Well done USA!

RichTea

karma_ wrote: »

I remember him from the Confederations Cup last year, he was outstanding in that tourney also, real quality player.

He's a bit of a beast in the Bundesliga for Mönchengladbach. He's just ferocious. There's a lot of bite about the way he plays but he also has a nimble, creative streak about him as well. Love watching him play. He's a bit like Daniele De Rossi actually, except not as good.

steelcityblues

JerryHandbag wrote: »

I think they'll actually go father than England. There I said it.

it will be E-A-S-Y!

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd

Large American contingent in The Woolshed yesterday. Madness when the goal finally came. They definitely deserved it, they carved open numerous clear chances off the back of some good football. To keep going like they did took some guts, no doubt about that.

Ghana will be tough, and are a bad match up for the USA because they are one of the few teams in the tournament who are better than them athletically. But I would much rather them than Germany. Winning the group was huge, because the US won't be afraid of the other three teams in their section of the bracket (even though they are probably betting dogs to Uruguay and Ghana).

RichTea

Even if the United States doesn't come through the Ghana round at least there'll be a surprise team making it to the semi-finals. Terrific!

Necronomicon

FatherTed wrote: »

The commentary from US TV:

That sounds like Ian Darke, am I right?

I was delighted for the US. Not only do they play decent, attractive football but there's an honesty and likeableness about the team. Watching it you'd have thought they wouldn't score if they were on the pitch for 180 minutes, it just seemed to be one of those days.

I'm only sorry that Australia didn't come out of Group D, that would have been a cracking match.

Warper

Ya well played, they play good attacking football with confidence. They are a decent side and could make their way to the semis. They were in a poor group with England, Algeria and Slovenia but credit where credit is due.

_blank_

Necronomicon wrote: »

That sounds like Ian Darke, am I right?

Yep, shít commentator, should stick to boxing imo

TripleAce

Happy for USA but personally I don’t like to see too many outsiders going through – this is going to end up like the 2002 WC with Turkey and South Korea in the Semifinals – awful. I really like to see the best teams (at least tradition-wise) getting to the final 8 at least, in 2006 we had almost all the top teams in the world going deep in the competition, and the quality of games was very very high!

grenache

No great suprises that the US got through, they've played some smashing football both in this and previous tournaments. Last years Confederations Cup performances showed just how far they had come. Edu and Dempsey have impressed me most, along with Bradley in midfield.

_blank_

Ridiculous comment tbh.

America are there on merit.

pickarooney

Turkey v South Korea was one of the few good matches in 2002, a tournament whose latter stages would not have been enhanced by the presence of France and Argentina.

It's high time the wheels turned a little in the direction of the non-traditional giants.

steelcityblues

TripleAce wrote: »

Happy for USA but personally I don’t like to see too many outsiders going through – this is going to end up like the 2002 WC with Turkey and South Korea in the Semifinals – awful. I really like to see the best teams (at least tradition-wise) getting to the final 8 at least, in 2006 we had almost all the top teams in the world going deep in the competition, and the quality of games was very very high!

Blame a disinterested France, and not the smaller nations for simply making the best of an opportunity.

South Korea's progress to the semis in 2002 was certainly dubious, but at least Turkey earned their place that year.

GavRedKing

Just want to congratulate the USA for not only going through but also by topping the group, they should have topped it with 7 points if were not for a dodgy ref decision, they have been the bestteam in this group and look like they could cause an upset if they get a bit of luck.

Hope they can beat Ghana and go on a bit of a run, brillant showing so far by the USA.

Overheal

PLeaaaaase can this be my signature? Just for a couple days. PLEASE? :pac:

DeVore

TripleAce wrote: »

Happy for USA but personally I don’t like to see too many outsiders going through – this is going to end up like the 2002 WC with Turkey and South Korea in the Semifinals – awful. I really like to see the best teams (at least tradition-wise) getting to the final 8 at least, in 2006 we had almost all the top teams in the world going deep in the competition, and the quality of games was very very high!

