World Cup Preview: Pot 2

Pot 2 will be accompanied by a random team from Pot 4, which has 9 teams (due to them all being from UEFA). 

Algeria

FIFA World Ranking: #32

Jonesy Ranking: #29

Bonny Ranking: #29

Key Player: 

AJ: Sofiane Feghouli is a classy winger (not to mention a good buy in Ultimate Team). He may be their one and only offensive outlet come 2014.

Predictions:

AJ: Group Stages. Just like their lethargic showing in 2010, they'll park the bus and pray. And it will get them nowhere.

Cameroon

FIFA World Ranking: #59

Jonesy Ranking: #27

Bonny Ranking: #27

Key Player: 

AJ: Samuel Eto'o, the old bag of bones, will be their one hope after coming out of his self-imposed exile from the national team. He'll hope to build up on his form for Chelsea so he can be on top of his game after his self-imposed football exile at Anzhi. 

Predictions:

AJ: Group Stages. Lowest-ranked side in the tournament, and it's not necessarily undeserved, save for maybe Honduras or Costa Rica. This team has no quality, apart from Eto'o and Alex Song, and that's saying something.  

Ivory Coast

FIFA World Ranking: #17

Jonesy Ranking: #15

Bonny Ranking: #17

Key Player: 

AJ: Didier Drogba is still their one hope, even at 35 (36 in March). Yaya Touré is widely considered one of the best combative midfielders in the world, and he will need to be at the top of his game to show the Ivory Coast's class.

Predictions: 

AJ: Group Stage, and I'll tell you why: these bastards can't get drawn into a favorable group to save their lives. Their last two, and only two, World Cup appearances have seen them drawn into the “Group of Death”, and my superstitious side says that will happen again.

Ghana

FIFA World Ranking: #23

Jonesy Ranking: #22

Bonny Ranking: #22

Key Player:
AJ: Asamoah Gyan is a very good striker with serious attitude problems: think Balotelli with half the skill. Penalty expert, and villain of their failure to beat Uruguay back in 2010, he'll probably be hoping he doesn't screw the pooch again. 

BS: Kevin Prince-Boateng is on form, he will be a key player more than Gyan.

Predictions: 

AJ: Group Stages. All joking aside, Ghana are a very talented side, but I don't see them doing as well as their Quarterfinal appearance in 2010.

BS:  I say Round of 16 if they get a decent group.

Nigeria

African Cup of Nations Champs

FIFA World Ranking: #33

Jonesy Ranking: #20

Bonny Ranking: #20

Key Player: 

AJ: John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike are the life-blood of this team. The success of Nigeria in this tournament will entirely rest on their creativity and finishing.

Predictions: 

AJ: Group Stages/Round of 16. The African Cup of Nations champions could be able to navigate the group stages, finishing second, but that will be as far as they go, as far as I can see, save for a favorable draw or knockout round opponent.

Chile

Vidal will lead Chile with his fiery passion

FIFA World Ranking: #12

Jonesy Ranking: #13

Bonny Ranking: #18

Key Player:

AJ:  Arturo Vidal – probably the best box-to-box midfielder in the world apart from maybe Yaya Touré, but with an even better scoring touch than the massive Ivorian. Alexis Sanchez also deserves a shout, he's fantastic at his best.

Predictions:

AJ: Round of 16. Fantastic midfielders, and somewhat-close-to-home-support will see them through to the Round of 16, but I don't think they'll have what it takes to win their group, unless they get one of the cannon-fodder group leaders, which means that odds are they'll have to play a much better team, and they'll crash out.  

Ecuador

FIFA World Ranking: #22

Jonesy Ranking: #26

Bonny Ranking: #24

Key Player: Antonio Valencia I suppose. Who knows. Felipe Caicedo scored 7 goals in qualifiers.

Predictions:

AJ: Group Stages. They'll be spurred on by their grief over their fallen teammate, Chucho Benitez. To be honest I've only ever heard of about 3 players, including Tony V. In CONMEBOL qualifying their goal difference was a paltry +4 with only 20 goals from 16 matches. That will not be good enough against the big boys of the tournament, or even the little ones. Watch them draw all 3 group stage games and crash out. Sorry Tony.