Everything Soccer

[Irish Joe]

MLS coach giving an MLS performance

 

[Rogue219]

The Dutch have been one or two players away from being the world's best a few different times in their history... prob the best national program in the world to have never reached that elite final tier (Winning a world cup or generally being see as THE team).

At this point in their history, they need a number nine.

In other news, Kyle Walker should not be starting at Right Back for England anymore.

In more news, any team that want's to make Matthijs de Ligt their highest paid player should note Arsenal (Ozil) and Manchester United (Alexis Sanchez). I know he's good, but coming into a squad immediately and being the highest paid player is a locker room revolt waiting to happen.

 

[Rogue219]

In looking over this Gold Cup roster and giving it some time to process, the biggest thing for me more than the Sargent stuff (I'm fine with this in the end) is where Berhalter intends on playing Adams. Adams' role is going to be the biggest component of this tournament for me. They list 8 defenders and Adams is one of those.

 

[ACamp1900]

So the women got off to an okay start today in France....

 

[Irish Joe]

So the women got off to an okay start today in France....

With an offense better than Michigan's

 

[NorthDakota]

They scored 6 goals in the last 11 minutes. That looks very trashy to me.

 

[notredomer23]

They scored 6 goals in the last 11 minutes. That looks very trashy to me.

Alex Morgan said "This is Trump's America Now" after scoring her 5th.

 

[fightingirish26]

Sucks seeing Adams listed as a defender. Obviously Yedlin being healthy would push Adams into midfield but really sucks we apparently decided that taking him out of midfield is the best option.

Welp, doesn't matter...
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/1ZjEqVquLK">pic.twitter.com/1ZjEqVquLK</a></p>— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) <a href="https://twitter.com/usmntonly/status/1138553426739171329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Old Man Mike]

Some people object to scoring so much in rout games, but my opinion is that you respect the other team more by continuing to play hard.

Coach Kelly OFTEN takes the foot off the gas by playing conservative plays when up sort-of big --- mixed feelings about that, but at least in "real" football you can still play your hardest even when calling nothing but running plays. In soccer there is no middle ground, so you have to continue to attack.

Our ladies kicked butt, and looked like a complete team while doing it, so good on them. We still haven't proved that we can break down a low box by a more physical team though, so the jury is still out.

 

[NorthDakota]

Alex Morgan said "This is Trump's America Now" after scoring her 5th.

Nvm I live for it now

 

[Old Man Mike]

Regarding Tyler Adams: If Yedlin comes back and takes over right back (imo he should) then Adams can't just go into midfield --- our "proper" midfield starters are Bradley/McKennie/Pulisic. (Pulisic says he wants to play "10" and the coach seems to have come around to that.) So where does Adams play? Replace Ream? Seems a bad idea. Forward wing?

 

[Irish Joe]

Some people object to scoring so much in rout games, but my opinion is that you respect the other team more by continuing to play hard.

Coach Kelly OFTEN takes the foot off the gas by playing conservative plays when up sort-of big --- mixed feelings about that, but at least in "real" football you can still play your hardest even when calling nothing but running plays. In soccer there is no middle ground, so you have to continue to attack.

Our ladies kicked butt, and looked like a complete team while doing it, so good on them. We still haven't proved that we can break down a low box by a more physical team though, so the jury is still out.

This.

Plus, they're here to win the tournament. If they can work on a few things (set pieces, positioning, timing, etc.) at the end of a blowout with the idea of getting better when tougher competition inevitably comes around, then more power to them.

 

[snoopdog]

Some people object to scoring so much in rout games, but my opinion is that you respect the other team more by continuing to play hard.

Coach Kelly OFTEN takes the foot off the gas by playing conservative plays when up sort-of big --- mixed feelings about that, but at least in "real" football you can still play your hardest even when calling nothing but running plays. In soccer there is no middle ground, so you have to continue to attack.

Our ladies kicked butt, and looked like a complete team while doing it, so good on them. We still haven't proved that we can break down a low box by a more physical team though, so the jury is still out.

