***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (9 Viewers)

[gianmarco]

This is brutal to watch. This game has been one big OOF.

 

[Premier]

It is going to be a long hex. With going to Mexico in game 3, we may be looking at a must 3 points next game against Costa Rica.

They decide this thing after 3 games now?

 

[sporthenry]

don't book your 2014 Brazilian whorehouse reservations just yet

Well Honduras was a favorite for some to grab the 3rd spot. So losing to them at their place isn't terrible. We lost at Costa Rica last cycle. But we are going to have to beat Jamaica who we've already split 1-1 in qualifying. But until the US can dominate these squads like Mexico has recently done, we aren't going to be much of a threat. Worst case is probably the 4 spot but going to need strong showings at home.

 

[NewlyRetired]

It is going to be a long hex. With going to Mexico in game 3, we may be looking at a must 3 points next game against Costa Rica.

They decide this thing after 3 games now?

You really want to go into game 4 with either 1 or 0 points? That is suicide IMO.

 

[Premier]

What was our record in the 09 hex?

 

[Slapdash]

How are we so bad at this.

Lazy defending and afraid to go forward seem to always be the case in these games.

 

[Premier]

It is going to be a long hex. With going to Mexico in game 3, we may be looking at a must 3 points next game against Costa Rica.

They decide this thing after 3 games now?

You really want to go into game 4 with either 1 or 0 points? That is suicide IMO.

Everybody gets 10 games. It seems like after the third match we will have our two toughest road games out of the way.

 

[NewlyRetired]

It is going to be a long hex. With going to Mexico in game 3, we may be looking at a must 3 points next game against Costa Rica.

They decide this thing after 3 games now?

You really want to go into game 4 with either 1 or 0 points? That is suicide IMO.

Everybody gets 10 games. It seems like after the third match we will have our two toughest road games out of the way.

Have you seen the US's record in Saprissa?

 

[The Gator]

IT IS A BIG DEAL TAKING A LOSS LIKE THIS. For ####'s sake Heartless performance

 

[NewlyRetired]

What was our record in the 09 hex?

6-2-2

 

[sporthenry]

It is going to be a long hex. With going to Mexico in game 3, we may be looking at a must 3 points next game against Costa Rica.

They decide this thing after 3 games now?

Hopefully the players/coaches won't overreact like we do if they start out slow. But there is a tendency to start pressing if you start out slow. And it isn't exactly like the US has dominated these teams recently. Last few games versus teams likes Honduras and Costa Rica have been very close and without someone like Donovan, US might struggle.

 

[Premier]

It is going to be a long hex. With going to Mexico in game 3, we may be looking at a must 3 points next game against Costa Rica.

They decide this thing after 3 games now?

You really want to go into game 4 with either 1 or 0 points? That is suicide IMO.

Everybody gets 10 games. It seems like after the third match we will have our two toughest road games out of the way.

Have you seen the US's record in Saprissa?

Not saying this is optimal or anything. Just no reason to freak out yet. We all knew they were going to lose a few games here.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Ugh. Lackluster, flat-footed, lazy. Horrible effort.

 

[Slapdash]

Why exactly is Donovan not playing with the team?

 

[ffldrew]

Wow - I haven't seen a disaster on defense and goaltending like that 2nd goal since my daughters U12 days

 

[QuizGuy66]

-QG

 

[NewlyRetired]

Costa Rica at Colorado and Mexico at Azteca at end of March.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Why exactly is Donovan not playing with the team?

He is on some sort of sabbatical. He is contemplating full retirement. He has not trained since MLS Cup.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Why exactly is Donovan not playing with the team?

he does not feel enough love from Klinsman

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Problem with dropping this game is you leave yourself zero margin for error at home. Almost need to get 15 at home. No small task with Mexico looming large.Saprissa and Azteca won't be wins, you get 1 point out of those two matches you're lucky. The Nats always have trouble taking points at the Office too. They may be able to get a result in Panama, but a lot of teams will probably steal points in Panama. This hex is going to be hell, they needed a point today and failed.

 

[Bonzai]

Having a hard time finding something good to take away from that.

 

[TLEF316]

The defense sucked but the offense was worse. Other than like 3 plays we looked like a high school team.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Problem with dropping this game is you leave yourself zero margin for error at home. Almost need to get 15 at home. No small task with Mexico looming large.Saprissa and Azteca won't be wins, you get 1 point out of those two matches you're lucky. The Nats always have trouble taking points at the Office too. They may be able to get a result in Panama, but a lot of teams will probably steal points in Panama. This hex is going to be hell, they needed a point today and failed.

At Panama is the last game too. If I was nervous today I don't want to think about what I will be like if we need 3 points on the last day :(We may very well need a point at Saprissa.

 

[The Gator]

Having a hard time finding something good to take away from that.

Well, it wasn't 5-1

 

[Eephus]

The loss doesn't bother me as much as the way the US looked losing. They were outplayed except for five seconds of brilliance and played for long stretches in a confused, back-footed way.

 

[The Gator]

Jozy should be on the bench for a while. Haven't seen worse attempts to win balls in the air in a long time. I particularly like how he boxed out a guy while the ball landed 10ft away and at the feet of a Honduras player.

