The World Cup thread!!
Just had too!
Intrigued to how much mileage I'll get out of this thread, my American cousins!
Big game saturday, England v USA - gotta bad feeling about it!
Who's up for some football (oops should that be soccer?!) banter??
Come on England!!! 
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Being from England and all, you do know about Tim Howard, right?
Hoping it all goes well in South Africa and the socio-economic problems they have over there don't affect the event - be a big shame for the country & african continent as a whole if something was to happen.
Apparently Mandela is hoping to open the tournament but at 92 he's getting a tad frail - he's already received the SA team at his home wearing the team shirt!
I'll jump in here, I lived in England and played League 2 ball A LONG TIME AGO! There is a lot of talk by the US team, really talking up their chances against the Lions. I watched the last firendly on Saturday, I don't think things look too good for the US team. Although, I do think they will get past the group stage. England is a good, scratch that GREAT, team and expectations are high. I my mind, this is their best squad in a long while. They are solid front to back. Their only weakness, if you can call it that, is if they have to go deep into their bench. If their first 11 and the next 3-4 on the bench stay heathly, to cup could be heading back to the mother land. And, EVERY WC match will be broadcast here in the states, either on ESPN or ABC. anyway, my 2 cents.
Great thread!
My family is on high alert that I will be otherwise indisposed/obsessed for the next 5 weeks with World Cup fever. Both upstairs and downstairs DVRs are set to record every game. I'm actually taking a vacation day Friday to watch the opening matches (oh, and do final prep for Eagleman this weekend) and I already have strategic "doctors" appointments scheduled during the US-Slovenia and US-Algeria matches.
That being said, as I always do before the USMNT plays in the WC, I'm hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. On any given day if we play to our potential we can compete with anyone (2002 World Cup) but more often than not we are prone to awful defensive lapses and a seeming fear of possessing the ball usually combined with an obligatory red card from FIFA refs (2006 World Cup).
England are certainly the stronger team on paper but they're are definitely not invincible and, given their recent mediocre form, are capable of dropping a point (or 3) vs. the US on Saturday. I'm just hoping we don't give up an early goal.
David, I know the British press has been touting this as a very easy group for England. What's your take? Do you think it'll be Ledley King or Matthew Upson alongside Terry?
I'm also rooting for the Netherlands to go deep but they always seem to collapse on the big stage....
Good points you made there - don't really like being a 'favourite', England always seem to mess it up somehow, OK, thats mainly via losing penalty shoot-outs to the Germans!
US could provide an upset but England will still qualify - England are on a bit of a 'hiding to nothing' (use that phrase in US?), IOW, if they beat the US, everyone plays it down as the expected result; if they draw or lose then the media will kill 'em!
One things for sure, the match will be like a final to the US team, what with all the UK resident players they have in the squad - US could be the surprise package (every WC throws up one it seems) however, I think that'll go to an African team - no 'star' team will want to play an African team thats for sure.
Think we have a great (and very shrewd) Manager and a mature squad who should be able to play as a team & not a collection of over-paid spoilt brats, we'll see I guess....
@Chris - blimey! You sound more nuts than me! Interesting about Ledley King, he apparently isn't training at all, just played the warm-up match yesterday & did well apparently , looks as though he's the favoured option and they'll play him into fitness perhaps.
UK press (well English as the Scottish press is probably being negative!) seem fairly up-beat & positive and yes, do seem to think England can do well - but look at the other teams out there - the Dutch could be a threat IF they don't start bickering between themselves again (long time to be couped up in a hotel etc with team-mates you may not like!) although this time they do seem to lack standout personalities that could rock the boat.
Spain must be favourite but like all southern euros, tend to be a bit hot-headed & mentaly fickle - they won't like being favourites at all - Germany, would you write those guys off? Especially if they win their 1st game - Brazil, an easy pic but can they play as a team and tactically get it together (instead of the 'if you score 3, we'll then score 4' tactic!).
Argentina? Messi etc, but manager could let them down perhaps (I'm not bitter still at all about the 'hand of god' incident!!) . Italy??
Pretty much wide open isn't it? Think I'll be patriotic and go for a Spain v England final..................and we'll lose on penalties!! :-(
Be real cool to get Tina's overview on the impact of the world cup on SA - Africaan's sounding surname however, so probably a rugby nut! :-)
But USA's defense is currently in a state to give up a goal at a moment's notice. Gooch isn't going to get fit in a few days, so that's not going to change in time for the England match. If they get lucky and move through, maybe he'll be fitter and the team will be in better shape.
Lots of keys to the match, of course, but if Landon Donavon and Clint Dempsey play at a high "international" level as each of them proved they are at least capable of, that will give USA a fighting chance against the Lions...not just because of their own playmaking, but by opening up opportunities for others. LD's been picking up assist after assist after assist in recent matches.
