The Soccer Thread

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The fact that it was the craziest [expletive] ever when we beat Portugal in 2002 and now a lot of us are like, yeah, no problem is an indication of how far we've come and also that we are probs over confident ATM.

 

I don't know if its necessarily overconfidence, but you think about Portugal, and you're getting to play them in the jungle without Pepe, Coentrao and Almeida, and maybe without Bruno Alves as well, and with a less-than-100% CR7...you could not ask for a better opportunity and a better time to play them.

 

Which probably means we'll come out flat and lose a la Poland 2002.

 

The flip side is if I were Portugal and I had to deal with all those injuries and a red card for any game in this group, I'd want it to be against the United States without Altidore.

[USSoccer]

The ref we have for tomorrow is very card happy as well.

 

I dunno. I don't have a good feeling about it.

[Guest]

Sure could use offsides technology.

[USSoccer]

Why Ibesevic doesn't start for BiH is beyond me.

 

Dzeko needed to do better there.

[wolf stansson]

The fact that it was the craziest [expletive] ever when we beat Portugal in 2002 and now a lot of us are like, yeah, no problem is an indication of how far we've come and also that we are probs over confident ATM.

 

Totally true. But I was thinking about that game (which is solely responsible for me being a soccer fan) and the goals the US scored. They were nothing like Dempsey's goal against Ghana. This team would trounce that US team, we've come so far.

Yes, and I also think that Portugal team would beat this Portugal team.

[bukie]

Don't forget, this same Portugal team lost to Russia in qualifying and couldn't beat Israel.

[wolf stansson]

Apparently Hope Solo put a beating on her aunt and nephew at a BBQ. Can we just put her and Jerramy Stephens kids in jail now?

[Guest]

US draw-lose and Ghana win and pass us on tiebreakers is the most fearsomely plausible scenario to me.

 

It really annoys me that H2H isn't the first tiebreaker. It's a neutral setting so if one team beats the other, they should have the tiebreaker.

[USSoccer]

BiH eliminated by the refs. Gutless and incompetent officiating.

[ConstableRabbit]

... And the second spot of group F gets really interesting...

[Mark Priors Calves]

The fact that it was the craziest [expletive] ever when we beat Portugal in 2002 and now a lot of us are like, yeah, no problem is an indication of how far we've come and also that we are probs over confident ATM.

 

I don't know if its necessarily overconfidence, but you think about Portugal, and you're getting to play them in the jungle without Pepe, Coentrao and Almeida, and maybe without Bruno Alves as well, and with a less-than-100% CR7...you could not ask for a better opportunity and a better time to play them.

 

Which probably means we'll come out flat and lose a la Poland 2002.

Dammit 2002 rabbit hole of game highlights on Youtube. That team was so much fun.

[USSoccer]

So I guess tomorrow probably comes down to the first 30 minutes of the game. If we can get through that level or ahead, I think we'll win. Portugal is going to throw everything at us possible in a do-or-die game. As the game goes on, you'd have to think the combination of heat and humidity and pressure will wear them down faster than it wears us down.

 

I dunno. I have trouble envisioning a CR7-led Portugal being eliminated after 2 games, though.

[wolf stansson]

Jozy would have wiped the floor with their defenders in that heat. :(

[wolf stansson]

Nate Silver has the most bogus combover I've ever seen. The multiple camera angles on World Cup Tonight's weird sitting in barcaloungers segment are not doing him favors.

[Guest]

So I guess tomorrow probably comes down to the first 30 minutes of the game. If we can get through that level or ahead, I think we'll win. Portugal is going to throw everything at us possible in a do-or-die game. As the game goes on, you'd have to think the combination of heat and humidity and pressure will wear them down faster than it wears us down.

 

That's what I was thinking also. I think we're getting a goal in the last 15 minutes because they'll be worn out. I just don't know if that goal is going to matter.

[USSoccer]

Jozy would have wiped the floor with their defenders in that heat. :(

 

I would feel a lot better about the game if Jozy were playing in it.

[Derwood]

How is the US better acclimated to heat than Portugal?

[USSoccer]

How is the US better acclimated to heat than Portugal?

 

Because most of our players grew up in the US and play during the summer in places like Houston and Dallas and SoCal. The forecast for Manaus today is about the same as the forecast for Houston today.

 

Portugal never gets that warm, and those guys play in the fall, winter and spring.

[Derwood]

How is the US better acclimated to heat than Portugal?

 

Because most of our players grew up in the US and play during the summer in places like Houston and Dallas and SoCal. The forecast for Manaus today is about the same as the forecast for Houston today.

 

Portugal never gets that warm, and those guys play in the fall, winter and spring.

 

Gotcha. I wasn't insinuating that Portugal is hotter than the US, btw. I was genuinely curious.

[shnsajax]

Espn has done a really good job in promoting this game.

 

Mikey really needs to have a good game. If Jones plays the way he did vs Ghana I will also feel good.

[mul21]

I don't think I've ever watched a match with as many violent mid air collisions going for headers as there have been in this one.

[USSoccer]

When Hazard tries, he's great

[Guest]

Good job, Samsung:

 

@SamsungMobileME Good luck to the star Landon Donovan and Team America. #GALAXY11 http://t.co/2w2G2oKstq

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The closer this gets to game time, the more oddly confident I feel in a US result.

[USSoccer]

As much as Algeria is better than people think, Korea is absolute hot garbage.