2010 World Cup Thread

[wolf stansson]

it was disappointing to see the team eschew possession and play overly direct (read: long balls)

I read this and immediately broke out in a string of expletives. So frustrated all mother *$(@#)@Q)*$* game. Their back line is big. Their back line is fast. Their back line is strong. Their back line can jump like stinking cheetahs. WE AREN'T GOING TO BEAT THEM ROUTE 1 IN THE AIR. PUT THE BALL ON THE [expletive] GROUND OR BEHIND THEM.

[hawkeyecub]

that was not the game for everyone in america to be watching if soccer wants to catch on here to a greater extent. holy god is watching people fall down for no reason annoying. and the extra time thing is a mess.

 

i thoroughly enjoyed my world cup experience, but there's little doubt that i won't watch another soccer game in the next four years.

 

Agreed. I don't actively hate on soccer and I like watching the U.S. games in the world cup but I can't get into anything beyond that. I know the diving and faking of injuries is something soccer fans are forced to live with but it just kills me.

[Derwood]

at least I have Holland to root for

[USSoccer]

it was disappointing to see the team eschew possession and play overly direct (read: long balls)

I read this and immediately broke out in a string of expletives. So frustrated all mother *$(@#)@Q)*$* game. Their back line is big. Their back line is fast. Their back line is strong. Their back line can jump like stinking cheetahs. WE AREN'T GOING TO BEAT THEM ROUTE 1 IN THE AIR. PUT THE BALL ON THE [expletive] GROUND OR BEHIND THEM.

 

That was easily the most frustrating thing today. The best movement we had all game was a string of one and two touch passes culminating in Bradley being played in behind the defense. Every time we played one/two touch, we broke them down, but we lost the patience needed to do it.

 

For a team with some WC veterans...just don't know how they lost composure like that.

[Exile on Waveland]

it was disappointing to see the team eschew possession and play overly direct (read: long balls)

I read this and immediately broke out in a string of expletives. So frustrated all mother *$(@#)@Q)*$* game. Their back line is big. Their back line is fast. Their back line is strong. Their back line can jump like stinking cheetahs. WE AREN'T GOING TO BEAT THEM ROUTE 1 IN THE AIR. PUT THE BALL ON THE [expletive] GROUND OR BEHIND THEM.

 

That was easily the most frustrating thing today. The best movement we had all game was a string of one and two touch passes culminating in Bradley being played in behind the defense. Every time we played one/two touch, we broke them down, but we lost the patience needed to do it.

 

For a team with some WC veterans...just don't know how they lost composure like that.

 

It just had to be tired legs, right? That's the only rationalization I can come up with that doesn't drive me nuts. They were just tired . . . right?

[USSoccer]

it was disappointing to see the team eschew possession and play overly direct (read: long balls)

I read this and immediately broke out in a string of expletives. So frustrated all mother *$(@#)@Q)*$* game. Their back line is big. Their back line is fast. Their back line is strong. Their back line can jump like stinking cheetahs. WE AREN'T GOING TO BEAT THEM ROUTE 1 IN THE AIR. PUT THE BALL ON THE [expletive] GROUND OR BEHIND THEM.

 

That was easily the most frustrating thing today. The best movement we had all game was a string of one and two touch passes culminating in Bradley being played in behind the defense. Every time we played one/two touch, we broke them down, but we lost the patience needed to do it.

 

For a team with some WC veterans...just don't know how they lost composure like that.

 

It just had to be tired legs, right? That's the only rationalization I can come up with that doesn't drive me nuts. They were just tired . . . right?

 

I think that's what it was. 2 emotionally and physically draining games, and then another comeback and extra time?

 

Our key guys-Donovan, Dempsey and Bradley-played every minute of all four games. They ran out of gas.

