The Soccer Thread

[Guest]

I have this fear of finishing 4th and Argentina finishing 5th. They better show up tomorrow with Gooch and Demerit being out.

 

I look at tomorrow as a must win. We have to get three points from a home game against El Salvador.

[shnsajax]

I have this fear of finishing 4th and Argentina finishing 5th. They better show up tomorrow with Gooch and Demerit being out.

 

I look at tomorrow as a must win. We have to get three points from a home game against El Salvador.

 

Without question. We need 6 just to get some breathing room after Wednesday.

[USSoccer]

The next two games probably will decide if we end up in the World Cup. Win both, and we're in. Drop points-especially tomorrow-and we're so hosed.

[Guest]

Apparently Arsenal's Eduardo got a two-match ban for diving. Right now it seems like they're singling him out but I hope this becomes the norm. A yellow card clearly isn't enough to get players to stop diving so maybe handing out bans will do the trick.

 

There's a hilarious quote in this soccernet story from Wales head coach John Toshack:

 

It came at the end of a terrific move, and don't forget he had been the victim of a bad injury and a bad tackle 18 months ago and he is only just back from his injury. He can see the Celtic goalkeeper flying out at him and I felt the lad was protecting himself. There is a difference between diving and getting out of the way of what could have been a nasty collision.

 

Who cares what he did before diving and who cares that he was injured previously. He also appeared to be dragging his legs in the hope of making contact with the GKers arms, which certainly isn't protecting himself.

 

This Toshack guy sounds like a complete dope.

[shnsajax]

Apparently Arsenal's Eduardo got a two-match ban for diving. Right now it seems like they're singling him out but I hope this becomes the norm. A yellow card clearly isn't enough to get players to stop diving so maybe handing out bans will do the trick.

 

There's a hilarious quote in this soccernet story from Wales head coach John Toshack:

 

It came at the end of a terrific move, and don't forget he had been the victim of a bad injury and a bad tackle 18 months ago and he is only just back from his injury. He can see the Celtic goalkeeper flying out at him and I felt the lad was protecting himself. There is a difference between diving and getting out of the way of what could have been a nasty collision.

 

Who cares what he did before diving and who cares that he was injured previously. He also appeared to be dragging his legs in the hope of making contact with the GKers arms, which certainly isn't protecting himself.

 

This Toshack guy sounds like a complete dope.

 

I don't mind the suspension for things like that, but I think fifa will be opening themselves up by starting this. Do they draw the line just at penalty spot situations, or when a mexico player goes down and pretends he was hit by another player hoping to get someone ejected. Lot of potential interpretation of this rule.

[Guest]

I'd suspend for any dive in which there is no contact, which is what happened with Eduardo. If there's contact, even if it's minimal, I wouldn't suspend. If you open it up to how much a guy embellished a dive after contact, then I think there would be some problems. But if by viewing replay, there's no contact, suspend the guy for a game or two. Doesn't matter where on the field it is, though I wouldn't mind seeing an extra game or something if you're trying to draw a PK.

[wvcbxl]

If the Chelsea appeal is rejected, I would guess that Lazio would want to pursue United for the Macheda signing.

 

If that appeal is rejected, there will be a flurry of similar cases.

The BBC has an interesting piece on the case, stressing the importance of the timing of the appeal.

[brinoch]

The next two games probably will decide if we end up in the World Cup. Win both, and we're in. Drop points-especially tomorrow-and we're so hosed.

 

You're over-reacting a bit. We can drop points on the road and be okay. Definitely not at home. For example, Mexico has no road points and is playing in Saprissa today.

 

ES and TT are done. That leaves CR, MEX, HON and US for the 4 spots. All that's left to determine is who has the playoff with CONMEBOL (which we really don't want of course).

[TruffleShuffle]

Apparently Arsenal's Eduardo got a two-match ban for diving. Right now it seems like they're singling him out but I hope this becomes the norm. A yellow card clearly isn't enough to get players to stop diving so maybe handing out bans will do the trick.

