Soccer Thread

[billsfootball15]

Originally Posted by Rosebud

Ozil, Marin and Mueller > Gio, Vela and Guardado :p

I just don't know, we're so young and if those young guys get overwhelmed with the stage we're screwed. I love our young talent because we're loaded with centerbacks and attacking players, but the question boils down to whether they are ready to step up.

i am a huge German fan just as you are! I still think we can make it very far...i love the depth we have on the backline and Podolski and Klose are always dangerous when they put on the German jersey. The big question for me that will determine how far we make it is the midfield. Schweini is by far my favorite player today and he will have to play the holding midfield role he had with Bayern this year. It sounds like Loew wants to play Kheidra, the 23 year old Stuttgart player, with him in the center. Its an interesting choice but it makes sence...Then it also looks like Marin and Ozil will be the two outside mids, and they can be very dangerous as they both have some serious speed and can strech the game down the sidelines. As you were talking about with the youth, youve got Schweini but then 3 players under the age of 23 and all with less than 10 caps next to him. If those three (Ozil, Marin, Kheidra) mature and are able to connect the backline with Klose and Podolski, then we can be a very dangerous team and can make it very far. Im still not sure if we can beat Spain/Brazil, but I certainly like our chances against England/Argentina if our midfielders mature and meat expectations.

My starting XI:

----------------Neuer-----------------
Lahm--Mertesacker--Friedrich--Boateng
Ozil-----Schweini-----Kheidra-----Marin
---------Podolski-----Klose------------

Then key contributors off the bench would be: Jansen, Westermann, Trochowski, Kroos, Gomez

[Mr. Goosemahn]

Originally Posted by Rosebud

Ozil, Marin and Mueller > Gio, Vela and Guardado :p

I just don't know, we're so young and if those young guys get overwhelmed with the stage we're screwed. I love our young talent because we're loaded with centerbacks and attacking players, but the question boils down to whether they are ready to step up.

I think they'll do well, there are veterans who can really help them. Plus, during the past World Cup you guys also had some young players and they played well (Lahm, Schweini, Podolski), so I expect the same this year.

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by billsfootball15

i am a huge German fan just as you are! I still think we can make it very far...i love the depth we have on the backline and Podolski and Klose are always dangerous when they put on the German jersey. The big question for me that will determine how far we make it is the midfield. Schweini is by far my favorite player today and he will have to play the holding midfield role he had with Bayern this year. It sounds like Loew wants to play Kheidra, the 23 year old Stuttgart player, with him in the center. Its an interesting choice but it makes sence...Then it also looks like Marin and Ozil will be the two outside mids, and they can be very dangerous as they both have some serious speed and can strech the game down the sidelines. As you were talking about with the youth, youve got Schweini but then 3 players under the age of 23 and all with less than 10 caps next to him. If those three (Ozil, Marin, Kheidra) mature and are able to connect the backline with Klose and Podolski, then we can be a very dangerous team and can make it very far. Im still not sure if we can beat Spain/Brazil, but I certainly like our chances against England/Argentina if our midfielders mature and meat expectations.

My starting XI:

----------------Neuer-----------------
Lahm--Mertesacker--Friedrich--Boateng
Ozil-----Schweini-----Kheidra-----Marin
---------Podolski-----Klose------------

Then key contributors off the bench would be: Jansen, Westermann, Trochowski, Kroos, Gomez

God I hope we don't start Friedrich. Just let Boateng and Mertesacker start working together since they'll be playing together on the national team for years. Otherwise that's the lineup I expect, although I think Gomez or Keissling will be starting just because of how poor Poldi and Klose were this year. I hope Loew gets creative though and uses someone like Westerman as a true holding midfielder that lets the backs and schweini play more aggressively. And up front I would prefer if we went 1 striker with one guy playing off of him which is why my choice would be

Mertesacker-Boateng
Lahm-Westerman-Aogo/Jansen
Schweini
Ozil-Mueller-Marin
Keissling

[Marino13]

Originally Posted by iowatreat54

I cannot express how happy I am that both Torres and Holden made the team. I love both of them and really thought Bradley would screw it up and take older vets who suck, like Ching.

I still don't understand taking 3 keepers. Sure, after Howard both our backups lack experience and Guzan played pretty bad yesterday, but just because you don't have 1 legit backup doesn't mean you should take 2 inexperienced ones. I just don't get it at all.

Also, I'd love to see Edu and Feilhaber starting in the middle. I loathe little Bradley, even though he has improved. I still fully expect him to be ***** made in the game vs. England and get at least a yellow for a stupid foul, if not more.

