The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

Eh, Shaughnessy isn't bitter. We've had plenty of bitter sports reporters on the beat over the years (present company quite possibly included. ) He's just uninformed -- and displaying a traditional mindset -- which, given his position, might be worse.

 

The New England Revolution has a mascot... and Kraft Soccer is hiring a new one right now.
https://www5.apply2jobs.com/thekraf...External.showJob&RID=860&CurrentPage=1&sid=19

 

Bumping this back up, not for any of the January transfer news, the return of Jozy or the rise of Southampton. Instead, the latest in the trailer park life that is Hope Solo -- Report: Jerramy Stevens Arrested For DUI While Driving The USWNT Van

 

U.S. Soccer has announced yet another new jersey... with stripes. Sort of. The primary color appears to be royal blue, a color which does not exist on the American flag.

The teams will start wearing them in March.

 

I will miss the bomb pops.

 

At least in my little part of suburbia, that jersey is super popular. Maybe not Barca or Chelski popular, but close.

 

Rooney with the passive offsides to arguably distract the GK for United's first goal in the FA Cup. For me, offsides should always be called but treated as an advantage situation where the defensive team gets possession.

 

Lots of debate about that goal afterward. Hard to claim he wasn't involved in the play when he had to turn his body 90 degrees to the ball could pass by him en route to the net.

Maybe a little simulation involved on his late PK, too. From the replays it looked as if there was no contact whatsoever with the diving goalie.

Little-know soccer fact. the 4-4-2 originated with Preston North End and transformed footie from bunch ball into the game we know today.

 

All 3 of United's goals could have been disallowed as there was a bit of a push off on the second.

I'm not sure Rooney didn't get clipped by the keeper on the 3rd goal. If it happened, it was minor, but the reaction by Rooney seemed genuine.

I've watched most of United's games and LvG isn't the answer. There is no danger on the flanks and neither RvP or Falcao are even replacement level. They need Rooney upfront with Wilson, Januzaz in the 11 and Pogba in the Yaya role.

 

The solution may be what Big Sam intimated the other day: Use the long ball and camp Fellaini in front of the goal. A poor man's Peter Crouch.

I'm more worried about the back line, but that ship sailed with the close of the transfer window. De Gea has been amazing this season.

 

De Gea has been awesome and I'm not sure why he wasn't starting for Spain last summer. I assume that Real Madrid will come for him. Rojo-Evans can get the job done in defense, especially if Blind is parked in front of them, but a 3rd central defender is necessary. Smalling and Jones are crap.

Fellaini to me is the type of player who can make a real impact against non-top 6 clubs but doesn't have the extra gear which makes him elite. I feel the same was about Young and Valencia, both of whom have played pretty well this season but who just aren't special. Januzaj can be that guy, but LvG is not the manager for him -- Fergie would have featured him every game.

At the end of the day, Falcao has been Jozy with a better pedigree. I assume that he just isn't fully healthy yet. And RvP looks miserable.

 

Hard to figure, isn't it? The sum of the parts = largely crap, and yet they're third in the table and playing a home tie to get to the FA Cup semifinals.