Betting on England at the World Cup 2010

Manager: Fabio Capello
Captain: John Terry
FIFA Ranking: 8
World Cup appearances: 12
World Cup Winner: 1966 

England Article: Squad

England Team Profile

England, sometimes referred to as ‘Three Lions‘, are a nation of which big things are always expected of them. Their loyal followers back home in what is a football mad country, always raise the expectation levels whenever a major tournament passes by their doorstep, and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will be no different.

The English are well renowned for their big fan base and the news is there will be over 100,000 English supporters in South Africa cheering their team on to what they hope will be World Cup glory, and they head to South Africa in high spirits after the English sailed through qualification. However, the ease at which England bypassed what seemed a pretty competitive Group at the time, will only add to the demand of the English public back home in a nation which expects a Golden delivery.

It used to be Spain who held the mantle for being the biggest underachievers in World football, but then the Spanish claimed the 2008 European Championship and the tag fell onto England’s shoulders, as the English haven’t lifted a major International trophy since 1966 when they won the World Cup on home soil. It’s been an absolute age without anything to celebrate, and what hurts the English supporters the most is England have rarely even looked like going close to winning either a World Cup or a European Championship. That should hopefully change in South Africa but England have a knack of disappointing.

Manager

It’s fair to say that Capello‘s appointment at the England helm wasn’t exactly met with open arms by every England fan, although everyone knew changes were needed after their failure to even qualify for the 2008 European Championships. Fabio Capello, a manager with a seemingly flawless and impeccable managerial CV, was brought in to restore some English pride that was previously lost through their failings to reach the last major tournament, and Capello’s honesty about England’s chances of reaching South Africa was like a breathe of fresh air, as Capello claimed England would definitely make South Africa’s show-piece. The Italian was to be right as England stormed through qualification, becoming one of the first few teams in the European sector to book their plane tickets to South Africa, to the relief of a football hungry nation.

Fabio Capello has been a revelation for England, installing some Italian discipline into the England camp which was certainly missing during Steve McClaren’s and Sven Goran Eriksson’s reigns as England coach. The players now respect the coach and feel privilege to be a part of the England set up once again, something that was also missing from the England camp before Capello’s appointment. The players know no-one is safe from Capello’s sharpened axe, and that everyone’s place is up for grabs should they not perform. Capello’s disciplined manner and approach has greatly improved how the England team operates and they are arguably entering into a World Cup in the best form of any of the recent England teams, so the expectation levels back home are rightly high, and it’s all down to one man – Fabio Capello.

With England having gone nearly a decade without a World Cup, Fabio Capello could etch his name into English folklore should he mastermind a successful campaign in South Africa. With the English fans, though, he’ll simply be known as a ‘Legend’ forever.

England Key Players

John Terry

It’s been a turbulent year for the former England skipper, who only this year relinquished his hold of the captain’s armband thanks to his infidelity issues, a subject we will try to avoid for now. Some were hoping it would make John Terry stronger, Terry against the world they hoped, but it did have a big affect on the Chelsea defender, and for all the wrong reasons. Thereafter, however, Terry’s performances for Chelsea declined and he was no longer seen as the rock at the heart of the Chelsea defence.

Nevertheless, there’s an immensely talented defender within John Terry waiting for it’s rebirth. At his best he can take the form of the world’s best centre back, commanding his defence in his authoritative manner, reading the play with precision and never afraid to get stuck in with a bold but fair tackle. He’s been a little off form before the World Cup finals, but England fans will be hoping John Terry quickly bounces back to his reliable self in time for a successful World Cup challenge.

Steven Gerrard

The Liverpool skipper didn’t have the best of seasons for his club as they endured one of their worst campaign for some time, while Gerrard has had his fair share of England critics down the years, so Gerrard, who will be making his third apperance in the finals of a World Cup, will have something to prove in South Africa. His commitment in an England shirt has been brought into question on more than one occasion, as the Liverpool born midfielder seemingly doesn’t play in the same forceful and constructive manner for his country like he does for his club, Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard is arguably the very best at what he does and his game is about several aspects, all of which he does to a very high standard. The accuracy of his passing is second to none; switching the ball from flank to flank isn’t a problem for the Merseyside star, tracking back and helping out in defence he does to a more than satisfactory level, while the standard at which he creates chances for everyone else, and the regularity of them, are both outstanding and admirable. However, the one crucial factor you get with Gerrard that you don’t with most Midfielders is this unique ability to defy adversity time and time again. Granted he’s only really produced something wonderful and spectacular for Liverpool and not for England, but the simple fact he’s saved Liverpool from the pits of despair on half-a-dozen occasions in his illustrious career is a huge positive for every England fan as the Three Lions could be in a position where exit from the competition looks imminent, but when you have a player in your team which you know can pop up with the goods when everyone else’s luck is out, it’s priceless and that’s the best word to desribe Steven Gerrard, regardless of whether or not he’s having a bad game or a bad tournament, Gerrard’s winning mentality is priceless and he can win any game of football at any given time.

