2009 Confederations Cup

[CaptTurbo]

Any glimmer of hope that we can get more than 3 points (assuming a win over Egypt)?

We could very easily be 0-3 and wiped out quickly.

 

[gr000000vy]

I don't think so... maybe a mil nil draw vs Italy.. Egypt is VERY good... They are the African Champs....

Our WC group hopefully won't be as tough so I'm hoping we get a lot of "character building" from this

 

[Zeno]

Egypt isn't playing real well right now..but then again neither are we, they are last in their qualifying group. I would say thats a wash there and our best chance to get points.

If we do manage to get some points out of those 3 matches I have a feeling it will be because of a moment of brilliance rather than because of sustained good play--Sort of like the game against Argentina, no way we would have drawn that game had 1) Howard not been spectacular or 2) Argentina would have been able to shoot straight.

 

[Stout]

Egypt isn't playing real well right now..but then again neither are we, they are last in their qualifying group. I would say thats a wash there and our best chance to get points.

If we do manage to get some points out of those 3 matches I have a feeling it will be because of a moment of brilliance rather than because of sustained good play--Sort of like the game against Argentina, no way we would have drawn that game had 1) Howard not been spectacular or 2) Argentina would have been able to shoot straight.

I remember that I slammed the US for that Argentina game and was roundly criticized for it. It really showed many chinks in our armor, and I feel completely vindicated in slamming them for that game. The rallying cry for defending our team there was that we had managed a draw against a top opponent. No, we didn't earn a draw...it was handed to us on a platter. We were thumped in that game, but inspired keeping and an unlikely game of bad finishing kept it at 0-0.

 

[Mulli]

No way the Italy game is 0-0. Need a vbookie for that for sure.

 

[English on tour]

Starts Sunday right?

its being shown on the BBC this season so should be good.

You guys fancy putting some A$FN in and predicting the scores?

 

[Zeno]

I'm all for putting some A$FN down...someone is going to have to set up the bets though. Maybe we can break it down by match--group winner--overall winner?

 

[English on tour]

I'm all for putting some A$FN down...someone is going to have to set up the bets though. Maybe we can break it down by match--group winner--overall winner?

Sounds good to me, is there a site we can set this up on or we could be just post our predections before the games?

For each game we could make it 5 points for the correct match score, 3 points for the correct result, 1 point for getting one teams goals correct.

 

[gr000000vy]

US seems to pull out all the stops when they play the big teams and then get hammered by the weaker teams.

here is the espn schedule.

2009 Confederations Cup, ESPN TV schedule for US viewers.

ESPN are showing every game live. Except for the Iraq vs New Zealand group game, which we can forgive them for. Games will be shown across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com (which is a great little service, provided you have the right internet provider). All kickoff time are US Eastern, all programming starts five minutes before kickoff (so you’ll have to do your own previews).

GROUP STAGE:

Sunday, June 14th
South Africa vs Iraq (Johannesburg) Group A, 10am, ESPN2/360.com (Live)
New Zealand vs Spain (Rustenburg) Group A, 2:30pm, ESPN2/360.com (Live)

Monday, June 15th
Brazil vs Egypt (Bloemfontein), Group B, 10am, ESPN2/360.com (Live)
USA vs Italy (Pretoria) Group B, 2:30pm, ESPN/360.com (Live)

Wednesday, June 17th
Spain vs Iraq (Bloemfontein) Group A, 10am, ESPN2/360.com (Live)
South Africa vs New Zealand (Rustenburg) Group A, 2:30pm, ESPN2/360.com (Live)

Thursday, June 18th
USA vs Brazil (Pretoria), Group B, 10am, ESPN2/360.com (Live)
Egypt vs Italy (Johannesburg) Group B, 2:30pm, ESPN2/360.com (Live)

Saturday, June 20th
Iraq vs New Zealand (Johannesburg) Group A, 2:30pm kickoff BUT will be shown delayed - June 21st, 1am, ESPN2/360.com
Spain vs South Africa (Bloemfontein) Group A, 2:30pm, ESPN2/360.com (Live)

Sunday, June 21st
Egypt vs USA (Rustenburg) Group A, 2:30pm, ESPN2/360.com (Live)
Italy vs Brazil (Pretoria) Group A, 2:30pm, ESPN/360.com (Live)

 

[Zeno]

Maybe Mulli can set up a VBookie thing. I know you have to be a contributor to do that.

