I was going to say, I don’t know what the lineup will actually look like next summer, but I’m quite confident that this isn’t it.
USMNT Thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
Busy sports news day for me. In my spare time, it's been a constant back-and-forth between PSU and the USMNT.
Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, and one of Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
I have to be honest and say that this was a very favorable draw for the US compared to what it could have been. We avoided quite a number of problems in the three other pots. It does not mean, however, that this is an easy group. There are no easy groups for the US at a men's World Cup ever. We will need to work hard and play well to qualify out of the group. It is really interesting how we just played two of our opponents within the past couple of months, and perhaps all three within the past half year if Turkey is the team to qualify and join our group. If the US can play to their capability, then winning the group is on the table. But they will need to work very hard.
Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, and one of Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
I have to be honest and say that this was a very favorable draw for the US compared to what it could have been. We avoided quite a number of problems in the three other pots. It does not mean, however, that this is an easy group. There are no easy groups for the US at a men's World Cup ever. We will need to work hard and play well to qualify out of the group. It is really interesting how we just played two of our opponents within the past couple of months, and perhaps all three within the past half year if Turkey is the team to qualify and join our group. If the US can play to their capability, then winning the group is on the table. But they will need to work very hard.
Yeah, I meant to start a thread on the WC draws, but there was just too much going on today.
The USA did get a good draw, compared to some of their past experiences. And as you indicated, there are no easy groups for the US at a men's WC.
If Turkey qualifies, they would probably be the favorite in the group, though you could make a case for the USA beating them. If Turkey is not the qualifier from the four in contention, then the USA is probably the favorite (with all the caveats).
The USMNT has been all over the place since the last WC. And even the past year+ has been a roller coaster. They should advance out of the group stage, though that's never a given. Beyond that, they could go on a long run, or be road kill, or anywhere in between. Hopefully, their key players will be healthy, and all of their players will leave the drama behind them, and play to their potential.