Thoughts on the US

We will have trouble scoring. Our strikers are not very good - McBride is an average EPL striker, probably not even as good as Peter Crouch. And Johnson, Wolff and Ching are just not up to it (EJ has the talent to be a good international striker, but he's just not playing well right now, and hasn't been since his injury). Our midfield is excellent. In fact, we have too many midfielders, I think. You'd love to have ANY of Donovan, Beasley, Reyna, OBrien, Mastro, Convey and Dempsey on the pitch. But you can't play 7 midfielders. So what to do? I'd sit OBrien and Dempsey, and play Beasley as a striker (I'd rather have Beasley as striker than Donovan - he's faster, and I like Donovan as a playmaker). So You'd have McBride and Beasley up top, with Convey, Reyna, Mastro, and Donovan left to right in the midfield. If you need scoring, you bring in Dempsey; if you need additional playmaking, bring in OBrien.

Our defense is good, not great. Can still be beaten. Keller is also good, but he's only the 3rd best keeper in the group...

Can they take a match from Italy or the Czechs? Yeah. But I wouldn't bet on it.