Little Bradley does get stupid fouls, but the team is better with him on the pitch. Though with Edu, Clark, and Holden healthy (as well as Bradley and Felheber improving), and Torres and Beasley, we have options at mid, and it allows us to use Dempsey up top.

Pleasantly surprised we took Findley. Not experienced, but he'd give our attack the threat of speed. Ching just doesn't score, and Johnson is too inconsistent internationally, might as well take the risk.

As for Bornstein, he IS bad, but with Marshall coming into camp with an injury, and Pearce playing so poorly, we had no other options. Doesn't worry me too much though. Yeah the D isn't healthy but Bocanegra can play left if needed, and we still got Spector and Cherundolo.

It's gonna be tough to keep Holden off the field though, he gives us another option other than Donovan on free kicks.

[garrard9]

Is Diego Maradona so bad of a coach that he can destroy his teams chances of winning the World Cup? I mean c'mon, the guy didn't include Cambiasso on his roster. He's insane.

[scottyboy]

iowatreat, you don't like little bradley? how come? I like him...but maybe because I always score with him in fifa...

[iowatreat54]

Originally Posted by scottyboy

iowatreat, you don't like little bradley? how come? I like him...but maybe because I always score with him in fifa...

Because he's from by me and I played with him a couple times and he was a giant douche. Also, he plays really stupid with all the terrible fouls he gives up at awful times and throws ***** fits all the time. Plus, I really don't think he's that good and the only reason he started playing on the national team at a young age was because of his dad. He didn't see any time, and then his dad becomes coach and BAM! he's a starter.

[MikeTheDudeV2]

Who do you guys have winning the World Cup? I keep bouncing back and forth between Argentina and Spain.

[Marino13]

Originally Posted by iowatreat54

Because he's from by me and I played with him a couple times and he was a giant douche. Also, he plays really stupid with all the terrible fouls he gives up at awful times and throws ***** fits all the time. Plus, I really don't think he's that good and the only reason he started playing on the national team at a young age was because of his dad. He didn't see any time, and then his dad becomes coach and BAM! he's a starter.

huh, from what I remember there was a lot of support for him to make the 06 roster at such a young age. Yeah his dad as HC doesn't hurt, but it's not like he's a scrub. He scored 18 goals in the Eredivisie and has 7 goals in the Bundesliga. Yeah he plays with a hot head at times, but he's far from a weak link. If anything, having Edu healthy helps ten fold as we can use Bradley more on the attack.

[iowatreat54]

Originally Posted by Marino13

huh, from what I remember there was a lot of support for him to make the 06 roster at such a young age. Yeah his dad as HC doesn't hurt, but it's not like he's a scrub. He scored 18 goals in the Eredivisie and has 7 goals in the Bundesliga. Yeah he plays with a hot head at times, but he's far from a weak link. If anything, having Edu healthy helps ten fold as we can use Bradley more on the attack.

Yea, make the squad. But he was starting from day 1, even though when he was first starting those games he was pretty out of place and played pretty poorly. While I know it helps him grow, it wasn't like he had to start because there was no one else. With any other coach, he would be a reserve and get limited time until he was ready. He only started and played so much because of his father.

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by MikeTheDudeV2

Who do you guys have winning the World Cup? I keep bouncing back and forth between Argentina and Spain.

No way Argentina wins it with Maradona as coach. It would help their cause if Messi started playing as well for the national team as he does for Barcelona, but I still can't see them actually winning. Spain has some health issues and despite their EC victory I'm skeptical about them living up to expectations. I think Brazil are favorites. They're always monsterous when they have a coach who keeps them defensively sound so that they win the ball back enough. They'll score goals, they always do, but I'm really scared about their fluidity and how well they'll get the ball back.

[Marino13]

to each their own I guess. I think the Confed Cup Finals against Brazil we really missed him. IMO He's probably our 4th most important player.

1.Tim Howard
2.Landon Donovan
3.Clint Dempsey
4.Michael Bradley

Just my opinion though. I think he's our best all around midfielder.

[iowatreat54]

No way is he more important than Gooch or Bocanegra. If worst comes to worst, we can put Donovan or Dempsey in the middle and be fine, or even Edu and Feilhaber. There is essentially no replacement for Gooch or Boc. I'd also argue right now Jozy is more important as he is really our only scoring threat up top.

