The Official World Cup Thread

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Croatia really blew a great chance there. Just kick the ball.

 

Shoulda been a PK for Croatia. Woulda been more deserved than Ghana's.

[AI]

I finally got to watch a game live, and it's the game we get bounced...

 

I hope Claudio Reyna never plays another minute for the USMNT. He is useless. He consistently makes cripplingly bad decisions, slows the pace of attacks down which plays to our weakness, and is an offensive nonfactor. His crap decision making with the ball v ITA and his junior high-eque giveaway today cost the US both games. For your captain and supposedly most experienced player to not realize that it's stupid to dribble out of the back is unforgiveable. I cannot, cannot stand watching him on the field for the US.

 

Landon Donovan needs to shut up and go play in England or Spain and learn how to finish. He was by far the most dissapointing player in the 3 games. It certainly didn't help that Arena played him out of position the entire tournament, but he didn't do anything either. If he wants to stay in MLS, he'll never progress beyond a CONCACAF impact player.

 

Beasley sucked with the exception of one non-goal and one pretty assist to Dempsey. He played tentatively the entire Cup.

 

Bocanegra's clearance put Gooch in a crap position on the PK foul, but there is no planet that exists where that little bit of contact deserves a PK in stoppage time at the end of a half. Terrible, terrible call. Just awful.

 

Once again, terrible service from the wings, and flat out pathetic set pieces.

 

The US will continue to struggle against top competition until the develop a real striker and better wing players. Dempsey took his goal well, but I am thinking he might be better served in more of a central role. Convey looked aggressive but couldn't put a pass on target the entire time.

 

What a depressing setback for soccer in the US.

 

I echo most of your sentiments, but want to add a few things. First of all, can anyone defend the coaching decisions of Bruce Arena? I have always been a suporter, but the lineups, the in game decisions and the strategies were all wrong. One forward setups are terrible. You neutralize the skills of McBride by leaving him up there alone.

 

When I look at the good teams in the cup, I notice one thing, they all have one or two very creative, attacking midfielder. We don't have that. Additionally, could we be any less of a threat on set pieces and conversely, could we be any worse at defending them? Not likely.

 

I would love to see Juergen Klinsmann coach this team to South Africa. This will all be for naught, however, if we cannot come up with a more creative attack and get better on set plays. I still have faith in the future of US Soccer (the team and the NSBB poster :) ), but this was embarrassing.

[soccer10k]

Simunic should be out of there. He received a yellow card in the 62 minute and just got another one.

[goonys evil twin]

The picnic tables are getting carded left and right.

[soccer10k]

"How many cards can you get unless it's Christmas time or something?" - Tommy Smyth after Simunic got what seemed to be his third yellow card of the match.

[sweetpeteman]

I'm confused... What just happened?

[Jon]

I'm confused... What just happened?

Who cares, the confusion was entertaining.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

That certainly was odd. Haha.

[soccer10k]

I'm confused... What just happened?

Who cares, the confusion was entertaining.

 

I agree. Tommy Smyth is hilarious.

[sethuel1]

I finally got to watch a game live, and it's the game we get bounced...

 

I hope Claudio Reyna never plays another minute for the USMNT. He is useless. He consistently makes cripplingly bad decisions, slows the pace of attacks down which plays to our weakness, and is an offensive nonfactor. His crap decision making with the ball v ITA and his junior high-eque giveaway today cost the US both games. For your captain and supposedly most experienced player to not realize that it's stupid to dribble out of the back is unforgiveable. I cannot, cannot stand watching him on the field for the US.

 

Landon Donovan needs to shut up and go play in England or Spain and learn how to finish. He was by far the most dissapointing player in the 3 games. It certainly didn't help that Arena played him out of position the entire tournament, but he didn't do anything either. If he wants to stay in MLS, he'll never progress beyond a CONCACAF impact player.

 

Beasley sucked with the exception of one non-goal and one pretty assist to Dempsey. He played tentatively the entire Cup.

 

Bocanegra's clearance put Gooch in a crap position on the PK foul, but there is no planet that exists where that little bit of contact deserves a PK in stoppage time at the end of a half. Terrible, terrible call. Just awful.