Actually I don't agree with this in this situation. The strongest team in the World against a barely qualifier. They should have stop the bloodshed at 8 or 9 goals. They could have kept possession the last 20 minutes and just won easily. This serves no purpose other than Bullying a much inferior opponent.

 

[BabyIrish]

Actually I don't agree with this in this situation. The strongest team in the World against a barely qualifier. They should have stop the bloodshed at 8 or 9 goals. They could have kept possession the last 20 minutes and just won easily. This serves no purpose other than Bullying a much inferior opponent.

I disagree, it does serve a purpose. You need to stay focused and sharp for all 90 minutes, no questions asked. It improves your stamina as it trains your body to go all out for 90 minutes rather than 70. It sharpens you mentally by playing sharp and tough no matter the situation. This tournament comes around every 4 years. They did the right thing.

Take this example of Refugio in Texas. For four years in a row, they lost in playoffs as they would play their starters only 2 quarters, because they had built there bodies and minds to do so throughout the season. Then when they played real competition they weren't ready to win. Then in 2011, the coach switched and had them play hard for 3 quarters as starters and 1 quarter with backups. The result, a state championship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOhq0MSDoMQ (Sorry I don't know how to embed)

 

[notredomer23]

Regarding Tyler Adams: If Yedlin comes back and takes over right back (imo he should) then Adams can't just go into midfield --- our "proper" midfield starters are Bradley/McKennie/Pulisic. (Pulisic says he wants to play "10" and the coach seems to have come around to that.) So where does Adams play? Replace Ream? Seems a bad idea. Forward wing?

No need to overthink it how Berhalter is. While TA can play RB, he is a natural fit playing a deeper role at CM and right now he plays it more effectively than Bradley. I get he isn’t healthy right now, but unless affected by injury, I would bet a large sum of money that our starting midfield features McKennie, Pulisic, and Adams going into 2022.

 

[fightingirish26]

Regarding Tyler Adams: If Yedlin comes back and takes over right back (imo he should) then Adams can't just go into midfield --- our "proper" midfield starters are Bradley/McKennie/Pulisic. (Pulisic says he wants to play "10" and the coach seems to have come around to that.) So where does Adams play? Replace Ream? Seems a bad idea. Forward wing?

Adams is so much better than mckennie and bradley it's frightening. I agree with nd23, midfield is Adams/McKennie/Pulisic moving forward imo.

 

[notredomer23]

Adams is so much better than mckennie and bradley it's frightening. I agree with nd23, midfield is Adams/McKennie/Pulisic moving forward imo.

That’s not even a knock on McKennie, too. Adams may be better regarded than Pulisic after this season. We really need to never send a Yank again to England and right to the Bundesliga.

 

[fightingirish26]

That’s not even a knock on McKennie, too. Adams may be better regarded than Pulisic after this season. We really need to never send a Yank again to England and right to the Bundesliga.

Yup, wasn't intended as a slight to McKennie.

In other American bundesliga news, Alex Mendez is apparently moving up to Freiburg II from the u19s and Matthew Hoppe is off to Schalke from Barca's academy.

 

[NorthDakota]

Some people object to scoring so much in rout games, but my opinion is that you respect the other team more by continuing to play hard.

Coach Kelly OFTEN takes the foot off the gas by playing conservative plays when up sort-of big --- mixed feelings about that, but at least in "real" football you can still play your hardest even when calling nothing but running plays. In soccer there is no middle ground, so you have to continue to attack.

Our ladies kicked butt, and looked like a complete team while doing it, so good on them. We still haven't proved that we can break down a low box by a more physical team though, so the jury is still out.

Idk. Kelly has a tendency to take his foot off when we are up 17-21 points. I am not sure that's a fair comparison to easing up the last 15 minutes when you are up 7-0 in a soccer game against these jabronis.

Not the end of the world either way.

 

[Irish#1]

A lot of discussion on sports radio today. Not so much about the score, but more about the celebrations after the goals. Even up big some were celebrating like the just scored the winning goal to secure the cup.