With Steven Gerrard in your team, you can never be out of a game until the final whistle rings. If Gerrard has a big tournament this summer, then so do England!

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney was pushing Lionel Messi, the kid some are saying is looking more and more likely to be the greatest ever, all the way for Europe’s biggest player accolade before injuries spurred his chances of personal glory with the FIFA Player of the Year award. Rooney isn’t all about winning awards though, although he does enter into the World Cup in the knowledge that he was rated the Premiership’s best player for the 2009-2010 season. No, Rooney is a team player and he will strive to ensure England enjoy a good run in South Africa.

Within a year Wayne Rooney has seemingly been transformed into the complete striker, almost the perfect player in many respects. Sir Alex Ferguson has added versatility to his game, boosted his temperament and and converted the former play-maker into a goalscoring machine. Rooney always had goals in him but he was never scoring them with the alarming regularity that he is now. He’s been playing in a more central role up front for his club and it’s paid dividends, with Rooney ending the campaign with 26 league goals, while England were reaping the benefits of Rooney’s new found lease of forward life as the Manchester United striker finished a successful qualifying campaign as England’s most prolific forward with 9 goals in 9 qualifiers; averaging a goal every game for his country.

Rooney’s fiery attitude has cost him and England in previous tournaments, but the Liverpool born star has matured significantly in recent seasons and is now in the shape and form of his life. South Africa could be a huge tournament for Wayne Rooney as he looks to show the rest of the world what everyone in England has been talking about.

Strengths

The support England will get from their travelling fans will be amazing throughout their time in South Africa, and so long as the Three Lions keep progressing, the support will grow and grow. There will be over 100,000 English fans in South Africa to watch their team take on some of the World’s greatest football teams aiming to get a glimpses at perhaps the first England side to win the prestigious tournament since 1966. The fans will be in full voice at their games, and in plentiful supply, so whoever comes up against England will need to quieten the crowd if they wish to thwart England’s bid for glory.

The strength is depth is also a massive plus. England have genuine world-class quality in every position, while their back up is also first class. However, it’s the strength of their starting line up which will leave many nations in awe. Their defence consists of two of the World’s best defenders in John Terry (Chelsea captain) and Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United vice-captain), while Ashley Cole is rated as one of the World’s best left-backs. The midfield looks very solid yet full of creative spark and guile, with Gareth Barry sat in that holding role while Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard dictate the play just in front of him. The latter two also have goals in them, Lampard especially as he takes England’s spot-kicks. Gerrard can strike a ball from just about anywhere, and if England need a piece of magic at some stage, don’t be surprised if Steven Gerrard steps up to the mark. Up front we of course have Wayne Rooney – One of the World’s best on current form. 

Weaknesses

England do lack an out-an-out striker and as a result, means the Three Lions aren’t as danger from an attacking point-of-view as one might wish for. That may sound a tad amusing considering England finished with one of the higher goal returns during qualifying from the European sector, but the English were dominant in their group and often strolled through their qualifiers against the lesser nations. Against those with stronger defences, England will need more fire-power up top to break them down and could be found wanting if Wayne Rooney, a man upon the nations hopes are resting, doesn’t perform to the high standard we’ve all come to expect, or if he isn’t found a suitable striking partner. Fabio Capello has tested several forward partners for Rooney, and it would seem Emile Heskey is set to lead the line alongside the feisty Scouser.

Also, more than ever before perhaps, we rely heavily upon the displays and performances of one man – Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United forward was in scintillating form for his club during the 2009-2010 season and finished as the club’s top goalscorer, but he’s let his country down in previous tournaments, while injuries have also played havoc with his International progress on the big stage. Without him, England aren’t as threatening or intimidating, and that’s a huge concern.

England Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Europe

Group: 6

Position: 1st

Win-Draw-Lose: 9-0-1

Goals Scored: 34

Goals Conceded: 6

World Cup Potential: 5/5

Will 2010 be the year England’s dreams become a reality? The expectation levels are always high with the England supporters, and it’s to be expected as rarely do they take a weak squad into a major tournament. 2010 will be no different and it will in fact be one of the stronger squads England have ever had in South Africa, so a big tournament should beckon for the Three Lions.

There are expected to be somewhere around 150,000 English fans in South Africa by the time the finals kick-off, so every English game should be packed out with English supporters. The support will be tremendous, as it always is, but once again there is tonnes of pressure on the England squad to perform and to deliver the goods in the form of the FIFA World Cup,after so many years of heartache and empty promises. We all say it every World Cup but this could be the year when England end the wait with their first World Cup victory since 1966.

