As Far as Predictions Go, U.S. Is Wise to Listen Up

[AreliusIII]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-soccercol6mar06,1,1882599,print.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-soccer

GRAHAME L. JONES

March 6, 2006

The United States will tie the Czech Republic, 1-1, lose to Italy, 2-0, defeat Ghana, 3-2, and be eliminated in the first round of the World Cup in Germany this summer.

So says FourFourTwo magazine, which used Football Manager 2006, a computer simulation program, to "play" all 64 games of the June 9-July 9 tournament just to see who might win. The results were spread over seven pages in the magazine's March issue.

Not surprisingly, since FourFourTwo is an English publication, England ended up winning it all, repeating its 1966 triumph by defeating Germany, 4-2 on penalty kicks, after playing to a 2-2 tie in the final in Berlin.

Such fiction aside — England and Germany have as much chance of reaching the final as Togo and Trinidad — there is merit in the predictions offered for the U.S. team, judging by the real-life performances of its three first-round opponents last Wednesday.

• The Czechs suffered a late meltdown, gave up a two-goal lead and were held, 2-2, by an otherwise unimpressive Turkey. True, Coach Karel Bruckner's squad was missing several starters, but U.S. speed and quick passing could exploit the Czechs' defensive fragility, and goalkeeper Petr Cech showed in Izmir that even he is not infallible.

Bruckner's squad has three feeble opponents left — Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago — in its run-up to the June 12 clash with the U.S. After that hapless trio, the U.S. will seem like a world power.

• The Italians rolled through visiting Germany, winning 4-1 in Florence and establishing themselves as legitimate World Cup contenders. Coach Marcello Lippi is determined to win the group and thus avoid Brazil in the second round. Defeating Ghana and the U.S. by sizable margins will put him on course before the vital third game against the Czechs.

"We're very happy with a good night's work," Lippi said after sending the Germans packing. That win, plus an earlier one over the Netherlands, indicates that the Italians are for real, even without talismanic Francesco Totti.

• The lackluster Ghanaians were beaten, 1-0, by Mexico in Frisco, Texas, and will not be a factor in their first World Cup. Even with the supposedly gifted Michael Essien in the lineup, the West Africans looked slow, unimaginative and totally incapable of scoring. And it was only Mexico they were playing, not a legitimate contender.

"It's difficult because many of us haven't played together," Essien said afterward.

If a new coach comes in, as the Ghana soccer federation has suggested might happen, and the new coach brings in new players, the problem will only be compounded. Look for an early exit by the Black Stars.

[qman]

Hmm it sounds like we can beat Ghana and should have a good chance against the Czech Republic. But we will be fairly big underdogs against Italy. Which means we would get Brazil if we go 2-1-0 right? Hmm sounds like fun.

[Jose Luis Luviano]

Originally Posted by AreliusIII

http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-soccercol6mar06,1,1882599,print.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-soccer

GRAHAME L. JONES



• The lackluster Ghanaians were beaten, 1-0, by Mexico in Frisco, Texas, and will not be a factor in their first World Cup. Even with the supposedly gifted Michael Essien in the lineup, the West Africans looked slow, unimaginative and totally incapable of scoring. And it was only Mexico they were playing, not a legitimate contender.

.

His Royal Grahameness must have missed the Confederations Cup. Yes, Mexico does lose to Bulgaria & Trinidad but El Tri can get their act together when it counts.

Usually, His Royal Grahameness reserves contempt like this for the USMNT & MLS.

As for Brazil, I was about 30 yards behind the goal when Preki beat Taffarel in '98. Si se puede!