2012-13 Soccer Thread

[trwi7]

That match was ridiculous. I only caught the second half when the snow was really falling. Basically you couldn't see the ball, I'm amazed the camera guy did as well as he did because the lens was covered in snow, it was a near white out, just ridiculous. They stopped the game at about 10 minutes into the second half and on the sidelines they said they planned on stopping the game but the players (even the Costa Ricans) talked them into continuing.

 

No team could possess the ball for more than 30 seconds, nobody could see what was going on. Luckily the assistant referee caught the offside that nullified Costa Rica's goal.

 

TLB, if you turn on SportsCenter at some point they show highlights of the game.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

This should be the link to highlights of the match:

 

[Hammer]

I'm not a soccer fan but when I stopped on that channel last night I couldn't turn away...that was crazy! Looked like a lot of fun...

[TooLiveBrew]

TLB, if you turn on SportsCenter at some point they show highlights of the game.

I finally just settled for that last night. What pisses me off is that ESPN3 literally has almost every other WC qualifier from the past couple of days archived, but not the one that the vast majority of its readership would want to see. And, as far as I can see on my cable TV menu, ESPN will not be replaying the US-CR match. Neat!

 

EDIT: Guess I just needed to wait until today. The full match is now up. Annnd I can't watch it. Awesome.

 

Thank you, ReverendBrewmeister, for linking those highlights. Much more comprehensive than the ESPN package.

[bacon06]

I was actually at the match in Denver and it was probably as ridiculous as it looked on TV. I was in the supporter's section by a corner flag and in the second half I had a hard time seeing the far side of the field. Credit to the grounds crew cause they busted their tail every opportunity to try and keep the lines cleared.

[Baldkin]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2013-03-19/jurgen-klinsmann-us-mens-soccer-coach-national-team-usa-american-world-cup-2013

 

Over the past several weeks, Sporting News has spoken to 22 individuals with ties to the U.S. national team or its members—including 11 current players based in MLS or abroad. The remaining sources make their living in American soccer and have reliable relationships with players, coaches and executives. Sources were offered anonymity in exchange for their anecdotes, observations and opinions. Those identified by name are Klinsmann and three players who spoke shortly before Sporting News commenced reporting this story.

 

What emerged over the course of these discussions was near unanimity regarding the players’ flagging faith in Klinsmann, his staff and his methods, along with the squad’s absence of harmony.

 

Great, albeit long article. I can't say I am overly shocked, even though I loved the Klinsmann hire at the time, I'd always heard he was a "Big picture guy" and left the in game coaching to well-hired assistants.... which he's apparently left by the wayside during his US tenure.

[kalle8]

the problem with klinsmann is that he doesn't love soccer. he said it 1.000 times.

i also remember him saying he always went in the U.S. to spend his holydays because that was a place in which no one knew him and he was able just being himself...

 

as much as i like klinsmann a lot (as a player and even more as a human being) i don't think he's a great manager at all. if you don't like to live under pressure you can't be a coach or a manager, period.

he's not that he can't deal with pressure, he just doesn't like it.

[Funketown]

Hopefully Costa Rica's protest doesn't go through. While I understand their complaint, the US really needs the three points right now and even just risking a draw in the replay would be very unfortunate. I doubt they replay the match, but I really have no idea how often this kind of stuff happens and how often the matches are replayed. Logistically with players all over the world and all international game days pretty much being packed with other world cup qualifiers, I'm not sure I see how it could be easily rescheduled.

 

Mexico tomorrow starts half an hour after my bedtime. I'm going to be thrilled with a draw; I just don't see it going well.

[trwi7]

If the Costa Rican manager thought it was a disgrace to soccer why didn't he protest it when they actually stopped the game 10 minutes into the 2nd half?

[Funketown]

I suspect the match would not have been a "disgrace" in his eyes had they managed a point.

[TooLiveBrew]

If the Costa Rican manager thought it was a disgrace to soccer why didn't he protest it when they actually stopped the game 10 minutes into the 2nd half?

If what I've read is correct, the referee consulted with the FIFA match official, who was the one with final word as to whether or not the game would continue. The Costa Rican players & coach were protesting/saying they didn't want to play, but once the FIFA official made his ruling, they had to play. If they'd walked off/refused to play, they'd not only have forfeited, but they'd have faced sanctions as well.

[trwi7]

The way it looked from watching it looked like the Costa Rican players wanted the game to continue though I could be wrong. They stopped the game for no other reason than to discuss stopping it but players from both teams looked like they were pleading for the game to continue.

 

The better question would be why they were playing in Denver in March. Even if they wanted to play it in a cooler climate to give the US team an advantage play it in Portland or Seattle where it would be cool and maybe rainy but the chance of snow is minimal.

[TooLiveBrew]

The way it looked from watching it looked like the Costa Rican players wanted the game to continue though I could be wrong. They stopped the game for no other reason than to discuss stopping it but players from both teams looked like they were pleading for the game to continue.

 

The better question would be why they were playing in Denver in March. Even if they wanted to play it in a cooler climate to give the US team an advantage play it in Portland or Seattle where it would be cool and maybe rainy but the chance of snow is minimal.

