2014 World Cup

Not to get all American-y about formats, but the idea that the U.S. and Ghana could tie in group, and Ghana could advance on goal differential after losing to the U.S., is straight bullshit. Head-to-head should mean the most.

 

What worries me about the lack of Altidore is that he controlled long balls, which are a major U.S. forte. He did something with them. I don't know if anyone else can make things happen at the end of a long vertical.

 

On the surface, I agree. I suspect that GD is the first tie breaker because it's more often than the scenario if two teams are even on points they drew one another or there is a three-way tie where the teams all beat one another. In which case, they'd have to go to GD anyway. It just simplifies things. Plus, GD encourages attacking soccer.

 

It completely screws the midfield, which will now be under much more pressure because nobody's scared of getting beat over the top. It's like losing your only deep threat receiver and trying to run through an 8-man box.

 

Having teams with H2H tiebreakers in their back pocket would take away a *ton* of third-game drama.

 

Maybe, but a win is pretty hard to come by and should be rewarded.

If U.S. and Portugal draw today, it would behoove Germany and U.S. to play kickball for 90 minutes, finish 0-0 in the final group game and freeze out Ghana. The U.S. would lose a chance at the top seed, but I imagine simply advancing would be enough of an achievement and they'd be happy not to get greedy.

 

Good point.

Will we know by the end of the next game who awaits the 1st and 2nd place in the group? If second were more obviously desirable, you could have some fun.

 

Algeria's been freakin' relentless so far in the first. 3-0 with a couple really impressive goals.

 

Alas, Group H plays after Group G. Unless South Korea gets a whole lot better in five days, it's going to be Belgium as the top seed and Algeria needing to hold off a Russia victory to finish second.

 

4-2-3-1 as i thought.

Howard
Johnson--Cameron--Besler--Beasley
Beckerman--Jones
Bedoya-- Bradley--Zusi
Dempsey

 

I'm getting oddly more confident in the US the closer this gets to game time.

 

Could you share that with me? Because I'm going the other direction.