While a pedant might argue that Eric Dier is a midfielder, not a defender, he’s played much of his time in the 2017-18 in a back-three system. A very impressive and tactically astute player, the 6ft 2 Engilshman is among the most versatile and consistent players in his position in the European game. At just 24, he has many years of development to come – and could become a major player for Tottenham and England in years to come.

 

Part of what makes him so impresie is that he grew up in Portugal. He came through the ranks of Sporting Clube de Portugal, and played a series of games for the club before moving back to England. A fruitless loan spell at Everton in 2011 done little for the Cheltenham-born players prospects, but he moved to Spurs for just £4m.

 

For that fee, Spurs have received one of the most versatile and reliable players around. Having played over 125 games for the club so far, he’s become a stalwart in his position and has now become a regular for England, too.

 

While some might argue he’s not clear enough in the mind to play midfield as a shield for the defence, or in a defensive trio, he’s proving these calls wrong time and time again. A very astute passer of the ball for one in his position, he’s very accurate when playing out from the back. Often good at finding the rapid wide men of Spurs with long-range passes, he’s a player who, with more experience, could grow into one of the best defensive hybrids in the European game.

 

Powerful, dedicated, capable of playing multiple positions and very consistent – only extra experience has held back Dier back. In time, that shortfall should be relatively easy to correct and improve upon.

 

Looks easy enough right? What could go wrong!!! (Famous last words)

Oh lord!

Germany and Australia will be starting their journey in the Confederations Cup on June 19th. The Olympic Stadium at Sochi will see the first match of Group B, which both teams share with Chile and Cameroon.

The Germans are favourites to win the Confederation Cup. Under Joachim Löw’s management, the team have adopted a collective approach that will likely see them go far. For this competition, and with the World Cup in their sights, Löw is working on a transition to the younger players. Names like Timo Werner, Sandro Wagner, Amin Younes and Julian Brandt will appear more often, as they attempt to replace the golden generation that brought the World Cup in 2014.

Australia are more interested in qualifying for the World Cup. The team is fighting with Japan and Saudi Arabia for one of the two spots for a ticket to Russia. The opportunity of facing one of the best national teams here will surely serve as preparation for that. In this Cup, however, it’s all about the goal difference. The second position will be highly contested, and so a heavy first loss may decide their fate.

Germany are the favourite team to win according to the bookmakers. With 2/5 as the average odds, that doesn’t leave much meat on the bone. Still, there are always good alternatives. At 13/8, a match with four goals or more looks plausible and decent value. Finally, at 11/10, a Germany clean sheet seems like it might be worth a bet on. Both decent betting options!

The Aviva Stadium in Dublin will host a friendly match between Ireland and Uruguay on June 4. Both teams are well positioned to qualify for the next world cup, with Uruguay almost qualified and  Ireland sharing first place in their group with Serbia.

After a loss against Mexico (3-1), Martin O’Neill will be making some major changes to the Irish lineup. Experienced players like John O’Shea, Robbie Brady, Glenn Wheland and Jon Walters will likely feature. O’Neill is pleased to have a strong opponent for this match, saying  that this kind of encounter will be a good test for the team before their crucial match with Austria on June 11.

The Mexico team managed by Oscar Tabarez, will have a more traditional lineup. The main issues are the absence of Luis Suárez and Diego Godín due to injury. We can expect young players to gain some play time in this game, and Cavani as the main striker. Uruguay needs these two friendly matches, to fine tune  as their key encounter against Argentina will take place in August.

Even without some key players, Uruguay are favourites for this match. The bookies offer odds of 6/4 for the win. However, with some experienced players present for the home team, especially in defense, a draw could also result if the encounter is tight.  However, at 5/4, a match with three goals seems like a viable choice due to the nature of the encounter and the  attacking force that Uruguay have, even without Suárez.