2013-14 Soccer Thread

[RobDeer 45]

Yes, shocked by Spain! Also, anyone catch that Australia vs Netherlands match? Listened on the radio and the announcer was yelling so much I thought he was going to have a heart attack. It was pretty sweet.

[TooLiveBrew]

The Socceroos played really well, although through the last ~30 minutes of the match, I felt like Netherlands could've easily scored once or twice more.

 

Anyway, that match was worth watching for the Tim Cahill volley alone: http://fitbamob.com/b/LLSxyLT/

[Menotti80]

No Altidore. Still need to find a way to get ay least a point.

[RobDeer 45]

Anyway, that match was worth watching for the Tim Cahill volley alone: http://fitbamob.com/b/LLSxyLT/

 

That was insane!

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Spain and England both eliminated from advancing after their first two group games. Didn't think that would have happened. Some other "names" could be in the same boat by Monday.

 

Still a number of group games to play, but the early results have been good for the Western Hemisphere teams.

[Mike2k33]

England can still advance. They just need Italy to win both of their remaining group games and England will probably need to beat Costa Rica by multiple goals in their last game.

 

Basically what I'm saying is, they're pretty much screwed but they're not out yet.

[SRB]

England is in a bad position, but Italy beating Uruguay and Costa Rica, and England beating Costa Rica by multiple goals is pretty much the most reasonable prediction of what one would expect to happen, isn't it? England just have lost any wriggle room.

 

I will always hate him for his handball against Ghana, but Suarez was a beast today.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Yes. Missed the mathematical possibility of advancing on 3 points and goal differential. Definitely no wiggle room.

[Mike2k33]

England is in a bad position, but Italy beating Uruguay and Costa Rica, and England beating Costa Rica by multiple goals is pretty much the most reasonable prediction of what one would expect to happen, isn't it?

 

I will always hate him for his handball against Ghana, but Suarez was a beast today.

 

 

I don't think Italy beating Uruguay or Costa Rica is a given. Teams from this side of the globe have played really well so far. Italy will have to be at their best to get max points in the group.

 

And I'm not going to get into the "Suarez is a monster" debate but I have to say he showed again against England that he's probably the best player on the planet right now. Has surgery, misses the first match, comes in cold and scores twice including the goal that will probably go down as the one that knocked out England. Suarez got the last laugh against England and its insane, sick media. Good for him.

[trwi7]

And Mike was right. Costa Rica beats Italy and advances to the knockout stage. England is out and that Uruguay vs Italy game is going to be awesome.

[TooLiveBrew]

England eliminated from a World Cup group stage for the first time since 1958; first time in history they've been eliminated after playing just two matches.

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27935803

[Mike2k33]

As someone who follows Liverpool Football Club I know the managerial prowess of England manager Roy Hodgson. He was the manager at LFC from July 2010 to January 2011, at which time he was fired....err, I mean left by mutual consent.

 

In those short few months he seemed to be a manager who does not ever have a clear plan. He just sets the lineup and lets the players figure out the game from there. Lineups put together seemingly at random, fielding a team full of youth players and reserves that lose a League Cup match to a League 2(fourth level of English football, i.e. Low A baseball for lack of a better comparison) team, leaving first team players completely off the team for no reason.

 

Also at times he says things to motivate(?) his team but ends up saying something foolish or out of touch. Take his comments on Suarez earlier in the week. Hodgson says that Suarez hasn't proven himself on the World Cup stage so he's not "world class". Final score, Suarez 2 England 1. I'm not saying his comments alone made England lose, but it's obvious they didn't help at all.

 

Roy Hodgson isn't a terrible manager. He seems to have his most success with smaller, less talented teams(at the club level, i.e. Fulham). Once he gets put on a bigger stage he is shown to be in way over his head. England's quick exit isn't much of a surprise to anyone who followed LFC a few years ago.

[Mike2k33]

Germany and Ghana playing a pretty incredible match so far.

 

2-2 with 20 minutes to play. US would like Germany to win, preferably by more than one.

[trwi7]

A tie isn't awful. USA advances with a win tomorrow. If they tie, then Germany and USA both know they only need a point to advance. Maybe they just don't take risks and play conservatively to draw the game.

[Mike2k33]

A draw isn't the worst, no. I was just pointing out the best case scenario. I think it's pretty important that the US gets the job done tomorrow. I don't want to go into the Germany game with the US needing a result, even if both sides just need a draw.

[trwi7]

The good news is US knows all they have to do is win tomorrow to advance. The bad news is Portugal will be desperate as well knowing they need at least a draw but more than likely a win because of goal differential. Like you said though, I'd much rather just take care of Portugal with two defenders out and a hobbled Ronaldo.

[Funketown]

Two or more points should almost certainly get them through (unless Portugal win both and make up the goal differential). A loss today and they still go through with a win vs. Germany, but those are pretty long odds.

[trwi7]

Absolutely gut wrenching. Cameron was responsible for both Portugal goals.

[Funketown]

Should still go through...but that one does hurt.

[lcbj68c]

Anybody know the odds for the US advancing at this point?

 

I can't see Portugal making up 4 goals on the US.

I suppose Ghana could make up 2 goals vs the US.

 

USA just needs to come out and not lose by more than 1. Is there any collusion that Germany/USA could essentially do to play for a draw and both advance? Does that happen at any level of soccer, let alone international competition?

[adamb100]

What does a draw mean in terms of the World Cup? It seems weird there can be a tie in a tournament.

[stoutdude04]

What does a draw mean in terms of the World Cup? It seems weird there can be a tie in a tournament.

 

In the first stage a tie is worth 1 point. Wins are worth 3. Think of the group stage as the regular season, and the playoffs start in the round of 16.

[Baldkin]

Anybody know the odds for the US advancing at this point?

 

I can't see Portugal making up 4 goals on the US.

I suppose Ghana could make up 2 goals vs the US.

 

USA just needs to come out and not lose by more than 1. Is there any collusion that Germany/USA could essentially do to play for a draw and both advance? Does that happen at any level of soccer, let alone international competition?

 

Head to head does not factor in until the 3rd tiebreaker.

 

Here are the scenarios if the US LOSES to Germany. A Win or a Draw and they advance.

 

 

If Portugal and Ghana draw, the United States will progress in second place.

 

If Ghana win, they'd progress if they won by a couple of goals or more, or won by a single goal and the U.S. lost by more than one goal. If the United States and Ghana ended up level on goal differential, it would come down to who scored the most goals overall. If they were deadlocked still, the United States would progress as they've already beaten Ghana in the group stages.

 

If Portugal win, they'd need to overturn an even bigger goal differential deficit to progress ahead of the United States. Their goal differential heading into the final slate of games is minus-4, while the United States' is plus-1. That's a fairly big final swing Portugal require. If they pull it back level, it would again go down to who scored the most goals in the group stages overall. Still deadlocked? They'd end up drawing lots for progression -- picking a name out of a hat, essentially. Ouch.

 

And Adamb, to answer your question: The first 3 games are what is called "pool play", 2 teams from each pool of 4 advance to the round of 16 (where there can no longer be any ties).

 

You get 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.

[stoutdude04]

Should still go through...but that one does hurt.

 

I'm more nervous now. If Portugal falls behind early they will be desperate for goals and could possibly leave some open runs for Ghana. The short rest or USA and Portugal doesn't seem fair either.

[trwi7]

Anybody know the odds for the US advancing at this point?

 

I've seen around 75%.