[vilmatime51]

The Fifa World Cup 2006 begins in 12 days on June 9th and ends on July 9th... USA was placed in a very tough group with Italy, Ghana, and the Czech Republic. USA's first match is scheudled for June 12th vs Czech Republic. i cant wait its gonna be crazy! who else is going to be watching?

[vilmatime51]

current odds to win 2006 World Cup...

Brazil 11/5
Argentina 9/1
Germany 13/2
England 15/2
Netherlands 10/1
Italy 10/1
France 12/1
Spain 14/1
Portugal 19/1
Czech Republic 22/1
Sweden 36/1
Ukraine 50/1
Mexico 38/1
Croatia 62/1
Serbia & Montenegro 80/1
Ivory Coast 78/1
USA 30/1
Turkey (Suspended) 75/1
Poland 80/1
Paraguay 150/1
Japan 190/1
Uruguay (Suspended) 120/1
Ecuador 195/1
Ghana 190/1
Switzerland 104/1
Norway (Suspended) 170/1
South Korea 190/1
Tunisia 240/1
Slovakia (Suspended) 200/1
Australia 118/1
Togo 400/1
Angola 450/1
Costa Rica 425/1
Iran 450/1
Saudi Arabia 600/1
Bahrajn (Suspended) 800/1
Trinidad & Tobago 800/1

Odds to win Group E

Italy 10/11
Czech Republic 8/5
United States 4/1
Ghana 10/1

[Smedsthejet]

Of course I will be watching but my interest will dwindle once the quarter finals are over, probably earlier. I don't see how England can be higher in the odds to win than Holland, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. Id put England on a par with the Czech Republic. To win the World Cup you need a potent goalscorer - Michael Owen, Peter Crouch and Theo Walcott don't represent that as Owen is just coming off an injury, Crouch was hardly prolific in the Premiership and Walcott has played a grand total of 0 minutes in the Premiership.
Rooney's injury was damaging but with him I doubt England would go much further than the QF's where Brazil are a likely opponent because England score few goals in tournaments.
My opinion of the US is they are a dark horse and if they can get through their group and knock out either Italy or Czech Republic they could have a chance of doing something unlikely but very special. Sadly I think the US has a better chance of winning than England.

[JetsOhFive]

HAHAHAHA, England and Italy have better odds to go the distance than the US and the Czechs? Thats a joke. Italy is NOT the tops in the group, Both the CR and the USA are better than the Italians.

[santana]

negative. italy will do well so will england. usa wont even leave its group.

go españa

[Smedsthejet]

HAHAHAHA, England and Italy have better odds to go the distance than the US and the Czechs? Thats a joke. Italy is NOT the tops in the group, Both the CR and the USA are better than the Italians.

Italy have good goalscorers that are underrated like Totti, Inzaghi and Doni plus Buffon in goal. Id say they are certain to go through from the US group unless they underperform - as they did at Euro 2004. I think the US may sneak through if they can get wins against Ghana and Czech Republic and perhaps a draw with Italy. The US group will be the most interesing this year along with Holland's group.

negative. italy will do well so will england. usa wont even leave its group.

go españa

Take it from me England are overrated. They will do nothing without Rooney as I don't see a Rooney-less England outscoring teams like Brazil, Spain, Italy and Argentina - all teams with multiple scoring threats. If England get past the quarter finals I will be very shocked.

[santana]

hey now i didnt say all that. i just said they will do well. of course they cant keep up with said teams. but they will certainly move further then the usa. Italy also has its question marks but their chemistry is always top notch.

bahh i just cant wait for it to start. got a new tv and everything.

[Smedsthejet]

hey now i didnt say all that. i just said they will do well. of course they cant keep up with said teams. but they will certainly move further then the usa. Italy also has its question marks but their chemistry is always top notch.

bahh i just cant wait for it to start. got a new tv and everything.

Over here the idea of England doing well is if they win out, the media have drilled it in that England are bound to win the World Cup this year and that this is our year. Considering the media's expectations, to do well, England need to win it but I agree they won't keep up with the said teams.

[Merenguito]

Well my country (Dominican Republic) has has one of the worst National Soccer teams lol so my alliance is with where I live and thats USA.

IMO here are the Top 5 teams I think will win it all or make some noise. (No Particular Order)

Brazil - Yankees of Soccer
USA - Dark Horse
Korea - Dark Horse
France - Looking to bounce back form the last Cup performance
England - Home field gives you some mommentum, look at Korea last time.

