Life After Mesut Ozil

The crowd grew late into the night around the Emirates Stadium, the Sky Sports reporter and van, were mobbed by Arsenal fans as the news filtered in. In the fag hours of deadline day in September 2013, Arsenal shocked the footballing world as they announced the signing of Mesut Ozil. Signing a player of that stature and ability was met by disbelief by the Arsenal faithful and signalled a watershed moment for the club. After years of being crippled by the weight of the Emirates Stadium move, Arsenal could finally challenge again. It was believed to be the end of the Gervinho, Park Chu-Young and Andre Santos era and Arsenal could finally compete financially with the petrodollars of Chelsea and Man City. Mesut Ozil was arguably the first world-class player in their prime that Arsenal managed to sign for the best part of a decade. It was the first sign of real ambition from the American owners, as Arsenal smashed their transfer record fee to sign the German from Real Madrid, for 42.5 million pounds.

Mesut Ozil signed for Arsenal from Real Madrid for 42.5 Million Pounds

And in the opening few seasons, Ozil did not disappoint. Despite the English media bias against him due to his laid back nature, football purists would agree that Ozil was elite for the majority of the time he spent in North London.  He graced the Premier League with his silky passing, subtle flicks and extraordinary vision. He racked up 19 PL assists in 2015/16 as Arsenal finished 2nd in the league and a further 18 goals and assists the season after. But seven years since that fateful night in September, Ozil is now a shadow of his former self. He has been frozen out by Arteta, presumably due to poor attitude in training and has failed to feature for the club in the restart. Arsenal will look to move the German on in this transfer window, despite him having a year left on his contract. Unfortunately, his 350,000 pound a week wages makes him almost impossible to sell, and he is set for another year on the sidelines where he could be spending more time on Twitch, than the football pitch.

The first few years of Mesut Ozil in North London were Poetic

The waning of Ozil’s powers mirrors Arsenals decline as a footballing powerhouse in England. In the pomp of Arsene Wenger’s tenure at Arsenal, they were known as a team that were modelled behind Guardiola’s Barcelona. Arsenal had a plethora of creative midfielders at their disposal and was even often criticized for wanting to pass the ball into the net. From Cesc Fabregas to Tomas Rosicky to Santi Cazorla, Arsenal was known for their diminutive creative midfielders with technical quality. However, in recent years there has been a mass exodus of those type of players at the club. In the last 3 years, Arsenal has lost Cazorla, Wilshere, Ramsey, Sanchez, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. And finally, their last and perhaps greatest creator, Mesut Ozil, has been frozen out and is set to leave. The creative heart of the team has been ripped out and that is causing them grave problems on the pitch.

In the past season, Arsenal has struggled to create chances in games and have often relied on only the individual brilliance of Aubameyang to bail them out. A perfect snapshot of that issue was witnessed in Arsenals penultimate league game against Aston Villa where they failed to have a single shot on target versus a team who was happy to sit back and let them have the ball. In terms of numbers, Arsenal is one of the worst creative teams in the league. They ranked 15th amongst PL teams last season for Shot Creating Actions (16.18 Per 90) and 16th in the League for Key Passes (285). Arsenal is also 12th in the Premier League for big chances created and is the worst of the Big 6 Teams in terms of Expected Assists and progressive passes.

What is worse is the only Arsenal player in the top 50 players in the league last season for Shot Creating Actions is Mesut Ozil with 3.94 per 90. With the next best Arsenal player being Nicholas Pepe with 2.96 down in 51st place. It is no surprise that Arsenal is now being linked with the likes of Willian and Coutinho to help mitigate their creativity drought. Arsenal has players like Pepe and Aubameyang who can run in behind the defence but unfortunately, they do not have the creative linchpin who can find these runs with the eye of the needle passes.

Mesut Ozil has played 0 minutes of competitive football since March

So where does this leave Mesut Ozil? Is he just another victim of an evolving game where the number 10 is now nothing more than a luxury. Players like Coutinho and James Rodriguez have been forced out of clubs while the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Thomas Muller have been made to evolve. The emergence of a counter-pressing system and the popularity of the 4-3-3 has rendered Number 10’s redundant, and maybe Ozil was just too slow to pick up on the trends, and the game has left him behind. And maybe this Arsenal team has moved on from Ozil as well. Yes at times he may seem like the better option in games, but Arteta is building a footballing philosophy at the club. And he can’t carry any passengers who aren’t fully on board with his vision.

