World Cup Thread

[LineSkiCat14]

False. Besides, someone fakely brushes the hand of a shooter & it's a foul. LMAO.

Thats not really the same thing lol. Thats a rule.

Either way they're not rolling around the ground after in agony. They may initiate the contact, they may retract part of their body to help sell it. Im not saying the NBA doesnt have its own flopping issues at times. But the vast majority of players fouled in the act of shooting arent on their backs faking agony on the floor after. The two sports arent even close in this regards.

I know soccer is trying to clean this up, but they have a ways to go. Funny you bring up basketball. In the NBA, that level of flopping gets a foul.

 

[Hitman206]

Based on what's happened so far, England will win the World Cup for the first time since 1966. Thomas Tuchel is not holding them back like Gareth Southgate did and is getting the most out of Harry Kane.

 

[vhcat1970]

^France is 4-1. Spain 5-1. England & Argentina 13-2. I'll go with those that have a stake int he outcome: bettors.

 

[kywildcat1021979]

Just a delight to watch the greatness that is Lionel Messi. You knew that penalty miss would go one way, him getting at least 1 today.

You got that right if the Americans can't win it I want to see the G.O.A.T get another! Broke the all time goal scoring record last night sitting at 18 world cup goals now. Messi is just the best!

 

[Hitman206]

^France is 4-1. Spain 5-1. England & Argentina 13-2. I'll go with those that have a stake int he outcome: bettors.

France looked bad in the first half against Senegal until they move Michael Olise more centrally. Spain is dependent on Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams who are coming off injuries. And Argentina is less talented and more dependent on Messi than 4 years ago.

My choice of England is like when I picked the Knicks in that they are due to win it all.

 

[Hitman206]

England with past managers played like Cal coached. When they got a lead, they would let up and play not to lose. The new manager is having them continue to attack and be aggressive.

 

[GoneFishin916]

Steph Curry is the NBA's Messi - Must see TV, and unlike Wemby, can close out games. And they're close in age too.

 

[kyhankypanky]

Don’t be fooled by England you newbies, lol

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

The Ronaldo Decoy

 

[Catman100]

Ronaldo strikes for 2 in first half.
Most of the superstars have really shown up.
Fantastic World Cup so far.

 

[mjj_2K]

Ronaldo strikes for 2 in first half.
Most of the superstars have really shown up.
Fantastic World Cup so far.

Might be the worst thing that could happen for Portugal. If they get to elimination games against top teams (which they should) the opposing team is going to be happy to see Ronaldo out there. He can thrive against Uzbekistan. Against France, or England, or Argentina? They'll be happy it's him and not someone else on Portugal's squad.

 

[vhcat1970]

France looked bad in the first half against Senegal until they move Michael Olise more centrally. Spain is dependent on Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams who are coming off injuries. And Argentina is less talented and more dependent on Messi than 4 years ago.

You're repeating yourself. SO will I. My choice of England is like when I picked the Knicks in that they are due to win it all.

You're repeating yourself. So will I. I'll stick with the betters over you.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

Rooting for America but definitley Scotland 2nd because of their fans alone.

They drank Boston dry. Hats off.

 

[kyhankypanky]

Don’t be fooled by England you newbies, lol

Btt, lol

 

[HenryMuto]

Even though the game means nothing that sucked it went from thinking we were up 2-1 to down 2-1

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Missing the heck out of Tim Ream.

 

[StuBlue270_uk]

Missing the heck out of Tim Ream.

Pulisic has to play if healthy. Quit playing it safe and just being satisfying with moving on to the next round. Feed the studs.

 

[theBlues]

Don’t be fooled by England you newbies, lol

I have only 3 words: Harry F****** Kane

 

[StuBlue270_uk]

Well that sucked.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Big bummer to drop that game. Gotta come back stronger.

 

[Anon1771816504]

That game was meaningless for us , I think we had 7 starters out, of course you want to keep winning to keep momentum

 

[Artlaibesghost]

Very poor defensive spacing. I hope we never see this line up again.

 

[mjj_2K]

That game was meaningless for us , I think we had 7 starters out, of course you want to keep winning to keep momentum

And while Turkey had no chance of advancing, they desperately wanted to avoid complete humiliation, so they played their best lineup and put in a serious effort.

Pochettino is one of the only managers in the tournament playing a high press. Which is a really popular tactic at the highest levels of the club game, but less so for national teams because it needs to be highly organized and is risky. To put it in terms that fit a basketball board, it's the equivalent of a full-court press, and at its most intense, it means bringing every player into the opponents' side of the field. Take away 7 starters and it's not a surprise it broke down.

Paris St, Germain, which has won consecutive Champions' Leagues, is so dedicated to the tactic that they'll take the opening ball of a half and purposely kick it out of bounds on the opponent's end. The US team being able to successfully use it is huge progress, and why this team hasn't looked like the "try really hard and hold on by your fingernails" US squads of the past. A meaningless loss is no reason to change.

 

[vhcat1970]

Weah is beyond useless - weak, outrun by a defender, zero moves. Pepi just short of useless. Backs disorganized. THREE lined up across goal mouth on winning cross & none recognize to be positioned even one step forward to form a wall to block the cross. Turner not stellar but the backs may have helped that appearance. Midfielders did OK/well. That's our normal strength. Net, looks to me we're somewhere between 15-17 useful players deep.

 

[CatPatrick13]

It was a smart move to keep a lot of our guys on the bench for the game. No we aren’t as deep as the powerhouse world teams , but it’s evident this USA team is faster and has more athleticism than any other team in USA history. The future looks pretty bright.

 

[Catman100]

Weah was not impressive at all, and Pepi does nothing for me.

