The Official World Cup Thread

[UMFan83]

Man if I was the coach of an event that only happens every 4 years and carries that much international pride and knowing that their team is in the position to basically assure a second round appearence, I would take no team for granted.

[USSoccer]

Man if I was the coach of an event that only happens every 4 years and carries that much international pride and knowing that their team is in the position to basically assure a second round appearence, I would take no team for granted.

 

The coach wouldn't, but as a player, if you have a perception of an opponent, it can play a powerful role in how focused you are on the field. I think the Italians are showing signs of overlooking us. To be so clueless about an opponent 2 days before a game is a very dangerous thing, and if they solely watch tape of the CZR game, or even the CZR game plus the send off series games, they're going to get a misleading, negative impression of us.

[Marco4]

 

Quoted for proof:

 

Of three Italian players asked what they knew about the American team, only midfielder Andrea Pirlo was able to name a single member of the US squad.

 

I'm thinking Italian mind-games. The pre-game is almost as important as the game in Italy.

[soccer10k]

Ecuador and Germany: the first two teams to officially advance to the knockout stage.

[sethuel1]

 

Quoted for proof:

 

Of three Italian players asked what they knew about the American team, only midfielder Andrea Pirlo was able to name a single member of the US squad.

 

 

That surprises me. Well, now that I think about who the Italian coach is, it doesn't really surprise me.

 

Italy looking so good in its first game surprised me.

[UMFan83]

Man if I was the coach of an event that only happens every 4 years and carries that much international pride and knowing that their team is in the position to basically assure a second round appearence, I would take no team for granted.

 

The coach wouldn't, but as a player, if you have a perception of an opponent, it can play a powerful role in how focused you are on the field. I think the Italians are showing signs of overlooking us. To be so clueless about an opponent 2 days before a game is a very dangerous thing, and if they solely watch tape of the CZR game, or even the CZR game plus the send off series games, they're going to get a misleading, negative impression of us.

 

Is it really misleading? They've been looking pretty damn awful lately. Sure they have the potential to play better, but will they?

[UMFan83]

Is England ever going to score on their own in this Tourney?

[USSoccer]

 

Quoted for proof:

 

Of three Italian players asked what they knew about the American team, only midfielder Andrea Pirlo was able to name a single member of the US squad.

 

 

That surprises me. Well, now that I think about who the Italian coach is, it doesn't really surprise me.

 

Italy looking so good in its first game surprised me.

 

Maybe it means that Ghana is weaker than we all thought...

[USSoccer]

Man if I was the coach of an event that only happens every 4 years and carries that much international pride and knowing that their team is in the position to basically assure a second round appearence, I would take no team for granted.

 

The coach wouldn't, but as a player, if you have a perception of an opponent, it can play a powerful role in how focused you are on the field. I think the Italians are showing signs of overlooking us. To be so clueless about an opponent 2 days before a game is a very dangerous thing, and if they solely watch tape of the CZR game, or even the CZR game plus the send off series games, they're going to get a misleading, negative impression of us.

 

Is it really misleading? They've been looking pretty damn awful lately. Sure they have the potential to play better, but will they?

 

Yes and no. The send off games weren't great indicators because instead of using lineups he'd be likely to use in the WC, Arena used different combos like he still needed to find guys out. That, IMO, was stupid. Given that our full squad hadn't played together in about a year, he should have had starters out there the whole time. So while we didn't look good, a lot of that was due to weird combos of players who would never see the field in WC play.

 

Also, the fact that he didn't play a starting lineup the whole time impacted the CZR game. It was the first time those guys had been on the field together, starting, in a while, and it's not shocking, for instance, that Lewis and Convey screwed up so badly leading to the first goal.

[soccer10k]

 

Quoted for proof:

 

Of three Italian players asked what they knew about the American team, only midfielder Andrea Pirlo was able to name a single member of the US squad.

 

 

That surprises me. Well, now that I think about who the Italian coach is, it doesn't really surprise me.

 

Italy looking so good in its first game surprised me.

 

Maybe it means that Ghana is weaker than we all thought...

 

I hope you're right becuase if Italy is that good, Ghana is decent as well and the US could be looking at an 0-3 WC finish. The US needs to hope that Ghana isn't as good as people thought or just didn't play very well.

[soccer10k]

You suck Peter Crouch. You have to at least put that one on goal when you're wide open.

[Jon]

Boy did Crouch blow that chance.

 

Too many moving parts, I reckon.

[soccer10k]

Man if I was the coach of an event that only happens every 4 years and carries that much international pride and knowing that their team is in the position to basically assure a second round appearence, I would take no team for granted.