England World Cup Betting Odds

England to win the World Cup:         8/1 – William Hill

Before the World Cup the odds on England were 8/1 

Official England World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart (Birmingham City)

David James (Portsmouth)

Robert Green (West Ham United)

Defenders

Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)

Ashley Cole (Chelsea)

Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur)

Glen Johnson (Liverpool)

Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur)

John Terry (Chelsea)

Matthew Upson (West Ham United)

Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa) 

Midfielders

Gareth Barry (Manchester City)

Michael Carrick (Manchester United)

Joe Cole (Chelsea)

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur)

James Milner (Aston Villa)

Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)

Strikers

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur)

Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur)

Emile Heskey (Aston Villa)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 England Fixtures – Group C

27/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: England – Germany: 1-4

World Cup 2010 Group C - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

England v Germany Betting Odds

Free State Stadium, Mangaung/Bloemfontein
Kick Off: 15:00 GMT

England to win: 17/10 at William Hill
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Germany to win: 15/8 at Totesport

England

World Cup Second Round: England have now fallen into arguably the tougher half of the World Cup draw and have set up a tasty looking England v Germany fixture. In what would have turned out to be a second round match against Ghana, Fabio Capello’s men, who finished as runner’s up behind the USA in Group C, have to take on the exciting Germany in the second round. Not only that, the winner of that match will likely have to play Argentina in the quarter finals, and then possibly Spain in the semi’s. Still, it leaves Brazil until the final, so that must be a positive. England finally produced when they needed to, after playing out two miserable and unimpressive drawn matches. They beat Slovenia 1-0 in their final group match, thanks to a goal by Jermain Defoe. While nerves were jangling, England got the job done, but they created enough chances to have made it more comfortable. They didn’t and now they have to face Germany, who beat Ghana in their final group match to top Group D. The easier game would have been against Ghana, as Germany are looking an impressive side. One thing the Germans will have over the English, is their speed, and will be a bit more versatile in their options in attack. So England find themselves in an unexpected position, but will hope that now the nerves over the group stage have gone, they can press on with their World Cup campaign.

If they are going to progress, then they are going to have to do it the hard way. There was always a chance of these two meeting in the second round, but when the draw was made, it was more likely that England would win their group, and Serbia would give Germany a run for their money at the top of Group D.  Now England have to face their old foe, and what a game it should be. England stuck with the tried and trusted 4-4-2, with Capello going for Defoe over Heskey, and bringing in James Milner on the right hand side of midfield. While they played with more tempo, and created more chances, England fans will be hoping that there is still more to come from the team. England still look a bit light and lacking a bit of creativity going forward, even though the stats have them as one of the teams near the top of the charts for attempts on goal. They are also the third highest passing team overall in the World Cup so far, which suggests that they have had a lot of the ball but just have not done much with it, with only two goals in their World Cup bank so far. The English team will be tested most of all by the speed which Germany will bring to the table on Sunday. No doubt they will dig in deep and battle, but they need to be just that little bit sharper in defence, and more ruthless when those chances come along. There is no need to be overwhelmed by Germany, they just need to play the smart, patient game.

Germany

With the natural attacking tendencies of this young German side, they might just trouble England at the back, where their opponents do not have a lot of pace. While the Germans ran up four goals against Australia, they lost to Serbia in a game which England will be studying and looking for weaknesses. Even in Germany’s final group game against Ghana, which they won 1-0 without looking overly impressive, there were holes there for a smart and organised England side to expose. The strength of Germany lies in their attack, and their energy is covering up some vulnerabilities at the back. England should take hope that they can break through the German flanks, if they can draw them out higher up the pitch. It may be one of those games for England, hitting the Germans on the break, with Germany looking solid in their passing and movement game. Germany keep the ball extremely well, and are ahead of England by a couple of hundred passes in the tournament so far. They like to press forward and they will welcome back their main hit man Miroslav Klose for the England match, after he was suspended for the game against Ghana.

This should be a big, tough, physical battle for both sides, as no ground will want to be given. The prize for the winner here is the quarter final match against Argentina, who will be expected to beat Mexico in their second round match. Germany keep possession so well, that they are one of the lowest fouling sides so far in the tournament, committing far less fouls than England. That is something which may be the difference between the two sides on the day, the quality of set pieces. England always cause a nuisance of themselves at set pieces, and that could be their best route to goal against the speedy Germans. There is a bit of a confident swagger about Germany, even though there are weaknesses there. They are a real dark horse for the tournament, simply because they are ready to attack teams at will, something which will make them dangerous, but could also be their downfall. They will play a more adventurous game than England, and you will, mostly likely see them in control for long periods of the match. This should be one of those classic England v Germany World Cup encounters, with both nations watching on come Sunday with passion and pride. There are no secrets about how Joachim Low’s side will play, but can the master tactician Fabio Capello get this all right on the night for England?
Extra time anyone?
Penalties anyone?
 

England starting 11 (lineup) v Germany

TEAM TBA: Will England stick with Matthew Upson in defence? Jamie Carragher is back from suspension, but the West Ham man looked very solid. Will the coach stick with goalscorer Defoe, or revert back to the physical presence of Heskey to take on the German back line? There are also fitness worries over Wayne Rooney, after Capello said that his ankle was "not so good" after coming off the field after 72 minutes in the match against Slovenia. Rooney is training and hopeful of being ready to take on the Germans? Germany themselves have major concerns over Bastian Schweinsteiger who is a serious doubt with a thigh injury. They are also monitoring left back Jerome Boateng who also has a thigh problem.

