The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

[bford]

Some very fun and entertaining World Cup preview videos from Men in Blazers on Grantland.



I laughed several times during these... very good stuff.

 

[Grannyknot]

Anyone watching the CL final this Saturday?
For some reason, I can't get excited about it. Not sure why.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Probably because its 2 teams from the same country. That's the reason for me. Also Real should walk away with it since they got an extra weeks rest

 

[Grannyknot]

Don't Atletico have several key injuries? Like Costa?

 

[aygov]

Anyone watching the CL final this Saturday?
For some reason, I can't get excited about it. Not sure why.

I am, hopefully Athletico win. I'm in the same boat about excitement though.

 

[hopstupid]

It could be worse, it could be 90 minutes of Chelsea parking the Bus. Does that get you excited?

 

[aygov]

And no Donovan in Brazil...

 

[BrewKnurd]

And no Donovan in Brazil...

Don't worry, we got Brad Davis.

 

[bford]

Don't worry, we got Brad Davis.

Brad Davis isn't the reason Donovan isn't on the team.... and after Bradley, Davis and Zusi are easily the best passers on the team... and Davis is most likely the best set piece taker wearing an American uniform today. The fact he never got a chance under coach Bradley was one of Bradley's biggest mistakes... but Bradley never wanted us to attack anyway..

 

[bford]

And no Donovan in Brazil...

I wish he was on the team... there are a couple of guys with only one or two caps that should never have been brought to Brazil before LD..

I think this was Jergen's way of saying..."this is my team... I don't need the best US player ever.. it is time to move on..."

 

[BrewKnurd]

Brad Davis isn't the reason Donovan isn't on the team.... and after Bradley, Davis and Zusi are easily the best passers on the team... and Davis is most likely the best set piece taker wearing an American uniform today. The fact he never got a chance under coach Bradley was one of Bradley's biggest mistakes... but Bradley never wanted us to attack anyway..

Agreed. Klinsmann wanting to prove a point is why Donovan isn't in the team.

As for set piece abilities, that's great. I agree Davis is a good passer and a good set piece taker. But that's about it from what I've seen. And if there's ten minutes left in the game and I can choose between a guy who can make a difference in multiple ways and a guy who needs a set piece to make a difference... well, I'm not bringing in Brad Davis.

Viewed another way, Donovan is much closer to Davis in terms of set piece and passing ability than Davis is to Donovan in terms of about everything else. In my opinion, of course.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Omg Donovan!! How will he survive??

 

[Reno_eNVy]

AH! Just found out about the roster (sucks being out of town in a tiny town with no reception.) If Donovan just wasn't clicking with the rest of the team then he shouldn't be on the roster. I trust Klinsey.

My predicted (partially objective) lineup:

(GK) Timmy Tim Tim
(LB) Beasley
(CB) Besler
(CB) Gonzo
(RB) F. Johnson
(LM) Davis
(CM) Bradley
(CM) Jones
(RM) Zusi
(FW) Dempsey
(FW) Altidore


I'm still just as optimistic that we can make it out of the group. GO YANKS!

 

[Grannyknot]

There’s certain players, in the history of an international side that you include until they retire. Players like Zidane, Ronaldo (brazil), Xavi, and even Klinsmann himself. For the USMNT, I firmly believe Donovan is in this type of player, obviously not of the same quality, but none the less, he is our Talisman & leader and has been the face of US Soccer for a long time.

The fact that there are players in the side that we had to beg to play for us bothers me, when you consider who we’ve left out. Timmy Chandler must be a phenomenal player in training.

I fully support Klinsmann & his decision making, but I can’t help but think that a personal grudge got the best of him on this one.

 

[BrewKnurd]

AH! Just found out about the roster (sucks being out of town in a tiny town with no reception.) If Donovan just wasn't clicking with the rest of the team then he shouldn't be on the roster. I trust Klinsey.

