US Men's National Soccer Team Thread: USA #1 - Page 875 - Sporting Events and Fantasy Sports

I'm probably the most pessimistic fan itt and I would say it's around 80%. Would you wager money at 4-1 that we aren't qualifying? I would need something like 7-1. It's such a long process that the stability our team has is a huge plus in such a weak, volatile region. Plus, if they keep the same format you only need to come 4th to get that Oceania playoff which, fair ****s to New Zealand, is practically a walk for either is or Mexico. So yeah, Ikes is not far off here.

The 2018 playoff is against an AFC team, so a bit more quality than New Zealand. USA would still be significant favorites unless one of the decent AFC sides craps the bed too.

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07-02-2016 , 07:48 PM

#21853

Fossilkid93

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If it's USA v. North Korea in the playoff then both legs will be reported as 7-0 North Korean victories by their media regardless of results.

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07-02-2016 , 08:04 PM

#21854

Brad Childress

adept

Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,129

North Korea is already out.

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07-02-2016 , 09:08 PM

#21855

ikestoys

banned

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 94,424

What good Asian team is there?

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07-03-2016 , 10:12 AM

#21856

thedinergetsby

veteran

Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 3,154

anyone have any good twitter recs for people that follow our youth teams? Like U19, U21, etc? Just keeps track of the squad results, as well as the clubs the players are playing for, etc?

Like for instance after the 2014 world cup I remember reading a brief NYT article about a 14 yo "sensation", who's goal was to make the 2018 WC squad, who had just got a visa to attend the Sevilla academy. Would love to know what he's up to these days. Also whatever happened to julian green? So yeah if you know of any reporters or just fans that track the US youth teams to share that'd be awesome.

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07-03-2016 , 12:16 PM

#21857

loosekanen

USA#1, Oh Yeah!

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 27,836

I did a cursory breakdown of the AFC qual schedule a few months ago and it's 2 groups of teams with the top two from each group advancing. Iran and South Korea are in one group and Japan and Australia are in the other. Ideally those four teams would all qualify. Any of them slipping to the playoff could really be trouble for a CONCACAF team. After that you have a few tough teams still. Uzbekistan and Iraq are both tough outs. Qatar is busy nationalizing anybody they can convince to come play for them. Saudi Arabia would not be a new team to a WC. Tough to think it's a walkover but really we would and should be favored against all those teams minus Japan.

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07-03-2016 , 12:52 PM

#21858

stakman1011

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Quote:

Originally Posted by thedinergetsby

@BrianSciaretta is the closest I know of to what you're describing.

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07-03-2016 , 01:39 PM

#21859

DannyOcean_

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AFC gets 4.5 teams and CONCACAF only gets 3.5?

That seems weird to me. AFC is probably better at those marginal positions because CONCACAF is so top heavy, true. But they can't have actually 'earned' more spots by better WC results, can they? I thought how many spots you got was dependent on how good your teams do in the WC?

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07-03-2016 , 03:04 PM

#21860

sportsjefe

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If that were true UEFA would have at least 20 spots though. From what I've found it's mostly convention.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_W...s_by_continent

Last edited by sportsjefe; 07-03-2016 at 03:06 PM. Reason: convention / we want this to be a truly world tournament, no matter the actual skill

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07-04-2016 , 12:26 AM

#21861

zoltanbuccos

old hand

Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1,240

Wait. What did happen to Julian green.

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07-04-2016 , 12:35 AM

#21862

wazzu24

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nothing happened to him, he's in a situation where it's either go on loan and hope to play or stay and train with the first team and slum it with the reserves

he's 21 now tho, needs to play next season

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07-04-2016 , 03:44 AM

#21863

loosekanen

USA#1, Oh Yeah!

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 27,836

After WC he spent one season loaned where he didn't get much time at all. This past season he stayed with Bayern where he played pretty well with their second team (24 Appearances, 10 goals) so this year is a crucial year for him as wazzu said. We'll see how developed he is. Tough to say unless you're watching German 4th division last year.