Likely England starting 11 line-up: James, Terry, Upson, Cole, Johnson, Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Barry, Defoe, Rooney

Likely Germany starting 11 line-up: Neuer, Mertesacker, Friedrich, Lahm, Boateng, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Muller, Klose, Podolski

 World Cup England v Germany Betting Tip: Frank Lampard Anytime Goalscorer 3/1 at SportingBet

Current England V Germany Odds:

Penalty Shoot Out Looming For Old Foes?

Bloemfontein is the battle ground at the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, as the big England v Germany fixture kicks off. This is the coming together again of two proud nations from the Old Continent, and once again someone will be crying at the end of the match. Paul Gascoigne’s tears in 1990 are one of the most enduring images of England v Germany World Cup clashes, and now England will be hoping to be spared any more tears as they attempt to outshoot their old foes. It has not been an impressive campaign so far for England in front of goal, while the Germans have looked quite strong in going forward with their young side. SportingBet are firing up the rivalry, with their England v Germany 20:10 promotion.

When you place a bet of £20 or more at SportingBet on the England v Germany match, the online bookmaker will give you a Free £10 bet if your bet loses. It matters not whether you back England or Germany, just as long as the bet loses, then you will be compensated by getting a free bet to use on any other World Cup market at SportingBet. Place a bet of £20 or more on England v Germany match prices market (singles or accumulators qualify – and all bets must be at odds of 1.2 or greater). If your bet loses, SportingBet will look after you by refunding you a free £10. So, if you are going to back England at 4/5 to beat the Germans, and they fail to, then £10 will be coming back to you. Of course, there is always the threat of the dreaded penalties now arising during the World Cup knockout stages. You can always pick up prices on either team to win on penalties. You can pick England or Germany to win on penalties at a price of 9/1 at SportingBet.

England v Germany SportingBet Odds
Germany to win: 7/4
Draw: 39/20
England: 13/8

England v Germany World Cup History
1966 – England 4, West Germany 2 (AET)
1970 – England 2, West Germany 3 (AET)
1982 – England 0, West Germany 0
1990 – England 1, West Germany 1 (3-4 penalties)

Interesting Penalty Shoot Out Titbits:

• Ball at altitude in the final at Johannesburg travels 5% faster than at sea level
• Germany have the best World Cup Penalty Record = W4, L0
• England have the worst World Cup Penalty Record = W0, L3
• It is mathematically harder to save a penalty than it is to hit a baseball
• It is mathematically and physically impossible for a goalkeeper to save a penalty if they wait until the ball is actually kicked (well, unless they stand still and it is kicked directly into them). With a well taken penalty to the corner, there is not enough time for a goalkeeper to spot the direction of the ball, for their muscles to fire and to reach a goalpost on either side. We are talking in milliseconds here, but by the time the ball is halfway to the goal, that is when the goalkeeper will spot its flight. That does not leave enough time for him to dive. So that is why goalkeepers need to guess and go for it before the player kicks the ball.
• Goalkeepers guess right 57% of the time (that doesn’t mean they save them, just guess the right direction)
• Only 22% of World Cup Penalties have been saved
• In the last five World Cups goalkeepers wearing green have a 38% record saving penalties. Goalies wearing black have a 35% record, and goalkeepers wearing red have a 0% record. Nope, no goalie wearing red has ever stopped a World Cup penalty.
• Strikers score 74% of their kicks, midfielders net 58% of their kicks and defenders fire in 69% of penalty kicks.
• Older players tend to miss more, with under 23’s hitting 85% of their spot kicks, while anyone above has just a 71% record.
• Right footed players have a higher conversion record than left footed penalty takers (69% to 50%)
   

World Cup Group C Teams: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia. England are one of the leaders in outright World Cup Betting to lift the trophy at the World Cup final on July 12th. You chance of picking up ante-post odds on the World cup are diminishing now, as the tournament starts on June 11th with the fixture between hosts nation South Africa and Mexico. So signing up with an online bookmaker right now, can not only bring you some nice welcome bonuses, it will also give you enough time to get your early bets down, as well as follow the progress of the world cup during the forthcoming month. Here you can enjoy another part in our series of looking at the best value bets for the eight individual groups. How big is the threat from the USA? Why do Slovenia represent such good value at the 2010 FIFA World Cup? Find out below:

Slovenia To Qualify: 15/8 at Victor Chandler
For some reason, the Slovenians are flying under the radar in the World Cup group betting, when they should be a lot stronger. The USA are dominating the betting in the race for second spot, but there is more to Slovenia than may meet the initial eye, and in planning your World Cup betting strategy, they are worth keeping an eye on. They showed a lot of potential during European Qualification, where they finished second in their group behind Slovakia, who Slovenia beat twice. Then coming through a tough qualification playoff against Russia, the Slovenians showed that they have an immense amount of spirit and fight, as well as quality. Therefore they should certainly not be discounted, even if they are new on the scene, and the big match in this group could come when they take on the USA. That should be a match for second spot in all reality, and where the USA also play with a lot of vim and vigor, they do not have as much technical ability in their squad as Slovenia. Therefore, check out the best bookmakers for Betting on the World Cup and look for options on Slovenia. This one represents great value, as they have the ability.

