Why does everyone doubt the USA?

It's a mix. Which players make up that mix is dependent on who you ask...

the current US "A" team (IMO) would be

Tim Howard GK - Everton (or Keller, but most consider him retired even though he's made no announcement)
Steve Cherundolo RB - Hannover 96
Oguchi Onyewu CB - Newcastle
Carlos Bocanegra CB/LB - Fulham
?? LB (we really don't have a lock at this position....we have possibilities from both MLS and Europe)
Clint Dempsey RM - Fulham
Pablo Mastroeni DM - Rapids, MLS
?? DM/CM/AM ( we really have no one to replace Reyna. Ricardo Clark from Houston Dynamo has been paired with Mastro, but he's no lock)
Damarcus Beasley LM - Man City (some people might put Convey here)
Landon Donovan AM/F - LA Galaxy, MLS
?? F (we have no one to replace McBride....totally open spot, most likely going to MLS)

Jimmy Conrad CB - KC, MLS (If Bocanegra is used as a LB, Conrad would start at CB)
?? F (in the event LD is an AM, and we need a second forward instead of another midfielder, same comments as for the first forward)

That makes 6 Euro starters, 2 MLS starters, and 3 open spots that can be filled by players from either group (but most likely by MLS players). If any of those 6 Euro players aren't available for a game, the most likely replacement is an MLS player.

I'm fully confident that there won't be a huge difference in quality between the team we send to the Gold Cup and the Team we send to the Copa America. The main difference is that the Euros will be at the Gold Cup....mostly because of timing, but also because the GC is more important for the US.

Why people doubt the USA? Because:

1. You just collapsed in a major tournament
2. You have no clear leadership
3. You have no settled team
4. No-one even knows if you're going to send a full-strength team, a second-string or anything in between
5. You yourselves don't know what sort of strength of team you're going to send
6. Whatever team you do send, it will probably be completely different to all the other teams as half the players are playing in the Gold Cup, so you'll have no cohesion
7. You're playing South American teams in South America
8. Many South American teams have a lot to prove after the World Cup

That seems just about right.

It's a tough group indeed but I don't understand why everyone makes such a big deal about Colombia and Paraguay. If they both bring B teams it can go either way against the US. The thing is im sure everyone is gonna send a mix of youth and experience to the tournament (minus the stars). Brazil and Argentina reached the finals under the same formula last CA and I expect them to do the same.

I have a feeling most S.American teams will bring A squads this year, it will be a great tournament.

Agree. Qualifiers start in September. I expect an A team (maybe maybe with some "B" players) for all the countries.

Everybody is comming with A teams but Brazil and Argentina, that's why everyone doubt USA

Hopefully US Soccer attacks this summer, without the flimsy promotions...it's actually an advantage to be underdogs in this upcoming tournament, there's no pressure. I have a feeling we may just sneak by the next round, eitherway I just hope we give Argentina a good match. DONT TREAD PUTOS!

That's the spirit, although I doubt that will give you a win against Argentina. Also, someone said Argentina and Brazil might not send their full squads, I am starting to think they will, a few weaks ago I heard Ronaldinho would play for Brazil.

No South American side wants to lose to the "Gringos" on South American soil, considering the fact that said players would probably be marked for death in their home countries. I seriously doubt Argentina will underestimate the US by fielding a B side. Argentina's not that stupid.

They did in 1995 and were down 3-0 by the half*....they then had to burn all of their subs at halftime (bringing on Batistuta and 2 others I don't remember right offhand) scrambling to salvage the game.....which they failed to do. (USA still won 3-0.) USA became the group winners and got to play Mexico in the QF. (We advanced on PKs to face Brazil in the SF.) Argentina, because they lost to the US, had to face Brazil in their QF and were bounced out of the tournament.

I guess you're thinking they won't be "that stupid" again?....




*They brought their full team to the tournament, but they had already clinched a spot in the next round and were resting their starters against the US.


EDIT: After looking up the report for that game (USA vs Argentina), Ortega and Simeone were brought on at the start of the 2nd half and Balbo was brought on in the 65th minute. Batistuta played the full 90.

No offense but Usa fans shud be praying to get outa this group with 1 win.If they do make it to the nex round ill be very suprised. And if u r going to throw past results in our faces let me tell u a lil secret.Those R PAST RESULTS!What matters is now not then.

Was that in response to my post?