 

Once again, terrible service from the wings, and flat out pathetic set pieces.

 

The US will continue to struggle against top competition until the develop a real striker and better wing players. Dempsey took his goal well, but I am thinking he might be better served in more of a central role. Convey looked aggressive but couldn't put a pass on target the entire time.

 

What a depressing setback for soccer in the US.

 

I echo most of your sentiments, but want to add a few things. First of all, can anyone defend the coaching decisions of Bruce Arena? I have always been a suporter, but the lineups, the in game decisions and the strategies were all wrong. One forward setups are terrible. You neutralize the skills of McBride by leaving him up there alone.

 

When I look at the good teams in the cup, I notice one thing, they all have one or two very creative, attacking midfielder. We don't have that. Additionally, could we be any less of a threat on set pieces and conversely, could we be any worse at defending them? Not likely.

 

I would love to see Juergen Klinsmann coach this team to South Africa. This will all be for naught, however, if we cannot come up with a more creative attack and get better on set plays. I still have faith in the future of US Soccer (the team and the NSBB poster :) ), but this was embarrassing.

 

Arena tied the hands of Beasley this whole tournament. The first game he played him on his off-wing. The second game he came in as a sub and played admirably. Today he played him in the middle, where Beasley was supposed to hold the ball. Are you kidding me? The guy weighs 120 pounds soaking wet. He gave it a good shot though, and did a pretty good job of tracking back, and a decent job of holding the ball considering his size. Nevertheless, he was completely out of his element. But that's not his fault. he showed some decent heart today, which is a lot more than i can say for....

 

Donovan is total, total crap. Crap, crap crap. Crappity crappity crap. Super-duper mondo crap. Crap of the nth degree. Massive, have-to-change-my-pants crap.

 

Johnson and Convey were terrible coming in as subs.

 

olson was actually decent. I was surprised. however, his presence today means that John O'Brien is actually deceased. Oh well.

 

Reyna was dispossessed completely legally, and should be smacked in the face for it with a wet hankie.

 

That was a terrible penalty call. I will never again see a german dentist.

 

Ghana are screwed vs. Brazil.

 

Hooray for Australia.

[USSoccer]

I finally got to watch a game live, and it's the game we get bounced...

 

I hope Claudio Reyna never plays another minute for the USMNT. He is useless. He consistently makes cripplingly bad decisions, slows the pace of attacks down which plays to our weakness, and is an offensive nonfactor. His crap decision making with the ball v ITA and his junior high-eque giveaway today cost the US both games. For your captain and supposedly most experienced player to not realize that it's stupid to dribble out of the back is unforgiveable. I cannot, cannot stand watching him on the field for the US.

 

Landon Donovan needs to shut up and go play in England or Spain and learn how to finish. He was by far the most dissapointing player in the 3 games. It certainly didn't help that Arena played him out of position the entire tournament, but he didn't do anything either. If he wants to stay in MLS, he'll never progress beyond a CONCACAF impact player.

 

Beasley sucked with the exception of one non-goal and one pretty assist to Dempsey. He played tentatively the entire Cup.

 

Bocanegra's clearance put Gooch in a crap position on the PK foul, but there is no planet that exists where that little bit of contact deserves a PK in stoppage time at the end of a half. Terrible, terrible call. Just awful.

 

Once again, terrible service from the wings, and flat out pathetic set pieces.

 

The US will continue to struggle against top competition until the develop a real striker and better wing players. Dempsey took his goal well, but I am thinking he might be better served in more of a central role. Convey looked aggressive but couldn't put a pass on target the entire time.

 

What a depressing setback for soccer in the US.

 

I echo most of your sentiments, but want to add a few things. First of all, can anyone defend the coaching decisions of Bruce Arena? I have always been a suporter, but the lineups, the in game decisions and the strategies were all wrong. One forward setups are terrible. You neutralize the skills of McBride by leaving him up there alone.

 

When I look at the good teams in the cup, I notice one thing, they all have one or two very creative, attacking midfielder. We don't have that. Additionally, could we be any less of a threat on set pieces and conversely, could we be any worse at defending them? Not likely.