Favorable mentions - Italy, Czech Republic

[HarlemHxC814]

Well my country (Dominican Republic) has has one of the worst National Soccer teams lol so my alliance is with where I live and thats USA.

IMO here are the Top 5 teams I think will win it all or make some noise. (No Particular Order)

Brazil - Yankees of Soccer
USA - Dark Horse
Korea - Dark Horse
France - Looking to bounce back form the last Cup performance
England - Home field gives you some mommentum, look at Korea last time.

Favorable mentions - Italy, Czech Republic

World Cup is in Germany tho, not England lol

[Merenguito]

Good Point!

Well they have the Spice girls boyfriend so there, thats why theyre good lol

I cant believe that slipped by me, ahh well my country is a baseball country anyway, lousy Cubans beat us in the Classic!

[JetsOhFive]

I cant believe that its finally here, I have been waiting 4 long years for it to finally arrive. Ever since that uncalled handball by Torsten Frings and that heartbreaking one-nil loss to Germany, I have been dying to see world football action. Yeah, I called it football, what of it? I got my DVR set, I wont miss one game baby. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

[Smedsthejet]

I cant believe that its finally here, I have been waiting 4 long years for it to finally arrive. Ever since that uncalled handball by Torsten Frings and that heartbreaking one-nil loss to Germany, I have been dying to see world football action. Yeah, I called it football, what of it? I got my DVR set, I wont miss one game baby. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

Yay, an American that uses the correct term for the sport

[vilmatime51]

I cant believe that its finally here, I have been waiting 4 long years for it to finally arrive. Ever since that uncalled handball by Torsten Frings and that heartbreaking one-nil loss to Germany, I have been dying to see world football action. Yeah, I called it football, what of it? I got my DVR set, I wont miss one game baby. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

i know i cant wait! i'm skipping school, tailgating and everything! 3 Days, 20 hours and 28 minutes 'til first match vs. Czech Republic! USA! USA! USA!

[JetsOhFive]

i know i cant wait! i'm skipping school, tailgating and everything! 3 Days, 20 hours and 28 minutes 'til first match vs. Czech Republic! USA! USA! USA!

Lucky you, I should have used one of my sick days to watch this but instead I just went into the teacher's lounge for the first 45 minutes and let my class watch the rest on the monitor.

[vilmatime51]

Lucky you, I should have used one of my sick days to watch this but instead I just went into the teacher's lounge for the first 45 minutes and let my class watch the rest on the monitor.

yea my teachers were suprisingly really nice about it 2day...i aksed if we could watch Germany vs. Costa Rica and my math teacher was like sure and we watched it for 45 minutes!

2 days 21 hours and 6 minutes 'til USA vs. Czech Republic!

[Smedsthejet]

yea my teachers were suprisingly really nice about it 2day...i aksed if we could watch Germany vs. Costa Rica and my math teacher was like sure and we watched it for 45 minutes!

2 days 21 hours and 6 minutes 'til USA vs. Czech Republic!

I enjoyed Germany v Costa Rica - it was a good game with two good German goals for their first and fourth. Poland v Ecaudor was ok too and I thought Ecuador played surprisingly well.
I like tomorrow's matchups and think Argentina v Ivory Coast will be an exciting match. Hopefully England can start well too but Paraguay will be tough.
Depending on my exams next week I'll try and catch the USA's game. I think they have a chance against the Czechs and it should be close.

[vilmatime51]

who do you guys think will win tommorows matches?

England vs. Paraguay
Trinidad and Tobago vs. Sweden
Argentina vs. Ivory Coast

I think England, Sweden, and Argentina will win.

[Smedsthejet]

who do you guys think will win tommorows matches?

England vs. Paraguay
Trinidad and Tobago vs. Sweden
Argentina vs. Ivory Coast

I think England, Sweden, and Argentina will win.

You were right about England winning, but no way was it convincing. Paraguay's defence was abysmal in the first half and England could only get one goal - from an own goal - which says a lot really about England's hopes of winning.
I agree with Sweden winning, the game is going on as I write but Im not watching, but I think Ivory Coast have a chance - they have some good strikers like Drogba and Kalou whilst Kolo Toure is a very good defender. Still I see Agrentina edging it.

[Smedsthejet]

Two good Czech goals are the difference right now, other than that I think the US controlled the game so far although they haven't been great in front of goal. Claudio Reyna has controlled the midfield IMO and is playing great. Beasley has been let down by a poor first touch which hasn't helped though.