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WC - Round of 16, USA vs Ghana (Sat 2:30 ET, ABC)

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I got up early this morning to catch up on some work. Tommy Smithy was on the radio trying to preview the game (I swear - he's the Dick Vitale of soccer).

Anywho, he seems to think that the Americans will win - but in extra time, OT or perhaps in shootout. His reasoning is that the Yanks have simply played too many last minute, tight games and that they'll be zapped of energy.

I tend to disagree and would rather have come off a win, then lost 1-0 against a tough team like the Germans.
 
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Oh8ch;1722889; said:
If you can have a let down game in the knock round don't let the door catch you in the ass.
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Actually, after a soccer let down, you probably would meander listlessly back and forth across the room from the door, eventually try to turn the knob with your foot but miss it, trip over the carpet, flail about until you bash in an expensive lamp with your elbow, be charged for the lamp (but only after you inexplicably drop to the floor clutching your face in feigned agony), and eventually have someone in a uniform escort you away to your destination...all the while humming to yourself a single, unvarying, irritating note.
 
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BigWoof31;1722973; said:
Anywho, he seems to think that the Americans will win - but in extra time, OT or perhaps in shootout. His reasoning is that the Yanks have simply played too many last minute, tight games and that they'll be zapped of energy.
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Wouldn't that reasoning lead one to believe that, if the USA is to win, they'll score their goals early? It's not as if they'll be gathering energy while they're out there on the pitch running around.
 
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USA: Howard; Cherundolo, DeMerit, Bocanegra, Bornstein; Donovan, Bradley, Clark, Dempsey; Findley, Altidore.

WTF Bob? W.T.F.?!

Oh well...I'll just say I disagree with both Findley and Clark starting. Edu>Clark, Buddle/Gomez/traffic cone>Findley.

Here's to proving me wrong. USA! :cheers:
 
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No Gooch, Clark over Edu, and Findley over Buddle. Bradley will be second-guessed on all of those if they don't advance.

Clark is the one that really surprises me.
 
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BB73;1723045; said:
No Gooch, Clark over Edu, and Findley over Buddle. Bradley will be second-guessed on all of those if they don't advance.

Clark is the one that really surprises me.
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KingLeon;1723046; said:
Yea wtf is up with that lineup??
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The thing is, and this shows how talented/far US Soccer is/has come, I think they can overcome these decisions.

Clark, for as much as I harp on him, does have some skill and he'll allow Bradley to do a little more roaming as he stays home as a D-mid. Edu is better in that role, but that's my (and many other's) opinion. Coach Bradley is more familiar with Clark and trusts him. He goes with what he knows.

Findley, well, I don't know. He might make some dangerous runs that won't amount to much, but maybe it gives some more space to the midfielders as the D has to stay back and respect his speed up top.

Gooch- he just hasn't looked all the way fit, especially for 4 games over about 2 weeks and I don't want that against a quick, athletic Ghana team. Bob sees him every day in training, so you have to trust his judgment. It's just too bad about his injury.

In summary, I don't think these decisions will lose the US the game. I disagree and think there are better options, but they won't cost the team the game (I hope). Findley and Clark will also be on short leashes, so as long as the team survives the first half and maybe wears Ghana down, our subs will make a huge impact.

Edit- that's my spin and I'm sticking to it. :biggrin:
 
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Hopefully Bradley will have to make the decision to play Gooch to defend the Dutch and the Germans in the air later in the tournament. :biggrin:

OK, so Robben and Van Persie aren't that tall, but the Dutch are the tallest people on Earth!
 
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