::eats chicken wings::
― you can't put your arms around a lamprey (brownie), Tuesday, 1 July 2014 23:49 (nine years ago) link
just think, from 1954-1990 you didn't have to account for us at all
― Neanderthal, Tuesday, 1 July 2014 23:49 (nine years ago) link
we will invent a new donut in honor of our entrance into euro football
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 1 July 2014 23:52 (nine years ago) link
Yeah you all have some time to account for
― dan m, Tuesday, 1 July 2014 23:53 (nine years ago) link
Love Klinsmann btw; in keeping with his #normcore+ style, his sideline demeanor is very much exasperated dad at son's Little League game
― 龜, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:08 (nine years ago) link
feeling thomasintrouble's post tbh
― polyamanita (sleeve), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:13 (nine years ago) link
the US would definitely win all the soccer stuff if our best athletes played it. i'd be pretty surprised if they weren't an elite world power in 20 years
― k3vin k., Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:16 (nine years ago) link
ppl been saying that for at least 20 years iirc
― dan m, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:18 (nine years ago) link
i'd be pretty surprised if they weren't an elite world power in 20 years
i'll take that bet
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:21 (nine years ago) link
I've said it elsewhere but a Copa America in my lifetime would be enough
― dan m, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:22 (nine years ago) link
And that is pretty unrealistic tbh*
*except for the 2016 tournament being held in the US so that's our best shot
― dan m, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:24 (nine years ago) link
man, if an athlete like David Wells played soccer the world would sing a different tune
― Sufjan Grafton, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:27 (nine years ago) link
Kevin Durant tearin up the pitch
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:31 (nine years ago) link
a match after the US loss? what kinda anticlimax...?
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:33 (nine years ago) link
I like that football doesn't reward athleticism per se & that there's no one dominant type of physique cf. messi deciding to embrace being short as it gives him a low centre of gravity
― ogmor, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:34 (nine years ago) link
i'd call running several km for 90/120 minutes athleticism
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:37 (nine years ago) link
Morbs isn't there Ron Swoboda autograph signing that you're late for
― Neanderthal, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:37 (nine years ago) link
Right, the biggest thing anyone says that the US lacks as a group is "technique". A few have it to be sure, but the collective level isn't where it needs to be to be truly competitive.
― dan m, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:38 (nine years ago) link
They do have athleticism, goalkeeping, & esprit de corps. Team organization and style have come a long way. Players need to all start young to really get there though. Besler wasn't starting in MLS until he was like 26, so even though he's one of the best in the league he's still behind in the big picture. Virtually the same thing goes for Zusi. That's two starters from today. Bedoya, Dempsey, and Cameron all played in college instead of going pro at 20 or earlier. Only the germarican players, the other Europeans, plus like Bradley, Beasley, and Beckerman have been playing since youth and they still haven't been better than squad players on Champions League squads.
It's moving forward to be sure tho.
― dan m, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 00:48 (nine years ago) link
Formative experience as a wide-eyed youth watching a v heavy & out of shape Paul Gascoigne dominate & outfox lots of much more mobile & athletic players might be informing my thinking here
― ogmor, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 01:05 (nine years ago) link
Oh no
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6Di8QT98Zk&feature=youtu.be
― 龜, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 02:04 (nine years ago) link
Klinsi
― dan m, Tuesday, July 1, 2014 4:41 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
lol
― caek, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 03:31 (nine years ago) link
great game
― caek, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 03:32 (nine years ago) link
USA fans are really into "defense"
― caek, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 03:34 (nine years ago) link
just wait...soon there'll be these signs at euro games
http://dynastyfootballwarehouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Defense-sign.jpg
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 03:49 (nine years ago) link
.. promoting hashtags
― Mark G, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 07:51 (nine years ago) link
Wish Rio Ferdinand would stop saying "it's like watching a premier league game". Like fuck is it, about a million times better.