 

[Irish Joe]

A lot of discussion on sports radio today. Not so much about the score, but more about the celebrations after the goals. Even up big some were celebrating like the just scored the winning goal to secure the cup.

Talking heads with zero experience of the feeling of scoring in a World Cup

 

[Legacy]

Announcers were awful. Loved the attacking style, the midfielders play especially Mewis, and the defenders playing in Thailand's half of the field - Dunn, Ertz. Rapinoe is pivotal. Very talented subs. Glad Heath got a goal. We'll have to see about Naeher when she is tested. When Sauerbruun comes back who do you take off the field? There should be a rule to substitute more than three players if a team is up by more than four. More of the bench would get PT.

 

[NorthDakota]

Talking heads with zero experience of the feeling of scoring in a World Cup

With this trash logic none of us who never played professional sports can ever criticize professional athletes for anything. Kinda a trash take.

 

[Irish Joe]

With this trash logic none of us who never played professional sports can ever criticize professional athletes for anything. Kinda a trash take.

Solid response, did you want to yell at me to get off your lawn as well?

When it comes to X's & O's, I agree with you. An entire industry is built on analyzing & criticizing sports decisions and execution. Emotions are a whole different animal and none of us that have experienced it know what a stage like that feels like and shouldn't be telling athletes how they should react.

 

[ACamp1900]

An entire industry that used to be built on analyzing & criticizing sports decisions and execution is now completely geared towards trolling/flaming people, making faux controversies, and focusing on every possible aspect of the athletes lives OFF the field instead of what happens on it.

Just had to fix that for you....

 

[notredomer23]

A lot of discussion on sports radio today. Not so much about the score, but more about the celebrations after the goals. Even up big some were celebrating like the just scored the winning goal to secure the cup.

It would be disrespectful to Thailand if the US let up after 6 or 7 goals. I am glad they poured it on. It is also incredibly unintentionally disrespectful to continue celebrating after that point IMO. These are not professionals like on the USWNT nor are they even close to rivals or were they playing dirty. The players for Thailand are all amateurs we will never hear from again in two weeks. You score, high fives with your teammates, go back to your side. Kinda uncharted territory so I don't hold the celebrating against any of them, but if it ever happens again they should do better.

 

[Irish Joe]

Just had to fix that for you....

Sadly....yep

We're a celebrity driven culture that wants our athletes to be treated the same as actors/musicians

 

[NorthDakota]

Solid response, did you want to yell at me to get off your lawn as well?

When it comes to X's & O's, I agree with you. An entire industry is built on analyzing & criticizing sports decisions and execution. Emotions are a whole different animal and none of us that have experienced it know what a stage like that feels like and shouldn't be telling athletes how they should react.

Plenty of us played sports and a variety of levels. A lot of that is relative.

The excuse of "This is a big stage and you guys never had this experience" doesn't hold water. Douche behavior is douche behavior.

 

[ACamp1900]

It would be disrespectful to Thailand if the US let up after 6 or 7 goals. I am glad they poured it on. It is also incredibly unintentionally disrespectful to continue celebrating after that point IMO. These are not professionals like on the USWNT nor are they even close to rivals or were they playing dirty. The players for Thailand are all amateurs we will never hear from again in two weeks. You score, high fives with your teammates, go back to your side. Kinda uncharted territory so I don't hold the celebrating against any of them, but if it ever happens again they should do better.

I'm mostly here... if I were in charge I would have called the dogs off, just me. The bolded on is definitely something I agree with.

 

[IrishFaninTX]

How is what they did any different than Alabama destroying Citadel 70-0 or UCONN beating a team 100-30? It doesn't become national or international news. I get this is the World Cup so it's going to be international but to me this was a team who knows goal differential might be important to take the top spot over Sweden and they struggled scoring in games leading up to the WC so I wouldn't want them trying not to score. Not to mention if they should have stopped after 7 goals then it was pointless to sub in Carly Lloyd and Kristen Press.