General Soccer Thread

[thrill]

Loving a national soccer team is tough stuff. The only games that really, really matter are every four years and when you get there and don't perform, it sucks harder than anything in sports. It makes living with a bad coach really frustrating.

[Fat Strat]

Watching the Jamaica game and knowing the result ahead of time...

First 30 minutes -- I'm wondering what the big deal is here? The USMNT played really, really well. Had three or four really good scoring chances that just didn't land. Defense was solid. A few breakdowns. But, we're winning the ball and holding the ball in the midfield. Only lacked finishing. Just as I'm typing this, Jamaica scored on a fluke play. Can't describe it any differently. That's a 1 in 100 goal. It happens.

First 45 minutes -- Ok. Then a second goal. On a set piece from a very rarely called technicality foul. An unbelievably good curled shot to the corner beats the wall. But, what am I supposed to be really upset about? Bad positioning and set up from Guzan? Ok, sure. I guess I'm upset that we were giving away a few fouls close too close to the box. Still, we're largely controlling possession and certainly have had the best non-set piece scoring chances.

Sometimes Appalachian State beats Michigan.

2nd half -- great US goal. Dominated possession early and then attacked, attacked, attacked. I really like what I've seen from Johannson all tournament. He's earned the start over Altidore. Seems to be a better fit with our midfielders than Altidore has been over the last year (post WC). 2 minutes later Aron earns a free kick right in front of the box and should have scored the equalizer on the rebound from Fabian.

75 minutes -- attacking, attacking, attacking. Not scoring. Right now, I'm more upset about the way we played the first few group stage matches than this one. Just as it was unlikely that Jamaica scored on their flick-on header, so was it unlikely that we didn't score again with all of these scoring chances.

If I'm hunting for something to complain about it's the lineup switches. You have to say that one of the reasons we could not turn our many attacking chances into goals is lack of consistency. I know Thrill has harped on this and it's true. We just lacked that precision and coordination that we might get with more consistent lineups. Part of that also is the inexperience of guys like Yedlin and Zardes, too. They need to be in there. Three years from now, assuming he continues to develop his game, Zardes would have had 3-4 goals in a game like this.

Yeah... we lost. But, I would still take these guys and this style of attack over anything I saw under Arena and Bradley. I've always been ambivalent about Klinnsman. But, I like this group. This group can win matches. It's still the most talented group I've seen. Easily the most athletic and dynamic. This game doesn't do anything to change that. We still need a lot more time and experience (especially in our center defense), but I want to see the talent and potential ability play itself out.

[thrill]

Interesting read about the modern game: http://www.complex.com/sports/2015/07/t ... -you-ready

[thrill]

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/soccer/u ... 2ccac.html
US playing a World Cup qualifier at Busch.

[Fat Strat]

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/soccer/u ... 2ccac.html
US playing a World Cup qualifier at Busch.

Awesome. Definitely have to go to that. I think I was at a USMNT match back at the Soccer Park when I was a kid, but I really don't remember much about

[Tambourine Man]

I think tickets go on sale at 10 AM today for the WC Qualifier at Busch. My pops just called me to let me know that he's buying...Best birthday present EVAR!

[thrill]

Jurgen Klinsmann has outdone himself on this one:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soc ... 1305587639

“It’s a good thing you have so much comments and opinions because it shows you that a lot more people care,” he said. “They care about the game, they care about the national team. They care about saying their opinion. Do they understand really what happened in the Gold Cup? Some of them absolutely do and a lot of people don’t. I take it, it’s not a big deal. But it also explains we have a long way to go to educate people on the game of soccer still in this country.”

I don't even know where to start with this. As fans, we think losing is bad and he didn't do a good job and that means we don't understand what happened? What a truly exquisite ego this dude has.

[MrSaigon]

Wait, which one is soccer again?

[go birds]

i just watched Lewandaski (sp) from bayern munich score 5 goals in like 9 minutes

[pioneer98]

The Swiss opened a criminal case against Sepp Blatter:
http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2015/0 ... er/407401/