The Soccer Thread (Version 7.0)

I am not used to seeing Spain rattled.

 

This is a smack down.

 

That was some magnificent soccer from Brazil. Nobody will beat them next year if that's how they play.

 

They played with fire. I think Spain sat back a bit too much, but a great match.

 

Jozy to Sunderland? Interesting.

 

Good thing this past season with AZ got him used to life in a relegation fight. Who's going to get him the ball? Seb Larsson is good for a bit of magic every now and then and James McClean has shown flashes of brilliance, but there's not much else there.

The odds of Sunderland spectacularly imploding have to be at least as good as those of success, especially as it's only a matter of time before Di Canio does something bug-nutty again. I hope Jozy does well, but get ready to hear plenty of references to Afonso Alves by the English media....

 

It's the right level of team for him. But it could go bad quickly and Di Canio is the type of manager who could quit or get fired at any time.

 

Donovan wins a PK, chips it down the middle for his 50th goal for the USMNT.

 

He got his 51st goal minutes later, and now it's a total rout. Guatemala isn't putting up any defense.

 

I liked the Klinsmann-Donovan exchange when Donovan got subbed. Klinsmann was all smiles, giddy almost, and Donovan was almost like, "Yeah, whatever."

I think we will see Donovan join the USMNT for the next round of qualifiers, and I'm betting he starts next summer, opposite of Zusi.

 

Altidore to Sunderland has evidently moved closer to happening:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23210189

 

Canada opens the Gold Cup in style. By losing on a last-second goal. To Martinique.