World Cup 2006

[sandgk]

For those new or newer to this game here is how idiotic Blatter and FIFA's stand is on the issue of what calls to make, which cards to issue and when.

Imagine that the NFL football season is played with one very clearly understood set of rules concerning a specific foul - let's say pass interference. That is the understanding is that it will net a minimum of a 15-yard penalty, or spot foul whichever is further, but no ejection from the game.

Then, solely for the purpose of the post-season play-offs, Paul T and his NFL rule committee says that PI will result in an ejection from he game.

Now, how can you as a player totally adjust your style for the brief window in which the play-offs run? How can you back down from playing it just as you did through the whole regular season?
(This doesn't even underscore the fact that in soccer such infraction leads to playing a man down, not just having bringing in the second string DB).

Blatter pulls this kind of bullshit in each and every World Cup, he gets the line re-drawn so that less and less contact is "permitted." Then, if asked about the number of yellow cards or ejections he either bemoans the lack of good sportsmanship, or, infuriatingly declares that the ejections and player disqualifications are simply proof that the system works.

It doesn't. It is a fantasy on Blatter's part. It is a total distortion of the game. Now you will see a diminished USA side go up against a crippled Ghana side to try and decide who gets that final berth into the 2nd round. What fans want to see is the best playing the best. Blatter's unrealistic late-day imposition of newly drawn lines in the sand robs the core viewing audience of their chance to see the best players play the best soccer. Ironically enough, that is what he always claimed such rule changes were meant to ensure.

 

[ScarletBlood31]

I never thought that I would sit down and watch a soccer game, but I've been getting into the World Cup. I had fun rooting for Ghana to beat the Czechs, and then of course cheering for the U.S. in all of their games.




Just another thing to keep occupy my attention in the football off-season...

 

[UrbanaBuck]

Arena; "dad, why didn't he sub that Johnson guy in for the one footed forward?"

Should've played to win and brought Johnson in with 15-20 minutes to go. A tie leaves it in the hands of others while the win would've left it in ours for the most part. The Italians were on their heels until the last 10 minutes and (IMO) Johnson would've helped provide more chances. McBride was worn out and while I think Beasley has proven to be a joke, he at least would've had a running mate. Hell, Johnson provided the only sparks I saw in the Czech game. What a waste to not use that last sub......

 

[Bucklion]

A few thoughts, besides how personally cheated I feel in that I only get to watch one US match (over a weekend), and it was this armadillo crap of a game.

-No reason to bust on McBride...he took a pounding like he always does because the rest of the forwards on our roster are next to useless, especially in the air. Wolff and Johnson can at least run though, and why one wasn't in at the end is baffling to me like it is everyone else. Johnson or Wolff with 15 to go was the play...preferably Johnson.

-The first US red was a complete joke. It was a late tackle...that's a yellow in the California Penal League...let alone the World Cup.

-As much of a flaming pile of maggot shit that the ref was, Pope had ample time to realize not to do the stupid slide he did to get his red. So basically he single-handedly gave up a goal and then took any chance for the US to win away by making a stupid play, since it was obvious the ref was going to toss him as soon as he did it. Bravo.

-Beasley has cemented his reputation as the most overrated US player in the past decade. He has plenty of speed...and nothing else. At least he used to put in high energy, and draw some fouls...at his best he was a poor man's Cobi Jones. Now he basically doesn't put the effort in, and he hasn't developed his skills any either.

-Landon Donovan has been disappointing. The effort is there, but he has failed to dictate the run of play like he can do when he is at his best...at least in qualifying and MLS. Maybe the Germans were right...maybe he's not cut out to be in the elite on a big stage like the Bundesliga or the WC.

-Keller was better...I busted on him before, but he was at least adequate this game. However, for all the "analysts" who called him the "Best keeper in the world"...how many do you think Ghana would have had if Keller was the Czech goalie today? 6? 8? Keller is no longer an elite keeper, but he did make some nice plays today, and he can still come off his line. His services today were terrible though.

-It was a gutsy performance overall, and other than Beasley, my hat goes off to the guys left on the pitch after we lost 2 men. They definitely put forth maximum effort, and wer exhausted at the end. Time to become a fan of Italia and hope they can beat the Czechs, but the problem is they will only need a draw to advance for sure, so they'll probably play like it.

