At what positions is the US at what level at overall?

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by Rise and Fire, Oct 28, 2007.

  1. Rise and Fire

    Rise and Fire New Member

    Apr 6, 2007
    Iowa City
    Would you say?

    At a level capable of winning the World Cup?
    At a level capable of contending at the World Cup?
    At a level not worthy of being in the World Cup?

    Generalities of course.
     
  2. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't really understand what you're asking.
     
  3. jcsd

    jcsd Member+

    Jan 27, 2006
    Anything is possible, but realistically no the USA is not capable of winning the World Cup or mounting a serious challenge for it. Teams as unfancied as USA have in the past made as far as the semi-finals, South Korea in 2002 being the most obvious and probably relevant example, but they did so with a combination of exceptional play, luck and home advantage. Even then at no stage did any neutral observer seriously think they were likely to win it.

    If it was the 32 best teams in the World the USA might not be in it, but they are close enough to that level that they worthy entrants.
     
  4. mike4066

    mike4066 Member+

    Jun 30, 2007
    Chula Vista, CA
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. BenfromUSA

    BenfromUSA Member

    Jan 20, 2006
    Minneapolis/St. Paul
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We're capable of being there end of story.
     
  6. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If you don't think the USA is one of the 32 best teams in the world, then you, my friend, are loco.
     
  7. Maitreya

    Maitreya Member+

    Apr 30, 2007
    Providence, RI
    Goalkeepers: Good enough to reach semifinals.
    Defenders: Capable of contending, but we've given up 6 goals in group play in each of the last two cups, which is too many.
    Midfielders: Really hard to tell because they are so young. I'm going to guess capable of contending.
    Forwards: As of right now, not worthy of being there.
     
  8. jcsd

    jcsd Member+

    Jan 27, 2006
    I'd say they're approximately either just in or just out of 32 best teams in world right now. I don't think that is particualrly contreversial.
     
  9. Allez les Galaxy!

    Allez les Galaxy! New Member

    May 29, 2007
    Los Angeles, CA
    Well even though I know that this doesn't mean shit (And I personally think that we should be ranked a few spots higher) the people at FIFA rank us at #18 in the world.
     
  10. arsynic

    arsynic Red Card

    Jan 2, 2007
    Santa Barbara

    barthez reached the finals twice, winning once and he aint that good. howard is better.
     
  11. arsynic

    arsynic Red Card

    Jan 2, 2007
    Santa Barbara
    we are in the top 32 easy. name 32 teams better than us.
     
  12. Maitreya

    Maitreya Member+

    Apr 30, 2007
    Providence, RI
    It's hard to separate defense and goalkeeping. The reason I said semifinals instead of finals is because I don't think the US has a goalkeeper capable of doing what Kahn did in 2002: literally carrying his team to the final. I don't think Howard is at the 2002 Kahn level (yet).
     
  13. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Seriously tortured grammar in the opener, but I think I understand:

    In terms of talent/accomplishments:

    GK: Howard, Guzan-semifinal

    Comment: Howard consistently in and around the Actim top 5 gks despite not being on a top team. Guzan drawing interest from Arsenal.

    Forwards: Adu, Dempsey, Altidore-quarterfinal/semifinal

    Comment: the BS consensus is that this is weak spot, but closer examination reveals it as the strongest field position. Demps has goals against Liverpool, Ghana, Brasil, England, Poland, and against Switzerland an assist. If he's actually paired with a competent support forward(like Adu) for club and country he'll be even more lethal.

    Adu has three goals in all competitions for Benfica despite the limited playing time.

    Altidore? He might just be the most talented of the three.

    Wide-mids: Beez, Donovan--quarterfinal/semifinal

    comment: as bookend wide players, Beez/Donovan have got to be top ten internationally. Stellar credentials incompassing two World Cups, MLS Cups, Champion's League matches, and Concacaf title wins to back up excellent attacking stats.

    Central-mids(Clark, Kljestan, Feilhaber, Edu, Bradley, Beckerman, Szetela)--unknown.

    Comment: talented and promising group. limited European and international experience at the higher levels of competition.

    Center Defense: Conrad, Boca, Gooch, Gibbs, Ugo, Parkhurst, Demerit, etc--
    group stages:

    Comment: achilles of the team. These guys--especially the primary starters--make too many unforced errors beating themselves before the opposition has done anything. Not much in the way of accomplisment at the European club level either. I'd like to see more experimentation with this group.
     
