What are your expectations for the USA in the World Cup?

[revelationx]

Hi there,

I am new to this board and am interested in the views of Americans about the forthcoming World Cup.

I am a huge fan of football (I shall now refer to it as soccer as this post is primarily aimed at Americans) and am from England.

There seems to be a lot of American soccer fans in this forum and I am keen to get some feedback regarding expectations for the USA team in the tournament.

I saw on Fox a poll with 12% saying that America would win this World Cup! I thought this was surprising. Anyway out of those Americans with interest and knowledge of soccer what are your expectations for your team in Germany?

[Enumclaw]

As an American Soccer fan, I think that 12% is on something which is either illegal or requires a medical prescription. I do believe the U.S. can and will make it out of its group, but as the 2nd place team. That should put us up against Brazil, and would mean the defending champs would bounce us from the World Cup as they did back in '94. Hopefully this time they will be polite enough to do it without shattering any of our midfielders' skulls open.

[Matt in the Hat]

There is absolutely no reason to believe that the US will not win the World Cup. America is the land of boundless optimism and we usually get what we dream of.

No reason to think this is any different.

[Clint Eastwood]

I think you'll find the average US fan knows we're in a tough group with Italy, Czech Republic, and Ghana. I think the expectation is that we'll squeek by in the group phase in 2nd place, and play Brazil in the 1st knockout round. Goodbye. This is just me being realistic.

If we make it out of the group it'll have been a successful world cup. My prediction is a draw versus CR, loss to Italy, and victory vs. Ghana. Czech republic will have the same results. It'll come down to goal difference, and we play Ghana last. We'll have a general idea of what we need to do, and we'll get it done.

[generals soccer]

I think you'll find the average US fan knows we're in a tough group with Italy, Czech Republic, and Ghana. I think the expectation is that we'll squeek by in the group phase in 2nd place, and play Brazil in the 1st knockout round. Goodbye. This is just me being realistic.

Thats what I was thinking.

[Caintona]

I would also say that 90% of this country doesn't know the first thing about international soccer. If you took the average american sports fan(not a soccer fan) and asked them if the US would be able to beat the Czcech republic. I bet over half would say "It should be easy they are a tiny country"

The tide is turning though. Coverage leading up to this cup is better than all of the others combined. You have to understand the conotation that soccer for some reason gets here. Soccer will never be embraced until the US team is very good. As in feared by lesser teams, and respected by the best teams. After the last world cup a lot of people took notice, but then that slowly died down in the meantime between the cups. Now as this cup is getting here there is a lot more people talking about it. Most americans know that we have a decent team, but things like the FIFA rankings putting us 5th has expectations a bit high. Not knowing that these rankings are not the same as rankings we have here in the country, College football and College basketball(which are hugely popular) have a ranking system based on reporters and coaches submitting a ranking. This has its flaws but it is mostly accurate. So the average american who sees the FIFA ranking they assume it is somewhat the same. Which we all know it is mostly crap. Now do I think the US can win the world cup? Any american who lived through the 1980 US hockey team believes in miracles. They definetly can beat any team they play. But to string that many wins in a row will be tough.

People think that the natural progression if the country is getting better in soccer that they should make the semis this year, not understanding we are in potentially the toughest group of the cup.

As far as my expectations I think the czcechs with all their injuries are in trouble. I think our high pressure style is going to disrupt the flow of their game. These teams are not used to it and it messes them up. We saw it in the last cup with the Germany and Portugal game. They couldn't really get anything going consistently. We failed in some ways in the last cup because of our lack of depth on the back line. We have many more servicable players this year that can step in and not lose much. The italians with all the turmoil going on I don't see it not effecting them. I don't care about the talk about the 82 team. That is BS wishful thinking. The fact that we have Gooch this time around is an enormous advantage for our team. I really think he is going to come of age during this tournament. He is the first national team guy that has the frame of an american football player(specifially a linebacker). Which i think is ideally suited for a defender. With seasoning he could potentially become a lock down kind of guy. We have already seen it with Borgetti, i can't wait to see a stare down with Koller, Toni, Adriano, and Schevchenko. He will physically dominate these guys in a way they have never seen. Does he have the ball skill to contain them completly? That is the question. I think he does.

I think we can advance but its going to be tough. And I hope we avoid brazil in the second round if we do. then we have a chance to go far allowing our level of fitness to dominate teams(like the germany game in 02, I recently watched the game and the germans had nothing in the tank left at the end and the US was still attacking all out)

Can you give us the english perspective on the american game?

[Guinho]

As an American Soccer fan, I think that 12% is on something which is either illegal or requires a medical prescription. I do believe the U.S. can and will make it out of its group, but as the 2nd place team. That should put us up against Brazil, and would mean the defending champs would bounce us from the World Cup as they did back in '94. Hopefully this time they will be polite enough to do it without shattering any of our midfielders' skulls open.


