US Men's National Team Soccer Thread! (lower division thread)

[mcmwcat]

with the end of the European season it's now time to focus on the pinnacle of the world of futbol.  beginning June 11 most of the world will be focusing on the competition in South Africa. 

USA plays England on the 2nd day of the competition, June 12 and follows up with games June 18 and June 23.

my not so original picks to win it all are Spain or Brazil.  Spain has never won the competition before while Brazil is looking to get their 7th 6th title on their 5th continent. 

here is a sweet little map app with previews for each team: http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/map

[mcmwcat]

the 2 toughest groups as I see it are group D and group G. 

group G is the obvious choice as toughest with Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and their fodder, N. Korea.  Brazil is loaded with star talent.  Portugal features 2008 FIFA player of the year Christiano Ronaldo.  Ivory Coast is lead by EPL golden boot winner, Didier Drogba, who plays for Chelsea at the club level.

group C, i think, is being overlooked by many.  Germany, Serbia, Ghana and Australia compose the teams in this group.  Germany are always favorites to make a deep run.  Serbia, who had a great qualifying run, is loaded with players playing with top clubs throughout Europe and have a stout defense.  Ghana, playing on their home continent, had a nice run in 2006 in Germany and will be hoping for the return of one of the top defensive mids in the game, Michael Essien.  Australia also made it out the group in 2006 and are led by Everton striker, Tim Cahill.  if the US makes it out of their group they will have a tough task facing one of these 4 teams in the round of 16.

[mcmwcat]

17 days 10 hours 37 minutes

[mcmwcat]

England v Mexico in a friendly today should be interesting.  Mexico is going crazy w/ pre cup friendlies playing  Netherlands (26th), Portugal (30th),  and Italy (3rd).  they must have a split squad going or something because they also play Gambia on the 30th. 

USA warms up v Czech Republic (tomorrow),  Turkey (29th) and Australia in S Africa (5th)

[AppleJack]

England v Mexico in a friendly today should be interesting.  Mexico is going crazy w/ pre cup friendlies playing  Netherlands (26th), Portugal (30th),  and Italy (3rd).  they must have a split squad going or something because they also play Gambia on the 30th. 

USA warms up v Czech Republic (tomorrow),  Turkey (29th) and Australia in S Africa (5th)

I wonder if Gooch sees the pitch tomorrow. 

[mcmwcat]

England v Mexico in a friendly today should be interesting.  Mexico is going crazy w/ pre cup friendlies playing  Netherlands (26th), Portugal (30th),  and Italy (3rd).  they must have a split squad going or something because they also play Gambia on the 30th. 

USA warms up v Czech Republic (tomorrow),  Turkey (29th) and Australia in S Africa (5th)

I wonder if Gooch sees the pitch tomorrow. 

you would think unless he isn't fit.  some other usual starters who have played the last 6 months will probably sit this one out.  boca and demerit looks like they'll be left out.  http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2010/05/monday_kickaround_45.html

[mcmwcat]

I wonder if Gooch sees the pitch tomorrow. 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/soccer/2010/05/24/052410.ir_onyewu_soccer.SportsIllustrated/index.html

[get_HIT]

  unless we make it to the 'ship 

[Do Work Son]

 

[mcmwcat]

limeys 3 - 1 today over the mexicans in a friendly at wembley stadium.  it was a pretty dominant performance by the English who struck twice on corner kicks and netted another off a Glenn Johnson run through the Mexican defense finished by a nice left footed shot into the upper left corner from about 15 yards.  Mexico scored off a slop rebound.  typically, Mexico played dirty and tried to injure the English at almost every opportunity.  sadly they failed. 

[mcmwcat]

interesting analysis on spain's weaknesses based on tactics used in last year's u.s. - spain confed cup semis.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/world-cup-2010/writers/jonathan_wilson/05/25/torres.villa/index.html

[mcmwcat]

no Essien 

Essien has started only 23 Premier League games for Chelsea in the past two seasons as he has been dogged by injury.

Michael Essien ruled out of World Cup

[mcmwcat]

 

Knee injury rules Meghni out for Algeria

Long considered to be the ‘next Zidane’ by fans in France

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1183131/index.html

[Pexikan]

Knee injury rules Meghni out for Algeria

Long considered to be the ‘next Zidane’ by fans in France

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1183131/index.html

At least we have a better chance at finishing 2nd in our group. Because we sure as f*ck aren't beating England.
 

[mcmwcat]

Knee injury rules Meghni out for Algeria

Long considered to be the ‘next Zidane’ by fans in France

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1183131/index.html

At least we have a better chance at finishing 2nd in our group. Because we sure as f*ck aren't beating England.
 

draw 

[mcmwcat]

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1219988/index.html#subotic+serbian+wanderer

this Serbian kid, Nevin Subotic, could have been playing for the U.S.   probably better for his professional career in Europe to play for Serbia.

It was during a kickabout in a park in Florida, where the family ended up after only a short stay in Utah, that Subotic’s future as a budding footballer first took shape. The self-assured teenager saw an organised team training, marched up to the coach and asked if he could join. That coach just happened to be one Keith Fulk, then assistant of the USA U-17 national team. He was so impressed with Subotic’s raw technique, size and enthusiasm that he sent him directly up the chain at the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

“I was invited for a trial and I was with the American U-17 team for a year and a half," said Subotic, who played briefly for the US U-20s after lining up at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005. "It was a big step forward. I really learned to play football there and also about tactics.

"If I hadn’t been in the park that day, things could have turned out very differently for me. Maybe I would still be living in the US, working in a fast food restaurant or something.”

A falling out with U-20 coach Thomas Rongen soured Subotic’s rise in the USA ranks, prompting the player to consider his many options for full national team football. In the meantime, his club prospects were heading toward the stratosphere. Coach Jurgen Klopp brought the 17-year-old to German Bundesliga outfit Mainz in 2006/7, and served as both his coach and mentor. So, when Klopp moved to Borussia Dortmund the following season, Subotic followed.

[j-von]

I made an ESPN group for K-State fans if anybody wants to join in and fill out a bracket.

http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/en-us/group?groupID=26499

[mcmwcat]

I made an ESPN group for K-State fans if anybody wants to join in and fill out a bracket.

http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/en-us/group?groupID=26499

joined.  could mess w/ that bracket for hours.

[j-von]

I made an ESPN group for K-State fans if anybody wants to join in and fill out a bracket.

http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/en-us/group?groupID=26499

joined.  could mess w/ that bracket for hours.

I know, I stared at it for quite a while, especially once I figured out you could click the little blue buttons and see some interesting info on each team.  I made my bracket off of my first impressions, but I don't like that I went mostly with the favorites so I want to go back in later and try to pick a couple upsets so the final isn't #1 vs #2 with Brazil and Spain.

[ChiComCat]

I'm in, don't really know too much about soccer though.  (I am hoping to be one of those really annoying girls that win the NCAA pool off of dumb luck)

[Pexikan]

Joined.  I'm goin 'tina all the way.  I also predict Messi gets the golden boot.  This is Lionel's world.  We are all just guests of it.

[hemmy]

Soccer is so rough ridin' dumb

[scottwildcat]

Soccer is so fracking dumb

i agree with you for 3 years and 11 months out of 4 years but the 30 days that the world cup is going i'm all in. i would watch USA v (___insert country here___) in any high stakes heated competition.  <w/ stars and stripes

bring it on u fuckin brits

U-S-A! U-S-A!

[AppleJack]

In. Ivory Coast =  dark horse 

[j-von]

In. Ivory Coast =  dark horse