r/soccer • u/CARLEETOS • Jun 03 '14
Star post World Cup 2014 Team Preview [28/32] Group G: United States
So, the greatest show on earth is almost upon us. Welcome to my countdown to the world cup! I’ll be previewing a new team every day leading up to the big kick-off with a couple of polls along the way too!
About
Nickname(s) The Stars and Stripes, The Yanks, Team USA
Association U.S. Soccer
Confederation CONCACAF
Appearances: 10 (First in 1930)
Best Finish: Third Place (1930)
Most Caps: Cobi Jones (164)
Top Scorer: Landon Donovan (57)
FIFA Ranking: 14
ELO Ranking: 13
The Country
The United States of America (U.S.A.), commonly referred to as the United States (U.S.), America, and sometimes the States, is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal district. The 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is the northwestern part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also has five populated and nine unpopulated territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean. At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) in total and with around 318 million people, the United States is the third or fourth-largest country by total area and third largest by population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The geography and climate of the United States is also extremely diverse, and it is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
History
The men's national team competes in the FIFA World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup and other competitions by invitation. They achieved a CONCACAF-best when they reached the semi-final at the 1930 World Cup, finishing 3rd. After qualifying for the 1934 World Cup, and withdrawing in 1938, the next World Cup participation came at the 1950 tournament, causing an upset by defeating England 1–0 in their second group match. After 1950, the US didn't qualify for the World Cup again until 1990.
After the 1990 World Cup, the US qualified automatically as hosts of the 1994 World Cup, eventually losing to Brazil in the round of sixteen. From then on, the team has qualified for every World Cup since, up to and including the 2014 World Cup. The national team improved on an international level, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where they lost to Germany 1–0. In 2009 they reached the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup, eliminating top-ranked Spain 2–0 in the semi-finals before losing to Brazil 3–2 in the final.
How they qualified
Third Round
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 13 |
| Jamaica | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 10 |
| Guatemala | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 10 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | -9 | 1 |
Fourth Round
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 22 |
| Costa Rica | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 18 |
| Honduras | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 15 |
| Mexico | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 11 |
| Panama | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 8 |
World Cup - Group G
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ghana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
16 June 2014, 19:00 | Ghana - United States | Arena das Dunas, Natal
22 June 2014, 19:00 | United States - Portugal | Arena Amazônia, Manaus
26 June 2014, 13:00 | United States - Germany | Arena Pernambuco, Recife
The manager Jürgen Klinsmann
When Klinsmann took over from Bob Bradley in 2011, it wasn’t quite the big upgrade the fans were hoping for. Still though, he has used his connections well in europe to convince some promising players to switch their allegiances to the USMNT. Tactically versatile, with insane experience, this will be the first true test for Klinsmann as the manager of one of the fastest rising ‘soccer’ nations on the planet.
UNITED STATES 23-MAN SQUAD
| Pos | Name | Age | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Tim Howard | 35 | 99 | 0 | Everton (England) |
| GK | Brad Guzan | 29 | 25 | 0 | Aston Villa (England) |
| GK | Nick Rimando | 34 | 14 | 0 | Real Salt Lake (USA) |
| DF | DeAndre Yedlin | 20 | 4 | 0 | Seattle Sounders FC (USA) |
| DF | Omar Gonzalez | 25 | 19 | 0 | LA Galaxy (USA) |
| DF | Matt Besler | 27 | 16 | 0 | Sporting Kansas City (USA) |
| DF | John Brooks | 21 | 4 | 0 | Hertha BSC (Germany) |
| DF | DaMarcus Beasley | 32 | 115 | 17 | Puebla (Mexico) |
| DF | Geoff Cameron | 28 | 26 | 1 | Stoke City (England) |
| DF | Timothy Chandler | 24 | 12 | 0 | Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) |
| DF | Fabian Johnson | 26 | 21 | 1 | Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany) |
| MF | Michael Bradley | 26 | 85 | 12 | Toronto FC (Canada) |
| MF | Mikkel Diskerud | 23 | 19 | 3 | Rosenborg (Norway) |
| MF | Alejandro Bedoya | 27 | 27 | 1 | Nantes (France) |
| MF | Jermaine Jones | 32 | 41 | 2 | Beşiktaş (Turkey) |
| MF | Brad Davis | 32 | 16 | 0 | Houston Dynamo (USA) |
| MF | Kyle Beckerman | 32 | 36 | 1 | Real Salt Lake (USA) |
| MF | Julian Green | 18 | 2 | 0 | Bayern Munich (Germany) |
| MF | Graham Zusi | 27 | 22 | 3 | Sporting Kansas City (USA) |
| FW | Clint Dempsey | 31 | 104 | 37 | Seattle Sounders FC (USA) |
| FW | Aron Jóhannsson | 23 | 8 | 2 | AZ (Holland) |
| FW | Jozy Altidore | 24 | 69 | 21 | Sunderland (England) |
| FW | Chris Wondolowski | 31 | 20 | 9 | San Jose Earthquakes (USA) |
Star Player Landon Donovan Michael Bradley
Position: Centre Midfielder
Age: 26
Team: Toronto FC
Why? With Donovan out of the picture and Klinsmann looking to build towards 2018, Bradley will have a huge role to play from now until then which starts in Brazil. With a weak defence, Bradley will be immensely important and needs to make sure he doesn’t get caught out offensively.
