HAHAHAHAHA!!!
That condescending tone of the English announcers towards MLS during the Red Bulls/Arsenal game made them winning the cup that much sweeter.
Look assholes, I know MLS ain't up to par with the EPL, but that doesn't mean you don't do your homework on the league before your fookin' (look a Brit word!) broadcast. Jeez.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Bradley out, Jürgen in
Thank god for Macs. Typing umlauts is much easier than in Windows. :)
I wanted a change, and I'm happy to see it, but I reserve judgment until I see what Jürgen does. First up, nothing less than Mexico.
I wanted a change, and I'm happy to see it, but I reserve judgment until I see what Jürgen does. First up, nothing less than Mexico.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Letting it marinate
A week has passed since the final, and I wanted it to settle in before I commented.
Sure enough, what I said happened. The US didn't bury their chances, and Japan came back–twice. The US should have put in 3 or 4 by halftime. They didn't and they paid the price. When the penalties came, they had nothing left to show.
That said,
that was the best overall game the US played. Japan absorbed wave after wave of US pressure, bent, cracked, but they didn't break. Good on ya, Japan. Good on ya.
It was a fine, fine win.
Sure enough, what I said happened. The US didn't bury their chances, and Japan came back–twice. The US should have put in 3 or 4 by halftime. They didn't and they paid the price. When the penalties came, they had nothing left to show.
That said,
that was the best overall game the US played. Japan absorbed wave after wave of US pressure, bent, cracked, but they didn't break. Good on ya, Japan. Good on ya.
It was a fine, fine win.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Japan v US
I'll just come right out and say it.
The US has been playing some ugly soccer.
It's mostly been route one, bypass the midfield, over the top, hopefully Abby can get a head to it, use brute force, tactics.
The thing is...it's working. It drives me batty, but it's working. They made it to the final.
Japan, on the other hand, has been playing some of the most beautiful soccer this tournament. Short, crisp, concise passing. Incredible build-up play, beautiful finishing. It's the best I've ever seen them play. Japan has been one of the best teams to watch in the Cup. However, they've never beaten the US.
This is a game the US should win. It's taken them too long to get here for them to say they're overlooking Japan. However, they better get their goals early and often. If they allow Japan possession, and the game remains close, Japan could get their first star, and they would have earned it.
C'mon US. Show me what you've got.
The US has been playing some ugly soccer.
It's mostly been route one, bypass the midfield, over the top, hopefully Abby can get a head to it, use brute force, tactics.
The thing is...it's working. It drives me batty, but it's working. They made it to the final.
Japan, on the other hand, has been playing some of the most beautiful soccer this tournament. Short, crisp, concise passing. Incredible build-up play, beautiful finishing. It's the best I've ever seen them play. Japan has been one of the best teams to watch in the Cup. However, they've never beaten the US.
This is a game the US should win. It's taken them too long to get here for them to say they're overlooking Japan. However, they better get their goals early and often. If they allow Japan possession, and the game remains close, Japan could get their first star, and they would have earned it.
C'mon US. Show me what you've got.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Did I hear right?
This World Cup is UEFA's qualifying tournament for the women in the Olympics?
If so, shame on UEFA.
Spend some fucking money on women's football you selfish bastards.
Germany is apparently out for the 2012 Olympics.
If so, shame on UEFA.
Spend some fucking money on women's football you selfish bastards.
Germany is apparently out for the 2012 Olympics.
Holy fuck!
ABBY!
C'MON HOPE!!!
ETA:
The US dodged a bullet. The penalty call was the correct one, and if you call the foul, you have to give the red card for preventing a goal scoring opportunity.
However, that retake? That was pure bullshit.
It was pointed out on the ESPN broadcast that Brazil's second goal shouldn't have counted because the pass to Marta came from an offside position. However, Marta's finish was magic.
People really love to hate Marta. That's too bad, I don't think she deserves it.
The US (and Brazil) just wilted in the heat and humidity. Their passing needs to be much, much crisper to win. I think they can out muscle and out intimidate France, but if they meet Sweden in the final, they need to be sharp.
C'MON HOPE!!!
ETA:
The US dodged a bullet. The penalty call was the correct one, and if you call the foul, you have to give the red card for preventing a goal scoring opportunity.
However, that retake? That was pure bullshit.
It was pointed out on the ESPN broadcast that Brazil's second goal shouldn't have counted because the pass to Marta came from an offside position. However, Marta's finish was magic.
People really love to hate Marta. That's too bad, I don't think she deserves it.
