Quote:Us winning another game in this group could be tough. We have been helped with Portugal because one of the better players will be out with the red card from the previous game. Ronaldo (one of the better players in the world) has had some injuries and may not be in great game shape.
The US can still move to the round of 16 with two ties.
They are going to be missing three starters. Pepe, Coentrao, and some other guy
Quote:They are going to be missing three starters. Pepe, Coentrao, and some other guy
The way our offense looked after Altidore left, we'll take all we can get.
This thread is entertaining for someone who has been brought up around soccer.
Hope you guys are enjoying the WC, the Mexico/Brazil game hopefully showed how games can be goalless but still entertaining for those who don't normally watch
My 2 favourites sports are soccer and football, both very different but I love them both.
Quote:I am with the majority on Bradley. He did not look like himself yesterday. Need him to play better from here on.
Agree. I have not watched much USMNT leading up to the WC. Watching Bradley yesterday, I couldn't figure out why he gets "praised." It looked like he missed a lot of challenges,, let the ball go past him way too many times (leaving the next player to take the ball I guess,, he should've been more aggressive and taken it),, and many of his passes looked very weak and slow (like they could've easily been picked off,, some of them were).
Also, near the very end of the game, US needed to wind some clock. Bradley had the ball ahead of Ghana's defense, and could've taken it all the way down to the corner to eat clock. But, slightly past midfield, he basically just kicks the ball away, giving Ghana another possession to try and equalize.
I'm hoping Bradley is much better than what I saw yesterday. He needs to be. If that's his level,, well, that's just not near good enough to compete with the nations that US will see later this tournament.
Quote:I don't think the elite athletes our country produces will ever choose soccer over football, basketball, ect. Other sports like MMA are also growing, so although soccer popularity is growing, it is still way behind.
Other countries like in Europe only have two really popular professional sports (Soccer and Basketball). We have at least 6 (NFL, NHL, NBA, UFC, MLB, Soccer).
This made me smile, because people over here would say we have too many sports too. Not sure basketball is on the list (although some other European countries are in to it) but rugby (there are two forms of rugby) and cricket, together with soccer are probably the equivalent of your NFL, NHL and NBA in terms of interest. Then there is the next level down - things like tennis, motorsports and hockey (field hockey not ice hockey). So American sports like NFL really have the same struggle over here and at the moment,from a participation point of view, they are still relatively small.
Maybe the World Cup and the international series will change that...
Quote:its too early to start thinking about scenarios. we just need to draw the next game, or win if we're lucky
I don't see why we can't win. Portugal is very overrated and all they have is Ronaldo. They looked terrible Monday, but then again Germany will do that to you.
Quote:This made me smile, because people over here would say we have too many sports too. Not sure basketball is on the list (although some other European countries are in to it) but rugby (there are two forms of rugby) and cricket, together with soccer are probably the equivalent of your NFL, NHL and NBA in terms of interest. Then there is the next level down - things like tennis, motorsports and hockey (field hockey not ice hockey). So American sports like NFL really have the same struggle over here and at the moment,from a participation point of view, they are still relatively small.
Maybe the World Cup and the international series will change that...
True, I also forgot about golf, which is big in England. Soccer still seems to be your #1 sport though. I think soccer originated in England too.
Quote:This made me smile, because people over here would say we have too many sports too. Not sure basketball is on the list (although some other European countries are in to it) but rugby (there are two forms of rugby) and cricket, together with soccer are probably the equivalent of your NFL, NHL and NBA in terms of interest. Then there is the next level down - things like tennis, motorsports and hockey (field hockey not ice hockey). So American sports like NFL really have the same struggle over here and at the moment,from a participation point of view, they are still relatively small.
Maybe the World Cup and the international series will change that...
One issue I see now also is kids at a young age are being siloed into playing one sport. I remember playing footballl and baseball every year. I knew kids that played three or four sports. Now you have 8-9 year olds playing travel baseball and basketball yearround. They do not get exposure to other sports.
