World Cup 2014: 5 Major European Nations That Will Fail To Qualify

2. Czech Republic

In Group B, things are extremely tight with 4 teams separated by 5 points, but with 2nd place Bulgaria playing a game more than Denmark, Czech Republic and Italy, then a win for each means a tense autumnal final few games between those three. Starting with top side Italy, 3 wins from 4 games represents 10 points, which coach Cesare Prandelli will be happy with. Only Bulgaria managed to grab a point of the Italians in Sofia, so that may give the Danes and the Czechs encouragement, as visits there have to made. These games may depose Italy off top spot, so they must ensure that maximum points are taken from their remaining home games to transfer the heat to the chasing pack. Joint top scorers with Bulgaria, Italy's attacking talent is up their with the best in the world with the likes of Balotelli, Pablo Osvaldo and Daniele De Rossi contributing to their 10 goals. Their defence has leaked a bit, so this may be punished and exploited further by the Danes and the Czechs in their games against them. The Czech Republic themselves need to start scoring to start shooting up the table, they have drawn blanks of three of four qualifiers so far, so they must start banging them in. While they haven't scored many, they have remained resolute and tight at the back and kept clean sheets in a 1/2 of their games, so this gives Czech fans and coach Michal Bilak great hope and solid base to build upon. Realistically to catch up with the Bulgarians, they must win both Armenia games and the Italy home game, to give them a confidence booster ahead of the triplet of away games that end their campaign, where Bulgaria lay in wait for their potential second place decider in Sofia in October (the last game). Denmark have the stars such as Simon Kjaer and Christian Eriksen that deserve their stage, but they must assist the other 9 teammates to get them there. They have lost to the Italians so far and have beaten the Czechs convincingly in Prague 3-0 and drawn with Bulgaria and the Czechs. Their solitary point in 2 games at home will be a concern and source for encouragement for those yet to joust with the Danish in Copenhagen. In order to get the play-off place they desperately want, they need to gain the bulk of their points at home (3 of the last 5 come at home) and realistically look for full points from their last two away games in Armenia and Malta, so this could add up to 17 points, which should see them enter the play-offs, if not win the group. Bulgaria hold second and the driving seat in their quest for their first major tournament since Euro 2004 and World Cup since 1994. Their next three games are key, as all of them are away with Italy, Malta and Armenia requiring the Eastern Europeans to grace them with their presence. If I was the manager, Lyuboslav Penev, I should hope for 6 points in the latter two games and anything against the 4-time world champions is a bonus, not a necessity. 15 points is what they will be on heading for the Czech game, if they do as predicted in these games, so a potential showdown between those two is very appetising indeed.