05-27-2006, 10:15 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: CC
Posts: 2,631
| World Cup Soccer
Do you think the US has a chance?
They aren't looking too bad this season, though we have to go through the Czech Republic, Ghana, and Italy in the first round.
Thoughts?
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05-27-2006, 10:25 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,322
| I think they have a shot. At the very least they will need a win over Ghana and a draw with Italy and the CR. They might be able to survive with a win over Ghana and a tie and a draw, but then they would need a decent goal differential probably.
Go USA! and for the record I will say that I think they will advance  | 
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05-28-2006, 12:52 AM
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#3 | | Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 10,177
| Damn Summer Nationals scheduled on top of the finals... | |
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05-28-2006, 05:31 AM
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#4 | | Épéeist Hive Queen
Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sweden
Posts: 12,759
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Originally Posted by Army Fencer Do you think the US has a chance? | If it was the Womens Football ('soccer') World Cup you'd definitely have a chance of winning. The US women is one of the strongest womens football teams in the world.
As for your male team...I don't think you'll do that great. You'll certainly have a chance of doing good, but I don't think you'll win. While I don't really know much about football I'll guess USA will take...hmm...7th..? Go Sweden!!!
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05-28-2006, 07:02 AM
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#5 | | Immortal
Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Heidelberg, GE
Posts: 5,457
| In a brilliant example of how badly ratings and seedings can reflect reality, FIFA ranks the US as fifth in the world, tied with Spain ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Rankings). The good news is that Italy is ranked 13th (cough, cough, cough). The bad news is that the Czechs are ranked second.
Seak hit the nail on the head--the US will probably try to play for draws against Italy and the Czech Republic--which will make for boring games. I think the FIFA rankings clearly underrate the Italians and overrate the US. We will see.
I just hope there is a lot of open play--all too often, teams play not to lose, rather than to win, which makes for pretty unattractive games.
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05-28-2006, 11:43 AM
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#6 | | Super Shoebie
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA
Posts: 1,083
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Originally Posted by sabreur In a brilliant example of how badly ratings and seedings can reflect reality...
I just hope there is a lot of open play--all too often, teams play not to lose, rather than to win, which makes for pretty unattractive games. | Agreed, but just as a 'counterbalance' to current rankings (and a nod to entrenched incumbents everywhere), the seeding process also includes previous performances in the WC (which is really pretty hilarious - do you think the quality of the teams might change over 8 years?). As a result of the US's horrific showing in '98 (DFL - Lost to Iran!), Mexico was seeded as #8 (so doesn't have to face any of the other top 8 in group phase) - One Place Ahead of US. Now we're in a group with only one minnow - who has some pretty big teeth as I understand. As far as beyond the 'pools', if the US advances to DE's you won't have to worry about open play - they face Brazil or Croatia...and Goals Will Be Scored! I've said before, my most earnest wish is for the US to put it to Italy like they did Portugal in Korea, but speaking of closed play, my guess would be 1-0 Italy.
I was greatly troubled by the US loss to Morocco 1-0, although I didn't get to watch it, but the win over Venezuela 2-0, should help even out the confidence. It seems productive changes where made between the games. I'm just guessing, but the Latvia game should be a very minor indication of how the Czech game might play out. | |
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05-28-2006, 11:49 AM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,322
| The U.S. has a pretty decent defense and a top level goalkeeper, also Beasley is in top form defensivly but no offensivly. A lot of the U.S.' other top offensive players are either perenially injured (O'Brian, Reyna) or not in top form (Johnson, Beasley) which pretty much leaves a lot of the offense to Donovan and McBride as a target. Hence it makes sense for them to play a more defensive game and counterattack. Also they are not going to outscore the Italians.
Then again this is why I also enjoy watching Brazil play .
BTW I must say their seeding policy is atrocious, they need to seed out to more places and change the formula, there is no way Mexico should be ahead of the U.S. and the groups are very uneven | |
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05-28-2006, 12:04 PM
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#8 | | Super Shoebie
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA
Posts: 1,083
| The thing about the US team is that you never know who's going to show up to play their guts out. If the team's blood is up, they don't need counter-attacking, they're coming down your throat. That's why, every so often, it's so delicious watching the overconfident old guard teams needing to change their knickers in the first 10 minutes. heh,heh... | |
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05-30-2006, 12:28 PM
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#10 | | Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 10,177
| And yet obviously necessary. | |
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05-30-2006, 02:01 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Philly
Posts: 693
| A chance? Yes. How much of one? Think snowball in he!!... Ok, maybe snowball in heck.
