Official World Cup 2010 thread

[Tyler]

This game has been nothing short of boring. what do we have 4 total shots on goal?

 

[Chaplin]

Italy/Paraguay has the chance of being one of the better games in the tournament, hopefully it will turn out that way.

 

[Shzm13]

Another upset brewing?

I know it was just a friendly, but Italy struggled greatly to contain Mexico.
Paraguay plays a similar style, but they're missing their main man Salvador Cabanas.

If Paraguay scores first, they can get the W

 

[rode kardinaal]

Robben better bring his scoring boots. Mexico played a weird combo of players in their friendly and Netherlands didnt really look too impressive. Soon as Gio-Vela-Hernandez were in, they could not contain them. It'll be interesting to see how they fare vs other more offensive teams.

Don't forget that we didn't play the best combo of players either in that game. That game was the last game before the final cuts had to be made, so the bubble players were all tested one last time, especially the defensive midfield and the outside defenders.

Robben's presence would be nice though.

 

[Lorenzo]

Take it however you'd like to. We could always just look at the last match played between US-MX

we could...it wasn't a terrible game by the us in mexico city. donovan playing with the swine flu made the play of the game to slip in davies. soon and very soon I see a USA victory in Mexico City. To be fair, the USA and Mexico at this point have been trading home victories for the last decade. The best game to judge would be the one game on a neutral setting that mattered more than any other. that would be the 2002 knockout game in which mexico lost its grip that it once held on the United States.

 

[Lorenzo]

Don't forget that we didn't play the best combo of players either in that game. That game was the last game before the final cuts had to be made, so the bubble players were all tested one last time, especially the defensive midfield and the outside defenders.

Robben's presence would be nice though.

didn't mexico lose that game anyway? I wouldn't put mexico on their level. they would lose to a full dutch side.

 

[Shzm13]

Don't forget that we didn't play the best combo of players either in that game. That game was the last game before the final cuts had to be made, so the bubble players were all tested one last time, especially the defensive midfield and the outside defenders.

Robben's presence would be nice though.

Yeah, but realistically, Mexico isn't a legit threat to win the cup. Netherlands, id say is right up there with Spain, England, Brazil. Those teams are usually deep from top to bottom.

 

[Shzm13]

we could...it wasn't a terrible game by the us in mexico city. donovan playing with the swine flu made the play of the game to slip in davies. soon and very soon I see a USA victory in Mexico City. To be fair, the USA and Mexico at this point have been trading home victories for the last decade. The best game to judge would be the one game on a neutral setting that mattered more than any other. that would be the 2002 knockout game in which mexico lost its grip that it once held on the United States.

Don't get too confident. Donovans getting old, and the talent pool for the US is remarkably shallow.

On the other side, Mexicos got youngsters in Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona, some of the best clubs in the world.

The run is over.

 

[Lorenzo]

Another upset brewing?

I know it was just a friendly, but Italy struggled greatly to contain Mexico.
Paraguay plays a similar style, but they're missing their main man Salvador Cabanas.

If Paraguay scores first, they can get the W

We shall see...everyone is writing italy off. what did rudy tomjonavic once say? Some of the worst italy teams have still been very dangerous in the WC. certainly wouldn't judge them by a friendly. However, italy has not looked like themselves over the last 2 years or so. they looked very shaky in the euro's and in the confederations cup...losing bad to the big teams. maybe they can pull a boston celtics.

 

[Lorenzo]

Don't get too confident. Donovans getting old, and the talent pool for the US is remarkably shallow.

On the other side, Mexicos got youngsters in Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona, some of the best clubs in the world.

The run is over.

donovan is only 28 and he is as good as any player on the mexican roster from an overall standpoint at a similiar position. I think he has 4-6 solid years left on the international level. I'm not saying the USA will surely beat them i just foresee it happening in the near future, your logic just doesn't add up though. Are you mexican by the way?

Anyway I have mexican family that have been telling me what you are saying for the last decade....and rather than this so called mexican dominance...i see the same mexican team as always. good...not great. and the USA appears to slowly, but surely, show progress.

I do agree that mexico for once does have some promising young talent, but a few strikers/midfielder don't make a team. It still took an old center back to score their goal against South Africa and it appears you can't score without having a washed up cuatemoc blanco on the field. that will be a problem moving forward when the competition gets tougher.

who knows maybe donovan will be doing what blanco is doing in 10 years lol.

