2023 International Soccer (National Teams)

[andregunts]

FIFA screwed Haiti today in WWC against China

 

 

 

 

[MJWalker45]

23 hours ago, Digby said:

I feel about Vlatko the way the rage-frothing tweeters feel about Berhalter. How does depth become a problem for a USWNT? Weird lack of adjustments even when the team looks disjointed. All the xG models suggested that a draw was the fair result but it felt to me a bit like the USA got unlucky with some coin-flip shots in the second half... and that refereeing performance, if you can call it that.

Until Rose and DvD clashed heads I didn't realize how much time had passed. But as a coach, you need to know at 60 mins, 75 mins, and 80 minutes you have set times to say, "We need a result, who's going in and where"? I would have an assistant to remind me when I'm the head coach. and when I'm the assistant I'm letting the head coach know how much time is supposed to be left to play. 

[MJWalker45]

17 minutes ago, andregunts said:

FIFA screwed Haiti today in WWC against China

 

 

 

 

The only way this could have been worse by FIFA is if Jack Warner got paid to let it happen. 

[MJWalker45]

Me at 10 PM: "I'm going to bed, the US will be able to take care of Portugal!

 

Me at 3:15 CST

 

And to paraphrase Brick: "I LOVE THAT LEFT POST"!!!!

 

England, who've looked like zombies all tournament finally kicked it up a notch! 6-1

[Digby]

Other contenders are getting their acts together (well not Canada) while the USWNT... is not. Can't believe I woke up early for that.

[MJWalker45]

5 minutes ago, Digby said:

Other contenders are getting their acts together (well not Canada) while the USWNT... is not. Can't believe I woke up early for that.

I feel like the women need to "accidentally" lock Vlatko in a the bathroom and just play the way they know how to. Changing formations right before a tournament, using 1 sub in a tight game where a win gets you pole position for the knockouts, and then putting in Rapinoe ahead of Rodman is just insane. Love Megan, but the only time she needs to be on that field again is to pick up a medal. She doesn't have the ability to play the ball right in front of the attackers anymore and today was like watching Bab Ruth trying to hit number 716 at the end of his career. 

[TrueYankee26]

US will also be without Rose Lavelle in tbe Round of 16 match which could possibly be against Sweden

[MJWalker45]

4 minutes ago, TrueYankee26 said:

US will also be without Rose Lavelle in tbe Round of 16 match which could possibly be against Sweden

That's going to suck, but hopefully this makes the US just see what they can do with the kids instead of trying to cross teams to death. 

[Digby]

2 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

I feel like the women need to "accidentally" lock Vlatko in a the bathroom and just play the way they know how to. Changing formations right before a tournament, using 1 sub in a tight game where a win gets you pole position for the knockouts, and then putting in Rapinoe ahead of Rodman is just insane. Love Megan, but the only time she needs to be on that field again is to pick up a medal. She doesn't have the ability to play the ball right in front of the attackers anymore and today was like watching Bab Ruth trying to hit number 716 at the end of his career. 

 

Even with a swing and a miss! There was some ugly desperation hero-ball at the end. Not used to seeing a USWNT team looking panicky. 

[TrueYankee26]

I was sleeping when the game happened as of obviously most of America since it happened on a weekday, and from what it sounded like, good thing I slept lol

[Digby]

 

2 hours ago, TrueYankee26 said:

I was sleeping when the game happened as of obviously most of America since it happened on a weekday, and from what it sounded like, good thing I slept lol

 

Funny (?) thing about that is that FIFA totally cooked the knockout rounds schedule with the assumption that the USA would win their group; how else do you explain the only remaining prime-time-in-the-Americas matches in the tournament to be on the 1E path. Well, guess we'll enjoy the Netherlands at beer-drinking hours and wake up at 4am for more USWNT (probably only one more time, but maybe twice).

[MJWalker45]

Jamaica made the knockouts! Most people probably had two Concacaf teams in the Round of 16, but no one would have picked Jamaica. Concacaf need to get their act together, because this team is doing what the men haven't done in a long time, and with much less assistance from their own federation as well. 

14 hours ago, Digby said:

 

 

Funny (?) thing about that is that FIFA totally cooked the knockout rounds schedule with the assumption that the USA would win their group; how else do you explain the only remaining prime-time-in-the-Americas matches in the tournament to be on the 1E path. Well, guess we'll enjoy the Netherlands at beer-drinking hours and wake up at 4am for more USWNT (probably only one more time, but maybe twice).

I'm not surprised since Infantino can't be bothered to hang around the tournament. And reportedly, FIFA is looking to pull back on financial promises they made to the women's game prior to the tournament. 

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/fifa-says-it-cant-guarantee-prize-money-goes-to-womens-world-cup-players/

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38032225/women-world-cup-countries-responsible-player-pay-not-fifa

 

France beats Panama, 6-3, after getting 2 PK's in the match. They still look pretty shaky on that back line, but they took care of business when they had to. Brazil couldn't get the job done and now they are out. People said the US losing to Portugal would have been the biggest upset in World Cup history, but I think Jamaica knocking out Brazil has to be up there as well. This team was not about Marta. Until today she hadn't even played more than 20 minutes in the tournament. They started her today and the gamble failed, just like what happened with Sinclair and Canada.

 

[Digby]

Germany joins Canada and Brazil in going out in the group stage. Crazy tournament! Truly no idea who the favorite could be at this point.

[TrueYankee26]

26 minutes ago, Digby said:

Germany joins Canada and Brazil in going out in the group stage. Crazy tournament! Truly no idea who the favorite could be at this point.

The first time Germany fail to pass the Group Stage  

[MJWalker45]

1 hour ago, Digby said:

Germany joins Canada and Brazil in going out in the group stage. Crazy tournament! Truly no idea who the favorite could be at this point.

England would have to be the favorite right now, yes? Whoever wins Sweden vs USA would be the other top choice. Germany blew the doors off Morocco to start the tournament and di nothing else afterwards. Good job of circling the wagons for Morocco who will now try to match the result their men had at last year's World Cup. 

[Kevin W.]

The US has looked a lot better so far. If they lose to Sweden, they aren't going down without a fight.

[TrueYankee26]

1 hour ago, Kevin W. said:

The US has looked a lot better so far. If they lose to Sweden, they aren't going down without a fight.

They sure didn't but oof what a cruel way to lose. A gut punch worse than what Tim Anderson took last night to the face

[Kevin W.]

That wasn't in.

[Seadragon76]

What happened this early morning is basically a great example of the Women's team just mailing it in after that win over Vietnam.

 

You would think that the two time defending champions would be playing at a higher level now then ever before. With the talent gap shrinking minute by minute, you can't afford to half ass it against better teams.

 

Now, they have the next four years to lick their wounds and figure out how to get that winning mentality back.

[Digby]

USWNT did play much better today despite losing Lavelle. Performance was not as disappointing but sometimes you meet a solid team with a keeper on a heater. Was Morgan so gassed that you didn't want to keep her in for potential PKs? I dunno. 

 

First time I've seen PKs decided on a f-ing video review. Such an un-fun way to watch the sport.