He has to be in front of the ball and in front of the last defender. If somehow two attackers get behind the last defender and one of them has the ball, it’s not offside if he passes to the other guy.
And yes, they’re chanting Seven Nation Army. It seems to have replaced Rock and Roll Part 2.
I’ve only gotten into pro soccer in the past 5 years and found the fans to be a cool bunch. One of the things that makes the WC so awesome is that the WC is in reality what the Olympics wishes to be, people from nations all over the world coming together enthusiastically and being cool together. (I know that there is some fan assholery in this tournament but it seems way toned down compared to regular league play).
Read the previous posts where we all learned that they are also a South American thing. Thankfully FIFA banned them from this WC.
This non-American’s impression is that we generally like you guys a lot.
There was an article in my local paper the other day praising the sportsmanship and discipline of the U.S. team. The U.S. players never seem to argue with the ref, and there are none of the shouting matches with opposing players that you might see with certain other nationalities. For instance, in the match against Ghana, Jermaine Jones was tackled from behind in an incident that would have made a lot of other players blow a fuse, but Jones remained calm, and the situation ended with a handshake.
Not least, there’s no diving. Ever. The commentators over here made a point of it during the match against Portugal: If a U.S. player goes down, you can be damned sure it’s for a good reason. Very much unlike the histrionics we’re used to seeing from, say, certain Portuguese pretty boys.
I also think the squad is showing great team spirit and determination. It’s a good thing to watch, actually. You have a team that’s hard not to like. I was certainly rooting for you against Portugal, and I would love to see you progress from the group.
Is this kind of disciplined attitude the order of the day in the MLS as well? If so, some European leagues must seem to be populated by clowns from your perspective.
There’s not a huge amount of money in MLS, which I suspect has a lot to do with the lack of diva behavior and histrionics. Landon Donovan is notorious for being unlike other US players in that regard, and it’s probably not a coincidence that he spent most of his career in European leagues.
Could that have something to do with the fact that so many of them, including Jones, are actually Germans? 
It is. Football chants seem to be an emergent property of the crowd, no-one knows how they get started. When Rangers and Scotland goalie Andy Goram revealed in the press that he was undergoing treatment for a form of schizophrenia the chant was inevitably “Two Andy Gorams, there’s only twooo Aaaandy Goorams” etc.
Sometimes we do, sort of. Just read this the other day. Pretty interesting, and directly on point.
Somewhat. The MLS has taken a hard line on both violent fouls and diving, to the point of assessing post-match penalties, and that’s been beneficial (to the point that some imported players have talked about having to adjust their mindsets). The net effect is that more subtle forms of diving still exist, but really obvious ones (like grabbing your face after being hit in the knee) are rare.
But also bear in mind that only about half the USMNT plays in the MLS, so if you’re seeing some resistance to diving, it may also be a Klinsmann thing (if so, irony of ironies!).
Nearly all of them have played in MLS at some point, though - generally at the outset of their careers.
Yeah, “Seven Nation Army” became explicitly a football anthem at Euro 2012 when it was played ad nauseum over the PA system after every game and possibly after every GOAL. I didn’t realize it dated all the way back to 2006 (as a football anthem, not just a song).
Is anyone actually watching this morning’s games? Very nice goal by Spain to go up 1-0 against Australia.
Holland and Chile still scoreless.
I didn’t realize it was a European thing too.
It’s become very common at American sports like baseball recently, especially after a home run, and i think it’s retarded.
Donovan has spent the vast vast majority of his career in MLS.
This thread has gotten so large I can’t remember if we printed Everton’s Tim Howard song in honor of his mild Tourette’s affliction.
(think Mary Poppins)
Tim timinee, tim timinee, tim tim tiroo
We’ve got Tim Howard and he says “Fuck you!”
I agree with this. I enjoy the World Cup and the fans from every country at least seem to all be the likeable sort. I like how the U.S. and England seem to root for each other; putting aside that whole mess in 1776 and 1812. 
I always root for England when they aren’t playing us, and I understand that in 2010 when Altidore scored that stoppage time goal to put us in the knockout round that there were cheers coming from pubs across the UK.
And a country like Ghana. I’m sure I will never travel there in my lifetime, but to see such national pride from the fans of this small country is encouraging. I would gladly buy a beer for one of them if I was at the World Cup.
The WC is what the Olympics try to be. I think I would get along great with any fans down there.
Quick aside: Was the term “stoppage” time banned in 2010? I used that term and people didn’t understand me. I watched the matches and that term was never used. It was always “extra” time. This year, the term “stoppage” is used constantly. Was there an attempt to eradicate it in 2010?
Jermaine Jones is actually a very interesting example of this, because when he was in the Bundesliga he had a reputation as being one of the dirtiest, most assholish players in the league. He was sent off at least once in every season for Schalke, and in 11-12 got 14 yellows in only 18 matches. Why so few matches? Because he was suspended 8 weeks for running over to Marco Reus during a stoppage in play and deliberately stamping on his foot–Reus was playing with a broken toe on that foot.
He seems to have gotten himself under better control in his old age, but a year ago I bet you there would have been a fight on that play you cited, or a deliberate kick to the face.
Middlesborough are responsible for two of my favourites. When Joseph Desire-Job played for them, they used the perhaps inevitable “One job on Teeside, there’s only one job on Teeside”.
More involved, and to the tune of Macarena, they also had “We’ve got a man and his name his Ravanelli, scores lots of goals and I’ve seen him on the telly, every time he scores he shows off his belly, hey Ravanelli”.
Anyone who says football fans are devoid of wit has not spent a long time with them watching games.
Hmmm. I count 6 seasons in Europe and 9 in MLS, but fair enough.
I don’t think Donovan has ever played a full season in Europe for a first team. He was with Bayer Leverkusen’s feeder team, then a bunch of loans. After his loan to San Jose ended, he might have had a full season with Bayer Leverkusen, but he only played in 7 games, so I doubt it.
If we’re talking games, it’s 332 vs 30 for MLS and Europe.