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Originally Posted by Tietäjä
Because I have reason to believe that your arguments towards me are not based on any factual basis but simply a misplaced belief that I'm for some odd reason I can't quite tell anti-American. You've proven your strong prejudice already by stating that you think people fancy Ghana over America because they're "anti-american". If you'd actually read the previous pages you'd noticed that this wasn't the first time I noted Ghana.
And your footballing contribution has to do with a claim that I'm somewhat anti-American and on those grounds stating something?
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I made a joke about your comment and obviously hit a nerve of some sort. Furthermore, I've proven a strong prejudice by saying that I wouldn't be surprised if Ghana beat the US and saying that I think it'll be a close affair either way. Not sure I follow where you're getting that I said that people 'fancy Ghana over American because they're anti-american'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tietäjä
I've watched Ghana's games. I really fancy them for playing an attacking football and not placing 10 men in the box to defend. They're a young team (I can't remember if they're the youngest in the tournament, but they'll at least come close to Germany in youth) with a lot of talent (Ayew, Annan, Jonathan Mensah to name ones I've found particularily pleasing). Typically African, it's a very physically strong and fast team, and they showed against Germany how they're able to put holes in the arguably one of the strongest of defences consistently. What they've been lacking in finishing is the confidence, and I'm hoping they'll gain some after a well fought narrow loss to Germany.
They qualified off one of the tougher groups and performed admirably against a reasonably strong German side that has, unlike England (who have been piss poor for their standards, hardly "top England show") showed glimps of their quality in the group stages. They don't bow to primadonnas (you see Muntari on bench a lot for being a bit of a troublemaker, even if he's one of their "big names"). If this isn't their year, then four years from now they'll come back with more experience, more confidence, and a serious contender for later stage
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That's all I really was hoping to hear. I appreciate hearing other people's insight into matchups - especially when they favor a side that I do not necessarily follow. Unfortunately, being in an area where football (or soccer as everyone calls it here) is, to say the least, not popular, it is difficult to find a competant follower to discuss the World Cup with.
Regardless, I agree with most everything you say here although I'm not convinced that Group D was as difficult as some others (not saying Group C was more so).
Personally, I'd love to see Bradley find a solid team to show up with and not have a revolving door of starters. I don't think Oneywu is even remotely 100% and some of our youth seem to be quite nervous in the spotlight. Thankfully, Howard has led a solid defensive effort and as long as Cherundolo, Bocanegra, DeMerit and Bornstein can stay focused and get some help from the others I think the US will be good enough to keep Ghana off the board for most of the game. I'm hoping Altidore can show up for a game and use his physical advantage to help negate the bodies the African nations are well known for throwing around.