Group C (14 Viewers)

[JCK]

The matches:

5-12 June-Rustenburg: England - USA
6-13 June-Polokwane: Algeria - Slovenia

22-18 June-Johannesburg: Slovenia - USA
23-18 June-Cape Town: England - Algeria

37-23 June-Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth: Slovenia - England
38-23 June-Tshwane/Pretoria: USA - Algeria

 

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[Bjerknes]

Very good draw for us as far as I'm concerned. Could not have asked for better.

I don't care, but for what it's worth calling the entire English nation cunts isn't right.

I meant the national team and their arrogance, not all the supporters.

 

[Ahmed]

England and surprise package Slovenia

 

[JCK]

Easiest draw England can get and a decent one for USA, I expect them to fight on topping the group. I would have preferred that they played the last match against each other instead of the first.

 

[Bjerknes]

Thanks for making the sub-forum, Jack.

 

[Azzurri7]

Forza USA and one of Algeria or Slovenia kicking Crapello out.

 

[Bjerknes]

Balkan guys, give me an in-depth scouting report on Slovenia. I don't recall seeing one of their qualifiers, but at first thought they strike me as one of those sides that would implode after a great, but rather simple, qualification process.

I know some of the players, but I'm not sure how they lineup and play. I assume somewhat conservatively, right? Five defenders?

 

[Bjerknes]

Easiest draw England can get and a decent one for USA, I expect them to fight on topping the group. I would have preferred that they played the last match against each other instead of the first.

It might be good for us to get England out of the way first. And in the first matches, there is always a good chance for a surprise.

 

[Luca]

England will be an interesting team to keep an eye on, for once they look a better team, but do you think this will carry over to the finals?

 

[JCK]

It might be good for us to get England out of the way first. And in the first matches, there is always a good chance for a surprise.

You may be right and knowing Capello wanting to take his team as far as possible, he might use the saving energy technique by starting slow.

 

[Luca]

You may be right and knowing Capello wanting to take his team as far as possible, he might use the saving energy technique by starting slow.

Italian style.

 

[Alen]

Balkan guys, give me an in-depth scouting report on Slovenia. I don't recall seeing one of their qualifiers, but at first thought they strike me as one of those sides that would implode after a great, but rather simple, qualification process.

I know some of the players, but I'm not sure how they lineup and play. I assume somewhat conservatively, right? Five defenders?

Only a Slovenian can tell you this, I'm afraid
Even we in the Balkans don't follow them.

All I can tell you is that psychologically the Slovenians are traditionally the strongest of all Balkan people. Mentality wise they're much more Germans than Balkans.
Organization and discipline are their strongest points in everything they do, not only in football but in life in general.

I already said few weeks ago that they're the least talented nation for football among the Balkans (not only the ex-Yu, but the entire Balkan) but still they made it to the Euro 2000, World Cup 2002 and they made it to the play-offs for the EURO 2004 where they were eliminated by Croatia. Now they made it again to the WC.
In 9 years, with 2-3 different generations of players, they made it to 3 big competitions and once they almost made it to another big competition.

If I ask any of you here to name me more than 2 Slovenian players who played at big tournaments or who now play for Slovenia, then Handanovic and Zahovic are probably the only ones you can name.

Teams like Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro had more well known players and yet they never made it to play offs (except Bosnia this time).
The Serbs, with many football stars, made it only to 2 tournaments in these last 9 years and this will be their third, just like Slovenia. Croatia made it to 4 tournaments, which is just a little better than Slovenia. Bulgaria made it to to only 1 big tournament, Greece made it to 2 and this is their third. Romania played at 2, Turkey at 3.

You get what I want to say

You can expect great organization and discipline from the Slovenians. That worked for them so far. They proved to be colder and mentally stronger even from the usually cold and mentally strong Russians. But when they'll be against much better teams, from world's top 10, the organization, team work and discipline won't help them much.

 

[Bjerknes]

Only a Slovenian can tell you this, I'm afraid
Even we in the Balkans don't follow them.

All I can tell you is that psychologically the Slovenians are traditionally the strongest of all Balkan people. Mentality wise they're much more Germans than Balkans.
Organization and discipline are their strongest points in everything they do, not only in football but in life in general.

I already said few weeks ago that they're the least talented nation for football among the Balkans (not only the ex-Yu, but the entire Balkan) but still they made it to the Euro 2000, World Cup 2002 and they made it to the play-offs for the EURO 2004 where they were eliminated by Croatia. Now they made it again to the WC.
In 9 years, with 2-3 different generations of players, they made it to 3 big competitions and once they almost made it to another big competition.

If I ask any of you here to name me more than 2 Slovenian players who played at big tournaments or who now play for Slovenia, then Handanovic and Zahovic are probably the only ones you can name.

Teams like Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro had more well known players and yet they never made it to play offs (except Bosnia this time).
The Serbs, with many football stars, made it only to 2 tournaments in these last 9 years and this will be their third, just like Slovenia. Croatia made it to 4 tournaments, which is just a little better than Slovenia. Bulgaria made it to to only 1 big tournament, Greece made it to 2 and this is their third. Romania played at 2, Turkey at 3.

You get what I want to say

You can expect great organization and discipline from the Slovenians. That worked for them so far. They proved to be colder and mentally stronger even from the usually cold and mentally strong Russians. But when they'll be against much better teams, from world's top 10, the organization, team work and discipline won't help them much.

You're right, I'm only familiar with Zahovic, Handanovic, Dedic, and Bojan Jokic since he's Charlie Davies' teammate at Sochaux. But nobody on the team even comes close to having the skill of Zahovic, right? So that works in our favor.

They will certainly not be pushovers, but hopefully our speed and athleticism will be too much for them to handle.

 

[Alen]

You're right, I'm only familiar with Zahovic, Handanovic, Dedic, and Bojan Jokic since he's Charlie Davies' teammate at Sochaux. But nobody on the team even comes close to having the skill of Zahovic, right? So that works in our favor.

They will certainly not be pushovers, but hopefully our speed and athleticism will be too much for them to handle.

Absolutely.
Back then Zahovic was the team. Now there are no individuals, it's a team in the real sense of the word.

US will be my 65-35 favorites when they play Slovenia. Algeria is, imo, also a favorite against the Slovenians, but I won't be too surprised if Slovenia takes a point or 3 from the USA and Algeria.

 

[K.O.]

FORZA US and A

 

[bianconero]

USA to struggle to get a point.

 

[K.O.]

1- US and A
2- England
3- Slovenia
4- Algeria

 

[Bjerknes]

Absolutely.
Back then Zahovic was the team. Now there are no individuals, it's a team in the real sense of the word.

US will be my 65-35 favorites when they play Slovenia. Algeria is, imo, also a favorite against the Slovenians, but I won't be too surprised if Slovenia takes a point or 3 from the USA and Algeria.

Well, perhaps it works in their favor if they don't have a Zahovic to rely on. Now it's just up to them as a team.

Now someone familiar with North African football needs to provide a scouting report on Algeria.

Fred, where you at?

 

[Ventus]

Algeria are a good team , don't underestimate them. I want to see them and america go through !

 

[K.O.]

Not really. They are really weak at the back and won't withstand the quality of England, USA and even Slovenia.