The Soccer Thread

[Guest]

Felt bad for Schweinsteiger though..why anyone does that hesitation run up is beyond me.

 

In the last six years he's...

 

-lost in the semis of the 06 World Cup to Italy

-lost in the final of the 08 Euros to Spain

-lost in the final of the 10 UCL to Inter

-lost in the semis of the 10 World Cup to Spain

-lost in the final of the 12 UCL to Chelsea

 

Just a brutal stretch.

[jersey cubs fan]

I've really enjoyed the last few weeks of futbol viewing, but man, it really amazes me how much unchecked meatballism and conventional wisdom style nonsense gets thrown into every discussion about the sport.

[wolf stansson]

I've really enjoyed the last few weeks of futbol viewing, but man, it really amazes me how much unchecked meatballism and conventional wisdom style nonsense gets thrown into every discussion about the sport.

Elaborate if you would. Because you're totally right, but I'm curious what you've noticed specifically.

[jersey cubs fan]

I've really enjoyed the last few weeks of futbol viewing, but man, it really amazes me how much unchecked meatballism and conventional wisdom style nonsense gets thrown into every discussion about the sport.

Elaborate if you would. Because you're totally right, but I'm curious what you've noticed specifically.

 

I haven't taken inventory or anything but just a whole lot of talk about spirit and guttiness carrying the day plus choking and things like missed opportunities weighing on teams and players for the rest of the game. Every positive play is described as a gutsy or brave display of character rather than just a really talented futbol player making a good play.

[wolf stansson]

Soccer as a stand in for nationalistic character traits is ubiquitous. It's especially badly done by the English. Chelsea won being led by a Swiss-Italian manager, an Ivorian striker, a Czech keeper and a rainbow coalition of complimentary performances. Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were the only English participants of note and somehow this is a win by England, for England.

 

I think due to the lack of quantifiable statistical ways to evaluate the sport compared to other sports, the free-flowing pace of play and the easily comparable national football cultures that play each other on the international and club platforms, it's easy to get silly when talking about the sport.

[shnsajax]

Guzan given his release by Villa. Any ideas on where he will go?

[shnsajax]

Pep now says he is open to taking offers this summer. Could be scary to see him at Chelsea with an open checkbook. Liverpool could be a good challenge for him.

[wolf stansson]

This is awesome.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/grant_wahl/05/24/us.scotland.preview/index.html

Clint Dempsey leans forward in his seat and tells a story. Back in his hometown of Nacogdoches, Texas, during his days in the second grade, an old, crusty gym teacher named Coach Long staged a kickball game one afternoon between the boys and the girls. Dempsey played hard, just like he always does, but then came an unexpected twist.

"Coach Long cheated and let the girls win," Dempsey says, "and I jumped up and tried to punch him."

[shnsajax]

I liked this one:

 

 

"If I wanted to be comfortable, no offense to MLS, but I would've stayed in MLS, 'cause I would have been closer to my family and friends, and I would have been used to the way of life. I'm a risk-taker. I want to throw myself in the deep end and see if I can swim."

[SpongeWorthy]

Is American soccer so bad that a guy going over to play in Europe an act of heroism?

[shnsajax]

Is American soccer so bad that a guy going over to play in Europe an act of heroism?

 

It's like a guy being happy in Tennessee at AA and not wanting to be called up to Chicago.

 

In terms of development we need our best players plying against the highest competition if we ever want to compete for the WC

[USSoccer]

Clint and Jozy both out for tonight, meaning we have to wait four more days to see LD and CD on the field together.

[wolf stansson]

Clint and Jozy both out for tonight, meaning we have to wait four more days to see LD and CD on the field together.

I find Landon's recent comments about retirement troubling. Especially the whole bit about not having the fire like Clint. It's nothing new, but Landon has never understood how his over-thought, non alpha-male, non-cliche public comments only exacerbate the comparisons to Dempsey and reinforce his being perceived as soft. He's very much like LeBron with less of an ego. He doesn't fit into the traditional, alpha athlete persona that people like Michael Jordan conditioned fans into wanting from their best player.

