I don't know what's worse. his tattoo or the statue that the mexicans errected of him outside of their best soccer stadium?
Official World Cup 2010 thread
- Thread starter Zeno
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I have to agree. He helped get his best player sent off against ivory coast. that last 20 mins of that game was unbearable to watch. I think this brazilian squad is soft. there is a lot of whining and diving going on with them. I don't think they have the mental toughness to win it all. but certainly the skill and talent is never missing.
ghana will be tough. they have done everything well, but score. certainly you'd rather see ghana than germany, but this ghana team has impressed me when i've watched them. you also cannot discount what they have done over the last decade. the americans will have to put the ball in the net more than they did against algeria to win this one. I hope i'm wrong, but I think this will be very tough for the USA. It will take their best game of the WC to win this one.
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Zeno
Ancient
Aside from making the round of 16 in 2006 and doing well in youth tournaments what has Ghana done in the last decade? They haven't won the Africa Cup since the 80's and have never won a knockout game at the WC.
I agree that the game will be tough but 1 goal could very well win it. Defensively they are tough but offensively they are nothing special, especially with Essien not playing. A defensive or goalkeeping mistake by either side may decide the match.
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Zeno
Ancient
Fabregas likes our chances...
http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/wo...backs-U-S-to-reach-semi-finals?urn=sow,251224
http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/wo...backs-U-S-to-reach-semi-finals?urn=sow,251224
conraddobler
I want my 2$
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IMO they're a lot like the Cardinals team that went to the SB, shrouded by past failure, mocked and laughed at, underated talent wise and heart bigger than you can measure.
That kind of stuff is dangerous in any tournament, very dangerous.
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Zeno
Ancient
Great comparison, I hadn't considered that. Team chemistry seems huge with this group too. For all of the faults of Bob Bradley he has built a group that trusts each other, lean on each other and from everything I have seen, heard and read genuinely like each other...that is huge.
Chaplin
Better off silent
And that is one of the many reasons why I love Cesc Fabregas. ESPN today said that Brazil is everyone's second favorite team. But watching David Villa hit that 40-yarder today and Fabregas' comments, and Spain is pretty high up there.
for starters they came out of the group of death last tournament...a feat that we failed to accomplish. they beat us head to head. They, like america, are a nation on the rise in football.
one goal could win it, but I wouldn't judge ghana by their lack of goals. they have a lot of attacking ability. the goals just haven't been there for them, but they have had a lot of chances. a mistake or two, which the USA has shown to have at the back each game, could lead to a goal or two for ghana. they are a good squad. I think the USA needs to look back at their last game and realize that they better get the ball in the net when the opportunity is there. they need to get a lead and build on it. rather than waiting around for a dramatic ending. that will catch up with them eventually.
azteca where he scored the goal of the century.
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Zeno
Ancient
That was hardly the group of death. The one with Argentina, The Netherlands and the Ivory Coast was. They beat us because 1) they got a gift PK and 2) Reyna gifted them a goal. Plus it really doesn't matter they did in '06 they have what 4-5 players from that last tournament?
Then their lack of goals isn't just confined to this World Cup, they haven't scored more than 1 goal since November.
czech republic, italy, and USA were all fifa ranked top 15 going in and many people were touting ghana as a cinderella in the making because of their talent. I guess they were right. I guess the UsA were overrated as well by the fifa ranks. czech republic had a quality team and italy won the damn thing. going in they were considered the group of death. at least as far as i recall...maybe in retrospect it changed, idk. who was the 4th team in this other group that you speak of? A real group of death has 4 teams that are quality. this year there is no true group of death. ghana beat the USA fair and square. they were a better team at least on that day. they gave a goal to dempsey/beasley in the same manner as reyna gave one to them....on a poor turnover in the back end. the PK was phantom, but the USA were not good enough to recover. you can't blame the refs in football...well at least luckily this go around we were good enough not to put it on the refs. I'd say in reality we were as good as ghana were, but that just goes to show what can happen in football.
I'm not saying that 4 years ago matters now. I'm just showing results that prove that ghana is a worthy football nation that is on the rise. and they have been africa's best showing at the world cup..
