All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

DuceEquitas · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

The Metros going to be very, very poor this year.

At least Columbus has Buddle to score occasionally. Outside of Youri, you have the mercurial (and perpetually overrated) Mike Magee and a cast of characters, despite my MLS expertise, I can't even name. Maybe Ibrahim will turn out to be a stud.

This is usually ok if the defense is extremely solid, which the group you presented is certainly not.

Hed bust · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Inky_Wretch said:

Sounds like a great crowd. Haven't seen a shot of the stands, however.
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Stands weren't near full.
The tickets ranged from 15 euro (about 19 U.S. dollars) to 45 euro (about 58 U.S. dollars)
It's been snowing here all around in the Kaiserslautern area all day long. It's currently 6:15 Central European Time and cold as hell outside as the last of the daylight escapes us.
The U.S. men will play in Dortmund (a couple hundred miles above here and north of Cologne) against the German national team on March 22, will play one "real" WC game in this same Kaiserslautern stadium in June.
Another U.S. game in the WC will be staged in nearby Frankfurt so there will plenty of chances for U.S. fans here to get back out and see the team.
I watched last nite's game on live TV here with my wife.

Pastor · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

DuceEquitas said:

The Metros going to be very, very poor this year.

At least Columbus has Buddle to score occasionally. Outside of Youri, you have the mercurial (and perpetually overrated) Mike Magee and a cast of characters, despite my MLS expertise, I can't even name. Maybe Ibrahim will turn out to be a stud.

This is usually ok if the defense is extremely solid, which the group you presented is certainly not.
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Guevara can score.
Abbe's got visa issues.

As for Magee, who knows. He's playing well in pre-season, but we all know how well that translates.

Pastor · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Link to watch the replay of the goal Dempsey Scored

zizzer · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Twoback said:

zizzer said:

Just got back from "staff development" and caught the game..... my takes:

1) first half was very, very sloppy. Remarked to a co-worker that the team that beat Guatemala could have beaten today's side with as disjointed as they played.

B) second half was much better. An awful lot of good chances, not really good shots, but solid passing and creativity.

III) I think it was Balboa who said that they didn't have Reyna to slow the game down and control the midfield. Watching the game in the second half, I gotta think that's a good thing. With the speed we've got, I don't want to see us plodding along, I think our best chance comes when we're flying at full speed at the defense.

****) Dave O'Brien did the announcing, and I thought he was really good in the first half, enough so that I was thinking he'd be a good first team announcer for the cup. Second half, he wouldn't shut up about the snow. He lost whatever points he'd accumulated in my book.

Oh, and Keller's number one, Howard's definitely number two. You can take any stiff you want for the third keeper. Howard's my man if Keller goes down, hands down.....
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Hey, Zizz -- you think maybe Poland had something to do with why the U.S. was "disjointed?" If the U.S. had played Guatemala with this crew, we'd have won 9-0. Poland played terrific defense all night, and still we won.
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I'm not slamming Poland in any shape or form. What I'm saying is that they US didn't know which way they were making their runs. Guys would take off to their right only to have the ball delivered to their left. All I'm saying is that the familiarity that was evident with the crew that played Guatemala - because they've been in training camp together for six weeks - was missing with these guys for much of the first half.

Shouldn't be a problem when the cup rolls around because they'll have some time to work together before play begins.

Del_B_Vista · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Webster said:

I wonder what Jack Edwards does during the broadcasts of the US games? Is he in a fetal position in his living room in his bathrobe using a cereal spoon as a mike with a cardboard cutout of 'Celo?
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MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY!!!

Del_B_Vista · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Has the all-purpose, neverending soccer thread been tried yet? They always tend to branch into other discussions, which I enjoy. Can Zizzer change the thread title?

zizzer · Mar 2, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Del_B_Vista said:

Has the all-purpose, neverending soccer thread been tried yet? They always tend to branch into other discussions, which I enjoy. Can Zizzer change the thread title?
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Just for you, Del.....

Del_B_Vista · Mar 2, 2006

There should also probably be an "All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Bashing Thread," but as my man Stu once said, "Man, f-ck those guys."

TrooperBari · Mar 3, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

poindexter said:

Some funny lines from arena about Adu this week.

Much to do about Adu

One of the more interesting questions Arena will face during the World Cup buildup is that of the status of 16-year-old Freddy Adu, the D.C. United midfielder-forward who is a long shot to make the team.

On Monday, a German journalist asked the U.S. coach whether Adu will be going to the World Cup.

"I haven't talked to him. I don't know if he plans on going to the World Cup or not," Arena said half sarcastically and half jokingly.

"I don't know. Do you know any 16-year-old players playing in the World Cup this year? But the American team will probably have 14-, 15-, 16-year-old players with them because we're so weak," he said.

Then Arena got serious.

"It's not likely," he said. "Freddy's a very good player, but it's not likely. But you never know. It's not likely we're going to be carrying a 16-year-old. He's an exceptional player with a bright future."
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Ah, memories ... some of my favorite (off-field) moments from WC 2002 were Bruce's sparring sessions with the German media leading up to Hugh Dallas-gate.

Arena said he has aspirations of coaching in Europe. I know I'd pay good money for Bundesliga broadcasts (or at least Bild and Kicker subscriptions) if he landed there.

TrooperBari · Mar 3, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Crass said:

I'm hearing the Germany game was just called because of the snow. They couldn't even see the lines anymore.
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That was the Belgium game, actually. Germany got in all 90 minutes of their 4-1 pimp-slapping from Italy.

I almost - almost, mind you - kind of feel for Klinsy. He's probably going to end up taking the fall for having a generation of German players who are a shadow of the teams the Fatherland is used to. Klose? Podolski? Kuranyi? Diesler? Where'd all the young talent go? Ballack is damn good, but he's not a one-man gang.

TrooperBari · Mar 3, 2006

Re: USA/Poland Thread (soccer)

Crass said:

I missed the majority of the second half. I'm rather annoyed at this fact.

I did see that Howard was put in to guard the old onion bag.

I'm just not sure where he should be on the depth chart. At this point, I think I would go with Reis over him in the number 2 hole.
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I'd be surprised if Howard was anything other than third choice right now. Keller is a mortal lock to start and Hahnemann - who we'll see more of once Reading clinches promotion - is actually playing and doing well. Timmy's seen next to no action at ManYoo, so how could he be ahead of Hahnemann?

Howard looked OK against Poland, but aside from a couple low skidders, he really wasn't under that much pressure. The Germany match will likely be Keller again, since the Bundesliga is taking that weekend off, so where else is THo going to get match sharp before the World Cup?

--------------

Reis is probably the emergency back-up right now. If Kevin Hartman sees the field in Germany, it's time to start making plans for 2010 qualifying....

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