World Cup 2014

[dmiles2186]

Great game! Got a bit slow around the start of the 2nd half. But as soon as my wife said "this game is king of boring, isn't it?", BOOM! Ghana scored. Then BOOM, US scored. And then they hold on for their lives.

Not to bring up negatives but Altidore's injury looked pretty bad, Besler's didn't look too good either, and both Bedoya and Cameron were limping around. While Brooks seems to be an ok replacement for Besler (not good, ok), losing Josy would be a big bad problem.

It makes me wonder if Klinsmann has overworked them in training. Maybe not. But there were way too many muscle injuries yesterday. To have your striker and your top center back both go out in the 1st half of the 1st game of the World Cup, it's a tough pill to swallow. They've got 5 days to recover, we'll see how it shakes out.

[cardsfan04]

Huge win! If we can pull off a win against Portugal . . .

[ComradeT]

Great game! Got a bit slow around the start of the 2nd half. But as soon as my wife said "this game is king of boring, isn't it?", BOOM! Ghana scored. Then BOOM, US scored. And then they hold on for their lives.

Not to bring up negatives but Altidore's injury looked pretty bad, Besler's didn't look too good either, and both Bedoya and Cameron were limping around. While Brooks seems to be an ok replacement for Besler (not good, ok), losing Josy would be a big bad problem.

Donovan should be on the bench at least as an injury replacement right? Could Donovan still show up or rosters can't be changed now?

I don't think they can add him now. It was a surprise for me that Klinsmann didn't name him at least as a substitute but Dempsey's and Altidore's form right before the start were convincing enough. I think he is just not as intense as Klinsmann wants his players to be.

Dmiles, I was thinking that too but it could also be bad pitch (also, bad luck). Hopefully, he can go on but from the looks of it the chances are slim.

[not_a_wings_fan]

Great game! Got a bit slow around the start of the 2nd half. But as soon as my wife said "this game is king of boring, isn't it?", BOOM! Ghana scored. Then BOOM, US scored. And then they hold on for their lives.

Not to bring up negatives but Altidore's injury looked pretty bad, Besler's didn't look too good either, and both Bedoya and Cameron were limping around. While Brooks seems to be an ok replacement for Besler (not good, ok), losing Josy would be a big bad problem.

It makes me wonder if Klinsmann has overworked them in training. Maybe not. But there were way too many muscle injuries yesterday. To have your striker and your top center back both go out in the 1st half of the 1st game of the World Cup, it's a tough pill to swallow. They've got 5 days to recover, we'll see how it shakes out.

Lot's of teams are having similar issues. The Fields are soggy, the humidity is high, and these are intense matches.

England's strikers were cramping up terribly and the whole team looked out of gas from the 65th minute onwards in their match vs. Italy.

Portugal has similar injury issues from their first match.

I think it's a combination of factors, but we aren't the only ones dealing with issues.

Besler should be back from what Klinsmann said. Jozy is unlikely.

[Jackman5]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I know EXACTLY what you mean dude!

When Beckham came here in 2006 or so I was shocked at how boring it is. I was wondering WHY are people making a big deal about this?? I did follow Beckham and the LA Galaxy for a couple years before it got so horribly boring I just quit! I also don't see why people follow EPL or club leagues with towns in Europe most Americans never go to and have no connection to!

The only soccer I follow somewhat is the men's and women's World Cups. I actually prefer the women's WC a little more because the U.S. team actually has a chance to win! Leaving Donovan off the U.S. team is a big mistake but even with him I highly doubt they get out of the group of death!

The only good thing I've seen from the World Cup:

[ComradeT]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I know EXACTLY what you mean dude!

When Beckham came here in 2006 or so I was shocked at how boring it is. I was wondering WHY are people making a big deal about this?? I did follow Beckham and the LA Galaxy for a couple years before it got so horribly boring I just quit! I also don't see why people follow EPL or club leagues with towns in Europe most Americans never go to and have no connection to!

The only soccer I follow somewhat is the men's and women's World Cups. I actually prefer the women's WC a little more because the U.S. team actually has a chance to win! Leaving Donovan off the U.S. team is a big mistake but even with him I highly doubt they get out of the group of death!

The only good thing I've seen from the World Cup:

Whatever dude. Don't be hatin'!

Mexicans just shut the door on Brazil. I'd love to look at Brazilian newspapers tomorrow!!

