OT: World Cup

[Suminod]

Ive never had blue balls, id imagine it feels like this.

 

[huskyharry]

Incredible match. Have to agree, Bradley not moving to get that pass set it up...but perfect pass by Ronaldo.
USA has a quality team but will need to play their best to have a chance to tie Germany.

 

[husky99]

f Germany, bring it on!

 

[UConnDan97]

If we get a point out of it, we go forward. If we don't, and Portugal win but lose out on goal differential, we go forward. I hate that we just needed 30 seconds more to finish the job, but there are definitely some positives to take away from tonight. And the team showed A LOT of heart! That makes me feel like we're gonna come out of this group, one way or another...

 

[mauconnfan]

Wow…….

Hope Giffey isn't heading there……..

 

[UconnU]

Bradley looks lost out there. He must lead the tourney in turnovers.

 

[upstater]

Bradley simply needed to blast it downfield. Don't know what he was doing out there. He has not been a heady player.

 

[tzznandrew]

So, we're +2 on Ghana, goal differential
+5 on Portugal, goal differential

We're also +1 on goals scored against Ghana...and beat them head to head.

So, is this right:

A win against Germany, and we're through, winning the group.
A draw against Germany, and we're through, in second.

In losses:

A Portugal-Ghana draw, we're through.
A Portugal close win (1-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, etc.) we just have to not get creamed, and we're through.
A Ghana win will complicate things. A 1 goal win means we'd be tied if we lose by 1, so it depends on the score. We lose 1-0, and Ghana wins 2-1, they tie us in diffential and beat us in goals scored. A 1-0 win for Ghana means we go through if we lose 1-0.
If goal differential and goals scored are tied, we go through.

???

 

[progrocks]

Bradley's revenge, 3 years later.

Brek Shea also made a disaster decision at the U23 qualifiers 2 years ago that cost us a chance at London.

When that turnover happened my jaw dropped and everything else happened. Dreadful.

Anyway, on to the next, we CAN get a result against Germany and lets hope the other game is a tie or that Portugal wins by one.

 

[upstater]

So, we're +2 on Ghana, goal differential
+5 on Portugal, goal differential

We're also +1 on goals scored against Ghana...and beat them head to head.

So, is this right:

A win against Germany, and we're through, winning the group.
A draw against Germany, and we're through, in second.

In losses:

A Portugal-Ghana draw, we're through.
A Portugal close win (1-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, etc.) we just have to not get creamed, and we're through.
A Ghana win will complicate things. A 1 goal win means we'd be tied if we lose by 1, so it depends on the score. We lose 1-0, and Ghana wins 2-1, they tie us in diffential and beat us in goals scored. A 1-0 win for Ghana means we go through if we lose 1-0.
If goal differential and goals scored are tied, we go through.

???

If this is right, we better get a tie, because Ghana is a much better team than Portugal.

Luckily, Muntari got his second yellow card of the tourney late in the Germany game, so the most lethal player on Ghana isn't going to play.

 

[UConnDan97]

If this is right, we better get a tie, because Ghana is a much better team than Portugal.

Luckily, Muntari got his second yellow card of the tourney late in the Germany game, so the most lethal player on Ghana isn't going to play.

...and Pepe comes back for Portugal...

 

[progrocks]

If this is right, we better get a tie, because Ghana is a much better team than Portugal.

Luckily, Muntari got his second yellow card of the tourney late in the Germany game, so the most lethal player on Ghana isn't going to play.

yeah, now they get to put Essien in. Not really a down grade.

 

[UConnSwag11]

What the . Both goals the defense was lazy on the back post and the whole game bradley barely played any defense at all. He'll win the ball and that's it. Him and beckerman are the same player they can't play near each other

 

[upstater]

What the . Both goals the defense was lazy on the back post and the whole game bradley barely played any defense at all. He'll win the ball and that's it. Him and beckerman are the same player they can't play near each other

I can't put either goal on the defenders other than to say Cameron had a bad clearance. Ronaldo's ball came from way out. And it's hard to say where it was going to go.