Most Group Stage Goals Scored: England 3/10 at Bwin
No, not great odds, but it is difficult to see where they will be beaten. Slovenia should be the next threat in this World Cup betting category, but as England proved through qualification, they were rampant in front of goal against weaker opposition. They have also been scoring in their international friendly warm up matches ahead of the tournament, even without putting their World Cup eleven out. Wayne Rooney is expected to firmly be in the running for the top goalscorer in the tournament, and so why would you bet against England topping this betting category. While the odds are not fantastic, they are at least realistic and that means it should be something of relatively safe bet. These are the kind of bets that you can look at in building up a multiple bet if you are doing a lot of group betting. Both of the USA and Algeria are considerably light up front, and therefore, combined with England being the strong seeded team, they should have a clear run at being top goalscorers in the group.

Not to Qualify: USA 6/5 at BetFred
This may look something of a brave bet, as World Cup Odds have really shown no signs going against the USA to finish second. But Bob Bradley’s men look as if they still have a great deal to do in order to catch up with the European standard of football, and that puts them on the back burner against group rivals England and Slovenia. The step up to the World stage could be a step too far for them this time, even though they can call on a lot of players who ply their trade in Europe. There appears to be a tactical frailty against them, but they will try and paper over any cracks their with their unbound confidence. There is a lot of work to do for the USA to make an impact, and they could be in for a bigger shock than they expected. They do not have the edge over Slovenia, and that puts them at great risk in not being able to qualify. They face England in their first fixture, and a strong victory for Fabio Capello’s England there, could mean that the uphill struggle from there on out in the group stage, could be even greater with their confidence bruised.

To Finish Second: Slovenia 5/2 at Paddy Power
Again this is simply backing up some of the above bets, and this one represents good value with your online betting for the World Cup. They had one of the best defensive records in the European qualification zone, conceding just 6 goals in their campaign. That means they are a strong defensive side, as well as possessing good discipline. There should be a clear contrast in the inexperienced USA side charging around, to the technical ability and passing game that Slovenia bring to the table. No, they are not packed with household names, but they have the ability to reach the second round, and at a price such as above, some good value on World Cup betting can be found on them. England are expected to win the group, and in the grand scheme of things, Slovenia look to be the best of the other three teams.

Most Group Goals Conceded: Algeria Evens at Bwin
Algeria totally lost their grip on discipline in the African Cup of Nations, finishing their semi final match against rivals Egypt with just eight men. They looked terribly short of any quality going forward during that tournament, and recently lost an international friendly to the Republic of Ireland. There is not a lot of threat coming from the North Africans, and to see them finish bottom and having conceded the most amount of goals in doing so, certainly is not beyond the realms of reality. At a decent price of Evens, it is worth backing that up.

Part Two of our series of Current Prices on England at the World Cup, takes a look at more of the special markets that bookmakers are offering. Your online bookmaker will probably have a great deal more on offer than just outright markets and match betting. It is under those covers of main bets where you can find gems to enhance your World Cup 2010 betting. For all of the teams participating in the World Cup you can find Specials markets for them, from anything from Elimination Stages, to Top Goal scorer, to Total Goals markets. These markets can be fun to explore and make great additions to your outright bets. Most fans will naturally gravitate towards the big outright markets, such as the World Cup winner, but for newcomers to online betting, there is a whole world of bets waiting underneath. As well as individual match sub markets, such as predicting score casts and first goal scorers, online bookmaker provide lists of World Cup Special bets on England, which will provide you plenty more options and unique markets you perhaps had never even considered. Enjoy Part two of our guide to betting on England at the World Cup, and where to go to find them.

England Top Goal Scorer
Now this one should be fairly easy to pin down, as there are not a lot of expected options. Naturally Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney tops the list, as he is expected to challenge for the Golden Boot in the tournament. Still priced around 6/4 still makes this a decent bet. His closest challenger is likely to be midfielder Frank Lampard, which will be further enhanced if he can rediscover his penalty taking accuracy after missing his last two. Penalty kicks during regulation time are something to consider, as a couple of those in the group stages, and up goes Lampard’s totals. Lampard is a nicely priced at Skybet at 11/2 to be England’s top scorer. Want an outsider bet? Then why not Peter Crouch? His international record speaks for itself, and he should be in amongst the goals, even from the subs bench. Maybe has played his way into a starting spot, but he rarely fails to deliver, and at 8/1 at SportingBet is a great price.