 

I would love to see Juergen Klinsmann coach this team to South Africa. This will all be for naught, however, if we cannot come up with a more creative attack and get better on set plays. I still have faith in the future of US Soccer (the team and the NSBB poster :) ), but this was embarrassing.

 

Arena was definetly exposed during this tournament as a somewhat lacking tactician. His managing of the Czech game was just awful, and his formations today were baffling.

 

RynoRules, I think, asked if this was the most dissapointing performance ever. I'd have to say no. 1998 was far, far worse than this. I'm still upset at the US play, but the facts are that we lost to the best African team and a very strong Czech team, and outplayed Italy. Should we have advanced? On paper, yeah, but this is international soccer. We got hosed by some calls, hit a couple posts, and that's that. We played much better in the final two games, and it's just a bummer that another very questionable call and poor service cost us a win today.

 

Arena has taken the team as far as he could, but when building a sport, you plateau on the way to the next step. Clearly with the next generation of US players like Adu, Lee Nguyen and Jonathon Spector on the radar, we need a coach that's more in line with European styles of play. Klinsmann, IMO, would make an excellent choice. Offensive minded, lives in CA, and could probably impart a great deal of wisdom to Eddie Johnson and Donovan.

[USSoccer]

 

Arena tied the hands of Beasley this whole tournament. The first game he played him on his off-wing. The second game he came in as a sub and played admirably. Today he played him in the middle, where Beasley was supposed to hold the ball. Are you kidding me? The guy weighs 120 pounds soaking wet. He gave it a good shot though, and did a pretty good job of tracking back, and a decent job of holding the ball considering his size. Nevertheless, he was completely out of his element. But that's not his fault. he showed some decent heart today, which is a lot more than i can say for....

 

Donovan is total, total crap. Crap, crap crap. Crappity crappity crap. Super-duper mondo crap. Crap of the nth degree. Massive, have-to-change-my-pants crap.

 

Johnson and Convey were terrible coming in as subs.

 

olson was actually decent. I was surprised. however, his presence today means that John O'Brien is actually deceased. Oh well.

 

Reyna was dispossessed completely legally, and should be smacked in the face for it with a wet hankie.

 

That was a terrible penalty call. I will never again see a german dentist.

 

Ghana are screwed vs. Brazil.

 

Hooray for Australia.

 

Beasley screwed himself plenty, too, but I simply have no idea why Arena chose to play a 4-5-1 with Beasley basically playing a holding mid.

 

Olson was okay. He whiffed embarrasingly on that late attempt, though. We really, really missed Mastro today. If Mastro is playing, Reyna isn't in that position to make another stupid decision.

 

I cannot wait for Brazil to obliterate Ghana.

[USSoccer]

Here is my Fred Hornkhol impression:

 

Of all 32 teams in Germany, the U.S. will finish No. 32 in terms of shots on goal with four. The next worse is Trinidad and Tobago with seven. Iran have 19. England, 21. Germany lead the pack with 27.

[Marco4]

England have 21 - but only 5 goals - that's a goal every 4.2 shots, although one of them was an own goal.

 

USA have 1 - from 4 shots - everyone can work out that average.

[sethuel1]

Klinsmann, IMO, would make an excellent choice. Offensive minded, lives in CA, and could probably impart a great deal of wisdom to Eddie Johnson and Donovan.

 

I'll impart some wisdom on Landon Donovan.

 

"get the hell off this team! Go to Europe, learn to play again, then come back and I might give you a roster spot."

[soccer10k]

Final Group F Standings

Team        W    D    L    P   GS   GA   GD
Brazil      3    0    0    9    7    1    6
Australia   1    1    1    4    3    3    0
Croatia     0    2    1    2    3    3   -1
Japan       0    1    2    1    2    7   -5

 

Brazil and Australia advance.

[soccer10k]

Time to post the games for Friday June 23. We will have the final group stage games for both Groups G and H.

