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Although luck was not with the Irish in their World Cup qualification playoff against France last November, boss Giovanni Trapattoni is still confident that there are good times ahead for the Republic of Ireland. Tuesday night sees them back in action for the first time since that tragic “Hand of Henry” night, and they will be doing all they can to give World Cup 2010 favourites Brazil, a real run for their money. For Brazil, this is the last run out they will get before the World Cup in South Africa starts on June 11th.

Trapattoni has been boosted by the fact that Robbie Keane joined up with the squad ahead of the match at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, after he was initially ruled out through injury. The Spurs striker, currently on loan with Celtic until the end of the season, picked up an injury on the derby day match against Rangers, but has been declared fit. There will be some doubt over him starting though, but the temptation may be to leave him on the bench instead of sending him out up front with Kevin Doyle.

The could be some new faces on the pitch for the Irish during the friendly, as Trapattoni starts planning for an assault on qualification for Euro 2012. Brazil are travelling to London with pretty much a full squad, which includes Kaka, but there are a couple of notable exceptions. When Brazilian coach announced his squad for this match some time ago, AC Milan’s Ronaldinho wasn’t a part of it, despite being in great form for his club. Also missing from the line up will be phenomenal hot-shot, Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, who will miss the encounter after picking up an injury. The Irish defence will be happy about that, no doubt, who will be without the stabilising presence of Aston Villa’s Richard Dunne.

Match Prices:
Ireland to win: 15/2 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 3/1 at Bet365
Brazil to win: 1/2 at Totesport

Last Friday, 32 nations discovered their fate as the draw for next summer’s World Cup took place in Cape Town. Never before has the draw received so much attention, with the media keen to identify ‘Groups of Death’, despite the fact that every team playing in the competition are there on merit (with the exception of South Africa).

A couple of bookmakers have already decided to offer a generous cashback special on the World Cup, with Sky Bet offering to refund all losing outright bets if England are triumphant. This is possibly an attempt to encourage less English people to back their own country, with many UK bookmakers likely to run up liabilities on Fabio Capello’s team ahead of the tournament starting.

Similarly, Boylesports are offering to refund all losing outright bets if France repeat their 1998 victory and win the World Cup for the second time. This is a reaction to the controversial way in which Ireland were eliminated from the play-offs by Les Bleus, although this is not a vintage French team, with Blue Square offering 16/1 that Raymond Domenech steers them to glory.

The bookmakers have already gone into overdrive with a wide range of markets on the 2010 World Cup, with every group match already priced up by the likes of Paddy Power and Sky Bet. In addition, betfair have set up the matches on their website, although it might be some time before there is reasonable liquidity. Paddy Power have also priced up correct score, double chance and HT / FT opportunities for each game, with each of these related to the match betting.

Coral, Sky Bet, Paddy Power and bet365 have also priced up a ‘Stage of Elimination’ market for 14 of the 32 teams, with England available at 9/2 (Coral) to go out of the competition at the semi-final stage. For those that think that Brazil might suffer in the ‘Group of Death’, Paddy offer 5/1 that the five-time winners go out at the group stage, although Portugal might be a more sensible bet with the Irish firm at 6/4.

Totesport have priced up a ‘Top African Team’ market and it’s no surprise to see Ivory Coast available at even money, although a tough group could see Ghana (9/2) or Cameroon (11/2) go further than their continental cousins. Totesport also offer ‘Top European Team’ which is naturally a competitive market, but will anyone get further than Euro 200 winners Spain (11/5)? It’s no surprise to see Europe a best price 4/9 (bet365) to be the winning continent, with South America next at 9/4 (Blue Square).

Finally, Blue Square have opened a market on which England players will make the 23-man squad that jets out to South Africa in the summer. Shaun Wright-Phillips is clearly a borderline decision at 10/11, with Gabby Agbonlahor an interesting price at 9/4. His Villa team-mate James Milner looks more likely to take a place on the plane, with his odds at 4/11 right now.

We now know the 32 teams who will contest the 19th renewal of the World Cup next summer in South Africa. France’s progress to the finals was heavily controversial, although Stan James offer a best price 16/1 that Raymond Domenech’s team repeat their success of 1998. The big surprise on Wednesday evening was the exit of Russia, although the bookmakers don’t rate Slovenia’s chances in their first ever tournament. Coral make them 400/1 outsiders, although they are there on merit after finishing second in a tough qualifying group.

Portugal managed to ease through against Bosnia despite missing Cristiano Ronaldo, although they are sure to have officially the world’s best player back for the finals. Sporting Bet offer 18/1 that Carlos Queiroz steers the team to glory, although they continue to lack a cutting edge up front. Meanwhile, the dream is still alive for Euro 2004 winners Greece, who landed a 1-0 win in Ukraine to go through this week. Otto Rehhagel’s tactics worked a treat in Kiev, although the bookies are less convinced that they’ll make an impact in South Africa. Victor Chandler offer 150/1 that they are triumphant.

Some people are suggesting that the 2010 World Cup winner is going to come from a select group of two. Spain proved during Euro 2008 that they are an outstanding team and Ladbrokes make them slight favourites at 4/1 to prove that they’re the best nation on the planet. Manager Vicente del Bosque is blessed with some technically brilliant players and it’s hard to pick holes in them at the moment. Similarly, Brazil have an excellent World Cup pedigree and Paddy Power are lifting their heads above the parapet by offering 5/1. The South Americans have featured in three of the last four finals and qualified easily. Perhaps backing both of these teams will prove to be a profitable excursion.

