The Soccer Thread

[USSoccer]

Gee it sure is good that Lee Nguyen doesn't play in a second-rate league like ML-what's this now?

 

JK can GTFO with his MLS bashing; Nguyen showed more in his first 2 minutes on the field than Mix did in 77.

[Guest]

If that goal isn't offsides then they probably need to re-write the offsides rule.

Passive offside is one of the dumbest rules in sports.

 

I'm not sure of the wording of the rule, but I'm not sure how that even can be passive. The idea is that it's not offside if he's not involved in the play, basically that if you remove him entirely, the play happens exactly the same, right? Guzan would've broken that up like that if that guy weren't standing a yard from the ball for a solid 2 seconds.

[USSoccer]

If that goal isn't offsides then they probably need to re-write the offsides rule.

Passive offside is one of the dumbest rules in sports.

 

I'm not sure of the wording of the rule, but I'm not sure how that even can be passive. The idea is that it's not offside if he's not involved in the play, basically that if you remove him entirely, the play happens exactly the same, right? Guzan would've broken that up like that if that guy weren't standing a yard from the ball for a solid 2 seconds.

 

Pretty sure we had a goal disallowed in 2006 for something fairly comparable...

[shnsajax]

The buildup to Wood's miss was great.

 

Love hearing UEFA threaten to leave Fifa based on the investigation. And it's coming from Germany too.

[wvcbxl]

Random news from Euro 2016 qualifyers:

San Marino (FIFA ranking 208 - dead last tied with Bhutan) drew Estonia 0-0 at home, gaining their first point ever after losing all 60 previous Euro qualifying games.

Liechtenstein won away at Moldova 0-1 :shock:

[USSoccer]

England are 100% so far, 3-1 over Slovenia today at Wembley.

 

I like the composition of this particular England team; the Golden Generation guys are all gone, and it's a good mix of experience with some interesting younger players.

 

Also, in the spirit of conversation, I have an observation:

 

Jozy Altidore is our Wayne Rooney. Not in terms of ability or talent, but in terms of how he's viewed by the fanbase. Everyone hates Rooney for not being the best player on the planet, yet he's going to end up being the leading England and United goalscorer, and he's still only 29, meaning he's got one more Euro and World Cup in him. England fans hate Rooney for what he isn't as opposed to appreciating him for what he is, which is a very good, consistent player.

 

Altidore has 25 goals in 75 caps. He's 25 years old. He's got an outside shot at passing Donovan for all-time leading scorer in a US shirt if he keeps up this strike rate. And yet Jozy is viewed as a disappointment because he didn't turn into Didier Drogba. For club, he's made bad decisions chasing money, but for the US, he's been, well, Rooney-esque in terms of production.

 

I don't think either guy gets the credit they deserve from their NT fanbases.

[CubInOK]

Random news from Euro 2016 qualifyers:

San Marino (FIFA ranking 208 - dead last tied with Bhutan) drew Estonia 0-0 at home, gaining their first point ever after losing all 60 previous Euro qualifying games.

Liechtenstein won away at Moldova 0-1 :shock:

Faroe Islands went to Greece and won 0-1. Greece sacked their coach after this result.

[Mark Priors Calves]

What was the reason for the massive Colombian crowd in London against the US? I was shocked about their support.

[bukie]

Random news from Euro 2016 qualifyers:

San Marino (FIFA ranking 208 - dead last tied with Bhutan) drew Estonia 0-0 at home, gaining their first point ever after losing all 60 previous Euro qualifying games.

Liechtenstein won away at Moldova 0-1 :shock:

Faroe Islands went to Greece and won 0-1. Greece sacked their coach after this result.

Greece is also in 6th place in their group, currently 0-3 at home against Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland and Romania.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Semi-interesting SI story on the scheduling of USMNT friendlies.

[UMFan83]

Yuck

[USSoccer]

Can we please fire Jurgen now, Sunil?

 

The guy is a garbage-ass coach.

[wolf stansson]

This is what the midfield looks like without Bradley and Jones in there to run a billion miles in Jurgen's system.

[USSoccer]

This is what the midfield looks like without Bradley and Jones in there to run a billion miles in Jurgen's system.

 

He can't set up a team to succeed. He picks the wrong players and then puts them in impossible situations. It isn't Mix's fault he's getting overrun in midfield, or Matt Besler's that he looks like he needs a 4 month nap. Clint isn't there to bail out these 2012-esque lineups with a random moment of magic against the run of play.

 

Jurgen is a bad tactical coach. He's a bad talent evaluate and an idiot in front of a microphone.

[USSoccer]

Also worth noting: that was Ireland's C team.

[wolf stansson]

While we're eulogizing a year filled with false narratives and bewildering leadership from Jurgen, let's go ahead and bury those jerseys too. Good riddance.

[wolf stansson]

@PCarrESPN: Final #USMNT 2014 numbers:

 

6-5-4 record

20 goals

20 goals against

[wolf stansson]

This is fantastic. The soccer media is starting to turn on jurgen.

[UMFan83]

While we're eulogizing a year filled with false narratives and bewildering leadership from Jurgen, let's go ahead and bury those jerseys too. Good riddance.

 

It's funny that we can cap a year where we got out of the World Cups Group of Death and consider it a down year. You aren't wrong, I'm just pointing out how strange that is.

[USSoccer]

While we're eulogizing a year filled with false narratives and bewildering leadership from Jurgen, let's go ahead and bury those jerseys too. Good riddance.

 

It's funny that we can cap a year where we got out of the World Cups Group of Death and consider it a down year. You aren't wrong, I'm just pointing out how strange that is.

 

If you look at how the groups played out, it was almost middle-of-the-pack. Ghana imploded and Portugal fell apart. It was a Group of Death on paper in December after the draw; it didn't play out like one.

[jersey cubs fan]

FIFA with a supposed "about face" will investigate the world cup problems further

[wolf stansson]

Aron Johansson with a goal. Terrence Boyd with two. Really good to see those guys back.

[USSoccer]

The heck is wrong with Liverpool? I figured they'd regress a bit but they're playing awful right now.

 

Pretty excited for today's games. Both series' should be excellent.

[wolf stansson]

RBA is one of the best venues in the game when that crowd is into it.

Also, props to Jermaine Jones and New England. He and they have energized that fan base in a totally non-superficial way. Those fans are responding to tenacious, fast-paced and attractive soccer in a big way and if the Krafts get their Southie stadium built, they're a potential global destination for big players like NY, LA and Seattle. That is all a result of owners finally investing in their team despite financial losses, a tough young coach with a knack for getting the most out of young and recycled players and most of all, Jermaine Jones being an absolute pro despite the weird gauntlet of MLS nonsense he went through to land there. I'm really impressed with how he carries himself.

[Guest]

Clearly if Spurs can just find a way to get an opponent sent off in every game, they'll never lose.