 

[Lorenzo]

my favorite young mexican player is andres guardado. I like his idea of playing in spain and his belief that he needs to stay in a league that has hispanic culture so he can maximize his potential. the best mexican players have done well in spain, but haven't done well in the EPL. getting an invite to Machester United means nothing if you can't get on the field and stay there. we will see what happens with hernandez. certainly the devils are looking for a striker to pair with rooney, but they have been keen to go for the big name. don't be surprised to see chicharito left out in the cold if they aren't willing to be patient for him.

 

[Shzm13]

I wouldn't rule it out. Blanco was great for Mexico in the qualifiers, but with the emergence of the man on my signature, Giovani Dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez are the offense. When Blanco is mixed with those 3, the offense goes poopy. He's done with the team. You're right, those players at big clubs don't make the team, but the rest of the players who arent at big clubs just yet, help solidify it from all angles. Efrain Juarez, former Barcelona product now playing in Mexico, Andres Guardado, playing in Deportivo La Coruna in Spain, Hector Moreno, AZ Alkmaar in Netherlands.

Marquez is the old warhorse, he's said hes done after this cup though. Luckily we've got talent to replace his defensive abilities. His passing will sorely be missed though.

 

[Shzm13]

my favorite young mexican player is andres guardado. I like his idea of playing in spain and his belief that he needs to stay in a league that has hispanic culture so he can maximize his potential. the best mexican players have done well in spain, but haven't done well in the EPL. getting an invite to Machester United means nothing if you can't get on the field and stay there. we will see what happens with hernandez. certainly the devils are looking for a striker to pair with rooney, but they have been keen to go for the big name. don't be surprised to see chicharito left out in the cold if they aren't willing to be patient for him.

Guardado is ready for an upgrade. Love that Deportivo gave him a chance, but that team isn't very good. Im glad that teams like Fiorentina, Aston Villa, Roma have shown interest in him.

Exactly how i felt about Hernandez going to ManU. They're going to expect instant productivity. Hes managed to be a consistent scorer on club and international levels. It will be interesting to see what he can do in the EPL.

 

[Lorenzo]

Guardado is ready for an upgrade. Love that Deportivo gave him a chance, but that team isn't very good. Im glad that teams like Fiorentina, Aston Villa, Roma have shown interest in him.

Exactly how i felt about Hernandez going to ManU. They're going to expect instant productivity. Hes managed to be a consistent scorer on club and international levels. It will be interesting to see what he can do in the EPL.

we'll see. it's gotta be tough for mexican players. While I understand why guys like clint dempsey, jozy altidore, landon donovan, and tim howard are desperate to get to europe where they have some true competition even if it means going through some severe growing pains..they are willing to do it because the mls isn't recognized by americans...much less american soccer fans...

it's gotta be tough for the mexican players that go abroad. they are looking for the big time as well, but they are leaving behind a league where they are beloved and worshiped. it's a risk for those guys...I think that is why they often don't enjoy great success abroad. homesickness is probably worse on the mexican players. especially the one's playing in england.

 

[Shzm13]

Gotta love Referee Marco Antonio Rodriguez giving Ozil a yellow for flopping. Other refs should start doing the same.

Only country to have multiple refs in this WC. Guess they're doing something right down there, eh, Zeno?

 

[Shzm13]

I got Italy winning, but I hope Paraguay plays well.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Don't get too confident. Donovans getting old, and the talent pool for the US is remarkably shallow.


The run is over.

Where do you get that? We have more players playing overseas than ever before. Record breaking contract signing etc. How is that getting shallower than before?

 

[Shzm13]

Where do you get that? We have more players playing overseas than ever before. Record breaking contract signing etc. How is that getting shallower than before?

Youth? Read me some names please.

 

[Lorenzo]

Where do you get that? We have more players playing overseas than ever before. Record breaking contract signing etc. How is that getting shallower than before?

it's just what mexican fans say to help them sleep at night. life was easier when they were the only team in concacaf. that ended in 2002 when they got backslapped in the world cup on a neutral field. After that game mexican football were out of excuses that may have been buyable previously when the USA would defeat them. Donovan might be the only guy left from that team that still plays, but he is only 28 years old. It's funny because shortly after that game many mexican fans were saying that the crop of old USA players were going away and there was no promising youth that would be there to carry the americans forward. 8 years later nothing has changed. now it's the mexican youth that is the difference moving forward. go figure.