In recent months, one of the big market movers have been the Ivory Coast, with William Hill going as short as 20/1 that they become the first African nation to win the tournament. They very nearly beat Germany in a friendly recently and have arguably the world’s best striker in Didier Drogba. The Elephants will have plenty of competitive match action in the African Nations cup and are the continent’s best chance of success. While the hosts will obviously have home advantage, they looked to be a mediocre team during the Confederations Cup and Coral are prepared to lay them at 200/1.

One of the teams that has drifted the most is Argentina and the rumour on the grapevine is that the bookmakers are out to get Diego Maradona’s team next summer. Bet Fred offer a standout 10/1 about the Albicelestes, although they were slightly fortunate to qualify and having Lionel Messi in the team does not equal success. However, firms are reporting a brisk trade on the Netherlands and England to win next summer’s competition. The Dutch blew the opposition away in qualifying and have been cut to 14/1 (bet365), while England are 13/2 (Coral), with Fabio Capello fielding a weakened team against Brazil recently. It might be worth taking this price now as there will be a flood of patriotic money coming for the Three Lions by the time next summer comes around!

Brazil v England
Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar
Saturday, November 14
Kick-off: 5pm GMT

England head into their friendly against Brazil on Saturday, with an unfamiliar looking line-up. Because of all the injuries that have besieged the England camp ahead of the game, it will not be the game which Fabio Capello quite wanted. Capello wanted his best to face up against the best, but now with the treatment room full, there is going to be a very different England taking the field on Saturday evening. All throughout the team as England continue building for the World Cup 2010, there are absentees, with Capello struggling to find cover particularly at full-back.

Best Match Prices for Brazil v England
Brazil to win: 11/10 at Totesport
Draw: 5/2 at SkyBet
England: 14/5 at Blue Square

Let’s take a look at the England starting team that isn’t:

Goalkeeper:
David James: May not have started, but who knows. He’s been struggling to keep fitness up to make it through a game.

Defence:
Glen Johnson: Found himself as starting full back, but picked up a knock in Liverpool’s last Premier League fixture.
Rio Ferdinand: has only pulled on his boots a couple of times this season and there is no apparent improvement in his condition yet
John Terry: Will he or won’t he? The turf fouled captain Terry in training on Friday, as the Chelsea skipper was running by himself and twisted his ankle. May not be risked for the friendly.
Ashley Cole: played through the pain barrier to help Chelsea beat Manchester United last weekend. Out for at least a couple of weeks now though.

Midfield:
Aaron Lennon: Tottenham’s winger picked up an injury over a week ago, and has not travelled with the team.
Steven Gerrard: We all know of Gerrard and Liverpool’s woes at club level. The big man wasn’t selected for the squad, and won’t be until he is fully healed.
Frank Lampard: Out for three weeks now with a torn muscle in his thigh. He crocked himself during England training, and if Terry joins him, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is not going to be best pleased.
David Beckham: Hurt his back guiding LA Galaxy to the MLS Conference finals, but is still on duty for his club at the important juncture of their season.

Forwards:
Emile Heskey: Out of the squad because of injury.
Theo Walcott: Again, perhaps not a starter, but someone England hope will be fit for the World Cup.

Subs:
Joe Cole: Still playing his way back to full fitness for his club Chelsea.
Carlton Cole: Three Cole’s out of the match, as West Ham’s striker is injury. He is also being head-hunted by Manchester United apparently, for January’s transfer window.

If John Terry is not risked, then Gareth Barry and Wayne Rooney will be the only regular starters making the first eleven on Saturday. Rooney will be named as captain if the Chelsea man doesn’t make it. On the positive side of all the injuries, it will allow Capello to look at some youngsters, as injuries are bound to happen ahead of, and during World Cup 2010, and he will need to know that fringe players can step up to the plate. Sunderland’s Darren Bent is really knocking on the door of getting himself a starting place on Saturday, with his fine goal scoring form for his club. This is an ideal chance for him to stake a claim for himself, along with the likes of Wes Brown, James Milner, Stephen Warnock and Ashley Young.

With all of the injuries, the Qatari hosts probably won’t be very pleased that England’s B team will be taking the field. There has also been some furore that England were refused permission to land on a special runway at the airport, and England retaliated by saying they would withdraw from the game if they weren’t allowed to. It will not be the big superstar spectacle at the Khalifa Stadium, as the organisers would have hoped. The likes of Gerrard, Lampard and especially David Beckham would have drawn a lot of ticket sales. All of these injuries will have affected betting odds for an England win too, especially as Brazil are almost at full strength. Manchester City’s Robinho is with the squad, but City boss Mark Hughes insisted that the forward, who is only just returning from injury, does not partake. Ronaldinho is not playing in the match either, with gives Porto striker Hulk a first call up to the senior squad. They still have Kaka and Luis Fabiano though to cause more than enough damage to an inexperienced England squad. Maybe the injury list will help Capello narrow down his squad better by having a good look at players. This is the penultimate friendly before naming his World Cup squad.

Selection of Betting Coverage:
England Draw No Bet -13/8 at Bet365
Away Team (England) To Score=No – 24/13 at Expekt
Brazil to win by 2 goal margin – 6/1 at SkyBet
Correct score 1-1 draw – 6/1 at Bet365