UK Daily Telegraph: US to Advance from group

[Churchdown Yank]

Didn't see this on their website but in my Saturday morning Daily Telegraph in the UK is the World Cup Guide magazine. Some excerpts from Group E analysis...

Italy

"Winning the group is essential as a potential clash with Brazil awaits the runners-up of Group E. But Italy will have their work cut out in what I perceive to be one of the lowest scoring groups."

Style: Lippi likes his teams to be hard-running, agressive and disciplined

Top Man: Luca Toni

Ghana

"Still, it is asking a lot of the debutants to win any of their games and they are unlikely to reach the last 16."

Style: Speed and athleticism in midfield

Top Man: Stephen Appiah

USA

"There are many who expect the USA, quarter-finalists four years ago to finish as Group E runners-up thereby setting up a fascinating clash with Brazil in the last 16. In Landon Donovan, Arena has a potential star. The midfield may lack muscle, but Reyna and co. are very organised and typically athletic. As always the US represent good value for money to qualify and keep the soccer flag flying across the Pond."

(Ed: Not sure why he thinks our midfield lacks muscle when I think it's a strong point - especially if Reyna and JOB are healthy and if Beasley wakes up. Article also mentions that "continuity is a problem" with 46 players used in qualifying. To me that's a indicator of our growing depth!)

Style: Organised, hard-working and increasingly savvy

Top Man: Landon Donovan

Czech Republic

"Most pundits expect the CR to qualify along with Italy, but I fancy the US or possibly even Ghana to surprise them and anticipate an early exit for the Czechs. The team have too many players reaching the twilight for their careers."

Style: Creaky. Specifically Nedved's knees.

Top Man: Pavel Nedved

So there you go - Nothing particularly insightful there other than respect from one of the biggest papers in the UK!

[FC Tallavana]

I think he's talking about us literally lacking muscle. Big in midfield we ain't.

[Say What?]

I think he's talking about us literally lacking muscle. Big in midfield we ain't.

Agreed. That's how I read it.

[T Nitty]

(Ed: Not sure why he thinks our midfield lacks muscle when I think it's a strong point - especially if Reyna and JOB are healthy and if Beasley wakes up.

I would agree with the article. The only "muscle" we have in midfield is Pablo. With JOB and Reyna, I would say we have control, savvy, skill, but not muscle. I consider DC United's midfield (with Olsen) to have muscle in a sense, because they are so aggressive and control the flow of the game.

Czech Republic...
Style: Creaky. Specifically Nedved's knees.

Ha! Creaky.:p I've never heard of that style.

[Sachin]

Yep.. we need a team of Gooches out there.

Sachin

[Nutmeg]

Ghana

"Still, it is asking a lot of the debutants to win any of their games and they are unlikely to reach the last 16."

Style: Speed and athleticism in midfield

Top Man: Stephen Appiah

Appiah over Essien? Um, OK.

Continually surprised at how underrated Ghana is. Keep in mind this is a group of players who collectively have won a couple of youth world championships and have a lot of European experience in their starting 11. They're not deep, and I think it's a benefit that we get to play them in the 3rd game, but we haven't always exactly lit things up in competitive matches against Jamaica and Panama, which could be considered Ghanalite and Ghanasuperlite.

[Lillywhite]

Appiah is better than SEN.

[sidefootsitter]

Appiah over Essien? Um, OK... The Telegraph hates Chelsea ... and the Russian mob money too.

[Adam Zebrowski]

any success usa will get will be based on speed from midfield, although mcbride's heading prowess against the czechs might be the differerence there..

usa is big in central defense, that's it...

arena might have to play dempsey against ghana to offset their physical approach...

the key will be gooch, pope and mcbride being solid defensively in the air

[Alan S]

(Ed: Not sure why he thinks our midfield lacks muscle ... Beasley ...


Didn't you answer your own question?

