FIFA 2014 World Cup all-purpose thread

[longislandcuse]

I've heard Khedira and Boateng are questionable for the match. I think the Germany game sets up as us playing a better version Portugal, by that I mean a better version of Portugal's attack but a team we can and should score against (if everything i've read about their defense and struggles against some of our attacking guys is true).

 

[longislandcuse]

Copied this from another board I was reading. Pretty clear cut. That last scenario involving Ghana scares the ish out of me.

Here are the scenarios:
The United States advances with a win or draw vs. Germany
If the United States tops Germany, it will advance as the winners of Group G and play the second-place team from Group H (which includes Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South Korea)
If the United States and Germany draw, Germany wins the group and the United States finishes second. The result of the other game is meaningless.
If Ghana and Portugal draw, the United States and Germany advance.
If Germany wins, Germany wins the group. The United States would finish second unless Ghana or Portugal won and passed the United States on goal differential. Team USA is plus 1, Ghana is minus 1 and Portugal is minus 4. So if the United States loses, it will be rooting for Portugal, because it’s less likely that Portugal could pass the United States on goal differential.
If the United States loses and Ghana wins, Ghana would qualify if either game is decided by a margin of two goals or more. If the United States loses by one goal, Ghana would need to win by two goals or be involved in a higher-scoring one-goal win. For instance, a 1-0 score in both games would send the United States through. But if Team USA loses 1-0, then Ghana would need to win at least 2-1 to qualify on goals scored.

 

[Alsacs]

Honestly we need to survive the first half and I think we would be fine. Germany will try to beat us but if we play a 5-4-1 we should be able to defend. Ghana-Portugal is going to be a Ghana win but depend on how pride the Portuguese have to not get blown out.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

I've heard Khedira and Boateng are questionable for the match. I think the Germany game sets up as us playing a better version Portugal, by that I mean a better version of Portugal's attack but a team we can and should score against (if everything i've read about their defense and struggles against some of our attacking guys is true).

We won't be able to dominate possession like we did for large stretches against Portugal. We have to stay compact at the back because they have 4 or 5 guys that can make those darting runs that give us fits instead of Portugal's 2. When we do get the ball back, it'll take quick passing and running off a guy like Boateng (or his replacement) to score. Neuer is very aggressive, so I see any goals for us coming off the overlapped runs and extra passes in the box like Dempsey's yesterday and the one Bradley should've had.

 

[IthacaMatt]

He didn't call Patrice Evra anything like that... the rest, yeah he did all that. He cleaned up the diving this past season and scored more goals as result. I still don't get the handball flak though. I we're playing Portugal this weekend and tied late, I would hope the US player would do the same. The biting thing... who does that?

He called him a "molo" - a monkey. They don't use the N word in Europe for the most part, they call black players monkeys when they want to insult them.

 

[ImperialOrange]

He called him a "molo" - a monkey. They don't use the N word in Europe for the most part, they call black players monkeys when they want to insult them.

Where'd you hear that? That's not even what Evra claimed to be called in an interview before Suarez's suspension was levied.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The question is then if tied in goal differential - what is the next tiebreaker? Head to head?

I believe so, but after all the draws that have taken place, I think it's total goals.

 

[IthacaMatt]

He acted like a goof vs Ghana too. I have no idea what he's doing at end of games.

Bradley has had a terrible tournament so far. He's a better player that he has shown. I hope he shows up big time against Germany. They have lots of class in the midfield and attacking third, but not a lot of grit. Jermaine Jones and Bradley need to be able to break up play and control the ball for us to have a shot at getting a result against Germany.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We are on the cusp of being a perennial top-10 team. It's easy to get swept up this time of year, but the fan support is not a fad and its predominantly young people. The American Outlaws group is only growing and our fans have done an incredible job backing this team over the last 10 years. Also, this roster is constructed to only get better. My main worry is in finding a future replacement for Jozy over the next few years, but the young talent on this roster is so exciting. Yedlin showed flashes of why he's so highly regarded, and someone I see finding a future on the roster of an upper half European side over the next few years. Julian Green will press for a spot on Bayern's senior squad this year, but will likely spend a year on loan to another mid-table Bundesliga side. Besler has been impressive and more athletic than I thought, and Cameron has been very good except for his horrible gaffe. Our Under-21 side has some incredibly promising kids as well, and I think our pressing style will only get more effective as we add athletes like Green, Yedlin, Diskerud, and Johannsson to the mix permanently. Get on the USMNT bandwagon now because it'll be worth it.

Jozy is only 24. He'll be on the team through the next World Cup and maybe even the one after that.

 

[IthacaMatt]

How do we look this year compared to previous World Cups? I seem to remember in 2010 we were nowhere near as nuanced as we are now with the creativity. Am I remembering correctly or mistaken? We just seem to look every bit that of a upper echelon Euro squad in terms of speed, control, footwork, passing, creativity etc.

