OT: World Cup

[DarthGrumpy]

Definitely not, at least not in soccer; it's the easiest muscle to pull in soccer (most common too). Soccer puts more strain on the hammy's than anything else. You can have as much strength, mobility, speed, flexibility, whatever....but your hamstring just yank (randomly sometimes).

Very true, though, I have been lucky so far playing soccer and have pulled/torn everything else, last was my left calf muscle. Damn thing just popped, literally. Of course, now that I said that, it’s going to be 90 F tonight and I have my first game of the season. I’m DOOMED. Stretch, baby, stretch.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Agreed. He was probably (maybe Beasley early on) the worst player on the pitch for the U.S. What was with all the tap backs? I didn't think he held the ball too long, he was afraid to even touch it. Ghana was marking him close, often with two people, and so he made no attempt to do anything with the ball. Just awful. I agree, I don't see that happening again.

Portugal as a side has no mental fortitude at all. I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. wins outright and a tie is certainly possible. I don't think Ghana has any chance to get a point against Germany, they are done.

Ghana is a bad match-up for the US as they are one of the few teams that maybe faster and more physical than the US. Even before their own rash of injuries and foolish Red Cards, I liked the US’s chances against Portugal even though Portugal has more skill (except keeper). The US’s speed and physical, on-the-ball defense has given them problems before both physically and mentally, remember the 2002 Cup? BTW, FireThirtyEight’s upped the US chances to advance from 33% to 66% after the win over Ghana.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Maybe, but how many times can we hear the same excuses and future promises.

I guess we should just enjoy the experience and lower our expectations.

What expectations did you have? The U.S. has been an active soccer playing nation at the youth level, since perhaps the 1980's at best. The coaches at those levels were a bunch of fathers who had no idea what they were doing, because most of them never played.

I think the effects of coaching are underrated. In another decade, more of the kids in youth soccer will get decent coaching. And our players will get better and better. Look at the young guys coming up (Diego Fagundez for example, even though he isn't a citizen). It's encouraging. MLS is doing well.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

I'm saying the US blows

I think there's a reason you have just about the worst post to like ratio on this board.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Maybe, but how many times can we hear the same excuses and future promises.

I guess we should just enjoy the experience and lower our expectations.

I rather go out like the US is, fighting and on its feet instead of sitting on its arse whining, and acting like a spoiled brat like Portugal. Remember, the US is one of the 32 (realistically top 20) best national soccer teams in the world out of 190 or so. To win the Cup at this stage takes both talent and a bit of luck (pool selection, referee selection, weather, injuries, etc.).

 

[progrocks]

Thank you for your interest in US Soccer.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Well their(Germany) second string lost to our not really first string, in a friendly, a few months back.
I am not ready to bow down to the German team just yet. They are very good, of course, but not 4 goals better than Portugal. The scoreline is deceptive IMO. The penalty to start things off was questionable and the red card was "cheap". Being very good and playing with an extra man for most of the game makes you look really, really good. Not sold on them just yet. The USA must play better going forward, however. The fact that they did not play well and still managed to beat a very good Ghana team is a good sign.

The red card wasn't cheap. Pepe headbutted a player deliberately. That's violent conduct, and an automatic red. He's probably suspended for the Ghana game, as well.

 

[UConnSwag11]

The us tried to counter every chance they got and bradley play a lot of sloppy passed. All Ghana did was win the ball and cross it in.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The red card wasn't cheap. Pepe headbutted a player deliberately. That's violent conduct, and an automatic red. He's probably suspended for the Ghana game, as well.

Hell, even the start of that play involved him intentionally reaching back to Mueller, who was well behind him and grabbing his nose (or similar). The headbutt was mild, but considering it was to the same guy he just fouled for no reason even related to the play, the ref had no choice. I would have yellow carded him just for the nose tweak. What an .

 

[Leebo]

And it's not because the best athletes play other sports. Messi is 5-7, what sport could he play?

2nd base for the Red Sox

 

[intlzncster]

The us tried to counter every chance they got and bradley play a lot of sloppy passed. All Ghana did was win the ball and cross it in.

I would say that that is not all Ghana did. They possessed far better than the US was able to. Much of that was due to Bradley's unexpected ineptitude. Also underrated was not having Altidore to possess/hold as the midfielders come up and through on attack.

 

[Mots010]

Bradley played as bad as I've ever seen him play, and we won. I dont expect him to have another game like that, which bodes well for us.

Oddly, in 2010, I recall the US controlling possession, and Ghana countering the heck out of us to win. But Ghana jumped to an early lead, which usually results in one team sitting back, and the other team pressing. Had we not scored 30 seconds in, i suspect the possession would have been a bit better.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Bradley played as bad as I've ever seen him play, and we won. I dont expect him to have another game like that, which bodes well for us.

Oddly, in 2010, I recall the US controlling possession, and Ghana countering the heck out of us to win. But Ghana jumped to an early lead, which usually results in one team sitting back, and the other team pressing. Had we not scored 30 seconds in, i suspect the possession would have been a bit better.

I saw the U.S. control possession and chances once the game was tied. So I think that early goal changed everything.

