Everything Soccer

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Belgium kicked their ass because you can't win when 9 out of 11 guys have really bad days. They were terrible. Belgium also came out hunting for blood due to all of the red card nonsense. The USA were bad from the opening kick. So now we do the postmortem thing we do every team our men's team loses to try and figure out why we're so mighty at everything but men's soccer.

One issue we have is our fans. To win one of these is extremely hard, and only a handful of nations have ever actually done it. Our fanbase doesn't have a realistic concept of what it would actually take to do it. Beating Belgium, Spain and France to get to a final is ridiculous for anyone. Dream, push the team at every moment when they play, but when they get beat we don't need to disown them and or do some kind of analysis on why Tyreek Hill and Lebron James didn't play as kids. This team is probably up there with the 2002 team that went to the quarters. They did things that haven't been done before. That's progress.

It's disappointing how they went out, mostly because of the ride we went on in the week prior. Life comes at a lot of people tough these days, and for a few weeks, everyone felt good and united as a nation watching these guys. That Belgium team still has top quality talent, and knowing that, they are likely to go out in the next round. Keep taking the small steps. Have hope. This World Cup has probably inspired a new generation of American boys to play the game. Our federation has to keep working and doing the right things.

There are private investors (Ken Griffin helped fund Pochettino's salary) and hedge funds throwing a lot of money at this now. One thing about America, when we decide we want to be good at something and people start throwing money at it, we tend to get pretty good at whatever it is.

Wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Spain dismantles Belgium.

 

[Irish du Nord]

Maybe they did their measurements like the Nike SPARQ events

Mbappe went to The Opening

 

[Old Man Mike]

Random comment on US soccer possibilities for success ... when I was watching the peak Klopp years vs Man City a little time ago, one of the prominent commentators (Lee Dixon, who I find equally amusing and insightful) said about the two teams: "City are Footballers; Liverpool are Hunters." When I watched our USMNT in this tournament, I thought "we don't have enough to be 'footballers' as an identity; but we MIGHT have enough to be 'hunters'. " And in our first two games we went out there like a ravenous pack of attacking out-hustling wolves and looked really good. Then we began to change and vs Belgium were a Cuddle of Kittens.

I know that Klopp's Blitzkrieg Uber-pressure is hard to maintain, but maybe that's where US athleticism could shine. Liverpool made its money those years by forcing errant passing in midfield (or even earlier) and feeding people like Mane or Salah for sudden strikes that didn't take lots of build-up or breakdown. I loved watching those Hunters anyway, so there's that.

 

[NorthDakota]

Random comment on US soccer possibilities for success ... when I was watching the peak Klopp years vs Man City a little time ago, one of the prominent commentators (Lee Dixon, who I find equally amusing and insightful) said about the two teams: "City are Footballers; Liverpool are Hunters." When I watched our USMNT in this tournament, I thought "we don't have enough to be 'footballers' as an identity; but we MIGHT have enough to be 'hunters'. " And in our first two games we went out there like a ravenous pack of attacking out-hustling wolves and looked really good. Then we began to change and vs Belgium were a Cuddle of Kittens.

I know that Klopp's Blitzkrieg Uber-pressure is hard to maintain, but maybe that's where US athleticism could shine. Liverpool made its money those years by forcing errant passing in midfield (or even earlier) and feeding people like Mane or Salah for sudden strikes that didn't take lots of build-up or breakdown. I loved watching those Hunters anyway, so there's that.

Will need to do it with Klopp Lite because hes taking the Germany job

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

Belgium kicked their ass because you can't win when 9 out of 11 guys have really bad days. They were terrible. Belgium also came out hunting for blood due to all of the red card nonsense. The USA were bad from the opening kick. So now we do the postmortem thing we do every team our men's team loses to try and figure out why we're so mighty at everything but men's soccer.

One issue we have is our fans. To win one of these is extremely hard, and only a handful of nations have ever actually done it. Our fanbase doesn't have a realistic concept of what it would actually take to do it. Beating Belgium, Spain and France to get to a final is ridiculous for anyone. Dream, push the team at every moment when they play, but when they get beat we don't need to disown them and or do some kind of analysis on why Tyreek Hill and Lebron James didn't play as kids. This team is probably up there with the 2002 team that went to the quarters. They did things that haven't been done before. That's progress.

It's disappointing how they went out, mostly because of the ride we went on in the week prior. Life comes at a lot of people tough these days, and for a few weeks, everyone felt good and united as a nation watching these guys. That Belgium team still has top quality talent, and knowing that, they are likely to go out in the next round. Keep taking the small steps. Have hope. This World Cup has probably inspired a new generation of American boys to play the game. Our federation has to keep working and doing the right things.

There are private investors (Ken Griffin helped fund Pochettino's salary) and hedge funds throwing a lot of money at this now. One thing about America, when we decide we want to be good at something and people start throwing money at it, we tend to get pretty good at whatever it is.

Wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Spain dismantles Belgium.

Great summary

 

[Dale]

I am not a soccer tactician, but it felt like our tactic was like an Air Raid team running into a real defense. Is that accurate that Poch’s tactics were effective in overwhelming equal/inferior opponents but it may have been an eventuality to get completely clamped by a real defense? Don’t want to say gimmicky offense, but maybe not translatable throughout the tournament.

