World Cup 2010

[lukethedrifter]

I didn't realize that Jo'burg was over 1700m elevation.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg2 ... actor.html

[Fat Strat]

Anyone else watching US's final tuneup against Australia. Early easy goal. Then Findley misses a gimme. Australia looks awful. Really awful. Especially in the defensive end; they're giving away balls left and right. It should be 2-0 and maybe 3-0 and we're only 15 minutes into this game.

Oh, and this field looks more like fields that we used to play on in HS tournaments. Not impressed with the environment, but I'm pretty sure it's a practice facility rather than one they're going to use for matches. Don't know, though. It doesn't have much of that obnoxiously loud international "soccer" atmosphere.

[Fat Strat]

1-1 on a corner from Australia. Just didn't mark the guy and he pushed one in. Sloppy. They better tighten up some. They looked sloppy last week as well defensively, at least for the first half.

Theyr'e really dominating the rest of the game though. I'll be shocked if this score holds up.

[Fat Strat]

This official is calling some ridiculous penalties against the US down near the box. Some real ghost calls. Fortunately, they didn't score...

[Fat Strat]

Great set up and goal from Buddle. Cherundolo makes a great run and cross. Really was a beautiful, easy goal.

2-1 now.

Could just as easily be 4-1. Dempsey made a good run, but finished, imo, with a sloppy shot that did require a good save to push it just past the post.

Australia is just not very good...

Edit: Well... our defense is still sloppy. Way too sloppy. Maybe part of it is the really narrow field and the quick ball.

[Fat Strat]

Held my breath on that tackle against Dempsey. That was a hard one. They've been all over him. I would probably sub him out, honestly. We've got the lead. It should be 5-1. Dempsey lost a goal on a phantom offside call after Findley just put a shot off the crossbar.

Well... I guess Bradley was sort of listening and he pulled Buddle, replacing him with Beasley.

Haven't been terribly impressed with Findley today. He had a lot of opportunities. Should have had several goals, but didn't finish any of them. He just needs some work. Seems like he's a lot of speed and a knack for being around the ball, but not a ton of instincts and awareness in front of the goal.


BTW, Gomez just went in for Dempsey.

[thrill]

That was Australia's practice ground (which they aren't happy with). Definitely not a match facility that all holds 60,000+.

With Essien out and this Australian team looking not very talented, Germany and Serbia shouldn't have much to worry about.

Findley's speed was creating some excellent chances but his final touch sucked. Clark was awful and it hurts Bradley's value when he's in there. I was really expecting Edu to get 90 today. He seems like the best pairing with Bradley against England and I hope that Clark getting 90 today isn't indicative of Bob's intentions for next week. His touch and decision making is just too slow and tentative against England's midfield.

Howard - 6
Hahnemann - 6
Cherundolo - 8
DeMerit - 7
Goodson - 7
Onyewu - 7
Bocanegra - 7
Donovan - 7
Bradley - 6
Clark - 4
Dempsey - 7
Findley - 5
Buddle - 8
Gomez - 6
Beasley - n/a
Bornstein - 7


We're a class above Australia. Tim Cahill put away their only real chance but that's pretty much what he does. Outside of that goal, we gave them nothing. I thought Cahill's celebration was funny and probably indicative of how much respect Howard carries in the Everton locker room. He's usually doing his ninja moves and having fun with it, but that was pretty subdued.

[MrSaigon]

I went to Soccernet to get the results of the US/Aus game and this was the headline:
'Buddle Bags Brace for States'
Even if I'd ever heard of Buddle that makes no sense to me. As it was I hadn't heard of Buddle so it just as well could have said 'Beep Beep Ribby Ribby.'

[thrill]

A brace is two goals.

[robbotis]

Findley sucked. I suspect he won't see time come the Cup. Start Altidore-Buddle up top, and Gomez is instant offense off the bench.