World Cup thread!
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It all starts tomorrow! 29 days of world class soccer!
Can’t wait.
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Benzema out for France. tragic. dang. He’s one of my favs.
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Hell yeah.
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and we’re off!
An insane offsides call in the opener, which denied a goal. I’ve watched it over and over and still don’t get it.
I guess they have a ton of tech they are using for this WC.
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Holy crap. Berhalter is at it already!
He’s put together a starting 11 that I’m guessing has never started as an 11 before! Yikes.
Zimm and Ream starting at CB I can understand — Ream comfy with his EPL teammate Robinson at LB.
The front three. Wow. Aaronsen? No. Gio? No. Jesus? No.
Pulisic/Sargent/Weah
Wow? WTF? Smart? Crazy?
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A lead at the half! can’t beat that.
the US picked up 2 yellows early on. Weston and Dest both on alert. The ref is high or nervous.
Otherwise dominance. keep it up!
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Well, that did not end well. 1-1 draw, after a tenacious first half full of excitement.
As good as the first half was, the second half was as bad. The Wales game was our ticket out of the group. Now, all sorts of factors will come into play for us to escape. The Iran game just became 100 times more important to get a blowout win. Goal differential in the England game, too. (man did they look good)
Just idiotic, mediocre play and poor decisions in the second half.
Idiotic: Zimmerman’s decision to slide through the back of Bale in the penalty box, when Bale had his back to the goal and nobody near him. PK.
Mediocre: Pulisic. He made one excellent pass/assist for the first half goal. After that, hmmm. Just about every cross/free kick he made was dog shit.
Poor: When Yedlin came in, he simply gave the ball away for free more than a few times. I think i’ll just kick it out of bounds for no reason! Even one that eventually lead to possession for the tying goal (if i remember). Final third decision making, skill once again was bad – except of course for one 30 second display of brilliance in the goal.
Just steamed about this result (ha, if you can’t tell already). No reason for it. Sloppy, awful second half.
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@rockchalkjayhawk Right there with you. Feels like a massively missed opportunity. That first half was about as well as they could play. Some of that was because Wales sat back and let the US possess the ball. I actually had no issues with the starting 11 and was pleasantly surprised to not see Ferreira or Aaron Long start. Very un-Berhalter-like.
You knew the 2nd half would look different and it certainly did. I felt like they handled themselves pretty well and assumed that Wales would have their chances. I just hoped they wouldn’t give a cheap one away and the PK was certainly cheap. So not necessary.
Almost feels like a loss post-game, but they would’ve needed to not get killed by England and then beat Iran to go through regardless so not a whole lot has changed. I’m hopeful to see Aaronson and Reyna get more run against England and hope for the best.
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@focojayhawk said in World Cup thread!:
@rockchalkjayhawk Right there with you. Feels like a massively missed opportunity. That first half was about as well as they could play. Some of that was because Wales sat back and let the US possess the ball. I actually had no issues with the starting 11 and was pleasantly surprised to not see Ferreira or Aaron Long start. Very un-Berhalter-like.
You knew the 2nd half would look different and it certainly did. I felt like they handled themselves pretty well and assumed that Wales would have their chances. I just hoped they wouldn’t give a cheap one away and the PK was certainly cheap. So not necessary.
Almost feels like a loss post-game, but they would’ve needed to not get killed by England and then beat Iran to go through regardless so not a whole lot has changed. I’m hopeful to see Aaronson and Reyna get more run against England and hope for the best.
Un-Bernalter-like! funny, and true.
I’m with you on the starting 11. After pondering, i had no issues with it. A bit weird that the “man with the most talent and skill” on the team didn’t make it in. Gio. Can only figure he wants him ready for England?
Yup, we knew the second half would be different. For sure Wales at times seemed to push 2 defenders up the field, and abandon the 5-3-2 they started with.
And man was that 6-5 forward huge for Wales! he should have netted a header as well.
Just disappointed in the result. It was there for the taking.
