2024 Summer of Soccer - Euro's, Copa America, Olympics, WCQing (2 Viewers)

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Yeah. Late, from behind, studs up, force bends the ankle. Easy red.

 

[The Kansas Comet]

That tackle was gross. Clear red card.

 

[Desert_Power]

Raphinha has been Brazil's best attacker, not sure they should take him off.

 

[The Gator]

Raphinha has been Brazil's best attacker, not sure they should take him off.

Think they said he was on a yellow?

 

[The Gator]

this ref

a bunch of blatant time wasting, he's pointing to the watch ...doesn't even go the full +5

 

[Mjolnirs]

If this were the Euros, there would be a goal now.

Or not.

 

[NewlyRetired]

That was an ugly game. The defensive intensity was insane. Not a millisecond for any attacker with out multiple players pressuring/fouling.

 

[Eephus]

At least Pele's not alive to have to watch this

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

The defensive intensity was insane. Not a millisecond for any attacker with out multiple players pressuring.

Love that part, but should have been a dozen yellows for all the cheap knockdowns after the ball was gone.

 

[heckmanm]

Brazil gonna need Uruguay t hit lumber

 

[Mjolnirs]

Maybe he should have been looking at the ball.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Was that Joel Embid in front of Vini Jr?

 

[The Gator]

Was that Joel Embid in front of Vini Jr?

yup

 

[Zow]

Brazilian women aren't ugly.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So two of the coaches in the semi finals here in the Copa wanted to coach the US but US Soccer was not interested and preferred GGG.

 

[Capella]

Man the Copa is brutal to watch.

 

[Desert_Power]

Probably want Rodrygo and Raphino taking penalties there.

 

[bagger]

Man the Copa is brutal to watch.

They need to crack down on the refs next time. These are just brawls and are not pretty to watch.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Ronaldinho nailed it with this Brazil team.

 

[Major]

Happy for Uruguay. Developed a liking for their style of play with Forian, Suarez and Cavani in that 2010 World Cup run. Well deserved over a very choppy Brazilian squad.

Going to be an entertaining semi v. Colombia

 

[The Z Machine]

Man the Copa is brutal to watch.

They need to crack down on the refs next time. These are just brawls and are not pretty to watch.

But at least Brazil got eliminated.

 

[Major]

Man the Copa is brutal to watch.

I like that the refs don't speak English when making announcements. Imagine this match being held in France and the refs speaking German.

 

[Eephus]

So two of the coaches in the semi finals here in the Copa wanted to coach the US but US Soccer was not interested and preferred GGG.

It could have been worse if they hired Dorival Junior

 

[Major]

Brazilian women aren't ugly.

I really miss visiting that wonderful country

 

[Tick]

Colombia is having fun, but it looks like there's a chasm between them and Argentina or Uruguay to me.

They are on a roll.

Here are Colombia's last 12 results

Beat Brazil
Beat Paraguay
Beat Venezuela
Beat Mexico
Beat Spain
Beat Romania
Beat USA
Beat Bolivia
Beat Paraguay
Beat Costa Rica
Tied Brazil
Beat Panama

Holy crap, I knew they were on a roll but didn't know it was this good. Guh.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Colombia is having fun, but it looks like there's a chasm between them and Argentina or Uruguay to me.

They are on a roll.

Here are Colombia's last 12 results

Beat Brazil
Beat Paraguay
Beat Venezuela
Beat Mexico
Beat Spain
Beat Romania
Beat USA
Beat Bolivia
Beat Paraguay
Beat Costa Rica
Tied Brazil
Beat Panama

Holy crap, I knew they were on a roll but didn't know it was this good. Guh.

27 total games since they last lost.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I am still digesting this....but Bielsa gave an interview on the poor state of the sports entertainment value right now

x.com

x.com

 

[El Floppo]

Southgate and Deschamps with arguably the 2 most talented group of players. Solution? Stifle them so as to not lose. And sadly, it's working.

Hoping hard that they both go out in the semis.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Southgate and Deschamps with arguably the 2 most talented group of players. Solution? Stifle them so as to not lose. And sadly, it's working.

Hoping hard that they both go out in the semis.

