FIFA 2014 World Cup all-purpose thread

[Moontan]

They didn't look sharp and simply didn't create enough chances. Very disappointing.

 

[tee1222]

Great opponent and match for the USMNT. They dominated us in 2006.

I hate even thinking about that match. Damn.

 

[Alsacs]

I hate even thinking about that match. Damn.

Eddie Pope and the US backline were dominated that match and we gave up a goal in the first five minutes. I watched it on YouTube last week and that team had a lot of talent in the MF and up front but Arena's tactics were horrible. I took the LSATs that Monday it sucked seeing the score during my break.

 

[SWC75]

Perfect description of this match.

I thought that was Brazil's defense. :rolling:

 

[bnoro]

Mrs. Tom Brady will liven up this thread.

Relevant -

 

[Alsacs]

Relevant -

When I see videos like that I ask myself why the F does Tom Brady even play football anymore for? Your freaking married to Gisele.

 

[Alsacs]

Here is an interesting if the USA had its best athletes playing soccer who would they be and play? Two are obvious Lebron James would be the goalkeeper and Calvin Johnson would be our striker but what the other 9?

 

[ImperialOrange]

Where was Memphis Depay for that match? He looked like one of their best attacking players in the tourney.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Here is an interesting if the USA had its best athletes playing soccer who would they be and play? Two are obvious Lebron James would be the goalkeeper and Calvin Johnson would be our striker but what the other 9?

Both are too big to play soccer and lebron could never run 90 minutes. Give me shady and ap though.

 

[Alsacs]

Both are too big to play soccer and lebron could never run 90 minutes. Give me shady and ap though.

One of Lebron or Megatron would start as the goalkeeper it would be crazy to see their size and athleticism in goal. Shady is good pick I could see AJ. Green, Julio Jones, Russell Westbrook in the lineup as well.

 

[PoppyHart]

One of Lebron or Megatron would start as the goalkeeper it would be crazy to see their size and athleticism in goal. Shady is good pick I could see AJ. Green, Julio Jones, Russell Westbrook in the lineup as well.

Probably Howard at goalie and Jozy up front.

Seriously, this debate, which you hear every 4 years on the sports radio stations, really demeans the talent and athleticism of the athletes. The same logic would suggest that Dirk Nowitzki should replace Neuer or that Tony Parker would be as capable as a Benzema or Ribery.

It would be comical watching 99% of these guys play the sport, even if you gave them years and years of training.

The best analogy that I heard to get people to stop thinking this way is by looking at the ceremonial 1st pitches that occur at baseball games. Guys like John Wall, Jabari Parker, etc... look like borderline special needs kids on the mound. And for perhaps the best Olympic athlete of all time?

 

[Toga]

Probably Howard at goalie and Jozy up front.

Seriously, this debate, which you hear every 4 years on the sports radio stations, really demeans the talent and athleticism of the athletes. The same logic would suggest that Dirk Nowitzki should replace Neuer or that Tony Parker would be as capable as a Benzema or Ribery.

It would be comical watching 99% of these guys play the sport, even if you gave them years and years of training.

The best analogy that I heard to get people to stop thinking this way is by looking at the ceremonial 1st pitches that occur at baseball games. Guys like John Wall, Jabari Parker, etc... look like borderline special needs kids on the mound. And for perhaps the best Olympic athlete of all time?

He should stick with singing the national anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJLvCM4j2mg

 

[ImperialOrange]

One of Lebron or Megatron would start as the goalkeeper it would be crazy to see their size and athleticism in goal. Shady is good pick I could see AJ. Green, Julio Jones, Russell Westbrook in the lineup as well.

Too me Its tough to envision nba players as soccer players because the smallest nba players would be the biggest soccer players. Only some pgs or sgs could it. Fron nfl its rbs, wrs, dbs, and some qbs.

Russell Wilson would be a damn interesting player given his mobility, intelligence, and his spacial awareness during games.

 

[bnoro]

I hate the "best athletes playing soccer" thing. It annoys the out of me because its a specific group of skills that you don't know if Lebron or Calvin would have.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I hate the "best athletes playing soccer" thing. It annoys the out of me because its a specific group of skills that you don't know if Lebron or Calvin would have.

