Group E (Ita/Gha/Cze/US) - Page 5 - TalkSoccer

**Frank Cunha** · 21-05-2006, 12:23 AM

I agree USA and Italy

MUFC · 21-05-2006, 12:42 AM

Come on USA!

aragrev · 21-05-2006, 01:56 AM

Italy in first, with USA second. Italy through to the final 4.

**sinoy1** · 23-05-2006, 05:16 PM

dont wanna sound like the bad guy here but how can you people compare the usa to the czechs? are we forgetting nedved rosicky cech jankulovski koller baros ujifilusi ( sp? ) they have one hell of a solid team. i personally think that they might finish first in the group and italy a narrow second. but please stop underestimating the czech republic team. they will probably go far.

aragrev · 23-05-2006, 05:52 PM

I feel like the Czechs are the classic underacheivers just like Spain and Portugal. On paper as good if not better than any team in the WC. USA on the other hand are the overacheivers, they have nice players, but nowhere near the world class quality of other teams.

hanuma · 23-05-2006, 06:11 PM

Czechs have either overachieved or done as well as they should in previous 4 tournaments....never underachieved.

aragrev · 23-05-2006, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanuma

Czechs have either overachieved or done as well as they should in previous 4 tournaments....never underachieved.

I'm curious how the Czechs have overacheived. Have they made the semis in the last 4 WC, or the quarters. I don't have anything against the Czechs, I think of overacheivers such as Croatia in 98. Spain made it to the quarters in the last WC I believe and should have been in the semis if they werent robbed of that goal in extra time. I just have always seen the Czechs in the top 10 in rankings for years, but they have never made a semi since 94. I admit I am a newbie to soccer and only started religiously watching the WC and attending in 94. How about Portugal, under/over acheive at the WC. We are not talking Euro, just like the Czechs. Semis in 02: Brasil/Turkey and South Korea/Germany. Semis 98: France/Croatia and Holland/Brasil? Semis: 94: Brasil/Sweden Italy and ?. Who made the semis in 90? I am seriously asking I don't know.

hanuma · 23-05-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

I'm curious how the Czechs have overacheived. Have they made the semis in the last 4 WC

No...because they haven't been good enough. Made the final and the semi's of the last 2 of 3 Euro Championships, thats where they have overachieved (or done as well as they should depending on your point of view).

The Fifa rankings are at best a joke - if that is what you mean by 'top 10'. US would have won the thing by now according to Blatter and his muppets.

Portugal have underachieved for the most part.

aragrev · 23-05-2006, 11:00 PM

FIFA rankings are definitely a joke. So the Czechs only became recognized as an elite team in the last decade or so? I don't think the US would have won it by now, just been in the semis in this WC according to the rankings as their highest being a #4. I don't see that happening, I don't even think they will make the quarters again. I am just worried that Rooney will not be back in time and if he is it will be to early. If that happens I don't see England making it to the semis.

hanuma · 24-05-2006, 07:12 AM

Rooney will be ready and Gerrard could be brilliant in his place.

skeeta · 24-05-2006, 10:17 AM

Totti has been the single most influential player in the national team for at least the last 3 years. He was going to be in if he could walk without crutches, and he has actually played parts of Roma's last two matches. Depending on how you classify Totti, I expect Lippi to deploy 4-3-1-2, with Totti behind Toni and Pippo the diving . . . / or Gila.

Lippi has never rated Lucarelli, for reasons I don't really understand. I thought he would have a chance when Vieri went down, as there is no similar player with a real shot, but was dissapointed again.

Cassano has a disasterous season, isn't match fit, and basically through a certain selection out the window with his antics at Roma and exile to Real Madrid. Buffon's inclusion indicates that the FA believes his story on the betting inquiry.

The weakness in the squad is at the back. Look no further than Materazzi's inclusion.

The Palermo guys seem to have been mainstays of Lippi's squads for some time now. Grosso and Barone are decent; Palermo's defensive record is more down to the absence of anyone who can hold the ball in midfield and an inconsistent keeper than it is their fault.

skeeta · 24-05-2006, 10:28 AM

Bruce Arena should play Oguchi and O'Brien. Yet from his treatment of Twellman, he sounds a lot like Lippi when it comes to team selection (i.e., Materazzi always being a sure thing for Germany).

I might blind because when I saw Twellman in the 30 minutes of USA matches I have seen this year, he was the most impressive offensive player.

usamu · 24-05-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeta

Bruce Arena should play Oguchi and O'Brien. Yet from his treatment of Twellman, he sounds a lot like Lippi when it comes to team selection (i.e., Materazzi always being a sure thing for Germany).

I might blind because when I saw Twellman in the 30 minutes of USA matches I have seen this year, he was the most impressive offensive player.

Onyewu is a shoe-in for the starting XI as is O'Brien if he's healthy.

Twellman didn't make the team due to Brain Ching's current form, and the fact that Ching is a true target forward that can replace McBride without changing the formation. Add to the fact that Ching and Donovn are best friends, Ching will help team spirit, even though he's unlikely to see much of the pitch in Germany.

**Jager** · 24-05-2006, 07:37 PM

[quote=skeeta]

Quote:

The weakness in the squad is at the back. Look no further than Materazzi's inclusion.

No, you must watch MORE Italian football, and read the papers less. Marco has been very good this season. He is backup to Nesta.

The backline as a whole is solid.

Zambrotta Canna Nesta Grosso

skeeta · 07-06-2006, 12:33 PM

Lippi is genuinely concerned about both Gattuso and De Rossi. They each made "tackles" in the recent friendlies that he is convinced would have gotten them sent off in the real thing.

News flash for all of you tipping the Azzurri to win the whole thing.

Zambrotta is definitely out of the Ghana game and Nesta is probably going to join him in the stands. Both picked up knocks in the friendlies (and Nesta has been out of sorts for months).

Gattuso is now out as well; he will miss at least the first two group matches.

Not exactly the guy you would want to lose with that back four.

Italy's expected back four against Ghana?
Oddo, Materazzi, Cannavaro and Grosso.