World Cup 2014 Thread

[Naples39]

You guys really think the US can keep Germany scoreless for 75-80 minutes?

IMO, it will be tough, but there is a better chance of keeping the game 0-0 than there is of earning a result after going toe-to-toe with Germany. The talent gap is significant, the US has shorter rest and the Manaus factor against it.

[RobVarak]

Totally agree with Naples. Teams with a much larger talent deficit than the US has in this game are capable of doing so.

[pk500]

I'm much less optimistic than I was 24 hours ago. I feel like the attrition of the opening two matches will just be too much for the US, and lacking the depth to rotate the squad without hampering our productivity, I'm afraid it will be fatal.

I agree. I think Ghana might really rip Portugal a new one, and the US may need to at least draw to win. And I have a bad feeling about what Germany could do to a depleted US team coming out of Manaus on one day less of rest than Germany.

+1 on both sentiments, sadly. This World Cup's American epilogue will be The Curse of Michael Bradley. Missed open goal in in first half against Portugal, botched first touch in 94th minute that led to Portugal's goal.

[JackB1]

I'm much less optimistic than I was 24 hours ago. I feel like the attrition of the opening two matches will just be too much for the US, and lacking the depth to rotate the squad without hampering our productivity, I'm afraid it will be fatal.

I agree. I think Ghana might really rip Portugal a new one, and the US may need to at least draw to win. And I have a bad feeling about what Germany could do to a depleted US team coming out of Manaus on one day less of rest than Germany.

+1 on both sentiments, sadly. This World Cup's American epilogue will be The Curse of Michael Bradley. Missed open goal in in first half against Portugal, botched first touch in 94th minute that led to Portugal's goal.

Remove Michael Bradley from this team and they have no shot. They don't have anyone better to replace him with or they would. Yes, he missed a goal opportunity, but at least he got a shot on goal. And on the last goal, he turned it over at midfield. How about blaming the guys that were back for giving Ronaldo ebough space to make a run and for not marking the guy in the box who scored on the header? All this blame on Bradley seems very unfair to me.

[RallyMonkey]

Let me use an analogy so people can understand why Bradley is receiving, and deserving of, the blame for the play in the 94th minute.

Bottom of the 9th, 2-1 game, two outs. Batter hits a routine fly to center. Centerfielder saunters over towards the ball, catcher starts to walk out to high five the closer. Other fielders take a step or two towards the dugout. Centerfielder reaches up lazily with one hand and the ball ricochet's off the palm of the glove and falls to the ground. Very next batter deposits the first pitch into the bleachers. Team loses 3-2. Do we blame the pitcher for the location? Sure. The catcher for calling the pitch? Possibly. But the bottom line is if the centerfielder makes the play on that fly ball, none of the subsequent action even occurs.

Looking ahead though, I'm scared crapless that Ghana hammers Portugal and the US doesn't have enough left to play the Germans even. But dammit if I won't be glued to the tube watching and praying!

[JackB1]

Let me use an analogy so people can understand why Bradley is receiving, and deserving of, the blame for the play in the 94th minute.

Bottom of the 9th, 2-1 game, two outs. Batter hits a routine fly to center. Centerfielder saunters over towards the ball, catcher starts to walk out to high five the closer. Other fielders take a step or two towards the dugout. Centerfielder reaches up lazily with one hand and the ball ricochet's off the palm of the glove and falls to the ground. Very next batter deposits the first pitch into the bleachers. Team loses 3-2. Do we blame the pitcher for the location? Sure. The catcher for calling the pitch? Possibly. But the bottom line is if the centerfielder makes the play on that fly ball, none of the subsequent action even occurs.

Looking ahead though, I'm scared crapless that Ghana hammers Portugal and the US doesn't have enough left to play the Germans even. But dammit if I won't be glued to the tube watching and praying!

I understand WHY he is getting the blame...I just don't feel it's 100% deserved. He was a big part of the reason we were in position to win that game.
I also don't think Bradley went "lazily" for the ball or wasn't doing everything he could at the time. The heat and humidity were probably taking it's toll after
90 minutes and maybe he was physically exhausted?

Either way, what good does blaming one person for the tie do anyway? It's over and we must move on. If we can't beat the better teams (like Germany) we aren't going very far in the World Cup anyway. To be the best, you have to beat some of the best teams to get there. If we play poorly Thurs but somehow manage to still get into the next round and proceed to get throttled by our next opponent, then what?

[10spro]

Italy-Uruguay are the total antithesis of what this WC has been so far. Dirty tactics, fakers at its best, Balo being his old self, Suarez still head butts people, and Marchisio gets sent off. A total mess, a lot of bad blood until Godin's crucial header making the difference for Tavarez' team.

[fsquid]

Hey Suarez is still biting people.

[rhymes450]

Italy-Uruguay are the total antithesis of what this WC has been so far. Dirty tactics, fakers at its best, Balo being his old self, Suarez still head butts people, and Marchisio gets sent off. A total mess, a lot of bad blood until Godin's crucial header making the difference for Tavarez' team.

Definitely a fair is foul and foul is fair type of encounter. Even though it was pretty niggly stuff, it was still compulsive viewing with so much at stake. Second absolutely vital goal from a corner for Godin this season, after his Liga winner against Barca.

[Murph]

Wow, Suarez. I guess 3 times a charm. Does Suarez hang out with Mike Tyson?

[RobVarak]

Hey Suarez is still biting people.

Incisors of God!

Works for me. Gets Italy out of the tournament (always a plus) and gets himself off the pitch for the duration. Go rest your crazy ass, Luis.

[10spro]

Now, I gotta support fully why R. Hodgson once said, "Suarez is not a World class player". Obviously he's got a dark side still in him and hasn't learn much from his previous suspensions. Initially I thought it was a head butt and he may not have taken a good chew on Chielini but the intent was there.

