World Cup 2010 Thread

[Benjamin]

Damn Ghana, all I wanted was penalties...

I'm of two minds here, as I would love Uruguay to reach the semi-finals, as it would cement them again as one of the top countries in football, and the story there would be amazing. However, I also desperately want Ghana to win and become the first Africans to reach the final four. It would be really neat, and again another great story to be told.

All in all, a good day of football, and now all I have to do is sit and wait for Germany to kick England out of the World Cup before watching Argentina tear Mexico apart, hopefully like they did in '06.

[Blaze09]

And Blaze, do you mean Ghana's side or ours? Because our side was really different from the 06 team. I think our only starters tonight from the 06 regular 11 were Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Donovan, and Dempsey. And really, all 3 of them played better than most of the team, sans Bocanegra.

I meant that Ghana techinally put us out in '06 as well (after a shit penalty, but shit happens).

And I truly believe that other than Clint, the US would not have flopped around if they had the lead. I understand that back when the younger memebers of the team where young (I'M LOOKING AT YOU LANDON) were arrogant as hell back then, but I have seen nothing to say they would have, even though we never had a lead until the 92' min against Algeria.

[Szumi]

But that inability to never have a lead stems from Bradley's inability to get tactics right. When you have to waste your subs putting in the guys who should've been starting in the first place, it kills your team. Instead of being able to have the freedom to put in Holden, Torres, Buddle, or Gomez in the second have, you get to pick one of them. You should have the option for 2 of them, maybe even 3. Maurice Edu shined in his other WC appearances, where as Ricardo Clark did absolutely nothing. Robbie Findley showed NOTHING in the pre-WC friendly matches, nor the 2 WC games. Why is he on the team, let alone on that pitch? It's awful by the manager, and you should expect much better at this stage.

[Blaze09]

So should Bradley get the Arena treatment from '06?

Yeah, if Buddle and Gomez aren't the starting strikers by 2014, I will be a sad panda.

[Kaney]

And Donovan continues to look impressive. I don't get all the hate towards him.

The match, it's a shame. It was a good match overall but I was hoping America could pull it back again, maybe even see into penalties, but eh. It's good there is still an African team there, but the timewasting at the end was annoying. I don't mind teams going through in close games but do it with a bit of pride and dignity, don't fuck about trying to get cheap decisions. Thats what I hated about the Italians, and Portugal (Ronaldo for the most part though).

[Magus978]

A GOOD manager would have seen the threat that Gyan is. A GOOD manager wouldn't change the lineup around just for the sake of making changes. Bob Bradley is NOT a good manager. I hope Sunil Gulati & the rest of the US Soccer Federation finally realizes this and fires him. We need a mind like Jurgen Klinsmann or any of those other well known managers.

I wonder if Rafa Benitez would accept the USA post...

Edited June 26, 2010 by Magus978

[GA!]

I wonder if Rafa Benitez would accept the USA post...

He's just signed with Inter Milan. So no.

[Farmer Reil]

Another reason you can't lead games is because your front two fucking SUCK, and in midfield you have Dempsey and Donovan, your only real goal scorers and consistently the only people that ever look like scoring.

America need to find some decent strikers, or play Donovan/Dempsey as your front two and find some creative midfielders to replace them.

Edited June 26, 2010 by Farmer Reil

[Blaze09]

Another reason you can't lead games is because your front two fucking SUCK.

I realized that with Findley even before the Cup started, and I finally realized that with Jozy today.

[Magus978]

I wonder if Rafa Benitez would accept the USA post...

He's just signed with Inter Milan. So no.

Fair enough. Anyone else that might be interested in the US post should it come available? All I know is that I do NOT want Bob Bradley to still be the manager when the USA play their next game in a few months or whenever. (Y)

[Kaney]

You can have Craig Burley

[Pesci]

Another second round game I missed :/

Pleased Ghana got the win though. I like both teams but Ghana just edge it for me because of the story behind them where they're doing it for Africa. I like Uruguay more than Ghana but I kinda want them to win just because in a strange way, I fancy them to give Brazil the better game. Then again I've got a bit of money on Brazil so I'm not sure I should be hoping that they're challenged too much

[Guest adameast]

United States of Alolica

[Szumi]

People have to remember with Jozy is that he is only 20 years old, and is a hold-up striker more than an out-and-out goal scorer. He's still raw, but does well enough to use his size to create chances for others. I fully expect him to come on strong by the next World Cup, and if Charlie Davies makes a good recovery from his injuries, then we have a strike pair for the future. Those two have fabulous chemistry, too.

I fully believe Bradley should get the boot, as we need a manager who knows how to adapt his team and style to the opponents we play. Ghana have a 3-man center midfield. You need to have a guy in the center who can tackle, and then someone who is a fluid passer to try and maintain possession as well. We lacked that last part, which always happens because Bradley loves to play with 2 holding midfielders. Donovan has shown he can come back and help out in the back, so you really only need a midfielder who will hold for Dempsey, who, as much as I love him, does not track back well at all.

[Gazz]

A GOOD manager would have seen the threat that Gyan is.

Anybody who has ever played FM would know Gyan is a quasi-deity in football boots.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Love Ghana, absolutely love them now. Deserving after that too...

You must love acting

Johnny supports Italy.

Nuff said.

[TEOL]

You can have Craig Burley

If you ever insult the name of Burley again I will, like, shank you prison style.

[HailtotheYo]

Another reason you can't lead games is because your front two fucking SUCK, and in midfield you have Dempsey and Donovan, your only real goal scorers and consistently the only people that ever look like scoring.

America need to find some decent strikers, or play Donovan/Dempsey as your front two and find some creative midfielders to replace them.

Says the guy who's club has the front two of an absolute fucking hack job joke, and the best player in the world to not get off the fucking bus for the World Cup.

Anyway .... Fuck Bob Bradley for basically handing the game over by starting both Clark and Findley. Disgusting decision.

Also, no we Americans would not have layed around in the fashion that Ghana did. IE = trying to make a bycicle kick clearance and then without getting touched on it, lying dead on the pitch for two minutes and then getting carted off just to stand up like nothing was wrong. No, we don't do that shit.

Fair play to Ghana. They had two shots and they both found the net. I just hate that we're a better team but couldn't get it done. That sucks.

[TEOL]

Also.

I love that one of the first things the ESPN crew referenced was that it's shocking that we lost to a club with a smaller population again.

Ghana's what we'd technically call a country.

[Crybaby Bunting]

For the record, this is amazing

World Cup for Cats