Thursday 26 June 2014

USA-GERMANY PRIMER, aka SAUSAGE LINKS!

We can deal with Germany. We've done it before.

Sitting here in my Airbnb.com studio apartment, using Sao Paulo as a kind of weigh station; I don't have tickets for USA-Germany, but I do have tickets for the next round, IF the US makes it. So here I wait. It is now almost 5am. Sleep doesn't come. 

Neither does any particular blog post idea. So how about some links to get us all in the mood.

- Let's start at the beginning. What does the US need today to advance?

They definitely get through with a win, and would also win the group in that case.

They would finish second in the group- which is all they need- if they draw with Germany.

If they lose, and Ghana-Portugal is a draw, US still finishes second.

If they lose and Portugal wins, there are very few scenarios in which Portugal could pass the US, but they all involve Portugal and/or Germany winning by a LOT of goals, to wipe out the edge the US has over Portugal in goal difference, which is the first tie-breaker.

If they lose and Ghana wins... things get hairy. 

Here's a handy and reliable-looking chart a dude on Twitter made:



That's right: coin toss is an actual option.

- That Nate Silver's a smart guy, right? Well, his website FiveThirtyEight.com gives the US a 76% chance of advancing, despite a 64% chance of losing the match itself. 

While this news is comforting in its way, a scenario in which Ghana wins while Germany wins- I mean, LOOK AT ALL THE RED ON THAT CHART- renders that percentage meaningless to me. Job has to get done.

- I can't pretend to have anything intelligent to say about tactics, but The Shin Guardian can, and his tactical preview is recommended

- US Soccer has been throwing these great #FanHQ parties the night before and the afternoon of each match. My girlfriend and I went to the one in Natal and the Manaus. They were both fun. But nothing anywhere near as cool as what happened last night in Recife.

- Did you hear the Ghana controversy? They haven't been paid yet. They're pissed. Allegedly the president of Ghana- not of their football association, the president of the ACTUAL NATION OF GHANA- has assured the players that their three million dollars in cash is already on a plane to Brazil. It has come to this. Will this affect the mood of the team on game day? I deeply, deeply doubt it. But it's a pretty interesting story. 

- The US has played Germany in two previous World Cups.

At France 98, the first opponent for the US was the Germans, who won 2-0. As you may have heard, the second goal for Germany was scored by that dashing striker Jurgen Klinsmann (he assisted on the first goal, too).

At Japan/South Korea 2002, the best performance the US has had in the modern era, the teams met in the quarterfinals. Germany was not such a strong team that year, and they were there for the taking. But the US ran out of gas, and was denied a penalty on an obvious handball in the box, and Germany won 1-0 (long version or short version).

- I'm worried the players will be gassed after the Manaus experience, not to mention the fact that Germany has an extra day if rest on them. But the other four teams who played in Manaus didn't fare well in the first game afterward. Cameroon lost to Brazil 4-1; Croatia lost to Mexico 3-1; England lost to Uruguay 2-1; and Italy was shocked by Costa Rica 1-0.

It's a small sample size. But it's four losses and zero wins. Three goals scored, 10 goals conceded. And none of these teams scored more than once.

- Finally, if you're reading this before going to work: DON'T GO TO WORK!

Gonna try to sleep, now. Fingers crossed for our boys.

IBelieveThatWeWillWinButI'mTotallyOkayWithADrawOkayDudes?

- Brendan Hunt


29 comments:

  1. Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has announced his resignation for health reasons.
    He said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision making,บาคาร่า and apologised to the Japanese people for failing to complete his term in office.
    The 65-year-old has suffered for many years from ulcerative colitis,แทงบอล an inflammatory bowel disease, but he said his condition had worsened recently.
    Last year, 123GOAL he became Japan's longest serving prime minister. His current period in office began in 2012.
    He will remain in his post until a successor is chosen.สล็อต

    ReplyDelete
  2. At Monday's White House news conference, บาคาร่า Mr Trump blamed Mr Biden and his allies for violence in cities run by Democratic mayors and governors.
    A CNN reporter asked the Republican president whether he would condemn supporters แทงบอล of his who fired paint pellets during a confrontation with counter-protesters at the weekend in Portland, Oregon.
    In the ensuing street clashes, a member of a right-wing group, 123GOAL Patriot Prayer, was killed by a suspect who has reportedly described himself as a member of antifa, สล็อต a loosely-affiliated network of mainly far-left activists.
    On Monday, police named the man who was shot dead as Aaron Danielson. No arrest has been made.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Republican president blamed "domestic terror" for the "destruction" in the Midwestern city. บาคาร่า
    Kenosha saw days of violence after police shot Jacob Blake in the back and left him paralysed on 23 August. แทงบอล
    Opinion polls show Mr Trump is narrowing Democratic rival Joe Biden's lead ahead of November's election. 123GOAL
    The president is pushing a strong "law and order" message. Mr Biden has accused Mr Trump of stoking racial division. สล็อต

