Finally, after 2 years of waiting and catching the oddly timed friendlies, USA soccer is back in swing, and I for one have the highest expectations...The semi group for us isnt easy, nor is it that hard, but certainly two central american road games are not what the doc ordered, given our past results... but im excited, im ready to see this team...i see players like Mcbride and Bocanegra moving up in the world of club soccer and i cant help but watch the team with quiet optimism. Its going to be another wild ride, but no reason why we shouldnt qualify with 3.5 slots....... any thoughts on this fall?
I actually expect points in Panama and El Salvador. Kingston is the toughest place to play out of these three. Of course we open there. I would take a point right now if offered.
I keep having to remind myself that it's El Salvador and Panama we're playing. Otherwise, the thought of three of our first four games being on the road spooks me out a bit. I'm fulling expecting to be a little uncomfortable with where we are in the standings after four games. I also believe we're totally capable of being in first place at that point.
I'm looking forward to the qualifying campaign too. Playing 2 matches in this round in Central America will do us good, because if we make it through to the final 6, we could have to make 2 more trips there. I'd love to see us get back to Germany with a chance to shut up the naysayers who believe the United States is more lucky than good at soccer. At the same time, I realize we could become the next "Portugal" for any given match. I think the current team fully respects our CONCACAF rivals and will take no match lightly, and that's a great attitude to have. We also have the depth at many positions, and it's quality depth--not just available bodies. Wish it were August already!
What interests me is how much our side has actually IMPROVED since we had the best showing of any regional site in 2002. (On paper, at least) Onto a team that finished in the top 8, we add: - The starting keeper from the world's most infamous soccer team - An EPL starting defender - The best offensive player in our domestic lge with more seasoning (Donovan) - An improved Beasley - A youngster who has caught the eye of EPL clubs (Convey) - Cory Gibbs, an improving defender with overseas experience. - The possibility of adding one of the current crop of European players (Spector, Whitbread, Simek, Denny) - might sound funny, but when WC2002 qualifying began, Donovan and Beasley were both 18.
These are good points, but rememeber that everyone else is improving also. The soccer world is shrinking, and while we are getting better, smaller countries are too. Examaple - Panama and Canada were horrible four years ago in the hex. Now, they will give anyone they play problems. Are we better, sure, but Portugal was better than us, but we now have enough savy, weapons, technical skill, organization, management, etc to make them pay if they are not 100% ready. The Euros are showing 2002 wasn't a fluke either. Spain, Italy, Germany...out. Latvia...tough Greeks...surprise Portuguese...didn't crumble as usual Danes, Swedes...attack New world. We are better than Panama & El Sal, and our speed and strength pose big matchup problems for them, but they both have enough players and coaching now that we have to be 100% ready to play. I fully expect us and Jamaica to qualify, but a few early slip ups, and we have to rely on that last match. Don't want to do that against the Boyz. They are all big matches but 2,3 and 4 will decide an easy or quesey trip.
I'd rather have a queasy trip than to easy a one. I want us to trip up a little rather than have a cake walk. If we have a cake walk we might enter into the next phase way looser than we should be.
not sure if i want it to be that difficult...id rather have a cakewalk...Arena knows how to prepare a team thats playing well...he wont let them get ahead of themselves... and with regard to Panama and Canada, yes they are improved, but there are other teams that have slipped.... El Salvador has been down since 1997, and other south american countries go up and down in form all the time..... also i think the Asian sides will be weaker than 2002, not just because of home field but, because i think sides like Japan, Iran, have been struggling to find consistency....but as a whole yes, the world is becoming more even in soccer, particularly due to FIFA working in weaker regions
Cakewalk is Mexico. It may actually hurt them come the final six. I don't think El Sal have slipped. Think they have stagnated and others have gotten better( Guatemala, Canada, Panama, Jamaica). They still have some ability, but not enough. Still enough skill to trip someone up. They match up very poorly with physical sides though. Four out of six points in games 3 and 4 are what is needed to make life easy. Don't see Panama and El Sal coming out of Kingston with points. We do the same at home and matters should be settled. Only thing that could screw us is losing that first match in Jamaica, and losing one of games 3 or 4. that will make things fun...in a bad way for my heart.
the semis in 00 found usa having the 1st two matches on the road, with usa netting only 1 point.... I think the USA can be a very solid road side because I like the central defense a lot, in Pope, Bocanegra and Gibbs. And the USA has a nice transition game which will work very nicely, teams pushing too many forward agaisnt the usa will be burnt. I don't believe El Salvador and Panama can get points in the USA, and I do believe usa can win one of the two road matches in Panama or El Salvador. I agree drawing in jamaica to kick off the semis would be a good result. having them as the last match is problematic... if advancing is clinched, then some young players can be blooded, but if a win is needed against jamaica....that's a tough way to advance.
Some are improving, some aren't. CR drew with Cuba. I believe we're improving MORE than our fellow CAF'ers, and we probably will for a period of time. We're still the sleeping giant of soccer, in the sense that we're the one country whose ability to become a power isn't related to a golden generation, per se.
Excellent point. I believe that if all things remain at least they way they are, with some expansion in MLS and basic stability, that 2010-2020 will be the era where US Soccer takes the next step. I don't neccessarily mean Brazil or France like supremecy, but we will have the players abroad and here who will be able to beat these teams on their own merits. No D and counter attacking. Skill vs skill. Seems far away, but in 90 did you ever expect us to be where we are now at this point?
yeah, those two countries can have five or six "Number One" sports and still dwarf Brazil in a soccer player pool. Does India even have a soccer team? I've never heard of it.
I don't think we need to rely on our superior population, and I don't think that was what was implied. America produces great athletes, we have the best training facilities, and we have, so it seems, an unmatched desire to win. Neither India nor China can say the same. We also have a league that should come into it's own in the next 10 years. We'll then have a solid base to develop our own talents. There may be other countries that are in the same situation, but we're the highest profile one for sure.
Yes, India does have a team. Their last result I saw was a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Japan (if I remember correctly).