Nobody wants to lose, but Turkey was much more motivated than we were.
We will come out firing against B&H with the real starting lineup.
And whoever wins group G is not a major concern if they move on to meet us. Egypt is not France, Argentina or Brazil.

 

[mjj_2K]

OK, in one of the all-time lamest coaching maneuvers in the history of sports, the coach of Norway has decided to concede the game against France before it even starts by sitting his best players (both teams are 2-0). Insane. For a country that is in its first World Cup since 1998.

There's strategy, and then there's overthinking things so much that a completely idiotic decision suddenly seems perfectly logical. What are the fans and players supposed to make of this?

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Watching the Norwegian miss the penalty kick reminds me how much I hate the stutter step. It feels gimmicky and unsportsmanlike. But in this era of VAR enforcement, when a keeper absolutely must hold his line, it also seems so unnecessary. A talented kicker should be able to beat a frozen keeper.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Weah was not impressive at all, and Pepi does nothing for me.

Nobody wants to lose, but Turkey was much more motivated than we were.
We will come out firing against B&H with the real starting lineup.
And whoever wins group G is not a major concern if they move on to meet us. Egypt is not France, Argentina or Brazil.

France is going to be tough to beat.

 

[vhcat1970]

France stronger betting favorite than ever to win it all. Sure looked that way to me also. Now Dembele as well as Mbappe. USA mild favorite to make it to quarters over Belgium. Our odds are down to 33-1 to win it all from 60-1 before start. LOL.

 

[Catman100]

We can beat Belgium.
We cannot beat France.

 

[entropy13]

We cannot beat France.

We beat Germany after they bombed Pearl Harbor.

Then we beat Japan after they nuked us twice while at the same time still fighting Germany for the first thing.

Vietnam was a tie.

America is unstoppable.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

France stronger betting favorite than ever to win it all. Sure looked that way to me also. Now Dembele as well as Mbappe. USA mild favorite to make it to quarters over Belgium. Our odds are down to 33-1 to win it all from 60-1 before start. LOL.

So much fire power.

 

[Artlaibesghost]

After the group stages I would love to see a Germany vs France match up. I would also love to see a England vs US matchup. We have a favorable draw up to round of 8, I don't see us advancing past that but this is the best offensive and midfield US squad I've ever seen. I feel our backline is not good enough to get to semis, hope I'm wrong here.

 

[Laparkafan]

After the group stages I would love to see a Germany vs France match up. I would also love to see an England vs US matchup. We have a favorable draw up to round of 8, I don't see us advancing past that but this is the best offensive and midfield US squad I've ever seen. I feel our backline is not good enough to get to semis, hope I'm wrong here.

Belgium is ranked 10? Wasn’t Egypt a more favorable draw?

 

[mjj_2K]

Belgium is ranked 10? Wasn’t Egypt a more favorable draw?

Belgium is a weird team because they some guys who were big names but are now old and slow versions of what they used to be. Hard to say whether them or Egypt would have been more favorable. Real test foe for the US regardless, because Belgium is exactly the type of squad filled with guys from the top Euro leagues that they've never been able to beat in the World Cup. But maybe an easier version than the really elite ones.

 

[Laparkafan]

Belgium is a weird team because they some guys who were big names but are now old and slow versions of what they used to be. Hard to say whether them or Egypt would have been more favorable. Real test foe for the US regardless, because Belgium is exactly the type of squad filled with guys from the top Euro leagues that they've never been able to beat in the World Cup. But maybe an easier version than the really elite ones.

Ya I can see that but I’m sure that experience helps in knockout whereas usa or Egypt doesn’t have the familiarity

 

[vhcat1970]

Belgium is a weird team because they some guys who were big names but are now old and slow versions of what they used to be. Hard to say whether them or Egypt would have been more favorable. Real test foe for the US regardless, because Belgium is exactly the type of squad filled with guys from the top Euro leagues that they've never been able to beat in the World Cup. But maybe an easier version than the really elite ones.

The reason the US hasn't been able to beat those type teams is because the US has flat not been that good. We still haven't produced a world-beating-the-door-down--for type player.

Perhaps we've advanced enough to now beat a Belgium. I think we have to beat them in 120 minutes of field play as we'd choke in a PK tie breaker (such a dumb system). Next beating an Iberian team would be miraculous to me.

 

[mjj_2K]

Pretty much true, but the US is greatly improved. You have at least 5-6 guys now who are starters for top-flight Euro teams, so they're much more used to elite competition than when the US was like 2/3rds MLS guys.

You're right that the US has never had a real star. Pulisic has been close, but he's never been consistently healthy enough and is just not quite as athletically gifted as the best of the best . Someone will break through eventually, I'd guess, just through randomness, but the fact is that soccer in the US rarely gets the most athletically talented kids, whereas Europe and South American countries do.

 

[entropy13]

Perhaps we've advanced enough to now beat a Belgium. I think we have to beat them in 120 minutes of field play as we'd choke in a PK tie breaker (such a dumb system). Next beating an Iberian team would be miraculous to me.

Van Halen Cat, what's our record in FIFA tournaments against Spain and Portugal since 2000? Beating Portugal wouldn't be miraculous or shocking at all. They're good, but not an elite team. Spain is an elite team and beating them would an upset, but not "miraculous" as you say. Miraculous is a strong word.

I will say that this current crop of USMNT players had been underwhelming and underachieving as compared to their pedigree (most of the first team starting or playing regularly for quality European teams). I was skeptical about them and Poch as coach until their first two matches in this WC. They looked good, and then we played the B team in the third match to 10 of our starters.

One thing this team lacks that previous incarnations of the USMNT have had is an elite level GK (Tim Howard, Brad Friedel, and to a lesser extent, Kasey Keller). That fact could prevent them from making a really deep run. Freese is decent but not at the same level as those guys, and Turner is very pedestrian at this level.