It was hugely entertaining but basically two mediocre teams with suspect defences, dodgy team selections, a couple of talented players and minimal control over the midfield going at it hammer and tongs and still being largely inept upfront. Like a lot of the time the most fun football isn't necessarily the best football and last night was a bit like a Premiership game in that it was the areas of ineptitude that made it entertaining.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:24 (nine years ago) link
90% of Prem games are turgid shite imo
― pandemic, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:33 (nine years ago) link
control over the midfield is about as exciting as a really accurate stats report, like reeeaaaallly accurate, five decimal places accurate hey why are you all going for drinks without me my report is soooooo accurate heyyyyyyy
― do u like green ez & jam (darraghmac), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:38 (nine years ago) link
In terms of intensity and occasion its not at all like EPL.
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:40 (nine years ago) link
That goes for Swi-Arg too, yes it might be a worse game than much EPL but its a completely diff ball game in terms of what the teams are trying to achieve and the way that players are weighed down by the occasion and in the way they are put together (you could argue Arg would be more cohesive as a team w/out Messi).
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:42 (nine years ago) link
cramp, the secret ingredient we never knew we needed
― Kiss Screaming Seagull Her Seagull Her (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:44 (nine years ago) link
BEL-USA was only exciting for that 10 minutes in extra time when USA scored a goal back
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:56 (nine years ago) link
i mean, some great saves obvs but am pretty bored of watching great saves now knowing that ultimately there will be one shot they can't save at extra time.
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 11:59 (nine years ago) link
it's like being in goal in my old powerleague team again you only look good in goal because your team let the opponent have 50 shots on goal
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:01 (nine years ago) link
― caek, Tuesday, July 1, 2014 10:31 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
you need me to explain that one too?
― dan m, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:05 (nine years ago) link
i like also that "suzy" was in the team. none of the commentators called him 'big suze' which was disappointment
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:12 (nine years ago) link
Clyde Tyldesley is a crashing wanker
― In the airplane over the .CSS (Le Bateau Ivre), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:19 (nine years ago) link
Clive
― In the airplane over the .CSS (Le Bateau Ivre), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:20 (nine years ago) link
cli-vee
― avicii usque ad arse (imago), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:21 (nine years ago) link
So how's Van Persie really pronounced?
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:22 (nine years ago) link
http://nl.forvo.com/word/robin_van_persie/
― In the airplane over the .CSS (Le Bateau Ivre), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:23 (nine years ago) link
How do you pronounce Tyldesley
― 龜, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:28 (nine years ago) link
he is correct that the British football-watching public are (a) inconsistent as fuck and (b) often fronting on these matters but incorrect in the implication that pronouncing 'James' the proper way would be tryhard or pretentious
― Kiss Screaming Seagull Her Seagull Her (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:48 (nine years ago) link
Howard, who plays for Everton in the Premier League, made save after incredible save, with his hands, his feet, his legs, his face.He made more saves (15) in a World Cup match than anyone since records began in 1966 but it was not enough. "None of that really matters to me," he added. "I signed up to do that, to put my face in front of balls."
― r|t|c, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:50 (nine years ago) link
His problem is that his colleagues seem to be going with the "Ham-ez" pronunciation already, so by sticking it out as if it were pronounced the Anglophone way he's adding to confusion rather than minimising it.
To be fair to him, his position doesn't seem that unreaosnable to me, there's inconsistency all ove the shop and intelligibility is the main thing. I think he's drawn the line in the wrong place with this one.
(I suspect you pronounce the "des" in Tyldesley, making it a three-syllable word something like Till-dzz-lee; most people pronounce it Tild-slee. I might be totally wrong about that though.)
― Tim, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 12:55 (nine years ago) link
"I signed up to do that, to put my face in front of balls."
poor balls :(
― john wahey (NickB), Wednesday, 2 July 2014 13:23 (nine years ago) link
Ottmar Hitzfeld was asked before the match what does he like most about managing Switzerland.
He said "Well, the flag is a big plus".
― mizzell, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 13:31 (nine years ago) link
Don't think Howard signed up to being largely failed by his defence though.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 13:33 (nine years ago) link
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Wednesday, July 2, 2014 12:12 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
aka the pitchdriver
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 2 July 2014 14:18 (nine years ago) link