***Official 2014 World Cup Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[Steve Tasker]

Beckerman just tackled Schweinsteiger lol.

 

[gump]

Nice payback on the no-call.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Beckerman and Dempsey both lucky not to have yellows already.

 

[AAABatteries]

Come on Portugal!

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Germany looked like this a lot against Ghana too. Tons of chances.

 

[fred_1_15301]

Can someone summarize what the US needs if we lose?

All depends on how much we lose by. NOt looking good right now.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Wouldn't be shocked to see Bedoya on sooner rather than later.

 

[The Hardline]

Really Beasly? That was weak.

 

[gianmarco]

Can someone summarize what the US needs if we lose?

For the most part, Portugal to win (and not by a lot).

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Zusi swapped sides to get in front of Beasley. Davis flopped in front of Fab.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

WTF? How does Ronaldo not score there?

 

[B Maverick]

Ronaldo denied!!!

 

[Steve Tasker]

To those of you commenting on how bad it looks right now....what exactly were you expecting? Germany is a top 5 team in the world. They're going to dominate possession and create a lot of chances.

 

[Christo]

Nice hustle by Jones.

 

[GroveDiesel]

These refs seem to be letting a lot go.

 

[AAABatteries]

Oh man - Johnson was almost in. We look somewhat dangerous here. I could see us stealing one - hopefully we aren't down 2-3 goals when it happens.

 

[AhrnCityPahnder]

Can someone summarize what the US needs if we lose?

All depends on how much we lose by. NOt looking good right now.

• The US needs one point to advance to the next round — a win is great, a draw would suffice. But if the Americans lose to Germany, things get a little murky. Even with a loss, they surely advance if Ghana-Portugal ends in a draw.
• If one of those teams wins, it comes down to tiebreakers (both teams will have 4 points). The first tiebreaker is goal differential, and right now the US holds the edge in that category: US (+1), Ghana (-1), Portugal (-4). A lopsided Ghana victory likely spells elimination for Team USA.
• If the US ends tied with another team in goal differential — say they lose by one and Ghana wins by a single goal, or they lose by two and Portugal wins by three — the next tiebreaker is goals scored, so US fans perhaps should be rooting for a high-scoring affair.
• If there is a tie in that category as well, the next tiebreaker is head-to-head, where the US holds the edge on Ghana from their opening-match victory. Having tied Portugal, the next step in that tiebreaker is “drawing of lots,” essentially a coin flip.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Zusi and Davis swapping left mid and right mid, Zusi to help cover DMB on the left on the Boateng overlaps.

 

[17seconds]

I almost can't stand to watch this.

Very much like the NCAA tournament feeling when your school is playing

 

[AAABatteries]

Jones is a beast. ####### beast.

 

[dickey moe]

There we go.

 

[GroveDiesel]

That was really close. US has to push on the counter. Could be some good chances there.

 

[Jobber]

Pretty weak shot there.

 

[B Maverick]

everyone else was offside

 

[Steve Tasker]

Jones is a beast. ####### beast.

US has no tougher player on the ball, IMO.

 

[SmoovySmoov]

I almost can't stand to watch this.

I feel like I need to vomit.

 

[TenTimes]

To those of you commenting on how bad it looks right now....what exactly were you expecting? Germany is a top 5 team in the world. They're going to dominate possession and create a lot of chances.

Aren't we around top 10 now? Is this the expected dropoff from top 5 to 10-ish?

 

[GroveDiesel]

Bradley is really struggling with first touches and short passes.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Great professional foul from Beckerman. Great play.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Germany looks more aggressive, always seemingly looking to play the ball forward, whereas the US always seems to be looking for a pass back. Is that philosophical, a product of their playing more to win and our playing more to not lose, or is it simply because they're better-able to do so with more skilled players? Or something else?

 

[TobiasFunke]

Can someone summarize what the US needs if we lose?

All depends on how much we lose by. NOt looking good right now.

