The Soccer Thread

[Guest]

Jozy cleared to play tomorrow!

 

Do you start him or bring him in as a sub to play 20 mins?

 

You start him, because if he pulls a Costa and re-injures himself, it only burns one sub, as opposed to subbing him on and then having to bring him right back off. Or worse, if he's the 3rd sub and re-injures himself, then we're down to 10 men.

 

For me, he either starts, or doesn't play at all.

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

[USSoccer]

Mertesacker being German for Clarence Goodson is mystifying.

Howedes is German for "Why is Fabian Johnson playing for America?"

 

Love it.

[Ryne Ween]

Espn, and I'm pretty sure I've never thought this about anything they do, is doing an incredible job broadcasting this event. There is absolutely no way, no chance that Fox matches this. They are still doing their typical dumb [expletive], like taking a cool down break during the post game wrap up, but I actually enjoyed the bit. Espn is killing it in getting behind the games and broadcasting the enormity of the event.

[USSoccer]

[expletive] Belgium. Its boring France with worse food. I've seen In Bruges.

 

They do the same thing ze Germans do and play 4 CBs in their backline, except Vermalen isn't going to play because he's hurt like he always is for Arsenal, and Kompany might not play either. Felliani has a knock as well, although that one is not that serious.

 

Their attack is narrow, and Eden Hazard, while dangerous in the attack, plays defense like a bored housecat being forced to chase a laser pointer. Lukaku is in poor form and our CBs match up well with him anyway. It's the small, shifty guys that give us trouble.

 

If we push them out wide in the attack, and if FJ can jump into the attack and give Dempsey some additional support in the final third, there's no reason we can't beat them. This is an opponent where Yedlin off the bench could cause them fits. I think we can get behind them if we have enough pace on the field to do so.

 

Heart says 2-1 US. Head says it goes to AET.

[wolf stansson]

Really want a win tomorrow for the obvious reason but also curious to see how big the hype/ratings for the semifinal would be. Things would get silly.

 

My dream result that is also realistic:

2-1

Bradley & Deuce.

[treebird]

i promise to stay out of the real soccer thread come game time but i just wanted to say i hope we crush the belgish [expletive]faces

[Guest]

Really want a win tomorrow for the obvious reason but also curious to see how big the hype/ratings for the semifinal would be. Things would get silly.

 

My dream result that is also realistic:

2-1

Bradley & Deuce.

 

Good to know we'd get a bye in the next round. I'm completely in favor of that.

[wvcbxl]

It's the small, shifty guys that give us trouble.

 

His name is Dries Mertens 8-)

 

I'm in Paris for business meetings today and tomorrow, so I won't be able to bother you guys during the game.

[Guest]

[expletive] Belgium. Its boring France with worse food. I've seen In Bruges.

 

They do the same thing ze Germans do and play 4 CBs in their backline, except Vermalen isn't going to play because he's hurt like he always is for Arsenal, and Kompany might not play either. Felliani has a knock as well, although that one is not that serious.

 

Their attack is narrow, and Eden Hazard, while dangerous in the attack, plays defense like a bored housecat being forced to chase a laser pointer. Lukaku is in poor form and our CBs match up well with him anyway. It's the small, shifty guys that give us trouble.

 

If we push them out wide in the attack, and if FJ can jump into the attack and give Dempsey some additional support in the final third, there's no reason we can't beat them. This is an opponent where Yedlin off the bench could cause them fits. I think we can get behind them if we have enough pace on the field to do so.

 

Heart says 2-1 US. Head says it goes to AET.

 

 

No no no no no no no, Belgium is awesome with amazing food and the best beer.

[UMFan83]

Really want a win tomorrow for the obvious reason but also curious to see how big the hype/ratings for the semifinal would be. Things would get silly.

 

My dream result that is also realistic:

2-1

Bradley & Deuce.

 

Good to know we'd get a bye in the next round. I'm completely in favor of that.

 

Good we can have a week or so to figure out how to get it to snow in Brazil for USA-Costa Rica (I'm assuming CR has a bye too, because: CONCACAF)

[UMFan83]

For some reason I feel like winning this game would be bigger for US Soccer than beating Mexico in 2002.

[shnsajax]

[expletive] Belgium. Its boring France with worse food. I've seen In Bruges.

