OT: World Cup Open Thread to Entertain Us In the Runup to Bowl Season
- Thread starter NUCat320
- Start date
It's almost time!
After that England-Iran game, I like our chances against Iran more than I did before. (This USMNT can't afford to take anyone lightly, though.)
After that England-Iran game, I like our chances against Iran more than I did before. (This USMNT can't afford to take anyone lightly, though.)
I wish the US fans sang our national anthem like all other fans. International soccer anthem-screaming is excellent.
Twice Wales has just pushed one of our players to the ground and they don't have any yellow cards for it.
Have the game on in the background. Sure looks like we are dominating. In American football, we'd be up at least 14-0 or more with that kind of dominance. Sucks that one fluke and Wales could tie it. We'll have to get another goal to put this one away.
Although, to argue with myself, I guess the best team does usually tend to win in soccer. I guess this is more like basketball where a top team could have a rough first half and be losing by 10, only to exert their will in the second half and come back. If the US is truly superior to Wales, they'll get the next goal in this game and put it away.
We're not dominating the 2nd half.
Wales is ranked in the top 20. They're not a pushover.
Wales usually plays the style you saw in the first half. They do not like to press high, they do not like to hold on to the ball for long either. On the one hand they do not have the players to hold possession, on the other hand, that saves energy that they need for Bale to surprise you on a counter attack.
To their credit, they went down, and needed to be more daring. And you saw immediately two players pressing right out of the US box. Turned the game into a more even game. Also surely created some frantic up and down that resulted in more cramps and similar problems than I have seen in recent years.
But, ultimately, Wales tied on a mistake, on a miscalculation. The penalty is undeniably a penalty. But it was also completely unnecessary and a dumb mistake.
Pretty wild that the son of the president of Liberia plays for the USMNT. And scored.
To their credit, they went down, and needed to be more daring. And you saw immediately two players pressing right out of the US box. Turned the game into a more even game. Also surely created some frantic up and down that resulted in more cramps and similar problems than I have seen in recent years.
But, ultimately, Wales tied on a mistake, on a miscalculation. The penalty is undeniably a penalty. But it was also completely unnecessary and a dumb mistake.
Pretty wild that the son of the president of Liberia plays for the USMNT. And scored.
England looked like they would dominate in the very early going, but the USA adjusted and had some really good chances, probably the best chances in the half. The teams looked evenly matched in the half.
I hope the US can keep taking it to them in the 2nd.
I hope the US can keep taking it to them in the 2nd.
That last free kick as extra time was winding down left me a bit perplexed. With so little time left, why not just send the ball into the goal box and see what happens? They really didn’t have time to set up a cross from the side.
In other news, the paint on my wall is almost dry.
Grumpy old man, soccer in this country has won.
As measured by ‘favorite’ sports, it’s more popular in this country than hockey, and a generation or two from passing, sadly, baseball.
Don’t care, I will be long dead by the time that happens, so others can watch the boring game.
I was thinking it would come down to US and Wales for the second knockout spot. Turns out, I was very off.
I have the same expectations as you for Iran
If our players love freedom then they had better wipe the floor with Iran. I will be ashamed of them if they lose.I was thinking it would come down to US and Wales for the second knockout spot. Turns out, I was very off.
I have the same expectations as you for Iran
I read that the Iranian government is going to put 15K females to death for protesting. You couldn’t pay me enough to visit there, Russia, or North Korea.
They said that back when I played soccer in the 1970’s too.
I don’t care about the coaching search or the crappy basketball result last night.
Let’s score a g-d goal, and score it early.
How does a high-end scorer get developed?
USMNT has so many athletes born overseas to military families — but they’re always excellent defensive midfielders or backs. Give me one that can apply pressure and put it in the back of the net!
Maybe we need some bases in Brazil to deal with the Venezuelan threat.
Let’s score a g-d goal, and score it early.
How does a high-end scorer get developed?
USMNT has so many athletes born overseas to military families — but they’re always excellent defensive midfielders or backs. Give me one that can apply pressure and put it in the back of the net!
Maybe we need some bases in Brazil to deal with the Venezuelan threat.
It is true. That seems to be a key missing ingredient for the US. We don't have that one guy who is always a threat to put it in the back of the net like some of the powerhouses do.
Today's game is going to require a lot of patience and poise.
Queiroz (Iran's coach) is notoriously conservative. He has had teams with some of the best talent in the world, Real Madrid and Portugal come to mind, and still played a defensive brand of ball.
Well, this style, while maddening if you have talent, serves teams like Iran well. They rely on impeccable discipline behind the ball, taking no risks, and waiting for others to make mistakes. The England game was a huge outlier for their defense, this is not a team that allows scoring easily.
Expect the USMNT to look like Brazil against, I don't know, Australia, in terms of ball possession. They will have to be patient and not make mistakes that allow Iran to score on a counter attack.
Queiroz (Iran's coach) is notoriously conservative. He has had teams with some of the best talent in the world, Real Madrid and Portugal come to mind, and still played a defensive brand of ball.
Well, this style, while maddening if you have talent, serves teams like Iran well. They rely on impeccable discipline behind the ball, taking no risks, and waiting for others to make mistakes. The England game was a huge outlier for their defense, this is not a team that allows scoring easily.
Expect the USMNT to look like Brazil against, I don't know, Australia, in terms of ball possession. They will have to be patient and not make mistakes that allow Iran to score on a counter attack.
Ricardo Pepi shows promise, but I guess he wasn't quite good enough for the World Cup (although he played during qualifiers).
The Iranian players did not sing the anthem before in the WC. As an amplifier of the women's struggles in the country. And that 100% reverberates in Tehran. Supporters in the stands have also flown banner of support to the struggles in the country.
Well today they sand the anthem. Maybe they hate the US more than they hate women's right being crushed. Or maybe I am just reading too much into this.
High stakes baby!
Well today they sand the anthem. Maybe they hate the US more than they hate women's right being crushed. Or maybe I am just reading too much into this.
High stakes baby!