• The US needs one point to advance to the next round — a win is great, a draw would suffice. But if the Americans lose to Germany, things get a little murky. Even with a loss, they surely advance if Ghana-Portugal ends in a draw.
• If one of those teams wins, it comes down to tiebreakers (both teams will have 4 points). The first tiebreaker is goal differential, and right now the US holds the edge in that category: US (+1), Ghana (-1), Portugal (-4). A lopsided Ghana victory likely spells elimination for Team USA.
• If the US ends tied with another team in goal differential — say they lose by one and Ghana wins by a single goal, or they lose by two and Portugal wins by three — the next tiebreaker is goals scored, so US fans perhaps should be rooting for a high-scoring affair.
• If there is a tie in that category as well, the next tiebreaker is head-to-head, where the US holds the edge on Ghana from their opening-match victory. Having tied Portugal, the next step in that tiebreaker is “drawing of lots,” essentially a coin flip.

In chart form

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

To those of you commenting on how bad it looks right now....what exactly were you expecting? Germany is a top 5 team in the world. They're going to dominate possession and create a lot of chances.

Aren't we around top 10 now? Is this the expected dropoff from top 5 to 10-ish?

top-10 seems like a stretch for the US, and Germany is truly elite (top-3)

 

[AAABatteries]

Bradley is really struggling with first touches and short passes.

Can we save the Bradley lynching for after the match? He's been fine. Running his ### off.

 

[B Maverick]

To those of you commenting on how bad it looks right now....what exactly were you expecting? Germany is a top 5 team in the world. They're going to dominate possession and create a lot of chances.

Aren't we around top 10 now? Is this the expected dropoff from top 5 to 10-ish?

no, we are probably around 20ish, give or take...

 

[Sinn Fein]

davis looks to be a weak link

 

[PIK95]

Any other link to Ghana game instead of ESPN? Its slow here. Tia

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Any other link to Ghana game instead of ESPN? Its slow here. Tia

univision

 

[mr roboto]

I thought we were around 15 or so in the world based on a link back in this thread.

ETA: 13 http://m.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/

 

[gianmarco]

Looking much more steady.

 

[Steve Tasker]

To those of you commenting on how bad it looks right now....what exactly were you expecting? Germany is a top 5 team in the world. They're going to dominate possession and create a lot of chances.

Aren't we around top 10 now? Is this the expected dropoff from top 5 to 10-ish?

I don't put much stock in the FIFA rankings. I'd put the US anywhere between like 10 and 30 depending on form (I'd put Ghana and Portugal in there too, though I'd say Portugal is on the "closer to 10" end of it).

Yes, this is the expected dropoff from top 5 to that middle tier. Germany are legit. I think you COULD make the argument that they're the best team in the world. I won't say that, but I think the argument could be made.

 

[Christo]

Yellow card the ref!

 

[gianmarco]

Man, COME ON PORTUGAL!

 

[TenTimes]

To those of you commenting on how bad it looks right now....what exactly were you expecting? Germany is a top 5 team in the world. They're going to dominate possession and create a lot of chances.

Aren't we around top 10 now? Is this the expected dropoff from top 5 to 10-ish?

no, we are probably around 20ish, give or take...

The FIFA rankings? USA was 13 going in, thought someone in here mentioned before that it was more 10 after the Ghana and Portugal results

 

[17seconds]

####### ref

 

[TenTimes]

whoa Jones got laid out by the ref

 

[GoFishTN]

You suck ref!

 

[B Maverick]

surprised the ref didnt card jones for getting run into

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Why do I always end up sitting at the bar next

to the football "experts" who don't know ####?

 

[Steve Tasker]

I thought we were around 15 or so in the world based on a link back in this thread.

ETA: 13 http://m.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/

FIFA has the US ranked 13th currently. FIFA also had the US in the top 10 going into 2006, when the US crashed out with 1 pt in the group stage.

I think a lot of people don't put much stock in FIFA rankings. Switzerland is ranked #6. Are they really the 6th best team in the world? #### no.

FWIW, Germany is ranked #2 in the FIFA rankings, behind Spain.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I don't put much stock in the FIFA rankings. I'd put the US anywhere between like 10 and 30 depending on form (I'd put Ghana and Portugal in there too, though I'd say Portugal is on the "closer to 10" end of it).

Yes, this is the expected dropoff from top 5 to that middle tier. Germany are legit. I think you COULD make the argument that they're the best team in the world. I won't say that, but I think the argument could be made.

Damn fine posting Tasker. Agree with all of it completely.