The Soccer Thread

[USSoccer]

http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/

FIFA’s Laws of the Game state the following:

 

The act of charging an opponent is challenging for space using physical contact within the playing distance of the ball without using arms or elbows.

 

Here is how it explains the official's actions:

 

Dempsey had taken a poor touch on the ball and played the ball into space forward while moving in a pacey manner. The Salvadorian defender attempted to win the ball with a clean challenge to which Dempsey responded by lunging, studs out at the defender, bringing him to the ground while achieving the goal of poking the ball forward to Altidore who was in an onside position. This is a foul if you stick to the letter of the law. It is as simple an explanation as that.

 

I can't call bs loud enough.

 

That's pure, pure crap. That call never ever gets made.

[shnsajax]

not getting off work till 8, debating on trying to watch a live feed or just waiting till I get home to watch the dvr

[wolf stansson]

The lineup:

 

 

 

-----------------------TH--------------------------

--JS----------OO--------------CB-------------JB--

--CD-------MB----------------RC-------------LD--

-------------JA--------------CD-------------------

 

Reserves

6-Cherundolo

7-Holden

11-Ching

14-Torres

15-Marshall

16-Feilhaber

18-Guzan

[USSoccer]

We don't look all that good so far. Everyone's touch is off.

 

Did Clint rape Harkes' dog? He's been pissing and moaning about him all half.

[Guest]

LOL Argentina. They lost to Paraguay 1-0 today and are now in fifth place in the CONMEBOL qualifying.

[bukie]

Wasn't pretty, but 3 points is 3 points, and that should be enough for them to coast through. A home victory against Costa Rica would guarantee a top 3 finish regardless of what anybody else does the rest of the way.

[wolf stansson]

We don't look all that good so far. Everyone's touch is off.

 

Did Clint rape Harkes' dog? He's been pissing and moaning about him all half.

To be fair, it was pretty odd that FIFA approved a one-time switch to allow Clint to play sweeper for T&T tonight. Unexpected.

 

 

When Landon slipped that pass back to Clark I sat forward in my chair and thought to myself, "Rico can rip it. I think this is going in."

 

Very nice strike.

[USSoccer]

Well, that was a flat ass performance, but 3 points is 3 points.

 

Clint played poorly. Chuck D. played poorly. Jozy wasnt great. Really, only Bornstein and Howard played alright.

[USSoccer]

We don't look all that good so far. Everyone's touch is off.

 

Did Clint rape Harkes' dog? He's been pissing and moaning about him all half.

To be fair, it was pretty odd that FIFA approved a one-time switch to allow Clint to play sweeper for T&T tonight. Unexpected.

 

 

When Landon slipped that pass back to Clark I sat forward in my chair and thought to myself, "Rico can rip it. I think this is going in."

 

Very nice strike.

 

Yeah, I had the same thought. It's the one thing Rico can do offensively. Shoot from distance.

 

Clint had a shocker to be sure, but he wasn't the only guy to struggle with his touch. Harkes was overboard.

 

Honduras/Mexico so far is entertaining as hell. Honduras' keeper is standing on his head.

 

LOL Maradona. Argie are only 2 points "from the drop" so to speak, in 5th position. They have no defenders. It's like watching last years' Manchester City team play.

[Guest]

Wasn't pretty, but 3 points is 3 points, and that should be enough for them to coast through. A home victory against Costa Rica would guarantee a top 3 finish regardless of what anybody else does the rest of the way.

 

As much as I'd love to see Mexico finish fourth, that's very unlikely to happen so I'm pulling hard for El Salvador tonight. If El Salvador beats CR, all we would need is a draw in that last game to go through. I know CR is playing like crap right now but we're not exactly lighting things up so I hope we have as little to do as possible in that last game.

[shnsajax]

3 points is all that matters, 6 points through the week. The missed handball in the 7th minute or whatever was horrible. No yellows the entire game is amazing so we lose no one heading down to Honduras.

 

The other games are all tied 0-0, two draws would be great for us. A Costa Rica loss would be great, but I'll gladly take a draw.

 

How does Maradona still have a job?

[shnsajax]

We don't look all that good so far. Everyone's touch is off.

 

Did Clint rape Harkes' dog? He's been pissing and moaning about him all half.

To be fair, it was pretty odd that FIFA approved a one-time switch to allow Clint to play sweeper for T&T tonight. Unexpected.

 

 

When Landon slipped that pass back to Clark I sat forward in my chair and thought to myself, "Rico can rip it. I think this is going in."

 

Very nice strike.

 

Yeah, I had the same thought. It's the one thing Rico can do offensively. Shoot from distance.

 

Clint had a shocker to be sure, but he wasn't the only guy to struggle with his touch. Harkes was overboard.

 

Honduras/Mexico so far is entertaining as hell. Honduras' keeper is standing on his head.

 

LOL Maradona. Argie are only 2 points "from the drop" so to speak, in 5th position. They have no defenders. It's like watching last years' Manchester City team play.

 

Honduras is attacking with 2-3 men, even the corner they are bringing only a couple of guys forward. Yet the managed to make Ochoa make a couple of saves. If they can withhold the pressure another 30 minutes it will be a miracle.