My predicted (partially objective) lineup:

(GK) Timmy Tim Tim
(LB) Beasley
(CB) Besler
(CB) Gonzo
(RB) F. Johnson
(LM) Davis
(CM) Bradley
(CM) Jones
(RM) Zusi
(FW) Dempsey
(FW) Altidore


I'm still just as optimistic that we can make it out of the group. GO YANKS!

If Brad Davis starts a game I will cry, but that's a whole different story.

Honestly, my biggest problem with the roster is that it just about guarantees we'll be playing a back line that's never played tighter prior to this month. They'll also be a back line where not a single player has ever played a WC game at a defensive position. Now, if this was the group he wanted, then there was no way around that, but you didn't have to give them the extra hurdle of never having played as a unit either.

If Davis starts, we'll have a starting left midfielder, who at the age of 32, has merited 76 total minutes in Klinsmann's eyes at this point. Ever. Across all games. Ever.

If Klinsmann thinks the roster he has is the best available, that's fine, but its kind of ridiculous that he hasn't called more of these people in more frequently up until now if that's really the case. Its pretty obvious with his choices that he has an eye towards 2018 (even though I could have sworn he said a while back that 2018 wasn't going to be a factor in his selections, but as I've said before, the man is a liar ).

My starting XI based on nothing:

(GK) Timmy Tim Tim
(LB) Johnson
(CB) Besler
(CB) Cameron
(RB) Chandler
(LM) Bedoya
(CM) Bradley
(CM) Jones
(RM) Zusi
(FW) Dempsey
(FW) Altidore

 

[BrewKnurd]

The fact that there are players in the side that we had to beg to play for us bothers me, when you consider who we’ve left out. Timmy Chandler must be a phenomenal player in training.

Chandler has looked good in games as well, just not that last one.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Does anyone else think that the exclusion of Boyd says that Klinsmann busting out the 4-4-2 against Mexico wasn't just a one off thing and he's seriously coming around to the idea of the 4-4-2 after seeming to be (kind of) committed to a lone striker for so long?

 

[HoppyDaze]

five German-American players on the roster...

 

[bford]

Davis is a much better player than you are giving him credit for.. I don't think he will start.. But I think you might see him as a sub.. He is creative on the ball.. Has the hardest left foot shot we can out out there and is an assist machine.. He made it because he is in form and in shape.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Grannyknot]

23 man roster, & only 5 of them have previous world cup experience.
YEAR PLAYERS WITH WC EXPERIENCE
1998 8
2002 11
2006 10
2010 6
2014 5

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

23 man roster, & only 5 of them have previous world cup experience.
YEAR PLAYERS WITH WC EXPERIENCE
1998 8
2002 11
2006 10
2010 6
2014 5

I'm not at all sure that previous WC experience is too important. However, if it is, then if those 5 players make the first team, then 5 is plenty IMO.

Edit: I suppose I should explain my debilitating bias. I am a Southampton supporter WELL before I am an England supporter. We have 3 players in the world cup for England, all with no previous.......And I just want to see them all play! Nation be damned and go F itself, it's all about MY players!!

 

[BrewKnurd]

I'm not at all sure that previous WC experience is too important. However, if it is, then if those 5 players make the first team, then 5 is plenty IMO.

I waver on how important I think it is. I guess as a tiebreaker it can help, but I'm not sure if one really plays meaningfully different if they've had experience at the WC vs not. Perhaps in the locker room it means more, just from a confidence/leadership perspective? Dunno.

I do think its funny (although perhaps not unexpected) that Jurgen said today that the Brooks/Yedlin/Green choices had nothing to do with 2018. That they were 100% the best choices for right now. The man is either lying or crazy, and I guess I'm just hoping at this point that if its the latter, its a mad genius kind of crazy.

 

[Grannyknot]

I waver on how important I think it is. I guess as a tiebreaker it can help, but I'm not sure if one really plays meaningfully different if they've had experience at the WC vs not. Perhaps in the locker room it means more, just from a confidence/leadership perspective? Dunno.