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson says that he and his family had all contracted Covid-19. บาคาร่า
    The former wrestler, who is now the world's highest-paid actor, said he, his wife and two daughters caught the virus despite being "disciplined" about health protection.
    แทงบอล He said the positive tests were "a kick in the gut".
    Now, he added, 123GOAL "we're on the other end of it and no longer contagious. Thank God, we're healthy."
    Johnson, 48, said he. his wife Lauren, 35, สล็อต and their daughters Jasmine and Tiana, aged four and two, contracted the virus about two-and-a-half weeks ago.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jerusalem's Hadassah hospital has been recruiting recovered Covid-19 บาคาร่า patients to volunteer inside its coronavirus wards to help patients there.
    Under the pilot scheme, they visit patients in moderate or serious conditionบอลออนไลน์ , who would otherwise be in isolation. The volunteers help123Goal the patients eat or just lend a listening ear.
    The hospital believes the project to be the first of its kind in the world. And it is likely to be closely watched, given the still unclear science หวยออนไลน์ on how much antibody immunity recovered Covid-19 patients have.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Australia says it will secure almost 85 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine if two promising trials prove successful.บาคาร่า
    Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country had struck two deals that would allow free doses to be rolled out in 2021 if they were approved for use.
    Mr Morrison estimated the cost to be A$1.7bn (£0.9bn; $1.24bn).แทงบอล
    Australia's 25 million people could begin receiving doses from January but there were "no guarantees", he said.123GOAL
    "However the agreement puts Australia at the top of the queue, if our medical experts give the vaccines the green light," the prime minister said.สล็อต
    One vaccine is from Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, while the other is a local one from the University of Queensland and CSL.

    ReplyDelete
  7. China's largest chip manufacturer's stock sank after the US บาคาร่า revealed it could be its next trade ban target.
    Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation แทงบอล (SMIC) said it was "in complete shock and perplexity"
    After the Pentagon revealed it had proposed the firm be added to a government blacklist.123GOAL
    This would restrict suppliers from providing it with American-based tech without special permission. สล็อต
    Beijing said it was "firmly opposed".

    ReplyDelete
  8. There is no Covid-19 vaccine yet, but IATA is already working with airlines, บาคาร่า airports, global health bodies and drug firms on a global airlift plan.
    The distribution programme assumes only one dose person is needed. แทงบอล
    "Safely delivering Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry. 123GOAL
    But it won't happen without careful advance planning. And the time for that is now," สล็อต
    said IATA's chief executive Alexandre de Juniac. คาสิโน

    ReplyDelete
  9. About 250 people went to the illegal protest - the second one this weekend. บาคาร่า
    Police said "many protestors were aggressive and threatened violence towards officers". แทงบอล
    The demonstrations come as the state of Victoria prepares to ease คาสิโน its lockdown restrictions, which have been in place since early July. 123GOAL
    Victoria has been the epicentre of Australia's Covid-19 outbreak, accounting for 75% of cases and 90% of deaths. สล็อต

    ReplyDelete
  10. If you are going for finest contents like myself, only pay a quick visit this website every day for the reason that it provides quality contents, thanks

    ReplyDelete
  11. I conceive you have noted some very interesting points, regards for the post เว็บพนันออนไลน์SA GAMING . SA GAMING CASINO . SA CASINO

    ReplyDelete
  12. Photos available on your site even though producing attention rapidly some quantity submits.
    สมัครสมาชิกAE Casino

    ReplyDelete
  13. I conceive you have noted some very interesting points, regards for the post.
    เดิมพันออนไลน์ufabet

    ReplyDelete
  14. I conceive you have noted some very interesting points, regards for the post. เว็บแทงบอลออนไลน์ยูฟ่าเบท

    ReplyDelete
  15. I value the article.Thanks Again. Much obliged. Online sports betting.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I conceive you have noted some very interesting points, regards for the post. เดิมพันกีฬาออนไลน์

    ReplyDelete
  17. I read this article. I think You put a lot of effort to create this article. I appreciate your work. คาสิโนออนไลน์ยูฟ่าเบท

    ReplyDelete
  18. We provide best services to all class of clients. Sports betting.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I conceive you have noted some very interesting points, regards for the post.ยูฟ่าเบท

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am thankful to you for sharing this plethora of useful information. I found this resource utmost beneficial for me. Thanks a lot for hard work.เว็บพนันufabet

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am thankful to you for sharing this plethora of useful information. I found this resource utmost beneficial for me. Thanks a lot for hard work. Sexy Baccarat.

    ReplyDelete