Unofficial World Cup Thread de 2014

[Joemailman]

Crowds chanting > vuzuzelas.

Great having the World Cup atmosphere back.

[Brandon494]

I am up to 27% understanding. http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/06/...-stage-day-15/

GERMANY 1-0 USA
Thomas Muller’s fine goal won the game, but both sides progress

USA narrow

The major tactical feature was the narrowness of the USA without possession, which is something we’ve become accustomed to. Before the tournament it seemed Jurgen Klinsmann was going to play a midfield diamond, and while they’ve switched to more of a 4-4-1-1 formation, they still focus upon defending the centre of the pitch and preventing the opposition playing through the middle, which made sense against a German side boasting multiple playmakers.

It also made sense considering the lack of proper full-backs on the German side. Jerome Boateng and Benedikt Howedes are both more accustomed to playing at centre-back, and therefore the USA were content for these players to have the ball.



Defending crosses

The problem, though, is that the USA haven’t defended crosses well throughout this tournament. Against Portugal, for example, a wild slash from Geoff Cameron when attempting to clear a cross resulted in Nani’s goal, while the late equaliser by Silvestre Varela also came from a cross, hit from the right by Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the opening game against Ghana, opposition right-back Daniel Opare was given space to cross the ball, and while his delivery was dreadful, on the few occasions he got it right, the USA looked nervous.

Boateng freedom

The problem here was about Jerome Boateng. On the opposite flank, Howedes is simply not a left-back. He’s not good at overlapping, he’s not comfortable taking the ball in his stride, he doesn’t have a trick with the ball, and he always wants to come back inside onto his right foot. For long periods of the first half, the USA were leaving him completely free, and Germany weren’t keen to pass to him.

On the opposite flank, however, Boateng was a real threat. And while Boateng might consider himself a centre-back, he’s comfortable playing on the right, charging forward to stretch the play. Mesut Ozil’s movement created space on the outside for him, and Boateng repeatedly had the chance to swing crosses in behind the USA defence. It was his ball that created the first chance of the game, for Thomas Muller, and later his low cross forced Omar Gonzalez into a wild slice.




Part of the problem was the USA’s inability to ease the pressure by holding onto the ball, although they did launch a couple of good counter-attacks, at one point breaking 5 v 5 in a move that ended with a decent Graham Zusi shot. In open play, the USA’s best attacking strategy involved Jermaine Jones darting forward through the centre, the classic ‘third man running’ – although his attacking efforts were often foiled by Manuel Neuer, who positioned himself on the edge of his box, and darted out quickly.

Klose on

Germany’s threat from wide remained the most likely source of goals, however, and this became even more of a factor once Miroslav Klose replaced Lukas Podolski. He played upfront with Thomas Muller going out to the left, but drifting inside to become a second striker. Now the USA were under real pressure when Boateng collected the ball on the right – he had two great crossing targets.

Boateng crossed within two minutes, with Ozil (!) in a goalscoring position and heading over. Germany also had opportunities to cross from the other flank, with both Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger turning inside before curling balls towards the far post, before Mats Hummels did the same, forcing the corner that resulted in Muller’s excellent goal.

USA were in a strange situation here – clearly they wanted to get back into the game, but circumstances in the other match meant qualification could have gone down to goal difference, which meant it was important they didn’t concede any further goals.

This, and the relative lack of attacking talent on the bench, meant the USA didn’t produce much of a comeback until the final stages – in fact, their only two second half shots were in stoppage time.

I thought he looked familiar, his brother plays on the Ghana team...well he did play on the Ghana team until they kicked him off.

[Guiness]

Crowds chanting > vuzuzelas.

Great having the World Cup atmosphere back.

+1

Those things rank up there with portable air horns in arenas/stadiums.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I read a stat today that everbody's favorite whipping boy, Bradley, has ran more than a mile more than any other player in the tournament. Three miles more than any other American player. The work he does on the defensive end is amazing and important.

[Freak Out]

I read a stat today that everbody's favorite whipping boy, Bradley, has ran more than a mile more than any other player in the tournament. Three miles more than any other American player. The work he does on the defensive end is amazing and important.

Thanks for pointing that out Harv....he has done a god job on the D and minus a few brain farts the team has done pretty well. I have always understood that the American team was one of the better conditioned....that can pay off big time in tournaments like this.

Colombia is a dynamic team but I fucking hate the crying game they play.....it's just so damn annoying.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Know this is a bit late, but I got to watch the Netherlands/Chile game on the 25th in the Netherlands. It was a great atmosphere. There was nobody out on the roads and it was like Green Bay on a Sunday afternoon. But when they scored, you could hear everybody yelling cheering from bars, apartments, and restaurants. The people in The Netherlands (I was in The Hague) were outstanding.

[red]

Crowds chanting > vuzuzelas.

Great having the World Cup atmosphere back.

abso-fucking-lutley

[red]

I read a stat today that everbody's favorite whipping boy, Bradley, has ran more than a mile more than any other player in the tournament. Three miles more than any other American player. The work he does on the defensive end is amazing and important.

thats just cause everyone else is making him go get all the balls he's kicking all over the fucking place

"nice one asshole, you can go get it"

[pbmax]

I read a stat today that everbody's favorite whipping boy, Bradley, has ran more than a mile more than any other player in the tournament. Three miles more than any other American player. The work he does on the defensive end is amazing and important.

Defending your own turnovers is exhausting, I'm sure.

Several places have mentioned his good defensive work. Now he just needs to do something positive going forward.

[pbmax]

Colombia is a dynamic team but I fucking hate the crying game they play.....it's just so damn annoying.

Their first goal was fantastic.

[pbmax]

Vermaelen was not a starter. Kompany will play unless his legs fall off; he's our captain.

He was mentioned as one possible replacements for two other injured defenders.

[Joemailman]

Tons of empty seats where the sun is hitting the stands. Heat index of 97F. Is Netherlands just trying to preserve energy for the 2nd half with their strategy?

[red]

that should have been a penalty folks

he was actually fouled twice in the box

[red]

Tons of empty seats where the sun is hitting the stands. Heat index of 97F. Is Netherlands just trying to preserve energy for the 2nd half with their strategy?

they might be. mexico is the team making all the runs, and they are the ones starting to look a bit worn all ready

[red]

Tons of empty seats where the sun is hitting the stands. Heat index of 97F. Is Netherlands just trying to preserve energy for the 2nd half with their strategy?

right now it is just after 8 pm in doha, qatar. it is 91 degees with a heat index of 107

the high today was 111