Big Picture all about World Cup

I’m a former journalist. Some might say recovering journalist. Still, I love news photographs.

If you’re not a regular reader/watcher of the Boston Globe’s Big Picture, you should be. Gorgeous pictures. The latest installment is all from South Africa and the World Cup.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/halfway_in_-_2010_world_cup.html

Take a gander. Good stuff, all, but my favorite is #40. I’m a little bit biased as a USMNT supporter, but a good picture. Also, everyone has their hands on their heads in #32 – what a great shot.

US – Ghana thoughts

Saturday is a big day for the #USMNT, with the knockout stage on tap and a tie for the best finish in US Soccer World Cup history on the line.

Fortunately, this one just happens to be against a very beatable opponent.

Ghana likes to bunker down and their coach tells them to keep their shape. It’s a case of the coach knowing that his players aren’t tactically the best (or even aware), so he keeps the game plan  as simple as he possibly can. It’s worked (kind of) for Ghana so far, and was enough to advance in a group where the other two teams did everything they could to give it away – the Roos giving up 4 goals to Germany and Serbia deciding to stay home.

Jonathan Wilson from SI seems to think that the US only needs one goal – and I’m definitely going to agree. I don’t see how they finish with the mentality they’ve used against lesser teams (not to beat up on the Socceroos further, but Australia, anyone?)

The #USMNT will find the net. Can Ghana find the net? I’m not so sure. But it is another case of a smaller country wanting to take out the superpower. Algeria at times looked like they just wanted to make sure we went out with them. They almost succeeded, but Ghana can’t draw us into a loss – they have to score. And Tim Howard, in a shootout, will make at least one spectacular, holy-crap-I-can’t-believe-it save.

Plus, we have a chip on our shoulder. But you better believe they won’t get away with a phantom goal anymore. Especially against Ghana.

What it comes down to is this: I’m not afraid of a Black Star team without Michael Essien.

Purposeful passing

I’ve been AWOL, watching the World Cup. And not wanting to ruin the experience of the 2010 jaunt by posting constantly.

Also, the Rapids have been off for the WC and Derby is in the offseason, so yes.

A few thoughts through the group stage, though, if I can, about the #USMNT:

These are the cardiac kids, for sure. We need to get used to that if they’re going to beat Ghana, cause Ghana might not be much better than Algeria, but they are way more dangerous on the defense.

If Charlie Davies had never got in that car accident, we’d be in exactly the same position we are right now. We might have had three against England, but we still would have finished on top of the group. So, it looks like Bob Bradley made the right move keeping him at home to rest up. 2014 is looking to be a breakout year, with him and jozy up top and still young, deuce at his last WC, and a more solid backline.

Speaking of the backline, sheesh. I’m really glad BB replaced Gooch at the back for this Algeria game today. It was a smart move and Bornstein showed up for an international game for the first time in his short career.

I’d like to see DeMarcus Beasley at wingback for a whole game.

Benny Feilhaber has a real chance to be a star for the USMNT in the next cycle. And I’m not just saying that because he used to play for Derby County.

Tim Howard is the one of the three best goalkeepers in the World. How Man U ever let him get away is beyond me.

Anywho, Saturday, 230 EDT, US – Ghana. It’s on.

All World Cup stadiums in 3D

Google Earth has a pretty cool feature where you can fly around and see buildings in 3D.

They just put together a video of all the stadiums in South Africa ahead of the World Cup. (which kicks off in 47 hours. BUT WHO’S COUNTING?)

It’s pretty neat to see these behemoths rise up in such different places, from the middle of cities to slums to desert to savanna. And I thought Colorado had crazy microclimates.

Anyway, check out the video below. (And H/T to Dom Giarratano.)

Rapids hosting World Cup viewing party

Do you revel in the togetherness of watching soccer with your closest friends? Do you like to chant, sing, and jump up and down? Unlike me, can you keep dirty words out your mouth for longer than 5 minutes when watching a USMNT game?