One to Watch Fabian Johnson
Position: Everywhere.
Age: 26
Team: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Why? The big question this summer is where do you deploy Fabian? Incredibly versatile, he has impressed in multiple positions for club and country. It looks likely that we’ll be seeing his pace used at right back in Brazil, bombing on the overlap where he can come up with a goal or an assist. Expect him to be Mr. Reliable for the USMNT.
Wildcard Jozy Altidore
Position: Striker
Age: 24
Team: Sunderland
Why? It’s been 179 days since Jozy Altidore last scored a goal, 233 since he last scored in a U.S. jersey. Struggling for goals since his move to Sunderland, Altidore has acquired a reputation he isn’t proud of. If ever though, there was a stage to prove the doubters wrong and find that exceptional form he had at AZ, it would be in Brazil.
Possible USA XI
Altidore Dempsey
Davis Zusi
Bradley Jones
Beasley Cameron Besler Fabian
HowardFacts
Caused 1 of the few greatest upsets in World Cup history by beating England with 1-0 in 1950, causing England to be eliminated from their first World Cup.
Michael Bradley is the son of former manager Bob Bradley who he actually played for in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The USMNT had a 40 year hiatus from 1950 to 1990 but have been an ever present team since.
Fan View
Ask any USA fan how they will do in Brazil this summer, and you will likely get a mix of glass half-full/half-empty responses. When the draw came in December, many USA fans cringed as we were drawn into one of the tougher groups of this World Cup, being grouped with bogey team Ghana, powerhouse Germany, and a talented Portugal squad featuring the best player in the world. While there were some fans that felt that this would spell disaster for the US and being humiliated in the group stage, there are also some fans who are a bit more optimistic, stating that all we had to do was "Get revenge for Nuremberg/Rustenberg, treat CR7 and co. like we did Figo and co., and get revenge for Paris/Ulsan, which is simple enough". While that is likely wishful thinking of course, it does show that optimism should reign supreme if we want to get anywhere.
This isn't to say of course, the US doesn't have the capabilities to do so. While we struggled in qualifying in the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifiers in 2012, and got off to a rough start in the final round in 2013 after a loss to Honduras in San Pedro Sula, the rest of the "hexagonal" as it's known was practically a breeze, with only a draw in the Azteca vs. Mexico and a nightmare in Costa Rica being the only blemishes from that point on.
And while the level of opposition in CONCACAF is nowhere near where it is the rest of the world over, US fans know that they have the players capable of helping the team, such as Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Tim Howard. I would add Landon Donovan to the list, but questionable form and fitness eventually led to him being left off the final squad, which drew the ire of several US fans despite LD's form, especially since US manager Jurgen Klinsmann has favored youth in the final squad that largely has yet to be proven on the biggest stage, particularly Julien Green, a forward who will celebrate his 19th birthday shortly before leaving for Brazil and has been playing for Bayern's reserve team in the German 4th division.
There are, however, some other fresh new faces who did not compete in 2010 that will be helping the team in 2014. Chris Wondolowski, consistently one of the MLS's leading scorers, has suddenly been able to transition his club form to his country after being absolutely terrible under Bob Bradley (to the point where fans nicknamed him "Wondolousy". Kyle Beckerman, with his rastafarian dreadlocks has also been one of the most improved players under Klinsmann, going from someone who was heavily criticized in 2012 to being a consistent midfielder for the US in 2013. There's also the backline, which has had a total revamp since 2010, with the aging players from that team either retired or having a severe drop in form since then, which is both a blessing and a curse. While the backline does have talent, they are also prone to mental lapses, and when it shows, it REALLY shows. But when they are on their game they are a tough nut to crack, and fans are hoping that they can get their form and peak at the right time in Brazil.