But, boy that defense.... USA are lucky to have Howard!
But let's be honest - this is a relatively soft group they are both in, and they are the two teams pretty heavily favored to move through, regardless of the outcome of this match.
David, I'm actually rooting for England after the US (OK, and the Dutch) to do well this WC. They definitely have the talent to go deep. Like you I'll say a prayer to the football gods that they don't have to go to penalties.
Good points, William. Yeah, our defense has me waking up in cold sweats. We just look so vulnerable right now -- especially on the flanks. Pacey guys like Lennon and SWP could potenially give us fits. Gooch is definitley not 100% based on what I've seen of him and Bradley should NOT start him if there's even a hint of concern that he's not 100%. That leaves DeMerit and Goodson to hold down the center. Given the number of blown clearances and high balls that bounced in the box against the Aussies they better be ready for a cross-fest to Crouch on Saturday (and I think it'll be Crouch paired with Rooney). Cherundolo and Boca should start on the flanks. At least those two make me feel somewhat secure. If you see Bornstein in a match we are DOOMED.
I'm betting on Buddle paired with Jozy up front with Findley and/or Gomez coming on as subs late if we need a goal. Hoping Landon and Demps can create some magic. I'm also hoping Bradley starts Torres next to Junior vs. Edu. We need Torres' ability to hold the ball in traffic and distribute. If he goes with Edu or Clark that means he's playing for a draw.
And let's not forget that Slovenia and Algeria are not pushovers. That being said I'm cautiously optimistic that we can come out #2 in our Group and then move on to get revenge against Germany!
Any bets on who gets our obligatory red card? My money's on Edu or Clark.
Demerit has his moments, but he also seems to get beat and out of position from time to time...exactly the kind of thing that gives up goals on this level. I just look up and someone has the ball behind him too often! I don't know whom else to play in his spot, but he makes me nervous!
Yes, I do remember Beckham's red against Argentina and Ronaldo getting Rooney dismissed in 2006. But he has matured a ton these past few years. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep his cool. I bet he'll be fine. I think he was one of the top 2 or 3 strikers in the world this past season.
Hey, David, what club team do you support?
I'm an Arsenal guy. Hopefully, that won't make you too Angry if you're a Tottenham guy.
I've been an EPL fan for years and have made several pilgrimages over there with my footy buddies to catch Prem matches. Saw them play at Highbury back in the Henry/Viera/Pires/Ljungberg days. Although it' s been painful being a Gunners fan the past several years. Wenger seems to be incapable of bringing in proven veterans and guys taller than 5'7. I'm hoping he finally opens up the wallet and brings in some key missing pieces this summer or we'll never knock Man Utd and Chelsea off the top. And with the way Man City are spending money these days....
On the MLS side, I'm a Seattle Sounders fan. Grew up watching them in the old NASL days in the 70s and 80s (back when Harry Redknapp played with them!). Happy to have Ljungberg there (although it's been a poor season thus far). Maybe we can lure Henry over next season!
@Bill - back in my sales management days we just went with it and used it as a team building exercise - bought a TV, orrganised beers/eats if the England match was in work time & goofy sales promotions/targets to coincide with the games. The office sweepstake always goes down well, a buck each to draw a team and winner takes all etc.
@Chris - although I live near Bournemouth on the south coast (where Harry Redknapp lives too as it happens - on a piece of real estate where land values are up there with manhattan & hong kong apparently!).
So live in the south of england but actually from 'up north' - family live in Sheffield so I'm a life long Sheffield Wednesday fan (for my sins!) - painful times, with big debts & recent relegation to league 1 - kinda have a silver lining in that me & my boy will be able to watch Wednesday (AKA 'the owls') visit Bournemouth (who got promotion last season) & also southampton. Gonna be interesting as my swim pool is used by the bournemouth team - players with injuries running about in the pool :-). Was actually chatting with Ryan Garry,he was an Arsenal youth & senior player and England U21 before a series of injuries and now off-loaded to lowly Bournemouth - shared a lane with him, swims like a brick!!
All the players - even at league 2 level - I've seen in the pool look amazing athletes; wouldn't like them to run into me/tackle me hard put it that way!
Sheff Weds had a great US player in the 80's that paved the way for many US players in Europe - remember John Harkes? Great ambassador for US soccer; last I heard he was still part of the game in the US?
Think US soccer could be absolutely massive - you think it has been restricted in the past by the major TV networks and their affiliations with NFL? Gotta be in the blood of so many americans of southern euro / sth american extraction.
Late edit - just heard Chris that Joe Cole (& Ballack) are definitely leaving chelsea with Arsenal favourites to get Cole.
@ David, yes, one is forced to suffer for their club loyalty. Considering the relegation battles Shef Weds have endured I shouldn't be whining about Arsenal not winning any hardware recently.
