The Soccer Thread

[Jon]

Just finished watching the second half on TIVO and Ching and Beasley's misses in the second half still infuriate me.

 

Mostly Beasley's.

 

But Howard's save...awesome. I didn't really appreciate it until I saw it on the big screen.

[Guest]

I can't believe there were so many Mexican supporters in a game in Chicago...that's disappointing.

[wolf stansson]

rumor going around is that Beasley is heading to Rangers in the SPL. solid club, even though they've been dominated by celtic the past few years.

All the best to him, but I just think he is too slight to be much of a factor. Gets pushed around too much.

 

I can't believe there were so many Mexican supporters in a game in Chicago...that's disappointing.

 

I suppose it is dumb to make excuses because we know the real problem is the lack of support for soccer by americans, but Chicago does have a huge Mexican population. Certainly enough to sell out Soldier Field.

[USSoccer]

Good god what a great game. I even had things thrown at me.

[sethuel1]

Good god what a great game. I even had things thrown at me.

 

I got a beer shower from afar. my buddy Yoaav got a direct beer shower.

 

i didn't even bust out the "Puto marquez" chant.

[Guest]

I can't believe there were so many Mexican supporters in a game in Chicago...that's disappointing.

 

I suppose it is dumb to make excuses because we know the real problem is the lack of support for soccer by americans, but Chicago does have a huge Mexican population. Certainly enough to sell out Soldier Field.

 

Yeah, Chicago is a huge city and that's why there'd be a large Mexican crowd (and yeah, the whole not much support from Americans). I just was hoping that if the games weren't in Cali, Glendale, AZ and Texas, the crowd would be more pro-American.

[Jon]

All I got was a smoke bomb in the back. Had to pick it up and toss it onto the field to get rid of it. Kinda hot.

[shnsajax]

Does anyone know if they are going to show this on tape delay any time, might just look for highlights? Got stuck at work all day so i missed it.

 

Glad to see a come from behind win against mexico. This should make them suck it a little more than usual.

[shnsajax]

wow. Espn.com article on the game actually calls Brian Ching a carbon copy of Brian McBride. I'm sorry, but did he ever actually watch McBride play for the US.

[sethuel1]

wow. Espn.com article on the game actually calls Brian Ching a carbon copy of Brian McBride. I'm sorry, but did he ever actually watch McBride play for the US.

 

Ching made a tremendous play to turn a defender and Sanchez, but then he blew the easy part and hit the post.

 

Overall, today he did very well, and at the top of his game he can be very McBride-like. But he isn't consistently that way.

[brinoch]

wow. Espn.com article on the game actually calls Brian Ching a carbon copy of Brian McBride. I'm sorry, but did he ever actually watch McBride play for the US.

 

Ching made a tremendous play to turn a defender and Sanchez, but then he blew the easy part and hit the post.

 

Overall, today he did very well, and at the top of his game he can be very McBride-like. But he isn't consistently that way.

 

Ching didn't look too bad, all in all. He missed an easy puppy, and still needs to learn to finish. I'd rather have Ching in there over Johnson or Twellman. I think the US needs to look at perhaps making Beasley a forward in the Thierry Henry mold. He's certainly got the pace for it, if not the finishing instinct.

 

The defense still needs a lot of work. No one marked anyone. It seemed that on every corner Mexico got a head on the ball, but couldn't direct it goalwards. Gooch looked better and I though Spector did a decent job against a tough Mexico left side, but Bocanegra and Bornstein were less than impressive. Bocanegra looks better than he is, in many ways, because he does recover well, kind of like Hejduk.

 

That said, the US should have won this game about 4-1. Mexico's first goal was terrible. The midfield and defense simply fell asleep and let Mexico run through, but Howard was unbelievable on that shot near the end. Mexico did enough for a goal (and perhaps two).

 

On the Beasley muff, Donovan made a nice pass and hit Beasley in stride. That was a gimme goal. End of story. Ching's, while tougher, was also an empty net and should have scored.

[shnsajax]

wow. Espn.com article on the game actually calls Brian Ching a carbon copy of Brian McBride. I'm sorry, but did he ever actually watch McBride play for the US.