[da bears]

horribly depressing loss today. and it really sucks because we had some relaly good chances that we didnt convert on. but the fact of the matter is todays game is exactly why soccer will never be huge in this country. the flopping and the total crap that ghana pulled is just a huge turnoff and something that most americans will never embrace. i mean my god the ghanian player goes up for a kick, falls on to his back, with no contact from anyone, and thats an injury timeout? gmafb. i understand that the players are tired, but why the [expletive] is that a stoppage in play, and why the [expletive] are they bringing the damn stretcher out for that guy? [expletive] that [expletive]. next time keep play going and let the slimy bastard lay there.

[Exile on Waveland]

it was disappointing to see the team eschew possession and play overly direct (read: long balls)

I read this and immediately broke out in a string of expletives. So frustrated all mother *$(@#)@Q)*$* game. Their back line is big. Their back line is fast. Their back line is strong. Their back line can jump like stinking cheetahs. WE AREN'T GOING TO BEAT THEM ROUTE 1 IN THE AIR. PUT THE BALL ON THE [expletive] GROUND OR BEHIND THEM.

 

That was easily the most frustrating thing today. The best movement we had all game was a string of one and two touch passes culminating in Bradley being played in behind the defense. Every time we played one/two touch, we broke them down, but we lost the patience needed to do it.

 

For a team with some WC veterans...just don't know how they lost composure like that.

 

It just had to be tired legs, right? That's the only rationalization I can come up with that doesn't drive me nuts. They were just tired . . . right?

 

I think that's what it was. 2 emotionally and physically draining games, and then another comeback and extra time?

 

Our key guys-Donovan, Dempsey and Bradley-played every minute of all four games. They ran out of gas.

 

That's certainly what it looked like to me. It's also an answer I can live with, better than the team knowingly settling on hopeful long balls.

[Flames24Rulz]

that was not the game for everyone in america to be watching if soccer wants to catch on here to a greater extent. holy god is watching people fall down for no reason annoying. and the extra time thing is a mess.

 

i thoroughly enjoyed my world cup experience, but there's little doubt that i won't watch another soccer game in the next four years.

 

Agreed. I don't actively hate on soccer and I like watching the U.S. games in the world cup but I can't get into anything beyond that. I know the diving and faking of injuries is something soccer fans are forced to live with but it just kills me.

 

I'm the same way.

 

I knew the dives in soccer were bad, but holy hell were they on epic levels today.

[USSoccer]

horribly depressing loss today. and it really sucks because we had some relaly good chances that we didnt convert on. but the fact of the matter is todays game is exactly why soccer will never be huge in this country. the flopping and the total crap that ghana pulled is just a huge turnoff and something that most americans will never embrace. i mean my god the ghanian player goes up for a kick, falls on to his back, with no contact from anyone, and thats an injury timeout? gmafb. i understand that the players are tired, but why the [expletive] is that a stoppage in play, and why the [expletive] are they bringing the damn stretcher out for that guy? [expletive] that [expletive]. next time keep play going and let the slimy bastard lay there.

 

I was actually very pissed that the US acted sportingly and played the ball back to Ghana there. He was obviously acting, so why reward it?

[da bears]

horribly depressing loss today. and it really sucks because we had some relaly good chances that we didnt convert on. but the fact of the matter is todays game is exactly why soccer will never be huge in this country. the flopping and the total crap that ghana pulled is just a huge turnoff and something that most americans will never embrace. i mean my god the ghanian player goes up for a kick, falls on to his back, with no contact from anyone, and thats an injury timeout? gmafb. i understand that the players are tired, but why the [expletive] is that a stoppage in play, and why the [expletive] are they bringing the damn stretcher out for that guy? [expletive] that [expletive]. next time keep play going and let the slimy bastard lay there.

 

I was actually very pissed that the US acted sportingly and played the ball back to Ghana there. He was obviously acting, so why reward it?

i dont know but it also really pissed me off. hopefully they get what they deserve and uraguay beats them next round. a team that pulls the crap that ghana did does not deserve to advance very far.

 

and by the way, congrats to them for the win. they took advantage of their chances and we didnt. but i cant watch the flopping and other [expletive] and enjoy it. [expletive] them.

[Exile on Waveland]

that was not the game for everyone in america to be watching if soccer wants to catch on here to a greater extent. holy god is watching people fall down for no reason annoying. and the extra time thing is a mess.