[dmiles2186]

Germany-Ghana draw, so if the US win tomorrow, they're through. Two draws also gets them through. For the love of God, don't lose tomorrow.

[ComradeT]

Germany-Ghana draw, so if the US win tomorrow, they're through. Two draws also gets them through. For the love of God, don't lose tomorrow.

A must win. Germans a beatable (or at least drawable) but it'll be tough and they'll come out vs. US mad after the Ghana game. With Ronaldo struggling, tomorrow's game is US' best chance to advance.

I am surprised by the number of interesting, fast paced, intense games so far. Only three 0-0 draws, one of which (BRA vs MEX) was a lot more fun than the score suggests. Costa Rica is on pace to make history after upsetting Italy and sending England packing. And only one group is completely decided based on two rounds so far. Hopefully, the rest will keep the intrigue going until the very end.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Someone sent me this and it's so funny I had to post it!



LMAO!

The interest in the World Cup will go up exponentially if the U.S. win or even tie Portugal. If the U.S. make the knockout round soccer fever will spread across America BUT it'it's the World Cup that is causing the interest not soccer. After the World Cup Americans go back to ignoring MLS! It's shocking how horrible MLS ratings are. The national ratings haven't really improved since the league began in 1996!

[cardsfan04]

Are they streaming games online? I have to work til 7, but I might try to watch online. Not sure I can ignore the internet for 2 hours at work with nothing to do, so I'd rather not DVR it.

[dmiles2186]

I could be wrong, but I believe it is on Espn3.com.

http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf ... el_is.html

Online

ESPN3.com

Stream the broadcast on your mobile device by downloading the WatchESPN app.

Listen to ESPN Radio online here or on your mobile device by downloading the app here.

[cardsfan04]

Cool, thanks. I usually can get that to work here.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Pretty good game for soccer. Heartbreaking for the U.S. for Portugal to score on the last play of the game but the U.S. still has a good chance to advance.

[dmiles2186]

Man...so, so, so close. Like Alexi Lalas said on ESPN last night, you just hope this isn't the goal that comes back to haunt them. If US-Germany want to kick off and then stare at the ball for 90 minutes, I'm okay with that. Ultimately, hope for a draw in that game, or a 1-0 Portugal win over Ghana (if those two don't draw as well).

A Ghana win paired with a USA loss will make things a bit tense.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Can someone please explain offsides in soccer? I hate it enough in hockey but in hockey at least there is a line so you can tell!

[dmiles2186]

You can't be behind the last defender (goalie excluded) when your teammate passes you the ball. So it's always an changing line, but that's why the back four (defense) tries to move in tandem. If there's someone who gets caught deep, it will allow the offensive player to make a run. Basically, the offensive player has to time his run so that he doesn't clear the defense until the ball has been kicked. Make sense?

(Picture above is an example of offsides)

[JesusNEVERexisted]

But how can an offensive player ever go for a breakout pass if you can never be behind the defender? Breakaways would NEVER happen in hockey with that dumb rule!

[dmiles2186]

But how can an offensive player ever go for a breakout pass if you can never be behind the defender? Breakaways would NEVER happen in hockey with that dumb rule!

There are breakaways in soccer. The offensive player isn't always in line with the D. Sometimes they're a good 10-20 feet away. So they can start their run, then the passer can send the ball in space (a.k.a. behind the defense, in front of the offensive player), the offensive player can then catch up to the ball and start the break. It rewards the people who can see those holes in the defense, and then execute the pass, run, and shot to perfection.

(See the Van Persie diving header goal from a few pages back...it wasn't a breakaway, but it illustrates this to a T)

[cardsfan04]

But how can an offensive player ever go for a breakout pass if you can never be behind the defender? Breakaways would NEVER happen in hockey with that dumb rule!

It's about where the offensive player is when the ball is kicked, not received. You can receive a pass behind the last defender. You just can't start behind the last defender when it's kicked.

Side note: I swear every soccer parent should have to take a test on this rule before being allowed to attend their kids' games. I reffed soccer throughout high school and there was hardly ever a game where a parent didn't argue offsides without a clue of what the rule actually was. I remember somebody saying it's the most dangerous combination in youth sports: parents that A) don't know and B) don't know that they don't know.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Thanks for clearing that up guys. I understand better BUT you know the biggest complaint about soccer is it's too slow and low scoring. So WHY have these rules that slow the game down even more and stifle the offense?

I have been watching the World Cup highlights and I don't think I've seen a single breakaway this tournament!!