beat ghana and i'll believe anything can happen. anything. draw or lose to ghana and there's a 90% chance we're done. third times a charm.
I'm confident we can put on a good show, but I think we don't have the firepower or defensive abilities to get out of the group, sadly. This WC is a throwaway world cup. Guys like Davis, Zusi, Besler, Cameron, Chandler, Mix are not good enough to do anything in the world cup. 2018 is the real focus. I expect a draw with Ghana. Given that we both want the game so much, it will be a boring conservative snooze fest as everyone will be too scared to lose. 1-1, or 2-2. Both our offenses are potent enough to score, but our defenses our both shaky. Our talent is similar and the odds are close to equal. A draw here is the most likely outcome. We will have to upset Portugal or Germany if we want to get through. That is unlikely. I expect 1 or 2 points and a crash out of the WC. Drawing Ghana and Portugal would be a decent showing at the WC.
Really? I think you're absolutely, unequivocally wrong. I've heard many people project it to possibly be one of the games of the tournament. You have 2 quality teams who both believe they need 3 points to have a chance to advance. The odds of a conservative snoozefest are quite small. It may be a draw, but I'd bet it would be a 2-2 draw. Basically, I think we'll get 2. We just need to hold them under that.
I think the fact that so much attention has been placed on this game will make for a disappointing chess match affair due to the need to avoid a loss to keep chances alive. Actually, my 2-2 scoreline was misstated. I meant, 1-1 at best. I still think that the game will be slow and cautious for a long time, until the deadlock is broken. Both coaches know that one mistake could ruin their world cup, therefore both teams are going to make sure to protect their backside. It will get lively late.. However, the game will end up a draw as we basically cancel each other out on paper. I think the prediction of an all out shootout are unfounded and many people will be disappointed. We are too evenly matched, and both know that a draw is good enough to keep dreams alive of an upset of the other teams. However, a loss and it's over for the loser basically, hence the cautious approach to the game. Also, since both teams know that this is the most important game, the scouting done must have been incredibly comprehensive and extremely meticulous. Since we'll both be so aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses, there is a strong chance that it will be difficult for either team to actually win. Additionally, our games in the past have always been close. None of our teams are offensive powerhouses that can blow each other away. Ayew and KPB had poor seasons. Jozy is unreliable and Dempsey is back in MLS. I don't know if either of us could score two if we both pack the midfield with the 4-2-3-1.
You're apparently unaware that we do NOT have a young team. Our average age is pretty high, and higher than it was in 2010. I wonder if being informed of the facts will get you to change your opinion.
I know, right? I couldn't BELIEVE the ridiculous pretzel logic of the people DEFENDING that moronic decision!! (Probably not what you meant.)
We're young at the important spots. I could give two shats if we have an older player at CDM, CB or 2nd Striker. Our two oldest players are also GK'ers. Our LB, Demarcus Beasley is 32 and he may be our fastest player.
Most teams that win the world cup are not young. It's not a good thing to have a young average age to be honest. Just an injection of youth around experienced veteran players.
Just an addendum to my Ghana post. I can't believe some people think this Ghana game is going to be a good ol' Shootout at the OK Coral! Just boggles the mind. One mistake and the WC could be over. Neither team is confident in it's ability to score goals in the WC. Ghana is not in goal scoring form, their top players are coming off poor seasons. Our firepower leaves a lot to be desired and Jozy has proven unreliable. One mistake defensively and it could be over, as neither team has the confidence to get one back with a packed defensively minded midfield guarding the lead for either team. It will be a cat and mouse game until the deadlock is broken. Then it will be a bunker and counter game for one team.
Nice try. You seem to take an inordinate amount of joy in trolling people, and at the same time, lack a certain attention to detail and interest in or fidelity to the facts. To be honest, if I were a mod, I'd send you a PM to, um, "encourage" you to be alot less confrontational and alot more fact based. But I'm not a mod, so I'll just keep pointing out how bad your posts are. I'm sure you're a lovely person and you always give homeless folks a buck, but your posts here detract from the community, both because they're just designed to piss people off, and because your posts have an adversarial relationship with objective reality. PS...we brought 4 centerbacks. How old are they?
