[osckey123]

Thank you Dempsey!

[Max S v2]

the tides are turning in the football world

[Slacker04]

Italy, you mad?

[GIZMO8Z]

I am happy that the USA won, and it'll be great for the team confidence, but guys... let's be realistic. Italy had a lot of new players, for example the Serie B player in defense. There was a lot of experimentation going on with both sides. It was a friendly.

[Boomer94]

Yes USA, but like you guys said. I don't think it was world cup quality soccer.

[Boomer94]

Lol I think that is some celebration

[JohnnyBananas]

Originally Posted by Boomer94

Yes USA, but like you guys said. I don't think it was world cup quality soccer.

World Cup quality soccer tends to be extremely low in comparison to club soccer....

When it comes down to it, sure you had Serie B guys, but going against guys in the MLS. Italy isn't what it once was, it's been a WHILE since Italy has been any kind of intimidating.

[GIZMO8Z]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBananas

World Cup quality soccer tends to be extremely low in comparison to club soccer....

When it comes down to it, sure you had Serie B guys, but going against guys in the MLS. Italy isn't what it once was, it's been a WHILE since Italy has been any kind of intimidating.

The USA players who played yesterday were on European clubs, save for maybe one or two. Most of them played for clubs in England, Germany, and the Netherlands. Bradley even plays for Chievo Verona in Serie A and has been playing well and is extremely popular... they call him "General Bradley."

I really think any time you play against a team with World Cup victories and Champions League winners, there's going to be a degree of intimidation.

[osckey123]

we need a name in here stat.

[GIZMO8Z]

USA:Howard (Everton); Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Goodson (Brondby IF), Bocanegra (Rangers), Johnson (Hoffenheim); Edu (Rangers), Bradley(Chievo Verona), Dempsey (Fulham), Shea (FC Dallas), Williams (Hoffenheim); Altidore (AZ Alkmaar)

USA bench: Guzan (Aston Villa), Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Parkhurst (F.C. Nordsjaelland), Spector (Birmingham City), Buddle (L.A. Galaxy), Kljestan (Anderlecht)

Italy:Buffon (Juve); Maggio(Napoli), Barzagli(Juve), Ogbonna(Torino Serie B), Criscito (Zenit); Nocerino(Milan), Pirlo(Juve), Marchisio(Juve); Thiago Motta(PSG); Giovinco(Parma), Matri (Juve)

Italy bench: De Sanctis (Napoli), Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Bonucci (Juve), Chiellini(Juve), De Rossi(Roma), Montolivo(Fiorentina), Borini(Roma), Pazzini (inter)

... so obviously the Italy team look much better on paper. Still, the USMNT that was fielded yesterday was NOT filled with MLS scrubs.

[JohnnyBananas]

Didn't say it was, nor did anyone. Still, on paper, an inferior team.

[Boomer94]

So none of you guys support MLS?

[ajdx1000]

Offseason for MLS big guy

[Slacker04]

starts in 9 days .

I'm excited about it.

[shiboboo]

That Serie B defender is misleading. Ogbonna is a highly coveted young player. It was somewhat surprising he wasn't bought last summer from Torino. He'll surely be gone this summer (at least decent offers will come in).

[Somnambulistz]

Oh yeah MLS is off season, but in any case Charlie tends to be right on his opinion about world cup soccer, or at least the last decade of WC soccer.

To see the US win a WC would be awesome though, might actually help MLS become watchable too.....

[JohnnyBananas]

Yeah, even if I have a pretty low opinion of the quality of international soccer, I go crazy for the US...and a World Cup win would be unbelievable.

[GIZMO8Z]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBananas

Yeah, even if I have a pretty low opinion of the quality of international soccer, I go crazy for the US...and a World Cup win would be unbelievable.

Idk... I'd fear that America would go nuts for like... a day, and everyone in the U.S. would get this real cocky attitude about soccer that would only add to the sense of arrogance most Americans have about sports. Almost immediately, the media would go back to obsessing over who Tony Romo is dating, or or the NFL draft/ combine, or whatever pro athlete got arrested or shot himself, etc.

[JohnnyBananas]

Hm, i dunno. we'd go nuts for a long time lol.

[GIZMO8Z]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBananas

Hm, i dunno. we'd go nuts for a long time lol.

WE would, certainly! But I fear that the majority of people would have this reaction:



I kind of wish an African nation would win it before the U.S.... it would REALLY mean a lot to those people.

[JohnnyBananas]

Considering the insanity that followed Lando's World Cup heroics, I disagree.

I wish we would win it over anyone else....