[ag nigrin]

Thanks for the info Churchdown Yank... glad to see the Telegraph giving the USA a positive outlook which has been rare coming from the Euro press... who are "the many who expect the USA, quarter-finalists four years ago to finish as Group E runners-up"? ag

[mschofield]

Thanks for the info Churchdown Yank... glad to see the Telegraph giving the USA a positive outlook which has been rare coming from the Euro press... who are "the many who expect the USA, quarter-finalists four years ago to finish as Group E runners-up"? ag
Not at all rare coming from euros

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/columnists/matt_schofield/14709448.htm

[FuzzyForeigner]

now mes amis futballers all that is left to do is live up to all the expectations. I am blindly confident we will and if we dont I will still be standing there supporting the US national team.

[RichardL]

The Telegraph hates Chelsea ... and the Russian mob money too.
yes, but being The Telegraph, their main complaint is probably that Abramovich doesn't wear a jacket and tie.

[Lillywhite]

yes, but being The Telegraph, their main complaint is probably that Abramovich doesn't wear a jacket and tie.

What really draws their ire is that when he does wear a nice tie and puts on a single breasted suit, the bastard peasant buttons all three buttons up. Disgraceful and wholly typical of "those types".

[Churchdown Yank]

Yes it was early-ish in the morning here and I did misinterpret the comment about lack of "muscle". I took it figuratively rather than literally. I agree we don't really have any enforcers in midfield.

Other interesting tidbits

Ghana

"Any team with a player of Michael Essien in their midfield cannot be discounted, while Ghana also prosses a decent striker in Matthew Amoha. Amoha has the added advantage of Bundesliga experience which could prove crucial."

Prediction: First round exit

Italy

"The suprise defeat to Slovenia aside, qualifying went very much according to plan. But preparations have not been ideal. AS Roma's talismanic striker Francesco Totti only recently returned from a broken leg, while the Italian press have been cranking up the heat on Lippi"

Prediction: Semi-finalists

Czech Rep

"The Czechs remain very popular with the neutrals. Perhaps a hangover from their strong showings at Euro 96 and Euro 2004 and in recognition of the individual talent in their side. Milan Baros often saves his best for big tournaments - and was a big hit in Portugal two years ago - but this is a tricky group and goals may be hard to come by"

Prediction: Surprise first-round losers

USA

"Although still lagging behind the all-American sports, there is no doubt that the popularity of Soccer is on the increase. All 64 World Cup games will be broadcast live in the US in HDTV format. From a global point of view it would be fascinating to see what effect success in Germany had on the game State-side"

Prediction: Last 16 losers to Brazil

Watch for: Eddie Johnson. Seven goals in qualifying

(Ed: Also it says under "it's a fact"... "the Eisenhower interstate road system requires that one mile in every five must be straight - these sections can be used as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies". I'm American and I didn't know that.)

I'm not sure where the comments about the Telegraph hating Chelsea or Abramovich come from. I read it nearly daily and it's a typcial mass market slightly left of center broadsheet as far as I can tell. It's not the Guardian and not the Sun either.

On another note I just finished watching England demolish Jamaica 6-0. Peter Crouch is just an absolute freak show baby. Goals or no goals. That is not a proper striker IMO. Holy cow - I mean just look at it! That's not normal. Very odd.

[Lillywhite]

I think the Telegraph is slightly right of centre personally, which is why I read it.

[gaijin]

You lucky you ain't read the daily express one. A lot of the blurb was on the mark, but their 'expected lineup' left a lot to ge desired.

[peledre]

(Ed: Also it says under "it's a fact"... "the Eisenhower interstate road system requires that one mile in every five must be straight - these sections can be used as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies". I'm American and I didn't know that.)

AFAIK the reason that the interstate system got funding in the first place was the justification that it would allow our troops to move easily around the country in times of war and keep the supply lines going. I guess Mexico, Canada, and Cuba were bigger invasion threats in the '50s than they are now.

[MJ-inBRITAIN]

What really draws their ire is that when he does wear a nice tie and puts on a single breasted suit, the bastard peasant buttons all three buttons up. Disgraceful and wholly typical of "those types".

I button all three... but i'm 6'7" and if I don't you see the shirt poking out the bottom. :D