 

Here are the current standings:

 

Group G

Team          W    D    L    P   GS   GA   GD
Switzerland   1    1    0    4    2    1    2
South Korea   1    1    0    4    3    2    1
France        0    2    0    2    1    1    0
Togo          0    0    2    0    1    4   -3

 

France v Togo 12 PM PT ESPN

Switzerland v South Korea 12 PM PT ESPN 2

 

Switzerland wins the group with a victory or a tie and a France loss or tie but will advance will a loss and a France loss or tie. South Korea wins the group with a victory but will advance with a tie or a loss and a France loss or tie (for both cases). France advances with a victory and either a Switzerland or South Korea loss. Togo has been eliminated. If Switzerland ties South Korea and France wins there will be a three way tie for first place and I have absolutely no idea what would happen.

 

Group H

Team           W    D    L    P   GS   GA   GD
Spain          2    0    0    6    7    1    6
Ukraine        1    0    1    3    4    4    0
Tunisia        0    1    1    1    3    5   -2
Saudi Arabia   0    1    1    1    2    6   -4

 

Saudi Arabia v Spain 7 AM PT ESPN

Ukraine v Tunisia 7 AM PT ESPN 2

 

Spain has already advance but can win the group with a victory or a tie or a loss and a Ukraine loss or tie. Ukraine can advance with a victory or a tie and a Saudi Arabia loss or tie or with a loss and a Saudi Arabia loss or tie. Tunisia can advance with a victory and a Saudi Arabia loss or tie. Saudi Arabia could advance with a victory and either a Tunisia victory or a Ukraine tie but that would be on goal differential.

 

The winner of Group G will play the runner up of Group H (and vice versa) in the Round of 16.

[AI]

I finally got to watch a game live, and it's the game we get bounced...

 

I hope Claudio Reyna never plays another minute for the USMNT. He is useless. He consistently makes cripplingly bad decisions, slows the pace of attacks down which plays to our weakness, and is an offensive nonfactor. His crap decision making with the ball v ITA and his junior high-eque giveaway today cost the US both games. For your captain and supposedly most experienced player to not realize that it's stupid to dribble out of the back is unforgiveable. I cannot, cannot stand watching him on the field for the US.

 

Landon Donovan needs to shut up and go play in England or Spain and learn how to finish. He was by far the most dissapointing player in the 3 games. It certainly didn't help that Arena played him out of position the entire tournament, but he didn't do anything either. If he wants to stay in MLS, he'll never progress beyond a CONCACAF impact player.

 

Beasley sucked with the exception of one non-goal and one pretty assist to Dempsey. He played tentatively the entire Cup.

 

Bocanegra's clearance put Gooch in a crap position on the PK foul, but there is no planet that exists where that little bit of contact deserves a PK in stoppage time at the end of a half. Terrible, terrible call. Just awful.

 

Once again, terrible service from the wings, and flat out pathetic set pieces.

 

The US will continue to struggle against top competition until the develop a real striker and better wing players. Dempsey took his goal well, but I am thinking he might be better served in more of a central role. Convey looked aggressive but couldn't put a pass on target the entire time.

 

What a depressing setback for soccer in the US.

 

I echo most of your sentiments, but want to add a few things. First of all, can anyone defend the coaching decisions of Bruce Arena? I have always been a suporter, but the lineups, the in game decisions and the strategies were all wrong. One forward setups are terrible. You neutralize the skills of McBride by leaving him up there alone.

 

When I look at the good teams in the cup, I notice one thing, they all have one or two very creative, attacking midfielder. We don't have that. Additionally, could we be any less of a threat on set pieces and conversely, could we be any worse at defending them? Not likely.

 

I would love to see Juergen Klinsmann coach this team to South Africa. This will all be for naught, however, if we cannot come up with a more creative attack and get better on set plays. I still have faith in the future of US Soccer (the team and the NSBB poster :) ), but this was embarrassing.

 

Arena was definetly exposed during this tournament as a somewhat lacking tactician. His managing of the Czech game was just awful, and his formations today were baffling.

 

RynoRules, I think, asked if this was the most dissapointing performance ever. I'd have to say no. 1998 was far, far worse than this. I'm still upset at the US play, but the facts are that we lost to the best African team and a very strong Czech team, and outplayed Italy. Should we have advanced? On paper, yeah, but this is international soccer. We got hosed by some calls, hit a couple posts, and that's that. We played much better in the final two games, and it's just a bummer that another very questionable call and poor service cost us a win today.

