USA, USA, USA

[clifish]

They also need a more aggressive goal keeper. He can't just stand flat footed on the goal line.

Chris

I thought he was looking great in the earlier games, like any sport you can't win if you don't score.

 

[gmc2003]

I thought he was looking great in the earlier games, like any sport you can't win if you don't score.

Agree, but the wind was taken out of our sails on the third goal. He didn't even move.

Chris

 

[chopsaw]

On that last goal the goalie was screaming at the defense to cover that cross.

Exactly . Mark the man in the box .
Play the ball through and move to the spot and you'll get your chances . That was painful . I don't normally scream at the TV like I was .
Played until I was 35 , and coached K thru 8th grade . Boys and girls .
Never ceases to amaze me how much these games can resemble little league at times .

 

[Nefarious]

My feeling is that our inexperience was our biggest issue. Had the players been better able to manage the match, we could have had a better result.

USA soccer has a lot to look forward to. The youngest team that made it to the round of 16, second youngest team in the WC, my impression is all positive.

 

[chopsaw]

USA soccer has a lot to look forward to. The youngest team that made it to the round of 16, second youngest team in the WC, my impression is all positive.

I will agree with that . Could have executed fundamentals better is where my frustration comes from .

 

[gmc2003]

My feeling is that our inexperience was our biggest issue. Had the players been better able to manage the match, we could have had a better result.

USA soccer has a lot to look forward to. The youngest team that made it to the round of 16, second youngest team in the WC, my impression is all positive.

I'll give them the inexperienced excuse because it's basically their first time playing on big stage in front of the world, but they've all played in big games before. I hope they grow from this.

I will agree with that . Could have executed fundamentals better is where my frustration comes from .

At times it seemed like they were either lost, afraid of making a play, or trying to be to cute by making the extra pass when it wasn't needed.

Man I like being an armchair midfielder.

Chris

 

[GaryHibbert]

Sorry Chris, but soccer bores the hell out of me, and I can't stand the World Cup--they'd have to pay me big time to watch a game.
Gary

 

[gmc2003]

Sorry Chris, but soccer bores the hell out of me, and I can't stand the World Cup--they'd have to pay me big time to watch a game.
Gary

I feel the same way about the NBA.

Chris

 

[Nefarious]

Sorry Chris, but soccer bores the hell out of me, and I can't stand the World Cup--they'd have to pay me big time to watch a game.
Gary

And American football.

 

[sawhorseray]

Sorry Chris, but soccer bores the hell out of me, and I can't stand the World Cup--they'd have to pay me big time to watch a game.
Gary

There was no soccer back when we were kids Gary. When you got to high school you put on some pads and learned how to hit!

 

[gmc2003]

There was no soccer back when we were kids Gary. When you got to high school you put on some pads and learned how to hit!

No youth soccer when I was growing up. It started in high school, and our team was basically made up of hockey players getting in shape for hockey season. God it was ugly but fun. Not many teams wanted to play against us.

Chris

 

[chopsaw]

Not many teams wanted to play against us.

Did you play with the Hanson brothers ? Lol .

 

[gmc2003]

Did you play with the Hanson brothers ? Lol .

LOL I think we may have been the inspiration for the movie. We found out early on that what's legal in hockey isn't legal in soccer.

Chris

 

[chopsaw]

I played fullback . Had a coach tell me that the first play that comes my way to knock the crap out of the guy . That way he will worry about it for the rest of the game . Lol .

 

[gmc2003]

That was a good strategy. It's amazing what fear is capable of doing to ones psyche. Not to mention it gives you that puff up your chest moment.

Chris

 

[noboundaries]

The ONE thing that puts me off WC soccer is the phony injury dramatics. I understand the strategy, but to me it's a form of cheating.

 

[clifish]

Saw the below on my Jeep forum, thought it belonged here.

 

[noboundaries]

I can tell you the exact moment I stopped watching this WC. Saturday morning. Argentina vs Australia. 61:27 on the clock. Argentina player goes down faking an injury on an Aussie player's block.

Slow motion replay indicated the Argentina player WAS NEVER TOUCHED.

I said something unprintable here and switched channels to something equally implausible...a Hallmark Christmas movie.

 

[noboundaries]

Sad news about USA FIFA journalist Grant Wahl. Cold (not Covid) turned into bronchitis. Little sleep. High stress. His body gave out. Prayers for his wife, family, and friends.