The 2014 FIFA World Cup
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An agonisingly ground out 2 - 1 Belgium victory is my expectation. Players like Hazard will be the difference in terms of quality to separate the teams, but if the Belginas go in expecting their quality to simply roll the Yanks over then they could be in for a beat down from Team America (fuck yeh!).
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rounding of the group stages. i know england has bee disappointing. but to see them finish last without a win is just disappointing to me. apart from that. the other underdogs i've hope to see through but didnt were the likes of ivory coast, iran played well, and even spain was a shocker this year.
the teams that surprised me were mexico, chile, costa rica and even algeria is quite a surprise to pull through the round of 16..and of course the US with portugal with them..
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My buddy Jeff does a great rundown of the games so far along with a fun shoutout of (also my favorite manager), Mexico's Miguel Herrera.
http://www.highsnobiety.com/2014/06/27/best-of-the-2014-fifa-world-cup-group-stage/ -
Any thoughts on Michael Bradley? He's flubbing touches that you master in youth soccer and his lapses have cost us dearly. We tied Portugal thanks to him missing a wide open net and granting them a late possession off a terrible touch under no challenge, Germany scored on a possession he granted them, and almost scored again on a dangerous set piece he granted them, and I lost count of how many attacks have been scuttled by his hamfooted touches. What is going on with that kid? I know it sounds crazy, but I would put him on a short leash against Belgium.
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Agree with you, for the most part, on Bradley.
But part of the reason his performance stands out is that he is being asked to play such a central and important role. He has been all over the field. He was one of the few people I saw applying any pressure to Germany at all. And "wide open net" isn't exactly fair since he did put that one on goal.
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I think Bradley's been ok but given the ball away a little too often. I feel like he has a good game in him that could come out at any time. Who's the alternative if he were to be dropped?
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"When you say that Bradley was the goat, or that he was at fault for that final goal, then you don’t acknowledge that, in stifling heat and humidity, he covered a greater distance (7.6 miles) than any other player on either team. In the absence of Jozy Altidore, Bradley has been asked to do everything (defend, create, attack) an individual player can do on a soccer field. Against Portugal, just as he’d done in the Ghana match, he attempted and completed more passes than any other American player. These aren’t excuses. They’re facts that you have to consider if you want to make an honest accounting of a player’s on-field contributions. In the last minute, Bradley lost the ball a long way from his own goal. He also did a lot of other things."
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Couple of comments on UK coverage of the 'greatest show on earth'.
Gordon Strachan on ITV (on Thursday evening) must have said at least 15 times that Belgium are hard to beat. I therefore predict (and hope for) a 2-1 victory for the Red Devils over the Texas Bullhorns.
Danny Mills on bbc.co.uk to the effect of the USA looking like England in their all-white kit "but, I never thought I'd say this, playing better than us". Spot on Danny, to my chagrin.
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Since the discussion is reverting in parts to the outfits of the players: this tendency for all white kits, by several countries, is regrettable, not least because they then obviously look all so similar. I like the "away" jerseys of the USA far better, incidentally it's the same with our German team, where I find the black and red block stripes of the away gear much more attractive then this nasty chevron style of the home kit.
So now to the "death zone" of the tournament, where losing a game means being out of the cup, no more cozy group stages where losses can be compensated and certain lucky squads made it with a meager four points. I think Brazil v. Chile is the game to look out for, whichever team wins that (and I don't take it for granted it will be Brazil necessarily) is a very hot contender for the title. Belgium v. USA I rate 60% for the red devils. Germany hopefully should not have any serious trouble with Algeria, France and Argentina should also advance without any last minute suspense thrillers. The Netherlands v. Mexico is another nail biter of the 1/16 final stage, I trust the guys in orange won't make the mistake of underestimating their opponents.
Any inklings for the surprise result of the present round? There usually is one at the World Cup…..
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@Chiba:
And "wide open net" isn't exactly fair since he did put that one on goal.
It's totally fair, he was right in front of the goal, it would have been harder to not put that one on goal than to do so, and he put it in the one place he couldn't. He's so talented and that's what frustrates me. We could have shocked the world and won the group. I know it sounds ridiculous/entitled/unappreciative, but if he makes a few simple plays that should come to him easily we would have.
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@Maynard:
Who's the alternative if he were to be dropped?
No ideas there, I'd stick with him for now. Just venting at this point, but there has to be someone if he keeps being a liability. This and Altidore's injury are where Donovan would have been more valuable than Jurgen's ego.
Agreed he hopefully has a big game in him, hopefully several. We will need one against Belgium.
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@Chiba:
"Against Portugal, just as he’d done in the Ghana match, he attempted and completed more passes than any other American player."
No question on some of that and I loved how he was aggressively attacking people possessing the ball even down the stretch. BUT his pass completion percentage and other ratings are actually significantly down this Cup versus what it was during the friendlies against the same level competition.
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@501/IH:
So now to the "death zone" of the tournament, where losing a game means being out of the cup, no more cozy group stages where losses can be compensated and certain lucky squads made it with a meager four points. I think Brazil v. Chile is the game to look out for, whichever team wins that (and I don't take it for granted it will be Brazil necessarily) is a very hot contender for the title. Belgium v. USA I rate 60% for the red devils. Germany hopefully should not have any serious trouble with Algeria, France and Argentina should also advance without any last minute suspense thrillers. The Netherlands v. Mexico is another nail biter of the 1/16 final stage, I trust the guys in orange won't make the mistake of underestimating their opponents.
Any inklings for the surprise result of the present round? There usually is one at the World Cup…..
about Algeria, they can trouble Germany. The tempo against Russland was very high. They come very quick to the 18 meters. It is technique and the players are not afraid to take risk. And the 82 tournament with the scandalous game West Germany/Austria is still very very present in the algerians memories…
Brazil, Neymar will not make all at every game. The midfields still take so little risk...to change Paulinho for Fernandinho was positive. Would like to see Ramires start the game for Hulk(so overrated...)
I am curious to see how they will make it...Buddy, get your pm. That's all good buddy.
Take care
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Your point is well taken, and I don't think the Germans, especially their brainy coach Joachim Loew, will make the mistake of underestimating any opponent at this stage.
And the "shame of Gijon" from 1982 is not forgotten here either, there was extensive coverage of it in the last days in the German media and there was a strong public consensus that such unsporting behavior is unacceptable. -
^That ball on the crossbar though
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Great game, disappointing outcome.
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Yeah, high drama in Belo Horizonte! Both teams owe a lot to their goalkeepers, and the Brazilians to luck. Their fan base decidedly is the "12th man" on the field.
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Vamos Colombia!
