The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

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So Portugal with no Pepe, Coentrao highly unlikely, and Ronaldo not looking as dangerous.... I like our odds on Sunday a bit more!

Now to do the business against Ghana!
 
aygov said:
So Portugal with no Pepe, Coentrao highly unlikely, and Ronaldo not looking as dangerous.... I like our odds on Sunday a bit more!

Now to do the business against Ghana!
Click to expand...

Saw a funny opinion on twitter that the Pepe red was actually bad for the US, because now he can't get sent off in the US game. :)
 
The crowd for the Iran-Nigeria match is impressive considering the distance of each country from Brazil. Nigeria is a bit closer but the crowd seems more Iran-favored.
 
I can't decide if Nigeria played just poorly enough to not win or if Iran played just well enough to not lose. Either way, makes it seem more likely that Bosnia-Herzegovina will go through with Argentina.
 
At the pub. They have Jolly Pumpkin and 90 Minute IPA so I'm set.

An hour before kickoff there are around 25 people already. This tiny place is going to be packed
 
51218518.jpg
 
I think that Brooks header is almost better than the Donovan goal against Algeria. Not quite because that goal got us officially through but this was a total monkey off the back goal. We effectively eliminated the team who eliminated us from the WC the last 2 seasons. A draw Ghana still ahs hope. Now we're one win and we're in. Assuming the Germans don't **** up next week.
 
Now for a few higher level thoughts....

The last 75 minutes showed why jozy is so important to this team, even when not scoring. I thought johannson (and I'm a big fan of johannson) showed he is not the type of player you can play in jozy's place, at least not with the system the US is playing. Still boggles my mind that kinsman didn't bring another hold up forward like Boyd or Johnson given the criticality of that role to haw the US plays.

Bradley looked poor. Fortunately, beckerman was good and jones went into beast mode to cover at least part of the deficit.

Beasley was very good at left back other than once when he fell over. That wasn't so good.

Clint's goal was obviously insane, wish he hadn't had to deal with a broken nose for much of the game, I imagine that hampered him significantly given how crucial breathing is to athletic endeavors.

Kind of amazed at a couple of the chances Ghana squandered, but that's their problem and I'll take it. :)


Sent from my iPod touch using Home Brew
 
Alrighty!!! Pick time:

Belgium 3-1 Algeria
Brazil 2-2 Mexico
Russia 1-2 Korea

I know I am reaching w Mexico, but I got a feeling!!!

'Merica...
 
Awesome meeting with the AO Reno president and getting our names in there. I got to lead a couple "I believes" and "We Love Ya's." Amazing win... my heart absolutely dropped at the equalizer but the pub freaking exploded at the winner.

GO YANKS!
 
BadDeacon said:
Alrighty!!! Pick time:

Belgium 3-1 Algeria
Brazil 2-2 Mexico
Russia 1-2 Korea

I know I am reaching w Mexico, but I got a feeling!!!

'Merica...
Click to expand...

Actually, that's a pretty damn reasonable prediction. I wouldn't been shocked if that's the exact scoreline.

EDIT: I don't know if you're reaching with Mexico. I wouldn't be shocked it they won it.
 
BrewKnurd said:
Now for a few higher level thoughts....

The last 75 minutes showed why jozy is so important to this team, even when not scoring. I thought johannson (and I'm a big fan of johannson) showed he is not the type of player you can play in jozy's place, at least not with the system the US is playing. Still boggles my mind that kinsman didn't bring another hold up forward like Boyd or Johnson given the criticality of that role to haw the US plays.

Bradley looked poor. Fortunately, beckerman was good and jones went into beast mode to cover at least part of the deficit.

Beasley was very good at left back other than once when he fell over. That wasn't so good.

Clint's goal was obviously insane, wish he hadn't had to deal with a broken nose for much of the game, I imagine that hampered him significantly given how crucial breathing is to athletic endeavors.

Kind of amazed at a couple of the chances Ghana squandered, but that's their problem and I'll take it. :)
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Good analysis, and I'll second what you said about Bradley. WTH? Jones was outstanding the entire game, thank goodness for him.

I hope the US comes up with a strategy for better ball possession. They need to hold the ball through the midfield. They kept giving it away all night and ended up playing on their heels much of the game.
 
I totally disagree with Beasley. He was out of position all too often. And he fell like 5 times on the pitch. That happens but not 5 times in one game. And they consistently put it in from their right side abusing Beasley.
 
passedpawn said:
Good analysis, and I'll second what you said about Bradley. WTH? Jones was outstanding the entire game, thank goodness for him.