 

[Shzm13]

GOOOOOOOOL Paraguay

 

[Lorenzo]

Youth? Read me some names please.

Our best veteran is only 28 and he is already shattered all of the USA national records...most of our current national team is young and have already proven that they are capable of big things when putting the national shirt on. let's see michael bradley had his best ever game against mexico...before his egypt game in the confed cup. he's young...clint dempsey is young and has already scored in 2 world cups. jozy altidore is only 20. One place where we need better develpment is at the back end, but so does ENGLAND! we still have ***** who is still young and spector who is young as well. I'm sure there are other young kids coming up in the system. it's a shame that charlie davies got injured..he looked to be a promising young striker before his injury. If anything USA soccer is all about youth...

 

[Shzm13]

it's just what mexican fans say to help them sleep at night. life was easier when they were the only team in concacaf. that ended in 2002 when they got backslapped in the world cup on a neutral field. After that game mexican football were out of excuses that may have been buyable previously when the USA would defeat them. Donovan might be the only guy left from that team that still plays, but he is only 28 years old. It's funny because shortly after that game many mexican fans were saying that the crop of old USA players were going away and there was no promising youth that would be there to carry the americans forward. 8 years later nothing has changed. now it's the mexican youth that is the difference moving forward. go figure.

Look at the U17s, the U20s. Nothing.

I'll be thrilled when I see an American on the Barca squad.

 

[Lorenzo]

Look at the U17s, the U20s. Nothing.

I'll be thrilled when I see an American on the Barca squad.

American's are not keen to play in spain and then barca/real madrid are all world teams...we don't speak spanish nor do we have a world class player outside of tim howard who did play for manchester united. It's more likely you will see them on manchester united, chelsea, or arsenal in a english environment if america does get a top quality player like that.

however, i don't really care about that so much. I will be thrilled so long as the USA keep beating mexico like they have. even if it means losing in the azteca stadium every 4 years. how do you know about under 20's though? that doesn't mean squat. look at how many under 20's that are big names and fizzle....landon donovan, jozy altidore, and ***** who are the very few that actually handled the pressure of being the real deal. then you have guys like clint dempsey that came out of nowhere and scoring world class goals in the EPL. you just never know.

One thing I will say is that this current american team is very young so there is no reason to believe that the mexicans are all of the sudden going to dominate because they have a few young guys that have recently signed contracts to play in europe.

 

[Shzm13]

American's are not keen to play in spain and then barca/real madrid are all world teams...we don't speak spanish nor do we have a world class player outside of tim howard who did play for manchester united. It's more likely you will see them on manchester united, chelsea, or arsenal in a english environment if america does get a top quality player like that.

God forbid Americans learn a different language other than English
I was just using Barca as an example of a world class team.

however, i don't really care about that so much. I will be thrilled so long as the USA keep beating mexico like they have. even if it means losing in the azteca stadium every 4 years.

They're getting beat in their own turf, too.

how do you know about under 20's though? that doesn't mean squat. look at how many under 20's that are big names and fizzle....landon donovan, jozy altidore, and ***** who are the very few that actually handled the pressure of being the real deal. then you have guys like clint dempsey that came out of nowhere and scoring world class goals in the EPL. you just never know.

Other than Altidore, whos done nothing in Spain and England, which other young players are worthy of mentioning? Torres? Holden? Spector is the only decent prospect in the defense, and that's about it. The U17, U20 teams have gotten embarrassed in competition vs other nations.

One thing I will say is that this current american team is very young so there is no reason to believe that the mexicans are all of the sudden going to dominate because they have a few young guys that have recently signed contracts to play in europe.

Refer back to last year's Gold Cup to see a good glimpse of that "youth" the US has got.

I don't hate the US, like most Mexico fans do, so im certainly hoping we get more "out of nowhere" guys like Dempsey.

 

[Shzm13]

Buffon out for Italy.

Paraguay keeps attacking. This teams "old" tag is definitely showing.