First Team to Score Against England
You will need to check out Betting on the World Cup at Paddy Power for this unique market. This is quite an interesting one to try and predict, and will land you serious kudos from your betting pals if you nail this one. Naturally the USA, against who, England start their World Cup campaign in Rustenburg on June 12th, is the shortest of all the prices at 5/6. One thing about this price, is that England fans would hope that they could keep the USA at bay with relative ease. If the starting back four get troubled by a USA side looking like they lack a lot of punch going forward, it could spell worrying times ahead for Capello’s side. So, if you think England can close out the bravado of the Americans, then you will find better odds on England’s second opponents Algeria being the first to breach England. At 10/3 this represents better odds, but if England go into that game after keeping a clean sheet, they should be even more confident of keeping a lack luster Algeria at bay. Algeria struggled for goals at the African Cup of Nations, and do not look a side which can threaten. Realistically England’s biggest threat will come from Slovenia, who looked a decent side in the tough European qualification zone. They can be a technical threat going forward, and they are 5/1 at Paddy Power to be the first to break England. Is two clean sheets realistic for England against weaker opposition? England fans will hope not. So what about three? Any Other Team than their group opponents being the first to score against England, can be taken at 10/1. Next in line come the four potential opponents from Group D who England could meet in the second round.

First England Player to Get Booked
Now that we know who Fabio Capello is taking to South Africa with him, here is an interesting market for the keen punter to explore. The tenacious Wayne Rooney is top of the chart for this one again, as his energy is often misplaced, and if England are suffering a frustrating time in a match, which they probably will in the group stages against teams which will try and snuff their attacking game out, Rooney is a prime candidate for this one. Again, this is a Paddy Power special that you need to explore, and Rooney is 6/1. You would generally lean towards a defender or a defensive midfielder for this one, and Ashley Cole is priced at 13/2 while team mate John Terry is 15/2. Liverpool’s general Steven Gerrard is also priced at 15/2 to get England’s first yellow card. You have a one in eleven chance of this at the start of the tournament, so if you can predict your starting line up, then you can go from there. Rio Ferdinand is currently priced at 11/1. This is a good little bet, with well priced World Cup Odds to have on the back burner as England take on the world.

When Will England Meet Brazil?
Now, you can check out our printable World Cup Planner for this one and see the potential of this bet. If both teams win their groups, as expected, then they would come together in the quarter fianls, and Boylesports has that encounter priced at 5/1. The clear outright winner in this market is the Teams Don’t Meet option, which Boylesports has at 1/8. That is not exactly putting a lot of trust and faith into England’s progress by the looks of it. For the two teams to meet in the World Cup Final, one of them would need to finish as runner’s up in their group to avoid each other until then, and that unlikely event means this option is way out at 25/1.

England Group Stage Goals Conceded
Simple Over/Under option on this one. You’ll need to head on over to Betting Exchange BetFair to pick up some good World Cup Odds on this one. Under 2.5 goals is at 2/13, while England conceding over 2.5 group stage goals is at 4/5.

England Penalty Shoot Out.
There are loads of options covering this one amongst bookmakers. England To Lose In A Penalty Shootout is a prime market. As England fans know, they have been there before, many a time and faced the heartbreak of the penalty shoot out. If you think this cruel ending will be the downfall of Fabio Capello’s men at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, then you will want to know the betting odds. You can get 11/4 at Stan James at the moment for England to lose on penalties, or 10/3 at Extrabet. Ladbrokes have 3/1 on England to be knocked out of the World Cup by losing a penalty shootout. It is not beyond the realms of possibility of course, and the earlier you jump on this one, the better. England’s Next Penalty To Be Scored market is 2/7 at Coral, while England’s Next Penalty To Be Saved is 7/2 at Coral. Any England Game to Go To Penalties is 13/8 at Totesport. If you want to get a little more specific, then England to Lose to Germany on penalties is 25/1 at Totesport as well. Penalties should crop up in the tournament, and you will need to decide for yourself, if England’s track record is going to come back and haunt them again.

Method of Elimination
You can explore when England will be eliminated in World Cup betting, but how about how they will go out? Ladbrokes and Boylesports are heading up this market. Odds of 5/6 at Ladbrokes can be taken for England to be eliminated “Within 90 minutes in a knockout stage match”. Boyelsports have 4/1 on England being sent home “On penalties in a knockout stage match.” If you think that England will exit the competition in extra time in a knockout stage match, then Boylesports are your online bookmaker for odds of 11/2. This is an interesting market to think about, and if you can double this up with what stage you think they will go out of, then there is some good profit awaiting you.

With the plethora of World Cup betting markets on England here we present a guide to the extensive markets on offer and provide current odds, tips and analysis on each of them. With England boss Fabio Capello having completed his homework and trimmed his World Cup squad to the official 23 which he will take to South Africa with him, it is time to seriously look at betting on England at the World Cup. What will the unconvincing international friendly matches done to have dissuaded backing Capello to take England to the promised land of World Cup glory? Are there positive to be taken in the fact that they still won while looking disjointed? Are the positives to gain knowing that the side playing there will not be the one taking the field on June 12th when England play the USA? England are still heavily backed at the online bookmakers, but there are hints that they may be drifting out just a little bit. Most of the time during the build up, they have been around third or fourth in the running, exchanging places with Maradona’s Argentina, and quite a way back, in betting terms, behind Spain and Brazil. So, along with the best odds on England at the World Cup right now, we will explore and guide you through some of the best bets to take on Fabio Capello’s men, with our first part of Betting on England at the World Cup.

