2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

The Game Room
1701

Congrats to the U.S. for winning the group, but does it seem like they were two completely different teams? If you think about it, every goal they scored was while they were absolutely desperate. At the beginning of this game, the Ghanaians were wide open, with the U.S. defenders giving them a 5-7 yard cushion; plenty of time to find another wide-open teammate to pass to. Seems like the U.S. defense was only closing up on them after they’d been backed into their own penalty area. After the goal, the U.S. was pressing the issue; getting good chances and not giving up much in return. Then once they tied the score, they went back to their old habits.

When they needed a goal and tried to make things happen, it was usually something good. When they sat back and waited for things to happen, it was always something bad. And how would they play if they were ahead? Hard to tell; in four games, plus one extra time, plus stoppage time, they had the lead for only about three minutes.

Like most U.S. fans, I’m still a little new at this. So what say the socceristas, is that typically the way it goes?

1702

**Germany vs England 10:00 A.M. EST

Argentina vs Mexico 2:30 P.M. EST**
Enjoy.

1703

Didn’t have a chance to watch today’s matches. FWLIW, sorry for all the American fans, I was rooting for you if only to get you more and more involved with the World’s Game.

At any rate, be proud and most of all stay at it.

Would that the pissing contests about the toughness of one sport over another had its own thread. I’ll just say that as athletes, you won’t find much better than football (the real one) players.

But whatever.

1704

As far as sporting toughness goes, they don’t come any tougher than hockey players. Playing with broken bones is not uncommon, and players often have several teeth knocked out or multiple stitches during a game without missing much of the action. Despite that, diving is becoming more and more common. All that just to point out that toughness and diving are not mutually exclusive.
And once again, as is the case every 4 years, I’m enjoying the hell out of the world cup. If it wasn’t for matches being decided on penalties this would easily vie for my favourite sport tournament.

1705

I had to leave at half time and missed the second half, but got home just in time to see the last 5 mins of extra time. I saw the highlights though, and it looks like Ghana were worthy winners overall. When I heard it was 1-1 on the way home with plenty of time to go I thought I was onto a winner!

Hard luck USA and better luck in 2014. You’ll just have to support England now (for another few hours, anyway!) :wink:

1706

Is that really the case? I certainly didn’t get that impression from the USA fans I’ve watched the games with.

Having lived abroad for ten years and rarely getting to see either the US team or its players, I can’t really comment on what should have been expected from any of them individually. But I thought Bradley did a good job throughout the USA’s run in this tournament of sizing up where they were falling short and making the necessary changes. In every game we were better in the second half than the first - that’s usually the sign of a good manager.

Never in a million years. I’ll be supporting Germany tonight, Slovakia tomorrow (my mother’s half Slovak, that’s as good as reason as any ;)) and after that… we’ll see.

1707

He is a visionary and a great motivator but has shown severe limits in team management, tactical awareness and ability to reason when he became coach of Bayern München. When you think that the U.S. team needs new structures to take the next step, he might be the right choice; but if you expect a clever coach who is able to surprise and out-think his opponent, you’ll be disappointed.

Schweinsteiger’s injury has dimished our chances considerably; if he plays, he won’t be fit 100%; if he misses the game, we won’t have an alternative that comes close to his abilities on this position. Everyone capable and used to play it, couldn’t even fly to South Africa due to injuries, so the only player left to somewhat fill the role is Toni Kroos – but this is such a waste of creativity and offensive power.

Had Schweinsteiger been all right, maybe Löw would have found the courage to do something surprising to increase the gap in creativity even more by playing a diamond-shape with Özil and Kroos in offence to force England’s dynamic midfield to position themselves deeper and bind them with defensive obligations.

And if Cacau had been fit, he could have started two forwards, one in front of the other (Cacau coming from a deeper position), which could have had a similar effect.

Basically, I want England to stand deeper to reduce the immediate pressure on our fickly defence. But now, they have little reason to do us such a favour, quite to the contrary: they now know that relentless attacking against a battered Schweinsteiger or an inexperienced substitution will be to their advantage as much as attacking us on the left, forcing the centre to do two jobs simultanously.

An inexperienced team with one cente-back totally out of shape, no true fullback on the left, a rough running engine in the centre and almost no alternative in attack against .. England. Great.

But we are able to play a kind of football that they can’t emulate: we can’t outrun them or outfight them or outgun them but maybe we can still outplay them.

Furthermore ..

Lukas Podolski: “Jetzt müssen wir die Köpfe hochkrempeln. Und die Ärmel natürlich auch.”

Hans Krankl: “Wir müssen gewinnen, alles andere ist primär.”

:smiley:

Where is the “I’ll keep my fingers crossed”-smiley?

1708

JK is a great cheerleader and is truly a player’s coach. But I have no idea what he would do with a team that still needs significant building, in the back and somewhat middle now, and in the front sooner or later (as those stars age).

They will no doubt attack him often and early, but it really depends on how close to 100% he is. Even at 90% he can do his job holding things together as long as the back line does its bleeping job. But if it’s so bad that he misses the game, it will surely by Kroos, which fills me with bad premonitions.

I don’t give a rat’s behind if he rolls up his sleeve; I just want him to start putting some of those shots on goal. :slight_smile:

1709

Here we go.

1710

All the best to the English crew here. There’s at least one Paddy hoping you do it :slight_smile:

1711

Ah, the traditional Booing of the German national anthem. Not exactly the best of starts.

1712

“If, on the morrow, the Germans beat us at our national game, we’d do well to remember that, twice this century, we have beaten them at theirs.”

1713

Does England have any defenders? Jeebus.

1714

The Germans are kicking their arse quite badly at the mo.

2-0

Doesn’t look good for the English.

1715

And the English get one in! Woo!

1716

Nice one.

1717

It isn’t over yet…

…though to be fair the way the England defence look Germany can score at their leisure.

MILES over the line, fucking useless officiating

1718

That was a mile in.

Disgraceful call. OMG.

1719

1966 in reverse there lads.

Incredible excitement on.

ETA: Everybody in England is going to be talking about that for, oh, about 20,000 years.

1720

England should have had another goal but it’s understandable why the ref didn’t give it to them.