USA vs. Germany: world cup warmup

[wessa]

I couldn't watch this match. I knew the USA was missing pretty much all of its starting lineup (no donovan, beasley, reyna, mcbride, etc). Germany won 4-1. Did anyone see this match? How did the US play despite the missing stars?

[Crocodile Logic]

yeah, i saw it. they played pretty well except for a breakdown for about 10 or 15 minutes in the second half, which is when Germany got all 4 of their goals.

[thejetstolehome]

i don't know much about soccer but somehow start to care every four years because i do think that the world cup is simply amazing. does the US team have some sort of legitamate shot at doing well this summer?

[jusscali]

u better believe they do ...

[thejetstolehome]

u better believe they do ...

sweet. now maybe i won't have to defer to rooting for italy 'til later in the tournament...

[wessa]

i don't know much about soccer but somehow start to care every four years because i do think that the world cup is simply amazing. does the US team have some sort of legitamate shot at doing well this summer?

they are ranked 5th in the world right now. True, the ranking doesn't mean that much because you can play a team that is 30th and they can be amazing. But they have a good chance if they get out of the first round. They are in the hardest group in the tournament. They are playing with the czech republic (ranked 2nd in the world), italy (ranked 12th, but always a power) and Ghana (which is considered to be the strongest african team). It is also going to be hard because since they have two european teams in their group and the tourney is in germany, you can be sure that they will always have most of the people cheering against them. regardless, it is going to be an awesome tourney.

[thejetstolehome]

they are ranked 5th in the world right now. True, the ranking doesn't mean that much because you can play a team that is 30th and they can be amazing. But they have a good chance if they get out of the first round. They are in the hardest group in the tournament. They are playing with the czech republic (ranked 2nd in the world), italy (ranked 12th, but always a power) and Ghana (which is considered to be the strongest african team). It is also going to be hard because since they have two european teams in their group and the tourney is in germany, you can be sure that they will always have most of the people cheering against them. regardless, it is going to be an awesome tourney.

thanks. sounds good.

[Crocodile Logic]

for playing mostly second-string players, they didn't do too badly. they stuck with Germany the entire first half, but unfortunately their defense broke down in the second half.

[wessa]

for playing mostly second-string players, they didn't do too badly. they stuck with Germany the entire first half, but unfortunately their defense broke down in the second half.

that is good to hear. it must have been tough considering like all of the german team plays in germany so they have everyone at their disposal. who played in goal for the us? cause with keller in goal for the world cup, i feel very confident

[ghostyouare]

I can't wait.

[believethehyph]

they are ranked 5th in the world right now. True, the ranking doesn't mean that much
Rankings..they are a joke, USA 5th wtf, no offense but US are not 5th best, I wouldnt put them in the top 20. The only reason they are that high is because they play crap north american nations.
USA will struggle to get through, they have a group of death. It will be fun to watch though!

[wessa]

Rankings..they are a joke, USA 5th wtf, no offense but US are not 5th best, I wouldnt put them in the top 20. The only reason they are that high is because they play crap north american nations.
USA will struggle to get through, they have a group of death. It will be fun to watch though!

do i think that the rankings aren't completely accurate? yes
do i think that the US may be ranked a little high? yes
Do I think that you are bitter because the US is ranked higher than England? yes

can you stop hating on US soccer? not putting them in the top 20 is absurd. They made it to the quarters last tournament. Mexico is one of the best teams in the world and we play them all the time. We play the north american teams during qualifying but we play friendlies against europe. We just beat poland and tied ireland with like almost no regular starts playing. All the teams in that group will struggle to get through but whoever gets out will be tough in the next round.

[believethehyph]

do i think that the rankings aren't completely accurate? yes
do i think that the US may be ranked a little high? yes
Do I think that you are bitter because the US is ranked higher than England? yes

can you stop hating on US soccer? not putting them in the top 20 is absurd. They made it to the quarters last tournament. Mexico is one of the best teams in the world and we play them all the time. We play the north american teams during qualifying but we play friendlies against europe. We just beat poland and tied ireland with like almost no regular starts playing. All the teams in that group will struggle to get through but whoever gets out will be tough in the next round.
Sure, you have your opninion I have mine. With reguards to you suggesting im bitter cause the USA are ranked above England. Hell no, im not English.