Makes you wonder if the first half or the second half was the real U.S.A.
Let’s keep it close with England!
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Not inpressed by Yedlin or Mckinnie. Think there should be a “no turning your head into a human snowcone”rule. Especially when youre the slowest player on the field and come in at wingback. As for Mckinnie i wanted to see aaronsen earlier than the 66th. Hes just been in much better form. Zimmerman shouldnt have stabbed at that ball in the box, obvioualy. Loss of composure.
Dont know why we would save anyone for England.
We win this and its easy. Now its hard.
Bale, what a stud man. Welsh GOAT?
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@approxinfinity said in World Cup thread!:
Not inpressed by Yedlin or Mckinnie. Think there should be a “no turning your head into a human snowcone”rule. Especially when youre the slowest player on the field and come in at wingback. As for Mckinnie i wanted to see aaronsen earlier than the 66th. Hes just been in much better form. Zimmerman shouldnt have stabbed at that ball in the box, obvioualy. Loss of composure.
Dont know why we would save anyone for England.
We win this and its easy. Now its hard.
Bale, what a stud man. Welsh GOAT?
We had two snowcones on the pitch! Yedlin and Dest. At first i couldn’t even figure out who Dest was until a closeup. Ha. And McKennie had the US flag in his hair as well! crazy kids.
I usually like Weston and his play. Seems like he’s been out for a while, and this was his first game back. Maybe didn’t have his usual energy. He does have an attitude at times, which can be good.
Aaronsen to me is just an energy guy with a tiny bit of skill. Sometimes he’s needed. Today, for sure in the 2nd half.
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@rockchalkjayhawk i dont know… people talk about mma likes its a foregone conclusion in the midfield . I think mckinnie looked awful in the last window vs japan and saudi arabia. I would rather see aaronsen acosta and de la torre get time than rolling mckinnie and moussa as long as we do.
I think aaronsen is more skilled than people give him credit for. I think moussa is slow. I think de la torre might be our most creative offensive midfielder and i think acosta hits the best balls of the team on set pieces and i die inside on every flat pulisic corner. Let Acosta play! Coming off of a big run in MLS and in top form.
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Entertaining match and I really couldn’t care less how US does. Stupid penalty, like really really stupid penalty leads to the draw. That PK in turn was just drilled. Speaking of drilling, England’s gonna drill us on Friday and we’ll be left waiting for next, next, next, next year.
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US can advance by beating Iran.
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@wissox assuming we park the bus against England, hopefully keep it close and try to do our own drilling of Iran. We knew our England game didnt matter after they beat Iran 6-2.
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@approxinfinity Thanks you too @AsadZ I’m not too knowledgeable about how the world cup works.
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@wissox said in World Cup thread!:
@approxinfinity Thanks you too @AsadZ I’m not too knowledgeable about how the world cup works.
I have no idea. Best I can figure it, for us here in the US, we continually: trash the coaches of the team and how they are selected, lament our performances in the Cup over the years (heightened by nonstop disappointment for when we don’t qualify), get extraordinarily offended when the corrupt FIFA responds to major bribery corruption by awarding the Cup to brutal host countries whose only qualification is enough assets to generate far more corruption, threaten to protest about the brutal host country’s brutality, and seemingly get most upset because an Islamic law country decides not to allow alcohol.
Ok, being satirical here, but I am totally shocked by how much anger was expended by people totally offended before the Cup by virtually everything related to Qatar, but now it is all about the games after all. What would happen if people just didn’t watch?
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@mayjay I don’t really watch that much. Matches on in the mornings of weekdays doesn’t help attract my eyes as I still have that daily four letter word to attend to. Not enough invested in it to record matches and watch when I get home, especially when there’s college hoops to watch. I honestly don’t know what FIFA stands for although I assume one is foosball. The I is for IMLAYINGONTHEFIELDACTINGLIKEIMHURT. The other F is probably some other F word and the A has to be America because it’s always about America.
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I mainly watch and enjoy the highlights.