The Rapids are hosting a “downtown” viewing party for the USMNT first world cup match on Saturday against the Three Lions. Kick off is at 12:30 MDT, but people can come early to see a screening of “The Game of Their Lives”, about the USMNT’s 1950 win over England in the World Cup.

I won’t be there, because I prefer to be stressed out and yell at the TV alone. My girlfriend has no idea what she’s in for. I was yelling at the TV during the Turkey friendly. But you should go, cause it’s probably going to be fun. If they win. Or even if they draw.

Full details here.

USMNT vs. Turkey lineup prediction

Tomorrow morning, I will force my girlfriend to wake up and watch me yell at the TV for 2 hours. She will cower in fear, and afterward she will undoubtedly remark, “I didn’t know you cared that much.”

No, I’m not trying to intimidate her, and I’m not watching Meet The Press (which I have been known to yell at in the past). Nope, this is the final send-off game for the United States, and I’ve been looking forward to this match for the entire 4 year cycle of World Cup Qualifying. Nearly 50K tickets have been sold to the fixture, and that’s great news for the state of footie in this country.

I won’t do a whole preview of the entire game, because others do it better than I. What I will do, however, is link to Yanks Are Coming, who has a detailed preview.

Here’s who I think will make the starting 11, and who I think should come off the bench (six subs allowed):

——-Howard——–
Spector-Onweyu-DeMerit-Bocanegra
Donovan-Bradley-Clark-Dempsey
—-Altidore–Gomez—

This is pretty much our starting 11, with the CM and 2nd striker being up for grabs as far as starters against England. Here, I give Clark the nod as the second holding mid, put Dempsey on the wing instead of up top, and put Herculez up top instead of bringing him off the bench.

1st sub will be Edu for Clark. Look for Beas to come in at LB for Bocanegra, who’s still recovering. Dolo for Spector. Buddle will be in for Altidore. Maybe Findley and maybe Holden late in the 2nd half.

This is a chemistry match. Bob Bradley will do everything he can to mix it up and find the best combination.

US – England, two weeks from tomorrow.

USMNT 23-man roster announced

GK: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann

Def: Onweyu, DeMerit, Bornstein, Goodson, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Spector

Mid: Donovan, Dempsey, Torres, Bradley, Edu, Holden, Feilhaber, Beasley, Clark

Att: Altidore, Findley, Buddle, Gomez

For those of you keeping track at home, I got 21/23 correct. Buddle and Findley weren’t on my list (nor the list of anybody who follows football in this country) and I had Ching and Pearce.

Ching can’t be happy, and I guess everyone who saw him at the airport earlier was right – he wasn’t there looking for his family. He was going home.

So what does Findley bring? Speed. He probably won’t see the field unless disaster strikes. But I can see how Buddle might get some playing time. Which, let’s be frank, is scary. He’s been in good form, but wow.

Some Rapids thoughts: Conor Casey has to be thinking he’s at least as good as Buddle (even though he’s not). As for Marvell Wynne? I would have loved to see him have an opportunity to outcompete Bornstein in this camp. Bornstein looked about as happy as a used-car salesman who just sold a $500 car for $10,000 when he grinned at the camera on the announcement.

Let’s hope Bradley knows what he’s doing.

USMNT 2-4 Czech Republic; Final prediction for 23-man USMNT roster

It’s cut day for the #USMNT, the day that fans have been waiting for, the day invitees to camp have been dreading.

And no doubt, when that list comes out, we’ll all go over to our Xboxes and PS3s, change our line-ups to reflect the roster, and start go, go, going with scenario after scenario for how this big party in South Africa is going to shake out. (Okay, maybe that’s just me.)

Before I get to my final prediction, a few thoughts about last night’s loss:

The good: Herculez Gomez has a nose for the net. Torres showed why he belongs on the roster, and so did Edu – as long as it’s not at the back. Holden has improved by leaps and bounds playing in the EPL, and he’ll continue to grow. I’ve swayed back and forth on Beasley the last 2 years, but it’s looking like he was just suffering from a long run of bad form, and he’s back. Looking forward to seeing him in SA.