 

Arena has taken the team as far as he could, but when building a sport, you plateau on the way to the next step. Clearly with the next generation of US players like Adu, Lee Nguyen and Jonathon Spector on the radar, we need a coach that's more in line with European styles of play. Klinsmann, IMO, would make an excellent choice. Offensive minded, lives in CA, and could probably impart a great deal of wisdom to Eddie Johnson and Donovan.

 

US, is there any doubt that Arena is gone? Additionally, while I know its early, would we have a shot at Klinsmann? Will the Germans bring him back.

 

As an aside, I am studying for the bar in July and so I have been limited in the amount of Cup I have been able to watch, but has anyone gotten more of the shaft from the officials than us? Granted, we don't deserve to advance, but from the red cards in the Italy game to the worst PK call ever, it was infuriating. I know the rest of the world hates us and in know way wants us to take the one game at which they can beat us consistently, but it was ridiculous.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I am all kinds of pissed off right now. I'll just go down the list.

 

FIFA. Screw you. We deserved a better group than this, and so did the Czechs. Unbelievable how strong this group is in comparison to the others.

 

Larrionda. Screw you. You stole 3 points away from us when we actually played well.

 

Merk. Screw you. A PK for that? When dozens of even worse dives and actual fouls have gone uncalled in this cup? Embarrassing.

 

Arena. Screw you. It's the World Cup, you have to go for it. You coached not to lose, and your players showed a lack of preparedness.

 

Beasley and Donovan. You clowns bought into your own overhype, or at the least you played like it. Out of position or not, a complete lack of assertiveness.

 

The Czechs. Screw you. I know we completely sucked against you, but where were the 40 yard upper 90's strikes from Rosicky after you finished laying waste to us?

 

The Italians. Screw you you dirty hacks.

 

I'm sure I'll think of more later.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Donovan played like he was scared. Maybe all of the criticism from the Europeans have affected his play internationally. There's no way he looked like the finisher that he could/should be. The old guys on this squad need to head off to pasture and let the next generation step in. Very disappointing but hopefully there will be some good soccer let in this tournament.

[sethuel1]

I was so pissed off at halftime that my buddy asked me if I was gonna be ok or if I had to leave the bar.

[sethuel1]

Check this picture out:

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/images/bs060617wej35.jpg

[AI]

In all my displeasure with the US players and coaches, I forgot to hate on a lot of the players in the World Cup. You diving, faking, flopping fakers are the reason that Americans hate soccer. Instead of calling a foul on the player in the vicinity and handing out yellow cards to the "foulers", how about penalize all the diving. The Italians and the Ghanans were by far the worst offenders I watched, but it was an epidemic. It made me not want to watch. That's not athletics, its theatre. If I wanted that garbage I'd watch professional wrestling.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

In all my displeasure with the US players and coaches, I forgot to hate on a lot of the players in the World Cup. You diving, faking, flopping fakers are the reason that Americans hate soccer. Instead of calling a foul on the player in the vicinity and handing out yellow cards to the "foulers", how about penalize all the diving. The Italians and the Ghanans were by far the worst offenders I watched, but it was an epidemic. It made me not want to watch. That's not athletics, its theatre. If I wanted that garbage I'd watch professional wrestling.

 

It's impossible to card though. The problem is players embellishing actual fouls worse than they actually are. How can you card someone and basically send a "I know for sure you aren't that hurt" message?

[USSoccer]

Klinsmann, IMO, would make an excellent choice. Offensive minded, lives in CA, and could probably impart a great deal of wisdom to Eddie Johnson and Donovan.

 

I'll impart some wisdom on Landon Donovan.

 

"get the hell off this team! Go to Europe, learn to play again, then come back and I might give you a roster spot."

 

1000000% agreed. He needs to get over his silly homesickness for the sake of his international career, unless he wants to peak as Eric Wynalda.

 

And after the PK, I just had my head in my hands. I just came to expect getting shafted by the refs after that. When you're a ref, and you call that kind of foul in the 18, you're basically saying "If that foul doesn't happen, they have a clear shot on goal, so therefore here's a free goal". Merk gave Ghana a goal they didn't earn, and for that matter, so did Neifi Reyna.