In Jurgen We Trust!

[lasportzphan]

I consider this World Cup a success win, lose or draw Thursday. And you have to give Jurgen a lot of credit. I was always hearing about this possession, attacking, ball control style of soccer we were aspiring to, but when you play CONCACAF lightweights, "B" & "C" international teams, it is very hard to gauge how good the US team really is. A shame, but the WC every 4 years is our only legit litmus test.

As many of you know, I had very low expectations - defensively I witnessed too many mistakes and no synergy among teammates. And while there have been a couple of major defensive lapses, the US has done extremely well overall completely exceeding my expectations. Not only does the US have athletes on the field, but there is chemistry, a game plan, tactics, execution, possession (even in tight spaces!!), vision, flow, a touch of creativity etc. And we have always been solid on set pieces and guts. It's a truly fun brand of soccer to watch. WE do not play like the Italians - nobody was calling for a yellow card when Clint had his nose broken. But that was a dangerous play above the head. Meanwhile, if that had happened to a Spaniard, Brazilian, Italian etc the game would have been stopped, FIFA would have conducted a formal investigation on the field and sentenced the offering player to death by firing squad.

While the Ghana game was not pretty, to follow it up with a beauty of a game against Portugal shows this team can wine ugly and result against top tier teams when they play well. Amazing progress.

Final thought, the world HATES, YES HATES, the fact that the US games is evolving. We have athletes with some touch and feel - look out.

 

[ckhokie]

The US is playing like a top 10 team in the world now. We have Jurgen to thank for that.

 

[lasportzphan]

The US is playing like a top 10 team in the world now. We have Jurgen to thank for that.

And it's not like we are going to be knocked out by Algeria or something, it's the Germans. They can knock out any team in the world on any given day. No shame in any scenario that happens on Thursday.

 

[CalamityX11]

success comes with getting out of the group. Which is most likely the end result since that both Ghana and Portugal need to win by their respected goals necessity.

USA vs Belgium is a good matchup for them based on their CURRENT play... now that doesn't Belgium couldn't raise their game either but its not a slippery road once past the group stages for E-H teams...(where as A-D is a freaking battlefield IMO)

 

[romeo212000]

success comes with getting out of the group. Which is most likely the end result since that both Ghana and Portugal need to win by their respected goals necessity.

USA vs Belgium is a good matchup for them based on their CURRENT play... now that doesn't Belgium couldn't raise their game either but its not a slippery road once past the group stages for E-H teams...(where as A-D is a freaking battlefield IMO)

So if the US lose by one, Ghana has to win by two?

 

[lasportzphan]

So if the US lose by one, Ghana has to win by two?

If the US loses 1-0, and Ghana wins 2-1, Ghana advances.

This chart will answer all of your questions:

This handy chart lists the 209 different scenarios for the U.S. World Cup team | For The Win

 

[Tainthappening]

I consider this World Cup a success win, lose or draw Thursday.

I agree... this World Cup has been a success for USA no matter what happens Thursday.

 

[romeo212000]

I agree... this World Cup has been a success for USA no matter what happens Thursday.

Yes, but I want a result so badly I can taste it.

 

[Tainthappening]

Yes, but I want a result so badly I can taste it.

+1

 

[lasportzphan]

Of course, a result would be euphoric but it's Germany so we'd have to play perfect and they'd have to have an off day.

 

[ckhokie]

I agree... this World Cup has been a success for USA no matter what happens Thursday.

It was right there for the taking yesterday. Not advancing would leave a taste in my mouth about as bad as 2002. Either way, we've proven we can play with the world's elite, and that is great considering the number of MLS players we have. That league has improved drastically.

 

[CalamityX11]

So if the US lose by one, Ghana has to win by two?

what las said...

we(America) want Portugal to win... cuz its highly unlikely they'll win by 6 goals or so

 

[Itsmytime]

what las said...

we(America) want Portugal to win... cuz its highly unlikely they'll win by 6 goals or so

Well they do get Pepe back so that'll help immensely.

 

[romeo212000]

Of course, a result would be euphoric but it's Germany so we'd have to play perfect and they'd have to have an off day.

And you're continuing to undersell this team.

They can play with and even beat Germany, and Germany doesn't have to be having an off day for them to get a result. Btw, you've been wrong on every game telling people how we weren't even close to the same level as Ghana, Portugal and now Germany. So yeah, nothing has changed with you.

 

[xpuctaqpGT]

but when you play CONCACAF lightweights,

Right now, 2 out of 4 CONCACAF teams made it out of group stage. Assuming the US also makes it out of their group, that would make 3 out of 4, aka 75%.

Exactly how many other regions can match that?

 

[olympicoscar]

We've done well so far, but Germany will be a supreme test. Just hoping Portugal can beat Ghana.

 

[romeo212000]

We've done well so far, but Germany will be a supreme test. Just hoping Portugal can beat Ghana.

Whether Portugal ties or wins we'd be in business, but I wouldn't bet on either.

 

[RegentDenali]

Klinsmann in 2 years with the USMNT =


Klinsmann’s record as head coach of the Men’s National Team is 27-10-7, including two back-to-back record-setting years.

After finishing 2012 with a 9-2-3 record, good for a .750 winning percentage to equal the best ever winning percentage to date, a year later Klinsmann led the team to an even better record, setting single year records for wins (16), winning percentage (.761), and consecutive wins (12).

The U.S. finished the final round of 2013 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying atop the Hexagonal with a 7-1-2 overall record, including an unblemished 5-0-0 home record that was achieved by keeping clean sheets in all five matches.

The team won six straight games en route to capturing the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, during which the squad scored a record 20 goals.

Klinsmann has won a record-setting 12 straight games at home, and also led the MNT to a 12-game winning streak, the longest in program history.

Committed to challenging the group against the best, under Klinsmann the United States has a 2-1-1 record against teams ranked in the top 10 in the world.

With Klinsmann at the helm, the U.S. has collected four historic victories:

Beating four-time World Cup champion Italy for the first time ever

Earning the first win against Mexico on Mexican soil "How sweet it is.."

Defeating Jamaica on the road for the first time in World Cup Qualifying

Topping second-ranked Germany in U.S. Soccer’s Centennial Celebration Match


And now add beating Ghana in the WC, dominated Portugal who spent 2014 ranked as high as 3rd in the world by FIFA, and let's revisit this on Thursday if we are able to move out of a group of death into the knock stage.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

And you're continuing to undersell this team.

They can play with and even beat Germany, and Germany doesn't have to be having an off day for them to get a result. Btw, you've been wrong on every game telling people how we weren't even close to the same level as Ghana, Portugal and now Germany. So yeah, nothing has changed with you.

Germany isn't Portugal or Ghana. Sure Ghana tied them, but that means nothing to the US Vs Germany game other than the way the standings are. Germany is arguably the most talented team in the world right now. They have an incredibly deep midfield with bench midfielders that would start and star on this US team. They have a defense that is the best this US team has played in this World Cup by far that is backed by one of the top 3 GKs in the world.

Having said this, the most talented team doesn't always win in soccer. Germany should be heavy favorites in this game, but I think Klinsmann can find a way to make this game another close one.

 

[antone112]

Fuck drawing the "group of death", fuck last night, fuck Manaus, fuck the 3 day rest. What has happened, has happened because it had too. This is the only way we could show the world that we are for real. We will beat Germany and advance out of the "group of death" as the top team. It is our destiny, our biggest leap. We will come out of this world cup having announced our presence as a team to no longer be fucked with. WE WILL WIN THURSDAY and it will be glorious. Our finest hour.

Anyone got one of those result charts for the German fans?