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Group E of the World Cup, where France and Switzerland are favored to advance over Ecuador and Honduras, might not see any surprises.

France barely qualified to Brazil 2014 after a dramatic playoff series against Ukraine, and Les Bleus suffered a blow when Franck Ribery was ruled out of the competition with just one week to go until the start of the World Cup. Despite this, France is looking stronger than ever in the last months: their last 6 games saw 4 wins by handicap and at nil against very strong opponents and a 1-1 draw with Paraguay. Ukraine, Netherlands, Norway and Jamaica (8-0!!) all fell to France in the recent friendlies. France does not seem like the inconsistent team they were in the last few years and they are set to have a successful campaign in Brazil.

• Key players: Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba
• Strong spots: Overall quality, Chemistry, Defense, Depth, Form
• Weak spots: Coaching staff inexperience, Poor results on the big stage lately
• Odds to qualify: 1.24 @ Betfair

 
Switzerland might not have the stature and history of the top European teams but make no mistake, Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team can mix it up against the best at any time. The swiss side easily won its qualifying group and went on to play good football in the pre – World Cup friendlies as well. We are talking about a team that lost just once in the last 18 outings but, while they are very hard to defeat, the Swiss do lack that killer instinct to finish off games from time to time. The fact that their midfield line will see 3 Napoli players should help them a lot with playing relations, but their strikers have been in abysmal form recently with the exception of Josip Drmic. France might be too strong for them (not a sure thing though), but the second place should be a lock for Switzerland and could make for a very solid bet.

• Key players: Xherdan Shaqiri, Gokhan Inler
• Strong spots: Midfield chemistry, Manager, Keeper position
• Weak spots: Strikers’ form, Ability to finish off games
• Odds to qualify: 1.67 @ Bet365

 
Ecuador was the surprise package of the South American qualifiers, finishing 4th over Uruguay and being on track to end up 2nd until the last match of the group. However, their result was mainly due to early form, as the Ecuadorians are now on a run of 14 matches in which they won just twice, and did not look able to challenge the top sides in the pre – World Cup friendlies. Unlike other South American teams they do not have a special generation of players and will need to replicate the early form from the qualies if they are to at least be in a position to challenge for the 2ns place.

• Key players: Antonio Valencia, Felipe Caicedo
• Strong spots: Midfield
• Weak spots: Individual quality, Form, Depth, Offense
• Odds to qualify: 1.57 @ Betfair

 
It was a shock that Honduras finished 3rd ahead of Mexico in the World Cup qualifying group, but that was mainly Mexico’s fault. Honduras does not have any real weapons to compete at this level and might well end up being one of the weakest teams in the competition. The Hondurians are in dreadful form with a single win in the last 7 games, while meeting mistly B-class opposition. Their best result was a 0-0 against England in the last pre – World Cup friendly but the manner in which it was obtained was shameful, as they were wasting time and fragmented the game since early in the first half. Honduras’ biggest problems is up front, where they do not have a single decent scoring option, so expect their only form of threat in this group to be goalless draws.

• Key players: Wilson Palacios, Maynor Figueroa
• Strong spots: Pragmatism
• Weak spots: Individual quality, Offense, Defense, Depth, Keeper position
• Odds to qualify: 8.60 @ Betfair

Stay tuned on Betdistrict for complete group stage analysis and extensive World Cup insight. Follow our facebook page and our Brazil 2014 blog for complete World Cup coverage.

Simona Halep has been one of the brightest stars of the WTA tour in the last year, her emergence to the world number 3 spot impressing fellow players, fans and journalists worldwide. As a Romanian tennis fan, naturally I witnessed her steady improvement and her brilliant Roland Garros final against Sharapova, where she put on a fantastic performance despite losing in 3 tight sets. Simona can mix it up with the best at any time when it comes to movement or mental strength, and of course she has that sweet and effective two handed backhand, but what are the weaknesses she needs to work on in order to be a regular contender on the big stage?

1. Second serve

There`s no doubt that the second serve is Halep’s biggest weakness and every time she will meet a power-hitting, offensive player she will be attacked when her first ball does not find the court. In the Roland Garros final against Sharapova, Halep barely won 30% of her second serves and was always forced to the defensive by the Russian’s heavy returns – a scenario which has repeated time and time again over the course of her career. Halep has to learn and master the kick serve, as her height does not allow her to implement much more power on the second serve.

