or from a set-piece. The call is for more goals, but the likelihood is Paraguay need some brave folk in defence is they wish to progress you feel, as well as some predator like finishing up the other end of the field.

Spain

It’s been well documented that Spain haven never won a World Cup before, not even contested a final in actual fact, but under Vicente Del Bosque they’ve found a squad capable of beating absolutely anyone on their day, as well as every tournament they participate in. They arrived in South Africa as European champions, but they came unstuck in the prep tournament when losing out to the United States in the semi-final. Then, for the first time in years, we began to see chinks in the Spanish armour and ever since we’ve seen a few more. For starters, they don’t cope well with all-out defence minded teams, which is a concern considering Paraguay have kept three cleans sheets in the competition so far. So how will they go about breaking down a stubborn South American side? And will they fall foul to another shocker?

Spain were the first team of the tournament to be on the receiving end of a shock result, losing 1-0 to Switzerland in Durban. That defeat actually left Spain on the brink of an early exit, leaving Del Bosque needing to mastermind back-to-back victories in order to make the cut for the Round of 16. In the end, Spain did so with something to spare. But, however, their reward for topping Group G was a last-sixteen tie with neighbours Portugal, who are another side with a fierce reputation for having a strong defence. Once again the Spanish struggled to find a way through a well guarded goal, and for moments looked as though they had no answer to the organised and disciplined two banks of four Portugal had set up. The difference in the end was David Villa, who has been their star performer all tournament in a team where a number of stars and influential figures simply haven’t brought their A-game to the table. Spain are fortunate enough to have a player of Villa’s calibre, someone who never shies away from the big occasion and is consistent as they come, but there’s only so far this guy can take them and unless other chip in with some assistance, Spain will come unstuck once more especially if Villa does have a rare off-day.

No-one will contest the fact that Spain should be favourites heading into this clash with Paraguay, as it’s a match they should win at a cantor on paper, regardless of their opponents mean defensive record of late. Spain have a better player in every position, from ambitious full-backs, midfield generals and deadly finishers, Spain have just about the perfect team. However, they are a side which can become frustrated when matters don’t go their way and were they to fire yet more blanks on Saturday, whose to say Spain won’t pay the price  for overcommitting like they did against the Swiss. Patience is the key against a team likely to defend resolutely throughout, and so long as Villa and Torres are given a bountiful supply of chances, the likelihood is a goal will be scored at some stage, and against a country which has a 50% failure rate when it comes to scoring at these finals, one goal may be all it takes. However, were they to grab it early in the game then the chances of Paraguay breaking out of their defensive shell are high meaning more space and gaps will be there for Spain to exploit.

Vicente Del Bosque has confirmed that under-fire forward Fernando Torres will start against Paraguay in what will probably be an unchanged starting eleven to that which overcame Portugal in the last round. In terms of suspensions, Xabi Alonso is the only player to receive a caution in these finals and would miss Spain’s next encounter should he pick up another on Saturday.

Match Odds:

Paraguay – 1.50 Bet365
Draw – 4.10 Boylesports
Spain – 8.50 ExtraBet

Our Betting Tip: Spain to WIN – 1.50 Bet365

The assumption that Paraguay will look to defend in large numbers is probably a safe one, although, from watching their performances up till this point, they don’t exactly look a side capable of quick counter-attacks. In fact, they look very reluctant at times to sprint into the oppositions half of the field and seem more to content to keep possession whenever possible, and against a team which know how to reorganise fast and quickly get back into rank, that’s a huge concern. The plus point is Spain haven’t dealt particularly well with set-plays so far in South Africa, with the normally reliable Iker Casillas a fumbling wreck. 

In our opinion, anything less than a comfortable Spanish victory would be a big surprise. Granted Paraguay have only conceded one goal, that coming against Italy, but they’ve faced either defensive or poor attacking teams up till now. Spain will ask so many questions of their defence that we just don’t see them having too many answers. If Spain grab that early goal they will go in search for right from the off, it will be curtains for Paraguay. The fact of the matter is, we, as well as the majority of punters, don’t see Spain not scoring at some point in 120 minutes and with that in mind, as well as Paraguay lacking the sort of guile and craft needed to break down a talented defence such as Spain’s, there’s only one viable outcome.

Recommended Bet: Spain to WIN by 3 Goals or More (Winning Margin) – 5.00 SkyBet

Current Paraguay v Spain Odds:

Argentina V Germany Preview

Kick-off: Saturday, 3rd July – 15:00 GMT
Venue: Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
World Cup Quarter-Final

Argentina

The exciting prospect of facing their fierce South Americans rivals, Brazil, is still on the cards but Argentina must first tame one of the competition’s most consistent nations in that of Germany, who will be aiming to make their 12th semi-final in the history of the competition which is in stark contrast to the Argentine’s who would make just their fifth. Even so, it is Argentina who arrive in Cape Town as favourites after scoring 10 goals in just 4 games, but will they put their striking prowess to good use on Saturday in a game which promises to produce fireworks.

