Soccer - 2014 World Cup

[NJ Stinks]

Originally Posted by Shelby

They really did play differently. They had nothing to lose by that point.

I will be 44 years old when and if we get to play again

44 sounds good!

Just a few points from a guy who is no expert on soccer:

1. Tim Howard is from North Brunswick, New Jersey!

2. It looked like Belgium slowed down a lot after the second goal. Not so with the U.S. side.

3. I think these hot & humid conditions are producing more goals. By the end of these games - particularly if there is extra time - exhaustion is a huge factor.

4. The best teams appeared to win both games today which is a good thing for soccer IMO.

5. I would have loved to play soccer when I was young. But I must admit that it appears to be a game where you can be seriously injured - especially the knees.

[nearco]

The US still seems a ways off the mark. The fighting spirit is there, but that will only get you so far. The US players have great athleticism, as you would expect from Americans, but they are still behind the pack in ball skills. Then there is the footballing brain. There is no one player in the current US team that you can really point to in that regard.
The likes of Yedlin gives one hope though.... looks to be a talented kid.

In fairness Belgium could have won this game by 4 or 5, if it wasn't for the heroics of Tim Howard.
Pound for pound the Belgians were head and shoulders above the US as footballers. And this is a nation of 11 million people, who's national team have been lost at sea in the doldrums for the last 15 odd years.

US needs to start producing more true footballers, less athletes.

[Dave Schwartz]

In fairness to the US program, it is relatively new. I mean, Soccer has not been a major sport in the US for that long.

I think it is unrealistic to think that they are even close to being able to compete at a 1st tier level today, but they are improving.

I sure hope those youngsters continue to play for us.

[DJofSD]

I don't consider it to be a major sport at all here in the US. Especially when I heard on the radio after the loss "don't worry you'll get 'em next year."

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

In fairness to the US program, it is relatively new. I mean, Soccer has not been a major sport in the US for that long.

I think it is unrealistic to think that they are even close to being able to compete at a 1st tier level today, but they are improving.

If it were an established sport people would be criticizing their national team for a performance like this. That's what happens in Europe and South America. In the US it's a once-every-four-years-bandwagon sport that's more about patriotism than soccer.

That's not to say that the US hasn't done well with the limited talent at their disposal. They have shown for the past twenty years - since the 1994 WC in the US - that team spirit and fight can go a long way. But they're stuck in that gear, and the next step is not close. Because it requires a whole different level of talent.

Julian Green, the kid who came in late and scored the goal against Belgium, has that type of talent. He came up through the Bayern Munich system (and was basically hypnotized by the sneaky Klinsmann to renounce a future in the German national team). The degree of difficulty of that goal was off the scale.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by nearco

US needs to start producing more true footballers, less athletes.

Absolutely true.
It's all about developing "impact players", and that starts at a young age.
The creative "midfield general" type that can control a game with their passing prowess,
or an attacker such as Messi who breaks down defenses.
These types of players are one-in-a-million, and evolve from youth programs.

The US has never had that type of player.
The same goes for many countries.
Years back we had Claudio Reyna, probably the most talented player
we have had in this era, but by world standards he was lightweight.
Freddy Adu was supposed to be the next coming - didn't pan out.

We will see what lies ahead in the future but, very likely, the US team will
continue to depend on players whose strengths lie in their fitness combined
with a lot of heart.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

I don't consider it to be a major sport at all here in the US. Especially when I heard on the radio after the loss "don't worry you'll get 'em next year."

You are on the mark there.
As big as "World Cup fever" has been here this time, the majority
of sports fans (especially those over 40) can't wait until Brazil 2014 is over.

As far as they are concerned, it is clogging up ESPN, and it's a pain in the ass.
Football (the real pigskin variety) is just around the corner.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

You are on the mark there.
As big as "World Cup fever" has been here this time, the majority
of sports fans (especially those over 40) can't wait until Brazil 2014 is over.

As far as they are concerned, it is clogging up ESPN, and it's a pain in the ass.
Football (the real pigskin variety) is just around the corner.

Ya, you get the feeling that most are just biding time for the pig skin football season to start.

But, on a bit of a brighter note, I watched the BEL v. USA game at the local golf course. There was some regulars and some new faces. The new faces were not afraid to ask questions about some basic aspects of the game which I choose to mean they were interested in something more than just a passing manner.

And, as I've noted in other threads, it is becoming more common to see shirts and jackets for FCB, RM and MU when around and about town. These are locals and not the occasional out of towner which is vacationing here and happens to cross my path while wearing their favorite teams logo.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

Ya, you get the feeling that most are just biding time for the pig skin football season to start.