 

i thoroughly enjoyed my world cup experience, but there's little doubt that i won't watch another soccer game in the next four years.

 

Agreed. I don't actively hate on soccer and I like watching the U.S. games in the world cup but I can't get into anything beyond that. I know the diving and faking of injuries is something soccer fans are forced to live with but it just kills me.

 

I'm the same way.

 

I knew the dives in soccer were bad, but holy hell were they on epic levels today.

 

While it's less frequent and there are fewer, they did exactly what NFL teams have done for years to to slow the Colts offense down (especially in two minute drills).

Edited June 26, 2010 by Exile on Waveland

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Still have never won 2 World Cup games in a row. 1-1-2 tournament blah.

 

Honestly, that's a very par result given the quality of the U.S. team and who we faced. It's not good or bad, it's just who we are.

 

Based on who we should have beat, should have lost to and could have gone either way, we should have gone 2-1-1 with wins over Slovenia and Algeria, loss to England and draw with Ghana....but since we played Ghana in the knockout round, we should have beaten them so 3-1-0

 

The U.S. isn't good enough to say we "should" get three wins in four games against WC-quality international teams.

 

Yes, individually, a win had the plurality of the odds in each of those three games. But that's like saying the best team in every sport "should" go undefeated, because they "should" win every game. Two wins out of the four is par, and since we really did beat Slovenia, I'd say we were who we are.

 

It's exciting to see the U.S. show that they can score goals consistently at this level. Past U.S. teams were the Nashville Predators, this team looked more like the playoff Flyers.

[Flames24Rulz]

that was not the game for everyone in america to be watching if soccer wants to catch on here to a greater extent. holy god is watching people fall down for no reason annoying. and the extra time thing is a mess.

 

i thoroughly enjoyed my world cup experience, but there's little doubt that i won't watch another soccer game in the next four years.

 

Agreed. I don't actively hate on soccer and I like watching the U.S. games in the world cup but I can't get into anything beyond that. I know the diving and faking of injuries is something soccer fans are forced to live with but it just kills me.

 

I'm the same way.

 

I knew the dives in soccer were bad, but holy hell were they on epic levels today.

 

While it's less frequent and their are fewer, they did exactly what NFL teams have done for years to to slow the Colts offense down (especially in two minute drills).

 

Right. I was trying to think of another situation of one of the more popular sports in this country. The only time you really see any of that stuff happen is in football when the defense is faking an injury going up against a no-huddle offense, or when you're out of timeouts and you pull up lame with an "injury." But comparing those instances to what we saw today really isn't all that comparable. You see that every now and then in football, but not in every single game. There's always some sort of flopping or diving going on in soccer.

 

That said, I enjoyed watching all of our games. I don't really have any other interest in any of the other World Cup games, unfortunately. I'll go back to playing FIFA now.

[Guest]

at least I have Holland to root for

 

Well good for you.

[Guest]

horribly depressing loss today. and it really sucks because we had some relaly good chances that we didnt convert on. but the fact of the matter is todays game is exactly why soccer will never be huge in this country. the flopping and the total crap that ghana pulled is just a huge turnoff and something that most americans will never embrace. i mean my god the ghanian player goes up for a kick, falls on to his back, with no contact from anyone, and thats an injury timeout? gmafb. i understand that the players are tired, but why the [expletive] is that a stoppage in play, and why the [expletive] are they bringing the damn stretcher out for that guy? [expletive] that [expletive]. next time keep play going and let the slimy bastard lay there.

 

I was actually very pissed that the US acted sportingly and played the ball back to Ghana there. He was obviously acting, so why reward it?

i dont know but it also really pissed me off. hopefully they get what they deserve and uraguay beats them next round. a team that pulls the crap that ghana did does not deserve to advance very far.

 

and by the way, congrats to them for the win. they took advantage of their chances and we didnt. but i cant watch the flopping and other [expletive] and enjoy it. [expletive] them.

 

Even Paul Pierce thought Ghana's injury faking was way over the top today.