 

[Strummer]

I can't put either goal on the defenders other than to say Cameron had a bad clearance. Ronaldo's ball came from way out. And it's hard to say where it was going to go.

I'm new to watching soccer, but I had no problem saying where it was going to go. When he kicked it, I said, aloud, that's going to a streaking Portuguese player in front of the goal. It's Ronaldo.

 

[Gurleyman]

I know it was Renaldo, but I it looked like the defender made a huge mistake letting him set up. Go pressure the ball. He was 40 yards out and no worries about the blow by. Renaldo was able to make that pass completely unmolested.

Not really. I think Beasley defended him fine. He was isolated and contained him, was only one stride away and got his leg in the passing lane but didn't get the deflection. You absolutely do have to worry about the blow by there - both since he can shoot from distance and if you get beat, you force someone else on the defense to slide over and potentially leave someone open in the box. Then Ronaldo has a head of steam and could maybe beat the next guy too. The defensive problem was Cameron did not defend on the weak side and reacted late, letting that guy slip by him unmarked. Sadly, both goals have his fingerprints on them.

The larger problem was Bradley giving the damn ball away so easily. Cripes - boom it to the corner and get set up, with everyone behind the ball and we at least have a good chance. Or fight a little and give your teammates a chance to start retreating. With the quick and easy turnover, we only had six guys back defending five, which is a situation which does favor the offense. Two games in a row that he's given the ball away in the last minute foolishly (against Ghana he boomed it to their goalie instead of taking it to the flag).

 

[kobebeanbryant]

that final sequence is all on bradley in my mind.

 

[progrocks]

Bradley not getting that ball to the corner at the end was criminal. Everything after that was was run of play, and yes things could have been better but it should have never happened to start with. That is on Bradley.

 

[upstater]

I'm new to watching soccer, but I had no problem saying where it was going to go. When he kicked it, I said, aloud, that's going to a streaking Portuguese player in front of the goal. It's Ronaldo.

He had several crosses all game.

 

[Strummer]

You absolutely do have to worry about the blow by there - both since he can shoot from distance and if you get beat, you force someone else on the defense to slide over and potentially leave someone open in the box. Then Ronaldo has a head of steam and could maybe beat the next guy too.

On replay you're clearly right. Lot of defenderless space behind the defender (was it Beasley?) and he did a good job of forcing the long, unlikely cross. Damn suckage ending.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Here's what needs to happen Thursday.

 

[Gurleyman]

What the . Both goals the defense was lazy on the back post and the whole game bradley barely played any defense at all. He'll win the ball and that's it. Him and beckerman are the same player they can't play near each other

Bradley is playing an attacking/distributing mid role now. Jones and Beckerman are behind him as defensive mids. Not that he doesn't have to play any defense, of course, but it isn't his primary role like it used to be.

I don't think we were lazy on the back post on the first goal - Cameron just flat shanked the clearance. We were starting to inch forward as a unit to get our offsides line higher up anticipating that the ball was about to leave the box. Second goal we clearly up the back post - not sure if it was lazy, or just bad communication, late reaction, fatigue or what. Can't happen. Make him feel shoulder to shoulder contact and make it a little more difficult on him at least.

 

[Gurleyman]

On replay you're clearly right. Lot of defenderless space behind the defender (was it Beasley?) and he did a good job of forcing the long, unlikely cross. Damn suckage ending.

I actually thought the same way you did live - but on the replay I was content with how Beasley defended. If you could do it all over, maybe Beasley could have gone way out with him and taken away the passing lane in the first place and used a "make someone else beat you" approach, but after a turnover the proper thing is to pinch in to protect the run up the middle, then fan out when the ball goes wide.

 

[James]

 

[huskiesouth]

The idea is to advance to the next stage.
If Germany/USA draw they both advance.
Germany is stronger team - if I am their coach I am thinking seriously of playing for a draw and making it obvious to USA very early in game that is my strategy and see if signal is received and returned.
No shots, no tackles, no risks, no mistakes, ball in mid-field, save energy for next round, let overall weaker of USA-Ghana advance, guaranteed advance for my team.