 

Ching made a tremendous play to turn a defender and Sanchez, but then he blew the easy part and hit the post.

 

Overall, today he did very well, and at the top of his game he can be very McBride-like. But he isn't consistently that way.

 

Ching didn't look too bad, all in all. He missed an easy puppy, and still needs to learn to finish. I'd rather have Ching in there over Johnson or Twellman. I think the US needs to look at perhaps making Beasley a forward in the Thierry Henry mold. He's certainly got the pace for it, if not the finishing instinct.

 

The defense still needs a lot of work. No one marked anyone. It seemed that on every corner Mexico got a head on the ball, but couldn't direct it goalwards. Gooch looked better and I though Spector did a decent job against a tough Mexico left side, but Bocanegra and Bornstein were less than impressive. Bocanegra looks better than he is, in many ways, because he does recover well, kind of like Hejduk.

 

That said, the US should have won this game about 4-1. Mexico's first goal was terrible. The midfield and defense simply fell asleep and let Mexico run through, but Howard was unbelievable on that shot near the end. Mexico did enough for a goal (and perhaps two).

 

On the Beasley muff, Donovan made a nice pass and hit Beasley in stride. That was a gimme goal. End of story. Ching's, while tougher, was also an empty net and should have scored.

 

I have never seen Ching finish anywhere near at the level that McBride did on a regular basis. I've seen him put himself in position to, I just think McBride was very underappreciated for what he did at a very consistant level.

[sethuel1]

wow. Espn.com article on the game actually calls Brian Ching a carbon copy of Brian McBride. I'm sorry, but did he ever actually watch McBride play for the US.

 

Ching made a tremendous play to turn a defender and Sanchez, but then he blew the easy part and hit the post.

 

Overall, today he did very well, and at the top of his game he can be very McBride-like. But he isn't consistently that way.

 

Ching didn't look too bad, all in all. He missed an easy puppy, and still needs to learn to finish. I'd rather have Ching in there over Johnson or Twellman. I think the US needs to look at perhaps making Beasley a forward in the Thierry Henry mold. He's certainly got the pace for it, if not the finishing instinct.

 

The defense still needs a lot of work. No one marked anyone. It seemed that on every corner Mexico got a head on the ball, but couldn't direct it goalwards. Gooch looked better and I though Spector did a decent job against a tough Mexico left side, but Bocanegra and Bornstein were less than impressive. Bocanegra looks better than he is, in many ways, because he does recover well, kind of like Hejduk.

 

That said, the US should have won this game about 4-1. Mexico's first goal was terrible. The midfield and defense simply fell asleep and let Mexico run through, but Howard was unbelievable on that shot near the end. Mexico did enough for a goal (and perhaps two).

 

On the Beasley muff, Donovan made a nice pass and hit Beasley in stride. That was a gimme goal. End of story. Ching's, while tougher, was also an empty net and should have scored.

 

I have never seen Ching finish anywhere near at the level that McBride did on a regular basis. I've seen him put himself in position to, I just think McBride was very underappreciated for what he did at a very consistant level.

 

i was more referring to the holdup and aerial play of Mcbride and less to the finishing. I will definitely concede the point that Ching can't hold a candle to McHead in that regard.

 

Also, Bornstein gets caught out of position and overplaying constantly, and a lot of Mexico's offense developed from that. I'm interested to see what Pearce looks like in the Copa America.

[shnsajax]

wow. Espn.com article on the game actually calls Brian Ching a carbon copy of Brian McBride. I'm sorry, but did he ever actually watch McBride play for the US.

 

Ching made a tremendous play to turn a defender and Sanchez, but then he blew the easy part and hit the post.

 

Overall, today he did very well, and at the top of his game he can be very McBride-like. But he isn't consistently that way.

 

Ching didn't look too bad, all in all. He missed an easy puppy, and still needs to learn to finish. I'd rather have Ching in there over Johnson or Twellman. I think the US needs to look at perhaps making Beasley a forward in the Thierry Henry mold. He's certainly got the pace for it, if not the finishing instinct.

