London Olympic Soccer tourney

The USA Women National team will win the Gold, that is my vote!

Can't really argue with that one But at least nowadays it doesn't seem to be a given.

The French team (that outplayed them during the last worldcup,though they still lost) have improved even more and will be going into the competition as favourites imo.

Hear, hear. Finally, something that leaves little room for debate. The men's tournament can get very messy at times. Though Hope Solo failing a drug test doesn't sound good to the competition. I'm buying her excuse though, haha.

Why little room for debate? I can't see Japan repeating, but Sweden, France and Brazil all have a shot to win gold.

I really think US WNT is sooo strong that the teams you've mentioned only have a chance at silver. I could still be wrong, of course.

When has it been a given? Last time, Brasil was favoured to win gold, and in 2004, the u.s. women benefited from a huge no-call on a blatant handball. The game was close throughout, and who knows what woulda happened if the handball was called.

I'm fine with France outplaying the US again with the same result, but just for the record, 3-1 is a beat down, not getting outplayed...

And France has never beaten any two teams in a Knockout round, which of course you must do to even get to the finals, so please explain why you think they are favorites.

And how have they improved? They lost two of their last three games, and the only win was Romania.

I think Japan and Sweden are still contenders, but they have both been roundly thumped by the USA in their last matches. They will have to fix things to get a better result.

France? Flashy but overcommit forward, have poor set piece defense, and just haven't really shown the grit it takes to win a cup. They may medal, but I still call that an outside shot.

Brasil? They will have to win a couple in the Round Robin matches, and What? Four matches in a row to go home winners?

Call it six matches. That would be 6 more than they have won this year.

We can reach the final by winning 2 penalty shoot-outs Our 2012 results
Some weaknesses in certain positions have also been erased, tactically and individually. All I can say is the preparation is going well and the team will be ready for the 25th of July after that we could have our goalie sent off in the first 5 minutes...

There may be a small glitch in your plan. Looking at the list of teams, Romania is not one.

Hell, I don't see you beat a contender, unless you count Canada. Maybe it's just because it's the only name I recognize is the same in Both languages. Did you beat the USA? Sweden? Japan? ( even Brasil?)

Plans like that always go well.

We can only beat those who accept to play against us really. The FFF offered to play friendlies against all the nations above us in the FIFA ranking and the only country who accepted is Japan. Well another one accepted but the cost would have been the whole budget assigned for the 2012 year friendlies.

Romania is the second team on the list published by the FFF.

If the plans were always working well, Ali Krieger would be in the US squad...

Try Germany. I hear their schedule is a little lean right now.

Well they don't rate us obviously as they couldnt find a time for a friendly.

Speaking of Germany, I'm surprised that no Olympics team has played them for a friendly - or at least none that I remember? Hrm. I think I do vaguely remember some Sweden and Germany friendly but I can't remember if it was post-WWC - in the run up although I guess it's technically unclear whether that's because few countries palatable to them asked them or because Germany is just completely uninterested. (If we're not there, we're certainly not going to help you prepare? To be fair, my perhaps unfounded impression of them is that they're sort of prickly.)

I would need at least 1 full page to answer that one, so I will pass but there has been an improvement.

I'm hoping the U.S. wins gold again, but would feel a lot more confident if Rachel Buehler was benched in favor of Sauerbrunn. Unfortunately, the problems with our defense have not been resolved since the 2011 WC.

I haven't watched any French games since the WC, but it seemed that their goal keeper was a major weak point for their team. Has this issue been resolved?

Even though Japan lost 4-1 to the US in a friendly, I still think they'll do well at the WC, but will probably fall short of winning it all.

Sweden has had a lot of problems lately and does not have the fire power to beat the US or Japanese team.

Brazil has Marta so anything is possible when she's on the pitch. If I was a coach I'd have 2 players chasing her the entire game (similar to the Equatorial Guinea game in the 2011 WC), and let the other Brazilian players beat me.

I can't wait until the games start.

France has brought back Bouhaddi, their current best GK, and their GK from the WWC has retired.

Well they would have to win 3 in-a-row. Same as everybody else.

Lack of preparation I guess is the point you're trying to make. meh... that's always the problem with Brazil. But the 3 group games will give them some prep. It's an easy group that they will have no problem getting through on talent alone.

I don't think, we are as bad as some people seem to think here. The core of the team has won the champions league for the second year running and the whole team has acquired extra experience that will be useful during the competition.

I agree. I do think France is a very fun team to watch and a very dangerous team to play. I put them right below Japan's tier and only because Japan seems to have gotten over the hump (in spectacular fashion) at the last WWC.

Who did they lose to??? maybe i missed those games
Imo the French team can beat any team if they go out and play their game and don't choke !

Who did they beat?

I 100% agree with your second statement on France, but they have to do it at least twice against top competition.

Not sure they have it in them.

The teams they played against, since they could only beat teams they faced

Sorry, I don't see one win in the knockout round last year. Only a tie against England in the quarterfinals.
They won the shoot out, not a match.

Then they lost to the USA in the semis and Sweden in the third place match.

Not the stuff of champions.