 

[sporthenry]

Problem with dropping this game is you leave yourself zero margin for error at home. Almost need to get 15 at home. No small task with Mexico looming large.Saprissa and Azteca won't be wins, you get 1 point out of those two matches you're lucky. The Nats always have trouble taking points at the Office too. They may be able to get a result in Panama, but a lot of teams will probably steal points in Panama. This hex is going to be hell, they needed a point today and failed.

I agree. US and Mexico seemed to have gone in different directions. I'm not sure they'll get 1 point out of those 2 matches against Mexico. I have some hope for Saprissa. And it is early and they have a few matches where they can get good results but certainly puts them in a corner. But I don't see them falling below 4th place and Costa Rica and Honduras will have their hands full themselves. Have to hope Mexico doesn't give many results and Panama steals a few points.

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

The loss doesn't bother me as much as the way the US looked losing. They were outplayed except for five seconds of brilliance and played for long stretches in a confused, back-footed way.

Bottom line, what we saw today is not a World Cup caliber team. That was a thoroughly deserved loss

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Problem with dropping this game is you leave yourself zero margin for error at home. Almost need to get 15 at home. No small task with Mexico looming large.Saprissa and Azteca won't be wins, you get 1 point out of those two matches you're lucky. The Nats always have trouble taking points at the Office too. They may be able to get a result in Panama, but a lot of teams will probably steal points in Panama. This hex is going to be hell, they needed a point today and failed.

At Panama is the last game too. If I was nervous today I don't want to think about what I will be like if we need 3 points on the last day :(We may very well need a point at Saprissa.

Who does Mexico play in the final game? I'd really hate to be in a position where we need 3 at Panama plus need an already qualified Mexico to win

 

[The Gator]

Also, how do you bring on fresh legs in an exhausting game and they make zero impact? The fresh legs moved like the tired legs.

 

[Eephus]

The loss doesn't bother me as much as the way the US looked losing. They were outplayed except for five seconds of brilliance and played for long stretches in a confused, back-footed way.

Bottom line, what we saw today is not a World Cup caliber team. That was a thoroughly deserved loss

I've been watching African sides for the past two weeks. At this point, I wouldn't know an organized defense if I stepped into one but I am used to seeing a higher work rate and level of commitment. They played this onne like a friendly.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Also, how do you bring on fresh legs in an exhausting game and they make zero impact? The fresh legs moved like the tired legs.

It was hot sitting on the bench too.

 

[The Gator]

Also, how do you bring on fresh legs in an exhausting game and they make zero impact?

The fresh legs moved like the tired legs.

It was hot sitting on the bench too.

poor guys

 

[ffldrew]

Also, how do you bring on fresh legs in an exhausting game and they make zero impact? The fresh legs moved like the tired legs.

Sex with hookers the night before?

 

[sporthenry]

Problem with dropping this game is you leave yourself zero margin for error at home. Almost need to get 15 at home. No small task with Mexico looming large.Saprissa and Azteca won't be wins, you get 1 point out of those two matches you're lucky. The Nats always have trouble taking points at the Office too. They may be able to get a result in Panama, but a lot of teams will probably steal points in Panama. This hex is going to be hell, they needed a point today and failed.

At Panama is the last game too. If I was nervous today I don't want to think about what I will be like if we need 3 points on the last day :(We may very well need a point at Saprissa.

Who does Mexico play in the final game? I'd really hate to be in a position where we need 3 at Panama plus need an already qualified Mexico to win

At Costa Rica who between them and Honduras would probably be the team we're fighting for the 3rd spot. Honduras has to play at Jamaica so that will be tough. Round before that has CR at Honduras and US hosts Jamaica so those will be huge games. Jamaica will probably be in 5th and in striking distance so need the full 3 and hope for something in the other game.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

The loss doesn't bother me as much as the way the US looked losing.

This. The US has always been a big-effort scrappy side. And they couldn't have been any less committed today. Really disappointed in how they played.Will take more than an opening day away loss to the 3rd best team in the Hex before I worry about not qualifying though.

 

[dparker713]

Sloppy. Lazy. Deserved.

 

[NewlyRetired]

This is a sobering stat.You have to go back all the way to 1989 before you find, in ANY round of qualifying, that the US lost the first game.They did draw a couple of first games over the years. Last first game lost was against CR in the 1990 qualifiers (in which they did qualify but mostly because Mexico was suspended for that qualifying cycle for fielding an over age player in a youth tournament).

 

[NewlyRetired]

In the end, I think that Honduras's decision to play in the heat was an excellent choice.Not saying that Honduras was any great ball of energy(because they were not(even more sobering), but I do think the heat affected the US more than Honduras.In particular I think Jozy was nearly invisible in the second half as he was sucking wind from the 50th minute on. It might have been a mistake to sub out EJ instead of Jozy, who was at least getting involved drawing a couple of fouls and corners.I don't think Jozy got a ton of service but a game like this where he got a full game in is hardly going to bolster anyone's claims that he has to be a must start. I was hoping for so much more from him :(

 

[gianmarco]

If the heat was that much of an issue, then I think they should have employed a much more defensive strategy and locked it in. At least they could have started that way and then made a push in the second half.