Why bother having a competition then!? Why not just put your 8 favourite teams in the quarters.... *boggle*


Personally I'm completely the opposite, I would prefer to see a final of all NEW countries so long as they got there on merit! This is a meritocracy and it should be the best 8 teams to go through, not those who are traditionally there.

DeV.

JerryHandbag

TripleAce wrote: »

Happy for USA but personally I don’t like to see too many outsiders going through – this is going to end up like the 2002 WC with Turkey and South Korea in the Semifinals – awful. I really like to see the best teams (at least tradition-wise) getting to the final 8 at least, in 2006 we had almost all the top teams in the world going deep in the competition, and the quality of games was very very high!

France - Portugal semi in 06 was a bore. England Portugal QF was another snoozefest. Doesnt always mean games are gonna be crackers with the best teams.

MUSEIST

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Hazys

MUSEIST wrote: »

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Awesome post, dude! :cool:

nacho libre

DeVore wrote: »

You know what, I dont think I've ever said this about any sport but for once... I totally want USA to win this thing.

DeV.

I hope they don't win it. As most Americans won't care if they do so. So it would be wasted on them!

Also i want to see an African team do well this year. So come on Ghana!

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

kabuk1

TripleAce wrote: »

Happy for USA but personally I don’t like to see too many outsiders going through – this is going to end up like the 2002 WC with Turkey and South Korea in the Semifinals – awful. I really like to see the best teams (at least tradition-wise) getting to the final 8 at least, in 2006 we had almost all the top teams in the world going deep in the competition, and the quality of games was very very high!

I don't what the team ranking is, or whether they have a long standing tradition of making it deep in the tournament. The best teams in the tourney should be the best teams moving on. Plus, a winning tradition has to start somewhere.

Congrats to the USA team! It was such an emotional roller-coaster ride watching those last two matches. They deserved to move on and finish at the top of the group. I'm so glad they did because I was so tired of hearing and reading all those stupid headlines of how it was an easy group for England and they were the best team by far.

The US definitely have a shot to make it to the semis, but they can't underestimate Ghana, as they are a super athletic team and have played well. My biggest worry would be the semis where they could meet Holland, and of course the possibilities of who they could meet in the finals. I believe the US will win their next 2 matches to go onto the Semis where they will meet Holland, and that the winner of that match will go onto win the World Cup! (That's maybe a little bias, as I'm American and my partner is Dutch, but oh well!)

deisedude

MUSEIST wrote: »

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Look closer to home. Half of Ireland call it soccer because ot the presence of a game called Gaelic Football:rolleyes:

FatherTed

MUSEIST wrote: »

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Hate the Irish and Aussies too? Not to mention the Canadians, New Zealanders and South Africans...

mike65

Soccers coming home
Soccers coming home

nah it dosen't work.

kabuk1

nacho libre wrote: »

I hope they don't win it. As most Americans won't care if they do so. So it would be wasted on them!

Also i want to see an African team do well this year. So come on Ghana!

That's a ridiculous reason. I'm American and love football, and yes, I do call it football. I also went to uni where it was big. Let me remind you all, football for women is huge in the US, and the US always fields one of the top teams in the world. I love how so many people forget that. Football is gaining momentum, and what better way to do that than by winning the biggest tourney!

MUSEIST wrote: »

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Cry or get over yourself! The US isn't the only country who refer to it as soccer. Plus, football isn't be all or end all. Other sports exist!

The one thing I don't like about how the game has developed, especially with some of the European teams, is all the acting out there. The players are athletes, not actors. I'm tired of all the diving, and I wish more people were booked for it.

Overheal

MUSEIST wrote: »

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Oh don't you get me started on Rounders....

Eire-Dearg

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

Remember where you heard it first!!!!

http://backpagefootball.com/info/international/born-in-the-usa/

Well played sir.

nacho libre

kabuk1 wrote: »

That's a ridiculous reason. I'm American and love football, and yes, I do call it football. I also went to uni where it was big. Let me remind you all, football for women is huge in the US, and the US always fields one of the top teams in the world. I love how so many people forget that. Football is gaining momentum, and what better way to do that than by winning the biggest tourney!