So after all the assist records, dainty flicks and trademark bounce shots, Ozil’s Arsenal and England career ends with this bad divorce. The 2 partners unwilling to speak to each other and make amends, and the requirement of a hefty settlement offer to end the marriage. Ozil will leave England as a villain, with the tales of his wizardry leaning towards the mythical. His legacy might be tarnished and he may be remembered as the 350k man who stole a living. But when he signed for Arsenal in 2013, he offered the hope of a new dawn. And as this misunderstood genius leaves North London, under a new manager and regime, Arsenal might be on the cusp of a new one.

Can Chelsea challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the Title?

As we enter the final legs of the season, with Chelsea one step away from silverware and 2 games away from Champions League qualification, one has to say that it has been a stellar season for the blues. Frank Lampard came into the job last summer with little expectations and plenty of hope, but he seems to have delivered on most counts. After a tumultuous but successful year under Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea became a bore to watch and were labouring to victories instead of coasting to them. Lampard has done well to reverse that trend and Chelsea are now an exciting team, full of vibrant youth and attacking flair. However, as most youthful attacking teams do, Chelsea has blown hot and cold this season. The league started on a sour note with a 4-0 drubbing against United, but Chelsea did well to recover from that. Lampard won the PL manager of the month in October as Chelsea went on a 6 game winning streak in the league between September and November. Sadly, that was followed by a 14 game run in the league where they only won 4 times and lost 7 as well as a 3-0 hammering at home in the Champions League Round of 16 vs Bayern Munich.

Lampard has had a successful first season with the club

However, since the restart Chelsea have been electrifying at times, beating the likes of City and United in the FA Cup. But to match that there have been some woeful defeats to West Ham and Sheffield United. But finally, after all the chips are laid down, Chelsea could get a trophy and finish 3^rd in the league in their first season under Frank Lampard with a transfer ban and that is commendable.

Trusting the Youth

Through both circumstances and choice, Chelsea has adopted a new strategy this season and have finally started to trust their youth. This started from their bold managerial choice. After years of riding the manager merry go round and sacking coaches on a whim, Chelsea made an appointment for the long term. Chelsea was known for picking successful and experienced European coaches like Ancelotti, Mourinho, Conte and Sarri, but this time they went with the more youthful and pulsating choice in Frank Lampard. Frank Lampard has handed 8 Chelsea academy debuts this season, more than any other manager for the club in their history. Part of this is down to Chelsea’s transfer ban that they suffered due to breaching UEFA rules, but they finally found a manager who can guide and develop their successful youth prospects. The likes of Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have grown into the team this season and are set to be first-team regulars while the youngsters such as Reece James and Billy Gilmour have shown plenty of promise as well.

Who they have signed

Chelsea has already made significant headway in the transfer market to try and close the gap to the Top 2. Hakim Ziyech was signed all the way in February with little competition and to add to that Timo Werner was poached from under Liverpool’s nose last month for a bargain fee in the region of 50 million pounds. Christian Pulisic has done well this season to replace some of Eden Hazards attacking threat, but Chelsea was still missing some of that firepower which they have now acquired. Timo Werner scored 34 goals and bagged 13 assists last season for RB Leipzig and Hakim Ziyech has been Ajax’s player of the year for the past 3 seasons. They both will significantly boost Chelsea’s chances next season, but it will be interesting to see how Lampard might set up with these 2 in the side.

At Leipzig, Werner was used in a front two next to a traditional target man such as Youssef Poulsen and for Chelsea he can be used in a front 2 alongside Giroud. However, Frank Lampard’s preferred choice of formation this season has been a 4-2-3-1 and that might see Werner be used up top as the only number 9. Unfortunately, Werner is not great with his back facing the goal and does not have great hold up play. Hence, he might struggle initially playing as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 system like he did with Germany in the 2018 World Cup. Instead, he could be used on the left and play as an inside forward that looks to get behind the defence which is similar to the role Aubameyang has at Arsenal. Ziyech is also a tactically fluid player that can play both as a CAM or from the right and helps to give Lampard some different options in attack.