2. Versatility

Shortly: net play, drop shots, slice – she needs these. While Simona Halep’s reactive brand of tennis is effective and relatively interesting to watch, versatility is a big problem for her and she can rarely come up with anything else than solid baseline play. The Romanian’s volley is non-existent and every time she is forced to the net she seems (and is) uncomfortable. This is by far the poorest part of Simona`s game but, luckily for her, in today`s tennis net play has lost its importance. Nevertheless, this aspect of her game needs to be improved to at least a decent level and she will need it on the faster surfaces. She also has to improve her drop shots, a shot she has yet to master and that lost her a lot of points over the course of Roland Garros, as well as the backhand slice, a crucial defensive shot that she barely uses – and when she does, it is not effective.

3. First serve

Halep does not have a bad first serve, especially considering her height, but it could be better. The power is Ok, but more spin and kick would help. Most importantly, considering her issues with the second serve, she badly needs a higher percentage on the first ball, somewhere close to or over 70% as opposed to the 60% (or even less) she is producing at the moment.

4. Forehand

This might be a stretch, as her forehand is actually very good, but Halep herself stated that she needs to improve this shot, especially her cross-court angles. While she can hit the forehand very well, the shot does seem to betray here when she needs it the most, so a little bit more consistency combined with some small adjustments would do her very well. However, it would seem strange to me if she decides to work on this shot before sorting out her more pressing weaknesses.

I would not back the Romanian to do damage on fast surfaces, on the big stage, until she corrects at least some of these flaws. Simona Halep surely has the game and the potential to fight for major trophies and even the World Number 1 spot could be in her sight in the coming years – still, she will need a couple of improvements if she is to be a perennial contender for Grand Slams as opposed to a circumstantial challenger. If she will be able to do it, only time will tell.

One of the most exciting groups of the World Cup will see England, Italy and Uruguay fight for a place in the next round. Surely Costa Rica must be the pummel horse in one of Brazil 2014’s groups of death. There is also a catch here: first place is extremely important, as the second placed team will most likely have to face Brazil in the R16.

England, oh England. The mighty football nation is struggling so much in the big competitions for decades, to the dismay of their fans, failing to reach the final stages since the Euro 1996 semifinal loss to Germany at penalties. England seems to have a bit of a re-energized squad this year with the likes of Sterling, Sturridge, Wilshere, etc. and has played pretty good lately, but Roy Hodgson’s ability to lead this team to success is still questionable. Also England will miss Walcott a lot, and they must overcome the likes of Italy or Uruguay just to reach the knockout stage. It remains to be seen if England can carry their good form from the qualifiers and recent friendlies into the World Cup but I think this mix of experienced and young players is good enough to at least go past the group stage – despite the bookmakers rating them as the 3rd favorites to win the group.

• Key players: Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard
• Strong spots: Good mix of youth and experience, Midfield, Defense
• Weak spots: Manager, Failure to perform on the big stage, Attacking depth
• Odds to qualify: 1.62 @ Winner

 
Italy is surely a team on an uptrend. While they lack the star power they had in the last decades, the Italians managed to put together a very good team that reached the final at the last major competition, Euro 2012. This came with a change of playing style, as the Italians have forfeited their famous “catennacio” in favor of a much more attacking and fast paced approach. The qualifying campaign went pretty well for Italy, who topped the group, but there are massive worries about the latest form of the Squadra Azzura: 6 draws and 1 loss in the last 7 games, including a horrible 1-1 draw with Luxembourg at home (!!!) in the last friendly prior to the World Cup, a match in which Cesare Prandelli used pretty much his projected first 11 for Brazil. The World Cup might be a different story but this group does not allow any time to fix problems, so if Italy does not improve a lot and fast, look for them to lose the opener against England and exit the competition early. I find it hard to explain why the bookmakers are rating the Squadra Azzura as a favorite to win the group.