[believethehyph]

do i think that the rankings aren't completely accurate? yes
do i think that the US may be ranked a little high? yes
Do I think that you are bitter because the US is ranked higher than England? yes

can you stop hating on US soccer? not putting them in the top 20 is absurd. They made it to the quarters last tournament. Mexico is one of the best teams in the world and we play them all the time. We play the north american teams during qualifying but we play friendlies against europe. We just beat poland and tied ireland with like almost no regular starts playing. All the teams in that group will struggle to get through but whoever gets out will be tough in the next round.
I also disagree with your point about Mexico - worlds best in rankings yes, in reality no, the furthest they have got in the WC is the quarters 20 yrs ago.

[asianxcore]

do i think that the rankings aren't completely accurate? yes
do i think that the US may be ranked a little high? yes
Do I think that you are bitter because the US is ranked higher than England? yes

can you stop hating on US soccer? not putting them in the top 20 is absurd. They made it to the quarters last tournament. Mexico is one of the best teams in the world and we play them all the time. We play the north american teams during qualifying but we play friendlies against europe. We just beat poland and tied ireland with like almost no regular starts playing. All the teams in that group will struggle to get through but whoever gets out will be tough in the next round.
ireland didnt even make the cup..

[lanolynn]

i thought this game was funny because for the first 70 minutes the commentators kept talking about how good of a showing the us defense was having and how some of them might be catching arena's eye for the final few wc roster spots, and then the last 15 minutes when the d went in the shitter they just didn't know what to say.

[believethehyph]

i thought this game was funny because for the first 70 minutes the commentators kept talking about how good of a showing the us defense was having and how some of them might be catching arena's eye for the final few wc roster spots, and then the last 15 minutes when the d went in the shitter they just didn't know what to say.
hahaha

[fire on my lips]

Sure, you have your opninion I have mine. With reguards to you suggesting im bitter cause the USA are ranked above England. Hell no, im not English.
I'd be bitter about being Welsh . . . jk.

I am an american who watches quite a bit of soccer, but i have a hard time putting the US in the top 15. I think they are probably 17 or 18th best in the world.

[Crocodile Logic]

that is good to hear. it must have been tough considering like all of the german team plays in germany so they have everyone at their disposal. who played in goal for the us? cause with keller in goal for the world cup, i feel very confident
keller was in goal. he looked a bit shaky at times.

[believethehyph]

I'd be bitter about being Welsh . . . jk.

I am an american who watches quite a bit of soccer, but i have a hard time putting the US in the top 15. I think they are probably 17 or 18th best in the world.

Easy now, haha.

[believethehyph]

keller was in goal. he looked a bit shaky at times.
Where was friedel? Or even Tourettes Tim?

[fire on my lips]

Neither were released by their teams, only German and Dutch players could play. 2 Reading players were allowed to play because the club gave them permission

[somethingyellow]

I completely forgot the game was today, but say the highlights. Meh seems like I didnt miss much, especially since a lot of our WC team wasn't there.

[believethehyph]

Neither were released by their teams, only German and Dutch players could play. 2 Reading players were allowed to play because the club gave them permission
Ah I see, Friedel has made some amazing saves for Blackburn recently.

[fire on my lips]

Ah I see, Friedel has made some amazing saves for Blackburn recently.
Yeah I should of added that Freidel has retired from the US national team and that Keller is our definate starting goalie for the WC. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. He was quite shaky today.

[believethehyph]

Yeah I should of added that Freidel has retired from the US national team and that Keller is our definate starting goalie for the WC. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. He was quite shaky today.
Ah right, I didn't know, yeah I think I'd pick Howard ahead of Keller.

[fire on my lips]

Ah right, I didn't know, yeah I think I'd pick Howard ahead of Keller.
Howard has played like four games all year. I'm really not sure. I don't think the US will do well this WC but in 2010 i expect semi's.

[wessa]

Sure, you have your opninion I have mine. With reguards to you suggesting im bitter cause the USA are ranked above England. Hell no, im not English.

i just assumed you rooted for them. Now that giggs is like 90 years old...
in the last 4 world cup tournaments they were in, mexico made the round of 16 every time. that is pretty impressive. And does howard even play anymore? keller is definately the best (now that freidel is done).
I hope that the announcers don't rave about how good claudio reyna is like they did the last three world cups. Every time they talk about how great he is and that he is the key to the US success and he has sucked every time.

last thing, anybody else hopes that cobi jones plays in one last world cup? i love that guy, he always gave a top effort and is a legend of us soccer.

