View Full Version : World Cup 06
BASE_hammer
04 Dec 2005, 04:19 PM
Hey everyone!!!
How do u guys see urselfs doing at next years world cup?
And who would u want 2 draw in the groups when their picked on friday? I would love 2 c England in the same group as the USA, whats ur thoughts? :eek:
ugaaccountant
04 Dec 2005, 04:55 PM
If the pot the USA is in goes as expected it's Concacaf and Africa (Mexico probably is getting a seed). I have to say we're the toughest out of that group. Fifa and Elo rankings would say so as well. So England wouldn't be too excited to draw us imo.
As to the US's view England would be a good draw for us matchup wise of the seeded teams. We could get much worse draws.
When we hosted them in Chicago last summer, didn't we lose 2-1 while many to England players were unavailable?
I hope we don't get England. Too much history to for them to lose to us again.
england66
04 Dec 2005, 05:31 PM
As to the US's view England would be a good draw for us matchup wise of the seeded teams. We could get much worse draws.
I would think the USA would prefer a more "latin" style euro team...Portugal, Italy, France than a more physical euro style team.....the USA seems to have fared better in World Cups against the Portugals (2002), Italy's(1990) than they have against the Polands, Germanys,Czechs....2002,1998 and 2002 and 1990 respectively...
buckeye5
04 Dec 2005, 06:04 PM
I would think the USA would prefer a more "latin" style euro team...Portugal, Italy, France than a more physical euro style team.....the USA seems to have fared better in World Cups against the Portugals (2002), Italy's(1990) than they have against the Polands, Germanys,Czechs....2002,1998 and 2002 and 1990 respectively...
Agree with that assessment. Also, IMO, if England have a healthy Rooney, then really no one is as good as them (aside from Brazil).
I think most of us look at as follows, we will get one team better than us (a seed), one team worse than us (Asian minnow). The big variable will be that other team, if we get one of the better non-seeds (Netherlands), our expectations will be tempered. On the otherhand, if it's Switzerland or something, a match we can win, then we will obviously have loftier expectations.
So I'll be anxious to see who that other team will be. In the end, I think most Americans (soccer supporters) would be happy if we simply returned to the knockout stage.
mickhayafe
04 Dec 2005, 06:14 PM
I would like to see USA and England in the same group, and France(seed) and Iran :D
USA and England advancing, of course.
england66
04 Dec 2005, 06:32 PM
In the end, I think most Americans (soccer supporters) would be happy if we simply returned to the knockout stage.
once in the knock out stage then anything can happen...I don't really want to flog my particular "dead horse" ...but what the fcuk....prior to 2002 when was the last World Cup when one of the winners/finalists didn't get there by winning a penalty shoot out along the way..? from memory....1998 France beat Italy and Brazil beat Holland on PK's....1994 Brazil won it on PK's....1990 Germany won it after beating England on PK's in the semi final....1986 Germany got to the final having beaten Mexico in Azteca on PK's.....1982 Germany again got to the final having beaten France on PK's (if anyone is counting thats THREE World Cup finals....fcuking THREE.... the Germans have reached by winning penalty shoot-outs along the way)......any team (England) who doesn't EXTENSIVELY practice PK's from NOW UNTIL THE WORLD CUP could be in big trouble.....are you listening Bruce ??....PRACTICE TAKING PENALTIES AT EVERY PRACTICE SESSION.....make the losers run laps, fix dinner, buy the beer (only one) whatever.....just practice them, please...? pretty please....?
Bigrose30
04 Dec 2005, 06:45 PM
once in the knock out stage then anything can happen...I don't really want to flog my particular "dead horse" ...but what the fcuk....prior to 2002 when was the last World Cup when one of the winners/finalists didn't get there by winning a penalty shoot out along the way..? from memory....1998 France beat Italy and Brazil beat Holland on PK's....1994 Brazil won it on PK's....1990 Germany won it after beating England on PK's in the semi final....1986 Germany got to the final having beaten Mexico in Azteca on PK's.....1982 Germany again got to the final having beaten France on PK's (if anyone is counting thats THREE World Cup finals....fcuking THREE.... the Germans have reached by winning penalty shoot-outs along the way)......any team (England) who doesn't EXTENSIVELY practice PK's from NOW UNTIL THE WORLD CUP could be in big trouble.....are you listening Bruce ??....PRACTICE TAKING PENALTIES AT EVERY PRACTICE SESSION.....make the losers run laps, fix dinner, buy the beer (only one) whatever.....just practice them, please...? pretty please....?
Sadly I think all the penalty shoot outs are the result of teams playing it way too safe in the knockout round. But I suppose you don't want to gamble too much when one loss sets you back four years.
Anyway, I do hope Bruce has a quintet of penalty takers picked out...i don't want to ever see Chris Armas take a penalty again.
Jagermeister
04 Dec 2005, 06:52 PM
Sadly I think all the penalty shoot outs are the result of teams playing it way too safe in the knockout round
Not in 82. Not that Germany-France semi-final match. One of the greatest matches in WC history.
Except for Harold Schumacher breaking the French guys jaw, and not even getting called for a foul.
If you have not seen this match find it, and watch it. You will not be dissappointed.
Ombak
04 Dec 2005, 06:55 PM
I would like to see USA and England in the same group, and France(seed) and Iran :D
USA and England advancing, of course.Well, England will likely be seeded... so... how about Poland? For the US...
or Croatia for familiarity with England?
