Actually I think Uzbekistan and Kuwait are on the level of Panama and the Bahrain about level T&T. So unless it's the US or Mexico, I wouldn't expect the 4th place CONCACAF side to be heavy favorites. Favorites most likely, but not heavy ones.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks Agreed. Let's not forget the Semi-Final match in Guatemala in 2000 For 2002 WCQ when Ante Razov gave the US a one nil lead and it was that Bastard little fish who plays for the Galaxy that ran over our defender and ran over Kasey Keller who had the ball in his hands, knocked him down and was allowed to score the equalizing goal to steal two points away from us. The Referee was crapping and peeing in his shorts all match long hoping to allow Guatemala to score a goal on us so his head wouldn't be target practice for the piss bags. Yes Guatemala has heart no question, but they are also the worst hackers and divers in Central America. They will take any liberties at us and I hope that if Conor Casey is called in he will set the tone on the Guatemalans and go studs up against their keeper or on their defenders, because now is the time where our boys should flat out not take it anymore. When push comes to shove I would hope our boys will plant a nice sharp elbow into their heads. No mercy this is World Cup Qualifying time to break their balls not let them take advantage of our boys anymore.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks The '96 WCQ at RFK v Guatemala should be required viewing for all - especially the team. Bruce, I'll loan you my copy...
Honduras don't have the great home field advantage that Guatemala has. You can even go as far as saying that Honduras played worse at home than they did on the road. I don't see TNT beating Guatemala at home.
Yes shite does happen. But how can we do well against the haves if we've struggled against the have-nots? Portugal had a one game struggle against a much weaker opponent. We've had like 4 games where we had to come back from against a weaker team.
I thought it was two games they strugled. In Jamaica & Panama. If you count those two El Salvador games. The boys had the lead. So I don't believe it was that much of a struggle. It was just annoyance.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks I won't say it like you did, but this is a brutal team. Absolutely brutal, and as I stated before I fear this match. Not because of the skill, but because of the blatant brutality I expect (Why shouldn't we? It happens every time we play them in qualies when it counts) from this team. We will need a strong ref, which we haven't had against them, and I expect the worst. I agree that a guy like CC may help. Then again, these little guys will probably flop everywhere after chopping Boca, Gooch, CC, BAke et al in the ankles screaming for mercy against our big brutes looking for free kicks. I predict Ruiz hits the floor about 25 times. You know he will get a few of them. The game is mths away and I am already annoyed. Great.
don't worry we always play better in the desperate situation but, i hope that's not the case, we don't want to be in the desperate situation anymore...
maradiaga, the guatemalan current coach has them playing inspired soccer, easily the best I've ever seen from the guatemalans... honduras must be very disappointed one of their national heros from the 1982 WC in spain is coaching guatemala....honduras with a HEALTHY david suazo would have been a very dangerous hex opponent... if you want to go on the road and play stupid physical get even soccer, be prepared to play a man down for lengthy periods.... only stupid football prevents usa from advancing....... play smart....and usa talents tells the story
Didn't read the thread but this is a joke, right? I think I'm in the majority when I say Mexico had a joke group, right? The way the draw occured, it was going to happen for MEX, USA or CRC...just happened to be Mexico. With having dealt with such a weak group, I hope it comes back to bite Mexico in the butt. I think the USA was put into the best situation...not too easy, not too hard.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks Takk. What's the matter? You don't have to clean it up. This isn't political correctness, we all know what type of footballers the Guatemalans are. I respect their toughness & heart. I just realistically don't approve of their methods. So there you go. I WANT ONE OF THE BOYS TO BREAK THEIR BALLS! And I don't care who knows.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks Just to clarify. Nothing to do with PC. What I should have stressed is the part of going studs up on the keeper, breaking legs, etc. I believe that blatant retaliation will only hurt us. We will get one of our guys thrown out (Eddie Lewis anyone) and put ourselves in a abd spot. Physically stand up to them, but keep it in check. Very hard line to keep. Especially when I agree with you that these guys are nothing short of a bunch of butchers who will try to bait us and dive at every opportunity. Shivers...the ugliness to come.
To be honest i think Mexico's participation in the Copa America this summer made up for their weak group during qualifiers. I think LaVolpe had more games to tinker with his lineup against stronger teams. It's not like this group of qualifiers were their only games for 2004. If that were the case, then I would then agree that Mexico would be unprepared for the Hex. I just think it's silly to think Mexico's coming into the Hex completely blind to their situation.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks I apologize for mis-reading what you said Takk. No problem. But your right. Be physical, but not reckless. Still that Eddie Lewis Elbow was not a red card foul from the last Home qualifier in DC. But if there's going to be a careless hack from Guatemala, then it's open season and the boys should take advantage of it.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks I was there for that one (my first US match) and it's still the dirtiest match I've ever seen. Combine that one with Ruiz's antics in the Guatemalan jungle in the last cycle and you'll understand why I'd love to see John Doyle subbed in for the last twenty of the 2nd match next year, after we've secured qualifcation.
Re: Hex prediction just for kicks No need ever to apologize to me. I wasn't clear and my feelings can't be hurt on an internet board (unlike many unfortuantely who are way too passionate - save it for the actual match - emotional and thin skinned) I agree that the 96 match should be rquired viewing. Matches after that seem tame in comparison...and they really weren't. I truely dislike this team, and I really don't hate other squads, even Mexico (their fouling is usually just plain stupid and usually helps us) because they try and injure with the type of fouling they do. Malicious. Check out the keeper after Bake's goal last time - cold & calculated. After the last several years I expect nothing but the worst from them until I see different. The only hope is a strong ref, and that never seems to happen against them.
I was there at rfk for thwe '96 match, where the object appeared to be rak a few legs, mixed with a jamaican ref who was totally incompetent... it seems to me, despite ruiz gamesmanship, guatemala, under maradiaga, has been exhibiting a much higher level of technical play.... and if, you want to get involved in the gamesmanship, it's quite likely a ref will red card you for it, and then, given the HIGHER than normal, for guatemala, technical and tactical ability, the GUATEMALANS will punish the USA on the scoreboard... so usa wins the macho award, and losses the scorebroad.... arena will heavily penalize any usa player engaging in that sort of behavior...and given the depth of talent, such a player losing his cool just might find himself on the outside looking in june of 2006... but that player would have satisfied the bs bloodlust and become a cult hero foreverer!!
i am looking forward to watching many of the hex games.. especially when the US plays. Being that i am kinda of new to football, i would like some advice. Which players in the US team should i be looking at...who are the standouts, most talented,.. which have the greatest chance of going to germany in 2006? thank you in advance for your responses
I think one of the players that will be key for us is Eddie Johnson. I hate to put undue pressure on this kid. He hasn't even played a full 90 minutes for the US yet, but someone will need to consistently score goals. I'm probably in the minority who feel that McBride still has a lot to offer but Josh Wolff is IMO getting more and more useless as time goes on. Conor Casey has done little to secure a starting spot and other MLS goalscorers like Brian Ching and Taylor Twellman aren't solid options at this point. Eddie Johnson is the type of player that could be very problematic for the other five teams in the hex. But putting all your hopes on a 20-year-old is dangerous. Well, I wouldn't say i'm putting all my hopes on EJ but I think he will need to carry some of the scoring burden next year.
True enough. But it IS known as football or futbol throughout the entire world, with the exception of the USofA.
I am nervous, curious and excited about the positional start draw this coming Tuesday, I hope that we will get a good seed and start out strong. It's coming this tuesday I know. But I have to tell you that it's going to be very interesting to see where the boys start.
I think everyone knows by now that when it comes to soccer, what the world outside of the US thinks matters very little to me.