 

[intlzncster]

Very true, though, I have been lucky so far playing soccer and have pulled/torn everything else, last was my left calf muscle. Damn thing just popped, literally. Of course, now that I said that, it’s going to be 90 F tonight and I have my first game of the season. I’m DOOMED. Stretch, baby, stretch.

Dynamic warmups Conehead. That has literally changed my life. I've pulled/strained/torn every leg muscle known to man. Every time I stepped on the field it was an accident waiting to happen. That's what killed my college career.

I switched to dynamic warmups only in my 30s. It's been smooth sailing since...and I'm still playing against the college kids in summer league.

I have literally stopped all static stretching whatsoever, even on offdays. Minimal yoga with minimal strain sometimes. Stretching weakens your muscles to too great a degree.

 

[intlzncster]

So, if we lose in round of 16 it will be a huge building block for 2018? Just like we've supposedly had before.

I'll watch and root, but this team and program is irrelevant at this level. Not a single player ranked in world's top 50, while Germany has 3 in top 10 alone. And it's not because the best athletes play other sports. Messi is 5-7, what sport could he play?

Dude, you don't become a soccer power over night. It's not like Football or Basketball where you can pick it up in your teens and twenties. You need to be playing with superior coaching from a very young age. As someone mentioned, we've only really been playing since the 80s. We've only had dynamic youth coaching for the last 10 years max. Other nations have been doing this for 50-80 years.

If the US can advance out of the group of death, that is an ENORMOUS accomplishment.

 

[intlzncster]

I was worried when DaMarcus got his ankles broken Jerel-McNeal style but agreed, he battled back. Thought Jermaine Jones was excellent. Bradley has to be better and make quicker decisions... he was holding on to the ball for far too long and giving the ball away.

He looked like he should have been in the special olympics in the first half. But he did pull it together in the second. Kudos to him. We need a full 90 from all our back line over the next 2 games.

 

[bobbygt]

I saw the U.S. control possession and chances once the game was tied. So I think that early goal changed everything.

That was my thinking as well- at least, wishful thinking!

Even so, the US has never really been a team that can keep possession as well as many teams. The blame will naturally fall on Bradley, since he's on of the few on the team that is comfortable with the ball (opposing defenders usually give him some of that respectful space), but even with him playing better, we can't expect this current US team to control the midfield as they simply do not have the players for it.

They'll need to excel at counterattacks, set pieces and runs by the 'wings,' Johnson and Beasley.

 

[intlzncster]

Not just that, he dummied a couple of times when he would have been better served taking it himself. And what about that corner where he would have been all alone at the far post if he didn't give up on the play? That's why I feel good about him on Sunday. I've never seen him play so poorly before, I'm figuring he's pre-disastered.

100% how I feel. And the fact we got 3 points with him playing like such garbage? That's a huge outcome.

 

[intlzncster]

I think the effects of coaching are underrated. In another decade, more of the kids in youth soccer will get decent coaching. And our players will get better and better. Look at the young guys coming up (Diego Fagundez for example, even though he isn't a citizen). It's encouraging. MLS is doing well.

I remember watching adverts for soccer training videos from England when I was in highschool. The kids, all about 10 years old, were consistently crossing and finishing with bicycle kicks on net one after another. I remember thinking, damn they start young. Only 2 guys on my highschool team could bike with any regularity, and we were ranking 6th in the nation in USA Today my junior year.

Coaching is massively important at the youth level.

 

[intlzncster]

The red card wasn't cheap. Pepe headbutted a player deliberately. That's violent conduct, and an automatic red. He's probably suspended for the Ghana game, as well.

If you head butt someone on the ground in any sport, you are likely getting tossed (except football at times).

 

[CallMeBruce]

If Bradley has even an average game, the US probably wins by 2 or 3. He was much worse than I've ever seen him, especially when compared to his recent form.

 

[intlzncster]

Hell, even the start of that play involved him intentionally reaching back to Mueller, who was well behind him and grabbing his nose (or similar). The headbutt was mild, but considering it was to the same guy he just fouled for no reason even related to the play, the ref had no choice. I would have yellow carded him just for the nose tweak. What an .

And prior reputation played a part too. The guys a head case, and you can't have him running wild on such an internationally exposed event.

 

[CallMeBruce]

If you head butt someone on the ground in any sport, you are likely getting tossed (except football at times).

I'm with you. I can't fathom how anyone can call that a "cheap" red card. There's a good chance that, upon review, Pepe's suspension is extended to 2 or 3 games. He doesn't have a prayer of getting it waived on appeal.

 

[housekeys]

The red card wasn't cheap. Pepe headbutted a player deliberately. That's violent conduct, and an automatic red. He's probably suspended for the Ghana game, as well.

Given Pepe is an idiot. The red card is "cheap" because the German, Muller, embellished what was arguably incidental contact. Muller parlayed Pepe's hot temper into an ejection, much like the intent of Materazzi against Zidane. The win was "cheap", in the sense that winning against 11 is more impressive than winning against 10. Germany is a very good team, perhaps the best. I don't think Portugal wins even if they played at full strength. But I want to see more from Germany than what I saw against Portugal before I crown them the very best team.

 

[intlzncster]

2nd base for the Red Sox

Can't use baseball as an example of athleticism. John Kruck single handedly destroyed that notion. Drank a 6 pack before games sometimes supposedly.

But you did retort accurately.