US v Slovenia

It's a few days off, but I got to thinking as I stared at the ceiling, too excited to sleep -- at the risk of discounting Slovenia and Algeria too much, we have a damn good chance of winning this group. I don't see England keeping a clean sheet, and while the same could be said about the US, I feel marginally better about our chances. I thought our defense, after the Gerrard goal which was mostly due to a lapse by Clark, was pretty damn good, Stevie C was a rock, I went on about Gooch and DeMerit, and Bocanegra had the best game as a aleft back that I have seen in a while. And some guy named Timmy is between the sticks -- think England would like to have him?

A big concern is Chrundolo's yellow card -- the 2 card threshhold for suspension is pretty harsh in my opinion, but damn, I am worried about us if he sits a game.

I know not too much about this Slovenia team, other than if your playmaking midfielder is Robert Koren, I ain't that scared of you. They kick off v Algeria in 20 minutes. Come on you Yanks!

 

well.. things certainly do look different than they did just a few weeks ago.

Reading all the moaning in the brit press sorta makes my jaw hurt, but remember this kiddies.. they'd be saying pretty much the same if we'd been anyone but Spain or Italy or Brazil.

So for our back line, it's indeed a great thing when the guy you're most concerned about is Bocanegra. I rate him and like him but I've ALWAYS been a Boca realist.. he's gonna eff up big time before this is over. Hopefully only once a game.

So for this match US has to forget every freaking thing that's gone on before and treat it as a must win.

I was thinking after the Gerrard goal how it would be so much easier to plan tactics if England won decisively and their confidence led them to beat the other two.
Then the US just have to win two against teams that dont exceed them on paper. It's a 'psyche thing'

Oh, yes. To me that's very worrying now. Everyone played their best against ENG, no letdown or we'll be saddled with heartache.

All the more so, now that Slovenia is temporarily top of group. Look at it realistically .. if they beat US, they are in we are out.

 

I wouldn't have been crazy about Spector against England, but against Algeria I think he could do the job.

 

I half expect Slovenia to sit back and play for a point forcing the US to take the match to them. If that does happen we are going to need a playmaker in the middle of the field. As well as Clark and Bradley played against England I wonder if Torres will see the pitch against Slovenia.

Slovenia was luckier than the US since their goalie gifted goal gave them 3 points instead of 1. At least Robert Green got behind the ball. The Algerian goalie didn't even get a hand on Koren's fairly average shot.

 

Re: RE: Re: US v Slovenia

I don't just half expect it, I completely expect it.

 

I am not down on Clark like most people have been (I thought he did his role well enough aside from the Gerrad goal), but I think Torres would be a better fit going against a Slovenia side that many on here have already said should be sitting back.

The US generally doesn't do well against teams that sit back (we like to counter against aggressive type teams) and I think we will need a more creative/offensive minded person in the middle.

 

If we are playing a team that we are expecting to sit back I think that Altidore-Buddle up top with Torres-Bradley or Holden-Bradley in the middle would make sense. Torres would be my first choice.

If we are facing a team that we need to play defensively against with a counter-attacking offense then the Finley-Altidore strike force with Clark and Bradley or Edu and Bradley playing centrally is what I would expect to see.

 

Eastern European teams are our achilles. So there should be absolutely no cockiness going in. That said, watching them for a little while yesterday, they remind me more of Poland than of Czech Republic.

 

If England had beaten us then, yes, I would expect Slovenia to play for the point, but not in this scenario. They know we can beat Algeria; they are fools if they decide to go for the draw.

If they are smart, they will put everything in to scoring in the first 5 minutes :3d nervous:

We can defo beat Slovenia, and I would much rather be facing them on Friday than a freshly wounded Algeria- but it is the WC; bad things happen. From what I saw they are slow. I'd start Jozy and Findley. The only way we are losing this game is on a defensive error. I want Edu; wont complain if it's Torres, but please no Clark.

 

We're going to win this one. I predict it now.

 

Algeria should be eliminated by the third game, which will make them very loose, very motivated, and dangerous. A great byproduct of the US draw w/England is the 3 Lions will go into the 3rd game having to beat Slovenia.

Slovenia will be a tough nut to crack. Any team that knocks out Russia is no joke. A draw would not be a total disaster, but a win goes a long way towards advancement.

 

If U.S. Wins Group... We Will Avoid Argentina

If U.S. wins its group... we'll either go up against Serbia, Ghana, or Germany (likely one of the former). And then we'll have to play either Uruguay, Mexico or one of Korea Republic, Greece, or even Nigeria.

Otherwise if we come in second it'll likely be Germany and then Argentina.

Just looking at the schedule of stage 2, that's what I see happening.

I think we can beat Germany and Argentina though... with some good fortune.

 

Nerves are jangling and can only watch the first half before having to leave the house. :x

Here's hoping there isn't a card crazy ref like in the Germany-Serbia match.

USA! USA! USA!

 

Yep the Slovenians are sitting back with a half time 2-0 lead, lets hope the US makes a game of it second half otherwise this one over

 

The game came alive second half GREAT Result!!!

 

Re: If U.S. Wins Group... We Will Avoid Argentina

"IF'S " a Big word but I would think this is all out the window now, infact you cant win the group any more I would have to say.

 

WORST FUCKING REF EVER. FUCK HIM.

 

HE WAS SO FUCKING HORRIBLE, THAT IT DESERVES TO BE SAID TWICE. FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT, FUCK HIM.