[Guest]

Even Paul Pierce thought Ghana's injury faking was way over the top today.

Let's not go too far.

 

There were no ambulances involved today.

[17 Seconds]

i don't know much about soccer, but i was loling pretty hard when that dude fell on his own, faked paralysis, got carried off on a stretcher, then immediately got up the second the stretcher was off the field. then he puts like 10 inches of tape around his ankle for good measure.

[EhDubya]

that was not the game for everyone in america to be watching if soccer wants to catch on here to a greater extent. holy god is watching people fall down for no reason annoying. and the extra time thing is a mess.

 

i thoroughly enjoyed my world cup experience, but there's little doubt that i won't watch another soccer game in the next four years.

 

Agreed. I don't actively hate on soccer and I like watching the U.S. games in the world cup but I can't get into anything beyond that. I know the diving and faking of injuries is something soccer fans are forced to live with but it just kills me.

 

I'm the same way.

 

I knew the dives in soccer were bad, but holy hell were they on epic levels today.

 

While it's less frequent and their are fewer, they did exactly what NFL teams have done for years to to slow the Colts offense down (especially in two minute drills).

 

Right. I was trying to think of another situation of one of the more popular sports in this country. The only time you really see any of that stuff happen is in football when the defense is faking an injury going up against a no-huddle offense, or when you're out of timeouts and you pull up lame with an "injury." But comparing those instances to what we saw today really isn't all that comparable. You see that every now and then in football, but not in every single game. There's always some sort of flopping or diving going on in soccer.

 

That said, I enjoyed watching all of our games. I don't really have any other interest in any of the other World Cup games, unfortunately. I'll go back to playing FIFA now.

 

Punter/Kicker dives in american football = The Worst. Game changers, and I've yet to ever see a punter/kicker seriously injured from being run into. I know its highly possible and likely many examples, but not enough to award 15 yards and automatic 1st down like what usually happens. Especially when its an obvious flop.

[bukie]

Sigh...nope, still pissed about soccer. *expletive*.

[Exile on Waveland]

Sigh...nope, still pissed about soccer. *expletive*.

 

Same here. It's not necessarily that they lost in the second round. That's where I expected them to go out (albeit against Germany). It's not even so much how they lost (though that's bothering me quite a bit). It's that they're likely to never have an easier group, and really really likely to never have an easier path to the semifinals. Just can't help but feel they let a golden opportunity pass by.

[USSoccer]

Sigh...nope, still pissed about soccer. *expletive*.

 

Same here. It's not necessarily that they lost in the second round. That's where I expected them to go out (albeit against Germany). It's not even so much how they lost (though that's bothering me quite a bit). It's that they're likely to never have an easier group, and really really likely to never have an easier path to the semifinals. Just can't help but feel they let a golden opportunity pass by.

 

So many opportunities to finish them off when it was 1-1. How many poor first touches did we have? Altidore, Benny...Mikey not taking one extra touch...

 

The silver lining is that our player pool is getting better and better. We may never have an easier path, but we are less likely to need one down the line.

[TruffleShuffle]

today's game sucked. ghana had maybe 3 or 4 good chances and potted two of them. howard should have been much closer to the near post on the first goal and could have gotten a hand on the second one. for a guy who is supposed to be one of the top goalies in the world, he got outplayed by his counterpart today. and the thing about the long balls is exactly right; we were breaking them down and getting chances when we had possession, but then after the OT goal we just kept kicking it long and hoping for a miracle. it was terrible.

[wolf stansson]

The silver lining is that our player pool is getting better and better. We may never have an easier path, but we are less likely to need one down the line.

I mentioned this at gateway redbirds. We'll never have this bad a team again in terms of talent. Not that this team is bad, it's not. We'll just have more talent. We may not get the results, we may not have the heart or the camaraderie but we'll have better players.

[bukie]

Oh, and maybe I'm wrong here, but did Howard make a single good save during the World Cup? Against England, maybe, but that's 3 games in a row where he had to deal with 1-2 good chances and couldn't make the difference in either of them.