i'd be curious to see where cruizn would rank us

make a list of teams you think are better than USA as of today, october 16th 2013(just clarifying here so that you'll understand that mexico is not one of those teams, no matter how you slice it)

Haha, how did I miss this?: #PorUnMundialSinMexico (For a World Cup without Mexico)

Got that off the front page of El Universal, which is all about how in shambles the Tri is right now. C'mon, guys, you're in the playoff. Time to celebrate!

ok here goes:

spain
argentina
germany
italy
belgium
brazil
netherlands
portugal
england
france
mexico (sorry cant keep them off)

i left out colombia, uruguay, croatia, and a bunch of other uefa teams because they are all pretty much overrated. i havent seen most of them play but they cant all be that good.

Man, I'm shocked at that list. Was totally expecting to be something like 19th, behind the likes of Denmark and Ivory Coast. Not a bad list. You might be missing a team or two and some would probably put Columbia and possibly Uruguay ahead of us. Though some others might remove France or even England, but they probably belong on the list.

Someone who knows more might be able to more accurately place a team like Russia, as I really don't know enough to say if I know we're better than them or not.

I would def rank Uruguay, Russia and Colombia ahead of us. France and England on par. Though on their best day they're better than us on our best day for sure. Switzerland/Greece/B&H prob on par too. That unseeded UEFA team is going to be our key game, just like Slovenia was last cycle.

Problem is, with the USA you're going to get a solid B from us almost always with a lower ceiling and high WIM. With France/England and usually another seeded UEFA team each cycle if they struggle early they could flame and flame hard.

The only teams I really want to avoid in our draw are Brazil and Germany. Anybody else I feel like we have at least some equity.

Oh, and Ghana. **** them but seriously. They have our number. I'd hate to draw them.

I sort of want Germany because I hate that loss from 2002 so much, but then I realize that all those dudes I hated are gone and I basically like their whole roster. And they would beat us ragged, so yeah no Germany.

Ranking of seeded teams we want to play from best to worst:

1. Switzerland
2. Uruguay
3. Columbia
4. Belgium
5. Argentina
6. Spain
7. Germany
8. Brazil

Where am I off? I think it's possible we match up better with Germany than Argentina, but maybe I'm just making that up. We actually do defend pretty heroically when called upon to do so which bodes well vs Spain. Altidore not exactly a counterattack champion though, that's not our game right now as much as it once was, but still could be with the right lineup.

Argentina and Spain still just miles above us. Most tier 1 teams are just so good; whatever group ends up with Switzerland will be doing flips.

This is an excellent list imo. I think Italy are getting seeded though over Columbia (?), and I wouldn't mind seeing them.

But **** it, if we wind up with Switzerland/Uruguay I think we can win our group. Every other team, a draw is a fine result

C'mon, folks, this is the World Cup, not the Ivy League tournament. COLOMBIA.

(Otherwise, great list, Wazzu.)

Constant misspelling of Colombia tilts me so hard. Columbia = University or the District of.

Give him a break, its hard to spell a country correctly when you only care once every 4 years

Also the capitol of South Carolina

I completely agree that those two teams are miles ahead of us. I just think that on our day we present some problems for teams like that. I don't think Brazil or Germany are going to fold under pressure no matter what. Argentina or Spain, if we can get to the half drawn they might start to feel it.

Better than having to save up for four years just to get cable

Oops, brain fart on Colombia, but I will have you know that I am an excellent speller! Bring on Colombia and Falcon!

This just seems delusional.

USA is not even remotely comparable to France. Benzema may not be all that, but he's loads better than anything playing in North America. Ribery is a boss. Behind them there's plenty of talent.

Russia, Uruguay, England, Switzerland, Greece, etc. are all more talented than the US and generally better organized too. Sure England is overrated and delusional, but it's still gonna beat USA 7-8 out of 10 times.

Against teams like Spain or Brazil or Italy the USA can park the bus and fight, but the technical difference is serious. The US has perhaps a handful of players that would even play on the national sides in Spain or Brazil (I can't think of one, though). Against Germany I don't see USA as having a hope because parking the bus won't help so much because of how Germany plays.

I said one thing about talent level? I pretty much agree with all that you've said there. And I said as much I think. How is any of what I posted delusional?

2010 France lost to Mexico. I know you can't compare cycles and such. But that's all I need to know not to fear them. Aside from, you know, them being French.

I'd not exactly welcome them in a draw but damn it would be fun.

This is like a JUCO transfer saying his hoops game is on par with Manu Ginobili's, and the only guy he really fears one on one is Kobe just because once he got a three on Jordan in a summer camp.

Serious question: Does the US have a single player that would even make the national side in any of Spain, Italy, Brazil, or Germany?

And the USA beat Spain in 2009. A grossly inferior team can win a football match.

thanks for the laugh