Ivory Coast

Africa’s best hope of winning the World Cup. I don’t think they will win it but this is clearly the best team in Africa. They have a lot of players are well known in football. Yaya Toure is the star of the team but Drogba and Kolo Toure have both starred in the Premier League previously but are getting on and are not the stars they were. Then you have Kalou (former Chelsea), Gervinho (former Arsenal) and Zokora (former spurs) who also played for big teams in the premier league. The likes of Tiote, Traore and Bony all played in the premier league last year.

Yaya Toure’s form at the end of the season for City was amazing. The guy has so much power and strength but is also really good with his feet, really quite and  a great finisher. For my money he is the complete midfield player. people are starting to say he is one of the Premier Leagues best ever midfield players and is hard to say he is not. Its no like he has only just started playing well. He has been a rock for City for years now.

I wanna talk about 2 players you may not know about. Everton Fans will know Lacina Traore but I doubt even Everton much of him. He is like a African Peter Crouch. 6 ft 8 tall. Skinny. He scored goals in Russia for fun. I think he could be a big player some day. Monaco Saw enough of him to buy him in Jan but clearly didnt think he was ready for them just yet as they Loaned him straight to Everton.  It hard to mark a guy who is that tall if they are really strong.

The other player who is interesting me is  the full back Serge Aurier who is a huge prospect in France. He is a right back and has been compared to the guy he has replaced in the Ivory Coast squad Eboue, From what ive heard he is better defensively than Eboue. He is rumoured to be leaving Toulouse this summer and  a move to a big Prem team seems to be on the cards. Im hearing Arsenal is his preferred choice. We will see I guess.

This is not a young team. Most of the players are in their late 20’s/ early 30s be interested where the future of Ivory Coast is. But Traore and Bony will have a big say on that. By the way I was seriously impressed with Bony this season. Im always a little suspect of great goals scorers in Holland. They don’t tend to do that much in the Premier League when they move there (Kezman and Alves the main 2), But Bony really impressed.

The Group isn’t that tough. Japan, Greece and Colombia. I think Colombia and Ivory Coast will have a really good game against each other. I think Japan would have to cause a shock to get out of the group and Greece should get beaten 3 times. This hasnt been spoken about much but I actually think the group is the closest of them all. No clear winner and no Clear Runner up.

Star Man: Yaya Toure

One to watch: Serge Aurier

Prediction: last African team standing. Quarter Finals