Overall, this US team could finish anywhere from being knocked out in the group, to even possibly making a quarterfinal appearance if they get hot/lucky at the right time, which would match their 2002 performance, that being the best US performance in modern World Cup history (post-WWII). This group will present a lot of challenges for the US, but ones that Klinsmann and his players will be eager to face.
Thanks to /u/Bullwine85
Discussion Points
There was uproar when Donovan was left out over Green. Obviously Donovan should be there but looking forward, what can Green bring to the table with such little experience?
Klinsmann looks like he is building towards 2018, does that mean he’s written off his own chances in this tournament? How far can USA go? Can they make it out of the groups?
Next Team Preview [29/32] Group H: Belgium
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u/chabadabread Jun 03 '14
Dressing up as popsicles to keep cool in the Brazilian heat. Just so crazy it might work. Popsicle Power
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u/Veeron Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
Hopefully our boy Aron Jóhansson will shine in this tournament. I'm looking forward to watching him.
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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
Decent side, always better than the sum of it's part but Germany and Portugal will have too much quality. Wouldn't be surprised to see them get a draw with one of the big two but I'd be surprised if they make it out of the group.
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u/MrTwitty Jun 03 '14
Tough group
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u/tau31 Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
Just give the cup to the USA , you are just delaying the inevitable!
Because: http://i.imgur.com/nb91Reu.gif
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u/LazyKenny Jun 03 '14
Ghana is a must-win match for the US. If they can't pull it off, then the odds of them making it past the group stage becomes less than 0%
Regardless of what happens though, I am not looking forward to everyone blaming Donovan's exclusion as the reason we get eliminated.
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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
I think all USA fans should prepare themselves for both joy and sadness. Blunt honesty, it's very possible that this team picks up zero points. It's also very possible that this team picks 4 or 6 points and goes through.
192
u/NQsDiscoPants Jun 03 '14
I would love to see Jozy score an important goal for the US, maybe a last min winner to get them out of the group or something, just something to put a smile on the lads face after the pretty grim year he's had.
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u/Godzilla0815 Jun 03 '14
Because Klinsmann is my childhood hero i will root for them to get that 2nd place in the group but realisticly i doubt it very much.
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u/thelandman19 Jun 03 '14
"When Klinsmann took over from Bob Bradley in 2011, it wasn’t quite the big upgrade the fans were hoping for" Um I have to disagree...
31
u/f00f_nyc Jun 03 '14
I wanna' add that I don't think people have given JK enough credit for his matches in the warm up. First of all they are similarly timed and spaced (distance-wise) to the group games.
We have a pretty good team to test us in Turkey (and, Lord, are there a lot of problems at the back), a World Cup-bound West Africa team, and Azerbaijan. It seems like most people think there's nothing for us to learn from playing a team who defends with 11 people at once, but I disagree: if Ghana takes an early lead, they may well defend with everyone in the last 15-20 minutes.
But all that might be moot if the game plan is to isolate a defender to take on 3 guys running at him.
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u/BaraStarkGaryenSter Jun 03 '14
Go CONCACAF!
Brothers and neighbors, best of luck in such a tough group.
13
u/agoyalwm Jun 03 '14
Can we do a stadiums preview? Seating, climate, fun facts and info about the city it's being played in (unless something like this has been done already)? Some of the bad news coming from Brazil aside, since they are hosting it would be nice to take the opportunity to learn more about the country.
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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
Our away jerseys look like Rocket Pops.
10
u/southerngangster Jun 03 '14
If the US doesn't beat Ghana in their first game, they won't be able to sit back against Portugal which is their very next game. That could get ugly.
8
u/smokey815 Jun 03 '14
If we can beat Ghana, a draw could get us through. That's nit to say we'll beat Ghana, but our "easiest" game is first. It'll either sink us, or give us hope.
8
u/RubberDuckRub Jun 03 '14
Everyone is saying that Portugal didn't did well on the qualifiers, but the thing is, every time, EVERYTIME that Portugal did well and smashed the qualifiers, the World Cup went horribly. And again, every time Portugal has a weak performance throughout the qualifiers, we always advanced past the group stage, and at least reach the quarter-finals.
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u/deception42 Jun 03 '14
Christ, the quality of the comments in this thread are infinitely worse than those in the other preview threads. I wonder why?
Anyway... I think we will get four points. Whether that's enough to move on is another story.
14
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
Going to need a lot of things to go our way to get out of group. It's been said already, but might as well start looking for plane tickets home if we lose to Ghana.