Quote:This thread is entertaining for someone who has been brought up around soccer.
Hope you guys are enjoying the WC, the Mexico/Brazil game hopefully showed how games can be goalless but still entertaining for those who don't normally watch
My 2 favourites sports are soccer and football, both very different but I love them both.
Didn't get to see Mexico/Brazil, wish I did though. Sweden v Trinidad & Tobago back in 2006 was one of the most entertaining matches I've seen in the World Cup.
Quote:One issue I see now also is kids at a young age are being siloed into playing one sport. I remember playing footballl and baseball every year. I knew kids that played three or four sports. Now you have 8-9 year olds playing travel baseball and basketball yearround. They do not get exposure to other sports.
It hasn't been that long. I played 4 sports a year through high school...now if you don't specialize in one, it's hard to become one of the elite.
I know for wrestling, if you aren't doing it year round, guys will pass you by.
Quote:I don't see why we can't win. Portugal is very overrated and all they have is Ronaldo. They looked terrible Monday, but then again Germany will do that to you.
The real question will be if we can sustain some possession. Manaus will be too hot to successfully chase the ball as much as we did against Ghana. Portugal will start with a high press and unless we figure out how to deal with it without Jozy as an emergency outlet, we'll be in trouble.
On World Cup Tonight, they were talking about how we might move Dempsey up top. I don't like that move. He is better in the midfield.
Quote:The way our offense looked after Altidore left, we'll take all we can get.
Scored in the first 30 seconds, not because of Jozy. It was stagnant even with him in there.
Quote:This thread is entertaining for someone who has been brought up around soccer.
Hope you guys are enjoying the WC, the Mexico/Brazil game hopefully showed how games can be goalless but still entertaining for those who don't normally watch
My 2 favourites sports are soccer and football, both very different but I love them both.
I am with you on the Mexico-Brazil game
Quote:Agree. I have not watched much USMNT leading up to the WC. Watching Bradley yesterday, I couldn't figure out why he gets "praised." It looked like he missed a lot of challenges,, let the ball go past him way too many times (leaving the next player to take the ball I guess,, he should've been more aggressive and taken it),, and many of his passes looked very weak and slow (like they could've easily been picked off,, some of them were).
Also, near the very end of the game, US needed to wind some clock. Bradley had the ball ahead of Ghana's defense, and could've taken it all the way down to the corner to eat clock. But, slightly past midfield, he basically just kicks the ball away, giving Ghana another possession to try and equalize.
I'm hoping Bradley is much better than what I saw yesterday. He needs to be. If that's his level,, well, that's just not near good enough to compete with the nations that US will see later this tournament.
Definitely an "off" type game for him. He, imo, is typically the sharpest on the field and keeps things flowing. An outlier of a game for him for sure.
Quote:One issue I see now also is kids at a young age are being siloed into playing one sport. I remember playing footballl and baseball every year. I knew kids that played three or four sports. Now you have 8-9 year olds playing travel baseball and basketball yearround. They do not get exposure to other sports.
That is the part of sports I think sucks today. Coaches getting parents to think specializing is so important, so early. It's not, not at all. That cross training across several sports is hugely (a word) beneficial. Travel sports, club sports, etc are starting to ruin it and it is because of $$$
First the US coach says we will not win the World Cup- and you would be stupid to think otherwise.
Now all the pieces are magically aligning for USA to do exactly that...
:whistling:
Quote:First the US coach says we will not win the World Cup- and you would be stupid to think otherwise.
Now all the pieces are magically aligning for USA to do exactly that...
:whistling:
One win and a lucky red card does not a World Champion make.
Quote:First the US coach says we will not win the World Cup- and you would be stupid to think otherwise.
Now all the pieces are magically aligning for USA to do exactly that...
:whistling:
saying that the USA will win the World Cup is like saying the Jaguars will win the Super Bowl.