• Key players: Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon
• Strong spots: Midfield, Keeper position
• Weak spots: Form, Inconsistency, Individual quality in attack
• Odds to qualify: 1.44 @ Ladbrokes

 
Much of Uruguay‘s campaign will depend on whether Luis Suarez will be fit for the group stage matches. The South Americans might have sufficient quality even without the Liverpool striker, but against Italy and England he could be the one to make a difference. The good news for Uruguay is that he is expected to play, so they will look to build on their recent good form but also avoid repeating the performances in the qualifying campaign –  which saw them finishing 4th and needing a playoff against Jordan in order to reach Brazil 2014. A strong point for Uruguay is that the 4th place in the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 Copa America winning campaign proved they have what it takes to challenge the best in the world on the biggest stage. The South Americans have no obvious weak spots and I reckon they should be able to top the group with a little bit of luck and a healthy Luis Suarez.

• Key players: Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani
• Strong spots: Offense, Ability to perform on the big stage
• Weak spots: Midfield depth
• Odds to qualify: 1.57 @ William Hill

 
Costa Rica might well declare 6 December as a national mourning day, as that was the date they were drawn in one of World Cup’s groups of death. Costa Rica played some great football to finish 2nd in the Central American World Cup qualifiers and could have even finished first with a little bit of luck. However, the terrible draw seems to have taken any hope out of them as they went on to lose 4 of the last 5 matches they played, putting in some lackluster performances as well. There`s little hope for Costa Rica to avoid the last place and if they don`t improve their recent level of play I can be confident in tipping them to finish with 0 points.

• Key players: Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell
• Strong spots: Offense
• Weak spots: Individual quality, Defense, Form, Depth
• Odds to qualify: 12.40 @ Betfair

Stay tuned on Betdistrict for complete group stage analysis and extensive World Cup insight. Follow our facebook page and our Brazil 2014 blog for complete World Cup coverage.

There`s no debate that the World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet and bookmakers know that all to well. With this in mind, sportsbooks are trying to attract customers by handing out to new depositing customers improved promotions, bonuses and free bets. It’s an opportunity for both the casual bettor and the professional punter to capitalize on some of these promotions – some which hold value, some which are just fun and exciting, or both. We will list below what we think to be the best offers from the trusted bookmakers reviewed on betdistrict in order to help you decide where to bet. We have also selected the offers which are available in multiple countries, not only UK. Note that while we chose British pounds as reference, the promos are available in all currencies. These promotions are running from June the 1st until the last day of the Brazil World Cup.

Sbobet – 200 GBP bonus (15% of deposit value, code DEPBON8) OR 20 GBP free bet if you win your first bet (100% of bet value, code DOUBLE2)

Sbobet usually runs a 15%, 150 GBP welcome offer for new depositing customers, which they increased to 200 GBP for the World Cup. If that doesn`t scratch your back, you can opt in for another welcome offer for the period of Brazil 2014: place your first bet, win it, and Sbobet will double your winnings! (up to a maximum of GBP20). Simply enter the bonus code for your preferred choice (codes shown above). Terms & Conditions.

Youwin – 5 GBP free bet if Neymar scores at anytime against Croatia + similar bonuses in every day of the tournament.

Place a bet of at least 5 GBP on 12 July on any outcome with odds higher than 1.20 and if Neymar scores at anytime against Croatia, you will get a 5GBP free bet. Youwin will run similar promos everyday of the World Cup. This might be the promotion I like the most. While you won`t get rich from these cashbacks, they surely give you something to cheer for and make things more interesting. I reckon it`s perfect for the casual punter but it will provide more excitement for the professionals as well. To top it off, Youwin offers some great special bets as well (Ronaldy to cry during Portugal’s final match, Headbutting during the tournament and so on), plus their usual 10 GPB free bet (100% of first deposit). Terms & Conditions

Bwin – 50 GBP free bets if Brazil does not beat Croatia OR Germany does not beat Portugal OR your team gets knocked out via penalties.

Bwin will run three great promotions during the World Cup. Bet on Brazil to beat Croatia and/or Germany to beat Portugal and if you lose the bet, Bwin will refund your stakes up to 50 GBP. Also, if you place an outright World Cup winner bet and your team loses via penalties, you will receive a free bet with the same amout as your initial stake up to 50 GBP. You will also be eligible for the 50 EUR bonus for new depositing customers. Terms & Conditions

Further reference: Where to bet on the World Cup

Other bookmaker promotions

200% Bonus – deposit 25 EUR, get 50 EUR bonus    Terms & Conditions

Predict the results for World Cup matches (free) and fight for a 1500 EUR prize pool

Place series of 10 bets to earn points and up to 5 free bets of 5 GBP    Terms & Conditions

Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan and Greece will all feel they have a chance to reach the knockout stage in what is arguably the most balanced group in the World Cup. After our analysis for Group A and Group B, let`s get going with the preview and tips on this one.

