Poll: How do you look at the US

I think that the computers overrate them, the CONCACAF teams and Czech's respectively fear them, but that the majority of the European teams good enough to qualify see the US as overrated.

Italy definately sees the US as overrated. I don't think that the Italian coaches could say anything to their team to convince them that they will not come away without a win. The suggestion of a draw may come across as a possibility, but likely would result in a chuckle.

 

can you say overrated 5th or w/e in the world ...lmao what a joke..

 

That's why it's going to be funny when Italy loses to the U.S.

 

I'm going to restate my opinion on the US based on what I said on a few threads:

The USA, I believe has no shot in advancing from their group. They simply do not have the weapons yet to bring down teams that can meet the caliber of Italy and even the Czech Republic. Why? Their best players such as Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are playing in the MLS, which is league that cannot match the English Premier League, the Italian Serie A, the Spanish Liga, or the German Bundesliga. The only good players I can seem to find from this team with the world-class professional experience is DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven is having a pretty good season) and Tim Howard (Manchester United has been one of England's finest) but even with these two players, the USA might put up a good fight, but will probably lose to Italy and the Czech Republic. You could add Claudio Reyna, Brian McBride, and label them as good players but they seem to not have the ability to obtain the world-class professional experience because they have been playing in the most mediocre teams in England and probably in all of Europe (Manchester City and Fulham have no shot in bringing down teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea or even Arsenal!)!

But the good thing is, the Americans seem to have the element of surprise on their side, along with probably a "gung-ho nothing to lose mentality" and that might help them. They have some capability, no doubt about that, and they will do whatever it takes to prepare themselves to beat these teams. But even if I want to see them advance, I don't see them reaching higher than second place in their group. Italy is simply too good. If the USA even reached second place, they have no shot in even going all the way. Why? Because they will have to play the top team from Group F, the group that includes Brazil, Japan, Croatia and Australia. Brazil will win Group F, no doubt about that. If anyone says that Japan, Croatia or even Australia will win group F, they just simply do not know that Brazil is the best team in the world and is HEAVILY LOADED with creative, and cunning players along with the triple R threat (Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Robinho) that can own any powerful defense. If the USA wants to have the best World Cup experience or even reach the spot that they got to in 2002, they are going to have to try to get first place and avoid Brazil, because if the USA faces Brazil, they will lose no matter what. They may have the weapons to bring down good teams like the Czech Republic or even Italy, but if they face Brazil, no chance at all because the triple R threat will score multiple goals and Casey Keller or Tim Howard are simply not good enough to block these shots.

 

Wow this post has so much ignorance I can't even respond...

 

To the majority of non-US fans, we are overrated.
I'm sure some US fans feel that we are underrated
Most teams respectivly fear our team, they know we are good.

The one that really matters is wither or not the teams themselves respect us, not the fans, and I think that we've already earned their (teams) respect for the most part.

Are we overrated on the rankings? Technically we're #5 because we have enough points to be there, not because someone at FIFA decided that they thought the US were better than Germany (20 something). I personally don't take the rankings too seriously, or the friendly games when one or if both teams don't have their full squad. The things that really determine which teams are better than others is wither or not they qualify for the WC or the Euro's and how far they advance. Italy beating Germany 4-1 means very little, as does Germany beating the US 4-1.

 

I have no clue on what their state will be until they play in the WC.

Pros: Last WC's team is largely intact and mostly in their prime. Any players that are now retired have been replaced by better players or arguably equivalent players. The team is probably playing the best soccer they have ever played. Qualification went smoothly.

Cons: The surprise factor is gone. Nobody is expecting them to lose all three games anymore. Also, in 2002 there were a handful of players that played much better than expected. Can we expect that to happen again?

The basic problem is how the pros stack against the cons. The team is better, but how much better? The US has lost some of their underdog status, but maybe Italy is subconsiously under-prepared? I won't know until the games actually happen.

 

Ignorance? I have looked at the US team for quite some time, and the US has proved that they have the potential to be a good team, but they are still simply a mediocre team. They still find beating Mexico and Costa Rica a big frustation for them and could not even get their U-23 team to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics! Yet they were able to qualify for the World Cup because they mostly had homefield advantage.

Italy and the Czech Republic are clearly the better teams than the US. Italy is a legendary team, while the Czech Republic is a powerhouse team. The US is mediocre because their players are clearly inferior compared to the Czechs and Italians. The Czechs have a 6'8 player that could own every opponent, a goalkeeper playing on one of England's finest (Chelsea) along with Nedved who is also a threat, and a world-class professional. Italy is Italy, period. They are a legendary team that is almost as good as Brazil.