 

[jlb1705]

I just got through watching this trainwreck...

The ref was fucking horrible. Mastroeni was having a heckuva match, and he gets sent off for a late tackle. It was a complete joke.

As mad as I was at the ref, I was equally mad at Bruce Arena. His management of the match from Mastroeni's red card on was bad. He should've subbed for Pope right then and there. He was carrying a yellow already and he was a liability on the back line. Hell, he could've phoned Jeff Agoos and brought him in - Pope's playing about as well as Agoos was in the same spot four years ago - and at least he didn't already have a yellow card. Arena should've seen the writing on the wall with Pope being sent off, and subbed him to prevent it.

Beasley should not see another minute of action against Ghana. He does absolutely nothing out there. And to bring him on for Dempsey was absolutely dumb. Up to the point where he was taken off, Dempsey was the best player on the pitch today. He was actually doing the things that people SAY Beasley does.

I don't see any reason to dog Landon Donovan for his effort. I think he was sufficiently aggressive on the counterattack after Pope was sent off, and he did a good job of tracking back to help on defense. Unfortunately for him, there was nobody else with speed, fresh legs, and ball skills to help him out on the counterattack.

Which brings me to my next gripe: the unused third substitution. It could've been Johnson, it could've been Wolff. Hell, while he was on the phone with Agoos, he could've brought in Clint Fucking Mathis (who is keeping Beasley out of the aforementioned dubious position of Most Overrated US Soccer Player of the Past Ten Years). Arena just needed to get somebody out there in place of McBride. And this is not a slight on McBride - he's my favorite player, and in my opinion, one of the more valuable assets this team has. With all the players being sent off though, it changed the complexion of the match and McBride was not suited for it. He's good in the air, and he's good finding the back of the net on loose balls in the box. He plays well in close quarters, and is tough. With both sides playing shorthanded though, it left a lot of space, and the US needed somebody who could run and attack the middle of the defense with the dribble. Wolff or Johnson could've provided that, and Arena did not go to either of them.

The refs really stole this game from the players on the field. The US had control of the match, and could've got the win and three points. I'm frustrated though that even a man down, the US still could've stolen the game back and the three points. The players on the field for the most part put forth a winning effort today, but Arena did not put his players in the best position to get the result.

 

[Bucklion]

Ah yes, I didn't forget about Clint Mathis...I was actually going to use him as an example of how worthless most of the US forwards have been. Your point about Agoos is also correct...he was terrible too, but seemed to at least not take red cards while not adjusting to referees.

For the record, I don't dog Donovan for his effort, as I said...I just don't think he's as good as some people, and especially he, thinks he is.

It will be interesting to see who can play against Ghana, and what Arena decides to go with...he has one more chance to make himself look halfway intelligent this time around.

 

[ScriptOhio]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=bg2 vAlign=top width=408>Re: jlb1705; "He (McBride) plays well in close quarters, and is tough."

Re: Bucklion; "No reason to bust on McBride...he took a pounding like he always does because the rest of the forwards on our roster are next to useless"

The guy does play tough.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Brian McBride takes three stitches as the U.S. gets a draw. (AP)

 

[sandgk]

For those wanting an alternative audio feed.

Sun's Commentary

Best as a forwarding of the radio feed - out of sync with OTA TV feed.

jlb - like that game summary. I agree that Donovan was actually trying and Dempsey could have stayed on longer.

Beasley? What a waste.

 

[UGABuck]

I thoought Donovan, post USA red cards, counterattacked very well. What I thought he should have done better, he should have crossed earlier or passed ahead earlier on his counterattacks. I thought while he waited for his teamates to get in position for the cross, he allowed the defense to stabilize. Of course, that could be an indictment of his teammates as well. This supports the idea that Arena should have subbed better than he did.

 

[sandgk]

Just a little more praise for the bloodied Brian mCBride.

This is from a bio on the Times London website.
The rest of the article is also a good read.