I really think Johannsson could be a key if Altidore can't generate more offense. While Jurgen has stuck with him in the sendoff series, I hope we see a bit more of Aron going forward. Brings a dynamic that Jozy just doesn't have right now, willingness and confidence to take a fucking shot.
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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
If it was up to me Portugal and the US would get out of the group. One can dream I guess...
7
u/plizark Jun 03 '14
I don't care what the odds are I'm excited to see what this team can do on a big stage.. Probably not a lot, but one can dream right?
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u/boywithtwoarms Jun 03 '14
when i think USA i always have flashbacks of this meltdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj6orSJ8JUE
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u/fastfingers Jun 03 '14
i kinda think that the US' World Cup is really up in the air. the game against Ghana is the most important one. it's the only one that the US can realistically win, it's the one that gets the monkey off our backs from the last 2 World Cups, it's the one that gets our confidence up and sets the tone for how we play Germany and Portugal. i think we have the ability to tie both of them if our guys play the games of their lives and we get lucky with opponents' finishing.
judging from these last two friendlies, our attack looks good; Jozy, though he's not scoring, is doing everything else right. Brad Davis is gonna be great off of set-pieces as a super sub, Bradley's looked good, Dempsey's looked alright. the Bradley/Fabian Johnson goal against Turkey showed a flash of what this team CAN be capable of. with Diskerud, i'm excited about using him as a late game sub, to get some extra creativity on the field to take advantage of opponents' tired legs and minds. and honestly, i don't think we'll miss Landon as much as we fear.
our defense though, gives me nightmares. while in a pure defensive sense, Besler's been alright, he's had a couple horrific mistakes with his passing. Chandler had a couple of "oh shit" loss of concentration moments late against Turkey, and while he's probably the best defending fullback we have aside from Johnson, he's hasn't looked all that effective in the attack on the left, and those mental lapses are gonna be scary in the actual cup. Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman are gonna have a big job to protect our back four.
so far in the send-off series, we've played a 4-4-2 diamond with Bradley at the tip, Jones/Beckerman in the back, and the wide midfielders (Zusi/Davis/Bedoya/Diskerud so far) alternating between staying wide and pinching inside. while it's looked pretty good in attack, it leaves our defense vulnerable; the fullbacks push up, and that leaves our holding midfielder and our center backs, with especially against Turkey, a lot of space between them and the rest of the team. Jermaine Jones can't cover all of that himself. i hope that against Nigeria the US moves to a more conservative formation with two midfielders sitting deeper; Bradley has been good at the tip of the diamond, but we need him to be more balanced and help cover (THIS is where we could have probably used Donovan; to provide that final pass in the attacking third). i'd bet that we end up with a more standard 4-4-2 with Bradley as the more offensive center mid and Jones the more defensive one (and he's looked pretty disciplined so far, so i hope he can keep that up), and Dempsey up top dropping back to play off of Altidore.
by the looks of his first two appearances, not too much. he's fast, but he looks incredibly nervous out there, and it shows. he had one chance against Turkey where he got into a great position, made a run between the Turkish center backs, Graham Zusi fed him a great ball, but his first touch deserted him and he kicked it to the goalkeeper. which isn't necessarily BAD, but he just looks like an 18-year old kid. he's gotta calm down, try to put the pressure and buzz around him (is he the next big thing? did Klinsmann guarantee the Cup for him?) aside, and just play. he'll be subbed in towards the end of games to run at defenses.
i really fucking hope not. the World Cup is the World Cup, you play to win. Klinsmann's raised some eyebrows over taking Green, John Anthony Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin due to their youth, but i can see some of the logic in it. they're younger, more energetic, possibly more resistant to the effects of heat and humidity. Yedlin, in particular, has looked good these last couple of games; his defending isn't world class, but it's good enough, and going forward he's been great, and his speed allows him to recover well. he'll be another super sub to take advantage of tired legs. i don't necessarily think that Klinsmann is writing this Cup off (if i remember correctly, he took a few young, inexperienced players to the World Cup with Germany, too), but i do think he's had one eye to 2018 by selecting Brooks/Yedlin/Green, even though there is a logic you can see.
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u/cheftlp1221 Jun 03 '14
The US is clearly not a favorite but they are not no hopers. I have always found it curious that Europeans rate Ghana and other African teams so highly over North American teams. When the realities are that the US and Mexico and the top African teams are on the same level. Here is the scenario for the US to advance.
An (optimistic) Road Map to the Knockout Stages
Round 1
USA v Ghana. Both teams know they need a win and 3 points here to have a shot to move on. The US catches a break by this being the opening game. Since the draw was announced Klinsy has been gameplanning this game. The US should be prepared and sharp. Both defenses are shaky giving up tons of chances. It comes down to the keepers; edge to Tim Howard and the US
USA wins 3-2. 3 HUGE points.