If the US even makes it to 2nd place in this group, they will face Brazil. Brazil will beat the US, they have had a VERY dismal record against Brazil, and they could not even beat their B team in the last match they had. Brazil will now have the triple R threat on their side (Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Robinho) along with Roberto Carlos and Cafu, VERY strong defenders. The US simply does not have the weapons to beat Brazil, and if beating Italy is considered a surprise, beating Brazil is even a bigger one.

 

You can only hope. How many times does the team have hit themselves on the head before they realize that it hurts? I'm told that the 3rd time is a charm. The WC is in Europe and that is where Italy wins all of its world cups!

 

So you're saying that we should just forfeit if we get to the 2nd round, because there is no way we can beat Brazil? We'll I guess upsets never happen, especially upsets with USA beating portugese speaking countries, oh wait...

You might want to check the results from Fulham's game on Mar. 19.

 

Also, there is no guarrantee that Brazil will win its group. Brazil will do what it needs to do to get to the second round, but winning the group is not essential.

 

Mark for later reading:

 

Hahaha! Exactly.

The fact that he said this proves that he has no idea what he is talking about.

Tim Howard doesn't do anything for the national team. He is a backup scrub behind Keller. But I suppose just because Howard plays for your precious EPL Manchester United and Keller is nowhere near the EPL that Howard is assumed to be so much greater.

(Actually I have no idea what club Keller plays for, I don't follow club teams, but I am assuming since this guy didn't list him that he doesn't play in the EPL).

Wake up buddy. It doesn't matter if a player plays for the best team in the EPL or the worst team in the Jamaican league, if he's good, he's good. I can't wait til Donovan and his MLS buddies tear apart these players who are suppose to be so much better because "MLS is a worse league than (whatever league the Italians and Czechs are in)". Less than two months! Let's go!!!



PS: I love how ace makes Italy out to be this huge monster of a team, "almost as good as Brazil". Yet in qualifying Italy struggled with what many people felt was one of the weakest groups. They only won 2 of their 10 games by more than 1 goal (of the games they did win) while they:

-Conceded 3 goals to Belarus in a single (home) game.
-Only beat Moldova by 1 goal at home (and on the road).
-Were held to draws by Norway and Scotland.
-Lost to Slovenia.

Not to mention their great Euro 2004 campaign where they only won one match, against a Bulgarian team who lost all of their games.

Not so tough IMO.

 

I know that the USA beat Portugal in 2002. That was either luck or Portugal screwed it up. Luis Figo said in an interview that the 2002 World Cup was a disaster and they did not have their team together. I'm not saying that the US should forfeit, if they face Brazil. I only said that if the USA plays Brazil, they have no chance in beating them. Brazil is the most powerful team in football, and they have 10x more talent compared to the US squad. And how the hell will the USA's defenders are going to stop the triple R threat of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Robinho? If the US plays Brazil, they should play them, but they still have no chance in beating them. Brazil has used the triple R threat numerous times, and they have won matches because of that weapon.

Fulham had home advantage when they beat Chelsea, even though both clubs are based in certain areas in London. Still, I don't see Fulham in 1st place in the Premier League. They are at a dismal 15th right now, still a mediocre team. They can't win much matches these days.

I am no fan of Manchester United. But I do know that Manchester United is a very good team, and as an Arsenal loyalist, I am honored to have such a good team like Manchester United as a rival, and it would be gratifying seeing Arsenal beat them. Kasey Keller plays for Borussia Mönchengladbach, a very mediocre German team. I do think Kasey Keller is a good goalkeeper, but he lacks the world-class professional experience that Tim Howard has.

Actually it kind of does. The MLS is one of the most mediocre leagues in the world, and cannot match the level of the English Premier League or the Italian Serie A. From what you are saying, you would think that the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New England Revolution could beat teams like Chelsea, Manchester United, Juventus, and AC Milan. Two mediocre teams, beating some of the most legendary European clubs in the history of football? Not in a century!

Italy has been notorious for its slow start according to what I have read, but they still have shown that they are pumped and primed and out to prove that they are not losing their edge. If you think Italy is going to lose to the US because of these events you mentioned above, you might be sadly mistaken. You have not been reading the news lately, since Italy is one of the biggest contenders (other than Brazil, England, Germany, Argentina, Spain, Netherlands and France) that are likely to win this World Cup. You haven't realized that Italy beat Germany and the Netherlands quite recently have you? Those teams can also be considered near-legendary as well. Italy is not a pushover, a mediocre team, a rising team or a powerhouse team. They are a legendary team. Their team is LOADED with legendary world-class professionals such as Del Piero, Vieri, Totti, and Buffon. This team has the weapons to beat any team, even Brazil. If anyone says that this team is not that great, they probably need to get some of their facts straight, because they have left a significant part in the history of football all over the world club-wise and international-wise. They have had a championship drought for a pretty long time, and with an agonizing history of losing in the knockout stages within the last few World Cups, this team is VERY determined to win every game they play no matter what. They cannot afford to lose to anyone.