Poor Howard also seems to not be informed of your "facts". Oh well. “The 2010 team was a good team because we had a lot of experience,” goalkeeper Tim Howard told reporters before the team’s training Wednesday at Stanford Stadium. “This team is younger, but I think we’re slightly better than 2010, only because of that youth, and that inexperience almost helps you. Guys don’t actually know what to expect, they’re just hungry and ready to go for it.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/worldcup/2...rd-says-2014-usmnt-squad-slightly-better-2010
Like I said, I think there are position that you wanna be young at and positions where you'd like to have some savy veteran experience. GK'er, CM and CB are positions that I'm okay with older guys at.
No, but he is better than an 18 year old playing in the German 4th division. That's a fact. Regardless, I'm excited about this team. The result yesterday was great. We are confident, and I think the team and the coaching staff believes that we can go out there and take care of business against Ghana in Natal. With a group this difficult, we will need to play extremely well. But we will also need a bit of luck to get out of the group.
Let me further boggle your mind with some more of this crazy logic stuff: If you presume wins for Germany in their matches, you have to win v. Ghana (or US) to have a chance to advance. If you don't play to advance, why even go? Nobody thinks it's going to be all out attack, but it's certainly not going to be a "boring snoozefest". If you think two squads fighting for a shot to advance in a World Cup is boring, you might have picked the wrong sport.
That's his problem. Age ain't nothin' but a number, but the great thing about numbers is that they're completely objective. You can even take a collection of 23 numbers and get an average! This is probably another good place to point out that the strongest anti-Jurgen arguments are the silliness of the pro-Jurgen arguments.
All i'm saying is that it will be a cautious affair, because a mistake could be the end of your world cup in the first game due to the quality of the other teams. Being done in the first game is a massive disappointment. A defensively minded affair is what I'm expecting because each team is rather evenly matched and nobody wants the world cup over in the first game. Each team knows that a draw is not the end, there is still a chance to upset a team. Therefore, although teams will want to win, there is a chance that the game will get into a cat and mouse scenario as both teams are too afraid to lose as well. This could lead to a cagey and nervy affair as coaches get scared to concede. The further the game goes along scoreless, the more boring I predict it will get. Nobody wants to give up a late winner.
Not only are you NOT a mod but I have no idea who you are, do you post often? Our four oldest players are Howard, Rimando, Beasley and Beckerman. All play positions where I have no issue with an older presence on the field. But keep posting please, It's good to know that you use your computer for things other than making friends with people that get you on NBC's Dateline with Chris Hanson.
You see, it was important that Green be included and Donovan left home, it keeps our average down. That makes it all worth it right there, right superdave?
By the odds, yes. But in 2006 we got blown out by the Czech Republic, who didn't get out of the group, and then tied the eventual winners of the tournament. Weird things happen in tournaments. The team definitely won't have this attitude. Especially if Germany knows they're advancing.
Still think that's not likely. Both teams are going to clog the midfield and be extremely cautious early. Ghana's midfield is very well organized defensively. However, if we do, I predict Ghana will not open it up. They will be patient for fear of conceding again against our fast counter. Yeah, a draw is not the end. A loss is very difficult to overcome though, and I think it would be over if that occured. Reason? Germany. In no way can we even match up with them. Also, I do not believe it is likely that either team will score early. As I have described, both teams know this is the World Cup Final therefore one mistake and we are done for all intents and purposes. Therefore, both will clog the midfield with 2 DMs and penetrating the box will be very difficult. Ghana's defensive midfield is world class. Muntari, Essien will to tough to break down. For us, Beckerman and Jones will be tough to penetrate. After doing my analysis on the situation, a low scoring draw seems the likely outcome. Each coach is probably so aware of the other's tactics by now given the massive emphasis on this single match, that there will be no room for surprises. I
So now you are accusing Howard of participating in your pro-JK/anti-JK tinfoil hat conspiracy. There are several ways to compute the age of a squad with average the least useful statistics formula. That is also a fact.