 

[CaptTurbo]

I would liek to wager that we do not win 1 game.

 

[Zeno]

The US sure got a tough draw...the other group is a joke. South Africa, Iraq & New Zealand are awful based on what I watched yesterday...those are three teams I am confident the US could get a result from, despite how bad they are playing right now.

 

[English on tour]

I think Webb has been helped by the touchline there for the pen , he deffo gave a corner first of and didnt speak the the linesman either.

 

[English on tour]

4-3 Brazil.

The right call by Webb but not sure i like the way it happened.

 

[Zeno]

4-3 Brazil.

The right call by Webb but not sure i like the way it happened.

You know that has to hurt the Egyptians. They played their hearts out and one mistake at the end of the game cost them.

Egypt is going to cause problems for the US if they play that inspired.

 

[Zeno]

I am gonna be sick.

2-1 Italy, how much worse can this get..red card, fricking Rossi scores then the scum bag DeRossi scores.

The only way we end up scoring for the rest of this match is an Italian mistake, a draw sure would have been nice.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Excellent play in the first half, just a shame the game was completely changed by the BS red card. Stupid challenge and should have been a yellow, but a red is just ridiculous.

On the bright side, Altidore will continue to draw fouls for many years, at 19 he's already a bear to deal with, can't wait to see his skills progress.

 

[Zeno]

F K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gr000000vy]

PATHETIC.... stupid challenge by Clark was it REALLY a Red? No I don't think so but Clark should have never started over Torres or Adu in the first place really.... Why Bring Connor Casey if your not going to use him either? just stupid really and why we will never succeed with Bradley at the helm.....

 

[Milgod]

Was never a red, silly challenge, but never a red. Feilhaber and Bornstein were not good at all. Donovan played well, especially the two beautiful through balls in the first half. Altidore may have drawn fould but was fairly useless besides the penalty IMO. Still, I want to see him get a proper chance for the national team.

A real shame because overall we played well. Were the better team up until that smug **** Rossi scored.

I'm happy though, at least the US were able to create chances today.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Were the better team up until that smug **** Rossi scored.

I'm happy though, at least the US were able to create chances today.

Well played. Offensively, it was the best US performance in a long time in the first half. Altidore and Bradley both had excellent chances, and didn't put it on net. Donovan looked very active and aggressive.

 

[Zeno]

Why bring in Beasley(or Kljestan) when Adu is on the bench we are trailing and all he does is provide offensive support?

Dempsey was average, at best. Bornstein was overmatched the entire game.

I'd like to see Davies partnered up with Altidore then when one of them wears down bring in Casey.

I didn't expect us to win but sheesh.

 

[English on tour]

that could have been so different.

It was never a red in my book and you had looked decent up until that point, could have/should have scored before you did too. They always looked the classier side but not too much in it.

Italy scored some great goals and the final score against 10 men was nothing to be ashamed of, the manner in which it happen was the real ******.

 

[gr000000vy]

i'm a bit worried about the Brazil game... you know they are embarrassed after the way they played vs Egypt and Kaka has already come out and said they need to play better....

Regardless of the outcome this experience is so good for our guys.. going into the last WC i think expectations were false and people starting believing the hype and this next one will be a bit more realistic....

 

[azsouthendzone]

we will never succeed with Bradley at the helm.....

+1. I'm starting to think Arena knew what the hell he was doing afterall.