 

No, it wasn't luck......Portugal totally underestimated and overlooked the US team.

And, yes....we do have a chance to beat Brazil if we play them in the WC. It may be a small chance, but there's still a chance.

Also, for someone who has said in another post that you would like Brazil to lose......you certainly bring them up a lot. And, do you have to mention "the triple R threat" in practically every post you make?

So what, they still beat them.....which contradicts what you posted earlier.

Tim Howard doesn't have anything close to "the world-class professional experience" that Keller has. Keller has played at several levels in England, has played in Spain's La Liga, and now is playing in the German Bundesliga. He also has been on 3 WC squads and is going to his 4th WC. Howard only has MLS experience and his limited experience with Man U.

No, MLS doesn't match up to those leagues, but the US team is more than the sum of its parts. Our team beats "better players" from "better teams" quite often because we tend to work harder and have more determination to win. IF we can score first and/or hold the Italians without scoring for a long period of time.....just you watch the melt-down that occurs within their team as their frustration mounts. That will open the door for us to win.

One more point.....you're basically going from thread to thread reposting the same thing almost verbatim every time...even after you've been shown to be off on your info. It seems that as soon as someone proves you wrong you jump over to another thread and start the same argument over again. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but this seems like trolling to me.

 

How much "world class experience" can Howard have from playing with the Metrostars and then sitting on Man U's bench? You focus so much on how all these clubs teams are so legendary and how they are so good, well Juventus and AC Milan arent going to be playing the Galaxy, its going to be Italy playing the USA. Yes their club teams are good but they dont represent the national team. Look at Brazil, they have a pretty average home league but one of the best national teams in the world.

 

A good team have a bad day sometime, Brasil is included.

 

Italy and Czech rep are better teams than US on paper but, the coach and game's tactic & strategy will have to be considered and Bruce arena is very good at that.

 

Thank god not all ENGLISHMEN are as full of themselves as you are.If the US does well you will still be making excuses.

 

Whew! it didn't take too long for this to get out of hand, did it?

I don't think a realist -- or even a United States supporter -- could look at the current rankings (FIFA, for example) and say that the team is anything but over-rated. Fifth in the world is not a realistic assessment of the team, by any stretch. Not at this point anyway. For this reason, if the rankings are the criterion we are using, then the US is probably over-rated.

This is not a bad thing! In fact, it plays to the US's advantage when opponents look at a side that features MLS players and other players who play on mostly modest European sides. In this way, over-rated AND under-estimated can, indeed coexist.

The other choice? "Feared?" The US will never be respected or feared abroad. Even if they were to win the World Cup, there would be claims about this fluke goal or that lucky save or the other biased referee. Not to say that US supporters wouldn't be insane with glee. They're pretty insufferable even now!

 

It really depends on who you're talking about.

Opposing players, coaches, and staff surely don't underrate the United States. The've seen what we've done in the last world cup, CONCACAF qualifying, friendlies, etc. There's no way Italy or the Czech republic are going into the games thinking it's an easy win.

Fans of these teams, however, underrate the US. You can see the line of reasoning in this thread. No players in Spain, Italy, blah, blah, blah. Guess what, we didn't have players in 2002 in Italy or Spain either. How many did South Korea have? Ahn at Perugia?

If we played a 10 game series against Italy, they'd beat us. In one game, who can say? Or have you not been paying attention to actual results over the past 4 years?

 

Overrated.....errrrr........a 5th FIFA ranking is too high, but rankings are almost meaningless due to all the player shuffling. It might be used as a decent ranking of a team's "pool" during qualifying, but not of what type of team is going to step onto the World Cup pitch. It should be almost forgotten at this point. The focus can then be on the "small" number of players actually in Germany.

........uhhhhhhhh.....and underrated by most global fans (as mentioned by Mr. Eastwood).
Yeh, if the US fields an all-MLS team, it's 3 and out. But that's NOT what's gonna happen. The US A-team is fit, skilled & fast. They have a good shot for 2nd. Unfortunately, 3rd is also a possibility due to the group strength.

As for Brazil, the US has a nice single goal history with them (ie:1-0,1-1). Having said that, we have been mostly on the wrong side of those results (for good reason). I would LOVE for this team to pull the upsets, but I'm not getting my hopes up while we are still looking for consistent offense.