Zheroen Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I was fully prepared after Belgium went up 2-0 to slate Klinsmann and the US for a tactically naive and creatively devoid performance, not to mention leaving Howard for dead, but damned if that Lukaku goal didn't wake them up and they started playing some exhilarating high pressure football. And hey, maybe this is the first of many memorable World Cup appearances for Julian Green in an American strip.On that note, four out of eight quarter-finalists are European. It seems the reports of UEFA's death are a bit premature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 So, 8 games in that round, and the only one where the winning side looked anything resembling dominant was Colombia over a Uruguayan team that was missing Bitey McChompnchew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 So... go Ticos? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I was fully prepared after Belgium went up 2-0 to slate Klinsmann and the US for a tactically naive and creatively devoid performance, not to mention leaving Howard for dead, but damned if that Lukaku goal didn't wake them up and they started playing some exhilarating high pressure football. And hey, maybe this is the first of many memorable World Cup appearances for Julian Green in an American strip. This Cup has given us looks at a lot of people I look forward to seeing for us in Russia. Yedlin, Brooks, Green, Johannsson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino_Not_Deuce Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Hard lines, my American friends. Now you know what football is really about; a never-ending string of crushing disappointments. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcosLoura Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Great second half and extra time. USA seems to get better every WC, you guys could be really scary in about 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 So... go Ticos? And Germany - since they are a heritage team I will root for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Magnificent 7 Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Great match. Strange World Cup for America. Lots of positives to take, but also it's clear there is still some skilled players they need to find whose first touch can lead to a second touch and not a throw in or gifting possession to the other side. Great comeback attempt at the end there, and Julian Green probably should have seen minutes before this. I also thought Diskerud not getting any match time was puzzling as the warm up matches I happened to catch he scored one and looked good. Bradley will get defended by many because of his km covered statistics and he did do a lot of running. But man he was largely terrible with the ball and retaining possession. Nice assist to Green there, but it wasn't an easy finish by the young kid. This team was crying out for a Preki type in midfield to partner with Bradley to pull the strings. It will be interesting to see how the team develops in the next four years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy Dunlop Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Hard lines, my American friends. Now you know what football is really about; a never-ending string of crushing disappointments. Yep. And, shit, I know I'm a chump for agreeing with this as a friggin' Man United fan and not, say, an Accrington Stanley (who are they?) fan but, yeah, if you want to have the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain. Americans did as well as they could have I suppose, not many predicted them getting out of the group as Portugal and arguably Ghana are better teams on paper but then football isn't won on paper. US are well drilled and organised but Belgium were better tonight and should have had it wrapped up before extra time. That being said, I'm glad it did go to extra time cause it got pretty bonkers at the end there. And, hey, at least these Americans did better than the last Americans that had dealings involving Belgium. (NSFW due to foul language and casual xenophobia towards America) All the bookie's favourites and all the group winners won and, yet, apart from maybe Colombia (and I'm not exactly alone in backing them to beat Brazil) none of them looked particularly that impressive. Most wide open Quarters I can ever remember really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultimo The Great Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Belgium/USA: Huge gulf in class (like a cat playing with a mouse), no idea how it got to extra time, Howard's saves and Belgium's inability to kill the game was getting to a comical level. Glad to see Belgium through as Belgium/Argentina should be a good open game.Belgium had 39 Shots, 17 On target and 19 Corners. If the USA had scored in the last minute of the 90 it would of been robbery of the century.Argentina/Switzerland was fucking dreadful. How is this Argentine side so average? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 So, 8 games in that round, and the only one where the winning side looked anything resembling dominant was Colombia over a Uruguayan team that was missing Bitey McChompnchew. All the bookie's favourites and all the group winners won and, yet, apart from maybe Colombia (and I'm not exactly alone in backing them to beat Brazil) none of them looked particularly that impressive. Most wide open Quarters I can ever remember really. Sound analysis. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy Dunlop Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I do try, just not particularly well. Kinda like England. I'm not sure if doing better than England in this is a consolation or not considering nearly everyone did better than England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I do try, just not particularly well. Kinda like England. I'm not sure if doing better than England in this is a consolation or not considering nearly everyone did better than England. It sounds better if you say "We did better than Spain." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 This will only enhance Julian Green's aura as the mystery man no one has actually seen play. I mean I'm assuming not even our German friend here actually watches Bayern youth squad games. Fuck I bought him in soccer manager but that was just based off "he made the world cup and he's in Bayern's youth squad". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranesi Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Hard lines, my American friends. Now you know what football is really about; a never-ending string of crushing disappointments. Is this....is this what it feels like to be an English person? But like all the time and with things being called "pudding" that are decidedly not pudding? Because I don't like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 The assumption that I never saw Green play before the World Cup is right. Not only did he play for Bayern´s youth squad, though, he did make their roster of the main team a couple of time aswell. So I´d assume he definetly is a prospect. I really hope he isn´t just their to be the "element of surprise" David Odonkor was for Germany in our World Cup at home in 2006. Everyone loved him for about two years until EURO 2008 showed that - besides his pace - he brought nothing to the table. I´m quite happy the tournament is having a two-day-break. It will be nice to get some sleep and prepare some exams in the evening instead of watching footie like a maniac. The first stage of knockout matches either brought a serious change of play styles or a number of even match ups. Far less goals than before and most of them coming very late or even in extra time. Only the first matchday was an exception, where Brazil and Chile scored their goals in the first half aswell as Columbia scoring their goals in the middle of the first and the beginning of the second. Besides Holland there is no team I´d pick as a lock to win their quarterfinals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red is Dead Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Howard was immense last night and kept the US in it. Everton have to throw a huge money contract at him now to keep him. With the grass roots sporting infrastructure that US can afford to have for football, I can honestly state I'll see the USA lift the cup in my lifetime. Yedlin needs to make the trip over the pond, harden up and play in the championship/premier league for a season or two. Get his game raised to the next level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edwin Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 That's sooooo awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Jones only knows how to fall on his ass and shoot erratically. It's awful. Jesus, the Portugal game wasn't THAT long ago, was it? Is one goal worth forgiving really poor outings against Germany and Belgium yesterday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I really felt Jones was playing well yesterday. It was really tough for the US to get control in midfield once the Belgians got going in the second half, but he held his ground and played in a way that made me miss him in te German squad. And I never ever liked that guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterCopperpot Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Howard was immense last night and kept the US in it. Everton have to throw a huge money contract at him now to keep him. Everton locked him up with a new deal in April that runs until 2018 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2607384/Tim-Howard-signs-new-Everton-contract-club-2018.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Howard is a meme, now. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSC Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Well that was therapeutic hiding every douchbag on my Facebook feed who wanted to make the "Well now I don't have to care about soccer for another 4 years. hahahahaha" joke. I'm assuming this will work out even better than the Who is friends with Nickleback? app that led to my last FB douchbag cleansing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edwin Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Sorry you guys lost in soccer today. If it makes you feel any better, Canada doesn't even have grass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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