Futbol Talk

[mu03eng]

Had neighbors over so could only sneak peaks of the 2nd half but looked like a much more typical US effort than the Columbia game. Officiating seemed shaky and Zardes Wondo'd again...but I'll take the win and hope Columbia can choke out a loss

[GGGG]

John Brooks was the MVP.

[mu03eng]

John Brooks was the MVP.

Definitely, Guzan was a close 2nd....some very big saves when it mattered most.

[brewcity77]

Wow...Colombia makes ten changes to the starting lineup and gets stunned by the Ticos. Just like that, we win the group. Quite the 8-day change of fortune.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Wow...Colombia makes ten changes to the starting lineup and gets stunned by the Ticos. Just like that, we win the group. Quite the 8-day change of fortune.

I wouldn't say stunned. After their starting 11 and Sanchez, they're not very good. I had a bad feeling after I saw their starting lineup.

[brewcity77]

I wouldn't say stunned. After their starting 11 and Sanchez, they're not very good. I had a bad feeling after I saw their starting lineup.

Pretty sure Pekerman saw their performance against us and thought even a weak squad could manage a draw. I don't think they expected to ever be down 3-1 to that team.

[Golden Avalanche]

I wouldn't say stunned. After their starting 11 and Sanchez, they're not very good. I had a bad feeling after I saw their starting lineup.

For a national program that considers itself part of the elite in the world, the lack of depth would typically create a discusion as to how serious a contender they could be in any competition.

And it was a surprise. They had 45 minutes of their best player and 35 of their second best player as well as a Costan Rican squad that wasn't filled out with all first choice selections. Mostly, though, it showed Pekerman has lost it. Keepers don't need rest and not fielding Ospina was an odd choice.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

For a national program that considers itself part of the elite in the world, the lack of depth would typically create a discusion as to how serious a contender they could be in any competition.

They lack depth in this tournament. This isn't their normal team. They don't have 3 of their 4 best strikers (Falcao, Martinez and Teo) missing 4 of their best midfielders (Guarin, Aguilar, Quintero, and Ibarbo) their starting left back in Zuniga, one of their right back choices in Armero and their backup keeper Vargas.

Fabra is like their 3rd or 4th string left back and even Germany and Belgium would struggle with that and the strikers that played last night barely have any caps.

[brewcity77]

Never really got to USA thoughts on last night's match. Here goes, back to front...

Goalkeeper: Guzan was excellent. 4 of his 6 saves were point blank. Did a good job of knowing when to come at the attacker and make himself big. One of his better performances in net I've ever seen. Paraguay tested him and he answered the bell every time.

Defenders: John Brooks was, for me, the clear man of the match. Played with Onyewu's physicality and Bocanegra's composure and headiness. Amazing that he's only 23. The rest of the defense was okay. Obviously Yedlin's red card was dumb. You can't take two cards a minute apart. You just can't. Johnson was good, Cameron did well, just can't get over how good Brooks was. He's grown up so much in the past 2 years.

Midfielders: I'm so sick of Jones playing out on the wing. Every successful run he has requires him to fend off two or three tackles because he can't outrun a tortoise. Bedoya also just doesn't do it for me. Seems he rarely offers much forward, isn't a great defender, just don't get what he's doing out there. Zusi looked better when he came on. Bradley was okay. Not spectacular, but marshaled the defense and possession when we went a man down and needed him to keep things under control.

Forwards: Dempsey got one good chance and made the most of it, also had a decent free kick effort. Did everything you want him to do. Zardes, assist aside, was again bad. Couldn't get a shot off when he was 1v1 with the keeper, poor first touch, mediocre passing, some people were praising his assist, but it was the total blind squirrel finding a nut moment for him. Wood had a rough start, but once we went a man down and Dempsey came off, he stepped into the middle and did well. Drew fouls, put pressure on the defense enough to keep them honest, he's clearly better suited for the middle of the pitch.

All in all, a solid effort. I felt we were definitely the better team for the first 50 or so minutes until the red card, then we did what we had to in order to guarantee advancement. Klinsmann stuck with the same lineup that is generally working and did a nice job shifting to a defensive focus a man down. I'm still not a fan, but Klinsmann did what he needed to do to win the group and he deserves credit for that.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Just bought my tickets to the semi finals at soldier field. So giddy at the prospect of seeing colombia. It would be the ultimate highlight of all the sporting events I've attended thus far.

[brewcity77]

Brazil eliminated on the worst missed handball since Torsten Frings palmed a goal off the line in 2002. Seriously...that was ridiculous.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Brazil eliminated on the worst missed handball since Torsten Frings palmed a goal off the line in 2002. Seriously...that was ridiculous.

There were some worse ones. Suarez vs Ghana in 2010 and Henry vs Ireland in 2010. All in all I feel no sympathy for Brazil. This is the least that could have happened to them for all the diving and rolling on the ground for decades.

[mu03eng]

There were some worse ones. Suarez vs Ghana in 2010 and Henry vs Ireland in 2010. All in all I feel no sympathy for Brazil. This is the least that could have happened to them for all the diving and rolling on the ground for decades.