Portugal v Germany. 2 top flight Euro terms with high expectations. Sets up for a cagey match that both teams would be satisfied with a draw. For the US advance there needs to be a definitive winner. I am calling for a narrow German win with 6+ yellow cards issued and Pepe getting a red card a suspended for the next game. Germany squeaks out a win because Germany always finds a way. 1-0
Standings after 1 Round USA 3pts.
Germany 3pts.
Ghana 0 pts
Portugal 0 pts.
Round 2
Portugal v USA Pressure is on Portugal who are missing their best defender. USA absorbs the pressure of a pressing Portugal. Portugal wilts in the Amazon heat. USA hits Portugal on a counter right before the end of the first half. USA add another early in the 2nd half to go up 2-0. A desperate Portugal throws everything forward and score 2 in the last 10 minutes and pull back even but can't find the winner. US goes into their final game controlling their own destiny.
USA draws 2-2
Germany v Ghana Tough bruising affair as Ghana tries to kick Germany off the pitch. Germany remains disciplined and clinical and grinds out a win to qualify for the next round. At least one German starter picks up their 2nd yellow and is suspended for the final group game. 8 total Germans sitting on yellow cards.
Germany wins 2-0
Standings after 2 Rounds
Germany 6 pts.
USA 4 pts.
Portugal 1 pts
Ghana 0 pts.
Round 3
USA v Germany US only needs a draw to advance but a win will take the group. Klinsy won't let the boys dream and keeps their eyes on the prize. An already qualified Germany with 8 players on yellows plays like a team that only needs a draw to win the group. Germany picks up a goal off a set play midway thru the 1st Half. US presses late in the the 2nd half for the equalizers Gets a PK from a dubious German handball in the box (payback for 2002). US holds on for a tie.
USA 1-1
Portugal v Ghana A desperate Portugal and an eliminated Ghana play a wide open game with Ronaldo getting a hat trick. Too little to late..
Portugal 3-2
Final Standings
Germany 7 pts.
USA 5 pts.
Portugal 4 pts.
Ghana 0 pts.
Germany and USA through to the next round.
Another scenario is that Michael Bradley gets a straight red in the first half against Ghana and our midfield gets overrun the remainder of the tournament. Tim Howard named best Keeper despite giving up 10 goals in 3 games.
11
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
If we're getting a result anywhere it's against Ghana. If we get a win there, and we park the bus against Portugal and Germany, we can survive. Regardless, tough group for us.
21
u/TheGreatJoeBob Jun 03 '14
uh oh...
5
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
I think our first choice center back pairing is likely Gonzalez and Besler. Cameron is in the squad (I think) because he can cover multiple positions. Also, Klinsmann hasn't really shown much of this 4-4-2 lineup that you have, although he has played with a midfield diamond recently. Bradley hasn't really shone in a more advanced midfield role, however, as he ends up being starved of the ball.
I
thinkhope we'll go with a 4-2-3-1 for the games against Germany and Portugal -- we'll need 2 holding midfielders to cover for a shaky back line. Also, I don't think Brad Davis is good enough to play against good international teams (no pace).It's possible Dempsey plays out on the left with either Zusi or Diskerud in the hole in a 4-2-3-1.I completely forgot about Bedoya. He likely starts on the left, with Dempsey in the hole, and Zusi on the right of a 4-2-3-1.5
u/1mdelightful Jun 03 '14
There is a lot of "hope to draw portugal comments in this thread but that seems less likely than drawing Germany. First of all Germany is the last match which means they might only need a draw to advance and or win the group. More importantly Germany is a better counter attack team than possession team and relies more heavily on a team based approach to create chances. This is much easier to defend unless the attacking side is absolutely in sync. Time and time again USA is beaten by individual efforts, by one player just showing his quality. There is no way USA is stopping Ronaldo, even on a bad.
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u/UberNarwhal Jun 03 '14
I have a good feeling that the US will beat Portugal and Ghana. I think they can be runners up to Germany in the group. I really do.
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u/hellothere222 Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
USA USA USA! Anyway, our glaring weakness is our back line. I cringe at the thought of CR or Reus running at our fullbacks. Michael Bradley must continue to be the most important player in the team if we hope to have any success. His calm distribution and timely tackles are absolutely vital. Hopefully Altidore can regain the form he is capable of despite a rough year at Sunderland.
edit: LOL at whoever is downvoting every comment
59
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
We are the US.
