purpleronnie

On form and home advantage you could argue the US should be favourites. Belgium were awful, the US have impressed every game.

Might make it half way up the league next season.

I said pickfords a liability, but then again we have a few of those.

The Centres de Formation certainly made a big difference.

France would have to have a really bad day if they don't win the whole thing. As for us, if we get past congo, mexico at altitude with one of the best records at home in world football...good luck.

You'd think playing on grass would be an advantage to us, but i have no idea if they practice on grass courts, can't be that many around these days.

You're more confident than most.

I guess its because they push their bodies all the time, day in day out.

The english tax?

chillin

Boy had soul

That might be our first team.

Maybe he doesn't want to be here.

Canada must be over the moon with drawing south africa

well it is the season.

Or how bad the finaces are.

Seeing the footage of the expansion at bournemouth, the clearing of houses for the palace expansion, just reminds me of what could've been. And another reminder of how far we've fallen.

I find it hard to get past their qualiying group, its a qualfying group where they finished botton. Qualifying through a third rate competition after performing so badly and reaching the finals just doesn't sit right with me.

Its crazy to think they never won a single game in qualyfying, finished bottom, but still find themselves in the world cup.

Yeah they got relegated.

As far as the yanks and the atmosphere. I have a little skin in the game when it comes to that. The americans are always loud, you could have a tiddlywinks world cup and they turn up and be noisy. Even in 94 when they never had a Pro league they did just that. Of course now that soccer is much more popular and the leagues successful its going help. The difference with the rest of the world is americans like to make noise and chant but not sing...it does happen in the MLS but tends to be club specific that hasn't travelled (yet) to the national side. You also have the club versus country aspect, you'll see high numbers of hispanic/latino's at MLS games who might not necessarily support the national side over their families lineage. And yes there will be plenty of Americans that believe they will win the WC, but my guess is these won't be necessarily 'soccer fans' more just supporting their national side as they would for all sports. There's also a difference between americans and most nations, their confidence. Some would say arrogance but not in my experiance its a mixture of positivity, confidence and enthusiasm, and a distant lack of what's ripe in the UK...cynicism.

Yeah I love the fact scottish fans are so well liked and they have such a great time, but the endless stories about them when as you rightly say all nations fans have been popular, irks a little.