[manbearcub]

Clint and Jozy both out for tonight, meaning we have to wait four more days to see LD and CD on the field together.

I find Landon's recent comments about retirement troubling. Especially the whole bit about not having the fire like Clint. It's nothing new, but Landon has never understood how his over-thought, non alpha-male, non-cliche public comments only exacerbate the comparisons to Dempsey and reinforce his being perceived as soft. He's very much like LeBron with less of an ego. He doesn't fit into the traditional, alpha athlete persona that people like Michael Jordan conditioned fans into wanting from their best player.

he'll be fine when he signs for Everton this summer/winter.

[USSoccer]

Clint and Jozy both out for tonight, meaning we have to wait four more days to see LD and CD on the field together.

I find Landon's recent comments about retirement troubling. Especially the whole bit about not having the fire like Clint. It's nothing new, but Landon has never understood how his over-thought, non alpha-male, non-cliche public comments only exacerbate the comparisons to Dempsey and reinforce his being perceived as soft. He's very much like LeBron with less of an ego. He doesn't fit into the traditional, alpha athlete persona that people like Michael Jordan conditioned fans into wanting from their best player.

 

I think Landon's just setting the stage for leaving MLS after this season. He's "bored" and needs a new "challenge" to motivate MLS to lower the asking price.

 

Also...tonight's lineup is garbage. We're playing Scotland and starting 4 central midfielders. And not that I'd ever root against our players, but JFT is not a #10, and is not an attacking mid, and he's not a fricking wing player in a 4-3-3 if that what we're trying. He's a useful role player, not a linchpin. I don't know what it's going to take for Juergen to ditch his Torres fetish.

[USSoccer]

This is Klinsmann's depth chart:

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/2hi8eh4.png

[USSoccer]

Michael Bradley just whipped his balls out right there. What a strike.

[Mark Priors Calves]

This just in: Scotland sucks.

[USSoccer]

Jesus Scotland are horrible, and damn, we're playing well.

[shnsajax]

That was a bad ass strike. Those jerseys are worse in game than I ever imagined. Going to take a while to get used to. I might have a dream tonight about getting attacked by 11 Waldo's tonight.

[wolf stansson]

Even though I find the Clint v Landon comparison to be an incredibly compelling comparison between two players who embody so many of the best and worst parts of player development in the US (they both represent everything that's right and wrong with us soccer for different reasons), it's time to give the "who's team is this?" conversation a rest. neither of those dudes care, so neither should we.

[wolf stansson]

Also, Mikey is a boss.

[USSoccer]

Even though I find the Clint v Landon comparison to be an incredibly compelling comparison between two players who embody so many of the best and worst parts of player development in the US (they both represent everything that's right and wrong with us soccer for different reasons), it's time to give the "who's team is this?" conversation a rest. neither of those dudes care, so neither should we.

 

No doubt...the constant chatter about this during the game, and then the awkward questioning of Clint during the postgame was too much.

 

As fans, we need to enjoy this cycle, because these two won't be around forever, and they're 1 & 1a all time for us.

[Guest]

Last time the USMNT scored five goals in a game? October 11, 2008 in a 6-1 win over Cuba in the third round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

 

It's rare that, even playing CONCACAF all the time, we rarely have games like this and it's really good to see them pour it on for once, even if Scotland isn't all that great.

[bukie]

Last time the USMNT scored five goals in a game? October 11, 2008 in a 6-1 win over Cuba in the third round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

 

It's rare that, even playing CONCACAF all the time, we rarely have games like this and it's really good to see them pour it on for once, even if Scotland isn't all that great.

Even if Scotland's not good, they're still better than all but maybe 3 other teams in CONCACAF (Mexico/Honduras/Costa Rica), so it's really nice to see them blow someone away that's better than the competition they'll be facing in qualifying the next 6 months.