England Outright Winners
You seriously have to assess the chances of England winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup as fair. There are still questions about the team and the squad, even though they have a world class manager at the helm. By checking out our free download of a World Cup fixtures chart you can see that England will probably have to go through both Brazil and Spain to win the World Cup. That is where the crux of the considerations of whether to lay your money on England or not, will lie. It is relatively easy to be confident of England winning Group C, and probably the second round. But once the tournament hits the quarter final stage, the climb to the top suddenly gets a lot steeper. By planning the route with our World Cup chart, you can see that England will probably face France in the Quarter Finals. That is a winnable game, surely, and with the French being unpredictable, it may not even be them. Also take into consideration the depth of England’s squad. Look at how much consternation has been raised over the injury worry to one man, Gareth Barry. The back up plans looked unconvincing, and imagine if that had been Wayne Rooney? Should you base your betting on the thought of key players getting injured? It’s something that has happened before to England, losing key players at vital times, so it is a consideration, yes. Remember Rooney’s broken foot at Euro 2004? Remember Rooney missing England’s 2006 World Cup opener against Paraguay? Michael Owen’s broken foot in 2006? Beckham’s metatarsal in 2002? Bryan Robson’s in injuries in 1986 and 1990? Could a Rooney-less England win the World Cup? A fully fit England should easily make the quarter finals though, and that is reflected in their price. It is those crucial last three games that one wonders about. At the odds they are, they are well worth a punt none the less.

England to Win Group C
There seems little doubt about this one happening. If England are serious about their intentions, then they should stroll to the top of this group with three wins from three. The USA, Algeria and Slovenia should not stand in their way at all, but they do provide good varied opposition to build momentum against. Betting on the World Cup at Bet365 has England at a very comfortable 1/3 to win the group. That is a pretty safe bet for England’s 2010 World Cup campaign, but clearly with no great returns on it. The bookmakers back England, and therefore you are not going to earn a lot unless you bet big, as a £10 bet on that would only fetch you about £3 in actual profit. Is it worth it? Depends on how big a bettor you are, as at least it does promise some return.

Stage of Elimination
Taking all of the above into consideration, you can start to predict at what stage of the competition England will get knocked out. Probably not something that England fans want to think about too much, but the bets are there to be taken advantage off. Again, the World-Cup-Betting.me.uk World Cup Chart will help to plan this one out. Longest odds at Totesport are for England to crash at the Group Stage at 8/1. Worryingly the bookies seem to think that a Second Round or Quarter Final exit is most likely, with both around 3/1, with a semi final exit not far behind at 7/2. England finishing as runner’s up will fetch 6/1 at the moment, and to win the tournament is around 7/1 which is the same as simply backing England to win Outright. Use the planner and figure out who England may run into. France in the Quarters? Brazil in the semi’s? Spain in the Final? Plan England’s route and you can plan your England World Cup bets.

England Group Points
Easiest to look at over/under odds on this one, if  you want to start getting more in depth with your England World Cup group betting. Bet365 are offering World Cup odds of 1/2 for 6 points or over, and under 5 at 9/2. A fifty percent profit margin on your stake for England at least winning two and drawing one of their group matches, is pretty decent, and worth considering. You can, of course, start looking at nailing the exact points England will pick up in the group. Bet365 have odds of 15/8 for England to pick up 9 points, or Exactly 5-6 at 3/1. England should be good for at least two wins, so seven points will fetch you 21/10. These are narrower markets naturally, and the over/under markets do offer good prices and better coverage.

England v Japan International Friendly betting. Betting on England at the World Cup may feel the full repercussions of Gareth Barry’s injury on Sunday. Having been given a little more time to prove his fitness, the potential loss of Barry could come to a head in England’s final International Friendly against Japan on the weekend. Even though England won their Wembley farewell match against a lively Mexico side, Fabio Capello cannot be too happy with what he saw. Nor can the hopeful England fans who will be backing their side heavily in World Cup odds. While there were none of Chelsea’s influential players in the line-up, Capello’s back up players did not really do themselves any great favours in a lack-lustre performance, in which they were outplayed for large parts of the game. James Milner was thrust into the middle with Frank Lampard absent, and failed to inject the quality that the Chelsea man delivers. Meanwhile the defensive midfield role was given to Manchester United’s Michael Carrick, who had a very forgettable and ineffective afternoon, and may have even played himself out of a starting place.

While the unfamiliar England back four also struggled for pace and positioning, the knowledge that Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole will be back, will ease some concerns there. But does Fabio Capello know what is best for England in midfield without Gareth Barry? How much will Barry’s absence effect the World Cup odds surrounding England? Lionel Messi may have stated that he fears England. World Cup rivals will take note of the price of England in the World Cup odds, which are around 7/1. Are there signs that England are drifting in the odds? It is clear that there is no direct back-up for Barry, who didn’t have the greatest of seasons at club level himself. But he worked well in the England midfield, supporting Frank Lampard, so he suddenly became very crucial to the set up. Tom Huddlestone was also given a run out, but looked uninterested instead of trying to impress for Barry’s place. Will Capello have to give more serious thought to changing formation? Ledley King and Jamie Carragher are options for holding midfielders, but they do not jump off the page in being ideal solutions for a World Cup campaign.