[fire on my lips]

i just assumed you rooted for them. Now that giggs is like 90 years old...
in the last 4 world cup tournaments they were in, mexico made the round of 16 every time. that is pretty impressive. And does howard even play anymore? keller is definately the best (now that freidel is done).
I hope that the announcers don't rave about how good claudio reyna is like they did the last three world cups. Every time they talk about how great he is and that he is the key to the US success and he has sucked every time.

last thing, anybody else hopes that cobi jones plays in one last world cup? i love that guy, he always gave a top effort and is a legend of us soccer.
Claudio reyna is the only US player to be named to the All World Cup team. He is one o fth ebest American players ever. Cobi Jones, not so much.

[wessa]

Claudio reyna is the only US player to be named to the All World Cup team. He is one o fth ebest American players ever. Cobi Jones, not so much.

well he earned that based on reputation from his play in europe. I have watched the last three cups diligently, and he has sucked majorly. He probably made the team because the US made the quarterfinals and he was the best known player. I am sure he is good for manchester city (if he still plays there) but he has not lived up to the hype in the world cups. And I never said that Cobi Jones is one of the best american players ever, i just said he is a legend, they are two seperate things. I am pretty sure he has the most caps out of any american. that counts for something.

[fire on my lips]

well he earned that based on reputation from his play in europe. I have watched the last three cups diligently, and he has sucked majorly. He probably made the team because the US made the quarterfinals and he was the best known player. I am sure he is good for manchester city (if he still plays there) but he has not lived up to the hype in the world cups. And I never said that Cobi Jones is one of the best american players ever, i just said he is a legend, they are two seperate things. I am pretty sure he has the most caps out of any american. that counts for something.
it does, but he has been around forever. Reyna still does play for man city. I don't know the exact number of caps either player has, but if Reyna hadn't have been hurt so much in his career, I'd think that he would/ will surpass whatever number Jones has.

[lanolynn]

it does, but he has been around forever. Reyna still does play for man city. I don't know the exact number of caps either player has, but if Reyna hadn't have been hurt so much in his career, I'd think that he would/ will surpass whatever number Jones has.
i doubt that because cobi's been playin longer and being in the mls made him much more available thant reyna.

on another note i thought bobby convey was the only player for us who really showed something in today's game

[believethehyph]

i just assumed you rooted for them. Now that giggs is like 90 years old...
in the last 4 world cup tournaments they were in, mexico made the round of 16 every time. that is pretty impressive
I wouldn't say it would merit the status of one of the worlds greatest teams by a long shot though.
What do you even mean re: Giggs haha?

[wessa]

I wouldn't say it would merit the status of one of the worlds greatest teams by a long shot though.
What do you even mean re: Giggs haha?

Soccer is weird though, it is so hard to list the greatest teams because there are so many fantastic teams.
I mean Brazil is on everyone's list, but after that you can make an argument for a ton of teams to be considered among the best in the world: england, argentina, netherlands, spain, portugal, germany, italy, czech rep., usa, france, mexico
and there are a ton of teams that you don't really think about but that are very good: iran, turkey, nigeria, sweden, japan. How do you determine who the greatest teams are (well, besides the world cup)

[believethehyph]

Soccer is weird though, it is so hard to list the greatest teams because there are so many fantastic teams.
I mean Brazil is on everyone's list, but after that you can make an argument for a ton of teams to be considered among the best in the world: england, argentina, netherlands, spain, portugal, germany, italy, czech rep., usa, france, mexico
and there are a ton of teams that you don't really think about but that are very good: iran, turkey, nigeria, sweden, japan. How do you determine who the greatest teams are (well, besides the world cup)
Yeah I see your point, I suppose one way could be by the nations players. However you could counter argue that by saying that South Korea don't have world class players, but they exceeded all expectations at the last world cup, and also so did Greece at the last Euro championships. Also, consistancy, if a team is consitantly getting to the latter stages of major competions would be another clear method.

[wessa]

Yeah I see your point, I suppose one way could be by the nations players. However you could counter argue that by saying that South Korea don't have world class players, but they exceeded all expectations at the last world cup, and also so did Greece at the last Euro championships. Also, consistancy, if a team is consitantly getting to the latter stages of major competions would be another clear method.

i was going to add korea in there but i want to see how well they do in a competition away from home. although, doesn't korea have one guy on manchester u, who plays pretty frequently?

[believethehyph]

i was going to add korea in there but i want to see how well they do in a competition away from home. although, doesn't korea have one guy on manchester u, who plays pretty frequently?
Korea is there? Yeah Ji-Sung Park, a very useful and effective player, I rate him highly.