2023 International Soccer (National Teams)

[MJWalker45]

2 hours ago, Seadragon76 said:

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.

I'd blame coaching more than the players. At some point you use your subs. And 1 minute before PKs isn't when you do that. 

[Unocal]

Sweden is to this tournament what Greece was to the 2004 Euros:

 

Playing not to lose and relying on PK's

[waltere]

Greece won all of their knockout games in that tournament with actual in match goals though, not shootouts.

[Digby]

23 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

I'd blame coaching more than the players. At some point you use your subs. And 1 minute before PKs isn't when you do that. 

 

I do think there was an element of complacency from some of the older players here -- not in a "they care about their PERSONAL BRAND" complaint or whatever petty nonsense Carli Lloyd was saying -- but maybe an overconfidence that they'd still be world-beaters despite being older and, in many cases, out of form. Not so much in that final game at least, but earlier on. At least that's how I interpreted some of the desperation and imprecision we saw. 

 

Beyond that, yeah, I blame the coaching. That it took Lavelle's suspension to make a smart tactical switch is pretty unfortunate. I don't blame Vlatko + staff exclusively, but I do get the feeling that while a lot went wrong -- some bad decisions from players, some injuries, some plain outlier-level bad luck -- he wasn't getting the most out of this group.

 

Good news is that this seemed like a weirdly (relatively) fallow year for the USWNT talent-wise, and next World Cup will have this young core in their prime years and with a tournament of experience already. I'm also now extra-fascinated to see what the staff and roster will look like for the Olympics, just a year away now.

[MJWalker45]

1 minute ago, Digby said:

 

I do think there was an element of complacency from some of the older players here -- not in a "they care about their PERSONAL BRAND" complaint or whatever petty nonsense Carli Lloyd was saying -- but maybe an overconfidence that they'd still be world-beaters despite being older and, in many cases, out of form. Not so much in that final game at least, but earlier on. At least that's how I interpreted some of the desperation and imprecision we saw. 

 

Beyond that, yeah, I blame the coaching. That it took Lavelle's suspension to make a smart tactical switch is pretty unfortunate. I don't blame Vlatko + staff exclusively, but I do get the feeling that while a lot went wrong -- some bad decisions from players, some injuries, some plain outlier-level bad luck -- he wasn't getting the most out of this group.

 

Good news is that this seemed like a weirdly (relatively) fallow year for the USWNT talent-wise, and next World Cup will have this young core in their prime years and with a tournament of experience already. I'm also now extra-fascinated to see what the staff and roster will look like for the Olympics, just a year away now.

The reliance on Rapinoe, when after the first game her crosses weren't nearly crisp enough to damage even Vietnam, is something I can't understand. In 2019 she was the heart of the team. Going into this tournament she should have been used like Michelle Akers was in 1999. As sparingly as possible. Morgan should have worked more as a CAM than as the number 10. Set her up in the middle and feed Smith and Rodman into the box. 

[GDAWG]

I heard someone mention that things would be different if Catarina Macario was on the team and I doubt that.  I think the outcome would still be the same if Macario was there.  

 

 

[Unocal]

Whoever wins this year's WWC will win by default

 

Are there any good teams left?

[Digby]

1 hour ago, Unocal said:

Whoever wins this year's WWC will win by default

 

Are there any good teams left?

 

I'd say the teams that remain are good by virtue of continuing to win, yeah.

[MJWalker45]

4 hours ago, GDAWG said:

I heard someone mention that things would be different if Catarina Macario was on the team and I doubt that.  I think the outcome would still be the same if Macario was there.  

 

 

Macario and Mallory Pugh were the two biggest losses on this team. With those two on the team it changes how you can attack. Vlatko brought too many people that do the same things this time out. 

1 hour ago, Unocal said:

Whoever wins this year's WWC will win by default

 

Are there any good teams left?

 

1 minute ago, Digby said:

 

I'd say the teams that remain are good by virtue of continuing to win, yeah.

Sweden is #2 in the world, the Netherlands were runner-ups in 2019 and England won the Euros last year. These aren't teams that will only win because the United States wasn't there. England even beat the USA last year, as did Japan. 

[Unocal]

36 minutes ago, MJWalker45 said:

Macario and Mallory Pugh were the two biggest losses on this team. With those two on the team it changes how you can attack. Vlatko brought too many people that do the same things this time out. 

 

Sweden is #2 in the world, the Netherlands were runner-ups in 2019 and England won the Euros last year. These aren't teams that will only win because the United States wasn't there. England even beat the USA last year, as did Japan. 

 

Sweden has never won when it mattered most because they are basically playing not to lose.

 

They play anti-soccer. They park the bus and just stall.

[MJWalker45]

1 hour ago, Unocal said:

 

Sweden has never won when it mattered most because they are basically playing not to lose.

 

They play anti-soccer. They park the bus and just stall.

They play the style that suits them. Not going to like it, but they still counter attack pretty well when needed. They also score more from set plays than anyone else this tournament. 

[Digby]

Matt Turner is going to Nottingham Forest. Good move to get actual consistent playing time, I'd think... but good thing his M.O. is shot-stopping because he'll have plenty to stop there. Arsenal making a 2-5 million GBP profit over a year on a guy that played like 4 Europa League games for them. Inflation is such a problem these days.

[MJWalker45]

3 hours ago, Digby said:

Matt Turner is going to Nottingham Forest. Good move to get actual consistent playing time, I'd think... but good thing his M.O. is shot-stopping because he'll have plenty to stop there. Arsenal making a 2-5 million GBP profit over a year on a guy that played like 4 Europa League games for them. Inflation is such a problem these days.

Strangely they're going after Dean Henderson still as well. What's with teams trying to have two keepers now?

[Digby]

3 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

Strangely they're going after Dean Henderson still as well. What's with teams trying to have two keepers now?

 

I can understand the strategy when you've got a full continental competition to look forward to, which is why I get Arsenal paying to have the USA's number one choice as their own second choice. For the likes of Forest I would think that one of those transfer fees could be put to better use, though.

[GDAWG]

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

One of the great feelings in life is turning on a game and it being in penalties.

 

EDIT: I realize how I caught the end of a replay. Whoops.

[TrueYankee26]

Congrats to Spain!

[TrueYankee26]

For context Rubiales kissed one of the Spanish players without consent after the win

Edited August 26, 2023 by TrueYankee26
I somehow confused Rubiales with the coach Vilda, thanks Digby

[Digby]

1 hour ago, TrueYankee26 said:

For context Jorge Vilda kissed one of the Spanish players without consent after the win

 

No, wasn't Vilda, it was the head of the Federation. Though Vilda's always been a syncophant company man when Spain's federation has been at their worst before, so no surprise here. 

[habsfan1]