Running, all-purpose World Cup thread

Italy does it better than anyone.
Or more than anyone, I should say.

 

Yes, those Italian colors on Cristiano Ronaldo look really good. Again, Italy (and Argentina) might have the rep, but Portugal has been the single worst team of whiners in this tournament.

Johnson doesn't really start, though O'Brien would have if he were healthy. Also, O'Brien joined Chivas USA about a week into the season, but has yet to really have significant playing time. Which is unfortunate, because skill-wise, he probably would be one of the top 15 players in MLS.

A year ago, Beasley was awesome. This year, he has been mediocre. he plays for a top Dutch team.

Convey played well this Cup. He plays for a team he helped get promoted to the EPL, so I would guess his experience doesn't match a guy like Beasley, who has played in the world's top club competition (Champions League).

MLS' affect on the national team is this: it gives us depth, it provides an avenue for players to be discovered that before would have had a hard time doing anything but walking away from the game because there were no opportunities for them. Yes, MLS needs to improve its youth system, and there are talks to do just that. We'll see what the future brings. With the new money coming in from the TV contract next season, I suspect they'll be able to open up to a few new ideas as far as teams being able to retain the players they develop.

I do not necessarily think Donovan "needs to go to Europe." I did when I was overreacting during the World Cup. But the kid simply doesn't have the temperament to succeed outside of his comfort zone. MLS and US soccer have given him much of what he wants on a silver platter, and he is used to that kind of treatment.

To me, Donovan's issue is more a personal mental adjustment he must make. He must decide NOW at age 24 just how good he wants to be. Does he wants to have the captain's armband by default, dominate Honduras and the New York Red Bulls, continue to disappear for long stretches of these games against mediocrre teams, then expect to get to larger competitions and just turn it on again?

Do our players need to leave MLS? Sure, if they want to make a boatload of money. And yes, it would be nice to have more of our guys play among th best, which MLS just isn't right now and probably will never be. But I think MLS needs to further develop the players it has. Let's play in Copa America with a team made up largely of MLS guys. Let's struggle there for a while so our players can get a taste of the big-time.

 

OK, experts, need some help here:

Been watching the games on Univision every so often -- particularly when it looks someone might actually score. WTF is with the team names in the scorebug at the top of the screen? Germany is Alemania en espanol. I'm cool with that. I understand that. So why the fuck is Germany "GER" at the top of the screen? Same with England being Inglaterra, yet still being "ENG" atop the screen.

 

GGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! ALEMANIA!!!!!!!!!

That's why I'm watching Univision. YES!

 

Nice shot. makes me think why couldn't the US just shoot against Ghana instead of looking to
make 10 perfect passes to set up the best shot.

 

Make that 2 for the home team.

 

Deutsch! Deutsch! Deutsch! Ein, zwei ... drei? ;D ;D

 

Well, this is bringing up the goals-per-game average.

GGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL de ALEMAAAANNNNIAAAAAA

and DAMN that was a beautiful freaking shot

 

Nice shots by Schweinsteiger, and Kahn is playing awesome.

 

EDIT: Never mind.

Schweinsteiger, it is. Man of the Match.

But Kahn had a helluva game today, too.

 

Buncha people went to a soccer game and a basketball game broke out.

Now 3-1 Alemania

 

A thought on the playing in Europe thing:

We talk about the players being against the top competition more so they improve, but is there another side to it. Germany has most of its players in the Bundesliga, France has many of its players in France or England, most of Italy's team plays in Serie A. These guys play with or against each other all the time, so you get a familiarity with your teammates that it's hard for American players to duplicate. When the NBA put together the Dream Team, those guys didn't play together, but they knew how each other played well because they had been against each other so much. Do some teams have an advantage because most of their players play in the same league or same couple of leagues (which also makes call-ups easier)?