I don't think anyone in that group can be happy. The US team is very interesting right now. the odds provide some level of hope.
I don't trust anything with FIFA. That organization makes the NCAA look clean.
I don't think anyone in that group can be happy. The US team is very interesting right now. the odds provide some level of hope.
I don't trust anything with FIFA. That organization makes the NCAA look clean.
Ghana is the Newman to the US' Seinfeld.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
Caveat Emperor (12-06-2013),M2 (12-06-2013),reds1869 (12-06-2013),RedTeamGo! (12-06-2013),WMR (12-06-2013)
Exactly. If you looked at the pots, the European section had three major bogey teams - Netherlands, Italy and Portugal.
The U.S. was the bogey team in the North America/Asia pot. Ghana was the bogey team in its pot. And Germany was one of the four prohibitive favorites (with Brazil, Spain and Argentina). It was like Group G rolled nothing but snake eyes.
Last edited by M2; 12-06-2013 at 04:19 PM.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Yikes, that draw doesn't look good at all.
It must be assumed that Germany wins the group, even if they do it with 5 points. Could 4 points enough to grab the second spot? Can the Yanks muster a win and a draw against our World Cup nemesis and Ronaldo? So let's say the Yanks exceed expectations and advance. Then they're staring at a very classy Belgium squad that ran circles around us in the recent friendly.
It's a gauntlet, and I don't see the Yanks making it out alive. Even if they play well, they might only have two points and an early exit for it.
All models are wrong. Some of them are useful.
If Ronaldo plays like he did in 2010, I think the US has a pretty good shot against Portugal. When he's on, he's great. But he seems easily frustrated and resorts to whining and diving when things aren't going well.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
Over here in Germany everybody is quite satisfied with the draw. Though no one says thatīs an easy group. Which it is not. Enough competition to get the heads right into the tourney. Though everybody here expects us to win this group. Which we, with all due respect, really should. But itīs a tough one for you guys. On the other hand: No matter in which group you would have landed it would have been tough for you. And honestly in this group i think you have a definite chance to beat Ghana and give Portugal and Germany a tough run for their money.
The 2 most interesting groups imho are group D with Uruguay, England and Italy. And group C. Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan and Colombia. On paper pretty much everybody can go through there.
All in all a pretty interesting draw with interesting line-ups in every group. Looking forward to it
Last edited by Dwarftree; 12-07-2013 at 04:38 AM.
My sisters boyfriend is from Ghana. He and I get along really well, but this might be prove to be a tough gap to bridge.
Variatio delectat - Cicero
Slyder (12-07-2013)
I think 4 points is probably a somewhat optimistic scenario for the Yanks -- win against Ghana, draw Portugal, lose to Germany.
The big wild card here is the 3rd match against Germany -- if the Germans are already sitting on 6 points and a guaranteed through to the knockout rounds, they could be ripe for a let-down match that lets the US steal a point or three. I think that's probably the most realistic pathway to 5 points (which I think would be enough for a 2nd place finish) for the US.
Cincinnati Reds: Farm System Champions 2022
That's a good point and something I didn't consider in my earlier comment.
The path forward for the US looks much better if Portugal and Ghana earn no more than two points in group play. This happens if: first, Germany pulls all 6 points against Portugal and Ghana as expected. Second, Portugal and Ghana need to draw in their match-up. As the last match in the group play for each, a draw will be somewhat less likely with each team playing for the full three points even if the teams are fairly evenly matched.
The Yanks then move forward if they draw in all three matches. They absolutely cannot overcome a loss to Portugal or Ghana.
All models are wrong. Some of them are useful.
Welp. Talk to everyone in 2018!
Did Platini have anything to do with France getting that nice Group?
That team and it's misfit toys and bad apples gets a reprieve and is rewarded with that group?
At least Uruguay got a tough group after stumbling in the WCQ...because their coach refuses to bring in younger faster more offensive players in the MF and not realizing that this is not 2007-10 and Lugano needs to go.
Pretty lucky what they got...same with Argentina. Some good teams will be gone in the group phase.
The joke I hear is that Bladder wants to add more African and Asian teams and reduce the SA and European ones. Now in Europe i can understand with all the small countries they have ..I mean come on...Luxembourg? San Marino?
The SA teams could go play all of Asia, Oceania and win out just about every time......and besides Mexico and the US, depending on form...... the same thing with CONCACAF.
Oceana should be brought into Asia and they should get 4 at most teams in.
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