 

The defense still needs a lot of work. No one marked anyone. It seemed that on every corner Mexico got a head on the ball, but couldn't direct it goalwards. Gooch looked better and I though Spector did a decent job against a tough Mexico left side, but Bocanegra and Bornstein were less than impressive. Bocanegra looks better than he is, in many ways, because he does recover well, kind of like Hejduk.

 

That said, the US should have won this game about 4-1. Mexico's first goal was terrible. The midfield and defense simply fell asleep and let Mexico run through, but Howard was unbelievable on that shot near the end. Mexico did enough for a goal (and perhaps two).

 

On the Beasley muff, Donovan made a nice pass and hit Beasley in stride. That was a gimme goal. End of story. Ching's, while tougher, was also an empty net and should have scored.

 

I have never seen Ching finish anywhere near at the level that McBride did on a regular basis. I've seen him put himself in position to, I just think McBride was very underappreciated for what he did at a very consistant level.

 

i was more referring to the holdup and aerial play of Mcbride and less to the finishing. I will definitely concede the point that Ching can't hold a candle to McHead in that regard.

 

Also, Bornstein gets caught out of position and overplaying constantly, and a lot of Mexico's offense developed from that. I'm interested to see what Pearce looks like in the Copa America.

 

Missing today's game doesn't help me any. Not to metion not seeing highlights yet either :-(.

[USSoccer]

Bornstein and Spector got caught upfield way too often today.

 

As much as I loathe him, Oswaldo Sanchez was very good in goal. He had 2 saves on Dempsey that were very, very good.

[USSoccer]

Good god what a great game. I even had things thrown at me.

 

I got a beer shower from afar. my buddy Yoaav got a direct beer shower.

 

i didn't even bust out the "Puto marquez" chant.

 

For the most part the Mexican fans were really friendly. I had a few try and start something with me a few times, especially leaving the field.

 

One guy cried when Benny's shot went in. That was a sodding rip. I still can't believe how perfect of a volley that was.

[shnsajax]

Good god what a great game. I even had things thrown at me.

 

I got a beer shower from afar. my buddy Yoaav got a direct beer shower.

 

i didn't even bust out the "Puto marquez" chant.

 

For the most part the Mexican fans were really friendly. I had a few try and start something with me a few times, especially leaving the field.

 

One guy cried when Benny's shot went in. That was a sodding rip. I still can't believe how perfect of a volley that was.

 

In an unlawful country like Mexico it would have been very different ;-). Not to mention many more grown men crying after the US won.

[shnsajax]

looking for highlights since sportscenter blows I found this.

 

 

The 2 minute mark shows Mexico at its finest against Lalas. The last scene says it all.

[Balsa]

GREAT game.....at least the pieces I caught flipping back and forth from the Cubs game.

 

Beasley missed a gimme goal, and that upset me, but I'm glad we won.

 

That second US goal was just SICK.

 

Glad we could beat Mexico.

 

For those who went, how much were the tickets/how hard were they to get?

[sethuel1]

GREAT game.....at least the pieces I caught flipping back and forth from the Cubs game.

 

Beasley missed a gimme goal, and that upset me, but I'm glad we won.

 

That second US goal was just SICK.

 

Glad we could beat Mexico.

 

For those who went, how much were the tickets/how hard were they to get?

 

I paid $38 a seat, including fees, right when they went on sale, and was ten rows from the field behind the North goal (from now on to be known as the Benny Feilhaber goal)

 

Other tickets in the corners/midfield were $60 and $75 plus fees, I think.

 

Tickets were very hard to come by the last several days (it sold out soon after the semis on Thursday)

[Guest]

I missed the second goal because I had gone back to see Ozzie piss and moan...bastard made me miss the goal.

[sethuel1]

I missed the second goal because I had gone back to see Ozzie piss and moan...bastard made me miss the goal.

youtube it. it's a thing of beauty

[Marco4]

I missed the second goal because I had gone back to see Ozzie piss and moan...bastard made me miss the goal.

youtube it. it's a thing of beauty

 

Strewth. You're not kidding.

[ZFan38]

It should've been Canada vs Mexico.

[Marco4]

There's that site I was wittering on about. Gold Cup links up already, so its pretty prompt. I'll be keeping an eye on it.