The Soccer Thread

[brinoch]

I hate when we have Mexican refs. They almost always do a terrible job. Not only did he botch that offsides call, but Iain Hume should have been red-carded before he scored for his blatant knock down. And Hejduk didn't deserve a yellow on that play after getting head-butted.

 

I grant, however, that the ref *might* not have seen the play, and you have to depend on your linesman.

[Jon]

Scoreless at the half in the Mexico game.

[WindyCity]

1-0 Mexico. 20 more minutes till a USA v Mexico final! :D

[Brendan]

I hate when we have Mexican refs. They almost always do a terrible job. Not only did he botch that offsides call, but Iain Hume should have been red-carded before he scored for his blatant knock down. And Hejduk didn't deserve a yellow on that play after getting head-butted.

 

I grant, however, that the ref *might* not have seen the play, and you have to depend on your linesman.

 

yeah, this guy was pretty brutal throughout. hume = brian cardinal as far as i'm concerned.

 

i'm certainly a novice when it comes to the rules of the game .. what's your (or anyone's) impression on the pk awarded to donovan? seemed legit to me, but i just don't know. i'd certainly have no doubt if a similar situation involved anyone other than the keeper, but i thought he was definitely anticipating where the ball would be and not necessarily going after beasley.

[Brendan]

oh, and just so we're clear ... (though, whether he deserved it this time is debatable.)

 

i'm sure hejduk will get booked again and be out for the finals....

[Jon]

USA vs. Mexico it is! And it looks like the game is sold out.

 

I can't wait.

[USSoccer]

The US got very, very lucky. Canada were the better team. A very lucky Hejduk shot and a great pass from Dempsey to spring DMB were both against the run of play. Donovan's whiff on an empty net was inexcusable. Worse than Dempsey's screwing around in the 18 against Panama. Totally ridiculous. Bradley's red card was stupid, since Mastro was right there to close DeGuzman down.

 

And Canada were onside. That game should have gone to extra time.

 

Big ups to Hejduk, Dempsey and Bradley. Hejduk played his butt off; probably the best game I've seen him play. Dempsey showed his quality again, springing DMB and he should have scored on the corner late, were it not for a lucky goalline clearance. Bradley's workrate was awesome, but again, stupid decision to take DeGuzman down.

 

LD, Boca, Keller and EJ deserve kicks to the groin. EJ was invisible after the first 20 minutes, and doesn't understand the concept of offside. Boca is a calamity. He's a backup left back, not a starting center back. Gooch and Parkhurst, please.

 

Donovan was "Active", but to whiff in the 6 with a wide open goal is just insane. Keller looked old, bad and tired.

 

I cannot wait for Sunday. I'll be there, with my #8 Dempsey shirt, yelling a lot.

[apete6]

I really don't know how people are hard core about Soccer. It's a great sport to play, but watching it is really brutal unless you are hammered and chanting about god knows what during games.

 

That being said, how is the new Fire stadium in Bridgeview?

[shnsajax]

The US got very, very lucky. Canada were the better team. A very lucky Hejduk shot and a great pass from Dempsey to spring DMB were both against the run of play. Donovan's whiff on an empty net was inexcusable. Worse than Dempsey's screwing around in the 18 against Panama. Totally ridiculous. Bradley's red card was stupid, since Mastro was right there to close DeGuzman down.

 

And Canada were onside. That game should have gone to extra time.

 

Big ups to Hejduk, Dempsey and Bradley. Hejduk played his butt off; probably the best game I've seen him play. Dempsey showed his quality again, springing DMB and he should have scored on the corner late, were it not for a lucky goalline clearance. Bradley's workrate was awesome, but again, stupid decision to take DeGuzman down.

 

LD, Boca, Keller and EJ deserve kicks to the groin. EJ was invisible after the first 20 minutes, and doesn't understand the concept of offside. Boca is a calamity. He's a backup left back, not a starting center back. Gooch and Parkhurst, please.

 

Donovan was "Active", but to whiff in the 6 with a wide open goal is just insane. Keller looked old, bad and tired.