What Other Areas Need Strengthening

It is clear and obvious that while Chelsea has already made 2 attacking signings, their major problems are in defence. They have conceded 49 goals this season in the league (as many as Crystal Palace) and that is not going to help them win titles. In Rudiger, Zouma and Tomori Chelsea have decent Center Backs but none of them is elite like Laporte and Van Dijk and that is what you need to win championships. Similarly Left Back is also an area of concern with Marcos Alonso not being viable in a back 4 and Emerson Palmieri on his way out and the likes of Nicolas Tagliafico and Ben Chilwell from Leicester are being touted as possible targets. However, the major problem area is undoubtedly between the sticks. Kepa Arrizalabalga was signed for a world record 72 million pounds and to say he has been a disappointment has been an understatement. He has the lowest save percentage amongst goalkeepers (56%) in the Premier League and to make matters worse he has the highest difference between goals against and expected goals on target. He has conceded 42 goals this season but has an Expected Goals on Target of 33.5, this means he has conceded 8.5 goals more than he should have based on the shots he has faced. Chelsea has been linked with the likes of Andre Onana, Dean Henderson and Jan Oblak and it is a position they must strengthen if they are to be serious threats to the title.

Kai Havertz to Chelsea?

 

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Havertz

 

However, despite their defensive deficiencies, it is being reported that Chelsea is the front runners to sign Kai Havertz, the prince of German football. It would take a significant fee upwards of 70 million pounds to afford the Bayer Leverkusen man but if they can do then there is no reason why they should not sign him. Critics have questioned that Chelsea should forget signing him and look at defensive options instead but that shouldn’t necessarily be the case. In an ideal world, they should have the finances to buy all their primary targets, but even if they don’t, they shouldn’t turn down the opportunity to sign a player of Havertz’s quality and potential.

Chelsea needs to be realistic, they will not win the league next year and it is near on impossible to cover that 30 point gap in one season. But if they can get their 3 attacking signings in this window (Werner, Havertz and Ziyech) it will allow them to adjust to the pace and physicality of England throughout the next season. Then along with additions in goal and in defence which will be made in the next 3 transfer windows, Chelsea can mount a serious title challenge in 2021-22. This is precisely the same thing which Klopp did at Liverpool. His first 3 singings were all attacking ones in Mane, Salah and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. Once those 3 were settled in the league and the team, Klopp went big to get Van Dijk, Fabinho and Alisson and then instantly Liverpool were title contenders.

The transfer ban last season may have been a blessing in disguise and has allowed Chelsea to have enough money in the bank to spend in this year’s market where there is little competition. And the way the likes of Marina Granovskaia and Petr Cech have set up this Chelsea team, it seems like they will have the best chance to break the Liverpool and Manchester City hegemony that has ruled over England over the past few years.

Top 5 Youngsters in the Premier League 2019/20

One of the standout features of the Premier League season and restart in particular has been the rise of young talents in the country. Clubs all over the Premier League including the Big 6 are putting more of their faith in their youngsters and they are starting to reap the dividends. Academies like Chelsea and Arsenal are going through a purple patch currently with 4 and 5 graduates breaking into the first team and other teams like Manchester United are giving more and more impetus and importance to their youth. Part of this is down to the system that is created in each of the academies in the country and also the role of the youth system set up in St. Georges Park for the England youth teams which has enjoyed great success recently. In the past 4 years the England Youth Teams have won an U-20 WC, an U-17 WC, an U-19 European Championship and 3 Toulon tournaments. Clearly there is a special batch of youngsters in England at the moment and this season we are finally seeing some of that talent filter through in the premier league. But who are the standout talents in the league aged 20 or younger that are shining above the rest, lets take a look at the top 5.

5. Reece James

At number 5 we have Chelsea right back, 19 year old Reece James. England have been blessed with immense depth in the right back position, but Reece James has the ability to be the most complete one of them all. He joined Chelsea at age 6 and rose up the ranks in the immensely successful academy, winning the Chelsea academy player of the year in 2018. He also had a successful loan spell last season with Wigan, winning their player of the year award as well as being named in the Championship team of the season. This season he has had limited playing time but has managed 2 goals and 3 assists in all competitions. His major strengths are in the attacking third and he averages 6.4 crosses per game which is the most for any Chelsea player. He also has an xA of 0.17 per game which is pretty good considering the likes of Trent Alexander Arnold average an xA of 0.27 per game. He is also great with the ball on his feet and has a dribble success rate of nearly 75% which is the 3^rd most for Chelsea players. Defensively as well Reece James is quite assured, and he averages 2.37 tackles per game as well as 2.73 blocks per game which is the most for any Chelsea player. At only 20, James still has plenty of time to improve and grow and he is set to be a key part of this Chelsea defense for years to come.