EDIT: Or Portugal for both! :D
england66
04 Dec 2005, 07:14 PM
Not in 82. Not that Germany-France semi-final match. One of the greatest matches in WC history.
Except for Harold Schumacher breaking the French guys jaw, and not even getting called for a foul.
If you have not seen this match find it, and watch it. You will not be dissappointed.
...I second that opinion...the fact that France blew a 3-1 lead in overtime...and the French player who's jaw was shattered never really regained his form and his career was basically ended by the German GK...a World Cup classic, no doubt.
england66
04 Dec 2005, 07:17 PM
Anyway, I do hope Bruce has a quintet of penalty takers picked out...
you need nine or ten practicing them every day....
helmzgk
04 Dec 2005, 07:23 PM
Except for Harold Schumacher breaking the French guys jaw, and not even getting called for a foul.
One of the craziest non-fouls I've ever seen. I remember my goalkeeper trainer giving me a video on the 82 world cup and told me to watch the german keeper. When I saw that incident, I was stunned, and then for there not even to be a foul was unbelievable. How does a ref even justify that? Schumacher was five feet from the ball and had a beam on that player's jaw. Absolutely crazy.
Anyways, I just want to avoid Brazil in the group stage, any other possibility is fine by me, and I think we'll advance regardless of who is in our group. I know that's kind of blind love and pure optimism for our boys, but if I have to sit here and analyze it, than I'd rather not be a fan. We'll advance, and anything can happen in the knock out stages.
Jabinho
04 Dec 2005, 07:27 PM
Also, IMO, if England have a healthy Rooney, then really no one is as good as them (aside from Brazil).
Northern Ireland perhaps? ;)
FirstStar
04 Dec 2005, 07:34 PM
One of the craziest non-fouls I've ever seen. I remember my goalkeeper trainer giving me a video on the 82 world cup and told me to watch the german keeper. When I saw that incident, I was stunned, and then for there not even to be a foul was unbelievable. How does a ref even justify that?
Hmmm, maybe the same way a ref stares at a German centerback handling the ball on the line to keep it out of the goal and doesn't call a foul. The Germans scare refs. Must be it.
WarriorSoccer
04 Dec 2005, 07:38 PM
I would love to see the US and England paired up in the game. Mostly, becuase England is the only soccer power in the world, correct me if im wrong, that has English as a first language, and I think reading for the US and British media coverage could be alot of fun. Other than that, I think a game against England would be a great measuring stick for the US. England regualarly has one of the best teams in the world on paper, but it seems that the whole is less than the sum of the parts for them. On the other hand, I think most of us could agree that with the US the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. Plus, in the US the English league's where most of Englands best players play and also the most covered foreign league in the US. It's just nice to see your guys play against other players that you are familiar with. Though they may not be the best reasons to want to see it, its why I would like to get drawn with England.
Jagermeister
04 Dec 2005, 08:51 PM
...I second that opinion...the fact that France blew a 3-1 lead in overtime...and the French player who's jaw was shattered never really regained his form and his career was basically ended by the German GK...a World Cup classic, no doubt.
I can still see Klaus Fisher with the overhead kick to tie it at 3.
There were still about 8 or 9 minutes left and they still went at it toe to toe.
FWIW - the French goal scored in OT to make it 2-1 was by none other than Jean "He Is An Absolute Jerk" Tigana. Beautifull volley.
Jaison
04 Dec 2005, 09:14 PM
I can still see Klaus Fisher with the overhead kick to tie it at 3.
There were still about 8 or 9 minutes left and they still went at it toe to toe.
FWIW - the French goal scored in OT to make it 2-1 was by none other than Jean "He Is An Absolute Jerk" Tigana. Beautifull volley.
Actually, it was Marius Tresor who scored that volley (I don't know how many times I've seen those goals! :cool: ). That was a beautiful shot though.
Fisher's was a beaut too, as was Giresse's goal.
I hope we see more of these type of matches now that they've gotten rid of both golden and silver goals.
sidefootsitter
04 Dec 2005, 09:27 PM
Klaus Fischer also had an OT goal annulled for no good/apparent reasons.
The French defender was Patrick Battiston.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/history/newsid_1617000/1617552.stm
Shackleton
04 Dec 2005, 11:29 PM
Hey everyone!!!
How do u guys see urselfs doing at next years world cup?
And who would u want 2 draw in the groups when their picked on friday? I would love 2 c England in the same group as the USA, whats ur thoughts? :eek:
I'll be happy if we make it out of our group and look competitive thereafter. I'd say that's about a 50-50 proposition.
From the likely seeded teams, I'd prefer Spain or France, and hope to avoid Brazil and Argentina (both because of how good they are, but also because if we get one of them, we could also get two non-seeded Euros, which would be a disaster draw). England would be a neutral draw, but would have the advantage (for me, not the USMNT) of more familiarity with the players and ability to read English perspective.
From the non-seeded Euro teams, I'd like to draw Switzerland, Poland, or Serbia and hope to avoid Netherlands, Czechs, and Portugal (they won't overlook us in a rematch!). To me, this pot has the greatest disparity between teams and is the key to a good draw for the USA.
From the last pot, I'd like to get Iran (revenge for 1998) or any of the African sides except Ivory Coast (we seem to do well against athletic and talented, but disorganized sides), and hope to avoid a second non-seeded Euro and Australia (I'll be rooting for them to do well also).