 

I cannot wait for Sunday. I'll be there, with my #8 Dempsey shirt, yelling a lot.

 

You can throw bags of urine and bateries at the Mexico as they walk on to the field ;-).

[soccer10k]

I really don't know how people are hard core about Soccer. It's a great sport to play, but watching it is really brutal unless you are hammered and chanting about god knows what during games.

 

That being said, how is the new Fire stadium in Bridgeview?

 

The greatest sport in the world.

[soccer10k]

I've got to see if one of the bars gets FSC and will be showing the game on Sunday because I would much prefer to watch this game live rather than downloading it and watching it the next day.

[Guest]

Only on FSC? Not even on a Spanish-language station?

[soccer10k]

Only on FSC? Not even on a Spanish-language station?

 

I like to understand the announcers if possible. That way I can yell at them when they say stupid things.

[chuckywang]

The USSF actually did something right for a change:

 

I don't have a link, but the US is now scheduled to play Mexico- in Mexico City, at the Azteca, on September 9th 2007.

 

I love it. Our players need to play friendlies in hostile Central American enviroments. Between Copa America, Catalonia, Switzerland, Sweden and this date (and 9/12 is also a FIFA international date), all of the players that we need to qualify for 2010 get a dry run in the most hostile, difficult enviorments possible.

 

This will be an invaluable experience, even if we lose, because we'll be back there in 12 or so months when we get to the Hex (final stage of CONCACAF qualifying) and Bradley and the young Nats will know what to expect.

 

And imagine if we beat them there.

 

I long for the day we beat Mexico in their stadium. I can't even imagine what the reaction would be down there. It would be truly glorious.

 

I fear for the safety of the US players if they beat them.

[soccer10k]

The USSF actually did something right for a change:

 

I don't have a link, but the US is now scheduled to play Mexico- in Mexico City, at the Azteca, on September 9th 2007.

 

I love it. Our players need to play friendlies in hostile Central American enviroments. Between Copa America, Catalonia, Switzerland, Sweden and this date (and 9/12 is also a FIFA international date), all of the players that we need to qualify for 2010 get a dry run in the most hostile, difficult enviorments possible.

 

This will be an invaluable experience, even if we lose, because we'll be back there in 12 or so months when we get to the Hex (final stage of CONCACAF qualifying) and Bradley and the young Nats will know what to expect.

 

And imagine if we beat them there.

 

I long for the day we beat Mexico in their stadium. I can't even imagine what the reaction would be down there. It would be truly glorious.

 

I fear for the safety of the US players if they beat them.

 

Excellent point.

[Marco4]

Way to go, playing Catalunya. Not sure Switzerland's ever been described as hostile and difficult before, though.

[soccer10k]

Again, I realize I'm a bit behind on these games but...

 

I'm watching the US-T&T match and around the 10 minute mark, a US guy gets called for offisides when he was easily 2 yards onsides with two T&T defenders between him and the goal. I don't know who the linesman was who made that call but my god did he screw it up. The goalie made the save on the play but there is no reason a referee should miss a call by that much.

 

The same linesman just blew another call right around the 31 minute mark where he called Eddie Johnson offsides when he was on by a solid yard. Not as bad as the first one but still blatantly the wrong call. Where do they find these guys? I realize Eddie Johnson would have screwed it up anyway but at least give him the chance to score.

 

Right on 51 minutes when a T&T guy is down with an injury, FSC shows a guy in the crowd pouring a beer into one of those long plastic air horns and his buddy is chugging it. HILARIOUS!!!

 

I'm not necessarily too high on Ching, but that pass he made to Donovan to set up the second US goal (the one Johnson put in) was gold. To make that pass - and split the two defenders with it to boot - rather than turn and run with the ball was superb. Well done, Brian.

[sethuel1]

 

Donovan was "Active", but to whiff in the 6 with a wide open goal is just insane.

That was right in front of me. Pitiful.

[Marco4]

My mum just went to a course at Old Trafford. Odd.

[Marco4]

Ding! Ding!

