Unofficial World Cup Thread de 2014

[wootah]

awesome story about ghanas sulley muntari

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/ghana-s-sulley-muntari-hands-out-money-to-disadvantaged-locals-near-team-practice-area-152101414.html

long story short, he went off wondering around in the very poor area around where the team was staying, and he was handing out $160 to everyone he encountered

he also put his arm around a neo nazi that ran onto the pitch during the game yesterday and walked him off the field after the cops and officials failed to do anything about the guy

guys gained my respect

Plus he played with almost the entire 2nd half against Germany with his pants on his ankles. Respect!

[pbmax]

Not if the U.S. plays in a higher scoring game, or am I missing something? If Ghana wins 1-0 and the U.S. loses 2-1, doesn't the U.S. win the tie on goals scored?

You are correct. I projected from just one possible score. It would be in the interest of the US to score as many goals as possible in this game, as strange as that strategy might sound.

[pbmax]

Correct. I have a bad feeling that Portugal is going to lay an egg. You could see that the USA was a much fitter team.

Maybe. But at the end, the US was completely blown. Chasing down from behind really wore them out. On the last play that Portugal sub was the fastest guy in the box and Ronaldo still had his legs (probably because he doesn't play defense).

You could see how tired they were by how much better Wondo and the other forward sub (guy on the American right) were with possession. If there was fault in the end game strategy, not getting the ball to those two more would be one.

[pbmax]

End of game errors:

Beasley - need better possession
- too much room to Ronaldo

Cameron - blown D on first goal
- blown D on second goal

Bradley - need better possession at end of game
- need to score from point blank
- need one less turnover at end of game

There is never a single reason why you lose a complicated game like soccer when evenly matched, but Bradley claimed his fair share. He was better than in the Ghana match, but still had way too many turnovers in midfield.

There is also this: on the go ahead score, Zusi and some other dude had fantastic passes into the box (the second one was inches away from a Portugal knee) that put the ball on Dempsey. Bradley's contribution was to shoot and get his shot deflected before it even got to the goal. That turned into a brilliant pass to the left, but through no plan of his own.

[Joemailman]

Hard for me to blame Beasley for giving Ronaldo room. I would think his #1 responsibility in that situation is too make sure Ronaldo doesn't get past him with the ball.

[Guiness]

Correct. I have a bad feeling that Portugal is going to lay an egg. You could see that the USA was a much fitter team. Ghana is another fit team with an extra days rest. Portugal has to believe that they don't have a great chance--even if they win. They'd have to make up 5 goals on us.

Scenarios

USA wins. USA wins the group
USA draws. USA finishes second.
USA loses and Ghana-Portugal draw. USA finishes second.
USA loses and Portugal wins. USA will very likely advance. We could lose by 2 and Portugal could win by 2, and we'd still advance.
USA loses and Ghana wins. There's a good chance that the USA does not advance. I think it's likely that we either lose by 2+ goals or if Ghana wins, they'll win by 2+ goals. If Portugal is down one in the second half with little chance to advance, I think they'll collapse.

We'll likely need to at least stay close to Germany and hope that Portugal is even or up a goal in the second half.

That about sums it up. For Ghana to advance they have to win (with the US losing) while swinging the goal differential by more than 2. Ghana could also advance if they were involved in a high scoring game, say winning 4-3 while the US lost 1-0. Unfortunately for The Stars and Stripes (is that really their nickname??) those sort of scores are quite possible. Scoring against Germany will be tough, and with Portugal, anything is possible.

[Guiness]

Just saw some replays of the Jermaine Jones goal. HOW did that get through cleanly? Incredible.

[pbmax]

From CBS:

United States (4 points, +1 GD) – vs. Germany

Will win the group with a win over Germany.
Will advance with a draw against Germany.
Will advance with a loss to Germany and a Ghana-Portugal draw.
Will advance with a loss to Germany and a Portugal win in which they don't pass the United States in goal differential.
Will advance with a loss to Germany and a one-goal Ghana win in which they don't score two more goals than the United States.

[Joemailman]

My concern is that Portugal, figuring they need to win by 3 or more goals, will play a very wide open game, creating big openings for Ghana to counter-attack.

Maybe having Pepe back will help solidify their defense a bit.

[pbmax]

Player rankings: http://www.cbssports.com/world-cup/e...s-2-portugal-2

On a scale of 10 I believe:

DM Jermaine Jones, 8 (Man of the Match)
RB Fabian Johnson, 7 (Honorable Mention)
RM (SUB) DeAndre Yedlin, 7
F Clint Dempsey, 7
GK Tim Howard, 6
LB DaMarcus Beasley, 6
CB Matt Besler, 6
DM Kyle Beckerman, 6

LM Graham Zusi, 5
CM Michael Bradley, 5
CB Geoff Cameron, 4


SUBSTITUTES
F Chris Wondolowsk, N/Ai
CB Omar Gonzalez, N/A

[pbmax]

My concern is that Portugal, figuring they need to win by 3 or more goals, will play a very wide open game, creating big openings for Ghana to counter-attack.

Maybe having Pepe back will help solidify their defense a bit.

Or he injures a Ghanian player on his next headbutt.

[Guiness]

My concern is that Portugal, figuring they need to win by 3 or more goals, will play a very wide open game, creating big openings for Ghana to counter-attack.

Maybe having Pepe back will help solidify their defense a bit.

And then being behind at the break, folding up shop and mailing in the second half - could definitely see that out of that mercurial team.

[Guiness]

Today's Mexico-Croatia game could prove interesting.

I think Croatia wins, on paper it does not look like Mexico is capable of scoring, but I will admit I know little about the team. Mexico has not allowed a goal yet, impressively holding Brazil scoreless! Will that change?

If I was putting money on it, I might opt to plunk it down on a 0-0 draw.

[Brandon494]

Hard for me to blame Beasley for giving Ronaldo room. I would think his #1 responsibility in that situation is too make sure Ronaldo doesn't get past him with the ball.

Exactly, Ronaldo just made an incredible pass.

[Brandon494]

Just saw some replays of the Jermaine Jones goal. HOW did that get through cleanly? Incredible.

We need to get add more German players!