4. Gabriel Martinelli

Coming in at number 4 and the only non-Englishman on the list is 19 year old Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian forward was an unknown quantity coming to Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano last summer for a fee of 6 million pounds, but he has hit the ground running at the Emirates. He has played as both a left winger and striker this season and has emerged in the spotlight thanks to his work rate, spatial awareness and predatory finishing. Jurgen Klopp even hailed him as the talent of the century and it’s not hard to see why. The teenager has scored 10 goals and bagged 4 assists so far this season and has averaged a goal contribution every 100 minutes which is nearly 1 per game. But those numbers don’t tell the entire story, it is his hunger and desire to play and work for the team that really stands out. He averages 33.4 pressures per 90 which is the most in the Arsenal squad and 7 more than the next best player, to add to that he averages an astonishing 1.7 tackles won per 90. Just last week Arsenal signed Martinelli to a new long term deal and he is set to be an integral part of their rebuild under Arteta.

3. Bukayo Saka

At number 3 on the list is another Arsenal teenager who recently signed a long term contract with the club and that is Bukayo Saka. Arsenal have had the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson break into the first team from the Hale End academy but undoubtedly the man who has made the most impact is 18 year old Bukayo Saka. He has scored 4 goals this season but more impressively he has bagged 12 assists this season in all competitions, which is only bettered by Kevin De Bruyne and Trent Alexander Arnold amongst PL players. Saka is an extremely proficient dribbler and averages 1.7 successful dribbles per game. He is also one of the main creative outlets for the gunners and is averaging 2.8 shot creating actions per 90 in the league. To add to that he has shown his defensive abilities during his time playing LB and he averages 2 attempted tackles each game. Also, the 18 year old has been so versatile this season, playing in various positions including Left Back, Left Wing Back, Left Wing, Right Wing and even Central Midfield. His ability to keep up his assist output despite being used in various positions for 3 different managers is a real testament to the quality that he possesses.

2. Phil Foden

If there was ever a poster boy for England’s next generation of superstars, it would definitely be Phil Foden. The Man City superstar rose to fame in the 2017 U-17 World Cup which England won and where Foden was awarded the Golden Ball. In the 3 years since then, Foden has won a whole host of silverware at Manchester City but has struggled to get loads of playing time in City’s star studded team. This season though he has been extremely impressive whenever he has played and even won the Man of the Match in the league cup final. Foden has 7 goals and 9 assists this season which is astonishing considering he has only played 1397 minutes, that means he is averaging a goal contribution every 87 minutes! He is also averaging 5.4 shot creating actions per 90 in the league which is 3^rd amongst all Manchester City players. He is also 3^rd amongst the squad for successful Dribbles per 90, averaging an impressive 2.3. With David Silva leaving Manchester next season, Foden is primed and ready take up his mantle in Central Midfield and show the world just how good he is.

1. Mason Greenwood

Without a doubt the number one talent in the Premier League is Manchester United star Mason Greenwood. There has not been as much hype about a young striker in England since the days of Wayne Rooney and so far, the Manchester United man has lived up to the hype. At 18 he has already become a regular first team player for the red devils and has scored the most goals in a PL season where the player turned 18 since Michael Owen in 1998. Greenwood has scored 16 goals this season on top of the 5 assists he has provided in all competitions. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described Greenwood as the most natural finisher at the club and looking at the numbers it is not hard to see why. Greenwood has scored 9 goals in the PL this season despite having an xG of only 3.1. This means he has a league high difference between goals and xG of 5.9 and that means he is scoring goals from places which he statistically isn’t expected to and that is a mark of a great finisher. Also, he has a league high goals per shot of 0.27 and shots on target percentage of 54.5% which is another indication of his elite finishing. The 2 footed wonderkid is clearly years ahead of his age and is set to be a key member of this Manchester United and England set up for years to come.