He even laughs about a Gold Cup game against Brazil during which a clash of heads with another defender left his face seriously damaged again.
“I went down and knew right away that something was wrong,” he recollects. “So I left the field, went to the treatment room with the trainer and a doctor examined me. I was feeling all right again when the assistant coach came running in, shouting at the doctor, ‘Can he play?’ I said, ‘Sure I can,’ but at that precise moment I sneezed and, I swear, my left eye went (whistles and gestures how the eyeball popped out of its socket and recoiled back in again) . . . I looked at the coach and said, ‘Maybe not’.
“I do joke about it but my doctor has basically had to reconstruct my face. He’s cut underneath both my eyes, gone up through my mouth to avoid any facial scars and inserted three titanium plates. I guess I’m fortunate not to have suffered lasting damage to either of my eyes.” Even the nickname “McBroken” has passed with time.

 

[Bucklion]

Nice draw by Japan with Croatia...kind of surprising. A girl I work with is a Japan fan, and says their team is "star-crossed" in the sense that bad things always seem to happen to them at the end of games...witness the Aussie game, for example. Today, as a Japan guy was going in for at least a shot at the end in stoppage time, he made a great move, split 2 defenders...and immediately blasted into the referee and went down in a heap.

Guess she is right.

 

[sandgk]

WTF is Up With Brazil??

Invasion of the Body Snatchers -

it is the only rational explanation.

Someone has stolen the Brazilian team and put in their place look-a-likes, from the English 3rd division.

I could have said this was due to the heavy underdog Aussies making Brazil play down to their level. In truth the Aussie's are having as much good play as Brazil.

Brazil is playing down the middle, playing the long ball, not using the wing. They are not up to speed - literally. If things don't sharpen up I expect to see younger faces and faster feet on the field in yellow. Ronaldo may be the first to go, if only to avoid a 2nd yellow card. Roberto Carlos should stay on, but they need someone else to take the direct free kicks.

36th minute Ronaldo completely whiffs on a ball coming in over his shoulder.

just before the half the last shot on goal comes from the Aussies via the foot of sub Bresciano - dipping it is dangerously left by Dida in the Brazilian goal.

If the same 11 players come out in yellow there will be many followers of Brazil with questions to ask. Ronaldinho, Cafu and Kaka are the only ones thus far showing up reasonably well.

 

[buckeyeboy]

The USA-Italy game displayed precisely why I don't like soccer. It is irritating to watch a sport in which grown men pathetically take dives and roll around on the ground in order to gain the sympathy of the officials. Yesterday there was even one Italian player who was strapped to a stretcher and carried off the field after taking a fall that a three year old would bounce right back up from. Proving his own deceit, the player was back on the field within a minute or two.

Not only are there theatrics on the diving side, but also on the offensive side. The Italian player who blatantly threw an elbow and smashed open the face of McBride yesterday shrugged his shoulders in disbelief that he was being ejected. Come on.

I hadn't watched an entire soccer game probably for ten years, and I won't do so again at any time in the near future (in fact, I turned yesterday's game off in the 65th minute, notwithstanding the tie game). I simply found the pathetic acting intolerable. If I want to see such theatrics, I'll go see a play; but please don't tell me that soccer is a great sport when such pathetic cries for fouls and equally pitiful cries of innocence are abundant.

EDIT: I am sorry if I've offended any soccer fans. This is simply my opinion.

 

[sandgk]

buckeyeboy - it was all a great deal more robust and free of oscar winning diva performances before the Latin and Continental influence made looking for the free kick such a central part of the game.

The notion of getting the ball first = no foul has apparently been lost to referees - and you have FIFA's head official (Blatter) codifying the behavior you detest when he makes the game more and more effeminate.

The latin and continental influence I speak of above also included an ugly side, the prevalence of cynical professional fouls - which we were brought up to never indulge.

The introduction of substitutes (for reasons other than injury) did nothing to help matters IMHO.

Oh yes Adriano just now put Brazil ahead - will that open up the game or will they go into their shell.

 

[sandgk]

As the Aussies make their sub for Moore it looks like Brazil is finally putting in Robhino - and (thankfully) the slow and out of sorts Ronaldo is out.

Brazil needs a change as they almost look like they are finding ways to keep the Socceroos in the match.

The Aussies best chance at an equalizer looks like it might come with Kewell.