2014 World Cup

[Fat Strat]

From my untrained eye, it looked like, when they had the lead, they were content to just jam the middle full of defenders and make it so crowded Ghana really couldn't go on a run. How many shots did Ghana take from 25 yards out? Seemingly a ton. If that wasn't by design, then I don't know what I'm talking about.

Some of it was by design. That's what Beckerman and Jones in the midfield give you -- lots of central defense help. For most of the first half Ghana had openings on the wings, which led to lots of crosses and long shots, but very few legitimate scoring chances. We were basically giving them the outside. It made for a nervous game. Ghana got more creative in the second half and we paid for it. Overall, we gave up possession way to easily. The plan was not for Bradley to give up balls in the midfield. And I think that the way Bedoya and Zusi performed individually shows the value of having two creative midfielders running the wings.

Going forward, it seems like we need to pick our poison... Play Bedoya and Zusi and we'll have a chance to control possession and create from the midfield, but it will leave that central defense exposed. If you start Jones and Beckerman, then Bradley is left to create by himself.

Normally, Bradley plays at such a high level that I think the Jones/Beckerman combo works. But, with no Altidore to shoot the ball to up top, and Bradley having a rough first half... we could not create opportunities. Couldn't hold possession. Couldn't make runs. Couldn't deliver the ball up the field to Dempsey.

[Fat Strat]

BTW, did I call it or what? Here's what I said before kick:

Goals by Jozy (long run, fed from Bradley) and Geoff Cameron (header off a set piece). We play an old-school US style defend and counter game, but the suspect back line is solid. Ghana's goal comes late.

So... it was Dempsey on a long run, fed by Jones. And Brooks with the header off a set piece instead of Cameron. And that was an old-school US style defend and counter game (unfortunately, very limited counters). The back line was more than solid.

[lukethedrifter]

No. You didn't call it.

[Fat Strat]

No. You didn't call it.

No, I didn't. But, it's still a win!

[Vidor]

I'm not a soccer fan, really, and I've long thought that soccer will become something like the Olympics, and we'll care about soccer once every four years like the way we care about the hundred-meter dash every four years.

But that was thoroughly entertaining. Pulled a win out of their butts when it looked like they were going to get stuck with a tie. Good stuff.

[Schlich]

No. You didn't call it.

No, I didn't. But, it's still a win!

I'll give you credit. Tons of credit.

I'm not a soccer fan, really, and I've long thought that soccer will become something like the Olympics, and we'll care about soccer once every four years like the way we care about the hundred-meter dash every four years.

But that was thoroughly entertaining. Pulled a win out of their butts when it looked like they were going to get stuck with a tie. Good stuff.

I think the world cup has far surpassed the olympics in interest. You won't see what I saw at our local irish pub during the olympics.

[stlouie_lipp]

I'm shaking with nervous energy right now.

I had to grab some tums. Is there anything in sports that brings more dread and excitement than actually caring about something that only happens every 4 years?

Our coach said it is unrealistic to think we can win. Is it a matter of seeing how far they can go? How good they play? Or could something like our 1980 hockey team happen? Does that happen in soccer?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm shaking with nervous energy right now.

I had to grab some tums. Is there anything in sports that brings more dread and excitement than actually caring about something that only happens every 4 years?

Our coach said it is unrealistic to think the U.S. can win. Is it a matter of seeing how far they can go? How good they play? Or could something like our 1980 hockey team happen? Does that happen in soccer?

I've thought about this and the closest analogy I can come up with is something like being in the NCAA tournament as like a 7 seed. The odds are against you reaching the next weekend, so doing so is a major accomplishment and you should feel good about the result if you do that and little else. There's only a select few teams in the whole tournament you have no chance to beat, but the odds of winning all the games in a row needed to win it all are improbably small.

[Schlich]

^^^yup. Plus the better you do one tournament, the better it bodes for your next tournament.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I'm shaking with nervous energy right now.

I had to grab some tums. Is there anything in sports that brings more dread and excitement than actually caring about something that only happens every 4 years?

Our coach said it is unrealistic to think we can win. Is it a matter of seeing how far they can go? How good they play? Or could something like our 1980 hockey team happen? Does that happen in soccer?

Any game that has meaning is interesting to me. These games have tons of meaning. NIU isn't going to win a national championship, but I'd imagine fans thought going to a BCS game was pretty exciting despite not playing for a national championship, no? Kind of the same thing here. Will the US win the world cup? Highly doubtful. Is it cool to see them take steps forward and hopefully make it out of a group with ronaldo, ghana who pwns them, and Germany? Yeah...it'd be pretty cool.