This is a special bunch of talents coming through right now and they are set to be the face of this league for the best part of the next decade. But lets not get ahead of ourselves, the promise and talent is evident but it still needs to be matched with desire and hunger. And once that magic combination is achieved, for these extraordinary group of kids not even the sky is the limit.

FIFA World Cup 2018: Belgium – Preview and Line Up

Belgium arrive in Russia with their greatest group of players in the country’s history. However they still are far from being the favorites to lift the trophy, and are still not part of the 4 elite nations (Esp, Fra, Ger and Bra) who most people are predicting to win the tournament.

Nevertheless they still have an embarrassment of riches in terms of attacking talent and one of the most complete squads in the tournament. In Roberto Martinez, they have a manager who has not had much success at an elite level but is still a shrewd tactician and capable of guiding the Red Devils to glory.

Here is how I think Belgium will line up in Russia:

FIFA World Cup 2018: England – Preview and Line Up

England failing in major tournaments is akin to the sun rising in the east and setting in the west; something we all know will happen.

Since 1996, England have failed at every major tournament they have played in and have not even reached the quarter finals of a World Cup since 2006. Their golden generation of Lampard, Gerrard and Beckham failed all those years ago, and now the hope of this great footballing nation lies with a youthful and inexperienced group of players.

However, Gareth Southgate (the new England Manager) has changed the English system and has seemed to bring a breath of fresh air and a new lease of life to these perennial under-performers. And maybe, just maybe there is a tiny flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.

Here is how I think England will line-up at Russia 2018:

There is a great debate over who will get the Number 1 jersey for England and I have chosen Jordan Pickford over Jack Butland as he is better with his feet and realistically has the chance to be England’s keeper for the next 10 years.

They are playing in a wing back system and hence the 2 wing backs would be the boys from Tottenham; Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier.

At Right Center Back is Kyle Walker in his new adapted position, next to him is John Stones; the man who has all the talent in the world but is yet to showcase it and on the left side is the rugged and physical Harry Maguire of Leicester.

Playing CDM is Eric Dier, and beside him is the team’s wild card Ruben Loftus Cheek. Having Jordan Henderson in the midfield is more of the same and England are crying out for a fearless youngster to come out and take the game by the scruff of the neck and I believe RLC is that man.

Playing in front of them are Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling, the latter has had his best ever season, scoring 20+ goals as Manchester City went on to dominate the Premier League. Delli Alli on the other hand has a great relationship with Harry Kane which will be key to England’s success in Russia.

Up front is the English Captain, winner of 2017’s Golden Boot and arguably the best striker in the world at the moment; Harry Kane. Majority of the hope of the three lions will be based on how well he performs and how clinical he can be in the opposition penalty area.

Most Important Player: Harry Kane

Unsung Hero: Kieran Trippier

My Prediction: They will continue to disappoint and lose to a team they’re supposed to beat.

Yesterday’s Preview: Spain

Tomorrow’s Preview: Belgium

FIFA World Cup 2018: Spain – Preview and Line Up

Watching Spain play their tiki taka football is like watching poetry in motion, and is the most joyous and aesthetic style of football played by any team in the world. The silky one touch play and quick passing manoeuvres they pull off in all areas of the pitch are simply jaw dropping.

They enter this World Cup on the back of 2 indifferent major tournaments however they are one of the favorites to lift the trophy. Their manager Julen Lopetegui has not lost a single game as coach of their senior team or during his time as manager of their u-23 team.

They in my eyes, have the best back 5 of the tournament and that goes a long way in winning titles and major tournaments. And of course they have buckets of talent in attack and midfield.

Here’s how I think they should line up in Russia:

FIFA World Cup 2018: Germany – Preview and Line Up

The reigning champions arrive in Russia as one of the clear favorites to lift the trophy. They probably have the most complete squad amongst all nations and are littered with superstars all over the pitch.

Such is the talent of their team that they did not end up picking the Premier League’s young player of the year and the newly crowned champion Leroy Sane in their 23 man squad. However that decision may have been due to the fact that he turned up with this haircut (see picture below) in the warm up games.

