World Cup '14 thread

[shukle]

I am well aware of that particular situation, but the goal belongs as much to de bruyne brilliant touches and perfect strike

 

[The Oi]

Can someone explain to me why both Germany and Belgium, much moreso Belgium, were able to look so much more organized and control the ball so much better than the US?

Is that coaching? Athleticism? I don't know enough to know why those teams can do it and the US can't.

It looked like a minor league team playing a major league team. It was embarrassing.

 

[RealKingofCleve]

Can someone explain to me why both Germany and Belgium, much moreso Belgium, were able to look so much more organized and control the ball so much better than the US?

Is that coaching? Athleticism? I don't know enough to know why those teams can do it and the US can't.

It looked like a minor league team playing a major league team. It was embarrassing.

Better athletes, better training, better coaching as they developed. First off, all their best athletes play soccer. When they are young, all these kids focus on soccer. Its part of the culture there. All over Europe the youth training is leaps and bounds better than it is here in the US. Besides just having better athletes, they have such a large advantage because their players were developed so much better than ours. And all of Belgium's players are playing in the top leagues in the world, a lot in the English Premier League. It makes you such a better player to go up against elite competition day after day instead of being in the garbage MLS where Graham Zusi is a top player.

The MLS sucks. Thats why its crucial for a player like Yedlin, with lots of talent, to transfer to a top league in the world, its crucial to his development as a player. Bottom line,You aren't going to when much when your midfield consists of players like Zusi and Bedoya.

 

[DJTJ]

Talent.

Good players develop better traits by playing better talent. Our travel leagues and colleges do not hold a candle to beig in a training academy for a major clib in Europe where you staying and breaking through is contingent ontheir sucess.

Julian Green played in one match, and looked to clearly be the most talented player on our roster.

 

[brownindian]

Better athletes, better training, better coaching as they developed. First off, all their best athletes play soccer. When they are young, all these kids focus on soccer. Its part of the culture there. All over Europe the youth training is leaps and bounds better than it is here in the US. Besides just having better athletes, they have such a large advantage because their players were developed so much better than ours. And all of Belgium's players are playing in the top leagues in the world, a lot in the English Premier League. It makes you such a better player to go up against elite competition day after day instead of being in the garbage MLS where Graham Zusi is a top player.

The MLS sucks. Thats why its crucial for a player like Yedlin, with lots of talent, to transfer to a top league in the world, its crucial to his development as a player. Bottom line,You aren't going to when much when your midfield consists of players like Zusi and Bedoya.

To add to this - If you guys like this brand of football you must watch EPL - MLS is soooo mechanical - It lacks the flair and the creativity. We need more creative players here in MLS if it ever wants to be a major mainstream sport.

 

[Casualties14]

I am all in on Germany for the remainder of the tournament.

 

[Derek]

To add to this - If you guys like this brand of football you must watch EPL - MLS is soooo mechanical - It lacks the flair and the creativity. We need more creative players here in MLS if it ever wants to be a major mainstream sport.

To go along with this.

The reason MLS lacks popularity in the US is the same reason NFL Europe failed. Nobody wants to watch second rate athletes play a sport.

 

[Rich]

Can someone explain to me why both Germany and Belgium, much moreso Belgium, were able to look so much more organized and control the ball so much better than the US?

Is that coaching? Athleticism? I don't know enough to know why those teams can do it and the US can't.

It looked like a minor league team playing a major league team. It was embarrassing.

The Belgium game just looked like a lack of athletes.

But just for comparison, the organization and technical skill of the team is much higher than it was even 5 years ago. When you go back to the Gold Cup where we actually beat Spain and were up 2-0 on Brazil, we still looked completely, utterly outclassed. There guys were in on goal, free, so much of the time, we just got lucky. We're better now as a team than we were then. But Belgium just flat out look like it had more athletes on the field. They were just running by us.

 

[Casualties14]

Fractured vertebrate for Neymar. Out for the remained of WC.

Germany have to be huge favorites now

 

[kookoo]

Fractured vertebrate for Neymar. Out for the remained of WC.

Germany have to be huge favorites now

Silva is also out for that game because of his second yellow (I'm not a huge fan of that rule).

 

[KB]

Fractured vertebrate for Neymar. Out for the remained of WC.

Germany have to be huge favorites now

Damn...loved watching Neymar play....hope he comes back alright in the future, has so much talent.

 

[Rich]

Well that Neymar injury should probably mean that ref is done for this WC. He let so much shit go for so long and that's the result. Guys were just being reckless and now it really, really cost Brazil (even if they didn't really deserve to win the game).

 

[brownindian]

Im sure the USA would have put up a better fight than Belgium did against Argentina. Was Belgium's plan only to lob the ball into the penalty area and try and hope the tall dudes can smash something into the net ?

Credit to Argentina's defense but I feel Belgium are more than capable of performing at a higher level than this.

 

[Rich]

Im sure the USA would have put up a better fight than Belgium did against Argentina. Was Belgium's plan only to lob the ball into the penalty area and try and hope the tall dudes can smash something into the net ?

Credit to Argentina's defense but I feel Belgium are more than capable of performing at a higher level than this.

The only team Belgium didn't show respect for was the USA. They seemed frightened by Argentina and again went back to playing passive. Their backs rarely got forward. It's like they knew they were talented at times, but yet didn't fully believe it. Young team though. They'll be favorites in the next tourney.

 

[brownindian]

The only team Belgium didn't show respect for was the USA. They seemed frightened by Argentina and again went back to playing passive. Their backs rarely got forward. It's like they knew they were talented at times, but yet didn't fully believe it. Young team though. They'll be favorites in the next tourney.

I am very tempted to blame the coach for that. Even after half time, I do not remember seeing any tactical change or a change on formation - even the substitutions were like for like. Here is hoping Holland can make to next round.