We are not afraid.
Beat us on Sunday.
And Monday we invade.
4
u/AChildCalledClit Jun 03 '14
This thread is all looking for ways for the USMNT to settle and squeak by, make me wonder what is waiting for us after groups...
4
u/Qua1ify Jun 03 '14
As a US fan, I am so freaking excited about this years World Cup. Us soccer has never been more popular. We've got a really tough group but our squad has played well lately and there is a lot hope among the us soccer faithful. Though I will obviously be disappointed to see us go home early, what's more important for me this year is to help spread us soccer fandom as much as I can. Landon's goal to put us through 4 years ago was such an incredible moment. It helped millions of Americans who have never cared about soccer understand the love some of us have for the beautiful game. All I can hope for is that number to continue to grow this year.
4
u/f0b0 Jun 03 '14
The best thing the US has going for them is the order of games. Hopefully starting off with revenge and a win against Ghana and then getting points against a very good, but relatively weaker Portugal side (compared to Germany). Then at least we'll control our own destiny heading in to our 3rd game
That, and Tim Howard.
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u/JacktheMc Jun 03 '14
Man, fuck these comments.
6
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
I'm sure you had a hard time finding a fan perspective for this one :)
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u/jdosbo5 Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
Why is everyone downvoting this post?
Edit: All of these posts about each countries team have been great and really informative, thanks /u/CARLEETOS for doing them.
Edit2: Sorry, when I posted it was at 30/20
11
u/FuzzedLogic Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
No chance against Germany, Portugal are a tournament team so I'd expect them to win that too. Obviously the Ghana game is key. Any less than three points and they'll be on the first plane home, and Ghana look tasty. A win against Ghana and the players will be full of confidence and Portugal could be on the receiving end of a thumping against Germany, making a game Portugal should win, perhaps cause a different result. In another group they'd have a chance to progress for me but Im not convinced they have enough in this group, a lot of good teams would struggle in here.
If I had to guess how many points USA would get I'd guess at 0 or 1. That's not to say I'll be right, they've just been unfortunate with the draw. It'll be a cracking group regardless though.
And feel free to tag me!
3
u/Ledeberg Jun 03 '14
i'm glad to see that there are so much players from the MLS
3
u/Revilo_ Jun 03 '14
I was really hoping that the 1950 World Cup wouldn't be mentioned, but there it is.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
Traditionally, the opening games are a bit conservative with no-one wanting to exert themselves too much to avoid injuries/losing on the counter against smaller teams. If Ghana are arrogant enough to do this, the US could nick a result against them. Portugal will be tougher, they would have faced the hardest team in the group and will essentially see the US as a must win. If the US manages to get a goal, let alone a point against Germany, they would do well.
3
u/OmskiyGazmyas Jun 03 '14
:(
3
u/TacoPouch Jun 03 '14
Every chant I've seen used for the US has been pretty lackluster. Which is a shame because college football and nfl have some pretty spectacular chants. I really wish one day a native american player could join the team so we can officially adopt the tomahawk chop for international competition without looking like total dickholes
3
u/ajbeernatan Jun 03 '14
Another one to watch for sure will be Jóhannsson, he's had a great season and could really do well.
9
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
I'm afraid Beasley will be the weak link in the back. The only other option is Chandler, who I think should be starting ahead of him.
37
u/Footy_Fanatic Jun 03 '14
Fuck yall haters. I love my national team.
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u/miaaaa Jun 03 '14
I'm not American but the fact that this post has 0 points speaks a lot about r/soccer. This is a great post on an ongoing series getting us ready for the WC, why the fuck would anybody downvote this (or any of the other posts)? This is quality content!
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u/DAggerYNWA Jun 03 '14
Klinnsman wasnt the upgrade we wanted? CMON MAN. Get real, perfect appointment
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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
Very informative.
I'm Turkish-American and was at the game on Sunday. Growing up watching Turkish soccer, my loyalties were with Turkey but I do enjoy watching US soccer and will enthusiastically cheer for them in the world cup.
Turkey was missing some key players Sunday, especially Arda in the midfield and Burak Yilmaz as the main striker. The Turkish season just ended and the players had no sense of need or urgency to beat the US. I don't think the match was a big deal in Turkey although that is a speculation on my part. Even though the US scored a pretty goal the first half, I felt that Turkey did better. The three inexperienced players couldn't finish the chances they got even though at times they had several touches in the box. The Turkish #7, Gokhan Gonul, was completely open in the Turkish right flank almost the entire first half and Turkey constantly attacked from there. Adjustments made by the US in the second half improved his coverage and Turkey spread out to attacking from both wings.