Colombia, with its best generation of players since 1994, is the bookmakers’ favorite to finish on the 1st place and is viewed as one of the underdogs capable to do some damage in the latter stages of the tournament. The south americans finished second behind Argentina in the qualifiers and are boosting some amazing talent, but they will most likely have to cope with their best player missing the tournament. Rafael Falcao is recovering from an ACL tear and his chances to make the World Cup squad are slim. However, the likes of Jackson Martinez and Carlos Bacca (with Adrian Ramos as a bonus) should be able to limit the impact of Falcao’s absence. This group is so evenly matched, but Colombia to qualify looks like the closest thing to a certainty. Though they can be inconsistent and have not impressed in the pre-World Cup friendlies the Colombians should top the standings.

• Key players: Jackson Martinez, James Rodriguez
• Strong spots: Star power, Offense, Midfield
• Weak spots: Inconsistency, Keeper position
• Odds to qualify: 1.30 @ Youwin

One last hurray for the Ivory Coast golden generation of Drogba, Yaya Toure and Kolo Toure. Despite the team being packed with quality, the Africans have disappointed time and time again both in the World Cup and in the African cup of nations, and this might well be one of their last chances to produce a memorable performance. Ivory Coast had an easy time qualifying to the World Cup against Morocco and Senegal but have not been up to standards as of late, winning just once in the last 6 outings. The Africans might be the 2nd favorites to qualify and many World Cup tips see them in the knockout round, but with their current form and track record on the big stage they could be in for another disappointment in this balanced group.

• Key players: Yaya Toure, Gervinho
• Strong spots: Offense, Star Power
• Weak spots: Aging key players, Inconsistency, Defense, Keeper position
• Odds to qualify: 2.00 @ Ladbrokes

Japan is a team I fancy a lot, as they play such a nice brand of football, we could all see it in the Confederations Cup despite them losing all three games. Their attacking pace and enthusiasm is exciting to say the least and the team looks pretty good, making up for lack of star power with good chemistry between players. Japan qualified en-fanfare to the World Cup, their main objective, and they are looking extremely solid in the pre-tournament friendlies as well. Qualifying from the group stage would be a bonus for them, but with a little bit of luck they could earn a 2nd place and advance to the knockout round.

• Key players: Shinji Okazaki, Makoto Hasebe
• Strong spots: Attacking pace, Counterattacks, Chemistry
• Weak spots: Defense, Individual quality
• Odds to qualify: 2.25 @ Ladbrokes

Greece is the perennial underdog, the most underrated team in European football. They are so ignored that people are viewing them as an old, slow team, despite the fact that they will likely have just two players over 30 years in the starting lineup. Greece might lack the individual quality of other teams, but they has always qualified for the important tournaments and were also often able to make an impact on the big stage. They finished second behind Bosnia in the qualifying group but had little trouble beating Romania in the playoffs. Greece’s defense is by far their biggest asset but, ironically, their best players are up front. This might help them to get some goals, which would be huge, as they will surely not concede too much. With an experienced and organized team, Greece surely has the best value for odds in this group and I would rate them as the 2nd best team behind Colombia. Depending on whether Ivory Coast shows up or not, they should be able to qualify. Greece can outplay Japan with their superior experience, and I don’t see a chaotic Ivory Coast side breaking down their defense either. I feel like the bookmakers are giving a bonus with these high odds for the europeans to go trough, so this will be my main pick for this Group.

• Key players: Kostas Mitroglou, Giorgios Samaras
• Strong spots: Defense, Chemistry, Discipline
• Weak spots: Offense, Individual quality
• Odds to qualify: 3.20 @ William Hill

Stay tuned on Betdistrict for complete group stage analysis and extensive World Cup insight. Follow our facebook page and our Brazil 2014 blog for complete World Cup coverage.