Can Russia win the World Cup?

Russia have made the following picks for their preliminary squad for the World Cup in Brazil.

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yury Lodygin (Zenit St. Petersburg), Sergey Ryzhikov (Rubin Kazan). Defenders: Vasili Berezutskiy (CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow), Andrey Eshchenko (Anzhi Makhachkala), Sergey Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Alexey Kozlov (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Andrey Semenov (Terek Grozny), Georgi Schennikov (CSKA Moscow). Midfielders: Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Yury Zhirkov (Dynamo Moscow), Alexey Ionov (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Mogilevets (Rubin Kazan), Alexander Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Victor Faizulin (Zenit St Petersburg), Oleg Shatov (Zenit St. Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Krasnodar). Forwards: Maxim Kanunnikov (Amkar Perm), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow)

MY VIEWS ON THE SQUAD

This side has a solid core group and CSKA centre back pair Sergey Ignashevich and Vasili Berezutskiy are rock solid at the back, and have a hard working midfield to protect them further. Also look out for Shirokov and the talented Alexander Kokorin to cause problems at the attacking end of the pitch. Capello is a hugely experienced coach who will instill a belief that has lacked in previous Russian sides, and it could see them finally deliver rather than flatter to deceive, as they have on so many occasions in the past.

BETTING ON RUSSIA FOR THE WORLD CUP

There are many interesting bets on Russia from the different World cup markets and some that I like the look of are listed below.

                         BET             ODDS  BOOKMAKER

To reach quarter finals      4.50     BET365

To win Group H                    3.40   SPORTINGBET

Shirokov Top scorer            10.00  UNIBET

More than 5.5 Group pts     2.00    WILLIAMHILL    

To beat S.Korea                    2.10    BET365

To beat Belgium                   3.50   BET365

To beat Algeria                      1.67  WILLIAMHILL