Now England will face another test against a lively side, as they meet Japan in Graz, Austria. Although it is late in the day, will Capello field the side upon which he has settled on fielding for England’s opener against the USA on June 12th, or will he use this one last opportunity to experiment in case Barry does not come through? One positive that Capello will probably have taken from the Mexico friendly, was the performance of Steven Gerrard playing just behind Wayne Rooney in a supporting role. There is a clear difference between the involvement and therefore influence on a game that Gerrard can have in that role, compared to him being stuck out on the left, or even pushed back into a defensive midfield role. Gerrard surely represents a bigger threat in the team doing that role, and it would mean that favoured partner for Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey, gets pushed out. But Heskey allows Rooney to play in his most dangerous role, as proven in the impressive qualification campaign. There are decisions to be made.

So what will Capello lean towards, not only for the England v Japan fixture, but for their World Cup Fixtures to follow? Peter Crouch bundled in another goal in his impressive England record, but can he do what Heskey does for Rooney? Crouch offers variety and is therefore a dynamic substitute. But what of Steven Gerrard if Capello uses two strikers? Is it back to an ineffective position for him? These are questions and quandaries that the England boss does not have much longer to figure out. Just 90 minutes of football stand between England and their opening match in Rustenburg against the USA on June 12th. Plan A may still be in the pipeline, it all depends on the fitness of Gareth Barry. But what really is Plan B? Whatever the game plan against the Mexicans in the first half, certainly wasn’t much of one, but would it have all been different if it had been England’s preferred starting eleven? Who knows? One thing Japan will test England on, is pace at the back and competitiveness. Mexico kept the ball very well against England, but you would expect England to dominate possession, if Capello puts his World Cup eleven out.

Japan finished second in the Asian qualification zone behind Australia. In a recent send-off match, before heading to Austria to meet England, Japan were overturned 2-0 by the in form Korea Republic. Japan head to the World Cup to take on Cameroon, Denmark and Holland, and won’t be cheered by the performance against Korea Republic. The midfield really is the spark of the Japan team, but it if gets over run, or simply under performs, then the back bone of the team has gone, and they may struggle. Their energy and creativity through the middle though, will be a good test against England’s more stoic approach, and it will give Capello something different to think about, and see how his players react. This is the last outing England will get before the coach has to trim his squad down to the final 23. With the midfield being the major problem, will Capello take one last long look at alternatives? England do not need to win against Japan. They simply need to show confidence that they can execute a Plan B.

International Friendly
England to win: 2/7 at SkyBet
Draw: 9/2 at Bet365
Japan to win: 11/1 at Ladbrokes
 

England fixtures for the World Cup. Here are the key dates for England’s World Cup campaign preparations, those important dates to put in your calendar as your track England’s progress towards the World Cup 2010. Fabio Capello is nearing the dates which will end a lot of speculation surrounding who will fill the strikers places in the squad, and which players will get the nods to cover for crucial positions. Betting on England at the World Cup is gathering pace, despite a recent drop of one place in the FIFA World Rankings, where they fell to eighth after a strange reshuffle of the points system. Anyway, that will not affect the preparations which England have to go through, but what will effect them is some of the important dates which are on the near horizon.

By scouring the best bookmakers for betting on the World Cup you will be able to get your early bets down on England’s performances in South Africa. The outright winner market is available, along with individual match odds and markets such as top goalscorer, which Wayne Rooney must be in with a shout for. There are still some domestic and European dates to negotiate first though, as well as two international friendlies against Mexico and Japan respectively. With injury scares to the likes of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole throughout the season, Fabio Capello will be hoping that the England starting eleven which he has in his head, all come through these final matches unscathed.

England Pre World Cup Important Dates

May 24th – England v Mexico. The first of two final warm up games before England’s curtain raiser at the 2010 World Cup on June 12th against the USA. Mexico will provide some interesting opponents for Capello as he will get to take a look at his side and any fringe players may get their last chance to impress.

May 30th – England v Japan in Austria. This is the last action England will face ahead of the World Cup. By now the England boss will have a firm picture in his mind of who he will be taking with him on the plane to South Africa. Two days later he has to announce his official World Cup Squad.

June 1st – England name their 23 representatives to FIFA, who will represent the nation in South Africa. England head to Rustenburg the following day to settle into their training camp.

England World Cup 2010 – Dates and Fixtures – UK Kick Off Times

June 12th – 19.30 GMT: England v USA

June 18th – 19.30 GMT: England v Algeria

June 23rd – 15.00 GMT: England v Slovenia

World Cup odds have England favourites to win their group and then it will be onto the first knockout round to play the runners up of Group D, which contain Germany, Australia, Ghana and Serbia. If you want to track England while at the World Cup 2010, then our printable World Cup fixtures chart is available for download.