OT: Brutal World Cup Draw

[Jimdish255]

We beat Ghana this time around. That said Germany has a solid deep team though it is true they may not have a true leader to pull the team through a tough game and our players are more familiar with them than at any time in the past due to international and league competition.

Portugal has been dragged through games by Ronaldo. Problem is he is better than ever and if he continues to play at this level no one in the group will stop him/them. We need to beat or tie Germany and I think we play them last. Our defense will be tested and we need to be at our best for all three games. Tough.

Argentina can send it's U-21 team for the first round.

 

[huskypantz]

Greece has some nice strikers and play solid defense

Obvious bias is obvious.

 

[huskypantz]

Sweet, half of my town is Portuguese, we better beat them or it's going to be really annoying for a few weeks.

 

[CTPride]

Sweet, half of my town is Portuguese, we better beat them or it's going to be really annoying for a few weeks.

you from Naugatuck?

 

[huskypantz]

you from Naugatuck?

I live in Stoughton, which is 20 miles south of Boston. Half of my street emigrated from Portugal about 30 years ago. Quite a few from the Azores.

 

[whaler11]

My inlaws are from the azores. Their entire street in the summer is men sitting in their garages listening to soccer on the radio drinking homemade spirits and wine.

 

[sdhusky]

I don't follow it as closely as many but I am very curious as to how Belgium was seeded. Is it possible that they are better at the moment than both Portugal and the Netherlands?

Who has the best seed the Netherlands, the Dutch or Holland?

 

[upstater]

Obvious bias is obvious.

Hey! Actually they do have two great defenders. One of them is about to get transferred to Arsenal from Schalke for $20m. Another starts at central defense for Borussia Dortmund. They have a striker who has been scoring a lot in World Cup qualifying and Champions League this year.

 

[spsct]

Sweet, half of my town is Portuguese, we better beat them or it's going to be really annoying for a few weeks.

It's already annoying for me... Sitting in a bar in Germany for the draw, everyone is already busting my stones and we're 7 months away...

 

[Kgun7]

It's already annoying for me... Sitting in a bar in Germany for the draw, everyone is already busting my stones and we're 7 months away...

Take one for the team and make sure you wear your UCONN basketball #5 jersey under your USA scarf!

 

[jrazz12]

This is no easy draw by any means but Jurgen will have them focusing one game at a time. Ghana was Bob Bradley's kryptonite. We'll get revenge this time and grab 3 points in the first match. Portugal is overrated per usual. Shut down CR in the Amazon and we can win that game. Germany will be tough but we've shown already that we can play with them.

Some of the groups are an absolute joke (A, E, F, H) but we can come out of this group, even on top, if we're fully healthy. There are no expectations because of the Group of Death moniker and we'll be wearing a gigantic underdog badge. I think we come out of this group with 7 points. One game at a time though.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm looking for one win and two draws. With that we cannot be eliminated until the knockout rounds.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm looking for one win and two draws. With that we cannot be eliminated until the knockout rounds.

Theoretically, you still can be eliminated with those results, if the other two teams with one win and two draws have a better goal differential (a.k.a., scored more goals in that win). However, I would be willing to take that chance with those results!

 

[SAMCRO]

Just a brutal draw. Could not have gone much worse for the US. I'll be in Rio for the 2nd and 3rd games of group play, and the 1st knockout stage game. Put in my ticket application as part of the random draw for those games in Rio (have been unsuccessful with the last two ticket stages) hoping to see Belgium v. Russia, Ecuador v, France, and/or what will most likely be Colombia v. either Italy or England in the first round of knockout stage games. Also put in for US v. Germany in Recife (will fly from Rio for that one if need be).

@RioDog, if you have any hook ups on tickets for any of the Rio games, (any games really, I will travel while in country) I would be interested in purchasing.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Basically, the US has to beat Ghana in game one by at least 2 goals for goal differential space and then tie the other two. That should get them in as team #2, especially in Portugal/Germany do not tie. I am more fearful of Germany; but we may have some inside info there. I think Portugal is overrated as there are ways to get under pretty boy's skin and get him off of his game. Of course, who the US gets as refs will be a huge factor, too.

 

[SubbaBub]

Just a brutal draw. Could not have gone much worse for the US. I'll be in Rio for the 2nd and 3rd games of group play, and the 1st knockout stage game. Put in my ticket application as part of the random draw for those games in Rio (have been unsuccessful with the last two ticket stages) hoping to see Belgium v. Russia, Ecuador v, France, and/or what will most likely be Colombia v. either Italy or England in the first round of knockout stage games. Also put in for US v. Germany in Recife (will fly from Rio for that one if need be).

@RioDog, if you have any hook ups on tickets for any of the Rio games, (any games really, I will travel while in country) I would be interested in purchasing.

I would assume ticket swapping for games between fans of different nations will be rampant. Kind of like trading time shares. If you own Disney World for the week in mid-Feb, you should be able to trade it easily.

I will also announce that today, I got my first "Miracle on Ice" feeling about this WC. I suspect the squad will become very familiar with Kurt Russell in the next six months.

 

[RioDog]

Samcro- unfortunately to date I have no connections re: WC tickets. I do have an acquaintance who is a fairly high-level guy on the Brazilian Olympic Committee (Rio 2016) which could bear fruit in the future. In any case any 'Yarder who is traveling to Rio and has questions about the city, locations, safety, transport, places to go and things to do, FOOD etc... please ask. I've been living and working here for 3 years and I know the city pretty well. Happy to help any and all.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sorry, not hoping "that continues" (I'm of Portuguese Ancestry) and that's not even all that true. So here's hoping there's some magic happens and USA and Portugal both go through. Death to Germany and Ghana.

I have several Portugeuse friends (not hard on the RI border) and visited the country and loved it and the people. So I don't pull against them normally. But (a) Germany is going through and is the best team in the world in my view and (b) I am first and always an American. So our road to the next round involves Portugal going home.

 

[UConn Dan]

I have several Portugeuse friends (not hard on the RI border) and visited the country and loved it and the people. So I don't pull against them normally. But (a) Germany is going through and is the best team in the world in my view and (b) I am first and always an American. So our road to the next round involves Portugal going home.

I agree with your first sentence in part B. I still pull for USA over Portugal. I did in 2002 and USA got the 3-2 win. I don't agree with Germany being the best team.

 

[ZooCougar]

I would assume ticket swapping for games between fans of different nations will be rampant. Kind of like trading time shares. If you own Disney World for the week in mid-Feb, you should be able to trade it easily.

I will also announce that today, I got my first "Miracle on Ice" feeling about this WC. I suspect the squad will become very familiar with Kurt Russell in the next six months.

The World Cup is like a Dead Concert. You get yourself to the venue, and you can get a ticket.