The bad: I’m sorry, fans, but Onweyu was bad. Just plain awful. A lot of that is his knee, to be fair, but a share of blame has to go to the rust he’s going to be knocking off through the group stage. Buddle and Eddie Johnson were ineffective in attack, and while they strung together some good play, you can’t help but wonder if most of that was because they seemed to be comfortable with each up top. Bornstein and Pearce are not an option (think we might need Castillo now?) because they dont’ know how to defend. Bornstein in particular looks like he wishes he was playing in midfield, because defending doesn’t seem to be a concern of his.

The ugly: Edu’s play at CB – dude’s not a CB. He can’t play CB. Please, BB, don’t play him at CB. In fact, the entire defense played poorly, with the exception of Goodson, who was anchoring a defense that gave up 4 goals to a ‘B’ Czech squad. Sacha Kljestan looks like a lost little kid in the midfield.

So here it is, my 23, in order of depth:

GK (3): Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann

Def (8): Bocanegra, DeMerit, Onweyu, Spector, Cherundolo, Goodson, Pearce, Bornstein

Mid (9): Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Edu, Holden, Beasley, Torres, Feilhaber, Clark

ST (3): Altidore, Gomez, Ching

Last man on the team: Bornstein

Just missed (2): Buddle, Marshall

The idea is that Bob Bradley will take 8 defenders. One of those defenders isn’t going to see the light of day, and that’s Bornstein (and it should be). Three strikers, because Dempsey can play up top, too, but is more natural on the wing. This team could really use a healthy Charlie Davies. Gomez proved that he’s still in goal scoring form. Buddle failed to impress, and EJ did too. Bedoya didn’t do enough to get a spot, and you could make the argument that if Bradley takes Edu (a lock) he doesn’t need Clark. But it’d be nice to have him just in case things really go sour with the back line, and Edu has to play back there.

Looking forward to Saturday, when we should see what this team is really made of.

Match day, predictions for #USMNT vs. Czech Republic

Happy match day, footie folks!

Your #USMNT will take on (arguably) the best team that isn’t in the World Cup – the Czech Republic (5:30 p.m. MDT, pregame, ESPN). Bob Bradley is looking to pare down the squad of 30 to 23 ahead of the last two  tune-ups (they take on Turkey on Saturday in Philadelphia and Australia in South Africa on June 5).

As for tonight, however, there are some key injuries to members of the squad. That’s okay; this one is designed to pit some bubble roster members against quality competition. Make no mistake, quality is the key word here – we’re not talking about a team resting its best players, the Czechs want to win.

Here’s my prediction on the starting XI:

——Guzan—–
Pearce-Onyewu-Marshall-Bornstein
Kljestan-Edu-Clark-Holden
—Buddle-Gomez—

Word on the street is that Jozy, Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley and Bocanegra won’t dress. Beasley turned his ankle yesterday, but has been impressing. He could see 30 in the second half. Dolo, DeMerit and Goodson we could see in the second half. We’ll most definitely see a combination of  Bedoya, Rogers and Feilhaber, and one of either Johnson or Findley (although I still happen to think Findley is on the outside looking in).

As for predictions, I’ve got this thing ending in a 1-1 draw, with the goal coming from a magical Herculez Gomez.

Tomorrow, I’ll have my second-to-last prediction for the 23.

Wrap up on Day 2 of USMNT camp

Bob Bradley just finished his news conference on what turned out to be a rainy day two of USMNT ahead of the World Cup.

Among the things Bradley discussed, beside his affinity for Princeton:

Howard, DeMerit, Bocanegra and Marshall are either being held out or put on light duty because of various injuries. None are thought to be serious and Bradley sounded optimistic that they’d be ready to go, should they make the 23.

“Fitness is a priority,” Bradley said.

Also, he talked about easing what he thinks should be his starting 11 into full training together.

“I don’t think you automatically put out there what you think is your starting 11 in your first training,” he said.

He also compared the group stage of the World Cup to the, ahem, NBA playoffs. Bad refereeing not withstanding, he said the adjustments and progressions that each player has to make can be the difference between the round of 16 and an early exit. Okay, but yeesh.