Oh come on, while Brazil are big floppers that pretty much describes every Latin American team ever, I don't think Brazil was any worse at that then anyone else from the region.

Brazil deserved the loss because they played like they could take it easy in the group stage and just turn it on in knockout rounds. They also deserved to lose because they haven't made any changes of significance since their thrashing in the semis of the World Cup when they were exposed as a bunch of individual talents that had no apparently ability to play the beautiful game together. Stoppage time last night was very telling for the state of Brazilian soccer, relatively easily dispossed, a lot of individual dribbling and once in the attacking third a bunch of standing around waiting to make a run into open space that no one is creating.

[GGGG]

Kind of inexcusable that they don't have the ability to view video replay at tournaments at that level.  That question could have been resolved very quickly.

[Golden Avalanche]

They lack depth in this tournament. This isn't their normal team. They don't have 3 of their 4 best strikers (Falcao, Martinez and Teo) missing 4 of their best midfielders (Guarin, Aguilar, Quintero, and Ibarbo) their starting left back in Zuniga, one of their right back choices in Armero and their backup keeper Vargas.

Fabra is like their 3rd or 4th string left back and even Germany and Belgium would struggle with that and the strikers that played last night barely have any caps.

As I wrote, it begs the question of their legitimate chances. Especially so if you consider Falcao one of their best options up top.

[MUfan12]

There were some worse ones. Suarez vs Ghana in 2010 and Henry vs Ireland in 2010. All in all I feel no sympathy for Brazil. This is the least that could have happened to them for all the diving and rolling on the ground for decades.

But the referee got that one right. A penalty was given and Suarez was sent off.

[jesmu84]

There were some worse ones. Suarez vs Ghana in 2010 and Henry vs Ireland in 2010. All in all I feel no sympathy for Brazil. This is the least that could have happened to them for all the diving and rolling on the ground for decades.

Lol at a Colombian (or any Latin America team fan) fan disparaging another team for flopping.

[jesmu84]

Kind of inexcusable that they don't have the ability to view video replay at tournaments at that level.  That question could have been resolved very quickly.

Agreed. Have a video booth at the governing body (UEFA, FIFA, CONCACAF, etc), with a headset that speaks directly to them. It would take no more than 5 minutes in total.

Another option is placing 5th/6th officials on both endlines.

[mu03eng]

Agreed. Have a video booth at the governing body (UEFA, FIFA, CONCACAF, etc), with a headset that speaks directly to them. It would take no more than 5 minutes in total.

Another option is placing 5th/6th officials on both endlines.

Certainly would have taken less time than the match official actually took to make the wrong call. Still have no idea what the fook he was doing all that time and why everyone was acting as if they were discussing state secrets in a room full of lip readers.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

As I wrote, it begs the question of their legitimate chances. Especially so if you consider Falcao one of their best options up top.

If Falcao is healthy,  he is absolutely still one if their best options. Unfortunately, he hasn't been since his ACL injury.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Lol at a Colombian (or any Latin America team fan) fan disparaging another team for flopping.

Yup, as does everyone from Panama, to Italy to Germany. I hate flopping. Half the time I watch Colombia games usually involves me yelling at the TV for Cuadrado to get up. But Neymar is on another level.

[GGGG]

If Falcao is healthy,  he is absolutely still one if their best options. Unfortunately, he hasn't been since his ACL injury.

Wasn't that like two and a half years ago?  I think at this point that may need to be written off.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Wasn't that like two and a half years ago?  I think at this point that may need to be written off.

Yea, it's almost turned into a Derrick Rose esq, mental block. Also hasn't played much at the club level since he went to England. It's just so hard to write him off because for the longest time, he was the only positive on some really bad Colombian teams and he is the top goal scorer in Colombian history.

[jesmu84]

Never really got to USA thoughts on last night's match. Here goes, back to front...

Midfielders: I'm so sick of Jones playing out on the wing. Every successful run he has requires him to fend off two or three tackles because he can't outrun a tortoise. Bedoya also just doesn't do it for me. Seems he rarely offers much forward, isn't a great defender, just don't get what he's doing out there. Zusi looked better when he came on. Bradley was okay. Not spectacular, but marshaled the defense and possession when we went a man down and needed him to keep things under control.

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/13/11914482/usmnt-v-paraguay-copa-america-2016-stock-up-stock-down

Bedoya often gets a good bit of flack. He's not the flashiest of players and sometimes ends up being forgotten. However, he is a consistent performer and a dedicated hard worker. On the ball, he was tidy and concise. While he didn't make a lot of charging runs into the box, Bedoya helped retain possession and did a lot in the background to reduce the strain on Jones and Bradley. On the defensive end, he was an absolute workhorse. He dedicated himself as a two-way player, always tracking back to help out, first Yedlin, and then Orozco on defense. Thanks to Bedoya, Paraguay found little headway through that right flank.

This echoes my feelings on Bedoya. He's rarely going to get rated a 8+, but he'll always work hard and rarely be in poor form.

[MU82]

Does this happen in any other sport?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/11/euro-2016-french-police-tactics-raise-fears-of-more-clashes-with-england-fans

Lots of fans "in hospital."