The Soccer Thread

[wolf stansson]

The name chants for players coming off is class. Seattle did it tonight.

[USSoccer]

The name chants for players coming off is class. Seattle did it tonight.

 

Totally agree. Seattle dropped the mic and raised the bar going forward for crowds at WCQ

[USSoccer]

Halfway home; 10 points. Still with 3 home games left.

 

I think we're about through.

[shnsajax]

Awesome time at the game. The AO crowd was amazing. If I had one complaint it was the grass, Seattle needs to get real grass installed and they could get the majority of meaningful US games.

 

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/06/12/2ubymabe.jpg

[Guest]

Halfway home; 10 points. Still with 3 home games left.

 

I think we're about through.

 

Just beat Honduras and Jamaica at home and we're in.

[Guest]

Mexico has 2 home games and 2 road games(including a trip to the US) to get 8 points. Would you bet on that? I sure wouldn't.

 

If they can get it together and win their two home games, that would be 14 points, which would likely be enough for a playoff with New Zealand, especially with how many ties there have been so far. But they have to win those because their two road matches are here and Costa Rica.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://instagram.com/p/acl3kqnb7E/

[wolf stansson]

Awesome time at the game. The AO crowd was amazing. If I had one complaint it was the grass, Seattle needs to get real grass installed and they could get the majority of meaningful US games.

Looks like you had awesome seats!

[bukie]

Looking at the remaining non-Mexico games:

 

USA v HON (USA W)

CR v PAN (CR W)

 

CR v USA (D)

PAN v JAM (PAN W)

 

HON v PAN (HON W)

JAM v CR (D)

 

HON v CR (HON W)

USA v JAM (USA W)

 

JAM v HON (D)

PAN v USA (D)

 

Those results would leave the standings:

USA 18

HON 14

CR 13

PAN 10

JAM 4

 

Mexico has roadies @ USA and CR, with home ties against HON and PAN. If they lose the roadies, that automatically puts 1st or 2nd out of reach for Mexico, and if they couldn't beat Honduras at home, they'd be looking at 4th at best and hoping the USMNT plays for a draw at Panama.

[Guest]

Also since wolf brought it up, I want Mexico to go down. It seems unlikely they'll finish 5th, but the odds seemed pointed towards 4th at the moment, and a winner take all game against the caliber team they're having trouble scoring on now makes it a significant chance they don't qualify.

 

And the ramifications there are pretty big. Remember how we repeatedly get screwed over in group placement because of past results from a decade ago, and Mexico keeps getting cake groups to repeat knockout stage appearances? And how that cycle just keeps repeating itself? Think of what missing the World Cup entirely would do to them, and to minimal effect, the US since CONCACAF is used to fill out groups rather than anchor them.

 

That and of course the delicious, delicious schadenfreude outweigh any hope that they'll be inspired and come back stronger than ever. I don't see any indication in that federation or culture for that matter that they're capable of sustaining any such changes, and even if they do improve, an improved Mexico that faces an uphill battle in future World Cups is close to a best case scenario.

[shnsajax]

Also Confed Cup Group of Death: Mexico, Brazil, Italy and Japan. I wonder who Mexico has on the coaching speed dial.

[USSoccer]

I'm torn. On the one hand, Mexico being good pushes us as a Federation. On the other hand, they're pissing away an amazing amount of talent this generation, and the smug satisfaction I'd have at them at the least having to go through the home and home against New Zealand would be mighty entertaining.

 

If they don't beat Honduras at home, or lose to Costa Rica away, and they're basically going to have to fight for fourth.

[Guest]

I'm torn. On the one hand, Mexico being good pushes us as a Federation. On the other hand, they're pissing away an amazing amount of talent this generation, and the smug satisfaction I'd have at them at the least having to go through the home and home against New Zealand would be mighty entertaining.

 

If they don't beat Honduras at home, or lose to Costa Rica away, and they're basically going to have to fight for fourth.

 

See that's where I see it as a win/win. Their lot is already cast in terms of pushing us for this cycle. If World Cup embarrassment forces them to improve(not guaranteed, but I doubt it would send them in a spiral), then the US gets the benefits of Mexico pushing them while Mexico gets hammered in future global competitions where the US aren't directly competing with them.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Awesome time at the game. The AO crowd was amazing. If I had one complaint it was the grass, Seattle needs to get real grass installed and they could get the majority of meaningful US games.

Looks like you had awesome seats!

Can you give a full report on the experience, shnsjax?

[shnsajax]

We were front row on the side of the goal for the 2nd half for the US. From what I saw EJ was having a pretty mediocre game up until his goal. Seattle really loves Johnson. He and Jozy don't seem to be on the same page. Jozy worked his ass off. Really wish Beasley got his goal. He played well as did Clint. I couldn't tell Clint tried to bounce that shot off of the ground. Going to watch it again tonight.

 

Keller autographed my scarf. Didn't know he and my wife are from the same town. Seemed like an incredibly nice guy. Lalas stood there and didn't make eye contact with anyone.

 

The crowd was amazing. The AO's were hopping 30 minutes before kickoff and never stopped. Gulati was right next to us before the match. Tried looking at his phone while he was on it but couldn't read it.

 

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/06/13/eheda9y6.jpg

[Guest]

And the ramifications there are pretty big. Remember how we repeatedly get screwed over in group placement because of past results from a decade ago, and Mexico keeps getting cake groups to repeat knockout stage appearances? And how that cycle just keeps repeating itself? Think of what missing the World Cup entirely would do to them, and to minimal effect, the US since CONCACAF is used to fill out groups rather than anchor them.

 

Mexico only benefited from a seed once, in 2006. The others were random chance. And in 2010, we actually had a weaker group than they did. They just got lucky that France decided to implode. I don't know enough about how good the other teams were in 1998 and 2002 to know which groups were tougher in those years.

[wolf stansson]

@GrantWahl 2h

RT @pkedit Huge break for USMNT. Both Honduran CBs are out Tuesday: Muma Bernárdez is suspended; Maynor Figueroa is injured.

[wolf stansson]

U-20's tuned up Portugal 3-1 in their last warm up before the tournament.

Unfortunately, Luis Gil left early after a head-to-head collision.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2013/06/portugal-final-world.html

[Guest]

Balotelli looks weird with no mohawk.

[wolf stansson]

He just beasted Rodriguez. Made him look like a rag doll. Like Jozy on Marquez a few years ago.

[shnsajax]

I love that Balotelli might get the winner.

[Guest]

They just showed that coming into the game, Mexico was undefeated in 2013, with one win and eight draws.

[shnsajax]

And another game without a goal against the run of play. Who cares if they were unbeaten.

[wolf stansson]

Lalas nailed it re: this el tri team. They can't handle the expectations of being anointed a golden generation. They can't handle being expected to compete with anyone. Soft as cotton.

[wolf stansson]

JJ cleared to play tomorrow vs Honduras.