i might be reading all the wrong papes, but it seems like no soccer talking heads believe the u.s. has anything more than a slight chance of advancing. I don't understand. Of course i dont think we're gonna win every game or anything like that, but we are the u.s. we can beat good teams. i don't care if we are playing in europe, if we play to our potential (which we can do and have done) i believe we can beat just about any team we play (note: i said "just about" so that leaves out brazil). I'm just tired of the pessimism, dont we as americans always think we can (and should) win? why is that suddenly not the case? I would love some thoughts about this. Also, if I have missed all the positive write ups about the U.S.'s chances then someone let me know cause I will delete my post immediately.
Another thread said Italian publication Gazetta dello Sport (the pink paper) gave the US a 35% chance of qualifying for the second round. That seems a lot better than most US media are giving us.
I would check out that IVES article. It was pretty good and right on with the thread. I was surprised that during the draw both Balboa and Wynalda stated that the U.S. could win the cup. Granted both would be biased but for them each to make that statement is pretty bold. I am glad that some people are getting behind this team. We do have talent, there is no question. As some time has went by I have noticed more and more people here and elsewhere that feel much better about the draw. I think at first it was a little shocking given that both European teams are so strong but we need to come out of a group like this to gain respect around the world. People have said that they dont care what Europe or South America thinks but the more respect everyone else has for our players the more likely they are to get signed around the world. It can only help if we are successful.
i have read ives article (it was actually positive which is unusual). everything everyone has said about it is true, but thats just one guy.
if Greece can do it we can do it. i'm sure no one thought greece could beat spain, portugal, ukraine, france, and the czech republic. also these are some results from your "untouchable" brazil. Brazil 1 Bolivia 1 WC qualifier Brazil 1 Croatia 1 Friendly Brazil 2 Japan 2 Confederations Cup Brazil 0 Mexico 1 Confederations Cup Brazil 1 Uruguay 1 WC Qualfier Brazil 0 Ecuador 1 WC qualifier Brazil 0 Colombia 0 WC qualifier Brazil 1 Paraguay 2 Copa America Brazil 1 Chile 1 WC qualifier Brazil 0 Paraguay 0 WC qualifier Brazil 0 Ireland 0 Friendly Brazil 3 Uruguay 3 WC qualifier Brazil 1 Peru 1 WC qualifier and the list goes on.... untouchable my @$$! this is a team we'd struggle against but could beat.
In the World Cup anything is possible. Obviously teams like Brazil and England go in as favorites , but look at the last world cup : holders france going out in the first round , not scoring a goal . Anything can happen , and we have more than enough quality to beat italy or the czechs or anyone we might run up against.
Some columnist in the Soccer section of CNNSI has USA advancing (but losing to Brazil second round) with Czech Republic winning our group. He thinks the key is the Ghana v Italy match, and that otherwise we all just beat each other up. But the best part is he's predicting that England won't advance. I'll see if I can dig up a link.
From Mark Bechtel's column in CNN/ Sports Illustrated: Take on Group E: Not dissimilar to sentiments expressed in another thread on the board right now. and and prediction: Take on Group B:
I also read the Ives article on ESPN. Positive words from him indeed. There is also a chat wrap with Steve Ralston from the day of the draw. He basically says the draw is what it is and that the team doesn't care who it plays, they are confident and they play to win. Basically, they are confident which I give Coach Arena credit for. He seems to have have his players both physically and mentally prepared. Barring injury to key players or Bianca forbidding Landon from scoring on the Chzechs, I like the US' chances of getting through. Regardless, fans of the US should be thankful for the fact that the team is talented well coached and will fight as hard as they can to win matches. It will be a fun group to watch! Go Yanks!!!!
Yeah, that's what we need. False confidence and arrogance. We could even look to USA Basketball for inspiration. It's not pessimism to see us as underdogs in the group, just accurate. It's pessimism to say "We're screwed! It's all over. We're gonna get killed, no doubt." In any case, it's not the press' job to have faith in any team. Faith is for fans.
All this neg media attention is good. Unlike years ago when this "can't do" viewpoint was somewhat valid, today is a completely different story. The US team has evolved and the true US fan has evolved. What hasn't evolved is the eurosnob and media mentality about US soccer. Why? Simply because they are ignorant. They don't follow enough of our brand of soccer to care. They can't accept that MLS plays a schedule opposite the "approved" FIFA schedule, they can't understand how 18,000 fans in a stadium can be a moral victory, and they are unwilling to accept that the US could challenge them. THEM! Where soccer has its roots, where they've been excelling at soccer for what seem to be eons. Providing the US advance, and I wholeheartedly believe we will. There is going to be another 'shock factor' a al 2002 but twice magnified at our accomplishment and the ignorant media and eurosnob ranks will begin to dwindle. Not out of acceptance for our accomplishments, but out of anger for their own arrogance. Oh, they'll never come out and say it but they will realize that their education on american soccer had been taking place for some time and they had just turned a blind eye. Go USA.
Just so I don't lump in the vast majority of our soccer loving friends in Europe and elsewhere around the world. The "eurosnobs" I speak of are only those who believe from the deepest place in their soul that the USA coudlnt' possibly come out of Group E and who also believe that Ghana has a better chance of doing so. I think those two pieces are what truly make someone ignorant about american soccer and arrogant about european soccer. Cheers and good luck to all. ESPECIALLY THE USA!!!
well, balboa and wynalda classified the usa as contenders for the title... personally, I think it's somewhere in between.... winning a wc ist fantasia.... getting out of the group is possible...
why is it "fantasia"?? yeah we're not favorites but why have the mentality that there is no possible way for this to be done. the US has beaten Brazil before and i don't remember the last time Brazil just went to town on the US. there is always room for an upset. ex. Greece
euros have 16 sides, so there's ONE less round than the wc...in the elimination phase...16 teams versus 8 in the euros also, argentina NOR brasil aren't in the euro tourney... their presence makes it far difficult tourney... what did brasil do to greece in the confed cup, made them their prison girls all match... usa can get out of group play... but winning 4 one and dones is highly unlikely..... that's where ist fantasia emerges...
a loss to mexico and a tie to japan? we can beat Brazil if Mexico can. don't be surprised to see Brazil crash and burn. i'm not saying we are going to slaughter them, i'm just saying we can pull an upset.
WHen was the last time a true outsider won the World Cup? Uruguay in 1950? You have to go back pretty far to find even an outsider as a losing finalist. Yes, the Greeks proved it was possible to win as outsider during the modern era, but there's a reason that Cinderalla teams in the WC measure success as "making it to the second round".