[shnsajax]

Mexico get a goal. I would like to see another angle of Dos Santos going down, it looked like minimal contact with him looking to go down at the 1st chance. Good movement though to get the ball into the box and the defender had a horrible angle. I thought it was a foul when I first saw it.

[USSoccer]

I heart CONCACAF at Azteca.

 

Really questionable penalty that Blanco still managed to barely slot past Honduras' keeper.

 

Once Suazo came off Honduras basically resigned themselves to parking the bus. This one is over.

[USSoccer]

Oh please Honduras, pick up some more stupid yellows

[USSoccer]

The Sallies just went up 1-0 on CR late.

 

Good for them. Great for us.

 

Memo Ochoa is a pretty good keeper, and not a tool.

[shnsajax]

I heart CONCACAF at Azteca.

 

Really questionable penalty that Blanco still managed to barely slot past Honduras' keeper.

 

Once Suazo came off Honduras basically resigned themselves to parking the bus. This one is over.

 

They have no problem killing a ref in mexico should they need too.

[USSoccer]

Amado Guevara just picked up a yellow for shooting Cuau and will miss the Oct match against the 'Nats.

 

Mexico win. We need only one result in our last two now to qualify.

 

EDIT:

 

 

Three ways to clinch on Matchday 9:

 

1. USA win

2. Costa Rica loss

3. USA draw AND Costa Rica draw

Edited September 10, 2009 by USSoccer

[Guest]

The Sallies just went up 1-0 on CR late.

 

It's a final.

 

I was pretty disappointed with how the U.S. played in the game, but that 2-2 tie in El Salvador is starting to look pretty good now that both Mexico and CR have lost there. If El Salvador could get any sort of a result on the road (or if they would have beat T&T at home instead of tying them), they'd be right in this thing also.

[shnsajax]

Costa Rica loses 1-0!

[UMFan83]

Just for fun I did a mock World Cup drawing using teams currently in a position to make the WC and used discretion when applicable (i.e. Argentina over Costa Rica) and then used random number generator to select the team (yeah I'm bored and a bit weird). Anyways, these were the groupings, just for fun:

 

Group A:

Germany

Slovakia

North Korea

Paraguay

 

Group B (FIFA Ranking):

England (7)

Croatia (9)

United States (11)

Ivory Coast (20)

 

Group C:

Netherlands

Denmark

Australia

Ecuador

 

Group D:

Italy

Bosnia and Herzegovina

South Korea

Cameroon

 

Group E:

Brazil

Switzerland

Japan

Chile

 

Group F:

Argentina

France

Mexico

Tunisia

 

Group G:

Spain

Russia

Honduras

Algeria

 

Group H:

South Africa

Serbia

New Zealand

Ghana

 

Of course USA draws the most impossible grouping just like in 2006. Anyways, just thought I'd share.

[CubInOK]

Amado Guevara just picked up a yellow for shooting Cuau and will miss the Oct match against the 'Nats.

 

Mexico win. We need only one result in our last two now to qualify.

 

EDIT:

 

 

Three ways to clinch on Matchday 9:

 

1. USA win

2. Costa Rica loss

3. USA draw AND Costa Rica draw

I thought all USA needed to clinch a spot was a draw in either of the next 2 games.

[UMFan83]

Amado Guevara just picked up a yellow for shooting Cuau and will miss the Oct match against the 'Nats.

 

Mexico win. We need only one result in our last two now to qualify.

 

EDIT:

 

 

Three ways to clinch on Matchday 9:

 

1. USA win

2. Costa Rica loss

3. USA draw AND Costa Rica draw

I thought all USA needed to clinch a spot was a draw in either of the next 2 games.

 

A draw would put the USA at 17 points, and Costa Rica has 12 points, so if they won their last 2 and USA drew and lost, and Mexico and Honduras both end up with more than 17 points (Mexico has 15, Honduras 13), then USA would still finish 4th. If USA draws to finish with 17, and Costa Rica fails to win 1 of their 2 last games, the most points they can end up with is 16.

[wolf stansson]

It looks like my dream of a Mexico v Argentina playoff is dying. That'd be some fun stuff is Mexico was on top of their game.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Amado Guevara just picked up a yellow for shooting Cuau and will miss the Oct match against the 'Nats.

 

Mexico win. We need only one result in our last two now to qualify.

 

EDIT:

 

 

Three ways to clinch on Matchday 9:

 

1. USA win

2. Costa Rica loss

3. USA draw AND Costa Rica draw

I thought all USA needed to clinch a spot was a draw in either of the next 2 games.

 

A draw would put the USA at 17 points, and Costa Rica has 12 points, so if they won their last 2 and USA drew and lost, and Mexico and Honduras both end up with more than 17 points (Mexico has 15, Honduras 13), then USA would still finish 4th. If USA draws to finish with 17, and Costa Rica fails to win 1 of their 2 last games, the most points they can end up with is 16.

 

The US ends with Honduras and Costa Rica. If they draw CR then CR can't get to 17, and if they draw Honduras the most Honduras can get is 17. So they guarantee at least a tie with a draw.