The Official 2014 World Cup Thread

[Dr. Jones]

Dude deserved a Red ..... NO DOUBT Red.

But the better team moved on. Germany v. France will be crazy.

Based on transfer values.... Slin will say that Germany is favored 4-nil.

 

[Lorenzo]

Of course he isn't taking 100% of the blame, but he should shoulder a majority of it. Again, this is supposed to be our best player. Personally, it's very disappointing because I'm not a huge Dempsey fan, so that leaves Bradley as really the indisputable best player on the team. If your best player is to blame for a majority of the team's miscues, something is terribly wrong. It's to the point now that I almost expect if we don't survive against Belgium, part of the reason will probably be Michael Bradley. And that's a crappy way to think.

Well you make good points. He certainly doesn't look like our best player. Assuming we all know that nod belongs to Howard...our best midfielder has clearly been jones not Bradley. I'd even say that becket man is improving. Bradley can play better but as some are finally pointing out Bradley is just not a a consistent number 10 shirt on a World Cup team. He did wow us in friendlies and there is no question he's as decorated of a player as we have, but that doesn't always translate to a World Cup at all times because of the elite competition. Hopefully he will improve and have a man of the match performance tomorrow because that means he's getting others involved if so.

As far as Dempsey he needs touches near the goal to be effective if he is going to play as a lone striker. For me he's better when paired because he can drop more and create for others. and he will likely score before anyone else on our roster will if he's in the box with service. I thought he was obviously at his best against Portugal but so was everyone else. In the other games they didn't have enough possession for him or anyone to be a real threat. The midfield was overmatched by Germany and Dempsey was nearly invisible.

Either way we have to do something different against Belgium. That formation worked against Portugal. But Germany clearly had us figured out. Hopefully klinsmann can do something unique in attack to throw Belgium off because more of the same will not be successful in my opinion.

 

[Lorenzo]

Man Mexico it has to be tough for their fans. They tease you so much with their play but they always seem to lack that finishing touch. They should have scored more goals when they had the chance. They just seem to be a team full of attack options but they need like 70 trips into the final 3rd to score one goal and they are always in that form in the World Cup. I thought maybe they broke out of that against Croatia but it was just a fluke. You can't rely on one goal against the best teams and for whatever reason they did and it backfired. Either that or the Dutch just completely took the first half off to conserve energy. Because they were on fire late and Mexico could do nothing to stop it. As far as the penalty for me I would not have called it. And robben should have already been booked before that for diving. For some reason officials aren't booking that as much at least from my vantage point and when you don't you get poor penalty calls. But Mexico did foul in the box right before the half when their player broke his leg and they were lucky that it wasn't called. In fairness it is hard for me to say they got cheated.

 

[Lorenzo]

Man, I was rooting on Algeria. They gave it their best shot, and Germany didn't at all play well. Still, they pulled it out. Algeria-France would have been a fun match-up, but France-Germany should be a thriller.

Germany looked like they underestimate Algeria early but were the better side overall. they aren't finishing like they we expect them to aside from their first game. I would also be concerned about their defensive play and while their keeper was effective attacking he might be prime for a letdown soon if he keeps attacking players off of his line like that. They are vulnerable and I think that game vs France will be great.

 

[Lorenzo]

What are y'all's predictions for tomorrow's games. I say Argentina 2-0. And I will have to sleep on the USA game. I just hope they pull out the upset!!

 

[slinslin]

I can't remember when I have last seen such an embarassing performance by Germany.

Löw's lineup is a joke with Mustafi and Höwedes masquerading as RB/LB. Özil is playing like crap but still is not getting dropped.
Mertesacker is SLOW and Khedira a headless chicken.

Löw needs to stop catering to his personal favourites and put the best players on the pitch.

 

[Zeno]

Man, I was rooting on Algeria. They gave it their best shot, and Germany didn't at all play well. Still, they pulled it out. Algeria-France would have been a fun match-up, but France-Germany should be a thriller.

France versus Germany? have the French given up yet?

 

[Mulli]

World Cup viewing party at Soldier Field today. Anything happening in Phoenix?

 

[Stout]

Germany looked like they underestimate Algeria early but were the better side overall. they aren't finishing like they we expect them to aside from their first game. I would also be concerned about their defensive play and while their keeper was effective attacking he might be prime for a letdown soon if he keeps attacking players off of his line like that. They are vulnerable and I think that game vs France will be great.

Yeah, Slin touches on their problems belw, and I agree. Without their keeper playing as sweeper, they lose like 5-2. Clearly Germany is by far the better side, but they played like crap.

What are y'all's predictions for tomorrow's games. I say Argentina 2-0. And I will have to sleep on the USA game. I just hope they pull out the upset!!

I'll go with a pair of 2-1 scores, with Argentina and the U.S. triumphing. I'm not going to predict against my team when I think it's a winnable game. On the other hand, while I would rather face the Swiss and will root them on, I see Argentina winning that one.

I can't remember when I have last seen such an embarassing performance by Germany.

Löw's lineup is a joke with Mustafi and Höwedes masquerading as RB/LB. Özil is playing like crap but still is not getting dropped.
Mertesacker is SLOW and Khedira a headless chicken.

Löw needs to stop catering to his personal favourites and put the best players on the pitch.

Yeah, Mertesacker especially is running in mud. Man, how many over-the top or long through passes did they let past them? If Neuer (sp?) didn't play sweeper so well and so much, game over.

France versus Germany? have the French given up yet?

What do you call 100,000 Frenchman with their hands in the air? The French army. Why did they plant trees along the Champs D'Elysee? Germans like marching in the shade. What do you call the French navy? Chicken of the Sea

World Cup viewing party at Soldier Field today. Anything happening in Phoenix?

I'll be at one of the two American Outlaws viewing parties in Pittsburgh.

 

[Mulli]

Right on Stoot.

 

[Mulli]

https://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.n...320_736040269792301_1622466588296833898_n.jpg

 

[Zeno]

Alejandro Moreno is a terrible broadcaster, ESPN should do better.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Alejandro Moreno is a terrible broadcaster, ESPN should do better.

I like him and he has had a lot of praise on this thread.

 

[Zeno]

I like him and he has had a lot of praise on this thread.

I guess I would like him if I liked my announcers parroting their partner and stating the obvious at least once a minute. He is as worse than Twellman, who I don't like either.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I keep forgetting that 1:00 for soccer actually means 1:00 and not 1:05 after a pregame show and a bunch of commercials.

 

[Ronin]

0-0 @ halftime

 

[cardfaninfl]

Wondo... AAAGH!

 

[MadCardDisease]

I can't believe he missed that!

 

[Russ Smith]

Wondo... AAAGH!

yeah unreal guy is a proven goal scorer and not even close point blank.

 

[Lorenzo]

The sad thing is that he was flagged offside?

 

[Milgod]

yeah unreal guy is a proven goal scorer and not even close point blank.

He's not an international striker though. Not WC level.

Hope he scores the winner, but he has done nothing with his chance.

 

[Russ Smith]

He's not an international striker though. Not WC level.

Hope he scores the winner, but he has done nothing with his chance.

He's done ok in some international matches but yeah not WC. But point blank like that was brutal.

Feel bad for Howard he's been unreal and he deserved that shot by Wondo to go in.

Bradley had one earlier on a pass that basically had him on the run for a shot and he just completely lost the pass.

 

[Lorenzo]

What was besler doing there. Well it was going to go in eventually.

 

[Lorenzo]

So wondo wasn't flagged?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

If only we had a guy on the bench we could turn to when down a goal...