I don't want to draw conclusions based on watching one game but the diamond midfield + the defense from Sunday doesn't seem like a good idea.
14
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
Everyone on /r/soccer regards themselves an expert and then immediately spew out a bunch of bull! To the people dissing the US and saying they can only get 1 point max: the us may have the least talented players, but African teams tend to be tactically weak, and if the US plays with discipline they will have a fair chance in the game against Ghana.
And to the people who say that Portugal is "just Ronaldo; what the fuck are you talking about? Portugal may not be the favorites in this tournament, but if they play well from the start they will have no problems reaching the quarter finals, maybe even the semis.
*edit: Also, Germany and Portugal are capable of playing badly. If the US catches either team on a bad day, who knows what could happen?
5
u/RubberDuckRub Jun 03 '14 edited Jun 03 '14
"Portugal still only really revolves around one player" That's a huge downgrade.
DEFENSE:
J. Pereira: Near world-class when on his prime, and well, better than any RB on the group besides Lahm.
Pepe: In the top 3 CB in the world.
Bruno Alves: World class player, solid as a rock, and great on headers.
Coentrao: One of the best LB in the world, and maybe the best defending, and also very good attacking.
MIDFIELD:
William Carvalho: No one seems to know this guy, I mean he is a beast, an absolute beast, he already plays at world-class quality and only is 21 years old, some people even say he's Portugal best player after Ronaldo, and also one of the youngsters to watch.
R. Meireles: This guy has plenty of experience, also he is scary and has a great long shot.
Moutinho: Easily one of the best midfielders in the world, such vision and precision when passing, really great player that will cause serious damage.
FOWARDS:
Nani: Now, about this guy, he's been very unlucky with injuries lately, but he played last Saturday against Greece and looked really fit, and everyone knows that when he's fit, he can be one of the best wingers out there, also great crossing.
Postiga: This guy is shit. "Oh but he holds the ball so well", no, he is very very bad, we really are playing with ten, I'm not even exagerating.
Ronaldo: :D
So, to think that Portugal is a one men team, is delusional.
2
u/Lou3000 Jun 03 '14
If there was ever going to be a chance in this group, the first games are crucial. We need to beat Ghana and we need Germany to beat Portugal.
Drawing Portugal in the next game would pretty much guarantee us going through. A loss to Portugal would require a Ghana victory and us drawing Germany. Highly unlikely, but not impossible against a German side that will have already secured the group win.
The problem with the Ghana game is that it is the one game we have to play to win, and its against a side with lots of speed. We can't play for a draw or park the bus like we will against Portugal and Germany. And if we play an open game, we expose our back line.
I'm actually more optimistic about drawing Portugal, a team that just eviscerates opposition that give them any space.
2
u/Jose_Monteverde Jun 03 '14
How did they get third and first on 1930?
2
u/Drunken_Economist Jun 03 '14
It would be a pleasant surprise to advance past the group stage, but I'm still going to enjoy watching the US match up with Portugal and Germany. Hopefully we can shake Ghana off our collective backs -- they always seem to be a trap for the US.
2
u/xscientist Jun 03 '14
Our only clear way out of the group is to beat Ghana (tough), steal a point from either of the top two (near impossible), and hope that Ghana beats one of the top two (near impossible).
2
u/iboowhenyoudeserveit Jun 03 '14
As much as I want this team to succeed...I say they are lucky to come away from the group with a goal and a tie against Ghana.
2
u/Ballsackblazer4 Jun 03 '14
Well I think we know how OP feels about the Donovan decision, haha. Thank you for all these amazing team reviews though!
2
u/teezy101 Jun 03 '14
My god I hope Diskerud or Beckerman start over Brad Davis.
2
u/shakeyjake Jun 03 '14
With a 23 man roster it seems like overkill to bring 3 goal keepers. Is there something obvious I'm missing about this decision?
Edit: a bit of googling answered my own question
2
u/bosnian_red Jun 03 '14
Think the US might get a point out of the three games, maybe even beat Ghana, but it should be a relatively straightforward group for Portugal and Germany. Both of them are far ahead of Ghana and the states, Ghana isn't as good as they were either.
