stitchface

spain has the best womens and mens teams in the world at this point. they were impressive

well it wasn't the coach that put their best playmaker as the 7. oh wait, it was. it was also the coach that runs mids out there who can't pass for 5 straight years then tries to build out of the back. it was also the coach who keeps rotating 9s because he has some absurd idea of how they should play that doesn't fit the best option resulting in all of them being ineffective.

nonsense. Robinson made a weak-ass tackle and then both center backs backed away. That was a terrible and completely preventable goal not some lucky deflection from 30 yards. To pretend that was impossible to prevent is absurd. The team lacks focus, discipline, and urgency - that's all on the coach. He's been there 5 years - you act like he just took over last month. I guess we can pretend the coach doesn't matter but it's a complete fallacy. The coach matters a lot.

Personally, I think Berhalter is responsible for Weah's red. And for Dest's. you argue they can't implement tactics - well, they certainly are responsible for culture. The team has played poorly for a long time. Gregg was not the guy. As someone pointed out, you have to be pragmatic in your approach. When you get a 1-0 lead down to 10 against horsefeathers panama and you can't even protect that lead for 5 minutes? That's ridiculous. The team is getting worse.

good game - spain really controlled the latter part of the game even without the ball. they look the best team in the world right now.

would be great for Spain's chances but seriously, this is how many instances now?

great first half! If only all games looked like this!

the fact that the US is using 2 or 3 overage slots on center backs makes me a little concerned . . . do we not have available options coming up?

Who should coach USMNT next? 16 replacements for Berhalter - ESPN Who's your favorite? I have to admit I would be intrigued by Tuchel for the short-term two year window. I wonder what Puli would say

while I'm not a fan of the guy, Netherlands always look so much more threatening with Weghorst in there than without.

yea, that seems abrupt. truth is though, I think 30 minutes is way too long. two 5 minute periods would be better. or at least make it golden goal. that Canada-Venezuela game was so entertaining - worst soccer I've ever seen but very entertaining. hard to believe the US couldn't advance in a tourney where one of those teams made the semis

that would need to be one of those things they announce before the tourney starts though. unfair to change enforcement suddenly. Someone else did that on a penalty but when the keeper didn't budge - he didn't know what to do.

both games were!

good to see you Wolf!

kind of looking like colombia has passed brazil in the pecking order. clearly the better team in the first half. Brazil could be headed to a Uruguay quarterfinal with Vini suspended.

yea, because we have local leagues where they can make oodles of money (not that very many will). That's why I think European academies will change things because youth can see end goal without first going overseas.

that was HUGE! I thought that was a certain goal. Good stuff upcoming in the Euros!

"But there also seems to be level of comfort inside the team that is unhealthy. There is usually a tension within national teams when there is a big tournament on the horizon. Is a player in the coach's plans? How does he stay there? If he isn't, how does he get there? That doesn't seem to be present at the moment. Changing the manager every cycle recalibrates that tension, as everyone starts over. That's part of why a change in manager seems necessary now." Why U.S. Soccer needs to move on from Berhalter after Copa failure - ESPN Pretty good article that captures a lot of my thoughts. It's almost like Berhalter is the Dusty Baker of soccer coaches - the players like him a little too much. For me, the failure to reach the 2018 world cup largely came from players who had been around too long and no longer put in full effort. This group takes on an air of being anointed. There is clear evidence for me that we need better mids - Weston doesn't cut it there (check out his passing percentage from last night if you don't believe me). Yet, Berhalter shifts the only playmaker wide to accommodate him being out there. We need a coach who will make tough decisions. The women continue to win because they are always fighting for their spot. Emma Hayes comes in and immediately dumps Alex Morgan, probably the most popular player of the last 15 years, probably 2 years later than should have happened. She releases Crystal Dunn from purgatory at left back. She has courage. Berhalter has the appearance of just wanting to keep everyone happy.

here's the thing about bad refs, if you want better refs, we need to stop ripping on refs nonstop. Alexei Lalas should be fired for his overtly racist "let's use his full name." Halftime shouldn't be a show ripping the ref to shreds. Reviewing controversial calls is one thing, but that horsefeathers was over the top and hugely hurts the sport and the ability to recruit refs. They make mistakes. Get over it and stop personally attacking them. Or get your badge and get your ass on the field yourself.

that last bullet is why strikers make millions . . . re: costs on youth soccer. Local super club is now $3500 not including travel - this is for the low level teams. ECNL teams are much more I'm sure. The highest level teams are crazy travel - like to Seattle for 1 game. Our smaller club is $1500 a year but not likely developing national players. They have their camps that are all travel. Not sure on scholarship opportunities. My guess is that it's not the cost that keeps a lot of athletes out but lack of opportunity to play at all (pickup, even getting started where parents can't get them to practice). Over-coaching is a big issue - kids need to just play. Driving around Buenos Aires, there are literally kids playing soccer on their own everywhere you look. MLS academies appear to be greed-based also, Not sure they are the answer. European academies likely a better route. One of the boys I coach went to a "Real Madrid camp" and told his parents I was a much better coach than those at the camp! 🙂

it's also about not blaming the referee every time you lose.

too bad Slovenia doesn't have better forwards. Portugal going out with Ronaldo missing a penalty and Pepe giving it away for the game winner would have been an awesome story.

that was an amazing save by Oblak - one of the best ever

Copa is crazy. Mexico out. US likely out tomorrow. Canada draws Venezuela?

great goal. that team is completely dysfunctional with him and Kane out there together.