I believe that Bruce will have the boys ready and in full swing come June. The US side will not be intimidated and the group E competition, save for Ghana, will invariably under-estimate or perhaps under-respect the US. USA 1:1 Czech Italy 3:1 Ghana Czech 2:0 Ghana Italy 1:2 USA Czech 2:2 Italy Ghana 2:2 USA 5pts - Czech (+3 GD) 5pts - USA (+2 GD) 4pts - Italy 1pts - Ghana Sorry al Italia....it's not in the cards. And Ghana will put in valiant showings and score against some of the top teams in the world.
My predictions: USA - Czech [up for grabs] Italy - Ghana [up for grabs] Czech - Ghana [up for grabs] Italy - USA [up for grabs] Czech - Italy [up for grabs] Ghana - USA [up for grabs] but in all sincerity... USA 1-1 Czech Italy 2-2 Ghana Czech 3-3 Ghana Italy 2-2 USA Czech 0- 1 Italy Ghana 1-3 USA (last goal scored as Ghana pushes forward) The only thing I bank on is a competitive group.
Italy have one of the best attacks out right now, and their defence is still pretty formidable. I just hope that they don't fall into the same trap that Juve do and sit back on a 1-0 lead.
Should I really respond to this? It's beyond disingenuous. Think about what your wrote and then tell me why it has no relationship to anything I wrote.
Just as I am enjoying all the post with Ghana geetting 0 points. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying USA is the weak link in the group. These matches could all go either way (as any match not involving Trinidad can go). I'll explain my results. Italy will lose to Ghana because they will not be prepared. Czech will beat USA because they are the better team (USA could beat them tho). Czech will beat Ghana because they are the better side. An angry Italy will beat the USA after their dissapointment at losing to Ghana. Italy, knowing they need a win will beat a relaxed Czech team. The USA will lose to Ghana because they will go into the game expecting a massive win (mistaking Ghana for Trinidad) then get shocked when they discover that Ghanaians can actually play football.
if italy shows us heart and passsion, and play as one, not some superstars trying to do it all on there own, i feel they may have no problems geting out,, this group is going to come down to whoever wants it the most and i hope for one its italy. after there poor display in the last wc and euro 2004 i think its time italy let there play do the talking, this is the last chance for alot of there players, its no time to ******** it up.Italy have to earn there respect again, because it seems they have lost it.
ive noticed since the draw player and coaches of u.s,ghana,czechs have talked trash about italy, i like it how italian players have remaned silent, i like this approach, as long as u.s,ghana,czech players keep talking smack,the more angery it makes the italians....i say keep it up eddie johnson,smincer,essien......because i would love to see an angery italian side in this world cup, its almost scary
LOL. I just hope there is some more unity in the team, coz last euro's there were arguments and crap goin on all over the shop...like the dutch. Seriously, if Italy have good teamwork, there is no reason they couldnt cruise through the group wit h their reserve side. I think the only teams realistically winning the whole competition are Italy, Argentina (unless they ******** up again), Brazil, Nederlands.
well thats something new you can say that before every world cup italians will hate me for that but if either usa or ghana is to advance it will be at expense of italy not the czechs
I hardly find a 2-1 loss at Azteca in the Altitude struggling. Mexico is still a good team. And when we played them in Ohio where the weather is closer to Germany's, we beat them 2-0. Call me crazy but what its like in Germany is more important. And the whole never won a game in Europe thing is ridiculous.I don't see John Harkes or Tab Ramos suiting up this coming summer so i fail to see how that compares. Had they sent a full team to Scotland that would've been a win.
The point is not that the US would've been given a PK but that the defender was on the goal line and Oliver Kahn was already beaten. Hitting the post is part of soccer. 2 goalies is not. The Maradona incident is much different and I would like to watch the end of that game to show that the US was gaining on the Germans in the 2nd half and they dominated the play as the aged German team was growing more and more fatigued.
What are the tie breakers if... 1 - USA v CZE - 1 1 - ITA v GHA - 0 0 - ITA v USA - 0 2 - CZE v GHA - 1 1 - CZE v ITA - 1 0 - GHA v USA - 1 CZE 1-2-0 = 5 points +1 (4-3) USA 1-2-0 = 5 points +1 (2-1) ITA 1-2-0 = 5 points +1 (2-1) GHA 0-0-3 = 0 points -3 (1-4) Who grabs the 2nd spot, USA or ITA? They tied each other, and tied CZE by the same score, and beat GHA by identical scores. Please tell me it's not a dreaded coin flip! I can hear the US media already..."a coin flip!?...what kinda scam are they running?!...this is why soccer will never catch on...blah, blah blah"
italy will not have trouble scoring in this WC, plus all of you kiss the czechs ass to much, there actually overated and there squad is much older now
It is a good assumption to write Ghana off( remember they won bronze in the 1992 Olympics and quarter finalist 1996 Olympics, Atlanta). They compete well when they qualify in a competition as their records indicate. I believe Brazil will love to play any other team but Ghana. Both Brazil and Ghana have been playing at the youth level since 1991, and the results have been mixed. While Ghana have been in the final 4 times(won 2), Brazil have been in the final 5 times(won 3). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_U...ld_Championship In the under 20 the exchange has been beautiful. Ghana has been in the final twice(did not win). However, they beat Brazil in the quarter finals 2001. They had lost to Brazil in 1993 in the final. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_W...th_Championship Ghana seem not to have the fear most teams accord Brazil, and this make their meetings very interesting. Let us hope this translate into the senior world cup. For once we have all the palyers who played through 1991 to 2001 winning team palying against each other. It is going to be interesting.
I am sorry the link is not showing in this thread. but you can check the site from FIFA if you are in doubt.
Prediction: Italy 1-1 Ghana USA 2-1 Czech Czech 2-0 Ghana Italy 2-1 USA Czech 1-1 Italy USA 1-1 Ghana Italy 5 +1 USA 4 +1 Czech 4 Ghana 1 USA Advance on head-head against Czech :L