 

They do the same thing ze Germans do and play 4 CBs in their backline, except Vermalen isn't going to play because he's hurt like he always is for Arsenal, and Kompany might not play either. Felliani has a knock as well, although that one is not that serious.

 

Their attack is narrow, and Eden Hazard, while dangerous in the attack, plays defense like a bored housecat being forced to chase a laser pointer. Lukaku is in poor form and our CBs match up well with him anyway. It's the small, shifty guys that give us trouble.

 

If we push them out wide in the attack, and if FJ can jump into the attack and give Dempsey some additional support in the final third, there's no reason we can't beat them. This is an opponent where Yedlin off the bench could cause them fits. I think we can get behind them if we have enough pace on the field to do so.

 

Heart says 2-1 US. Head says it goes to AET.

 

 

No no no no no no no, Belgium is awesome with amazing food and the best beer.

 

This is true every other day of the year. I love Belgium, and can't wait to go back.

 

However today they [expletive] suck. They are the step child of Holland, and I will be drinking American IPA's.

[shnsajax]

For some reason I feel like winning this game would be bigger for US Soccer than beating Mexico in 2002.

 

It is. The Mexico game in 2002 was covered really well at that time. I think the Mexico game was at like 5am for us so it didn't gather the ratings it could have. We were more happy to be there and didn't see how great of an opportunity 2002 was at that time. We were a goal line save away from the semi's against South Korea (We would have won had Kahn not become the greatest keeper in the history of the world). That kind of bracket will never happen again.

[wolf stansson]

There is no piece of art that has a bigger gap between how objectively good it is and how happy it makes me than the FIFA anthem.

[Guest]

Don't tease me Switzerland, either go down quickly and start diving to get them cards or really do it.

[USSoccer]

It would be nice if the Swiss would bury one of these golden chances.

[Guest]

[expletive] Belgium. Its boring France with worse food. I've seen In Bruges.

 

They do the same thing ze Germans do and play 4 CBs in their backline, except Vermalen isn't going to play because he's hurt like he always is for Arsenal, and Kompany might not play either. Felliani has a knock as well, although that one is not that serious.

 

Their attack is narrow, and Eden Hazard, while dangerous in the attack, plays defense like a bored housecat being forced to chase a laser pointer. Lukaku is in poor form and our CBs match up well with him anyway. It's the small, shifty guys that give us trouble.

 

If we push them out wide in the attack, and if FJ can jump into the attack and give Dempsey some additional support in the final third, there's no reason we can't beat them. This is an opponent where Yedlin off the bench could cause them fits. I think we can get behind them if we have enough pace on the field to do so.

 

Heart says 2-1 US. Head says it goes to AET.

 

 

No no no no no no no, Belgium is awesome with amazing food and the best beer.

 

This is true every other day of the year. I love Belgium, and can't wait to go back.

 

However today they [expletive] suck. They are the step child of Holland, and I will be drinking American IPA's.

 

Haha, fair enough.

 

Victory HopDevil IPA for me.

[wolf stansson]

Great column on the disruptive genius of Kyle Beckerman:

http://deadsp.in/6HdNpHu

[Rex Buckingham]

Great column on the disruptive genius of Kyle Beckerman:

http://deadsp.in/6HdNpHu

 

(Beckerman once spent 90 minutes telling me, "Young [expletive for male reproductive organ], you f[expletive] suck." He has a special place in my heart.)

 

I love it.

[Guest]

Messi gets 150% of second balls just outside the box. It's uncanny.

[Guest]

oh my glob how did they not score

[USSoccer]

I didn't rate Switzerland going in, but they were every bit as good as Argentina today.

 

If I had been that guy and hit the post and kneed it wide like that I'd be broken.

[USSoccer]

Jozy not starting today per Jeremy Schapp. No full lineup yet.

 

If he's not starting, he shouldn't play.

[Guest]

No Altidore, Beckerman, or Cameron in the XI, per Wahl.

 

EDIT: Howard, Gonzalez, Bradley, Besler, Beasley, Dempsey ©, Bedoya, Jones, Zusi, Cameron, Johnson

[wolf stansson]

No Beckerman means Bradley deep and Mix or Johannsson in attack. Edited July 1, 2014 by wolf stansson