The US (and Brazil) just wilted in the heat and humidity. Their passing needs to be much, much crisper to win. I think they can out muscle and out intimidate France, but if they meet Sweden in the final, they need to be sharp.
US v Brazil - Halftime
So far so okay...
The US defense has been good against Brazil thus far. They've kept the Brazilians in front of them. They surrounding Marta when she gets the ball, and most importantly, they're frustrating the fuck out of that team. Brazil loses their heads, they're gonna lose the game.
On the other hand, what's with all the tired passing from the US? Get your fucking heads in the game, offense. You need to connect a lot more cleanly with your forwards. This long ball shit ain't gonna do it. You'll be chasing those gold jerseys all game if you keep this up.
Man, my butterflies doing push-ups watching this. The stream of profanity I'm letting loose with each poor US pass is gonna teach my twin toddler girls new words. :)
The US defense has been good against Brazil thus far. They've kept the Brazilians in front of them. They surrounding Marta when she gets the ball, and most importantly, they're frustrating the fuck out of that team. Brazil loses their heads, they're gonna lose the game.
On the other hand, what's with all the tired passing from the US? Get your fucking heads in the game, offense. You need to connect a lot more cleanly with your forwards. This long ball shit ain't gonna do it. You'll be chasing those gold jerseys all game if you keep this up.
Man, my butterflies doing push-ups watching this. The stream of profanity I'm letting loose with each poor US pass is gonna teach my twin toddler girls new words. :)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Why the Marta hate?
I'm surprised to hear the whistles every time Marta touches the ball. What's the deal? Why her?
Muffmeg?
Did I hear Julie Foudy correct herself in the 54th minute of US/Sweden? My guess was that she was about to transpose the "n" and the "m" in nutmeg, but if muffmeg is the women's term for nutmeg, then I gotta say it's brilliant.
Well, I can't say the loss was a big surprise, but it's disappointing, nonetheless. Sweden completely sped past the US backline, and I see Brazil doing the same. I don't know if we've got a defender with the speed to man mark Marta like Equatorial Guinea did for one half. If the US can control the midfield and find their finishing, and to do that they need to learn to be as ruthless as Hope Solo, then they might survive a goalfeast, but outside of that, I see their tournament ending on Sunday.
Let's see if they've learned their lessons with this loss.
Well, I can't say the loss was a big surprise, but it's disappointing, nonetheless. Sweden completely sped past the US backline, and I see Brazil doing the same. I don't know if we've got a defender with the speed to man mark Marta like Equatorial Guinea did for one half. If the US can control the midfield and find their finishing, and to do that they need to learn to be as ruthless as Hope Solo, then they might survive a goalfeast, but outside of that, I see their tournament ending on Sunday.
Let's see if they've learned their lessons with this loss.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Where da white women at?
All over the USWNT, that's where. Not taking away from the talented individuals who make up the current team, but there seems to be a lack of diversity, racial and otherwise, on the USWNT. Considering the way the team plays, it's overdue for an infusion of new talent and different styles of play. Somewhere out there is an American Marta, one who would have coolly buried all those chances Abby missed today against Colombia. I think of a Sissi controlling the midfield, slotting passes where needed.
I found it amusing that Mexican-American players were found to play for Mexico. The assumption being that they weren't good enough to play for the US. However, I have a hard time believing that one or two of those players aren't even worth a call up for a friendly or two.
I blame several factors. The reliance on colleges to find players for the pool will always filter a group to upper and upper middle class citizens. Nepotism plays a role as well. It's easiest to stick with what's familiar. I also blame US Soccer for not going out and doing the work to find these players. It effects both the women and the men. The whole organization needs to be more creative. It's gonna end up keeping soccer stagnant in this country. Time to evolve.
I found it amusing that Mexican-American players were found to play for Mexico. The assumption being that they weren't good enough to play for the US. However, I have a hard time believing that one or two of those players aren't even worth a call up for a friendly or two.
I blame several factors. The reliance on colleges to find players for the pool will always filter a group to upper and upper middle class citizens. Nepotism plays a role as well. It's easiest to stick with what's familiar. I also blame US Soccer for not going out and doing the work to find these players. It effects both the women and the men. The whole organization needs to be more creative. It's gonna end up keeping soccer stagnant in this country. Time to evolve.
Much better...
...but still not good enough to win the Cup. It's funny when you can't finish when you're 3 up on Colombia, but it won't be so funny when it's 0-0 or you're one down against Brazil or Norway. Abby, you need to get your head on straight, and you need to do it now. You can't rely on just out muscling teams in the knockout rounds.
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