Look, in 2004, a majority of Americans thought that the US found WMD in Iraq. We're not exactly known as a nation for being well informed.

Among SOCCER FANS, though, having watched folks here, I think most put our chances of advancing out of the group at around 50%. Can the US do it? Yes. Is it a lock? no way. I suppose most would be happy seeing us advance and give Brazil a tough game.

[The Cold Sea]

I'm optimistic we can make it out of group play. I'd actually prefer for us to finish second and face Brazil in the round of 16. It's a great challenge to take on the five-time champs. It would be a great moment for the US to be the focus of the football world's attention....and if Brazil's last kick in a shoot-out goes wide or is saved by Casey, in many ways we will have won the World Cup....even if we were to go out in the next round.

[SCBozeman]

I saw on Fox a poll with 12% saying that America would win this World Cup! I thought this was surprising. Anyway out of those Americans with interest and knowledge of soccer what are your expectations for your team in Germany?

First, don't trust any poll from Fox.

Second, I'd be surprised if 12% of the US population could explain the structure of the World Cup (group play followed by elimination rounds), name the other teams we are playing, or name more than 1 or 2 players. Football fans will know more, of course. But they make up less than 12% of the US population.

That being said, most Americans will support the US team and think "hey, why can't we win it?" in a sort of optimistic way, which has been said above is one of the things that is great about Americans. Naive, but great.

As a US fan going to the cup, I honestly think we'll get between 1 and 4 points out of the first three games. I sincerely and genuinely hope we do much better (like 9 points from the first three and beat Italy so bad Totti breaks his own leg out of humiliation), but I believe it's unlikely.

[Morpheus1271]

Look, in 2004, a majority of Americans thought that the US found WMD in Iraq. We're not exactly known as a nation for being well informed.

Among SOCCER FANS, though, having watched folks here, I think most put our chances of advancing out of the group at around 50%. Can the US do it? Yes. Is it a lock? no way. I suppose most would be happy seeing us advance and give Brazil a tough game.


(To your first paragraph) --> Don't want to turn this into a political discussion but this is really not an accurate analogy since the majority of many people from all over the world thought this way also. All one has to do is take a trip back in time several years to realize that many leaders in many countries, and much of the media in each of those countries was on the same bandwagon; that Saddam likely had WMD and either attempted to destroy, hide, or sell (move) them elsewhere.

[Hillrat]

Nobody who can name more than three players on the US team expects that we will win the World Cup.

If you're asking about hopes, here are mine:

vs. CZE -- win or draw
vs. ITA -- win or draw
vs. GHA -- win

5-9 points, enough to advance, and maybe enough to avoid a 2nd round match up with Brazil.

If you're asking about expectations, it's a bit different:

vs. CZE -- draw or loss
vs. ITA -- draw or loss
vs. GHA -- draw or win

1-5 points, maybe enough to advance, unlikely enough to avoid Brazil.

The bottom line, for me at least, is that CZE and ITA are better teams than the US, full stop. And, given the proximity of these countries to Germany, they will have a clear home-field advantage. I expect the US to acquit themselves well -- hold their own. But I can't realistically expect more.

Hope, however, springs eternal.

JM

[Jegao Paraiba]

50/50 chance of advancing.
But I'm an optimist.
I think we'll get through.
I want Brazil.

[Thomas A Fina]

The Us will do well to make it out of the first round.

Advancing past there would either be, to say the least, difficult, or probable depending on whether or not we face Brazil.

[monop_poly]

Three and out. US lackluster attack catches up with us and counterattacking style is anticipated and easily controlled by CR and Italy. By Ghana game, we are already on outside looking in.

That's what I expect but hope I'm wrong.

[Martin Fischer]

The USMNT could lose all three of its games. Of course, we could have made it to the semifinals last time, so we could make it that far again, though the draw does not appear as favorable as it was then. I don't think our talent base has increased enough since 2002 to reasonably even hope for a result better than that.

And on this board, people will understand what you mean by "football."

[Sir Nigel Sorebottom]

What I do expect, versus what I predict:

Expectations:
--I expect the US to be involved in (at least) three hard-fought, intense games
--I expect the crowds to be against us
--I expect 100% effort from all of our players, regardless of the score of the game. If we're behind, no drooping heads, no infighting, and if anyone quits or mails it in, they shall be burned at the stake upon return to the US.
--I expect sportsmanship and fair play from our players, regardless of the conduct of the opposing team. This includes NO DIVING and no flagrant fouls with intent to injure (I'm a bit more lax on the so called "professional foul.")
--I expect our players to shake hands with the opposition after the games, regardless of the result
--I expect our players to be gracious in victory and stoic in defeat. This means no complaining about the referees.
--I expect our fans to conduct themselves honorably and to reflect well upon our country.