The Bob Bradley teams defended better, in part because there were fewer changes among the back line. Klinsmann changed them nearly every game, it seemed, building up to the World Cup. Landon Donovan gave us creativity and the ability to score in the clutch, but I think Dempsey has taken up that role pretty well. Deuce is obviously a different player, but Fabian Johnson gives us the speed down the flank that Donovan offered, and Zusi is about as good on set pieces and putting in the cross from the wing. Altidore, were he healthy, is better than he was in 2010. Wondolowski is going to get his chance. Klinsmann has been rolling hot dice with his subs so far. I hope that keeps up. This US team, compared to last time, is not as tight at the back, might have more talent in the midfield, but is more inconsistent. Not sure about our talent up front, especially with the Altidore injury. If we get one more guy like Wondo, Johannson or Diskerud to provide us with a moment, then this team could move on and maybe even make the Quarterfinals.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Copied this from another board I was reading. Pretty clear cut. That last scenario involving Ghana scares the ish out of me.

But if Team USA loses 1-0, then Ghana would need to win at least 2-1 to qualify on goals scored.

Entirely possible. Would be great to get an early goal and ride it.

 

[PoppyHart]

Ian Darke ‏@IanDarke 6m
TV ratings for World Cup in America on ESPN hitting dizzy heights. Proof the game is getting a firm foothold now in USA.

I know it sounds cocky, but this is not what the rest of the world wants to hear. We're a sleeping giant in the sport, and it's becoming realistic to expect a World Cup title during my lifetime. Can you imagine if a couple of our best athletes (LeBron in goal, AP or CJ2K as forwards, DeAndre Jordan at CB) got an interest in soccer growing up? The USMNT is on the upswing and it terrifies the rest of the world.

Don't forget Univision ratings. Those are also huge.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I love these Netherland kits.

 

[Alsacs]

This ref in the Netherlands-Chile is HORRIBLE. He has missed multiple penalties that last foul was an OBVIOUS penalty. The Dutch are fouling like every minutes and nobody is getting yellow carded for it.

 

[ImperialOrange]

This ref in the Netherlands-Chile is HORRIBLE. He has missed multiple penalties that last foul was an OBVIOUS penalty. The Dutch are fouling like every minutes and nobody is getting yellow carded for it.

I said very early in the game that a game of this skill level is way above this refs ability. He's looked lost since the opening whsitle and to be guessing quite a bit.

 

[ImperialOrange]

It'd be nice if Liverpool signed one of these Dutch players so I'd have to buy a jersey. If not I may just have to get Kuyt jersey.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Jozy is only 24. He'll be on the team through the next World Cup and maybe even the one after that.

Keep forgetting that. Feels like he's been around longer than that with all his big goals and moments.

 

[Alsacs]

Netherlands header goal another substitute scoring 1-0 Dutch and they should win the group now.

 

[Conrad13]

Bradley has had a terrible tournament so far. He's a better player that he has shown. I hope he shows up big time against Germany. They have lots of class in the midfield and attacking third, but not a lot of grit. Jermaine Jones and Bradley need to be able to break up play and control the ball for us to have a shot at getting a result against Germany.

It's good to hear that Bradley is better than his last two games. I'm no soccer expert, but he's been conspicuously bad out there. I was watching him more closely yesterday because I noticed how many passes he fumbled and I think that that he deserves much of the blame for that last goal. Hopefully he can return to form that everyone keeps telling me about.

 

[MikeSU02]

As someone who doesn't really follow the sport outside of the WC, I have to say I'm impressed by the aggressiveness of the US team.

Clint Dempsey looks like he just came to the game after being on the docks and being a bare-knuckles boxer.

While it still looks like we are a bit rough around the edges in terms of overall ability, we sure look like we belong, which is exciting.

The end of the game yesterday destroyed me as a fan and, as terrible as this sounds, that is a huge change from any of the previous WC years in terms of emotion.

I think we'll tie Germany and move on. Looking forward to this team in the single-elimination rounds. Love the passion shown by the US fans at the WC and in the states.

 

[Alsacs]

This ref should meet the fate of the ref of the opening match. That Japanese ref was made the 4th official in his next assignment. Give these inexperienced refs matches like Australia vs. Spain that don't matter. I expect Chile to a run at Robben in these last 5 minutes because of how physical it has gotten and nothing is being done about it. If I were the Dutch manager Robben gets subbed out.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Pinilla is getting manhandled by the Dutch defenders but the ref isn;t the least bit interested.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Don't forget Univision ratings. Those are also huge.

For Ghana, the combined number was 15.9 with Univision. For the Portugal game, the ESPN rating was 9.1. Can't wait to hear the Univision total. So far, the World Cup is outdrawing the NBA Finals, the World Series (by about 4 million viewers) and has tripled the audience for the Stanley Cup feature NY and LA. Soccer is pretty much the #2 viewing sport in the US now.

 

[ImperialOrange]

That cross on the second Holland goal was fantastic.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Unreal how often our back line lets us down. Sigh.

Well, he played a different combination back there every couple games. You don't develop chemistry that way.