I'm not saying we can't beat ghana. I think we will if we put the ball in the net this time when we have the chance. I'm just saying you cannot deny what they have done. sure they haven't scored a lot of goals, but it only takes one or as we saw last time a bad call. they are a quality side...wouldn't be here if they wern't..period.
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well I can see how sometimes people could fall in love with brazil...like they have the yankees...cowboys...lakers etc. but I can't love a brazil that plays like they are now. Just for the record I don't cheer for brazil, I would cheer for the team that plays against them. I will admit normally they are entertaining to watch. just not so far this WC. if anything they are annoying with all of the extra dramatics. that game yesterday was a terrible disappointment. and the ending of the ivory coast game was garbage.
true... i think we've seen some big powers struggling with team unity so far. not just england and france(not that france are a power these days). but italy...and even some of the other top notch powers haven't been maximizing their efforts. I'm curious to see how long argentina can keep up their form. I want to see how they react to their first adverse situation. we'll see if mexico can bring it.
I think the USA has struggled on some communication breakdowns against england and slovenia, but they seem to have fixed that. The one thing I will say is you see the true spirit and grit of a team when things go sour. For the USA that was 5 mins into the start of their World cup and they stuck together. Then again against slovenia. And they could have dropped their heads after they watched chance after chance go by the wayside in the last game, but they didn't give up. We've seen what some teams have done in this WC when things go wrong. so good on the USA for fighting tough.
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Milgod
Hall of Famer
That was in no way fair and square. It was never a penalty. You can say all you want about the US should have recovered but taking a blow like that hurts. When the ref hands the opposition a goal it hurts.
Reyna was also fouled when he gifted them a goal.
I think it will be tough today, really tough, but I know the US can win. Ghana have weaknesses just like we do.
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
I know a lot has been said about our defense and how bad it has been this WC, but I really think we're going to gell defensively today and shut Ghana down. Why? Sadly, because the best defender on our national team has been our worst defender in this WC. ***** just doesn't have it back yet, whether or not he's still limping or he's just not in form. He absolutely killed us in the first two games. Our defense broke down early against Algeria, but then they really stepped it up and played quality D. Being that that defense had never played together before, they did amazing work. I think today they can continue that and, as long as our midfielders don't let players get free runs towards the back line, we should be fine.
I'm nervous about the game, yeah, and I don't think it's a given, but I'm pretty sure we're winning this game. I'm quite confident.
I'm nervous about the game, yeah, and I don't think it's a given, but I'm pretty sure we're winning this game. I'm quite confident.
Uruguay and South Korea currently 1-1. Uruguay's defense has looked a little soft the past few minutes. The South Korean GK almost gave back the lead by backing up to catch the ball and he caught it with his body halfway into the goal. The ball just stayed outside but it didn't look like he knew quite where he was.
Sweet 2nd goal by Uruguay.
Uruguay wins - advances to Quarters
Uruguay wins - advances to Quarters
First time i've heard of this. Pic?
I hate the bunker teams like Uruguay. I wish they'd man up and play man to man. Suarez' second gol was very nice.
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
If we advance, the good news is that Uruguay is not invincible defensively and, if a team possesses the ball against them, they can definitely score. The bad news is that their quality scorers are high-quality and are tough to stop.
No doubt about it--if we advance, it's going to be a hell of a tough game against Uruguay. I'm confident we can win it, just as I'm confident we'll win today, but it'll take everything we have. I think we have a far easier match today than we will if we advance to face Uruguay.
No doubt about it--if we advance, it's going to be a hell of a tough game against Uruguay. I'm confident we can win it, just as I'm confident we'll win today, but it'll take everything we have. I think we have a far easier match today than we will if we advance to face Uruguay.
I don't believe that any team is, but they are about as close to it as there is in this WC. Especially if they stack up 8 defenders like they've done in about every game except the one vs SA.
rode kardinaal
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Finley up top again, WTF!
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Findley AGAIN? Christ! We cannot have a youngster that can't hold onto the ball in the fracking lineup, especially against speedsters that we need to counteer by POSSESSING THE BALL! Ricardo Clark? SERIOUSLY? The guy who CANNOT HOLD THE BALL!!! EFFING BRADLEY!!! I swear to god, if we lose because of his EFFING lineup idiocy, I will be the first to call for his job! FRACK!!!
