Off Topic · U.S. to open against England at World Cup (page 1)

Pretty cool matchup if you're into soccer / futbol. US upset them the last time they played in the cup in 1950. Our draw looks good too. Hopefully we advance to the second round. USA, USA, USA! Ole, ole, ole...

i heard england has some of the same players from the 1950 team...seriously, it will be hard, if not damn near impossible for the us to beat england, but damn if i aint excited for the world cup this summer. its gonna be awesome. only problem is that its in south africa and we're gonna be waking up at 3am to watch games.

England I think is the weakest of the group leaders but I believe they will still beat the US.

bitty41 wrote:England I think is the weakest of the group leaders but I believe they will still beat the US.

Argentina barely made it too. Both teams are stronger than the way they finished. France win over Ireland was a fucking joke. I am a big Brasil fan so the group of death draw is going to be fun.

Brazil and Spain are the two best teams. Can't wait to watch a big game between the two. Hopefully Messi shows up in International competition.

england is pretty strong man, they had to deal with croatia and ukraine in their group.

Oh, bring it on y'all!! Wazzer gonna bring the PAIN!!!! Jozy Altidore?!?! Oh OK. Landon Donovan?!?! Im scared now!!

Stevie G and Wazzer are gonna eat the US for breakfast. Thats before Walcott, Joe Cole, Lampard, Rio, JT and the rest take their turns. Gonna be a sight to watch.

if england handled croatia 4-1 in zagreb, it's safe to say the united states doesn't stand a shot in hell. but that's probably some type of logical fallacy. still, US doesn't need to bother even showing up in SA.

And just how did the US get past Spain in South Africa? As always, logic is left behind when two teams enter the pitch. Man U seemed to have it all until recently... Aston Villa 1 ManU - nil... and they did not look great.

UKDad wrote:And just how did the US get past Spain in South Africa? As always, logic is left behind when two teams enter the pitch. Man U seemed to have it all until recently... Aston Villa 1 ManU - nil... and they did not look great.

Shhhh. My therapist told me im not allowed to be reminded of that game. Makes me go all Ron Artest

firefly wrote:

UKDad wrote:And just how did the US get past Spain in South Africa? As always, logic is left behind when two teams enter the pitch. Man U seemed to have it all until recently... Aston Villa 1 ManU - nil... and they did not look great.

Shhhh. My therapist told me im not allowed to be reminded of that game. Makes me go all Ron Artest

Great point - once you step on the pitch, anything can happend. The US has really strong goal tending and they just need to match the level of physicality that England will bring. A lot of guys on our squad have now played in Europe and other international leagues. Watch out - US Soccer players aren't the bunch of pussies they used to be...

jusnice wrote:

firefly wrote:

UKDad wrote:And just how did the US get past Spain in South Africa? As always, logic is left behind when two teams enter the pitch. Man U seemed to have it all until recently... Aston Villa 1 ManU - nil... and they did not look great.

Shhhh. My therapist told me im not allowed to be reminded of that game. Makes me go all Ron Artest

Great point - once you step on the pitch, anything can happend. The US has really strong goal tending and they just need to match the level of physicality that England will bring. A lot of guys on our squad have now played in Europe and other international leagues. Watch out - US Soccer players aren't the bunch of pussies they used to be...

This is true. ANything can happen.. and the US is no longer a freebie on the schedule. But now that they're in the 'respectable' category, teams are preparing for them as such, and until the US can give us a strong showing in the Cup, maybe top 3, they will have a question mark above them for a long time. Also, while many US guys have played in Europe, they've played on second-tier clubs and I can't think of a single American that has contributed anything of significance while playing overseas.

[This is true. ANything can happen.. and the US is no longer a freebie on the schedule. But now that they're in the 'respectable' category, teams are preparing for them as such, and until the US can give us a strong showing in the Cup, maybe top 3, they will have a question mark above them for a long time. Also, while many US guys have played in Europe, they've played on second-tier clubs and I can't think of a single American that has contributed anything of significance while playing overseas.
[/quote]

ever hear of Tim Howard? Claudio Reyna (no longer on team)? Oguchi Onyewu? Blob, you constantly talk out of your ass. At least it gives me something to respond to...