But, on a bit of a brighter note, I watched the BEL v. USA game at the local golf course. There was some regulars and some new faces. The new faces were not afraid to ask questions about some basic aspects of the game which I choose to mean they were interested in something more than just a passing manner.

And, as I've noted in other threads, it is becoming more common to see shirts and jackets for FCB, RM and MU when around and about town. These are locals and not the occasional out of towner which is vacationing here and happens to cross my path while wearing their favorite teams logo.

The sport is growing here, for sure.
It's a good sign, and the younger generation "get it".
Hopefully, viewing numbers continue to increase as well,
and the MLS keeps growing in stature.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

The sport is growing here, for sure.
It's a good sign, and the younger generation "get it".
Hopefully, viewing numbers continue to increase as well,
and the MLS keeps growing in stature.

[ronsmac]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

The sport is growing here, for sure.
It's a good sign, and the younger generation "get it".
Hopefully, viewing numbers continue to increase as well,
and the MLS keeps growing in stature.

It is growing, before I moved to the "big city". I grew up in a soccer town in the soccer crazed 70s. We all played organized soccer. If you asked me back then , I would have guaranteed a world cup win by 2010.

[lansdale]

Thrilling game yesterday - Howard now a legend. Also the biggest response for a U.S. audience to a World Cup match that I can remember.

Since there are a few people on this site who also have an interest in the wagering aspect of sporting events, maybe worth mentioning that many books seem to be offering 3/1 on Brazil future bets. I'm an enthusiastic viewer but far from an expert on this game, but knowledgeable friends jumping on this price. Nate Silver is making Brazil 3/2 to win it all. No-brainer?

[ronsmac]

Originally Posted by lansdale

Thrilling game yesterday - Howard now a legend. Also the biggest response for a U.S. audience to a World Cup match that I can remember.

Since there are a few people on this site who also have an interest in the wagering aspect of sporting events, maybe worth mentioning that many books seem to be offering 3/1 on Brazil future bets. I'm an enthusiastic viewer but far from an expert on this game, but knowledgeable friends jumping on this price. Nate Silver is making Brazil 3/2 to win it all. No-brainer?

There are a few guys on here that know more about intetnational soccer than I do, but what I've seen with my own eyes says Brazil isn't worth betting as the favorite. Soccer is corrupt enough to get some home cooking though.

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by lansdale

Thrilling game yesterday - Howard now a legend. Also the biggest response for a U.S. audience to a World Cup match that I can remember.

Since there are a few people on this site who also have an interest in the wagering aspect of sporting events, maybe worth mentioning that many books seem to be offering 3/1 on Brazil future bets. I'm an enthusiastic viewer but far from an expert on this game, but knowledgeable friends jumping on this price. Nate Silver is making Brazil 3/2 to win it all. No-brainer?

Home field advantage is huge in the WC; and even more so in the final. It's true that Brazil hasn't impressed, but the reality is that many teams that win the WC never truly impress. This is another year without a true standout side, so the lack of conviction from Brazil isn't that big a factor. Every one of the remaining teams is beatable. I'm not sure, but I think Brazil hasn't lost at home in fifty-some years, and it would take something special to undo that. So I would agree that at this point it's Brazil's cup to lose. But I wouldn't bet on it. Yet. A Neymar injury would change everything. So I would want more clarity about why he didn't show up at all in the last second half he played; when he was invisible after a strong first half.

[ManU918]

Originally Posted by lansdale

Thrilling game yesterday - Howard now a legend. Also the biggest response for a U.S. audience to a World Cup match that I can remember.

Since there are a few people on this site who also have an interest in the wagering aspect of sporting events, maybe worth mentioning that many books seem to be offering 3/1 on Brazil future bets. I'm an enthusiastic viewer but far from an expert on this game, but knowledgeable friends jumping on this price. Nate Silver is making Brazil 3/2 to win it all. No-brainer?

If you offered me 5-1 at this point on Brazil I wouldn't take it. Bottom line is I just don't think their good enough to win. 7 or 8-1... Yea I would probably bite...But asking them to beat Colombia, then the winner of Germany/France... then whatever team makes it from the opposite side of the bracket is asking a lot... and at 3/1 for me its a no brainer to not bet them..... This is a prime example of why I wish Betfair or a shop like that worked here. I would offer 5-1 all day on there on Brazil... People would be slamming it and I would be laughing all the way to the bank.