12/21/24
April 30, 2010
Bocanegra: 'We Feel Like We Can Beat Anybody': Carlos Bocanegra, the captain of the United States soccer team, said the team will play without fear at the World Cup. "When it hits the knockout stages it's a one-off game, and who knows what can happen?" he asked. "[W]e feel like we can beat anybody." U.S. Coach Bob Bradley is still deciding on the final 5-7 roster spots for the team.
"When it hits the knockout stages".
Sorry, mate. You'll already be out.
/sledging begins.
posted by owlhouse at 06:49 PM on April 30, 2010
Sorry, mate. You'll already be out.
Along with England.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 06:58 PM on April 30, 2010
Along with England.
Nah, they'll be our second round opponents. Then they'll be out.
posted by owlhouse at 07:03 PM on April 30, 2010
I don't know what to think about our prospects this year. Given the draw, we ought to be able to get into the knockout round.
As for the gulf between can and will, the U.S. is inching closer to the day when our country joins the league of nations who expect to win the Cup and are crushingly disappointed and angry when we don't.
posted by rcade at 08:22 PM on April 30, 2010
I understand the psychology behind Bocanegra's acting as if group qualification is a given.
rcade's right: the US team is going to break through in a big way at some point, and it's no worse a bet that this will be their year to make it to the last four than it is to tip Spain to win the thing. I remember celebrating the first-round defeat to Iran in 1998, because it was really funny, but twelve years on, it's silly to act as if a side with some genuine stars, lots of collective experience and some big results under their belt doesn't have a fair crack of progressing into the final stages. (Same goes for a lot of teams.)
posted by etagloh at 10:40 PM on April 30, 2010
The great thing about football is that on a given day, almost all teams have a chance of winning against someone rated more highly. The top 32 in South Africa will all feel this way - there are no easy games and group points will have to be earned.
and it's no worse a bet that this will be their year to make it to the last four than it is to tip Spain to win the thing
Agreed, but Spain aren't likely to meet Germany in the second round. (They will instead probably face a Portugal side in serious decline.) For an 'unfancied' nation to advance in a tournament, you not only have to keep winning, but the draw has to work in your favour, too.
Having said that, the USA is in the slightly easier half of the draw.
And I'd like a dollar for every media mention of the words 'Belo Horizonte 1950' between now and 12 June.
posted by owlhouse at 02:57 AM on May 01, 2010
I believe that US can beat any team at the World Cup. Unfortunately, I also believe that they can lose to any team any time anywhere.
They have a bad habit of pairing great results in a tournament with bad results in the same tourney. They beat Spain in the Confederations Cup, but lost a 2-0 half-time lead to Brazil (and lost 3-1 to Italy and 3-0 to Brazil in the first round). In 2002, the victory over dark-horse favorites Portugal and 2nd round victory over Mexico was accompanied with a blow-out loss to Poland which endangered their advancing. In 2006, they were the only team to not lose to Italy.
I therefore predict that the worst first-round result for the US will not be against England. I really hope that they make a run into the final four.
posted by Aardhart at 10:06 AM on May 01, 2010
I'm not as concerned with making the last four as I am with a dignified exit. 2002 was as fantastic as 1998 was horrible. Going out in the last 8 while more or less outplaying Germany and losing by a single goal when there should have been a penalty and Torsten Frings red card was a little heartbreaking. But the tournament was a fantastic showing by the US other than the Poland game. Even in 2006, we played a hell of a game with eventual winners Italy.
So if we go out in the first knock out stage to Germany or second round to Argentina, that will be fine as long as it's respectable. Any loss will be hard to take, but I will take comfort in putting up a good fight. Fingers crossed. The US do have one of the easiest possible draws looking at first facing 1st or 2nd in group D and then someone from groups A or B. We can't even meet Spain or Itlay or Brazil until the last 4.
Good luck boys.
posted by Ricardo at 02:09 PM on May 03, 2010
I'm not as concerned with making the last four as I am with a dignified exit.
I'm sick of moral victories. The US beat Spain when it was the best team in the world. The US was beating Brazil 2-0 at half time. It's time to raise standards. (Of course, I would prefer a dignified exit to a USA 1998 performance, but . . . .)
posted by Aardhart at 07:51 PM on May 04, 2010
I'm afraid that the gulf between "can" and "will" is massive.