[billsfootball15]

Originally Posted by Rosebud

God I hope we don't start Friedrich. Just let Boateng and Mertesacker start working together since they'll be playing together on the national team for years. Otherwise that's the lineup I expect, although I think Gomez or Keissling will be starting just because of how poor Poldi and Klose were this year. I hope Loew gets creative though and uses someone like Westerman as a true holding midfielder that lets the backs and schweini play more aggressively. And up front I would prefer if we went 1 striker with one guy playing off of him which is why my choice would be

Mertesacker-Boateng
Lahm-Westerman-Aogo/Jansen
Schweini
Ozil-Mueller-Marin
Keissling

Thats a very interesting, yet unconventional, formation you have set up there. Theres no way we dont have podolski starting though, I dont care how bad he has done with Koln, he has proved his place on the Mannschaft. Also, I really do see Kheidra in the starting lineup and Loew himself has nominated him to fill in the role that Ballack had. Also as far as Friedrich is concerned, I think he will end up being the captain. He is very well liked within the team and is one of the most experienced players.

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by billsfootball15

Thats a very interesting, yet unconventional, formation you have set up there. Theres no way we dont have podolski starting though, I dont care how bad he has done with Koln, he has proved his place on the Mannschaft. Also, I really do see Kheidra in the starting lineup and Loew himself has nominated him to fill in the role that Ballack had. Also as far as Friedrich is concerned, I think he will end up being the captain. He is very well liked within the team and is one of the most experienced players.

Yeah it'd involve the team shifting shape a lot depending on possession, essentially switching from a 4-2-3-1 on defense to a 3-3-3-1 with Westerman dropping to the back line as the wing backs charge up the field. I wouldn't mind having Khedira just take Ballack's spot, but I like having a true holding mid to free up the rest of the team, especially with Schweini who's not just a good distributer of the ball but also can create a lot of danger charging up the pitch.

As for Friedrich I'd rather give the armband to Schweini or Merte, Freidrich just isn't very good anymore. He's too slow on the outside and we have too many better and younger options on the inside like Boateng, Westerman, Hummels, Howedes, Badstuber and Tasci.

Poldi would realistically start in the spot I gave to Mueller, although I wouldn't mind either way, Keissling's a machine and Ozil will be the second leading scorer letting Mueller and Marin focus more on creating so Poldi's advantage as a finisher is somewhat negated.

What I expect is something like

Lahm-Merte-Boateng-Aogo/Schaefer
Khedira-Schweini
Ozil-Poldi-Marin
Gomez

i just don't like the gap it creates between the Schweini/Khedira duo and the back line. Guys like Kaka will kill us from that spot.

[Giantsfan1080]

A little late on this since I just got home. Some very quick thoughts.

1) I hate Bornstetin. I think he sucks and might us give us a lot of trouble against England.

2) Very glad Holden and Torres made it and I'm hoping they also start. Bradley is ok but he should be on the bench but yet Dad keeps him in and thinks he's one of our better players.

3) The one player that should have made it was Rodgers. He did well in camp from what I read and then he was very good against the Czech.

[Giantsfan1080]

Big blow for Ghana. Essien out of the World Cup.

[billsfootball15]

Originally Posted by Giantsfan1080

Big blow for Ghana. Essien out of the World Cup.

karma......

[Rosebud]

I didn't think they'd advance from our group anyway, but no Essien just locks up Germany and Serbia as the teams to advance.

[Eaglez.Fan]

Originally Posted by garrard9

Is Diego Maradona so bad of a coach that he can destroy his teams chances of winning the World Cup? I mean c'mon, the guy didn't include Cambiasso on his roster. He's insane.

Or the captain of the best club in soccer. And yes he is that bad (Maradona). Argentina shouldn't be terrible because they have the firepower up front but they won't go far.

[Wootylicous]

<3333333

[619]

So is this the place to post once the WC commences?

[iowatreat54]

Originally Posted by 619

So is this the place to post once the WC commences?

We had a WC thread, but it probably got buried after the group selection show. I'm sure we can dig it up or make a new one. It'll probably be better to have a separate thread.

Thoughts anyone?

[619]

Originally Posted by iowatreat54

We had a WC thread, but it probably got buried after the group selection show. I'm sure we can dig it up or make a new one. It'll probably be better to have a separate thread.

Thoughts anyone?

I tried getting it active earlier this month, then everyone reverted back to posting in this thread after a while.

I say we get our discussion back to the other thread now that there's nothing but the WC on the soccer horizon.

[SuperMcGee]

Definitely use the other thread.

Anyway, I'm going to see Man City play Inter in Baltimore in July. Hooray.