You just proved my point by listing those three. Tim Howard is the only one that was even moderately successful, and he's a goalie keeper goalie.

Actually, Reyna was very successful. Also dont forget Brad Freidel, who is a better goalkeeper then Howard and one of the best in the Prem. Onyewu, not so much, he IS second-tier, but Beasleys not bad. And Clint Dempsey is seen as one of the more dangerous midfielder in the league so....One last thing, the next person who calls it goal-tending needs a good kicking!

And Jusnice, while i agree that the US have fairly respectable players nowadays, when your speaking about, Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Walcott, Rio, JT etc. youre talking about a whole different level if not stratosphere. If, and its a big if England play to their talent level and listen to Capello, they should win and get to at least the emis. But, as you mentioned, all things are not equal, the US could have a blinder, Rooney could lose his cool, Gerrard could spend the game thinking about the mob and Cole could get injured in which case, the US will win. Thats the fun of football. In the FA Cub, 6th Tier teams consisting of milkmen, electricians and [plumbers regularly beat better opposition just by wanting it more. Its what makes the beautiful game so...... beautiful!

That, and this!

The one, the only, the legend!! Never will there be a player like this again. Shame we never saw him on the world stage.

Ryan Giggs, running down the wing forever.

I was in Cape Town for the draw... truly awesome. I'll post some pics/vids later

funny story about giggs - i was in greece years back when he first came up and he was hanging w a bunch of his boys at an after hours spot - probably like 4am we all end up outside the club, smoking and him and his friends decide to jump a nearby fence to tip over a cow. well, giggs get stuck on the top of the fence, the fence post rips into his jeans and cuts his nutsack! nothing serious, but my man was in plenty of pain. true story and hysterical as hell.

firefly wrote:And Jusnice, while i agree that the US have fairly respectable players nowadays, when your speaking about, Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Walcott, Rio, JT etc. youre talking about a whole different level if not stratosphere. If, and its a big if England play to their talent level and listen to Capello, they should win and get to at least the emis. But, as you mentioned, all things are not equal, the US could have a blinder, Rooney could lose his cool, Gerrard could spend the game thinking about the mob and Cole could get injured in which case, the US will win. Thats the fun of football. In the FA Cub, 6th Tier teams consisting of milkmen, electricians and [plumbers regularly beat better opposition just by wanting it more. Its what makes the beautiful game so...... beautiful!

That, and this!

The one, the only, the legend!! Never will there be a player like this again. Shame we never saw him on the world stage.

Ryan Giggs, running down the wing forever.

I wholeheartedly recognize that the US players, on average, have far less skill than players who regularly compete at the highest level of the game on a regular basis. I played soccer most of my youth, usually with kids from trinidad and jamaica and africa. Most amazing "American" talent isn't interested in the game - they see basketball, football and baseball as their avenues to excel and make money. I doubt the US will ever have enough home grown talent to really be a super power, but it is still fun rooting for the upset. England is upset prone and ain't that what the cup is all about anyway? The upset.

Also, I do not agree with the high ranking the US has receieved these last few cups. Maybe # 10, but that is a stretch...

England is upset prone and ain't that what the cup is all about anyway?

So true! Always the bridesmaid never the bride.

final rankings came out yesterday:

Spain No. 1, US 14th in final soccer rankings

Spain is ranked No. 1 in the year-end FIFA standings for the second straight year, while the United States is ranked 14th.

In rankings published Wednesday, the European champion maintained the lead it took last month from South American champion Brazil.

The Netherlands and world champion Italy stayed third and fourth as the top 10 remained unchanged.

Cameroon leads the African nations at No. 11, and the U.S. tops the CONCACAF region. Australia heads the Asian confederation at No. 21.

Algeria, which will play in the World Cup next year, improved to No. 26 - its best spot since the rankings were launched in 1993.

AP Mobile. © 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

What I love about the rankings is that FIFA blatantly punished France for their cheating. And damn right too!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/...

Basically, if FIFA would have used 2008 rankings, 2009 rankings or November rankings (when the playoffs were finished) France would have been in the first pot of seeds. But, cunningly, they used the Nomber rankings, and France were down in the fourth pot. Justice served IMO.