We would do the same if England got to the final.
I meant how you and me have carried this thread when our country wasn't even involved, no American's were interested until they got to the final. Yeah it would be the same in England, and I hate them fans too. You cheer on your team.country through every match, not the good times.
Which is how all the smaller nations play against the big teams, just face it Spain were poor and the Americans played great.
Which is why watching the poor nations play the big ones is boring. Personally, I'd have preferred two heavyweights going head to head int he final than the inevitable Brazil have all the ball, US touch it twice and score one of them leaving Brazil trying to break down a parked bus. Different people view it differently.
Spain had 3 decent warm up matches. I dont understand how you can say that they havent.
They had three very easy games, of which only one they made look easy. The opening match seemed to be too easy and ever since then they haven't showed any thing close to what they did in Euro2008. I'd say if they had the harder group they'd have found their form quicker and won the thing.
The USA played Brazil and Italy and got hammered there not exactly warm up games. Spain however cruised past 3 teams, the USA only got to play to their full potential once.
They were better than Italy with only ten men, that was to their full potential. Against Brazil they were rubbish but they had the confidence from the Italy game to be able to sweep aside an awful Egypt side. So US went into the game on a high whereas Spain were still in lazy mode and it showed.
If Torres and Villa could not score past the leakiest defence in the competition then perhaps they are a tad overated.
I wouldn't say one off game makes them overrated. Everyone has a poor game now and again, it was just a shame it happened to these two at the same time. Half of the chances the two of them had they were tucking away with ease for Liverpool and Valencia all year.
The fact is in football you have to take your chances and the USA got gifted 2 chances and tucked them away.
Yep, which they did and won. To claim it was a deserved win is wrong in my eyes though. They did ride their luck a lot and got some favourable decisions from the linesman at times.
Of corse the defend for your lives tactic works,
Which is dull to watch. No wonder the Americans hate "soccer" when their national side won't push more than four men forward to a counter attack.
If Spain are the best team in the world then they should have been able to break down what is effectively a poor defence.
They broke down the defence a number of times. Poor linesman decisions and a superb Tim Howard kept the US in it. I agree with the amount of chances Spain had they should have easily won, which is my point.
A Spain win would have been a win for the normal. A USA win is a win for the underdog and win for unpredicitblity.
As a neutral I'd prefer to see the two best teams in the final rather than an underdog. In the FA Cup underdogs are fun, but not in the final. How boring was Cardiff Pompey last year?
Maybe I agree they needed to lose and I'm glad it happened against the USA and not Brazil. If they'd have lost to Brazil they would have just shrugged it off as losing to one of the best teams in the world. Losing to the USA will make them think 'oh shit maybe we arnt as good as we think'
Exactly. They can bring in some of their youngsters, get Iniesta and Senna back fit and re-focus. In the long run it will do them good. In the short term they are a laughing stock.
Apart from some of the USA and the whole of South Africa and I'm guessing a fair amount of people around the world.
You'd watch US vs South Africa? That sounds as boring as Iraq vs South Africa tht bored the tournament at the beginning. Even Brazil vs USA isn't good enough to stop me watching Top Gear. I personally don't see the appeal to it.
In fact people are more likely to switch off if Brazil win as it will probably be a forgone conclusion at least with a SA vs USA final we have competition.
You're telling me you'd rather watch US vs South Africa than Brazil vs US? Fair enough if that's your choice but I know of numerous people who have now given up on this tournament now. Plus if Brazil play like they did anyway then the US win.
The Love Song Writer said:
Pebble to be honest you're doing alot of "If-ing" the fact is Torres and Villa DIDN'T show up.
Of course I am. I'm training to be a sports journalist, that's what you do. IF Spain had turned up they would have won with ease, they didn't, they were awful and the US capitalised.
I could give two fucks about what "COULD" have happened.
I could too. Do you not mean couldn't? I never understand that sentence from Americans. I do care what could and should have happened.
will tell you what did happen. The United States put on a good showing
They were not the better team though. That is my point. Spain were poor and still had 27 shots to American's two. If one of their stars had showed up they would have won. Yes, I said IF. Deal with it.
and come the final Sunday Brazil could very well have there hands full.
Only if they played like they did yesterday. if the Brazil that turned over Italy turn up, or even the side that outclassed the Yanks in the group, then Brazil will win comfortably. If the US win then Brazil will have not been to their full potential. It's how it works. The big side loses and they get massacred for being poor. It always happens.
Brazil are lacking defensively, though there keeper is very skilled,
Brazil's defence is still better than the US's. Maicon is for me the best right back in the world, and he probably won't start. Lucio is a solid defender. I'd have both of them over Spector and Demerit (two guys who never made it in England)
Don't be surprised if the US pull ANOTHER upset.
I won't be, because Brazil aren't the great side everyone thiks they are. They are not as good as Spain. THough if Brazil turn up they will win. there's no two ways about it.