I hope the US comes up with a strategy for better ball possession. They need to hold the ball through the midfield. They kept giving it away all night and ended up playing on their heels much of the game.
Click to expand...


Have the real Michael Bradley show up is step one to better possession, I think it's unfortunate that we are so reliant on one guy for that, but Bradley is absolutely the engine that makes this team go. To have won without him on his game is an amazing testament to resiliency and grit, but I'd prefer to not have to try it that way again. :)

On a positive note, he followed his last poor performance (Azerbaijan) with that insane assist to Johnson in the turkey game.


Sent from my iPod touch using Home Brew
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
I totally disagree with Beasley. He was out of position all too often. And he fell like 5 times on the pitch. That happens but not 5 times in one game. And they consistently put it in from their right side abusing Beasley.
Click to expand...

I don't view consistently forcing crosses when a defender is as frequently isolated as Beasley was as a bad thing. He didn't let the attackers get past him and make dangerous runs at goal, he always forced the cross which is what our center backs are best at defending. As an outside back, you can't win the ball every time, you make sure they can't do something dangerous with it. Beasley did that for the most part. Ghana consistently attacked via Beasley's side and ended up with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile FJ, who I love, fell asleep on defense on the right side and lost his man for the goal.
 
BrewKnurd said:
I don't view consistently forcing crosses when a defender is as frequently isolated as Beasley was as a bad thing. He didn't let the attackers get past him and make dangerous runs at goal, he always forced the cross which is what our center backs are best at defending. As an outside back, you can't win the ball every time, you make sure they can't do something dangerous with it. Beasley did that for the most part. Ghana consistently attacked via Beasley's side and ended up with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile FJ, who I love, fell asleep on defense on the right side and lost his man for the goal.
Click to expand...

Have to disagree. Just because no goals happened this match doesn't mean he didn't have a bad game. I'm not saying he could have stopped every cross because that's foolish, but honestly if Jermaine wasn't having the game of his life in the midfield and Beckerman didn't more than once clean up a Beasley slip, I think we lose because of Beasley's poor play.

As far as Fabian goes, there was nothing but crickets from Ayew and Asamoah for most of the game. I think that testifies to how well he and Bedoya played. That goal had little to do with defense. Ayew had gone central he wouldn't have been Johnson's man in a zone marking scheme like almost ever soccer team uses. US were outclassed in that goal as Ghana was in Dempsey's.
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
Have to disagree. Just because no goals happened this match doesn't mean he didn't have a bad game.
Click to expand...

Of course not. And just because you allegedly heard crickets doesn't mean Johnson played particularly well, but you'll be claiming that later in this post. ;)

hoppyhoppyhippo said:
I'm not saying he could have stopped every cross because that's foolish, but honestly if Jermaine wasn't having the game of his life in the midfield and Beckerman didn't more than once clean up a Beasley slip, I think we lose because of Beasley's poor play.

As far as Fabian goes, there was nothing but crickets from Ayew and Asamoah for most of the game. I think that testifies to how well he and Bedoya played. That goal had little to do with defense. Ayew had gone central he wouldn't have been Johnson's man in a zone marking scheme like almost ever soccer team uses. US were outclassed in that goal as Ghana was in Dempsey's.
Click to expand...

I think Bedoya was massive in supporting on the right side in defense. Jones, for all the defensive work he did, always drifts more central and that's part of why Beasley was as isolated on the wing as often as he was.

As for the goal - that was Johnson's man, and Johnson clearly means to follow him, so he KNOWS its his man, he just fails to do it because he loses track of him - he looks over his left shoulder trying to find the guy who's burning him inside. Johnson wasn't passing him off to any central defender in a zone marking scheme. He lost him.

http://thebiglead.com/2014/06/16/jo...-ayew-equalizer/andre-ayew-goal-against-us-b/

Call it getting outclassed if you like, but outclassed often means you did something wrong. Just like Boye stepped a bit too aggressively (IMO) when there was nothing but space behind him and allowed himself to get beat by Dempsey. Did he get outclassed? Sure. Could he have avoided it? Quite possibly. Same with Johnson who's looking to his left trying to find Ayew as Ayew is cutting in for the goal. :)

Anyways, agree to disagree on all of it. GEAUX USA. :D
 
I still don't think it's fully sunk in for me that the US just beat Ghana with Jozy out, Dempsey unable to breathe through his nose, Bradley looking terrible and Besler out for a half. These are some of our very best/most vital players, and the US managed to pull out a win without their full contributions. Very impressive.
 
Considering we only allowed 1 goal during 70+ minutes of blitzing attack, its hard for me to say that any of our defenders had a bad game, but there was at least 3 times I can remember Beasley being caught so far up the field that it didn't even look like we had a left back on the field.