As far as the FIFA rating system is concerned, talk about broken...
The reason the US (and Mexico) are so high in the ratings: The ratings take into account only qualifying/tournament matches over the past 8 years. (That's the main reason Germany is sitting at 19th. They didn't have to play any qualifiers this time around) Next, US is in CONCACAF, arguably one of the easiest qualifying groups (=> more wins, more points). Furthermore, CONCACAF teams play more qualifier matches (for the world cup) than any other group (IIRC, twice as many). Finally, continental championships (which also count for the rating), are played every 2 years, as opposed to every 4 years for the other groups.
Thus, you have the football version of "rating inflation" in the case of Mexico and the US.
Now, the US did get extremely unlucky in the draw, which would make it an accomplishment simply to advance out of the group stage. | |
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05-31-2006, 03:54 AM
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#12 | | Immortal
Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Heidelberg, GE
Posts: 5,457
| The Germans certainly did not shine against Japan last night. Japan went up two-nil, then the Germans came back to tie, but if it hadn't been for Lehmann (the German goalie), they would have been blown out.
The Japanese were quicker, more aggressive, more creative and a lot more precise. The Germans came across as though they were a thrown-together team, who weren't sure how each other would play.
That being said, the German team is supposed to be in the middle of a tough final round of training, which could have explained some of their klutziness and lack of coordination. We will see what happens when the WC starts.
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05-31-2006, 09:10 AM
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#13 | | Fencing Expert
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Angel, London
Posts: 2,488
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Originally Posted by chefencer As far as beyond the 'pools', if the US advances to DE's you won't have to worry about open play - they face Brazil or Croatia...and Goals Will Be Scored! |
or australia or japan.
I'll be very very surprised if the US gets through the group stage. Italy is a very strong team, although Zambrotta is hit with injury and the best keeper in the world, Buffon, is in the middle of a gambling scandal. Czech republic is also very strong, falling at the semi finals in the european championships to Greece. Petr Cech in goal is one of the main reason why Chelsea have retained the Premiership, and Milan Baros up front is a goalscorer. Ghana are a bit of a wildcard, Michael Essien (Chelsea) is a rock in the midfield.
oh and top level goalkeeper?  not compared to whom you're up against. | |
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05-31-2006, 09:54 AM
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#14 | | Super Shoebie
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA
Posts: 1,083
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Originally Posted by downunder or australia or japan. | I'm not dissing Australia, I just don't know them and I think Japan's chances are of similar magnitude as the US... I'm looking forward to watching as I think that's a very interesting group. If the Boys from Brazil show up with their big heads and cry baby attitude (which I think is entirely possible considering the ease of their qualification) then it could be a long group round for the Sambas - and I'm a fan of Brazil since US'94! I miss Dunga... | |
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05-31-2006, 11:35 AM
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#15 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Philly
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Originally Posted by sabreur The Germans certainly did not shine against Japan last night. Japan went up two-nil, then the Germans came back to tie, but if it hadn't been for Lehmann (the German goalie), they would have been blown out. | No kidding. Didn't get to see the game personally, just followed on a few tickers (2 or 3 livetickers up at the same time to get the best coverage ). You gotta question the wisdom of tactical experiments (Ballack and Borowski both in unfamiliar positions, Schneider as right-back) at this stage in the preparation... Of well, at least Schweini had another good day. | |
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06-01-2006, 03:08 PM
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#16 | | Super Shoebie
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA
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Originally Posted by Fechter1 No kidding. Didn't get to see the game personally, just followed on a few tickers (2 or 3 livetickers up at the same time to get the best coverage ). You gotta question the wisdom of tactical experiments (Ballack and Borowski both in unfamiliar positions, Schneider as right-back) at this stage in the preparation... Of well, at least Schweini had another good day. | It seems Mr. Ballack would agree...
Things are also getting interesting for Czechs... who can't really afford to lose anybody else. | |
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06-01-2006, 04:44 PM
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#17 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Philly
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Originally Posted by chefencer | Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg... But for now, support the team through the cup, deal with everything else later.
As for the Czechs, they have better quality depth than the germans right now... I wouldn't woory about them too much. | |
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06-02-2006, 02:08 PM
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#18 | | Super Shoebie
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA
Posts: 1,083
| I'm beginning to understand that I might've underestimated the Japanese... More Group A Analysis | |
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06-02-2006, 03:34 PM
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#19 | | Super Shoebie
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA
Posts: 1,083
| Well, the official US goal is round 2... | |
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06-07-2006, 01:16 AM
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#20 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore,
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