I seem to remember similar optimism when the World Cup was staged in the US in 1994. Outside of women's soccer, has it really gained in popularity that much since? Most Americans still seem to prefer watching basketball and American football than soccer. Winning the World Cup might of course change that but i have my doubts.

kabuk1

nacho libre wrote: »

I seem to remember similar optimism when the World Cup was staged in the US in 1994. Outside of women's soccer, has it really gained in popularity that much since? Most Americans still seem to prefer watching basketball and American football than soccer. Winning the World Cup might of course change that but i have my doubts.

Actually, hosting the World Cup in '94 did a lot for the program in the US. The money that came it allowed the US to start building a program there properly. Before that, it was difficult for the US to really field a good team as there was little to no financial support.

This year, the media has really been pushing the World Cup in the US. It's been all over the place, and friends back there have said they have never heard people so much about it until now. It's not going to change overnight, and may never become as big as American football, basketball or baseball, but it's there and it's fighting for it's place. Also, I'd say there are lots of followers in the US, and although the percentage may be lower than in other countries, the number of people that percentage represents could be much larger for the US when you consider the population.

Also, it's been unbelievable how many American have traveled to SA for the World Cup:
"According to the South African organizing committee and FIFA, soccer's international governing body, more than 130,000 of the 2.8 million tickets were purchased by U.S. residents, the highest total by any country other than South Africa. Donald Gips, U.S. ambassador to South Africa, estimated that between 25,000 and 40,000 Americans would attend some of the 64 matches." - Washington Post

I'm not saying that winning would make it the #1 sport in the US, but it would do a lot for the sport.

Mars Bar

MUSEIST wrote: »

Hate the US. Its called FOOTball not soccer because the game is played with your FOOT. American football is primerily played with hands so its not FOOTBALL because you rarely use your FOOT. If I hear another american accent saying SOCCER then I will cry, its just wrong.

Ah come on down off your high horse...

We have our own form of football in Gaelic Football so some of us need to call it soccer.

I could say I have football training tonight to someone who doesn't know I play soccer and they'll say, "Oh are ya playing with Tuam Stars?". No I am ****ing not, I would never play that game again if you paid me.

Hence, calling it soccer makes life a lot easier for everyone.

Although you have reminded me of a great picture that makes me laugh every time I see it.

everdead.ie

A friend works in NY in oxford university Press and they had the USA game on in the office and where going nuts on Wednesday when Donovan scored. Seems to be gaining more intrest alright.

stovelid

TripleAce wrote: »

Happy for USA but personally I don’t like to see too many outsiders going through – this is going to end up like the 2002 WC with Turkey and South Korea in the Semifinals – awful. I really like to see the best teams (at least tradition-wise) getting to the final 8 at least, in 2006 we had almost all the top teams in the world going deep in the competition, and the quality of games was very very high!

This kind of thinking tends to bite us on the arse, as Ireland are a team that your equivalent outside this country don't want to see progress at the expense of the big guns. Hence stuff like the play-off seeding furore.

The big guns will always be back. There is something intrinsic and romantic about smaller countries doing the business even if you sometimes get a Greece-type football spectacle. And the notion that smaller counties always play bad football is wrong.

digme

DeVore wrote: »

You know what, I dont think I've ever said this about any sport but for once... I totally want USA to win this thing.

DeV.

aww your american already :pac:

bonerm

Go team America! Deserved group winners. Keep reaching for the Gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIaeAtus5jU

dreamers75

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbn3rOPmR9w

Dues Bellator

almanu wrote: »

if England progress past the next round ,ill run naked down my street screaming i got it all wrong...
england havnt a hope v the germans if they top group tonight ,as they have organisation , faith in there managment and above all dare i say it team spirit..

well it does not look ill be running down my street.. 4-1 mauling.