 

The coach wouldn't, but as a player, if you have a perception of an opponent, it can play a powerful role in how focused you are on the field. I think the Italians are showing signs of overlooking us. To be so clueless about an opponent 2 days before a game is a very dangerous thing, and if they solely watch tape of the CZR game, or even the CZR game plus the send off series games, they're going to get a misleading, negative impression of us.

 

Is it really misleading? They've been looking pretty damn awful lately. Sure they have the potential to play better, but will they?

 

Yes and no. The send off games weren't great indicators because instead of using lineups he'd be likely to use in the WC, Arena used different combos like he still needed to find guys out. That, IMO, was stupid. Given that our full squad hadn't played together in about a year, he should have had starters out there the whole time. So while we didn't look good, a lot of that was due to weird combos of players who would never see the field in WC play.

 

Also, the fact that he didn't play a starting lineup the whole time impacted the CZR game. It was the first time those guys had been on the field together, starting, in a while, and it's not shocking, for instance, that Lewis and Convey screwed up so badly leading to the first goal.

 

So the question ends up being how quickly can the US gel? It was stupid that Arena didn't play the team together because the three send off games should have been preparation games. By the third game you should have had your team figured out.

[soccer10k]

Excellent play by John Terry to save that goal.

 

This is turning out to be a very entertaining game.

[Jon]

Damn! How did that not go in?

[USSoccer]

Man if I was the coach of an event that only happens every 4 years and carries that much international pride and knowing that their team is in the position to basically assure a second round appearence, I would take no team for granted.

 

The coach wouldn't, but as a player, if you have a perception of an opponent, it can play a powerful role in how focused you are on the field. I think the Italians are showing signs of overlooking us. To be so clueless about an opponent 2 days before a game is a very dangerous thing, and if they solely watch tape of the CZR game, or even the CZR game plus the send off series games, they're going to get a misleading, negative impression of us.

 

Is it really misleading? They've been looking pretty damn awful lately. Sure they have the potential to play better, but will they?

 

Yes and no. The send off games weren't great indicators because instead of using lineups he'd be likely to use in the WC, Arena used different combos like he still needed to find guys out. That, IMO, was stupid. Given that our full squad hadn't played together in about a year, he should have had starters out there the whole time. So while we didn't look good, a lot of that was due to weird combos of players who would never see the field in WC play.

 

Also, the fact that he didn't play a starting lineup the whole time impacted the CZR game. It was the first time those guys had been on the field together, starting, in a while, and it's not shocking, for instance, that Lewis and Convey screwed up so badly leading to the first goal.

 

So the question ends up being how quickly can the US gel? It was stupid that Arena didn't play the team together because the three send off games should have been preparation games. By the third game you should have had your team figured out.

 

I think that's one of the questions. It was stupid, for instance, not to play McBride and Donovan up front more if Arena was going to use them that way opening up. Likewise, to not have the back four woking together all 3 games was stupid.

 

I think Arena was more intent on evaluating the roles of his role players when he should have been making sure his team knew where each other would be in game-speed situations. It should have been much, much more important to get a shaky back line used to each other than getting John O'Brien from 70 to 75%, and getting Bob Bradley's kid in at the end of games.

[Jon]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060615/capt.wcham22106151511.wcup_world_cup_soccer_ecuador_costa_rica_wcham221.jpg

[soccer10k]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060615/capt.wcham22106151511.wcup_world_cup_soccer_ecuador_costa_rica_wcham221.jpg

 

That is awesome.

[soccer10k]

Rooney coming in for Owen. Why is Erickson leaving Crouch on the field?

 

So how long until Rooney gets sent off?

[lowest]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060615/capt.wcham22106151511.wcup_world_cup_soccer_ecuador_costa_rica_wcham221.jpg

 

That is awesome.

 

that came from his pants.

 

rooney and lennon ( 8) ) on!

[USSoccer]

Rooney coming in for Owen. Why is Erickson leaving Crouch on the field?

 

So how long until Rooney gets sent off?

 

Eriksson is the Dusty Baker of football managers for leaving Crouch on.

 

Somewhere, Sir Alex is throwing a fit.

Edited June 15, 2006 by USSoccer

[Jon]

From the front of his pants, no less. That thing had to stink like no other.

[UMFan83]

Rooney coming in for Owen. Why is Erickson leaving Crouch on the field?

 

So how long until Rooney gets sent off?

 

Is that a normal substitution (Rooney for Owen)? I know Rooney can only play limited time but it seems weird to replace Owen

[soccer10k]

Rooney coming in for Owen. Why is Erickson leaving Crouch on the field?

 

So how long until Rooney gets sent off?

 

Eriksson is the Dusty Baker of football managers for leaving Crouch on.

 

Somewhere, Sir Alex is throwing a fit.

 

Height never goes away.

[UMFan83]

Wait, sportsline says that Rooney came in for Crouch?