 

There's a hilarious quote in this soccernet story from Wales head coach John Toshack:

 

It came at the end of a terrific move, and don't forget he had been the victim of a bad injury and a bad tackle 18 months ago and he is only just back from his injury. He can see the Celtic goalkeeper flying out at him and I felt the lad was protecting himself. There is a difference between diving and getting out of the way of what could have been a nasty collision.

 

Who cares what he did before diving and who cares that he was injured previously. He also appeared to be dragging his legs in the hope of making contact with the GKers arms, which certainly isn't protecting himself.

 

This Toshack guy sounds like a complete dope.

 

i saw highlights of a game recently, i think it was arsenal and man U (if i remember correctly) - some guy from arsenal was going between a pair of defenders and just went down like a sack of bricks; the referee properly assessed him a yellow for diving. it was comical when you watched it in slow motion.

[USSoccer]

The next two games probably will decide if we end up in the World Cup. Win both, and we're in. Drop points-especially tomorrow-and we're so hosed.

 

You're over-reacting a bit. We can drop points on the road and be okay. Definitely not at home. For example, Mexico has no road points and is playing in Saprissa today.

 

ES and TT are done. That leaves CR, MEX, HON and US for the 4 spots. All that's left to determine is who has the playoff with CONMEBOL (which we really don't want of course).

 

I would rather qualifying not come down to Honduras away and Costa Rica at home. These two fixtures are the two most winnable matches left. Win them, and we'd have to choke to end up facing the CONMEBOL 5th place side.

[shnsajax]

The next two games probably will decide if we end up in the World Cup. Win both, and we're in. Drop points-especially tomorrow-and we're so hosed.

 

You're over-reacting a bit. We can drop points on the road and be okay. Definitely not at home. For example, Mexico has no road points and is playing in Saprissa today.

 

ES and TT are done. That leaves CR, MEX, HON and US for the 4 spots. All that's left to determine is who has the playoff with CONMEBOL (which we really don't want of course).

 

I would rather qualifying not come down to Honduras away and Costa Rica at home. These two fixtures are the two most winnable matches left. Win them, and we'd have to choke to end up facing the CONMEBOL 5th place side.

 

The only brightside is that Costa Rica could have already qualified by the time of the last game and might rest some of their players. 6 points is great, 4 is ok, 3 is bad, and thing less and we are pretty much getting 4th in the group.

[Guest]

Yeah. Best case scenario is CR gets four points from Mexico and El Salvador (preferably beating Mexico) and then beats T&T, which would leave them with 19 points. If CR beats Mexico and gets seven points, they'll for sure be in by the time they play us since Mexico would have, at most 16 points.

[USSoccer]

Marshall and Boca in the center of defense, Bornstein and Specs as the backs.

 

Benny and Mikey in the center, LD and Deuce on the wings.

 

Jozy and Charlie up front.

 

Nothing really to be upset about right there. Lets break their bunker.

 

3-0, Dempsey, Jozy and Davies.

[USSoccer]

CONCACAF is awesome. How we are getting no calls despite being at home is beyond me.

[USSoccer]

[expletive] Bornstein

[USSoccer]

Come ON Clint

[Jon]

Pretty second goal.

[USSoccer]

Ok...

 

Chuck D has been the best player on the pitch by a mile.

 

Deuce should have 3 right now, but that was a clutch finish.

 

Jozy was invisible until that last goal. He needs to be sharper.

 

Howard's positioning on the Sallie's goal was horrid. His positioning needs serious work.

 

We need to put up a couple more.

[USSoccer]

Holy ish, Brasil is winning 2-0. Maradona is gonna get sacked.

[USSoccer]

-How is that not a yellow?

 

-Mikey needs to finish that.

[Jon]

My goodness what an awful call...

[USSoccer]

Ridiculous. CONCACAF refs are, bar none, the worst on the planet. We should import UEFA refs for our quallies.

[Jon]

Are they paying any attention at all? A two-handed knock down at his head with arms out, no call.

[USSoccer]

The ref is going to make sure this one goes down to the wire. Thats at least a yellow for intentional handball and no call.

[USSoccer]

This is embarrassing for FIFA