The Soccer Thread (Version 13) — Winter World Cup Edition

No, I don’t think it is. Playing club and country is a year-round deal. Not saying it’s tougher, but these players didn’t just show up in Australia after months of an offseason.

And they have stunk this WWC (or the rest of the world is getting much better), but griping about their very mild amount of blowing off steam is silly.

 

True. But they are not together every single day from February through October and playing about 28 games in a 30-day span, like a baseball team. But, different sports, different criteria, I get that.

But ... when you have had as much success at the USWNT has, and when you're the idol of millions, when your players are on commercial after commercial, when you represent the country, and when you are the prohibitive favorite to win but instead come within six inches of losing to a first-time WC program and being eliminated in pool play, not even the Sweet 16, like it or not you're going to be held to a higher standard than the Kansas City Royals or the Houston Texans. So you're going to hear about it when you stink the place up, fairly or not.

Their own (former) teammates are ripping on them for their postgame conduct, not just some media members trying to play tough guy and make a name for themselves. Carli Lloyd isn't some Joe Schmoe from the Twittersphere. They've played poorly, but have four chances to make the criticism and moot point.

Aaron Boone wishes he got the same amount and type of "criticism" being heaped on this team.

 

Carli Lloyd was like one of the Miami Hurricanes stars from the 80s calling out the next decade’s players for not living up to the standard they set. But half or more of the shots the USWNT (for God’s sake they need a catchy nickname like the Matildas) are taking are from guys who get noticeably itchy any time a women’s sporting event becomes more widely popular.

 

She retired less than two years ago. She's not some irrelevant fossil whose been retired for 20 years.

OTOH, it does appear she has an axe or two to grind.

Carli Lloyd says she 'hated' the culture of USWNT before retiring | CNN

Way too late for me to stay up and watch, so I haven't but of course I hope they win. Criticism, justified or not, just comes with the deal.

 

This wasn’t the equivalent of winning a wild card. We should have thrashed Portugal and not only didn’t do so, but came a few inches away from not qualifying. I would greet the fans, but wouldn't be anything but chastened by the performance.

That being said, Lloyd comes across as way over the top.

 

If they want true equality, they need to also get raked over-the-coals for three underwhelming performances in the group stage.

Everyone wants the stardom and the money... but, at this stage, gotta take fair criticism.

 

That's okay.

Women's sports need an agitator here and there, like Twellman has been.

 

Lalas has made a living doing it.

 

Did Portugal do anything special to stymie the U.S. offensively? Didn't seem like it from my limited knowledge of the game. Almost like they felt they cold just roll the ball out there and win? Or am I listening to roo much of Fox's rah-rah coverage?

 

I think that they just clogged the midfield and we couldn’t deal with it given that we had 3 players up front.

 

The United States women’s national team, winners of two consecutive World Cups, should not celebrate backing into the knockout round as the result of a scoreless draw. They should all feel embarrassed and should’ve gotten back to work this morning when they got out of bed.

 

That was definitely the way they played the Vietnam game.