Reports claims that Diego Maradona had two dream encounters planned for these finals, with the first being against the English. That dream was wrecked at the Round of 16 stage by their last-eight opponents Germany, who themselves are high up on Argentina’s list of enemy’s. Four years ago in Germany, the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Argentina went crashing out of the tournament on penalties to the Germans before later exacting their frustration and disappointment onto the German team with their hands. It was ugly scenes, an act of a sore loser from an Argentine viewpoint, and they’ll be eager to make amends for their embarrassing post-match antics, as well as their shortcomings, by avoiding any such commotion by beating Germany, preferably before the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

A lot has been made of Argentina’s prolific strike force, the five-strong list of deadly forwards which now contain two-goal Carlos Tevez, Golden Boot contender Gonzalo Higuain and the majestic Lionel Messi, who has yet to find the back of anyone’s goal but has looked magnificent nonetheless. Their 10 goals in 4 games would emphasis their strength in numbers up front, with Argentina currently leading the way in goals scorer for the tournament so far, but it is easy to forget that a defence which did look suspect on paper has conceded just two goals thus far. That’s not to say that Argentina’s defence should be feared in any which way, nor that it’s impenetrable, but it was previously an area of huge concern and it’s definitely a pleasing aspect to see Maradona’s defence going about their business in a casual and reliable manner, as the forwards continue to steal the limelight with their goals.

Diego Maradona is fortunate enough not to have any injury woes or suspension headaches to concern himself with as he ponders how to mastermind a victory over an opponent which will put them through their paces like no other has done previously in the tournament. There are, however, several with a yellow card to their name and another caution would mean they would miss a potentially all South American semi-final with Uruguay or Ghana. Javier Mascherano, who is prone to receive a card in big games, and Gabriel Heinze, another to have a tendency to pick up needless cautions, will both miss out on the last-four should they be cautioned in Cape Town. Other than that, it’s full steam ahead as Diego Maradona has a full squad of players to choose from.

Germany

Quick, hide, the Germans are coming. The sound of Joachim Low’s men marching into Cape Town would be enough to scare the socks off of any hardened footballing professional, but they may well find their match on Saturday as they prepare to take on an opponent just as feisty and battle hardened as themselves in that of South American giants Argentina. However, the Germans come baring gifts, or scalps shall we say, and will arrive at the Green Point Stadium boasting the blood of England. Will they add Argentina to their list of conquests so far in this tournament, or will the apparent immaturity of the squad be their downfall in a clash where boys are likely to be found out.

Germany were in a ruthless mood as they trampled on English dreams last Saturday, crushing one of their bitter enemy’s in a utterly dominant and convincing win over England. The Three Lions were favourites heading into that clash, just ever so slightly, so perhaps a case could be made for the Germans and their love for the underdog status. Well, if they weren’t recognised as slight underdogs in their previous clash against England they certainly will be against Argentina, as Germany are as big as 12/5 (3.40) with SkyBet and Ladbrokes to upset the odds, yes upset the odds!, on Saturday in a symmetrical fixture they won four years ago via spot-kicks. For all you ladies out there who love a bargain, we think Germany could be the deal of the century, especially if they turn up and perform as they did against England exactly a week ago.

Their four goals against England last weekend took their tally for the tournament to 9, leaving them just one shy of Argentina. That’s some achievement for a team which doesn’t have a recognised forward in its midsts, and by recognised we mean recognised for their talent and recent form. Miroslav Klose has accounted for two of those but he’s looked out of sorts for some time and may well find chances hard to come by against this Argentina defence, so the onus is on the likes of Lukas Podolski (2 Goals), Mesut Ozil (1 Goal) and Thomas Muller (3 Goals) to continue their fine run of form in front of goal because, in all honesty, their forwards just aren’t World Cup quality. With that said, you’ll struggle to find a forward more experienced and cunning that Klose, who with another three goals would equal the great Ronaldo’s record of 15 goals in finals.

Unlike his opposite number, Joachim Low does have plenty to ponder before the big game, while he isn’t fat and ugly either. The German equivalent of a glamour model has worries over two big names in that of Mesut Ozil, who has been sensational in that play-maker role and would leave a huge void should he not feature, and Lukas Podolski. The pair have had to miss large chunks of training recently and their doubts only add more woes, especially as the energetic and lively Cacua is unavailable through injury as well. Just to add insult to injury, any number of key players could miss the semi-final should they receive another caution on Saturday, including Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil and Lahm. With injuries causing havoc right now and the possibility of suspensions in the next round, the term ‘walking on egg shells’ couldn’t be more appropriate.

Match Odds:

Argentina – 2.38 BetFred
Draw – 3.25 bWin
Germany – 3.40 SkyBet

Our Betting Tip: Argentina to WIN – 2.38 BetFred

We, unfortunately, cannot see past an Argentina victory. The Germans were breathtaking last weekend as they dismantled England’s hopes of lifting the trophy after a 44-year drought, but there’s doubt over their defence, their forwards and their overall conditioning ahead of a clash against a team which has shaped up as possible FIFA World Cup champions. Thomas Muller commented earlier in the week that the Germans are a hard-working group of players, willing to go that extra mile for the good of the team. We hope that is true, as Low will need another courageous and industrious effort from his players on Saturday if they’re to despatch of the South Americans.

As for Argentina, they’re proving a difficult team to assess purely because they’ve looked the bee’s knees but haven’t yet been pitted against a team worthy or likely to win the title itself. This will be their first proper test of the tournament and should they handle whatever the Germans have to offer and give back twice as much, then who’s to say Argentina won’t continue going from strength to strength as they’ve done throughout the competition so far. Plus, with a deadly trio of forwards; Tevez, Messi and four-goal Higuain, it’s difficult to oppose a team possible of scoring any number of goals and unlikely to fire any blanks against any opponent.

Recommended Bet: Argentina to Score 3 or More Goals -  5.00 PaddyPower

Current Argentina v Germany Odds: