USA vs Italy--PRE-match thread

Arena, pace condizionata
Il c.t. Usa: "Johnson ha sbagliato a parlare di guerra, è solo una partita di calcio. Ma a noi servono 6 punti". Due cambi nella formazione Usa



KAISERSLAUTERN (Germania), 16 giugno 2006 - La corazzata Bruce Arena è approdata al Fritz Walter alle 15. Definizione per nulla esagerata vista la scorta che ha accompagnato la Nazionale degli Stati Uniti da Ramstein a Kaiserslautern. Quindici chilometri da film a stelle e strisce, con gli elicotteri che hanno seguito il corteo dall'alto. Nella conferenza stampa, il c.t. che sembra uscito da un film di Martin Scorsese, ha subito stemperato la tensione, dopo alcune dichiarazioni scellerate di Eddie Johnson. Il bellicoso e arrogante attaccante, ieri aveva paragonato Italia-Usa a una guerra. Per Arena, chiare origini italiane, quella di domani "è solo una partita di calcio". "Nessuno tra noi è così stupido per non pensare che questo sia solo un incontro di pallone. Anzi, colgo l'occasione per solidarizzare con i soldati italiani in Iraq", ha aggiunto nella conferenza stampa della vigilia. Su Johnson poche parole, ma chiare: "E' giovane, ha sbagliato a parlare".
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Mond...o/16/usa.shtml

Arena, conditions peace
The c.t.says: "Johnson was wrong to speak of the war, it is only a game of soccer. We need 6 points." There will be two changes in the formation of the Usa:


KAISERSLAUTERN (Germany), June 16 th 2006 - the armors Bruce Arena has landed on the Fritz Walter Stadium at 3PM. The definition has not been at all exaggerated looking at the escort that has accompanied the USMNT from Ramstein to Kaiserslautern. Fifteen km from where the movie stars & strips was filmed , with helicopters that have followed the team from up above. In the press conference, the c.t. seems to have come out of a film made by Martin Scorsese, he has immediately dissolved the tension after some villainous declarations of Eddie Johnson. The warlike one and arrogant attack, that the player had compared yesterday to for the Italy match when he referred to the game as a war. For Arena, who is of Italian origins, tomorrow "it is only a game of soccer." "Nobody among us is that stupid to think that this is only a game with a ball. I'd rather like to use this as an occasion for solidarity with the Italian soldiers in Iraq,", he added in the press conference on the eve of the match. When he spoke of Johnson, he said a few words, but said : "He is young", and was definitely wrong to speak (of war)."

 

Eddie Johnson, bellicose & arrogant??

Maybe his words were NOT the "smartest choice" he could've have made but if it "lights a fire" under him AND the USMNT, I'm ALL FOR IT!!!

If the Italians really need those comments to get "fired up" for the USMNT, then I feel pretty good about our chances tomorrow!!

GO, USA!!!

 

On "The War" analogy... I think this is both a cultural and generational issue. Phrases like "Me and my soliders" and "its going to be a war," "going into battle with these guys every day, etc etc" are ALWAYS used in basketball, football, baseball and hip hop. Even soccer hater Jim Rome uses the phrase WAR as a 'rah rah' joke on his (unlistenable) show. Battling, going to war, etc-- these terms have been used by athletes for decades now, and used by rappers for equally as long. It is the "us against the world" mentality. Eddie Johnson doesn't know any more about going to war than Ray Lewis or Shaq or Bret Favre, but I think he didn't understand that what is pretty much a sports cliché in the US would be taken out of context in the World Cup and seen to be literal. I have no doubt in my mind that he was speaking in a clichéd metaphor, one that I personally think is tired and which overstates the reality of sport by a huge margin. That said, this should be a non-issue. If it fires Eddie up to think of himself in a battle, then by all means, think it. We need all the fire we can get now. But OBVIOUSLY, he doesn't think of a football match as an actual war. I blame the foreign media for not understanding the context of sports culture in the US. Criticize that if you like, but don't blame Eddie for something he didn't mean.

 

Thank you. In one stupid sentence you managed to insult my mother, sister, wife and 2 daughters. Oh, and please tell your mother that those scratches on my back from her are healing nicely!

 

That "Italy has more strikers..." article was spot on.

The Italian coach was even quoted about moving away from the defense-first style. Since the US team was so badly shaken in the previous game, expect Italy to throw everything (and the kitchen sink) at them in the first 15 or so minutes to get them even farther off their game.

This is why we need a solid 4+2 defensive shell in the back and fast, athletic wingers and strikers in front to hit them on the counter. Play for a 1-0 (or 2-0) win.

Thus:

-------------------Keller---------------
Boca--Gooch--Berhalter--Pope/Lewis
----------JOB------Reyna----------------
Dempsey-----------------Convey/DMB
-------------Donovan-------------------
--------------Johnson-------------------

If Pope is capable of playing left back, put him there. Maybe Albright? We need a solid back line - no wing backs moving up, no or little Reyna on the break, unless we have a lead. Lots of hard physical play is needed on defense. Get a few defensive subs on the bench, we'll end up with lots of yellows.

Beasley has the skills and speed to do really well in this type of game, so put him in ONLY IF his head is out of his butt and is ready to go full out in an (PSV style) offensive role. Convey had a lot of heart in the Czech game, but his crosses were very weak. He needs to attack with the ball if playing. No bad lobs right to opposing defenders.

Donovan really needs to prove his many detractors wrong in this game.

McBride has no business being out there against Italy (much tougher than Czech, where he did nothing), especially in a defensive 4-4-1-1. Cherrypicking won't work at a World Cup. Go with Johnson, since he's playing with no fear, and he'll at least pressure the Italian back line.

Using a 4-2-4 against a quality team like Italy = suicide. If the US is tied with 10 minutes left, maybe.

 

There are a few things I know, I think and I hope will happen tomorrow:

I Know: we will play better than on Monday, we're wearing white (good luck, or not bad luck v. blue), and we will have more fans in the stands than on Monday. I know that the future of US Soccer does not depend on this game.

I think: we will have more luck in this game, that O'Brien, EJ will start, Beas will sit, and Dempsey will get some playing time.

I hope: we get some kind of result in this game to keep our tournament chances alive.

Go USA!!!

 

I agree and I forgot to list this in this thread also.
Its a cultural thing. The trouble is when translated it don't sound too good.
Well like I said before, now days we all must watch what we say. What means something in one language or country means something totally different in America. Unfortunately, in this age of media crazy paparazzi and looking for a controversial story, I think the press is looking for something just like this to capitalize on and write something about it. Because it was said by an American, all the more ammunition(so to speak) to write about it.
The thing is, this war like lingo and/or mentality is used in all American football and sporting matches. The CBS/NBC/ABC have used this talk forever when it comes time for AFC/NFC & Super Bowl Championships. Its mostly an American thing and we don't even really know or think it will affect someone else by saying it. The reference to war however, was referred directly to the match. Last Sunday, someone on ESPN mention WW2 & the the Holocaust over and over and non of it had to do with the game of soccer. Someone must have complained becuase, I haven't herd it since.

 

Let's all sing together now . . . "Oh so la LOSERS!!!"

Forza USA.

 

If you are right and Italy really comes after us in the first 15, a 3-5-2 makes the most sense. Open in a 5-3-2 and spring the counter out of it.

 

If only the USA could play 20 % like ARgentina today! we'll be okay LOL...

SALUDOS ARGENTINA CAMPEON..


Tommorrow is DUE OR DIE.... COME ON USA!

 

Solamente se un certo napolitano Diego Armando scende giu dalla tribuna e gioca, magari hai ragione!
Only if a certian Neopolitan named Diego Armando comes down from the stands and palys, then maybe you will be right!

 

anyone know which jerseys we'll be wearing? White or Blue?

 

Blue. We'll don the white against Ghana.

 

May I ask how you know that for sure? Not doubting you, just really want to be sure because we NEVER win in the blues!

Never mind ... we'll be wearing WHITE according to U.S. Soccer ... under 'quick hits'

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_281075.html

 

Nope... go to http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_281075.html

under quick hits it says

• The U.S. will wear white shirts, blue shorts and white socks, while the Italians will wear their familiar azzuri (blue) top, white shorts and blue socks

changed form the initial blue tops for the US and white tops for Italy...

I posted this earlier in this thread...

 

Accourding to russian web site gazeta.ru, Howard WILL start the game

 

USA= Bianco/White
Azzurri=Azzurro/Blue

 

At this critical moment, I really missed Friedel...

 

REALLY? Howard? That's surprising, not because Howard is a worse goalie because he is actually great, but I had always thought that for every world cup game Keller would start. I guess the 3-0 loss was the dismal performance that was needed to trigger a change in the goalie position. It would be a shame if Keller didn't play again and went out like this, a real shame.

Is any other site confirming this information and do you have a URL?

 

Excellent, blue jerseys are bad luck for us.

 

I find it hard to believe that Timmy starts unless our defensive strategy is to take Italy's strikers down in the box and hope Howard can save the PKs.

 

Most likely you are correct the Russian sites not that accurate, but still it is shocking
It was not lineup it just said that KK will be bunched for Italy game

 

actually I like Howard starting... Just dont let anyone cross, and we'll be golden.

and thank god we're in the white. our blues and thier whites look like thrift store reject items.

 

I hope that Bocanegra plays instead of either GOOCH or Pope. I know their history, I know their experience, I know all that crap, but I also know they really didn't play well at all and this is no time for loyalty!