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I’d like to watch more, but you know, that work thing gets in the way! doh! I try to avoid scores til i can watch at night, but that’s not easy. So, maybe i’ll just keep tabs during the day.
US-England game will be interesting for sure. I don’t think we’ve lost to them in a WC game in awhile. So, who knows.
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@wissox so the way the group stage works, 2 out of 4 of the teams in our group will advance and we play each of the other 3 teams once. England being one of the best in the whole thing, and having smashed Iran 6-2 in the morning, that put them in the drivers seat and Iran in the hole, leaving us and Wales. Had we beaten Wales, we would likely only need to beat Iran, by any margin, in order to emerge from our group. Now because we tied Wales, and with there being very little chance of us beating England on Friday, that means we probably have to beat Iran by a greater margin than Wales and lose by a lesser margin (in total, those two things) to England. All of that pressure and uncertainty could have been avoided. This is why its a headscratcher to me why we would “save Gio for England” unless he is really just not fit. We should have thrown everything at Wales.
Of course anything can happen.
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@approxinfinity said in World Cup thread!:
@wissox so the way the group stage works, 2 out of 4 of the teams in our group will advance and we play each of the other 3 teams once. England being one of the best in the whole thing, and having smashed Iran 6-2 in the morning, that put them in the drivers seat and Iran in the hole, leaving us and Wales. Had we beaten Wales, we would likely only need to beat Iran, by any margin, in order to emerge from our group. Now because we tied Wales, and with there being very little chance of us beating England on Friday, that means we probably have to beat Iran by a greater margin than Wales and lose by a lesser margin (in total, those two things) to England. All of that pressure and uncertainty could have been avoided. This is why its a headscratcher to me why we would “save Gio for England” unless he is really just not fit. We should have thrown everything at Wales.
Of course anything can happen.
I read somewhere today that Gio had a “slight strain,” so they held him out.
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@rockchalkjayhawk ok thanks that makes a lot more sense. Berhalter just throwing smoke screens.
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How bout those friendlies in our last window? Looking pretty good now… Saudi Arabia and Japan, both won huge first games at World Cup. Maybe we are better than it appeared when we were flat against them.
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lol at Canada
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@BShark Hey…it’s Canada’s first World Cup match in nearly 40 years. They are ranked 41, playing #2. Give them a break.
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@tundrahok Unlucky in the first half. Belgium adjusted in the 2nd half but it was also only a good strategy change because they managed to pinch the lead.
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@approxinfinity National holiday in KSA today.
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Canada is a good team. That 0-0 croatia draw this am still leaves it open for them to advance
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Canada really created some chances in the first half. But their attempts to finish were no bueno.
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Y’all see that crazy half bicycle goal from Brazil today? Wow!
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I’d say a draw through the first half is a victory for USA soccer, no?
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Draw against England is a win for US, chance of advancing has improved.
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Fabulous result today!
And I was very impressed with the US squad today. excellent game all around.
All about Iran now. I skimmed thru their game earlier with Wales. No game’s a pushover at the WC.
Bottom line: we gotta score some goals and win.
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Crazy that we could still win the group if England draws Wales
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man, didn’t even cross my mind, @approxinfinity . I’d settle for any result where we advance!
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@rockchalkjayhawk said in World Cup thread!:
Fabulous result today!
And I was very impressed with the US squad today. excellent game all around.
All about Iran now. I skimmed thru their game earlier with Wales. No game’s a pushover at the WC.
Bottom line: we gotta score some goals and win.
US was better than England today. Our midfield talent is
Not sure what happens this year but give these lads another 4 years…could be REALLY special in 2026.
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@BShark said in World Cup thread!:
@rockchalkjayhawk said in World Cup thread!:
Fabulous result today!
And I was very impressed with the US squad today. excellent game all around.
All about Iran now. I skimmed thru their game earlier with Wales. No game’s a pushover at the WC.
Bottom line: we gotta score some goals and win.
