World Cup

[cajunhawk]

He gave the ball away surrounded by 3 defenders 70yds away from his goal. Not his fault.

One defender took the ball from him...100% his fault he lost the ball. Sure the goal isn't 100% his fault...but causality begins with his losing the ball...to one...and only one defender. The guy is supposed to be one of our better players...not the guy who can't keep a defender from taking the ball from him...like he has been in both games.

[AstroCajun]

So, all we need to do is play pass around with Germany for 90 minutes and we both pull through. I don't see either side taking too many chances. Germany is the number one seed with a draw. They really don't need to break a sweat.

[cajunhawk]

So, all we need to do is play pass around with Germany for 90 minutes and we both pull through. I don't see either side taking too many chances. Germany is the number one seed with a draw. They really don't need to break a sweat.

And hope FIFA doesn't have visions of 1982

[zephyr]

One defender took the ball from him...100% his fault he lost the ball. Sure the goal isn't 100% his fault...but causality begins with his losing the ball...to one...and only one defender. The guy is supposed to be one of our better players...not the guy who can't keep a defender from taking the ball from him...like he has been in both games.

I put just as much on the late game tactics of trying to stall rather than actually attack their goal and make them defend the final moments of the match. To me, that is the best way to keep them from counterattacking your goal. We had the ball on the right side and just kept it there and we did not support at all to try cross in to Wondolowski who was one on one with a central defender. We gave up the counterattack anyhow and the best player on the planet made a hell of a play.

Bradley is very important to us but he has less than stellar games thus far. This game was much better than the one he played against Ghana but Jermaine Jones, Zusi, Dempsey, Fabian Johnson etc.. have all been better than Bradley

[jllanclos]

Amazing: a week and a half ago, everybody was screaming that this was the group of death, and we had very little chance of advancing.

Now, we have a very good chance of advancing, and everyone says how mediocre we've played.

I thought we had to play lights out to advance?

Amazing how many new experts come around every 4 years to care about soccer for 3 weeks.

Reminds me of ESPN softball coverage.

Certainly, anyone's welcome to hop on or off any bandwagon they choose at any time. And that's what these boards are for - sharing your opinion.

But it's one way or the other. This team is better than everyone expected - or they're worse. Not both.

And this team has played lights out for LARGE stretches of this world cup, or we wouldn't be talking about the possibility of advancing.

[Cajun_RH]

Amazing: a week and a half ago, everybody was screaming that this was the group of death, and we had very little chance of advancing.

Now, we have a very good chance of advancing, and everyone says how mediocre we've played.

I thought we had to play lights out to advance?

Amazing how many new experts come around every 4 years to care about soccer for 3 weeks.

Reminds me of ESPN softball coverage.

Certainly, anyone's welcome to hop on or off any bandwagon they choose at any time. And that's what these boards are for - sharing your opinion.

But it's one way or the other. This team is better than everyone expected - or they're worse. Not both.

And this team has played lights out for LARGE stretches of this world cup, or we wouldn't be talking about the possibility of advancing.

I disagree. They have had stretches where they have played above and beyond expectations, but they also have a couple instances of very poor play. The first goal Portugal scored yesterday is prime example. Feet flailing in front of the goal like a bunch of U-10 players isn't exactly World Cup caliber.

[cajunhawk]

I disagree. They have had stretches where they have played above and beyond expectations, but they also have a couple instances of very poor play. The first goal Portugal scored yesterday is prime example. Feet flailing in front of the goal like a bunch of U-10 players isn't exactly World Cup caliber.

Even with all that...we still are in an advantageous position where if everything goes like it should...we go to the knockout stage.

[cajunhawk]

Amazing: a week and a half ago, everybody was screaming that this was the group of death, and we had very little chance of advancing.

Now, we have a very good chance of advancing, and everyone says how mediocre we've played.

I thought we had to play lights out to advance?

Amazing how many new experts come around every 4 years to care about soccer for 3 weeks.

Reminds me of ESPN softball coverage.

Certainly, anyone's welcome to hop on or off any bandwagon they choose at any time. And that's what these boards are for - sharing your opinion.

But it's one way or the other. This team is better than everyone expected - or they're worse. Not both.

And this team has played lights out for LARGE stretches of this world cup, or we wouldn't be talking about the possibility of advancing.

This whole expert thing...is tired. No one has stood up and said they are experts like you and Mr. Peppa Pit have said. I really don't remember hearing anyone else other than you and Mr. Soccer Snob stand up and say they were soccer experts. Let's be honest...ESPN didn't come find you to cover the World Cup. You may know more than others about soccer...but you are no expert.

We are all casual observers. I watch soccer...I play soccer video games. I know a little bit...but not a lot. I didn't grow up with it like football and baseball. I don't know the intricacies of the game itself. I only know what I see. I watched all 90 minutes of both games the USA has played. To me the change is not with talent...we are still dredging the bottom of the barrel talent wise...to me we have a very smart coach that can get the most out of what we have. Klinsman seems to know how to use what we have and make us very competitive. We haven't found all this talent that all of the sudden make us competitive...so it really must be coaching. We still make idiotic mistakes...but some of the things they are able to do is impressive. It's a mixed bag...and you don't have to be a self professed soccer guru to know that.

[cajunhawk]

http://guyism.com/sports/michael-bra...late-goal.html

Just gonna leave this here for our "soccer experts" to analyze and interpret.

[raginsaints]

Linking guyism.com to try to prove a point? Gold.