  14. Allez les Galaxy!

    Allez les Galaxy! New Member

    May 29, 2007
    Los Angeles, CA
    Here is my top 25 in the world in order:

    1. Brazil
    2. France
    3. Argentina
    4. Germany
    5. Italy
    6. The Netherlands
    7. Spain
    8. Portugal
    9. Czech Republic
    10. Croatia
    11. Scotland
    12. Greece
    13. England
    14. Russia
    15. USA
    16. Mexico
    17. Sweden
    18. Uruguay
    19. Nigeria
    20. Poland
    21. Ivory Coast
    22. Cameroon
    23. Norway
    24. Ghana
    25. Japan
     
  15. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    In the future to improve our attack I'd like to see people like Beasley and Donovan as our Roberto Carlos and Cafu. Speed, stamina, and offensive skills down the wings, with better passers and dribblers in midfield. What do people think about that?
     
  16. jchae

    jchae Member

    Jun 4, 2007
    Chicago
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I also don't understand how anyone says the US is not one of the 32 best in the world. They have proven they are the best in North America. Only Brazil and Argentina are clearly better from South America. I don't think any Asian or African team is clearly better than the US either. That means 30 European countries would have be better than the US.
     
  17. jcsd

    jcsd Member+

    Jan 27, 2006
    I'm not get into a massive argument, but I just can't see anything in terms of results, level of play or the squad that would mean most people would place USA firmly in the top 32. I've not said they aren't in the top 32 either.

    I think on worldwide level I think the majority people would rank teams (ignoring UEFA, in reference to the last poster) like Mexico (depsite head-tohead results), Urguay, Australia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria above USA. USA would be somewhere in a pack contianing teams like Ghana, Paraguay, SK, etc for most people.
     
  18. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Heck I'd love to see the team experiment with Beez and LD as wingbacks in a 3-5-2 or even as fullbacks. Arsenal played Flamini at fullback in a crucial CL game and the dude did quite well with no prior experience at the position.

    But sure, you're starting to see already guys being moved back earlier in their careers--Sheanon Williams, Quavis Kirk, Bornstein, Burch, etc.
     
  19. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I realize your keyword here was "experiment", but please, let's not place 2 of our 3 best attacking players in defense.
     
  20. Craig P

    Craig P BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 26, 1999
    Eastern MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Goalkeepers: At their peak, at a level capable of winning the World Cup.

    Defenders: Bottom half of World Cup teams, our best players are fungible at the level of the lower Premiership. Onyewu still has yet to match his ample physical gifts with a top class mental game.

    Wide midfielders: Capable of contending at the World Cup. Beasley has played a significant role on a Champions League semifinalist IIRC (PSV) and is a rotation player at Rangers who are off to a good start there. I think Donovan could play at that level if he pushed himself (and let's leave any discussion about that for a more appropriate thread).

    Inner midfielders: Unproven, I think we have to consider this group bottom half WC until they make more of a mark both internationally and domestically.

    Forwards: Unproven, see inner mids, except that I think the forwards have a little more upside between Dempsey, Adu, and Altidore.
     
  21. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    The idea is to increase our offense. They overlap and attack down the wings with their speed. Also, to contend for a WC, they can't be two of our three best attacking players, and hopefully won't be by 2010. They might make excellent fullbacks. If Roberto Carlos and Cafu played for USMNT in their prime, they'd also be midfielders (or strikers). But they were offensive threats from fullback for Brazil. So as young midfielders come up, drop B and LD back. In midfield they're two of our best, but we're not generating much in the way of goals and service.
     
  22. arsynic

    arsynic Red Card

    Jan 2, 2007
    Santa Barbara
     
  23. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    Welcome to my USMNT life of over three decades. There's hope though. Fire the Dear Leader, both of them, and stop judging our teams by CONCACAF standards. Also, don't develop anybody in MLS.
     
  24. Bed-styPundite

    Bed-styPundite New Member

    Oct 29, 2007
    Until we have an established match winning forward, us taken it to the finals will not happen. But we have the talent and you never know.

    Class at goalkeeper, decent to youth defenders in the back, and exciting young attacking talent that has proven its amongst the bets in the world in the youth levels, but can they take it to the snior level

    And if manager right instead of playing slow Brian McBride alone with himself up top, the US can do some things. They are , along with the Ivory Coast, Switzerland, Mexico, and either Switzerland or Russia one of the dangerous teams in the next World Cup. they were dangerous last year, but it blew up completely the minute the Mc man had to play up top by himself and Onyewu let Koller get free for a few seconds.
     
  25. arsynic

    arsynic Red Card

    Jan 2, 2007
    Santa Barbara
    I thought pope let koller free
     

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