 

[NewlyRetired]

If the heat was that much of an issue, then I think they should have employed a much more defensive strategy and locked it in. At least they could have started that way and then made a push in the second half.

I think they did employ a defensive strategy the minute they subbed EJ off the field for a much deeper lying Sacha. It just did not work.

 

[DiStefano]

Also, how do you bring on fresh legs in an exhausting game and they make zero impact? The fresh legs moved like the tired legs.

Sex with hookers the night before?

I think they were the hookers. At least, they spread their legs in the game.

 

[NewlyRetired]

11 out of 12 clubs have qualified directly from the hex when getting at least 16 points (only CR did not make it with 16 in the last hex thanks to Bornstein). Lets run through the US schedule for fun@ Honduras = 0 pointsCosta Rica = 3 points@ Mexico = 0 points@ Jamaica = 1 pointPanama = 3 pointsHonduras = 3 points@ Costa Rica = 0 pointsMexico = 0 pointsJamaica = 3 pointsThat gives us 13 going into the last game at Panama. To make this easier on the US, they need to secure a win at Jamaica and steal 1 point from the two Mexico games and the one away Costa Rica game. Going into the last game with 16 instead of 13 would make a world of difference and might even make the last game meaningless (although I doubt it).

 

[The Gator]

Also, how do you bring on fresh legs in an exhausting game and they make zero impact? The fresh legs moved like the tired legs.

Sex with hookers the night before?

I think they were the hookers. At least, they spread their legs in the game.

Would have been too much work to spread their legs.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

11 out of 12 clubs have qualified directly from the hex when getting at least 16 points (only CR did not make it with 16 in the last hex thanks to Bornstein). Lets run through the US schedule for fun@ Honduras = 0 pointsCosta Rica = 3 points@ Mexico = 0 points@ Jamaica = 1 pointPanama = 3 pointsHonduras = 3 points@ Costa Rica = 0 pointsMexico = 0 pointsJamaica = 3 pointsThat gives us 13 going into the last game at Panama. To make this easier on the US, they need to secure a win at Jamaica and steal 1 point from the two Mexico games and the one away Costa Rica game. Going into the last game with 16 instead of 13 would make a world of difference and might even make the last game meaningless (although I doubt it).

I came up with 16 when I went digging too. And 16 points from the next eight games would be a surprise.Which means there's a pretty good chance that the US only qualifies by getting a result in Panama on the last day.

 

[NewlyRetired]

11 out of 12 clubs have qualified directly from the hex when getting at least 16 points (only CR did not make it with 16 in the last hex thanks to Bornstein). Lets run through the US schedule for fun@ Honduras = 0 pointsCosta Rica = 3 points@ Mexico = 0 points@ Jamaica = 1 pointPanama = 3 pointsHonduras = 3 points@ Costa Rica = 0 pointsMexico = 0 pointsJamaica = 3 pointsThat gives us 13 going into the last game at Panama. To make this easier on the US, they need to secure a win at Jamaica and steal 1 point from the two Mexico games and the one away Costa Rica game. Going into the last game with 16 instead of 13 would make a world of difference and might even make the last game meaningless (although I doubt it).

I came up with 16 when I went digging too. And 16 points from the next eight games would be a surprise.Which means there's a pretty good chance that the US only qualifies by getting a result in Panama on the last day.

I would feel better about this if I did not know that CR intends to use Saprissa instead of the national stadium. I don't know what our record is in Saprissa but it can't be good.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

So dropping points at home to anyone but Mexico will be really, really bad.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So dropping points at home to anyone but Mexico will be really, really bad.

Or god forbid Mexico drops points to anyone but US. Either way it is bad for US.We have beaten Mexico in the last 3 hex games at home. Most people feel that it will not happen this time around and that is a huge 3 point swing in terms of path of least resistance to qualification. The loss today pretty much means we need a surprise result some where down the line.

 

[sporthenry]

So dropping points at home to anyone but Mexico will be really, really bad.

Or god forbid Mexico drops points to anyone but US. Either way it is bad for US.

Yeah but they only need to finish 3rd. It is a bit unrealistic to expect Mexico to go undefeated. Hopefully, they don't lose any games though or at least don't give points to one of Honduras/Costa Rica. US isn't terrible and worst case is probably the play in with the Oceanic winner.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So dropping points at home to anyone but Mexico will be really, really bad.

Or god forbid Mexico drops points to anyone but US. Either way it is bad for US.

Yeah but they only need to finish 3rd. It is a bit unrealistic to expect Mexico to go undefeated. Hopefully, they don't lose any games though or at least don't give points to one of Honduras/Costa Rica. US isn't terrible and worst case is probably the play in with the Oceanic winner.

Agreed. I think the most points anyone has ever had in the Hex is 23 points by CR back in 2002 qualifying. The lowest point total to grab a top 3 spot was 14 by the Jamaicans back in 1998. Certainly the fact that Concacaf has Oceania instead of South America for the 4th place game makes it a little more palatable but I don't think anyone wants to face that away leg in terms of the jet lag.