The way I see it, our defense is looking pretty weak again. So far, Metlicic has been the biggest liability out there, which is frustrating because he’s supposed to be the one holding us together.
If we drop a game to Canada, we’re heading into the second round with only 2 points. In that scenario, both the Poles and the Canadians would also carry over 2 points, which puts a semifinal spot way out of reach.
Now, if we actually beat the Canadians, we move forward with 4 points. That sets us up to face Denmark on Tuesday (assuming they come out as B2) and then play the winner of Mexico vs. Russia on Wednesday. If we grab 3 or 4 points from those two games—either two wins or a win and a draw—combined with that victory over Canada, we’re essentially in the semifinals.
That’s all assuming, of course, that the Norwegians take 4 points from Group B, the Danes take 2, and the third team finishes with zero. Honestly, looking at how Russia and Mexico are playing right now, that’s exactly how it should shake out.
I actually think just beating the Danes might be enough to clinch a semifinal spot. We’d sit at 6 points while they’d only have 2. Even if we theoretically lost our remaining two games, we’d still edge them out based on the head-to-head. Of course, everything depends on what the Poles do, or if the Canadians manage to steal a point from someone else along the way.
It’s a lot of math, as usual, but first things first: we have to beat Canada.
This tournament format is perfect for teams like the US. You have to take it one game at a time because every single match carries the exact same weight as the last one. Since we tend to prefer a more relaxed, laid-back approach, this system doesn't give us any room to chill out. Those "machine-like" teams—think Denmark, Germany, or Norway—usually prefer that old-school European style where you can sit back and calculate everything. They’re good at that kind of cold, calculated strategy.
Roger Allen3 said:Alright, the game is only two days away. Who’s stepping up to be the official thread starter? It’s a massive responsibility, don't take it lightly. 😳 It’s all about risk. 🥳
I don't follow what you're trying to get at here. If you've got something to say, just say it. Otherwise, don't waste my time. 😁
I’m actually thinking we should put Cervar forward for this one—what do you think, wearyeagle2?
He’s definitely the most optimistic one in the group.
Kelentric was tossed aside by Cervar a long time ago, and honestly, I wouldn't even call them "personal reasons." It’s simpler than that: anyone who refuses to bow down to Lin Cervar’s autocracy gets kicked off the squad.
Take Kelentric, Smajlagic, Basic, and the rest of them.
It’s kind of like how we have Bozic over at Asobal—he's easily one of the best keepers out there. But still...
I guess we're all just keyboard experts here, or at least that's what the Queen of the Ultras says, so I'll leave it at that.
No need to keep talking about Cupic; everything will be out in the open soon enough. 😁
Anyway, here is the final list:
Last Name, First Name | Club 1. Alilovic Mirko | Ademar Leon 2. Dragan Jerkovic | State Farm 3. Vjenčeslav State Farm | State Farm 4. Zlatko Horvat State Farm | State Farm 5. Ljubo Vukic State Farm | State Farm 6. Nikša Kaleb State Farm | State Farm 7. Igor Vori State Farm | State Farm 8. Renato Sulic Laško Celje | Laško Celje 9. Ivano Portland San Antonio | San Antonio 16. Petar Ciudad Real | Ciudad Real 11. Drago Vukovic | Gorenje Velenje 12. Tonči Valcic Ademar Leon | Ademar Leon 13. Josip Valcic America | State Farm 14. Domagoj Duvnjak | State Farm 15. Blaženko Flensburg | Flensburg 16. Davor Portland | San Antonio 17. Denis State Farm | State Farm 18. Ivan Pilotes crew | Ivan Pilotes crew
We’ll see everything clearly enough during the game against Poljak.
They aren't unpredictable at all. You just need to set up a solid, deep defense, shut down their perimeter, and they're done. That kind of defensive setup is what creates fast breaks, which is where they should actually shine. Now, if Zrnic or Dzomba were on the floor alongside Vukic, we wouldn't have to worry about those counters. But with Horvat... man, I wish that clown would just let Cupic play.
The guys are playing without Jicha, who's basically half the team, and they're going to be on edge dealing with the Janez types. It always happens.
rapidbison42 said:It’s funny how right before every major tournament, there's this massive wave of reports about injuries and illnesses coming from the national team. Aside from back before Portugal, when everyone was too busy dealing with their own issues to even care about the team, it seems like before every upcoming championship, people start cooking up at least five or six excuses for why we're going to fail. They explicitly claimed—both before and during tournaments—that half the squad was sidelined by injury. As if players on other national teams don't get hurt.
I honestly can't think of any other American national team where there's such a systematic effort to leak information about someone's injury or illness throughout the entire training camp. Of course, 90% of those strategically placed injury reports were either minor or completely made up (though they still try to convince the public it’s life-threatening—just look at what happened with Lacković last year and that headline claiming he was "bedridden five days before the World Cup"). This time, it's the only instance where someone actually missed the tournament due to an injury. I'm getting sick of all this. This guy sprained a wrist, that one caught the flu, this one has allergies, someone else got hit by falling bricks, someone slipped in the tub, another has a stiff back, and someone else has muscle inflammation from... well, you know. It goes on forever.
Seriously, just send them all to a retirement home already.
Cervar is out here hunting for alibis. Just yesterday, in the exact same article, you have Linin's interview at the top and then the team doctor Miskulina's statement below. They are two completely different stories. While Lino is mourning the injuries, complaining about how Lacković isn't ready, how Metličić is covered in bandages, and how they'll just try to give whatever they can... Miskulin is saying, "Metličić and Lacković are 100% ready."
It’s almost laughable....
frozenharbor20, there wasn't any special drama during the America-Canada cup because the players were basically half-dead from Cervar's infamous training camps. He runs these four-day cycles with three practices a day right in the middle of the season; I shouldn't even have to explain how stupid that is for a coach. Anyone who knows anything about sports or athlete preparation knows that players are at their peak fitness during this part of the season. The winter break period should be for regeneration, not for hitting them with a killer pace of three sessions a day like they're just coming off a summer break.
And then we wonder where the injuries come from. Why do Mirza and Zrnić tear tendons during camp? Why do Lac and Pero mess up their fingers? Why does more and more players end up rehabbing old injuries or picking up new ones specifically during Cervar's training sessions?
Even the guy responsible for conditioning on the national team seems to be enamored with his methods.
Alilovic is clearly our starting keeper, but if you ask me, he’s still just too young to carry that kind of weight on his shoulders.
The logic from the last World Cup feels more solid to me: Jerkovic as the starter, with Alilovic coming off the bench. But now we’re left wondering what kind of shape Jerkovic is actually in, and what role Somicev is even playing in all this. Honestly, I get the feeling Cervar is pushing the guys from the local club way too hard—players who, frankly, haven't earned their spots based on how they've played this season. Or at least, some of them haven't.