They play like they are ranked 40 spots lower than their opponents. It is gross. Both teams have been getting more and more conservative throughout their coaches run.

But the results unfortunately will trump all and even worse I fear because they have both done well in recent tournaments others will try and copy the "no lose" style even if they are heavily favored.

 

[El Floppo]

Southgate and Deschamps with arguably the 2 most talented group of players. Solution? Stifle them so as to not lose. And sadly, it's working.

Hoping hard that they both go out in the semis.

They play like they are ranked 40 spots lower than their opponents. It is gross. Both teams have been getting more and more conservative throughout their coaches run.

But the results unfortunately will trump all and even worse I fear because they have both done well in recent tournaments others will try and copy the "no lose" style even if they are heavily favored.

Otoh, Turkey. Yay!

 

[NewlyRetired]

It is worth noting that while Biesla's Uruguay don't play an ultra conservative style, I would not call their foul at all costs tactics entertaining at all. There is absolutely no flow to the games when the ref has to constantly stop play.

 

[NewlyRetired]

The xG Philosophy

@xGPhilosophy


Kai Havertz has accumulated more xG per 90 minutes at Euro 2024 than England

 

[El Floppo]

It is worth noting that while Biesla's Uruguay don't play a ultra conservative style, I would not call their foul at all costs tactics entertaining at all. There is absolutely no flow to the games when the ref has to constantly stop play.

I feel like his style is playing to the limits the ref provides at this point. Early whistles and cards would change that.

But the game seems to have gone back to allowing players to barge through from behind again, and copa has suffered from it.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Southgate has gone out at Q-finals, Semi-finals and Finals of his previous three tournaments and has them in the Semis again today. No other England manager has come close to this.

Under Deschamps, France has gone out in the Q-finals of the 2014 World Cup, the Finals of Euro 2016, won the 2018 WC, made the final of the 2022 WC (losing on PKs), and are in the semis again now despite playing badly.

You can hate the way they play, but you can't argue they aren't playing to win IMO -- it's almost all they've done for a long time.

To Bielsa's comments, maybe FIFA should change things to reward more attacking soccer again, but I'd argue that Southgate and Deschamps have cracked the code under the current format.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

It is worth noting that while Biesla's Uruguay don't play a ultra conservative style, I would not call their foul at all costs tactics entertaining at all. There is absolutely no flow to the games when the ref has to constantly stop play.

Yep. As I was watching Bielsa all I could think of was

I'd rather watch England v France on an infinite loop than see two teams kick the **** out of each other's most skillful players for 90 minutes.

 

[NewlyRetired]

You can hate the way they play, but you can't argue they aren't playing to win IMO -- it's almost all they've done for a long time.

I can make a very strong argument that they are playing to "not lose", instead of playing to win.

I know it is semantics but it makes a huge difference on how a game looks IMO.

 

[TennesseeJed]

Southgate has gone out at Q-finals, Semi-finals and Finals of his previous three tournaments and has them in the Semis again today. No other England manager has come close to this.

I don't think any team has had an easier path to those positions than England.

I think too much is made of beating average teams, and Southgate has typically fallen at the first asking against tougher competition.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I can make a very strong argument that they are playing to "not lose", instead of playing to win.

I get what you're saying and agree they aren't playing to score a ton of goals.

But if I think my chances of advancing are better by holding you to zero goals than they are if I try to score as many as I can, isn't holding you to zero goals trying to win?

 

[gianmarco]

Let's not forget that they were minutes away from exiting due to their "style of play" but for Saka's crazy good goal.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Let's not forget that they were minutes away from exiting due to their "style of play" but for Saka's crazy good goal.

and seconds away from exiting if not for Bellingham's incredible goal.

The margins with this style of play are so small. I give them credit though, they are some how pulling it off, but I can't help but think when you are SO MUCH MORE TALENTED than the opposition, you should not employ tactics that see the margins so close. Both those games should have been dusted by half time.

Instead England is running itself into the ground trying to get back into games and then forcing extra time and longer games, which is going to add up over a short form tournament on the players legs.

 

[TennesseeJed]

Let's not forget that they were minutes away from exiting due to their "style of play" but for Saka's crazy good goal.

