[TainuibeFaimb]

My last post on the other thread:

Yeah, the chances of Sven doing that are...... ? [In referece to dropping Becks]



I'm thinking:

.....................Robinson..................... .
...Nevile... Ferdinand...Terry...A. Cole...
.......................Carrick.................... ...
....Beckham.............Lampard....J. Cole..
...................Gerrard........................ ..
.............................Owen................. ..

[Yessaniloas]

Or, you could do:

.....................Robinson..................... .
...Nevile... Ferdinand...Terry...A. Cole...
.......................Carrick.................... ...
..............Gerrard.......Lampard..........
.....Beckham.........................J. Cole......
.........................Owen..................... ...

[ReggieRed]

.....................Robinson....................
.Neville...Terry...Carragher...A. Cole.
...................Gerrard........................ .
.W-Phillips.............................J. Cole.
...................Lampard........................
...........Owen............Crouch.............

Or something like that, although I'm still very keen on playing Bridge at left-back and A. Cole at left wing.
They need Defoe on the bench though, even if he's had a quiet seaon.
(Yes, I do hate myself for having to pick Neville, but who else have they got? If only Pascale Chimbonda was English!)

[TouccuraLar]

I don't like this "new" idea with Gerrard playing just behind the main striker, his attacking strength comes from coming in from deeper. He'll be too static and too easy to mark in that set up.

[russmodel]

world cup 2006 revelation: Tranquillo Barnetta. hes already a star a Leverkusen, now the world will see how he tears it up.

[durootrium]

Shouldn't you do points?

I think the US has a good chance at beating Ghana and can tie the Czech Republic. That, by itself, can lead to a second round bearth.

Of course it all depends on how good Italy actually is. They looked bad in some games this year, even though they were just Friendlies.

[gechaheritt]

::shrug::

Was last time. Just have to see how it plays out.

[XKAgustin]

easily? I think prior WC's have shown us that everything is up in the air after Brazil.

[Xzmwskxn]

I rank argentina ahead of them. they had them in that friendly in geneva, only a one time monumental collapse prevented them from winning that game.

[enlinnyGoob]

As long as the defense plays solid as it has been recently (Onyewu is, of course, the lynchpin), I think the US can.

[JohnfAclambrJA]

Onyewu? You have black players now? Last time saw the USA play they were all called names like Deusenhaastler and looked like they were on a sabatical from Harvard.

[exsmoker]

keep dreaming about that tie game against the czechs. you have a better chance of squeezing a tie outta the italians who will score a goal and then play defense. bocanegra will go in for a corner, the ball will come out, and before bocanegra can get into gear, youll have three czech strikers and a midfielder already three quarters of the way down the field.

[ImmimiFruff]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
I rank argentina ahead of them. they had them in that friendly in geneva, only a one time monumental collapse prevented them from winning that game. I would agree that Argentina are better than England, but England vs Argentina has a history that makes it hard to choose in a head to head.

[sueplydup]

I agree, the US has a better chance of scoring on the czechs, but the czechs have a bigger chance of scoring 3 than the italians (I think totti is out for the world cup but im not sure)

1 thing is certain tho, france isnt getting out of the first round.

[Fluivelip]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
1 thing is certain tho, france isnt getting out of the first round. Now that is a different topic .

Though I do think that the Americans have an even chance of either making it or not making it out of the first round. I think they'll be close if they don't make it, but I'm hoping for the best.

[zzbust]

but I'm hoping for the best.




me too, that they finish ahead of Ghana and Michael Essien. I can just see that match up, Essien v Donovan. could be interesting.

[Axxflcaj]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
but I'm hoping for the best.




me too, that they finish ahead of Ghana and Michael Essien. I can just see that match up, Essien v Donovan. could be interesting. All depends on the offense. McBride should be good, but I'm not sure about Eddie Johnson. The offense MUST go through Donovan and Beasley. Reyna can be a good distributor of the ball, but if we have to depend on Convey or Ralston for offense, then we're going home.

Defense is much improved. Onyewu is a Hell of a central defender. I only hope Arena uses Bocanegra as a CB instead of a RB where he has been disapointing in qualifiers. Maybe Cherundolo at RB instead and who knows, Hejduk at LB (edit, strike that.. he tore his ACL, anyway Lewis will probably be starting at LB no matter if Frankie was healthy or not) . If more defense is needed, Maestroni can come in an play a defensive mid (maybe move Donovan to wing, take out Convey, move Reyna up and put Maestro behind him).

[Glanteeignile]

Brazil won in Sweden, is that in Europe?

[w4WBthjv]

brazil didnt win in sweden.

[yahyynzer]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
brazil didnt win in sweden.

Yes they did:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_FIFA_World_Cup