 

First 'big' move in the off-season looks likely.

[MPC]

sorry if its been mentioned but why did tim howard not start last night? keller is old and not so great anymore. howard should be the #1 going forward, and if healthy, should've started last night and should start sunday.

[USSoccer]

sorry if its been mentioned but why did tim howard not start last night? keller is old and not so great anymore. howard should be the #1 going forward, and if healthy, should've started last night and should start sunday.

 

The only possible rationale was that Howard was on a yellow and Bradley didn't want to chance him missing the final.

[davecubsfan]

Good Lord

 

Eto'o and Henry playing up front for Barca. Imagine the possibilities.

[USSoccer]

So the Copa America rosters came out today. Argentina is sending Messi, Mascherano, Tevez, Riquelme, and pretty much every other good player they have.

 

The US is sending a C team.

 

We play Argentina in the 1st match.

 

That game is going to be a beating of ridiculous proportions. I wouldn't be shocked if it was 7-0.

 

Here's the roster:

 

13 Bornstein, Jonathan D 5'9" 145 11/07/84 7/1 Los Alamitos, Calif. Chivas USA (MLS)

4 Boswell, Bobby D 6'2" 185 03/15/83 2/0 Tampa, Fl. D.C. United (MLS)

7 Califf, Danny D 6'1" 175 03/17/80 14/1 Orange, Calif. Aalborg BK (Denmark)

19 Clark, Ricardo M 5'10" 150 05/10/83 6/0 Jonesboro, Ga. Houston Dynamo (MLS)

12 Conrad, Jimmy D 6'2" 185 02/12/77 21/0 Temple City, Calif. Kansas City Wizards (MLS)

10 Davies, Charlie F 5'10" 160 06/25/86 1/0 Manchester, N.H. Hammarby IF (Sweden)

3 DeMerit, Jay D 6'0" 185 12/04/79 3/0 Green Bay, Wis. Watford FC (England)

5 Feilhaber, Benny M 5'9" 150 01/19/85 7/1 Irvine, Calif. Hamburger SV (Germany)

11 Gaven, Eddie M 6'0" 165 10/25/86 3/0 Hamilton, N.J. Colombus Crew (MLS)

8 Gomez, Herculez F 5'10" 165 04/06/82 0/0 Las Vegas, Nev. Colorado Rapids (MLS)

23 Guzan, Brad GK 6'4" 210 09/09/84 1/0 Homer Glen, Ill. Chivas USA (MLS)

9 Johnson, Eddie F 6'0" 180 03/31/84 26/10 Palm Coast, Fla. Kansas City Wizards (MLS)

18 Keller, Kasey GK 6'2" 190 11/29/69 100/0 Lacey, Wash. Bor. M'gladbach (Germany)

16 Kljestan, Sacha M 6'1" 150 09/09/85 1/0 Huntington Beach, Calif. Chivas USA (MLS)

21 Mapp, Justin M 5'10" 140 10/18/84 5/0 Brandon, Miss. Chicago Fire (MLS)

15 Moor, Drew D 6'0" 170 01/15/84 0/0 Dallas, Texas FC Dallas (MLS)

25 Nguyen, Lee M 5'8" 149 10/07/86 1/0 Richardson, Texas PSV Eindhoven (Holland)

14 Olsen, Ben M 5'8" 140 05/03/77 34/6 Middletown, Pa. D.C. United (MLS)

6 Pearce, Heath D 5'10" 175 08/13/84 6/0 Modesto, Calif. FC Nordsjælland (Denmark)

20 Twellman, Taylor F 5'11" 170 02/29/80 24/6 St. Louis, Mo. New England Revolution (MLS)

2 Wynne, Marvell D 5'9" 171 05/08/86 0/0 Poway, Calif. Toronto FC (MLS)

 

There's a name missing from that roster, BTW, that infuriates me. Try and guess who.

[Marco4]

Good Lord

 

Eto'o and Henry playing up front for Barca. Imagine the possibilities.

 

They're meant to be selling either Eto'o or Jar-Jar, I think