World Cup Thread

[TheRef]

HT: 3-0 Germany. Break out the German beer in Das Boot!!!!!!!

[LiterallyPolice]

What I've seen so far is very good for the USA:
1.) Most importantly Portugal doesn't look very threatening. They look mediocre, ill-prepared, and they are frazzled.
2.) This game may do some psychological damage to Portugal (but, then again, it could be a wake up call)
3.) We need Portugal's goal differential to continue to plummet

[smootness]

Wow, that half literally could not have gone any better for us. There's a real good chance Portgual is -4 or -5 in GD after this one, and now Pepe is out against us.

Obviously it all hinges on us beating Ghana, but if we can do that, we now have a pretty good shot of at least tying Portugal, especially since they didn't look very good even with 11.

So if we beat Ghana and tie Portugal, and if Germany beats Ghana as they should, we'll enter the Germany match with 4 points and a positive GD; Portugal would have to kill Ghana to give themselves a shot, and we would have a decent chance of either tying Germany or at least not losing by much since they would just be making sure they didn't lose.

[TheRef]

What I've seen so far is very good for the USA:
1.) Most importantly Portugal doesn't look very threatening. They look mediocre, ill-prepared, and they are frazzled.
2.) This game may do some psychological damage to Portugal (but, then again, it could be a wake up call)
3.) We need Portugal's goal differential to continue to plummet

Germany and Portugal are doing their part of the equation for a US berth in the Round of 16. Can the US do its part?

[smootness]

Portugal often disappoints in major competitions, so I'm not going to be overly surprised if they fall on their faces. They rely too much on Ronaldo, and he hasn't been able to take over games by himself. The times he's really shined, he's been surrounded by stars at Man U and Real Madrid.

[esplanade91]

What I've seen so far is very good for the USA:
1.) Most importantly Portugal doesn't look very threatening. They look mediocre, ill-prepared, and they are frazzled.
2.) This game may do some psychological damage to Portugal (but, then again, it could be a wake up call)
3.) We need Portugal's goal differential to continue to plummet

Portugal is and has been a 2 person show, emphasis on 1 of the 2.

I've always thought we had a shot against them, and now with their 2nd best player out of the game we can put our entire focus on Renaldo. Good thing we have one of the premier stoppers in the entire world back there...

[hacker]

what that guy thought of the red card

[smootness]

Germany and Portugal are doing their part of the equation for a US berth in the Round of 16. Can the US do its part?

Yep, and I would think we'll be even more motivated than normal simply because it's Ghana. I expect Ghana to be very physical, but that shouldn't be a problem for us.

I think it's going to come down to whether or not Dempsey and Altidore can finish around the goal because I expect us to have some good chances. Bradley, Zusi, and Fabian Johnson should be able to dominate the play in the midfield.

[TheRef]

Yep, and I would think we'll be even more motivated than normal simply because it's Ghana. I expect Ghana to be very physical, but that shouldn't be a problem for us.

I think it's going to come down to whether or not Dempsey and Altidore can finish around the goal because I expect us to have some good chances. Bradley, Zusi, and Fabian Johnson should be able to dominate the play in the midfield.

Agreed. We have been playing very physical in our warm-up games to the WC. Needless to say, we will be out there and ready for an all-out brawl on the pitch.

[TheRef]

Question of the second half: Do you take Ronaldo out and save him for the US?

[smootness]

Question of the second half: Do you take Ronaldo out and save him for the US?

No way.

[DudyDawg]

Portugal often disappoints in major competitions, so I'm not going to be overly surprised if they fall on their faces. They rely too much on Ronaldo, and he hasn't been able to take over games by himself. The times he's really shined, he's been surrounded by stars at Man U and Real Madrid.

As a winger and guy who relies on speed on the counter, it's hard for him to dominate for them like he can with real. Everyone focuses on him, and he doesn't get any service. That being said, he can still hurt us, it's just harder for him.

[DudyDawg]

Question of the second half: Do you take Ronaldo out and save him for the US?

I would consider it with his recent knee trouble

[DudyDawg]

Yep, and I would think we'll be even more motivated than normal simply because it's Ghana. I expect Ghana to be very physical, but that shouldn't be a problem for us.

I think it's going to come down to whether or not Dempsey and Altidore can finish around the goal because I expect us to have some good chances. Bradley, Zusi, and Fabian Johnson should be able to dominate the play in the midfield.

Johnson is our right back. It will depend on who plays with Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones. If it is beckerman, that allows Bradley to push forward and create. If it is Zusi, Bradley has to play slightly deeper and it puts more of the pressure on Dempsey and Altidore to be able to hold up play and create off of each other

[smootness]

Goal differential is still huge, they need to try to get one or two in the second half if at all possible. And you just don't take Cristiano Ronaldo out in the World Cup.

[smootness]

Johnson is our right back. It will depend on who plays with Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones. If it is beckerman, that allows Bradley to push forward and create. If it is Zusi, Bradley has to play slightly deeper and it puts more of the pressure on Dempsey and Altidore to be able to hold up play and create off of each other

I know he is, but he plays forward a lot and lately has been the primary guy to team up with Bradley to create offensively. It'll be interesting to see how much of that he does in this one, though, with Gyan being so much of a threat up front for Ghana.

I'm fine either way we play this. I think Bradley is at his best when he plays further back and is able to be a bigger influence on gaining and retaining possession, then charging foward; but I think the team overall may be better when he's able to stay forward more.

He's not ultra-creative, but he's definitely our best passer. I think the team looked their best with Beckerman in against Nigeria.

[DudyDawg]

Looks like coentrao pulled a muscle. A non contact injury. Could miss USA also. Two Real Madrid defenders, one out for sure, one now injured. Makes me happy as a USA fan, but as a Madrid fan that sucks. Coentrao stretchered right to the tunnel. Certainly looks bad

[TheRef]

Looks like a pulled muscle or a knee problem for another Portugal defender....could be huge for the US now. 2 starting defenders down, possibly.

[DudyDawg]

what that guy thought of the red card

Those look like pointer fingers......

[DudyDawg]

Wow. 4-0 Germany. Muller with his third. Germany got some heat for choosing to play muller as a false number nine. This should shut people up. Huge game for them, and for the shape of our group