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

Random comment on US soccer possibilities for success ... when I was watching the peak Klopp years vs Man City a little time ago, one of the prominent commentators (Lee Dixon, who I find equally amusing and insightful) said about the two teams: "City are Footballers; Liverpool are Hunters." When I watched our USMNT in this tournament, I thought "we don't have enough to be 'footballers' as an identity; but we MIGHT have enough to be 'hunters'. " And in our first two games we went out there like a ravenous pack of attacking out-hustling wolves and looked really good. Then we began to change and vs Belgium were a Cuddle of Kittens.

I know that Klopp's Blitzkrieg Uber-pressure is hard to maintain, but maybe that's where US athleticism could shine. Liverpool made its money those years by forcing errant passing in midfield (or even earlier) and feeding people like Mane or Salah for sudden strikes that didn't take lots of build-up or breakdown. I loved watching those Hunters anyway, so there's that.

Need top end CBs and GK for that to work. Liverpool had Van Dijk anf Matip at CB and Allison at GK.

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

I am not a soccer tactician, but it felt like our tactic was like an Air Raid team running into a real defense. Is that accurate that Poch’s tactics were effective in overwhelming equal/inferior opponents but it may have been an eventuality to get completely clamped by a real defense? Don’t want to say gimmicky offense, but maybe not translatable throughout the tournament.

In my opinion the counterpress style Poch runs is not gimmicky at all, though its starting to get a bit outdated. Good European squads have been playing against tactics like Poch uses for a decade. Belgium had seen it 100x before and knew how to counter. Poch adjusted some but our players didnt.

 

[dublinirish]

 

[thekid33]

I love the number of people getting in Lalas's ass. He's an absolute moron.

 

[calvegas04]

Too bad Norway and England play each other, only two countries left that I would be cool with winning. Swiss too but I don't think FIFA let's them beat Messy

 

[thekid33]

Plucky little Belgium, good effort. Spain was inevitable.

 

[notredomer23]

Some very questionable goalkeeping has overtaken this tournament. Spain very lucky.

They were the better team, but Courtois wouldn’t have made the error the back up did. Tough shot no doubt. Then Spain’s keeper watched too much Matt Freese, but KDB couldn’t get a better ball off.

Spain France should be awesome.

 

[Dale]

That De Ketelaare has a nice header but Belgium had next to nothing in the offensive third all day

17 to 5 shots from the tourney leader in shots entering the game

 

[pumpdog20]

That De Ketelaare has a nice header but Belgium had next to nothing in the offensive third all day

17 to 5 shots from the tourney leader in shots entering the game

If I heard correctly, that Belgium guy wasn't even the starter until the US game? He had a nice last couple of games.

 

[stlnd01]

It is kind of wild that there are only like three or four Latinos on the USMNT.

 

[Bane]

Random comment on US soccer possibilities for success ... when I was watching the peak Klopp years vs Man City a little time ago, one of the prominent commentators (Lee Dixon, who I find equally amusing and insightful) said about the two teams: "City are Footballers; Liverpool are Hunters." When I watched our USMNT in this tournament, I thought "we don't have enough to be 'footballers' as an identity; but we MIGHT have enough to be 'hunters'. " And in our first two games we went out there like a ravenous pack of attacking out-hustling wolves and looked really good. Then we began to change and vs Belgium were a Cuddle of Kittens.

I know that Klopp's Blitzkrieg Uber-pressure is hard to maintain, but maybe that's where US athleticism could shine. Liverpool made its money those years by forcing errant passing in midfield (or even earlier) and feeding people like Mane or Salah for sudden strikes that didn't take lots of build-up or breakdown. I loved watching those Hunters anyway, so there's that.

This is exactly what I was getting at, but better stated.

 

[T-Boone]

I just like that it is only Christian countries left. Let’s go!!!

 

[Bane]

I am not a soccer tactician, but it felt like our tactic was like an Air Raid team running into a real defense. Is that accurate that Poch’s tactics were effective in overwhelming equal/inferior opponents but it may have been an eventuality to get completely clamped by a real defense? Don’t want to say gimmicky offense, but maybe not translatable throughout the tournament.

My impression watching the match was that the players collectively choked and even Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola themselves couldn't have saved them. Sure, the buck ultimately stops at the coach but when players are not even doing the basics like marking men down in the box or doing whatever the fuck Freese was doing, well these guys are all pros and at some point they have to execute. Had BK been coaching them they would have all been executed.

 

[Dale]

Norway - England being the Miami Quarterfinal is a hilarious backfire. Obviously prepared for it to be a Brazil home game setting

Talk we could get a heat delay…..

 

[NorthDakota]

England is looking rough

 

[Dale]

Declan Rice crosses have been abysmal

 

[calvegas04]

Great match so far

 

[thekid33]

Bellingham is so good

 

[notredomer23]

I appreciate Norway’s goal scorer acting like that “shot” was totally not a cross to the back post for Haaland. Dangerous ball either way so good stuff

 

[Dale]

Wow the England goal shouldn’t have counted

 

[NorthDakota]

England got gifted a fake goal and still losing lmaooo

 

[NorthDakota]

Wow they are just making shit up at this point

 

[Dale]

Wow they are just making shit up at this point

Maybe a flop but you can’t two hand shove a guy into a mosh pit of players lol

 

[Dale]

Get bro pancaking safeties on the second level instead