Back to the important stuff....

[dawg80]

Did Guzan suck vs. Argentina? Apparently JK thinks so. Tim Howard is back in the net in the game vs. Columbia tonite.

I think Guzan sucked too. He has been very good back there for US, and I chalk it up as just "one of those nights." But, the one position where the USA has consistently excelled at, at a world class level, has been keeper. Can't afford to give up our one trump card. We don't have the capacity to make up for it elsewhere.

I want to see a great effort tonite. I expect our guys to dig deep and play with pride and zest.

BTW, that game tomorrow, Chili vs. Argentina is gonna be one "for the ages." It's best matchup of the year so far, and may be the best, period, all year. And I say that even with the Euro Cup going on and the Olympics coming up soon. Argentina is a solid #1 and Chili enters ranked #5, but the way they are playing right now, this is really #1 vs. #2.

[latech]

Is this one of those SPAM bots posts?

Lmao

[sportdawg]

It's Chile.

Did Guzan suck vs. Argentina? Apparently JK thinks so. Tim Howard is back in the net in the game vs. Columbia tonite.

I think Guzan sucked too. He has been very good back there for US, and I chalk it up as just "one of those nights." But, the one position where the USA has consistently excelled at, at a world class level, has been keeper. Can't afford to give up our one trump card. We don't have the capacity to make up for it elsewhere.

I want to see a great effort tonite. I expect our guys to dig deep and play with pride and zest.

BTW, that game tomorrow, Chili vs. Argentina is gonna be one "for the ages." It's best matchup of the year so far, and may be the best, period, all year. And I say that even with the Euro Cup going on and the Olympics coming up soon. Argentina is a solid #1 and Chili enters ranked #5, but the way they are playing right now, this is really #1 vs. #2.

[dawg80]

hah! so it is.

[revf]

Orozco should never be in a US uniform again. I don't care what Columbia did. That childish BS has no place in the game.

I feel terrible about our experience. Bradley and Dempsey sometimes disappear. Especially in big games. I feel good about our youth. Yedlin/Cameron/Brooks/Zardes are getting better every year. Woods/Pulisic could be a deadly tandem.

Big questions in the middle and GK. Can Nagbe succeed? Who is going to fill Howard/Guzan shoes?

[dawg80]

Nagbe hasn't shown me anything. But, all the pundits are high on him, so, we'll see how he develops. The other youths, especially Bobby Wood, have a bright future. Heck, Wood is having a bright present!

I agree Bradley/Dempsey disappear in big games. Instead of stepping up their games and leading by example, they get buried and lost.

As for the game last night, we battled 'em toe to toe. We had the run of play most of the match, just couldn't finish. Also, that ref sucked. Missed TWO hand balls in the box against them, and that stoppage of play on the foul when Zardes was gone on the break.....sheeesh! If ever there was an obvious advantage call in the entire history of futbol, that was it!

Columbia is over-rated at #3. They aren't that good. But, they are good, definitely top 15 and maybe top 10 (8th or 9th). And if we are ever to break thru and become a legit, consistent elite side Columbia is the kind of team we need to beat.

Midfield has to be the focus of development. Time for Bradley to take a back seat, maybe switch to the back line, and let's start developing youth at MF.

[revf]

Nagbe hasn't shown me anything. But, all the pundits are high on him, so, we'll see how he develops. The other youths, especially Bobby Wood, have a bright future. Heck, Wood is having a bright present!

I agree Bradley/Dempsey disappear in big games. Instead of stepping up their games and leading by example, they get buried and lost.

As for the game last night, we battled 'em toe to toe. We had the run of play most of the match, just couldn't finish. Also, that ref sucked. Missed TWO hand balls in the box against them, and that stoppage of play on the foul when Zardes was gone on the break.....sheeesh! If ever there was an obvious advantage call in the entire history of futbol, that was it!

Columbia is over-rated at #3. They aren't that good. But, they are good, definitely top 15 and maybe top 10 (8th or 9th). And if we are ever to break thru and become a legit, consistent elite side Columbia is the kind of team we need to beat.

Midfield has to be the focus of development. Time for Bradley to take a back seat, maybe switch to the back line, and let's start developing youth at MF.

Even with the refs sucking, their keeper made a once in a lifetime save to keep this match from being 1-1 and going to penalty kicks. That was easily the save of Copa on the Dempsey kick. Top right corner and he has to fly to punch it out at the last minute.

[dawg80]

It was a helluva save! Even watching the replay, and knowing what happened, I swear it looks like it has to go in. Wood hit wood on his shot late in the match. But then, just before, they boinked one off the bar as well. We had chances in the box, but we simply are not clinical enough.

[dawg80]

At the half...Chile vs. Argentina, and the match is all about the ref. That's a shame.

As a former soccer ref I feel for him. It's a tough job. I know I had some awful nights as a ref, and I missed some calls in an otherwise good night. There are 22 players on a large field and there's a lot going on...all at once. Players know when the ref has turned his head and will commit fouls at those instants. I'm not casting stones at tonite's ref, because I know how hard it is. But....he has lost control of the match.

Adding to the woes is the "tradition" of dissent from players and coaches. If the ref wants to be yellow-happy he should pop the card for dissent, quickly and emphatically. That is one thing I did do well as a ref. I had a lot of upset players, coaches, fans not happy with me, but few dared to express that dissatisfaction to me. Those that did watched the rest of the match from the bus.

[dawg80]

Much better 2nd half by the ref and by the teams.

Congrats to Chile.

[latech]

Hate it when ref decided the game was all about him.

[dawg80]

US Women 1 France 0

Real gut check win. Carli Lloyd scores in 63rd min., and Hope Solo shows (again) while she is the best GK in the world. USA is ranked #1 but France is a well-deserved #3. They are fast and athletic. Lucky to escape with the "W."

[stodgdog]

US Women 1 France 0

Real gut check win. Carli Lloyd scores in 63rd min., and Hope Solo shows (again) while she is the best GK in the world. USA is ranked #1 but France is a well-deserved #3. They are fast and athletic. Lucky to escape with the "W."

Why is this under Pro Sports? Is this not the Olympic Games? I am not being a smart ass as I don't know. I no longer keep up with the Olympic Games. I have become disillusioned with the whole thing.

[dawg80]

http://www.dynamotheory.com/2016/8/2...rgen-klinsmann

This is an interesting perspective.

I suppose it depends on your expectations and desired level of success. Personally, I am nowhere close to being satisfied where we are. So, the US Men's team is generally ranked in the top 30, give or take. Been as high as 11th in recent years. There are 300+ nations with national soccer teams, so we mostly rank in the top 10%. The gap, the HUGE gap, between a 30th ranked side and a legit top 5 side manifests in major tournaments when we get completely out-classed by a Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and in many years, France, Italy, etc.. We need to get past this.

The US does have a nice group of up and coming young talent. We need to nurture it and start building our new roster.

[dawg80]

World Cup Qualifying(WCQ) has begun: USA 6 St. Vincent 0

Not much can be said about this match. Poor ole St. Vincent is the resident "SWAC" member of our region. They get hammered by everyone.

Was glad to see our youngsters shine in this one though.

As for the WCQ, for those of you who don't know, it's an arduous two-year endeavor where EVERY nation on Earth who fields a national soccer team, and that is just about EVERY nation on Earth! starts at square one. Doesn't matter if you're Germany, Brazil or little ole St. Vincent, every team must go through the same qualifying marathon. This means that EVERY team has a chance to be World Cup Champions...if they can produce on the field.

So, while the World Cup "Finals" (the final 32 teams) is every four years, the WC cycle is really three years. There is only one "off year."