About the crosses vs. being burned on the flank....I was pretty much on the edge of my seat every time a cross was coming in. I'd like to think he could have stopped some of those crosses, but solo defending, at his age, on the flank is tough, so I guess he did pretty decent in that respect.

I'm just gutted about Jozy's injury.
 
Grannyknot said:
Considering we only allowed 1 goal during 70+ minutes of blitzing attack, its hard for me to say that any of our defenders had a bad game, but there was at least 3 times I can remember Beasley being caught so far up the field that it didn't even look like we had a left back on the field.
Click to expand...

Not going to disagree that this happened, but it's part of what you get when you rely on fullbacks for width, which is the general approach of the US lately, and us even moreso the case when someone like JJ is your left midfielder.

Grannyknot said:
About the crosses vs. being burned on the flank....I was pretty much on the edge of my seat every time a cross was coming in. I'd like to think he could have stopped some of those crosses, but solo defending, at his age, on the flank is tough, so I guess he did pretty decent in that respect.
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To be clear, I'm not nominating him for man of the match or suggesting he was incredible - he wasn't. Just that he did pretty well given the situation - that being Ghana consistently attacking that flank and Beasley frequently left having to deal with a player or two on his own.

Grannyknot said:
I'm just gutted about Jozy's injury.
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Yes. Yes indeed. I really think he had a chance to have a great tournament. Holding out hope that maybe he can contribute in the Germany game or (knock on wood) knockout stage.
 
BrewKnurd said:
I think Bedoya was massive in supporting on the right side in defense. Jones, for all the defensive work he did, always drifts more central and that's part of why Beasley was as isolated on the wing as often as he was.

As for the goal - that was Johnson's man, and Johnson clearly means to follow him, so he KNOWS its his man, he just fails to do it because he loses track of him - he looks over his left shoulder trying to find the guy who's burning him inside. Johnson wasn't passing him off to any central defender in a zone marking scheme. He lost him.

http://thebiglead.com/2014/06/16/jo...-ayew-equalizer/andre-ayew-goal-against-us-b/

Call it getting outclassed if you like, but outclassed often means you did something wrong. Just like Boye stepped a bit too aggressively (IMO) when there was nothing but space behind him and allowed himself to get beat by Dempsey. Did he get outclassed? Sure. Could he have avoided it? Quite possibly. Same with Johnson who's looking to his left trying to find Ayew as Ayew is cutting in for the goal. :)

Anyways, agree to disagree on all of it. GEAUX USA. :D
Click to expand...

Jones was central but he was out there when needed. He was out there to meet the second man Beasley often didn't make the key plays to close men to prevent chances. In the grand scheme of things Beasley didn't cost the US, but he for sure had a weaker game than Johnson.

If you want a gif on the downside of beasley's game

http://s3.amazonaws.com/br-cdn/temp...916cc9448594fc866c6622f062eae7.gif?1402960557

Christian Atsu had his way on the right side all day. That was on Beasley. Ayew made one play.

If Cameron, Brooks, and Besler didn't all have amazing games in the middle, then we would have lost because Beasley was no match for Atsu. Things will only be worse if he has the same game against Nani.
 
The US was very lucky to win that game. The players were not ready for the heat, and you could tell by all the cramping. They were running on empty most of the second half. In between the spectacular opening goal, and the corner kick that put the US ahead, there was a lot of sloppy play. Pass after pass was off target, and they just kept giving the ball back to Ghana who got to own time of possession, and they gave Ghana way too many chances, particularly in the form of corners that didn't have to be given. Still, a win is a win, and a win is 3 points. Good job USA! But there's a lot of work to be done to prepare for Portugal.
 
So assuming Jozy isn't good to go which is a virtual given. How do you go next match?

Personally I switch to an offset diamond system. Puts lots of stress on Beasley so he needs to play more like he did in qualifying.

So again assuming health with besler I go something like

Johnson ------Cameron-----Besler-------Beasley
------------------Beckerman----------------
-------------------------------Jones
-----------Bedoya--------------------------
-----------------------Bradley-----------
-------------Dempsey---------Wondo----------

Dempsey is now the lone target man on the team.
 
It was a gritty win, but we won. We were damn lucky though! Our possession play was terrible and I don't know if it was the heat, but when we got the ball there seemed to be no urgency to press with it. On the flip side when Ghana had the ball we seemed to be willing to let them knock it around rather then closing them down.

If we play that way against Portugal I can see us getting ripped to shreds..... but f*ck it! We won, so happy days for now!
 

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