We know lebron would be cramped to tears midway though the first half

 

[ImperialOrange]

To be honest if megatron is playing soccer I'm making him a center half. You could run a rediculously high line for offsides, no one is going to body him out of position, and good luck out jumping him in the box.

 

[Noexcuse]

When I see videos like that I ask myself why the F does Tom Brady even play football anymore for? Your freaking married to Gisele.

End Zone Celebration Dance?

 

[Moontan]

Where was Memphis Depay for that match? He looked like one of their best attacking players in the tourney.

Memphis had his chance against Costa Rica and was invisible.

Too bad Nigel couldn't make it for the complete game. One wonders if Tim Krul would've made a difference.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Alright I'm thinking way too much about this. Nba isn't my thing so I'm putting together an nfl to soccer starting 11. In liverpool fashion I'm running a 4-3-3.

Keeper = Larry Fitzgerald
Center halfs = Megatron and Patrick Peterson
Lb/Rb = Kaepernick and Luck
CDM = Richard Sherman
Mid = Russell Wilson and Sproles
Attack = Peterson - AJ Green - McCoy

 

[CanadianSU]

Alright I'm thinking way too much about this. Nba isn't my thing so I'm putting together an nfl to soccer starting 11. In liverpool fashion I'm running a 4-3-3.

Keeper = Larry Fitzgerald
Center halfs = Megatron and Patrick Peterson
Lb/Rb = Kaepernick and Luck
CDM = Richard Sherman
Mid = Russell Wilson and Sproles
Attack = Peterson - AJ Green - McCoy

LM: Brisly Estime

 

[ImperialOrange]

LM: Brisly Estime

Next up can be Cuse football starting 11. Im taking Shamarko as my CDM.

 

[Alsacs]

Probably Howard at goalie and Jozy up front.

Seriously, this debate, which you hear every 4 years on the sports radio stations, really demeans the talent and athleticism of the athletes. The same logic would suggest that Dirk Nowitzki should replace Neuer or that Tony Parker would be as capable as a Benzema or Ribery.

It would be comical watching 99% of these guys play the sport, even if you gave them years and years of training.

The best analogy that I heard to get people to stop thinking this way is by looking at the ceremonial 1st pitches that occur at baseball games. Guys like John Wall, Jabari Parker, etc... look like borderline special needs kids on the mound. And for perhaps the best Olympic athlete of all time?

Listen I get your point, but I disagree in the USA our best athletes smartly go into sports with more money and are popular within the USA. If soccer was the most profitable and popular sport the USA would be better in the sport. I don't think we would dominate but we would be a top 5 team in the world. Not every athlete would be able to play soccer but if they started when they were young and went thru training we would have some world class players. Josh Smith would be amazing at jumping and knocking headers off set pieces, Allen Iverson could have been a world class athlete in almost any sport the guy was that special. If Carl Lewis wanted to throw a baseball over the plate I believe he could do it with training in probably a week. Could he be a pitcher? Most likely not but it means nothing.

 

[tee1222]

Here is an interesting if the USA had its best athletes playing soccer who would they be and play? Two are obvious Lebron James would be the goalkeeper and Calvin Johnson would be our striker but what the other 9?

Kobe = Striker.
Pretty sure he was a gamer back in the day.

 

[BlazeOrange]

They'd need to modify the substitution rules for our big freak athletes to have a significant impact. Being able to go 90-120 minutes straight is a bigger factor than running a 4.4 fourty. That said, I'd be interested to see combine-like numbers from the elite soccer players to judge just how far off they are from athletes in other sports.

Maybe there is a big enough gap to fundamentally change the style of play, but I don't see how it would work strategically (other than the obvious advantage in set plays). Otherwise, would speedsters be able to stay onsides and beat the defender to long balls with enough gap to make a difference? If so, then teams just wouldn't push the back line forward as much. The other potential advantage would be in ballhandling with speed - could basketball players dribble with their feet through a defense as easily as they can with their hands?

 

[Alsacs]

If our best athletes were playing soccer I think they would come NBA PGs, SGs, SFs, and NFL RBs, WRs, DBs. I don't think everyone of them would be great soccer players, but if we took enough of them and gave them the best training and coaching we would have a freakish team on the pitch. As I said above a player like Allen Iverson was dominant in basketball, football, baseball as a kid he is a freak athlete. If somebody like him grew up playing soccer and received the proper coaching he could have been a Messi on the pitch IMO.