If so, try the decaf and read a little bit closer......I was responding to the previous guy saying that Argentina wouldn't be "that stupid" to field a "B" team against the US....they in fact did once before and got burned. Who knows if they'll be "that stupid" again?.....I don't.

To be honest, I'll be pleasantly surprised if we make the next round too.....I just don't think we'll embarrass ourselves (be "laughed off the field") as some have said.

did you forget the 4-1 trashing from the Colombian side in the same tourney

This goes back to why the US may fail miserably. Before looking at facing an Argentina, I would take a long hard look at Colombia and Paraguay. The US is no more/no less then Paraguay and Colombia. USA's success in passing the group is based on the head to head with these 2 teams.

So that 1-4 loss to Colombia in the 1995 CA means we were laughed off the field?

I don't think Chile or Argentina were laughing....neither were Mexico. Brazil wasn't laughing either even after their victory (a very hard fought 1-0 win by Brazil).

The fact is we left it all out there in the tournament run to the SF and just came out flat and exhausted for the consolation match.

As for the rest......Argentina's our first opponent.....of course we're concentrating on them. I have no fear that we will overlook Paraguay or Colombia. I am sure the team will be properly focused on them.

you're putting words in my mouth. I just mentioned that you omitted the result. And I think you phrased this incorrectly?

By mentioning it that's exactly what you seemed to be suggesting...


No.....I didn't phrase it incorrectly, just awkwardly. "I have no fear that we will overlook Paraguay or Colombia."......because I know that we won't.

If I had said "I have no fear that we won't overlook Paraguay or Colombia." then it would mean that I want us to overlook them and am sure enough that we'll overlook them that I have no fear about it......exactly the opposite of what I wanted to say.

It's okay to doubt the US. They're a pretty much inconsistent team, that you simply don't know what to expect. Even more so when their football growth has been decreasing, and not growing.

You wish....

Our wins over you (Mexico) are growing, not decreasing.

We're not that inconsistent.....it just seems that way because we don't do well on Euro soil. When the WC is held on Euro soil every other time (..., 90, 98, 06, etc.), it means that we'll have one good WC (when it's not in Europe) followed by a bad one (when it is in Europe). Now that the next 2 WCs are not in Europe, I'll think you'll finally see us do well in 2 WCs in a row (assuming the rotation stays with Brazil or the Americas for 2014).


For those who want to doubt my explanation, look at the record......every WC not on Euro soil, the US has done well or at least better than expected....every WC on Euro soil has seen the US eliminated in the first round...last year vs Italy (1-1 T) was our first ever non-loss in a WC match on Euro soil. We had never won any matches for any other tournaments on Euro soil either.....The one and only important win we've ever had on Euro soil was against Mexico in 1934 in a WCQ match in Italy.

Well, you also forgot to consider that the upcoming match in this Copa America is the 1st game for both teams.

It wouldn't make much sense for Argentina to rest their starters. Even if it's the "lowly" US, they will still need the points

No time to read earlier posts. Some may doubt simply b/c they think the US will field the same players from our 2-0 victory over mexico in the GC final, so they're counting on fatigue to be a factor. Others will doubt because of what happened in the WC. Still others will doubt b/c "it's the US" whatever that means. I dont see the US getting outplayed by any of these teams. They may all assume their game against the US is a given (a la Portugal) and focus on their south american rivals. I do worry that the US may overlook paraguay and colombia though. Ultimately they will finish second in their group!

ok...now the US fans are stating "C" category without the US coach even knowing who his Gold Cup team will be... what's the next excuse ..The US is not that deep. They maybe have a starting 11 and then come 'the rest' of the players (90% of most NT in the world are in the same place)...but stop it already with calling it a "c" team now...ridiculuos!

Meh.

After a great performance in Japorea, some ppl -- mainly "hard-core" fans and a few arrogant ppl in the football industry -- still doubted the US, passing their results off as a fluke.

Ppl dismissing the US in football has everything to do w/ the role, image, perception of the US in international economics and politics and how they collide w/ sports and/or how they are mirrored in sport. And they use the arena of football to express sentiments that are more difficult to express in appropriate arenas.

Throw in the fact that the US isn't a soccer-crazy nation and voila... lack of respect and doubt in their abilities.

Do you have some measurable set of parameters that you use to make this assessment?

'Cuz you keep on saying this in a lot of different places, but I have yet to see you back it up.