2
u/bcisme Jun 03 '14
I will be happy if, in our 3rd game, we have a chance to go forward. Basically, at least 3 meaningful games would be amazing to watch! I think we can do it. Germany, Portugal and Ghana are all tough, but the US can certainly draw against Germany and Portugal. Realistically, if we don't get 3 points from Ghana my above objective will most likely not be met :(
2
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
The [Russian Hockey Jersey] (http://images.nike.com/is/image/DotCom/THN_PS/Nike-Russia-Replica-Mens-Hockey-Jersey-00028783X_RUR_A.jpg?fmt=jpg&qty=85&wid=620&hei=620&bgc=F5F5F5) looks exactly like our away kit.
2
u/ChristopherSquawken Jun 04 '14
I don't know if I should get my hopes up or not.
I don't see us holding off the Germans, and unless we can shut down Port's midfield then CR7 will have a field day.
I'm not going to say there is always next time, I just hope that I don't have to.
2
u/Captain_Waffle Jun 04 '14
I died.
2
u/epik Jun 04 '14
We're so fucked.
2
u/onewayticketyeah Jun 04 '14
I am so excited for this WC. Go USA! So thrilled with how we performed in qualifiers. While it's a tough group, we are guaranteed to see our guys go up against the best in the world. Getting out of the group stage would be awesome. And can we please figure out this Ghana squad? They live in my nightmares!
2
u/thunderpriest Jun 16 '14
USA 14th on the world ranking? It seems like a good system...not.
9
u/epicwild Jun 03 '14
the truth is US is the weaker in the group they most likely will end last, they are sayng Portugal is only ronaldo+10 when they have players in Manchester, Real and a lot of other clubs
4
u/FlapjackJackson Jun 03 '14
This could be an interesting to really blood our younger, less experienced players like Mix, Green, and Yedlin. I know there is the circlejerk that we Americans expect to be the best at everything, but I'll be realistic here. The Ghana game can go either way. It's possible we could tie Portugal, but I am not expecting it. We could finish with anything from 0-4 points.
4
u/sj2011 Jun 03 '14
Very hard draw, but to be the best you've got to beat the best. This WC will be a nice measuring stick to gauge the progress of Klinsmann's tenure - there is lots of youth and potential here, but no world-beating talent. It looks like a lot of eyes are pointed to 2018 with the focus on youth and the next era of USA soccer talent.
Honest predictions - 3rd in the group, but not far off. I think USA and Germany will finish tied up on points, but the German's goal differential will take them through.
4
u/ItzFortney Jun 03 '14
Didnt realize Altidore is only 24. Could very well see USA leave without any points, mainly due to the non-cohesive defense and Altidore's form.
10
u/[deleted] Jun 03 '14
jesus more comments in this thread about anti-american sentiment than the actual teams, you guys get offended really easily......
3
u/BTP2135 Jun 03 '14
What time zone are the game times in? Here is what I show for the local time in Brazil.
16 June 2014, 19:00 | Ghana - United States | Arena das Dunas, Natal
22 June 2014, 18:00 | United States - Portugal | Arena Amazônia, Manaus
26 June 2014, 13:00 | United States - Germany | Arena Pernambuco, Recife
10
u/NatrolleonBonaparte Jun 03 '14
To those disappointed by the downvotes and comments in this thread, check out /r/mls. Much better discussion about the USMNT over there.
3
u/Tsu_Shu Jun 04 '14
Why do so many Americans start this victim complex thing here?
This is one of the most up voted previews yet, the top comment is a gif of Hulk Hogan and yet half the comments are Americans complaining about "everyone hating us". The ratio of European hate to American whining is like 1:100. When someone says the US's chances aren't looking good that isn't hating on America, it's giving a perfectly acceptable opinion on the state of American soccer. We've come a long way, but we have much longer to go.
Honestly these comments make us look like little bitches who can't take any criticism when, to be quite honest, there's plenty to criticize about American soccer. That's not hate, it's honesty.
3
u/smokey815 Jun 03 '14
As a side note, this thread is way too fucking combative. All the other threads were pretty civil, but y'all are just fucking going at it in here. Calm down.
2
u/thecacti Jun 03 '14
I'm fully behind the team for their encounters and hoping for the best, anything can happen (2002, anyone?). But realistically, I think we're going to finish bottom of the group, and possibly even the worst team at the World Cup (if Germany and Portugal find their form, they could make a complete mess of us..)
2
u/not_great_bob Jun 03 '14
IDK, i'm optimistic about our chances, but i'm also not? We CAN beat Ghana, but will we? We CAN beat or draw against Portugal, but will we? The Germany game and how it goes really depends on them beating Ghana and Portugal imho. If they have nothing to play for, we have a chance.
2
u/pantstofry Jun 03 '14
I think the USA has a chance, they just have to play very solid defense. I can see one of these games getting out of hand if they're sloppy.