Predictions--
I'm not Nostra-fu*king-damus, I have no idea. I hope we win the whole enchilada. I do predict the team and fans will meet all the expectations outlined above, although I'm not entirely sure they'll refrain from whining if we get a bad call, nor am I sure they'll shake hands with the opposing team should we meet Mexico again, given that the Mexicans avoided it in Korea.

Thanks for asking, hope this helps.

[Simster]

Couple of things to consider (from another Englishman):

1) The US is NOT in the toughest group of the tournament. That group is surely group C - the one with Holland, Argentina, Ivory Coast & Serbia/Mont. I think the US grou is either the second or probably third toughest group. The Brazil group is probably tougher than the US group.

2) And consequently, there are an awful lot of people who consider Brazil a shoo-in for top spot in their group. I'm not convinced that is the case - if Brazil start slowly (a big "IF" I guess") they could drop points and be nudged into second place. Australia, Japan & Croatia will certainly not be beaten easily - none of them are mugs!

[ag nigrin]

I would also say that 90% of this country doesn't know the first thing about international soccer. If you took the average american sports fan(not a soccer fan) and asked them if the US would be able to beat the Czcech republic. I bet over half would say "It should be easy they are a tiny country"

The tide is turning though. Coverage leading up to this cup is better than all of the others combined. You have to understand the conotation that soccer for some reason gets here. Soccer will never be embraced until the US team is very good. As in feared by lesser teams, and respected by the best teams. After the last world cup a lot of people took notice, but then that slowly died down in the meantime between the cups. Now as this cup is getting here there is a lot more people talking about it. Most americans know that we have a decent team, but things like the FIFA rankings putting us 5th has expectations a bit high. Not knowing that these rankings are not the same as rankings we have here in the country, College football and College basketball(which are hugely popular) have a ranking system based on reporters and coaches submitting a ranking. This has its flaws but it is mostly accurate. So the average american who sees the FIFA ranking they assume it is somewhat the same. Which we all know it is mostly crap. Now do I think the US can win the world cup? Any american who lived through the 1980 US hockey team believes in miracles. They definetly can beat any team they play. But to string that many wins in a row will be tough.

People think that the natural progression if the country is getting better in soccer that they should make the semis this year, not understanding we are in potentially the toughest group of the cup.

As far as my expectations I think the czcechs with all their injuries are in trouble. I think our high pressure style is going to disrupt the flow of their game. These teams are not used to it and it messes them up. We saw it in the last cup with the Germany and Portugal game. They couldn't really get anything going consistently. We failed in some ways in the last cup because of our lack of depth on the back line. We have many more servicable players this year that can step in and not lose much. The italians with all the turmoil going on I don't see it not effecting them. I don't care about the talk about the 82 team. That is BS wishful thinking. The fact that we have Gooch this time around is an enormous advantage for our team. I really think he is going to come of age during this tournament. He is the first national team guy that has the frame of an american football player(specifially a linebacker). Which i think is ideally suited for a defender. With seasoning he could potentially become a lock down kind of guy. We have already seen it with Borgetti, i can't wait to see a stare down with Koller, Toni, Adriano, and Schevchenko. He will physically dominate these guys in a way they have never seen. Does he have the ball skill to contain them completly? That is the question. I think he does.

I think we can advance but its going to be tough. And I hope we avoid brazil in the second round if we do. then we have a chance to go far allowing our level of fitness to dominate teams(like the germany game in 02, I recently watched the game and the germans had nothing in the tank left at the end and the US was still attacking all out)

Can you give us the english perspective on the american game?


Liked your post and rational alot Caintona... and also think because the Czech and Ghana players/coaches haven't experienced the WC before... they will struggle w/all the pressure...thanks again --ag

[Sir Nigel Sorebottom]

Couple of things to consider (from another Englishman):

1) The US is NOT in the toughest group of the tournament. That group is surely group C - the one with Holland, Argentina, Ivory Coast & Serbia/Mont. I think the US grou is either the second or probably third toughest group. The Brazil group is probably tougher than the US group.

2) And consequently, there are an awful lot of people who consider Brazil a shoo-in for top spot in their group. I'm not convinced that is the case - if Brazil start slowly (a big "IF" I guess") they could drop points and be nudged into second place. Australia, Japan & Croatia will certainly not be beaten easily - none of them are mugs!

Good point (2)--remember 2002, Italy was supposed to win their group. They slipped and finished second, and Mexico won the group. Hmmm, I can't really remember what happened next, can anyone jog my memory?

[Soccernethost]

I agree with the earlier comment that the US is roughly 50/50 to get out of the group. The Czechs may be past their sell-by date and the Italians may be distracted by the scandal, or my odds would be somewhat lower (40-45%).

Still the US is a useful side and can defend, which gives them a shot at anyone with a couple of breaks or a couple big performances.