Supposedly several Costa Rican players tweeted after the game that they were asking for the game to be stopped. I'll try to dig & find some links.

 

EDIT: Best I can do is these two articles (both in Spanish)

 

- La Nación article: the third paragraph (although poorly translated by my browser) is C.R. captain Bryan Ruiz essentially saying that, as early as in the 15th minute, they wanted the game suspended.

 

- Univision Puerto Rico article: C.R. coach Jorge Luis Pinto says he asked for the game to be suspended during the stoppage in play in the second half

 

And as a response to your second point, one factor for playing in Denver would be playing at altitude in preparation for the game in Mexico tomorrow.

[bacon06]

They picked Denver to get used to the elevation for the Mexico game. The snow just sort of happened. If they had started the game an hour earlier it wouldn't have been as much a problem because the snow didn't start accumulating until half hour before the match started.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Scoreless draw at the Azteca in World Cup qualifying? Thank you very much.

 

Excellent defensive performance by the undermanned roster. Just a bit lucky with a PK not given to Mexico on Edu's challenge late in 2nd half. Work is needed on offensive performance; no chances were really created. Talent disparity showed there, but the scoreboard still ended 0-0.

[TooLiveBrew]

Scoreless draw at the Azteca in World Cup qualifying? Thank you very much.

 

Excellent defensive performance by the undermanned roster. Just a bit lucky with a PK not given to Mexico on Edu's challenge late in 2nd half. Work is needed on offensive performance; no chances were really created. Talent disparity showed there, but the scoreboard still ended 0-0.

Good recap. I thought the defense looked pretty flimsy in the first 15-20 minutes, but after that it was great. Omar Gonzalez in particular was stellar.

 

Mexico are in a bit of trouble now, and with Honduras losing (yes!), our boys are higher in the group than they might deserve.

 

Also, it's jaw-dropping crazy to me that this draw only knocks Mexico's home WC qualifying record to 68-1-7. Purely statistically, you'd think they would've gotten unlucky in like at least 5 or 6 of those wins & either drawn or lost.

[trwi7]

I'm sorry but that was not a PK. His foot gets caught in the grass, yes it's from behind but there was no or at most very minimal contact before the kick and there was only contact after because the Mexican player losing his balance as his foot caught in the grass. Just because a player flails around like a moron doesn't mean it's a penalty.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm sorry but that was not a PK. His foot gets caught in the grass, yes it's from behind but there was no or at most very minimal contact before the kick and there was only contact after because the Mexican player losing his balance as his foot caught in the grass. Just because a player flails around like a moron doesn't mean it's a penalty.

I think that probably gets called a penalty 8 out of 10 times or more. I don't disagree though that, upon review, the ref looked to get this one right.

 

And damn -- this Mexican team can sure hit the deck & roll around in agony.

[trwi7]

It's just awful. Instead of trying to play through a little bit of contact a player automatically goes for the dive to try to get a free kick or a penalty. It's sad to watch and it puts refs in awful positions. Is that really a penalty or is that a guy flailing and trying to get a call?

 

If I was a ref it would have to be blatantly obvious for me to call a penalty, especially in that situation.

[yoshii8]

I'm becoming less and less of a Geoff Cameron fan, especially at outside back. I realize a good portion of the outside backs on the roster were hurt, but wow is he dreadful going forward. Made me really miss Cherundolo.

 

I think last night showed how much they miss Donovan's speed and creativity on offense. The couldn't seem to get much going.

 

Overall, I'm happy to get the point, and get the heck out of there, but it's been tough to watch US play lately, they seem to be very unorganized.

[bacon06]

Keep the Omar and Besler centerback pairing and add in Fabian Johnson at leftback and Timmy Chandler at right back and I think that's a solid back four.

 

Chicharito has to be the most overrated player in the world. He can't score outside the six, habitually offside, and is constantly arguing with the ref. If he played anywhere but Manchester United he would be a nobody. Give me Gio Dos Santos any day.

[TooLiveBrew]

The finish to Borussia Dortmund-Málaga was unbelievable! I thought Málaga going up 2-1 was a spectacular finish. A bit bad that both late go-ahead goals should've been flagged for offside, but amazing finish nonetheless.

[trwi7]

No freakin' way! I turned it off after Malaga took a 2-1 lead with about 10 minutes left. That was the game for me since Dortmund needed two goals. They blew chance after chance in the 2nd half and I was so frustrated by that plus the Malaga goal that I turned it off. Luckily I recorded it.

[TooLiveBrew]

No freakin' way! I turned it off after Malaga took a 2-1 lead with about 10 minutes left. That was the game for me since Dortmund needed two goals. They blew chance after chance in the 2nd half and I was so frustrated by that plus the Malaga goal that I turned it off. Luckily I recorded it.

You won't regret DVR'ing this one. I 'knew' Málaga had won it, too!

[trwi7]

Watched the end of the game. Wow! Yes Dortmund was pretty clearly offsides on the last goal (about 3 players were offsides) but overall the better team won and the better team moved on. Dortmund wins 2-1 if Malaga's second goal and Dortmund's third are called correctly, so no harm, no foul imo.