I'm also a Charlton Athletic fan (first Prem match I ever attended many years ago) so can empathize with you a bit about life in the lower leagues.
Very cool that you come in contact with the Bournemouth players. Speaking of the South Coast, the last time I was in England we saw Southampton play at St. Marys. Being a Bournemouth guy do you hate Southampton, Portsmouth or both?
Yes, I know John Harkes well . Was a great servant to the US National team and later to DC United in the MLS. Unfortunately, I know have to listen to him as an ESPN commentator on WC matches where I find him more than a litte annoying. At least we get Martin Tyler!
Soccer has definitely been growing in popularity in the US over the years but it still has a big challenge in fighting for media oxygen against our long-established "big" pro sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL..and maybe golf and NASCAR too). The US mainstream sports media has a general bias (or maybe indifference) toward soccer so it's an uphill battle. The quality of play in the MLS has definitley improved markedly in recent years but it still has a ways to go to reach the level of the EPL and other European top flight leagues. Hopefully, we can lure more European stars over here while they still have some quality years left. That will definitely help increase popularity.
Very interesting on the Cole and Ballack news. I can see Cole fitting in well with Arsenal's style. Wonder who Abramovich is going to bring in to replace them?
Let's take a poll...POST your guess on the score Saturday...and how far you think the US makes it in 2010.
USA 1
USA gets out of bracket and loses first game after than.
@Chris - don't really mind either Soton or Pompey - probs prefer Pompey as their fans seem more loyal (lots of 'closet' Soton fans that never go near the place but talk a great deal!). Plus, don't like teams that play in red! A sheffield thing! :-)
Hey Steve - you going to let off a few rounds if the US win?! :-) (sorry, couldn't resist!)
I'll go against my heart and say 2-1 England (after US gives up a cheap penalty and red card). But US gets out of the group behind England after a must-win vs. Algeria. Then we get our revenge on the Germans in the knockout round for the quarterfinal heartbreak of 2002!
Think England can make the semi's (they 'should' perhaps) and if all goes to form then it'll be Brazil - rather play Brazil than another Euro side in the semi's, think England would out-think them on the day.
just announced the ref for the game on Saturday, looks like things could get ugly.:
"South Africa (AP)—Carlos Simon, who will referee the match between England and the United States at the World Cup, went through cards with the speed of a Las Vegas dealer at the 2006 tournament.
The Brazilian referee issued five yellows during Italy’s 2-0 first-round victory over Ghana, handing the first to Daniele de Rossi 10 minutes in. He gave out eight more in Spain’s 3-1 win over Tunisia, and added four yellows and a red to his total as Germany beat Sweden 2-0 in the second round.
He’s been selected to officiate England’s first match at this year’s World Cup, on Saturday. Given an English team and an American side filled with Premier Leaguers, it could make for a match of attrition."
Both teams will have to show some restraint or things could get pretty ugly. Although, with the lack of talent with the other two teams in the group, maybe a game suspension could = some rest for the right player(s).
Yeah, just praying that he doesn't start handing out cards in the first 10 minutes of the match. It could kill the flow of the entire game. Also read that this particular ref was investigated for corruption last year. Typically, FIFA assigns him to one of the most high profile opening matches.
As for diving I think Italy are still the masters of that craft...
Just seen some betting odds for the WC overall win; England to win the tournament at 8-1; worth a punt? Spain at 4-1, US at 80-1 shot............
Looks as though the bookies are seeing this as anybodies title if I can get 8-1 England.
@Steve - I'll have a look for odds on Rooney getting sent off! You can do some funky spread-bets (not that I've done it before) on the number of cards dished out and random scenarios like Donovan to score 1st and Rooney to get sent off................
Still think it'll be a 1-1 draw with US scoring first & England equalising late in the game OR England to lose, scrape into the next phase (with US winning the Group!) but then going on to win the entire tournament.
I'm hoping that Stevie Gerrard will turn it on & play like he really can - probably one of the best 'box to box' players in the world IMO - being just made captain it may have given him an extra edge (if any player at the WC needs it! Bit like a Pro Triathlete racing Kona if it was every 4 years).
In the 'dog house' at home at the moment - my wife's family aren't big soccer fans and its my sis-in-laws birthday tomorrow and they've booked a family meal at a nice Italian place (surprise, surprise; they got a reservation quite easily!) - so I simply said count me out, don't you realise whats going on?!! Some people huh?!
Don't think you have to be a soccer nut, just appreciate top level sports in general - but thats just me, we visit my other sister in law in Boston and I'll sit for hours and watch the Red Sox play with my american brother in law - its all good eh?!
David, EVERYONE should get a free pass from all family obligations for one month every 4 years! What's wrong with these people???