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Originally Posted by candymoan
czech republic and italy?
stranger things have happened..
african teams are never estimated at their best effort..
expect surprises.. they make the game more beautiful..
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Anything could happen, and to be fair Italy sometimes struggle at big tournaments early on. It would be cool if the US did well. They do have a chance. I'm not sure about Ghana though - a couple of the African teams at this event rely on just one or two very good players, but lack depth.
I see Serhity Rebrov is going to miss the Ukraine's two friendles - they need him to be fit in time for the tournament.
The US team is shrouded in secrecy:
Arena keeps them guessing
1 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com
With the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ eight days away, fans and media from most countries are gaining an ever firmer idea of what the coaches of their respective national teams have planned for the tournament. Not so for USA fans, whose notoriously secretive coach Bruce Arena is proving typically wary of tipping his hand.
Known for the loyalty he earns from players and the unity he instils in his team, Arena showed in Korea/Japan 2002 that he is also a skilled tactician. This was most evident when he trotted out a 3-5-2 formation, previously unused by the US in the tournament, against arch-rivals Mexico in the round of 16. The compact system frustrated the Mexicans in a 2-0 US victory, leaving their then coach Javier Aguirre to lament: "I'm not sure what happened out there."
One of the keys to Arena’s tactical edge is that he never seems to hint at what line-up or formation he will use until the last possible moment, and looking at the teams he put out in the USA's last three friendlies before leaving for Germany provides even fewer clues.
In three matches between 23 May and 28 May, dubbed 'the send-off series', Arena used three vastly different line-ups. This was partially forced by the tight schedule, with a team of mostly reserves taking the field in the second match. However, even when Arena was free to use more first-choice starters in the first and third matches, he opted for two completely different formations, first a 4-3-3 against Morocco and later a 4-4-2 against Latvia.
Versatility is key
Adding to the mystery is the versatility of the American players. Playmakers Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley are generally preferred in the midfield but can also play as forwards. The oft-injured John O’Brien and skipper Claudio Reyna can play virtually anywhere in the midfield, while Eddie Lewis has been used as a full-back with his country but plays in the midfield for his English club, Leeds United.
The result is that, when Arena finally does reveal his line-up, he can easily switch between formations without making a single substitution, leaving opposing managers guessing even after the whistle blows.