re: Im excited for the WC too, but can we be honest for a minute?

We outplayed Ghana in 2010 and their rank is like between 27 and 34 according to which index you look at.

Portugal aren't world beaters, I mean they do have a top 2 player in the world, but as a team they beat Luxemborg 2-1 in group F qualification, tied Northern Ireland 1-1, tied Israel twice, 3-3 and 1-1. They are not the 4rth best team, but we all know FIFA rankings suck. A great challenge, but if Israel can draw twice vs. them I don't see a world beater in them. Heat maybe a small advantage to the U.S.A.

Germany are great no doubt, but we do get them 3rd, which is possibly a minor advantage. The heat could very well be a good advantage for the U.S.A., hang in early, and attack late.

We weren't supposed to beat Portugal in 2002 either, or hang with Germany in the quarterfinals.

BUT WE DID.

Beat Ghana and we go through, tie Ghana and beat or Portugal and we are looking good.

WE GOING THROUGH.

We have a shot, but I have my doubts. Really don't see us getting a result against Germany. Wed have to park the bus, but I doubt any of our players could make their squad. And they usually are well coached and cohesive. Now Portugal is a diff story, we've seen real falter some games when ronaldo makes it all about him. If we play well and don't make it out, I won't be upset.

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A win, and 2 draws should do it.

2 wins, and a loss would do it too.

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Or a win, a draw, and a loss with better GD.

Or frick it, how about we just get 3 wins and call it a day?

They have No shot, with or without lanny cakes

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(unless Germany already has 6 points and decides to give zero fux).

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I can't even see this. Their 2nd team would get out of the group. So you'd have young guys trying to nab start after the group and the possibility of making some change from a club with a good showing.

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We will have no such "luck" and get no breaks.

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Well the goalkeeper makes a mistake or a player scores own goal, that's all the luck we need to get a result. It has happened, but for the most part we get shite on. We got some luck against Italy just for the ref to take it away.

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MO, it's not a crazy prediction (or overly-pessimistic) to say we won't win a game. We are evenly matched with Ghana, slight underdogs vs. Portugal, and mid/heavy underdogs vs Ze Germans (unless Germany already has 6 points and decides to give zero fux).

A pessimistic prediction:

USA 1, Ghana 1
USA 2, Portugal 2
USA 2, Germany 3

2 total points FML

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I think we could possibly get through the group but it would be an historic success story and big surprise due to the group's strength.

This post may annoy some people but I'm not one to get much satisfaction out of talking down opponents.


So, the pessimistic view is that we could play well and still end up with results like these:

Ghana 2 USA 1
Portugal 1 USA 0
Germany 4 USA 2


Germany: We are very heavy underdogs against Germany's 1st or 2nd team.

Portugal: We are larger underdogs against Portugal than people make out. As I've posted here before, Portugal is an elite NT that has almost a complete 23 man roster of players starting at the largest clubs in the world. If we finish ahead of them we deserve credit for taking down an elite squad, period.

Ghana: We are a slight underdog.
I do think we can beat them. However, if the roles were reversed -- USA had more players starring at top clubs and had beaten them in 2010 -- most USA fans would be picking us as clear favorites. As it is, more people outside the US probably look at Ghana as favorites.

Portugal is a very talented team, but a team with a few glaring weaknesses.

Postiga is a very average forward. Down the left Portugal is a force to be reckoned with, but down the right. meh.

Drawing Portugal would be the equivalent of drawing England last World Cup. Portugal has a better overall player than that England team, but probably a worse starting eleven.

Raul Meireles suicide pact?

Didn't read through the thread but I did see someone mentioning us beating Portugal before and of course we beat Spain a few years ago and should've beaten Brazil plus the tie with England in the last WC, so we've definitely shown that we can go toe to toe with world's elite, but damn. The #2 and #3 ranked teams in the world in one group? I picked the US to get through the group in the MLS challenge on this board, but I feel that if I were born in any other country on this planet I would've chosen Germany and Portugal.

But I'm not from anywhere else. So yes, I believe.