US was better than England today. Our midfield talent is
Not sure what happens this year but give these lads another 4 years…could be REALLY special in 2026.
The first 15 minutes were a little suspect, but the lads did indeed step up and adjust very nicely. Easily could have been 3 pts. damn!
I still love Weston’s game. Not sure why others do not. Midfield was awesome beyond awesome today.
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@rockchalkjayhawk said in World Cup thread!:
@BShark said in World Cup thread!:
@rockchalkjayhawk said in World Cup thread!:
Fabulous result today!
And I was very impressed with the US squad today. excellent game all around.
All about Iran now. I skimmed thru their game earlier with Wales. No game’s a pushover at the WC.
Bottom line: we gotta score some goals and win.
US was better than England today. Our midfield talent is
Not sure what happens this year but give these lads another 4 years…could be REALLY special in 2026.
The first 15 minutes were a little suspect, but the lads did indeed step up and adjust very nicely. Easily could have been 3 pts. damn!
I still love Weston’s game. Not sure why others do not. Midfield was awesome beyond awesome today.
Yeah McKennie is very good. I think we have at least 4 guys better than Pulisic but the narrative is that he is our best player. Super super impressed with Musah, MASSIVE to get him instead of England. Adams is incredible.
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@BShark i didnt get to watch most of the game, was at my sons tournament. Thrilled with the outcome. That being said, i think aaronsen is legit challenging mckinnie for the attacking mid role and its debatable musah makes the roster on england. If he did hed be the last mid on. I do think hes a good place for the US but i also want to see De la torre get minutes.
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@approxinfinity said in World Cup thread!:
@BShark i didnt get to watch most of the game, was at my sons tournament. Thrilled with the outcome. That being said, i think aaronsen is legit challenging mckinnie for the attacking mid role and its debatable musah makes the roster on england. If he did hed be the last mid on. I do think hes a good place for the US but i also want to see De la torre get minutes.
Oddly i’ve seen De la Torre look decent and not so decent in a US uniform.
He’s pretty stiff. But, i liked DLT early on. Not much of a challenging defensive presence?
Aaronsen deserves some PT for sure, but not at the expense of Weston IMO. Not sure BA has a set position so maybe he floats and fills in as needed between the front and mid lines.
I think he’s better suited as a mid. Can use that energy to cover a lot of ground.
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@approxinfinity Yeah I don’t think he would start for England but honestly that might make it even more important. We see all the time now guys that could be starting for their African team riding the bench for a European side. Heck the guy that scored the game winning goal for Switzerland against Cameroon was…born in Cameroon.
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My coaching soccer started in 2000. Until around 2012 I had little experience with kids getting cleated. My son and daughter both played and never once complained about it happening. But the last decade I started noticing it. It’s one thing when it’s an organized pro team with trainers and such, but when you’re a lone varsity coach on a sideline and one of your kids comes off because he’s been cleated, and it keeps happening, it becomes a major problem. Junior high kids are doing it where I coach and kids are getting hurt.
This world cup has seen the exit of one of its stars from Brazil when someone from Serbia when cleat first into his ankle. Seeing guys rolling around on the field grasping their ankles is getting tiresome. Matches get to the 90th minute and the referee is adding 7-9 minutes to the match nearly every time.
Despite my coaching experience I’m not an expert on the international game. So my comments may be unwarrented, but it’s an observation I’ve made based on my experience. And just as I’m typing a guy from Denmark gets cleated by a frenchman.
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Story link on the US midfield.
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Costa Rica beat Japan so they still have a shot. Got my eye on Croatia Canada today should be gooood.
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@BShark said in World Cup thread!:
Costa Rica beat Japan so they still have a shot. Got my eye on Croatia Canada today should be gooood.
Major bailout for Germany. Still alive
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@rockchalkjayhawk enjoyed the read, thx
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@approxinfinity Spain will murder Germany shortly.
Wow Belgium were horrid today.
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@BShark reports of Germanys demise were highly exaggerated!
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@approxinfinity Indeed. Could have won that even.
