World Cup 2010

[Teng Ai Hui]

I'm going to the USMNT game today vs. the Czech Republic. I'm really hoping we look organized at the back. Looking forward to seeing how well Onyewu has recovered. I also hear Beasley has looked good in camp, so maybe he can impress.

Methinks you were disappointed.

[Paxter]

Yeah, you're probably right Horza. I shouldn't be blaming Verbeek when it's actually the lack of players that is forcing the tactical inflexibility.

It's a shame that Bruce Djite hasn't taken the next step as an international player - he probably could have solved some of these problems.

[Alcibiades]

Methinks you were disappointed.

Yeh. There was some schoolboy defending to be sure. Onyewu was at fault for the first goal, and he didn't have enough gas to last 90 minutes. When he got subbed off, Edu was hardly a natural centerback.

[Jon AS]

Yeh. There was some schoolboy defending to be sure. Onyewu was at fault for the first goal, and he didn't have enough gas to last 90 minutes. When he got subbed off, Edu was hardly a natural centerback.

You know, Slovenia finished ahead of the Czechs in qualification. Just sayin'.;)

[ljkeane]

You know, Slovenia finished ahead of the Czechs in qualification. Just sayin'.;)

Probably because Slovenia are the best team since the Brazil team of 1970.

[Hereward]

Possibly true, if you are referring to the Brazilian yodelling team.

[ljkeane]

Possibly true, if you are referring to the Brazilian yodelling team.

The Brazilian yodelling team probably play a more expansive game than the current football vintage.

[Hereward]

We are bored with the poor quality of opposition. Perhaps someone at the World Cup can give us a game, then my Slovakian friend, you will see futebol as she is meant to be played.

[Slick Mongoose]

Perhaps someone at the World Cup can give us a game, then my Slovakian friend, you will see futebol as she is meant to be played.

Like

, presumably.

[Hereward]

*sigh* Rivaldo has explained this. As the ball was kicked viciously towards him, it disturbed a fragment of glass, or possibly a drawing pin, discarded carelessly by the slovenly Turks or their famously murderous supporters, which flew through the air and struck the genius Rivaldo in the face. In the circumstances, his reaction was manly and stoical.

[Lord of Oop North]

Listening to Portuguese people, I'm not too surprised. They've been moaning about Queiroz for months.

Not surprising. The Portuguese dogs are having been moaning about their fate for past five centuries.

Such incompetence is what they are being known for, and their upcoming World Cup performance will being following the same typical trend of doom and saudades.

[Alcibiades]

Our 23 man roster is out!

It was funny yesterday when they showed Landon Donovan and Bocanegra on the big screen. They were eating McDonalds or something, thus confirming that they definitely weren't coming on haha.

Brian Ching not making it, while Robbie Findley does is a big surprise. Gomez completes his spectacular rise from obscurity, to top goalscorer in Mexican league, to full international.

Not a lot of surprises otherwise. I might have expected Sacha Kljestan to make it; he seemed a favorite of Bob Bradley. Edson Buddle is a little surprising too.

Goalkeepers

Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)

Tim Howard (Everton)

Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton)

Defenders

Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes)

Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA)

Steve Cherundolo (Hannover)

Jay DeMerit (Watford)

Clarence Goodson (IK Start)

Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan)

Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)

Midfielders

DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers)

Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach)

Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo)

Clint Dempsey (Fulham)

Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Maurice Edu (Rangers)

Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus)

Stuart Holden (Bolton)

José Torres (Pachuca)

Forwards

Jozy Altidore (Villarreal)

Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

Herculez Gomez (Puebla)

[Padraig]

*sigh* Rivaldo has explained this. As the ball was kicked viciously towards him, it disturbed a fragment of glass, or possibly a drawing pin, discarded carelessly by the slovenly Turks or their famously murderous supporters, which flew through the air and struck the genius Rivaldo in the face. In the circumstances, his reaction was manly and stoical.

Heh. :P

We've been telling the world about the dangers of Turkish drawing pins for years, nobody listens! :thumbsdown:

People should know by now the wisdom of the Greeks!

[Xray the Enforcer]

Is Ching injured? Or just in really bad form right now?

[Fireball07]

Ireland beat an experimental Paraguay side. Paraguay looked okay in the second half, but it was a typical Irish performance. Very dull after we went 2-0 up. Paraguay could be dangerous, I think. Lots of talented players, maybe a slightly dodgy defence.

[Padraig]

Yes, some nice bit of passing from Paraguay but I imagine they must have a lot more in the tank.

Interesting that the US was the second highest country when it came to ticket applications (behind South Africa itself).

[Slick Mongoose]

Does Spector start for you guys? He's been awful this sseason.

[The Iceman of the North]

Our 23 man roster is out!

How come you Greek have filled your team with Americans?

[kuroishi]

How come you Greek have filled your team with Americans?

They must have sold their WC spot to the Americans because of the crisis.

[Renasko]

Final Dutch 23:

Squad: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Sander Boschker (FC Twente), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht); Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (HSV), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Andre Ooijer (PSV); Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (AZ), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax), Ibrahim Afellay (PSV); Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (HSV), Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).