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07-04-2016 , 07:32 AM

#21864

florentinopeces

old hand

Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 1,199

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikestoys

What good Asian team is there?

Japan usually fields a respectable team.

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07-04-2016 , 10:34 AM

#21865

thedinergetsby

veteran

Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 3,154

Quote:

Originally Posted by stakman1011

@BrianSciaretta is the closest I know of to what you're describing.

tyty happy murrica day everybody

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07-04-2016 , 01:30 PM

#21866

DannyOcean_

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Quote:

Originally Posted by sportsjefe

If that were true UEFA would have at least 20 spots though. From what I've found it's mostly convention.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_W...s_by_continent

Yeah honestly Africa and Asia have too many spots. Neither consistently performs better than CONCACAF.

Should be solved not by adding to CONCACAF, but by subtracting from those groups. 3.5 is mostly about right for North America. Africa should move from 5 to 4, Asia from 4.5 to 3.5. Oceania should be told they aren't real and suck it up - compete with Asia teams for the 3.5 spots.

Extra 2.5 spots we just created should be given to Europe and South America. Maybe 1.5 for Europe and 1 for SA?

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07-04-2016 , 01:47 PM

#21867

royalblue

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as a euro I think it's fine. Ok, I have a different perspective than someone from say Slovakia or Hungary, but imo when there's doubts about which continent should get a spot, the benefit should go to the one that has fewer spots. How much difference does 17th best euro team vs 5th best african team really make? Very little and a mediocre african/asian team is prob more fun to have at the WC than an equivalent euro team. Not sure about SA.

Africa just needs to get their qualifying modus in order, it's BS

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07-04-2016 , 02:30 PM

#21868

ikestoys

banned

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 94,424

my only real beef with the confederations is how israel was forced out of asia. If countries refuse to play them again they should just be banned from the next WC.

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07-05-2016 , 12:18 AM

#21869

Fossilkid93

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CONMEBOL probably gets screwed the most. No way they should have the same # of spots as AFC and 0.5 less than CAF.

CONMEBOL have five top 10 teams in the world and their 6th best team, Ecuador, is rated 13th and 15th by FIFA and ELO. So you are guaranteeing that a top 15 side will be left out.

At least with UEFA, there are enough spots for everyone who is a top 20 side to qualify.

Bump CAF down to 4.5, take away NZ's 0.5 and force them to qualify with AFC and bump CONMEBOL up to 5.5 would be ideal with CONCACAF vs. CAF and CONMEBOL vs. AFC in the playoff ties.

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07-05-2016 , 12:57 AM

#21870

BobboFitos

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ikestoys

What good Asian team is there?

australia and japan. we'd be favorites over either so it doesnt matter. south korea is ok too

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07-05-2016 , 12:59 AM

#21871

BobboFitos

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyOcean_

a lot has been spoken about the spot breakdown in the past. EU should basically gobble like 1 CONCACAF spot and 1.5 AFC spots, CONMEBOL should grab like 1 africa etc

it's not broken down to be fair

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07-05-2016 , 01:21 AM

#21872

BobboFitos

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyOcean_

yeah, this. im fine with oceania always having 0.5 spots, but playing against UEFA or south america`

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07-05-2016 , 01:31 AM

#21873

BobboFitos

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ikestoys

my only real beef with the confederations is how israel was forced out of asia. If countries refuse to play them again they should just be banned from the next WC.

agree. it's bull**** they compete in EU

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07-05-2016 , 10:51 AM

#21874

DCUERVO

banned

Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 207

They should give the extra spot to Europe and have four team tournament for the final spot between Concacaf, Asia, S.America and New Zealand at a neutral site.

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07-05-2016 , 05:47 PM

#21875

loosekanen

USA#1, Oh Yeah!

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 27,836

Korea is actually a pretty good team. They took their medicine in the last WC with young guys. We definitely don't have anyone on our team as good as Son. They just aren't as deep as we are or as stout at the back. Still, I'd give them 35% against us in a playoff.

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