Historically the USA have been the far better team, there's not really much to discuss. However I agree that nowadays Japan could beat them in a Wold Cup.
If there's one position that the USA certainly has an advantage in, it's goalkeeping. Anyways the probability that Japan and the USA both slip up in qualifying and have to face each other in a playoff is low.
FYI, they kept flashing this stat during the game: Over the past 5 (final) qualifying tournaments, teams that lost their first game have never made it to the World Cup. Teams that drew their first game made it only 36% of the time.
Is that just for Asia? Because the USA lost the opener 1-2 against Honduras last time. Let's make Japan the first.
Thailand vs Japan should be a good game. Thailand have improved dramatically under coach (and Thai football legend) Kiatisuk. They play bright attacking football. IMO they have much more talent going forward than the likes of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. They're weak at the back, though they almost kept a clean sheet away vs the Saudis, with the only goal being a somewhat controversial penalty. After making it to this stage in qualification for the first time in decades interest in the team is back and Thailand should have a packed stadium backing them vs Japan. I expect that Japan will bounce back and win this one but they shouldn't underestimate their opponent.
I think is all depend on what team, have this happen to South Korea, Australia and Japan team before?
Since he was better than the like of Usami/Kiyotake/Haraguchi a lot of players need that break right? Maybe we can start with bench as Zac did in WC last game?
Usami did alright when he came on, with the ball at his feet he's Japans best player, and he's direct.I think with him and Muto coming more into things it will make scoring a lot easier. Well, let's hope.
Apparently this is the list of players registered with the AFC for the final qualification round. http://the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?stage...31&teamid=44&view=ajax&show=finalregistration FIFA WORLD CUP 2018 Final Qualification Round Squad List Goalkeepers SHUICHI GONDA AKIHIRO HAYASHI HIGASHIGUCHI MASAAKI EIJI KAWASHIMA MASATOSHI KUSHIBIKI NAKAMURA KOSUKE NISHIKAWA SHUSAKU ROKUTAN YUJI Defenders FUJIHARU HIROKI IWANAMI TAKUYA NAOKI KAWAGUCHI KURUMAYA SHINTARO MAKINO TOMOAKI MARUYAMA YUICHI KEN MATSUBARA MIZUMOTO HIROKI MORISHIGE MASATO YUTO NAGATOMO NIWA DAIKI SHUN OBU OGAWA RYOYA KOSUKE OTA GOTOKU SAKAI HIROKI SAKAI SHIOTANI TSUKASA SHOJI GEN TAKEOKA YUTO ATSUTO UCHIDA UEDA NAOMICHI UGAJIN TOMOYA RYOSUKE YAMANAKA YONEKURA KOKI MAYA YOSHIDA Midfields AOYAMA TOSHIHIRO ENDO WATARU ENDO YASUSHI NAOYUKI FUJITA MAKOTO HASEBE KEISUKE HONDA HAJIME HOSOGAI IDEGUCHI YOSUKE SHINJI KAGAWA KASHIWAGI YOSUKE TAKUYA KIDA HIROSHI KIYOTAKE KOBAYASHI YUKI KONNO YASUYUKI TAKUMI MINAMINO RYOTA MORIOKA RYOTA NAGAKI NAGASAWA KAZUKI NAKAMURA KENGO RYOTA OHSHIMA OMORI KOTARO OTANI HIDEKAZU SAITO MANABU SETO TAKAYUKI SHIBASAKI GAKU SHIBASAKI KOSEI TAKAHASHI HIDETO TANIGUCHI SHOGO YAMADA HIROKI HOTARU YAMAGUCHI TAKAHAGI YOJIRO YONEMOTO TAKUJI Forwards ASANO TAKUMA GENKI HARAGUCHI MIKE HAVENAAR IBUSUKI HIROSHI TAKASHI INUI YOICHIRO KAKITANI MU KANAZAKI KAWAMATA KENGO YU KOBAYASHI KOHROGI SHINZOH YUYA KUBO KURATA SHU RYO MIYAICHI YOSHINORI MUTO MUTO YUKI KENSUKE NAGAI SHINJI OKAZAKI YOSHITO OKUBO YUYA OSAKO SUGIMOTO KENYU TAKAGI TOSHIYUKI JUNYA TANAKA YOHEI TOYODA USAMI TAKASHI
Some names in that list are just lol, some are nice to see instead. You have Shun Obu and not Nakatani, okay... I wonder if this list is really binding though.
Chanatip Songkrasin. Decent player. I noticed him the 1st match vs Saudi & boy he never stop running lol. I'm looked on his wiki & find that he once went trial to Shimizu S-Pulse in 2013. Wanted to post this in your tomorrow's match thread, but still nobody make that yet.
Thailand can't be taken for granted, I have no idea what their home games are like, but I imagine it will be a difficult venue for any of the teams in the group. Japan need to turn up.
Thailand are 12/1 to win this game. What are the chances of another screw-up by Japan? If ACL and Buriram is an indicator, then anything could happen. If nothing else, it should be plenty of goals in this one, and that might seem like a safer bet
Well Halihodzic has been rather disappointing so far. He is certainly a great talker but the performances on the pitch so far were quite uninspiring
Well, before Bosnia we wouldn't have said that. I guess it's too soon. Of course he has to talk less and rotate more players.