Running, all-purpose World Cup thread

[PeteyPirate]

What is happening on Univision right now might be the best TV I've ever seen.

 

[FuerteJ]

Agreed. I was hoping the Roos could find a way to pull off the tie, but I knew that was too much to ask.

Here's a question: Is Brazil just playing "down" to the level of its competition this time around? We all know they've got another gear that we assume they can shift to whenever they want ... or at least, I think that ... but they haven't done it yet. Are they out of sync? Are they not as dominant as we think? Is the bull's-eye on their backs too big?

They just don't look like the GREATEST TEAM EVER that I was led to believe they were. Alas, it's only group play. And with a 2-0 result over the Aussies, they're through.

I heard on the XM World Cup tonight show last night their thoughts on this topic, and I tend to agree. The Brazil manager is preparing his team to play for 7 games. This means not hitting peak form too early and wearing yourself out too early. My guess is that they're just playing/practicing right now and once they hit knockout rounds, they'll start picking it up. I personally think some of the way Brazil has been playing is a factor of Croatia and Australia being better than people believed.

 

[Flash]

I have seven goals on one of my pool teams but the team with Ronaldinho, Henry and Ballack is goal-less. I'm hoping they all kick it up a notch in the second round.

 

[urgrad04]

I can't believe there hasn't been a more positive response towards the United States play yesterday especially considering all the criticism on Monday. The US dominated a team expected by many to make it to the final game for the first 20 minutes of the game and would have won the game had Mastroeni not received that bs red card (the pope yellow was the right call.) Even when the US went down a man they were still controlling play. Donovan was attacking all throughout the second half and Keller was world class. Yeah the US has to do a better job of finishing but they kept giving themselves chances with superior midfield play. I can see us beating a very skilled Ghana team and Italy-CR tying leaving the United States out. Still it would be a successful world cup and it would show that we've made major strides.

 

[KP]

Frogs finally scored.

 

[PeteyPirate]

I can't believe there hasn't been a more positive response towards the United States play yesterday especially considering all the criticism on Monday. The US dominated a team expected by many to make it to the final game for the first 20 minutes of the game and would have won the game had Mastroeni not received that bs red card (the pope yellow was the right call.) Even when the US went down a man they were still controlling play. Donovan was attacking all throughout the second half and Keller was world class. Yeah the US has to do a better job of finishing but they kept giving themselves chances with superior midfield play. I can see us beating a very skilled Ghana team and Italy-CR tying leaving the United States out. Still it would be a successful world cup and it would show that we've made major strides.

One man's "major strides" is another man's "step backward."

I am not going to accept that you are sitting here telling me that going from the quarterfinals to not advancing past pool play is actually an improvement for the U.S. soccer program, so you should clarify your remarks.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

I can't believe there hasn't been a more positive response towards the United States play yesterday especially considering all the criticism on Monday. The US dominated a team expected by many to make it to the final game for the first 20 minutes of the game and would have won the game had Mastroeni not received that bs red card (the pope yellow was the right call.) Even when the US went down a man they were still controlling play. Donovan was attacking all throughout the second half and Keller was world class. Yeah the US has to do a better job of finishing but they kept giving themselves chances with superior midfield play. I can see us beating a very skilled Ghana team and Italy-CR tying leaving the United States out. Still it would be a successful world cup and it would show that we've made major strides.

They would not have won the game. I don't care how dominant you are at midfield if you fall apart every time you get within 30 yards of the goal.

This team shows absolutely no sign that it's capable of scoring a goal on this level.

And no, failing to get out of the opening round would not be "major strides."

 

[Mystery_Meat]

FDP: To be fair, this *is* the one generally accepted as the Group of Death, so not getting out of this one doesn't sting quite as bad.

If they beat Ghana, sneak into knockouts as the second team from the group and then beat Brazil, that would do wonders for the image of the sport in America. I think even the most neophyte soccer follower understands that Brazil is the gold standard, so a win against it probably would register more on the national conscious than any soccer match in American history, even more so than the win against Mexico in the second round in 2002.

Best name on the Brazilian team: Kaka.

 

[PeteyPirate]

FDP: To be fair, this *is* the one generally accepted as the Group of Death, so not getting out of this one doesn't sting quite as bad.

If they beat Ghana, sneak into knockouts as the second team from the group and then beat Brazil, that would do wonders for the image of the sport in America. I think even the most neophyte soccer follower understands that Brazil is the gold standard, so a win against it probably would register more on the national conscious than any soccer match in American history, even more so than the win against Mexico in the second round in 2002.

Best name on the Brazilian team: Kaka.

He said it would be a major stride even if they got knocked out in pool play.

Fred is the best Brazilian name.

 

[KP]

Did you see the Staples Center is sold out for the Korea-France game? People dressed in red all over the place.

 

[buckweaver]

Did you see the Staples Center is sold out for the Korea-France game? People dressed in red all over the place.

I haven't heard anything about Staples selling out. I do know that there's thousands of people from Koreatown who are watching the match on big screens at Wilshire Park. H-U-G-E.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

FDP: But you implied it was a "step backwards" and I don't think it's that easy to quantify. Is it disappointing, given their (inflated) world rating? Obviously. But if they beat a good Ghana side after holding on to a tie against Italy despite playing a man down, but don't make the knockouts becuase the Czechs beat Italy or they tie, then I don't think I'd call that a terribly big step backwards if at all. I suspect they'd do a lot better if they got Spain or Germany's group.