Back to the important stuff....

[dawg80]

I don't think she's an a-hole...she is a bit out-spoken and opiniated. A little "over the top" at times. So? I'd be a hypocrite if I criticized her for that...

France is being given a free ride by FIFA. Twice in a row they were handed a "W" by the refs. Total BS! They aren't as good as they had appeared to be during the build-up to the WC Finals. What scares me though is just how big a screwing the US will get when we play 'em, and we don't have a GK who can deny the inevitable PKs coming.

Italy has been a surprise, they have a big game today vs. Brazil.

[dawg80]

US Men's Team

Open Gold Cup play tonight. Expect a win over Guyana...well, if we don't get the 3 pts...forget it!

Right now I place the US 4th in the power ratings in the Copa Oro:

1. Mexico
2. Costa Rica
3. Jamaica
4. USA

This can change, and I hope we climb up!

[techman05]

3 goals! Still a lot of time left.

[dawg80]

USA 4 Guyana 0

They are ranked 117th in the world. Not much you can say about this one. It's like beating a SWACer in football, something like 28-0. Ho hum...

And we suffered some injuries.

[techman05]

Yep, we have a long way to go.

[revf]

USWNT couldn’t lose and won the group.

Not sure if that is a good thing or bad as the gauntlet is much harder on one side of the bracket than the other side.

Ticky Tacky Yellow Card as well

[dawg80]

Did enough. Lackluster performance, not sharp at all. Sweden didn't want to win anyway. They sat half their starters, didn't play as aggressively as they usually do, and seemed content to be ONE quality opponent (Germany) away from the final.

Our side of the bracket is loaded!

[Blue Dawg]

Not sure if it was mentioned earlier but Tech's own Nomvula Kgoale plays for the South African national team (unfortunately they finished in the bottom of their group).

[revf]

A tale of two halves against T&T. (The team that knocked us out of the WC and help us reach the bottom)

Lackluster 1st half

Explosive 2nd half

Defense...still shaky
Midfield....slow and up and down
Frontline...boneheaded at times. Brilliant at times.

Still wanting more out of Berhalter than a MLS All-Star team...

[dawg80]

US 6 T&T 0

Glad for the W, and maybe, just maybe, we have exorcised a few demons lingering from 2017...

First, the not-so-good... T&T is ranked 92nd in the world. They are supposed to get drilled by "decent sides." They do have a couple players who play in the EPL, so there is some individual talent on that team. But, our transition defense was utterly non-existent and that mostly falls on Bradley who, as the #6, holding midfielder, is charged with either breaking up counter-attacks or slowing them down allowing our midfield time to get back on defense. He did neither. T&T ran free from their defending 1/3 to their attacking 1/3 all night. It's only because T&T lacks overall quality that they did not score 3 or 4 goals off those counters. A legit good team would absolutely smoke us!

Second, the better. As mentioned, T&T has some talent and Hyland and Alvin Jones absolutely, incredibly HAMMERED some shots and our youthful keeper, Zack Steffen, was equal to the task and did a good job on those saves. Those were world-class strikes he defended. Jones' 30 yarder was 100mph and knuckling. And, I see what Berhalter is trying to do with the attacking scheme. It's a solid game plan. The players just have to get better as individuals, and working together in executing the offense. We did show some flashes of brilliance. Of course most of that thanks to Pulisic.

Overall, well...Zardes has no place on a true national side. He is MLS level, at best. McKennie is a foul-committing-machine, a hot head, with average talent at best. I know his pedigree and what some say of his talent and potential, which hasn't shown up yet, but he's too much of a liability, unless you just like playing a man-down a lot. I still think Michael Bradley can contribute to a developing USMNT program...with proper coaching and instructions. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear he'll get that from Berhalter. Altidore? His entire career has been one of "unrealized potential" laced by long periods of injury time. Maybe he has a place on a 23-man roster for the time being, but that's about it.

Pulisic...hmmm....well, as a striker or attacking midfielder, yeah, he has talent and can get even better. But, he's not the overall mega-star talent this USMNT needs. He pales in comparison to Landon Donovan and will never, ever, reach that level as a true international superstar. LD was literally all over the field! He was our best defensive midfielder, time and time again sprinting 80 yards to get back on defense, then sprinting 80 yards the other way to lead the offensive attack. You never see Pulisic in the defending 1/3. NOW, as a striker or as the attacking MF Pulisic shouldn't have to be that far back defending. But...we are not a Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, etc. futbol power either. Those sides can afford their superstar strikers not getting back on defense because they have world class defenders. We don't.

To reach a World Cup Final Four you need a world class midfield for starters and a back line capable of being the star on lesser teams. Good scheming, good coaching can mask some of the lack of talent and produce a damn good side. Then, with luck, who knows? The US Soccer Federation needs to enhance its player development and just as importantly coach development. We need youngsters getting good coaching from the time they first set foot on the pitch and during their entire development.

