E-thug always delivers. How old are you? 15? Here's a pro-tip shitface: spend a little less time criticizing others on here and being a condescending jerk-off, brush up on your English, and spend a little more time contributing positively.
I don't really agree with '10 > '14 but i do agree with Ben on the grit thing. We don't have a designated clutch player yet. PJS was our X-factor for the past 3 world cups. He was our clutch player. He was our intangible. He did what we most needed whether it was a goal or defense. I think HMB is going to designate these roles later on. He's done a pretty good job with selection and organization. I have a feeling LCY will get this role but who knows. This is what HMB has done so far 1) tested out CKH's roster 2) tested out K-league/J-league 3) used abroad players 4) Now he's combining his selection. He is still in the process of optimizing our core. There is A LOT of potential in '14. We play a lot higher up field than we used to (Thanks to KSY). We never had this in 2006... (this squad was shite.) KSY was still a rookie in 2010 so most of our players were still focused on defensive duties. HMB was the dude doing the distributing in our 2002 squad (our best and most organized squad of all thanks to hiddink). Russia is the true test imo. Russia have not been in the WC for a long time. They will take this match seriously. We don't have the home advantage so this match is really up in the air.
apart from KSW, there are no other options in the k-league. i'd love to see the k-league strikers that featured in the EAFF get a run out with our a-team to truly measure their ability, fit, and potential with our WC squad but we just don't have that luxury with limited fixtures. from what i saw at the EAFF, the domestic strikers seemed unaccustomed to the pressure of the grand EAFF and were just flat-out bad with their touches and composure. the way i see it, there's no way PCY doesn't at least make it to brazil as part of the squad given our limited options at FW. the only candidates at CF apart from PCY is KSW and possibly LKH imo (idc what you argue takeuchi, JDW is not our answer at CF ). logic supports your argument that a player who isn't getting regular club minutes should not be expected to perform for the NT. however, PCY was in this exact situation, arguably worse, when HMB took a gamble and chose him for the olympics last year. he had that so-called grit to deliver key performances, albeit against weaker competition than what is to be expected in brazil. people seem to also forget the great form PCY had right after he signed with arsenal on 8/2011. we all know he got virtually no playing time in his first season and was coming off an off-season where he did not practice with a club for most of the season because of his transfer situation being put off til the last minute. yet he managed to score in a remarkable 5 consecutive matches for the NT: 9/2/2011 KOR 6:0 LEB -PCY hat trick 9/6/2011 KOR 1:1 KUW -PCY 1 goal 10/7/2011 KOR 2:2 POL -PCY brace 10/11/2011 KOR 2:1 UAE -PCY 1 goal 11/11/2011 KOR 2:0 UAE -PCY 1 goal 8 goals in 4 competitive matches and a friendly against a quality polish side ain't too shabby for any striker in the world.
Clutch is a function of opportunity, experience and luck. Just look at the english squad littered with players who are 'clutch' and 'proven' at the club level but suck it up for the NT. A world cup is such a small sample size. We have the talent where if any of our players can get hot at the right time, we can get to a pretty good finish. Combined with a manager who can get alot out of our players even if they're not on fire, we could also grind our way to reasonable success without anyone catching on fire.
haha, i never said JDW is the answer to CF. JDW is the the best alternative to PCY but yea, if i were to pick a CF pecking order right now for Brazil.. it would be PCY (even if he isn't getting any play time at Arsenal) > LKH > JDW > KSW.
JDW ain't gonna do jack which sucks. his development just hit a wall and his club situation hasn't helped. pcy is all we got at striker. i still have faith in him. as i've said time and again, still my favorite knt player to watch.
Final draw simulator updated. http://ultra-zone.net/2014-FIFA-World-Cup-Group-Stage-Draws I got Argentina, Korea, Nigeria and Greece. That would really be deja vu all over again.
I kept retrying the draw to see what the best group possible might be and finally came upon Switzerland, Korea, Algeria, and Greece. I'm thinking that's probably closest to the best possible draw that we can get.
grouped c Argentina Korea Republic Algeria Bosina and Herzegovina not bad at all. very doable. on other note Group a was Brazil Japan Cameroon Italy and Japan might get out the group as runner up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup#Matches checking the potential match time schedules, can anyone tell us an exact match schedule for us people here in the states? http://www.timeanddate.com/library/abbreviations/timezones/sa/brt.html says here that time difference us ppl in east coast is two hrs. now, we're schedules to lose an hr in the spring( an hr faster). so does this mean the time difference in the summer will just be one hr? that means, we're looking at game time schedules of 13:00, 16:00, 17:00 19 22 12pm, 3pm, 4pm, 6pm and 9pm all eastern time. if that's correct, i think that's perfect for us here in the stateside. our natives back in our homeland will again pull in an all-nighter for the third straight world cup.
Given japan's current form it'd be a total disappointment if they fail to make the knockout stage. As for us... I'm not as confident as I was in ten.
japan's good. depending on the draw. they might be able to finish their group as group winner. i remember many of them were callling out their coach to be fired after uruguay game which they lost 2-4 at home. now, suddenly those are quieted down. as for us, we're gonna do just fine. now, what does that mean. it means we're going to give everything we have no matter who we get in the draw. fighting until the end. if our players can show me that, i'm all fine.