Fifa must be proactive now and act fast. Suspend him for the rest of the tournament and beyond.

[Macca00]

So, Barca & Real - you still interested? I think not. Hands off, he's our psycho.


Of all the days to leave my phone at home - I probably have a barrage of texts! Crazy morning at clinic, I manage to get a breather - step into the waiting room and look up at the TV just as they're showing the replay of good old Luis biting Chielini! I started laughing hysterically.

He's something special all right. I don't know why he can't be like other players and just headbutt or elbow people. Those types of fouls just injure people physically, instead of biting which probably gives the recipients PTSD or something.

What a guy!

Bye bye Italy!

Macca
(who, swear to God, just gave a patient her first set of rabies shots because she got bit by a dog...no joke)

[Naples39]

Let me use an analogy so people can understand why Bradley is receiving, and deserving of, the blame for the play in the 94th minute.

Bottom of the 9th, 2-1 game, two outs. Batter hits a routine fly to center. Centerfielder saunters over towards the ball, catcher starts to walk out to high five the closer. Other fielders take a step or two towards the dugout. Centerfielder reaches up lazily with one hand and the ball ricochet's off the palm of the glove and falls to the ground. Very next batter deposits the first pitch into the bleachers. Team loses 3-2. Do we blame the pitcher for the location? Sure. The catcher for calling the pitch? Possibly. But the bottom line is if the centerfielder makes the play on that fly ball, none of the subsequent action even occurs.

Looking ahead though, I'm scared crapless that Ghana hammers Portugal and the US doesn't have enough left to play the Germans even. But dammit if I won't be glued to the tube watching and praying!

I think that's a very inaccurate analogy. A major league outfielder catches a routine fly ball 999 times out of 1000. Michael Bradley made one sloppy touch while being converged upon by 5 Portuguese players pressing for their lives. A typical midfielder will make a loose touch like that 5-10 times every game.

A routine fly ball and and a first touch on a bouncing ball in midfield while being pressed are not comparable plays.

The most in-depth analysis you will see of it all as it happens. As they point out, Cameron's failure to pick up the runner behind him was actually more of a lazy, absent-minded mistake than Bradley's turnover. Plenty of blame to go around.
http://www.espnfc.us/team/united-states ... h-portugal

[RobVarak]

Of all the days to leave my phone at home - I probably have a barrage of texts!

Well I know I did my part lol I assumed you were unconscious.

I can't believe that everyone is so worked up about this that they're missing the best part of today's development: Italy is out!!!

[pk500]

Remove Michael Bradley from this team and they have no shot. They don't have anyone better to replace him with or they would. Yes, he missed a goal opportunity, but at least he got a shot on goal. And on the last goal, he turned it over at midfield. How about blaming the guys that were back for giving Ronaldo ebough space to make a run and for not marking the guy in the box who scored on the header? All this blame on Bradley seems very unfair to me.

Bullsh*t. I'm not saying "bench Bradley." Hardly. He's still a very influential player for the U.S. But he has not been the best midfielder for the U.S., not at all. To be fair, Bradley has been thrust to the top of Klinsmann's diamond midfield, a spot Dempsey normally occupies, due to Altidore's injury. But Bradley has not adjusted well to his new position like a fulcrum of a team should.

Let me rewrite your first sentence so it's accurate: Remove Jermaine Jones from this team and they have no shot.

There you go.

[pk500]

The title of Luis Suarez's World Cup blog for El País: "Diary of a Vampire."

Chiellini must have denser shoulder muscles than Ivanovic. Suarez's incisors were in pain this time.

[Jimmydeicide]

Hes mental its not funny Liverpool fans.

Already a picture going round of Chiellini's shoulder , clear teeth marks no wonder he was holding his teeth when he went down.

[JackB1]

I think that's a very inaccurate analogy. A major league outfielder catches a routine fly ball 999 times out of 1000. Michael Bradley made one sloppy touch while being converged upon by 5 Portuguese players pressing for their lives. A typical midfielder will make a loose touch like that 5-10 times every game.
A routine fly ball and and a first touch on a bouncing ball in midfield while being pressed are not comparable plays.

exactly.

comparing a routine fly ball in baseball to a midfielder playing a contested ball in a tense World Cup game in super hot & humid temps when the other team is desperately trying to tie the game??

[Macca00]

I can't believe that everyone is so worked up about this that they're missing the best part of today's development: Italy is out!!!

It's great! Portugal next! Though that will mean 3/4 of my Sunday men's team will be suicidal.

[10spro]

Raise your hand if you picked Costa Rica to win the group of death.

[Macca00]

Raise your hand if you picked Costa Rica to win the group of death.

And if you did - please give us the lottery numbers!!




The biggest winner with Suarez mistaking Chielini for bruschetta is The Hodge. All the tabloids will be frothing at the mouth over Suarez and completely overlooking how England were a massive turd!

[JackB1]

Bullsh*t. I'm not saying "bench Bradley." Hardly. He's still a very influential player for the U.S. But he has not been the best midfielder for the U.S., not at all. To be fair, Bradley has been thrust to the top of Klinsmann's diamond midfield, a spot Dempsey normally occupies, due to Altidore's injury. But Bradley has not adjusted well to his new position like a fulcrum of a team should.

That's exactly it. These new and added responsibilities for Bradley have been a burden to him, but he (and the team) has no choice but to make the best of it.

Altidore will again be out Thurs

[RobVarak]

Somebody got some footage of me at the game yesterday. I'm in the foreground with the smoke.

[Macca00]

Somebody got some footage of me at the game yesterday. I'm in the foreground with the smoke.

LMAO!!!!

Are we doing shirts and skins at the Olympiacos game? lol