I tend to agree, but I think its going to be more important this year. Playing the world cup in a 2nd world (borderline 3rd world) country with massive political unrest, terrible infrastructure, hostile atmosphere with very few US fans, & the worst travel schedule of any team, I'd like to have a few more players that experienced South Africa in there.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

2nd world (borderline 3rd world) country with massive political unrest, terrible infrastructure, hostile atmosphere.

They have hot girly fans with good looks and big ****ies. Did you not get the memo?

 

[Grannyknot]

They have hot girly fans with good looks and big ****ies. Did you not get the memo?

yeah...the cameras love to show the hot girls.

but when were playing in Manaus, its probably going to be more like...

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

yeah...the cameras love to show the hot girls.

but when were playing in Manaus, its probably going to be more like...

Yeah, sure, but I mentioned the hot girls. What part of "Hot girls" do you not understand? Get with the WC programme!!

 

[BrewKnurd]

Yeah, sure, but I mentioned the hot girls. What part of "Hot girls" do you not understand? Get with the WC programme!!

I will get with the program once you start spelling program correctly.

And really, I'm only posting to get the hot girl to show yup another time.

 

[BrewKnurd]

23 man roster, & only 5 of them have previous world cup experience.
YEAR PLAYERS WITH WC EXPERIENCE
1998 8
2002 11
2006 10
2010 6
2014 5

I think the more concerning things is not so much lack of WC experience, but low level of experience at all. The average number of nat team caps for the team is 33. I'll be totally honest and say i have no idea how this compares to other national teams. The median is 19, so half of the team has less then 19 caps.

If you remove the three most experienced, beasley, dempsey and howard, you're down to under 23 caps on average.

Who knows, maybe it will all work out.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

I think the more concerning things is not so much lack of WC experience, but low level of experience at all. The average number of nat team caps for the team is 33. I'll be totally honest and say i have no idea how this compares to other national teams. The median is 19, so half of the team has less then 19 caps.

If you remove the three most experienced, beasley, dempsey and howard, you're down to under 23 caps on average.

Who knows, maybe it will all work out.

Honestly, I'd rather see a team made entirely of 22 year olds and have a core group that could be together for up to three more WCs than send out players who used to be amazing.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Honestly, I'd rather see a team made entirely of 22 year olds and have a core group that could be together for up to three more WCs than send out players who used to be amazing.

Well if those are the only two options, I agree, but they're not. Besides, my point was just that it would be preferable for the players going to have had more experience. Not necessarily that I advocate picking other players just for additional experience. Obviously experience is just one factor to consider, but I have a hard time seeing how anyone could argue that additional experience isn't a positive. Whether it outweighs other issues, including age, tendency to injury, future potential, etc, is another story entirely.

My problems with banking on the argument of a core group that "could be together" for 3 more world cups is 1) they'd better be younger than 22, because 3 world cups from now those 22 year olds are 34 and are those players that "used to be amazing". And since the same "youth vs over the hill old farts" logic would apply then, they won't actually be useful at that point (at least not according to the logic being considered). So I would cap the number of future world cups that core will be the core to 2. I mean, I believe DMB is about to be the first american ever to play in 4 world cups, right? 2) the other problem with banking on the future is that the future never turns out exactly like we dream. Players get hurt, don't develop like we thought they would, etc, etc. So to a certain extent, the WC, particularly given its rarity, should be, IMO, a win now proposition, because you have no idea what 4 years from now is going to look like. I mean, if we'd picked a 2010 team based on potential for 2014 and beyond, what are the odds it would look anything like the 2014 team we have in front of us?

Bottom line, for me, is that there are plenty of places to develop those 22 year olds that aren't the WC. If they're not ready for the WC now, they shouldn't be there (with some rare exceptions). Now, if you have a 22 year old and a 32 year old that you believe are equally ready to contribute, then by all means, take the 22 year old.