Why does everyone doubt the USA?

Just curious. Because im pretty shocked that they are predicted to be in last place. They are not that bad. Im not trying to stick up for the USA, but I just want your word at them.

comments fro its coach
the history created by B Arena ( he never care about the tournament....is that the attitude at the USA federation)
and 3rd: the USA never faced 2 tournaments so close to each other (ea gold cup thing), do they have 2 teams or just the same grp of 20 players for both cups?)

Yeah, the US will finish last, but I think they'll do for a decent showing. A heartful and enthusiastic performance. Very tough group.

All the US is taking a "B" team to the Copa so they are already lowering their own expectations. Not to diss our Central American neighbors but if you think that playing away in Central America is tough, S. America will be that much harder as they take futbol much more seriously (there's no baseball to compete, except for Venezuela). Paraguay and Colombia are tough and Argentina can be just dominant, hence it falls to the US to finish last.

The US can beat anyone at any given time. US beat Argentina 3-0 in Uruguay '95, and they have improved so much since then.

As far as I know, if Colombia plays in Western Venezuela or Caracas...
then Colombia is playing at home.
Not because is close to Colombia, but because of the colombians that live there

It's very similar to a game of Mexico in the US in a state close to Mexico

People are doubting us because we are planning to send our "B" team. We've got the Gold Cup to focus on, and that's our primary focus. Still, it should be a fun tournament regardless of where we finish.

If the US does not bring it's absoulute best team, it will be very hard to go deep in the tournament. However, we did just beat a highly motivated Mexican A team with largely a B squad. But Mexico is no Argentina. Best of luck to all.

no name calling or insults please

if you do not want your posts deleted.

People are picking USA to finish last for 2 reasons

1. It is an admittedly tough group and last place isn't necessarily Terrible.

2. Many people in South and Central America want USA to suck like in the past so bad that it overrides their logic for picking matches.

I saw a thread on an earlier site where numerous people from South America thought USA won't even qualify for the next World Cup from their easy CONCACAF Qualifying Group.

I am confident that USA will make the next round of this tournament (though admittedly less so with a potential B-Team)

One thing I will be looking for in Copa Sudamericana is if any of the South American teams will lose their cool and start hacking US players due the perceived shame of losing to the United States in a major tournament.

See: Mexico in World Cup 2002

If you're talking about Bob Bradley's comments, those are being taken out of context.

You're wrong about Bruce Arena too.....as far as I know, he wasn't the one to turn down the Copa invites while he was Coach. (He actually scheduled and played a few friendlies down in S. America in his first cycle.) It was the USSF who declined in those years because of MLS being in season. When we went in 93 and 95 MLS didn't exist yet.

We have enough players for two teams, but just barely. That's why this whole "B team" thing is being discussed.....Bradley has said he will integrate the Euro players and MLS players and have a mix for both tournaments. The stronger mix will play in the Gold Cup, but the mix to play in the Copa isn't expected to be that much weaker than the first mix. There will be a few players to play in both.

he did say that he the copa america wasn't a good idea, he said that it was better to get friendlies against european teams.
Anyway. Anything could happen, but it's clear that the USA will give preference to the gold cup, and that will affect them even if they decide to take the same team.

I don't remember him ever saying that, but I do agree with that sentiment.

We have actually been pretty competitive against South American teams in general....

Against Euro teams our record isn't nearly as good (and our record on Euro soil is abysmal).

Actually you only got two wins on us and we defeated you two times aswell. here is something not right about that chart at all.

No, this is correct...I posted the numbers from 1999-2006 (that should be obvious with the years listed above each set of games).

Who's "us"?

Here's the complete record since 1990 if that'll help the confusion...

Thats a fair record overall, but I think the majority of negative opinion stems from the performance at the WC. That and there are probably a few countries that are hoping you fail. In all honesty, it will be tough, that is a given and a lot of the teams the US have beaten in the past have improved out of sight, but by the same token you won't know until you try and if anything it's great experience. It can be a real bastard playing in South America where some teams tend to play above themselves in their own conditions, so if you're able to overcome that you'll have done well regardless of results.

Thanks and I agree. I think you'll see from that record that we actually are capable of doing well down in South America. The only place we've really had any problems being competitive is in Europe. We even have an ok record against Euro teams when playing outside of Europe, but we have almost no wins at all on Euro soil....absolutely none when you only look at competitive/official matches (WC, Confed Cup).

Here's our record vs Europe in that same time so you can compare...

Don't want to start an arguement, but those records indicate that the USA has had a negative record against S.A. teams in S.A., so it would be very good for the USA to start playing away games.

Yeah look I don't really think past results or records are going to have any bearing, but I think it will be a great learning curve for years to come and a good insight into the technical style of SA football. It'll also be a nice warm up for september when we pop over there and kick your ass. So my advice is just enjoy it and pay no attention to final score lines at this stage. Unfortunately both the US and Mexico got stiffed with the groupings but it really will augur well for the future.

Here's our WC record....

Notice that we have done well (or at least better than expected) every time we've played outside of Europe.....and of course, pretty much all our games in Europe are losses.

We also have some big wins down there....the record shows we're competitive, which was my point.

"Don't count your chickens...."

I'm bettin' we win that match.