Or Bellingham's goal in the previous game...

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Well, I'm not going to fight you all on this. I get why the style isn't popular.

 

[massraider]

The margins with this style of play are so small. I give them credit though, they are some how pulling it off, but I can't help but think when you are SO MUCH MORE TALENTED than the opposition, you should not employ tactics that see the margins so close. Both those games should have been dusted by half time.

Exactly. This team brings in Palmer and Eze off the bench. Geez, feel free to open it up a bit.

Also, Southgate this and Southgate that, but I wasn't seeing too much taking charge or taking chances by much of anyone on England's team. That's ALL on the coach? meh

 

[NewlyRetired]

Well, I'm not going to fight you all on this. I get why the style isn't popular.

I am actually fine with the style in general. It is part and parcel of soccer's history that the weaker team does what ever it takes to not lose the game and hope to snag a winner. No one has a problem when a relative minnow bunkers and try's to compress the game.

But I don't even remember the classic catenaccio Italian teams doing this when they were so clearly over matching their opponents the way England (and to a lesser extent France) are.

============

Note that I separate France and England slightly here on this topic. While France is having a god awful time finishing, they are at least trying to generate chances. England is going almost entire games with out a shot on net with some of the best offensive players on the planet.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Also, Southgate this and Southgate that, but I wasn't seeing too much taking charge or taking chances by much of anyone on England's team. That's ALL on the coach? meh

It is a fair question that I don't know how to answer.

The incredibly stark difference between Foden for Man City and Foden for England is eye opening. Maybe the coach and player share some responsibility here but in a way you are correct. Foden has had his foot on the ball a zillion times in the attacking 3rd this tournament and created precious few scoring chances.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

My German buddy has apparently put the EURO '24 nightmare behind him and is now sending me pics from the Gerd Mueller day celebration in Nördlingen. We were messaging during the game n Friday but the messages went silent during extra time, and I know better than to reach out to him. He's messaging pics and it looks like he's having a good time so I'm happy for him. Mueller was born in Nördlingen, a small Roman town in Bavaria. They put up a statue of him a few years ago. He scored his world cup winning goal in Munich 50 years ago today.

 

[titusbramble]

My German buddy has apparently put the EURO '24 nightmare behind him and is now sending me pics from the Gerd Mueller day celebration in Nördlingen. We were messaging during the game n Friday but the messages went silent during extra time, and I know better than to reach out to him. He's messaging pics and it looks like he's having a good time so I'm happy for him. Mueller was born in Nördlingen, a small Roman town in Bavaria. They put up a statue of him a few years ago. He scored his world cup winning goal in Munich 50 years ago today.

What a player he was. On another forum we did an all time draft (must be well over a decade ago now) and took him #9 overall

 

[Moe.]

Let's not forget that they were minutes away from exiting due to their "style of play" but for Saka's crazy good goal.

And all the PK luck. Nobody is going to make advancing on PKs part of their strategy. They have been fortunate to advance as far as they have in each tournament.

 

[TennesseeJed]

Foden has had his foot on the ball a zillion times in the attacking 3rd this tournament and created precious few scoring chances.

I don't know where the stats are now - but at one point towards the end of the group stage, I think Foden had 3 passes to Pickford - and only 1 pass to Kane.

That is a big problem.

(I put a lot of this on Southgate, but not all. Southgate has played Foden and Bellingham, and even Kane, knowing they all want to pick up the ball in the same area of the pitch. That has created a lot of stagnation - and should have been coached out - either in training or in benching players who were not following instructions).

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

My German buddy has apparently put the EURO '24 nightmare behind him and is now sending me pics from the Gerd Mueller day celebration in Nördlingen. We were messaging during the game n Friday but the messages went silent during extra time, and I know better than to reach out to him. He's messaging pics and it looks like he's having a good time so I'm happy for him. Mueller was born in Nördlingen, a small Roman town in Bavaria. They put up a statue of him a few years ago. He scored his world cup winning goal in Munich 50 years ago today.

Rest in power to Der Bomber. IMO, the most underrated all-time great. I don’t think anyone, ever, was better in the box. Maybe Romario was his equal. Maybe.