In Joachim Low, they also have one of international footballs finest managers and this will be his 5th Major Tournament with the German National side. He has a great record of reaching the Semi Finals in every tournament they have participated in, is a master tactician and on top of that he provides viewers with some great entertainment on the touchline.

Here is how I think Germany should line up at the World Cup in Russia:

In Goal is Manuel Neuer, who has been injured for the past 8 months and is making steady progress to be fit enough to start in Russia. When fully fit he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and has revolutionized the art of keeping by becoming a sweeper keeper.

The 2 full backs are Hector on the left and one of the most improved players in the world in recent years and the heir to Phillip Lahm on the right, Joshua Kimmich.

The center back pairing will be the 2 Bayern Munich defenders Boateng and Hummels who tower over most attackers and are extremely experienced in major tournaments.

In the center of the park is Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira who are the perfect foils to each other. Sami Khedira is the hardman who will be physical and aggressive while Toni Kroos is one of the most silky passers in world football.

Playing ahead of them is Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, who is the star man of this team. He will be the one to thread the eye of the needle and play those deft balls in behind opposition defenses to create chances for the strikers.

On the right is the 2014 World Cup’s golden boot winner, Thomas Muller; he has a phenomenal scoring record in World Cups. And on the Left wing is PSG’s Julian Draxler (Personally I would have had Leroy Sane here and I felt it was inSane to leave him out of the squad).

Starting upfront is Timo Werner who is lightning quick and has been in stellar form in the last 2 years in the Bundesliga.

Most Important Player: Mesut Ozil

Unsung Hero: Joshua Kimmich

My Prediction: Knocked out in the Semi Finals

Tomorrows Preview: Spain

FIFA World Cup 2018: Brazil – Line Up and Preview

For most Brazil fans, the scars of the 2014 semi-final loss will still be fresh in their memory as Germany went for the jugular and demolished Brazil 7-1 in front of their home fans in Rio De Janeiro. 4 years on Brazil’s sole focus for this tournament would be to banish those demons and show why they are the most successful teams in World Cup history.

They have an extremely talented squad littered with the flair and creativity you normally associate with a Brazilian Football team and they also possess the steel and determination one needs to win those crunch moments in the finals.

Here’s how I think they should line up at the World Cup:

In Goal is AS Roma’s shot stopper Alisson who has had a breakout year with the Roman club and has been a major part of their Champions League run to the Semi-Finals.

At Right Back is Danilo who will be deputizing for the injured Dani Alves, while the world’s best left back, Marcelo will occupy the left flank.

The Center Back pairing of Thiago Silva and Miranda brings much needed experience in a tournament of this magnitude, however their lack of pace could be exploited by opposition.

The Central Midfield Double Pivot will be occupied by Casemiro and Paulihno who are great on the ball and will provide much needed defensive cover for the other more attacking players.

Playing in front of them will be the Worlds second most expensive player Phillipe Coutinho who recently transferred to Barcelona from Liverpool. He is the creative linchpin of this team and will be responsible for starting most attacks.

On the right wing is Chelsea’s Willian who I believe is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League and starting up front is the 2017/18 Premier League winner, Gabriel Jesus.

And on the Left Wing will be Brazil’s prodigal son, who will be carrying the hopes and dreams of this football frenzied country; the worlds most expensive player, Neymar. His form and fitness will decide how well Brazil will do in Russia this summer and if he comes to the party, defenders will have nowhere to hide.

Most Influential Player: Neymar

Unsung Hero: Casemiro

My Prediction: Knocked out in the Semi-Finals

Leave your thoughts and line ups on Brazil in the comments below!

Tomorrows Preview: Germany

FIFA World Cup 2018 Predictions:

This summer, the biggest sporting carnival in the world returns as 32 nations will fight it out in Russia for football’s biggest prize; the FIFA World Cup.

The entire world will be watching as the likes of Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar grace the biggest stage and look to bring glory to their countries.

The World Cup has provided us with some of Footballs most iconic moments such as Maradona’s hand of God, Roger Milla’s Celebration and Zidane’s Headbutt. In 2018 the tournament will have no shortage of such action and is going to be one of the most closely competed World Cups yet.

Making predictions for such a tournament is so difficult as any team on their day can outgun their opposition, nevertheless here are my predictions on how this World Cup will go down: