Let's clear something up once and for all before our Qualifier against Grenada this Sunday...This is for all the marbles! If we lose this home and home series, we are OUT of the World Cup. Done. Finito. All our ranting and raving about where our team is heading will be dead in the water if we don't beat this minnow. Now that we've got that straight... It is imperative that we crush this nation's spirit with everything we've got and effectively make the game impossible for them to win. If we have the opportunity to score 15-20 goals on this team, then we must do it. I don't want to hear people saying it was sad to watch or this and that - this is to go to the World Cup! If we take our foot off the gas at 4:0 or 5:0 just to spare them humiliation, then who knows what might happen on a crappy field in the Caribbean. These are grown men and they know what they're up against - No whining if we win 18:0 or something. It's necessary to put as much distance between us and a potential embarrassing first round WC exit. We must go for the jugular. How good is Grenada? Who knows, but we should be able to win the match. All I'm saying is that we can bunker in Grenada with a ten or so goal differential and I'm fine with that. We need to score a ton of goals in the first match against these guys and I don't want to hear any PC thinking, tree-hugging, "oh the poor little guys" mentality. It's the World Cup people, for all intents and purposes. Put the hurt on them. That is all.
I hear you, I wouldn't mind a shellacking myself, but I don't think team USA has anything to worry about heh.
THe only real worry is exactly the unexpected: Remember minnows have beaten sharks before; remember many many yeasr ago and US v England. We were the minnows then and we did the impossible. More important than the number of goals is that we jump on em quick and never give them any real hope of a win. If we let them stay in the game for a while they could begin to believe that it is just possible and that could make the impossible become possible. It "should" never happen but the US "should" never have beaten England in that other match either. Of course I "could" win the lotery as well.
yo i support the original post here 100% we need to put a serious hurtin on these chumps, asap. if we lose, were done, and that would be a shame. i hope this sense of urgancy is well felt in the US camp. i want to see them come out and score 4-5 goals in the first half of game 1. bury this early on our fields. forza inter
"We think this has the potential to be a very difficult game on Sunday" Bruce Arena's quote from U.S.A TODAY 6/8/2004. He knows. He saw them play! Very difficult? Nah, USA 22 Grenada 0. BTW, will the Grenada fans outnumber the U.S fans in Columbus? Perhaps the buses from Toronto bought all the tickets already.Imagine if the match was played in New Jersey's Giants Stadium? The Spice comes to Columbus on Sunday!
No. If it's like La Guerra Fria, there will be little pockets of 20-30 Grenada fans scattered throughout Crew Stadium and you'll never hear them.
The full quote from US Soccer: “We don’t take any of our opponents lightly, and we think there is certainly a potential to have a very difficult game on Sunday if our team isn’t prepared to play. We’ve had some experiences earlier this year with one of the smaller countries in the Caribbean, namely Haiti, and it was a very difficult match. I think that game was a slap in the face for our guys, and we’ve managed to get three good results after it, so in the end I think it was a good lesson.” Odds of Bruce Arena not having the players prepared to play = near zero
Is there any word on how many seats have been sold for Sunday? I do find it hard to believe we will have much trouble with Grenada, at least the home leg. On the road, it could get tough, you never know what will happen on the road in CONCACAF.
I hope all the Nat players have the same attitude as roarksown1. We must bring the Grenadians to their knees, by the FIRST half!
I second that emotion. There's a lot to worry about — • Something freaky like lousy weather, negating our skill, athletic and tactical advantage (Weather.com calls for 'scattered thunderstorms') • Red cards • Bunker defense that allows just 1 or 2 goals • Home cooking from a ref in the away leg You youngsta's don't know what it's like to worry about US vs. minnows, but it wasn't so long ago that we were the minnows! Perhaps the Haiti match will be a good lesson.
Guys, just be very wary. Last Sunday Australia played the Solomon Islands in a key Oceania WCQ game. Normally AUS would beat SI by 10 goals at least. 2nd string AUS team leading 2-1 in 57th minute, red card against AUS defender (deserved), result = 2-2, other hot favourite NZ out of the WC race. Also, hot favourite Iran (in top 3 of Asia) defeated by "minnow" Jordan 1-0 in their WCQ in the AFC. Be scared (very scared) of the so-called "minnows". Treat them all like your toughest oponent.
The simple fact is a David playing with HEART and good crowd support can defeat a Goliath any day.A Brazilian lackluster team can be shocked by a "minnow".Jamaica stunned a full world cup prepared Uruguay in Kingston recently.
ENough of this stupitidy. The Aussies were more than happy to draw that match because it knocked NZ out. They play the Solomons now in the finals. Instead of getting a crappy NZ team they play a joke team. NZ lost because they played their crappy 2nd team (must be real bad) against a crappy 1st team for Vanautu. This region is an embarrassment. Thank God the auto berth was taken away. What an insult and disgrace ti footballers everywhere if this region got an auto. The Aussies still have it easy compared to all. Play crap teams and have a one of for the most valuable team prize, which all other countries agaonize for everywhere, a WC berth. Still can't qualify. Region is a joke. The Dallas Burn would win this region easily. Iran??? Power??? When? Where? Qualifying for one out of the last 6 cups makes them a power? Pleeaasssseee....... Stupidity rules everywhere. Worry, stupidity, and fear.... Bruce has none of those qualiites thank goodness... Business will be taken care of.
If you haven't been paying attention. Uruguay is probably the worst team in SA right now. Jamaica has lost maybe one or two matches in Kingston in 6 or 7 years. Maybe, just maybe, our region is better than you think. How about thinking that way for a second, instead of the fear doom and gloom. Damn folks, it's Grenada. If you feel better about worrying, and putting forth theories, and making yourself nuts go ahead. Even worse, if we struggle you can come on and say I told you so, and prove how smart you are. G-R-E-N-A-D-A... If we aren't so far above this type of team by now that we can't beat them with our C game than I don't want to go to the cup and we don't deserve it. We will not be outhustled, only way we can lose, because Bruce has shown and proven that he will not allow it in matches that matter. I have never felt so good about any qualifying matches in 25 years. This fear stuff is for kids and wimps. Just ridiculous. Having nervous energy before a match is one thing, but these defeatist mindsets are a joke. That's why the same people succeed in life over and over again, no matter what they do, while the majority wonder why me (?) when things don't go their way. Bruce - preparation, hard work, organization, respect, a little cactual talent = success Proven, and tested. Get over yourselves people. Stop being sheep. I lived that era...I'm happy it's dead and gone. Why aren't you?
Well considering it was in Australia's best interests not to win the game, it really isn't much of a result. Vanuatu beating New Zealand is a more serious comparison. Jordan's a much stronger side than you're giving them credit for. For obvious reasons Iraq's team might be weaker than it once was, and if that's the case Jordan's probably at worst the 6th best team in Asia behind Japan, South Korea, Iran, China and Saudi Arabia. There's a decent argument to be made that they are on par with the Chinese and Saudis. IOW, we're a stronger side than Iran and Jordan is a considerably stronger side than Grenada. There's very little to worry about here if we simply play reasonably close to average. I hate the system, mind you (having to play a home and home knockout at the beginning of qualifying), but I just can't get worried about this one. People who talk about the troubles we've had with minnows in the past in qualifying don't understand that Grenada is a different level of "minnow" than any of our recent qualifying opponents except Barbados (whom we squeaked by 11-0 on aggregate). T&T and El Salvador and Guatemala are not minnows (Though T&T is struggling mightily right now). They're solid teams comprised almost entirely of professionals playing at a decent standard. They're not a good comparison to a Grenada side with a few pros and then mostly semi-pros and amateurs. Grenada has looked a bit improved this year over their recent results, but they're still a squad whom we should handle easily. A 4 goal win or greater essentially ends this thing after the first leg and I think we ought to be able to get that.
Correct. By the way there was just a History Channel special on David vs Goliath. Mostly BullS*** made up to give the little guy hope, and glorify an even battle. As always, people (the sheep) like believing the BS. David vs Goliath - factual BS that the sheep have come to believe because people have told them over and over again that it is true. Oh yeah, because the sheep believe a silly little book of stories (fairy tales) to. Think for yourself. Show a little maturity and responsiblity for your thoughts people. Damn this is silly. Show some freakin confidence. What's wrong with you people?