As for 2019 and the near future, fortunately, much as Tech benefits from being in a lousy CUSA, so too does the USMNT benefit from being in CONCACAF. We are able to compete simply by showing up. There are 33 nations on CONCACAF and if you look at the FIFA world rankings, this league dominates the Bottom 20, yippee! Mexico is highest ranked at 18th, the US is next at 30th, and Costa Rica is 39th. Beyond that....woe! So, we have that going for us.

[revf]

First real challenge, first glimpse of poor play.

Major breakdowns versus a tough Spanish team with an incredible striker(maybe the best striker at the WC).

Only won this match through two penalty kicks that were iffy fouls at best. A lot of refs would have told them to play on.

I honestly think that there is talent on the USWNT. I just don't think that Ellis is all that great of a manager of talent. She has relied on pure talent to win games, and not brought anything of scheme or planning to the match. Talent will only get you so far. Morgan is a great striker versus cupcakes, but looks incapable of creating space versus anyone with a pulse. This is why you need schemes to match the talent. Ellis doesn't understand schemes.

Friday in Paris versus France will be a showdown.

[dawg80]

There's a video, about 15 mins in length, highlighting the "perfect" tournament Becky Sauerbrunn had in the 2015 WC Finals in Canada. She played every minute of all 7 matches (630+ minutes) and she was "perfection." Not only did she cover mistakes for her teammates, she never made a mistake herself. Not once did she have an "Oops!" that caused someone to pick her up. In sports, one has to be careful tossing around terms such as "perfection." But, she came as close as any athlete has come, especially over a 7-game span at the highest level of that sport.

I didn't mention this previously because I didn't want to jinx her. Well...so much for that. Also shows you just how fast disaster can strike. I don't like the GK playing those short passes out when the other side is applying high pressure. You're just asking for something bad to happen.

This was a tough match to watch, but it's what you have to expect in the WC Finals. No one is gonna roll over and play dead. Every side believes they can win, especially in the knockout rounds. France has "won" three straight 1-goal games. All three were "handed" them thanks to some very questionable officiating. Germany has struggled thus far. England, a lot of pundits' picks to win it all, has looked less than impressive. It comes with the territory. The US is better than Spain, and was better yesterday. We enjoyed the overall "run of play" for 90 minutes. But it's always a close thing at this level.

Spain was hacking Alex Morgan the whole game. There were several obvious fouls committed against her away from the ball, missed by the refs. I would say they played dirty, but they did what they thought they had to do. It's up to the refs to control that kind of stuff. I know I have to tread carefully saying this, but I've never backed away from expressing opinions before, so... Alex Morgan is feminine. She's a "girl" (young woman) playing a sport that is not for the faint of heart. Soccer is a lot rougher than most people know. And most of these international professional women players are tough...I'll leave it at that. Morgan plays a finesse game, depending on her speed/quickness/skills to be successful. She gets knocked around and knocked down a lot by these "tough" defenders.

I don't agree Coach Ellis lacks a scheme. But, so far, she has employed the exact same one....every game! Opponents are not stupid and watch film in preparation. Still, even though Spain is good and was very well prepared, the US sliced and diced their midfield to shreds. Every US attack penetrated Spain's defending 1/3. It was a combination of good individual defending by Spain's defenders, and just some bad luck for us. We missed two very good chances we usually finish. A 4-1 final would have looked a lot better.

Well...France is better than Spain, they are playing at home, I am afraid FIFA really wants the home side to reach the final for attendance purposes...the deck is stacked against us Friday. Mostly, we need to elevate our game and play our best.

[dawg80]

US Men's Team

Open Gold Cup play tonight. Expect a win over Guyana...well, if we don't get the 3 pts...forget it!

Right now I place the US 4th in the power ratings in the Copa Oro:

1. Mexico
2. Costa Rica
3. Jamaica
4. USA

This can change, and I hope we climb up!

Welp!

1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Jamaica
4. Costa Rica

And CR is hanging by a thread.

How 'bout dat Haiti!

Tonite USMNT vs. Panama

[dawg80]

Women's World Cup Elite Eight

7 European sides, and US!

This is the 8th WWC and in the previous 7 the USA reached the semifinals, at least. Well, another tough test this go-around to see if that streak continues.

[techman05]

Megan Rapino says she won’t go to the “bleeping” White House if they win the WC.

I think it is worth pointing out that it is not illegal to stay home for that celebration. It is also not illegal to kneel for the anthem or refuse to say the pledge. These actions lacking a reverence and respect for the people’s house, the office of the president, and our national symbols justifies my opinion that these people are idiots and have no credibility.