OT: Association Football Thread II (All Soccer Talk Here!)

[CasusBelli]

It's very early, to be sure, but it could potentially be a bloodbath for the title.

A few of the top teams are looking fantastic.

One of the things I love most about the EPL: each year there are dark horses and competition amongst more than two teams.

 

[EventHorizon]

Game ended in a tie but the real winners tonight were the South Ward with the tifo of death and having Puckie on the perch (and yes I was wearing my Ron Francis jersey).

You were in ESC? I saw you. One of our Capos in the VA also had a Francis jersey. My wife had a hat and a scarf (and we let another capo wear our jersey). I'm also glad I pressed the issue with playing Brass Bonanza because hearing that at the game was wonderful. That was some of the silliest stuff we've ever done and I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

[sabremike]

You were in ESC? I saw you. One of our Capos in the VA also had a Francis jersey. My wife had a hat and a scarf (and we let another capo wear our jersey). I'm also glad I pressed the issue with playing Brass Bonanza because hearing that at the game was wonderful. That was some of the silliest stuff we've ever done and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Whomever came up with the idea of bringing in Puckie deserves a bonus. That was the greatest thing EVER. We should now do a mini tradition of having mascots from all over sports on the perch. I want Mr. Met the next time we play ciddy!

 

[EventHorizon]

Whomever came up with the idea of bringing in Puckie deserves a bonus. That was the greatest thing EVER. We should now do a mini tradition of having mascots from all over sports on the perch. I want Mr. Met the next time we play ciddy!

The Whalers (or I should say the trust that owns the Whalers trademarks) contacted the Red Bulls after they saw all the hoopla on social media. I'm so glad they did; that was so much fun. And I really want us to continue to use Brass Bonanza. It's just too good a sports anthem to see fade to dust.

 

[Machinehead]

This is my problem with coaching in hockey but I'm saying it in here because you guys will understand what I'm saying.

You have Jordan Henderson and James Milner, right?

You'd be hard-pressed to notice Jordan Henderson on the pitch. He sort of just...exists. Doesn't score much, doesn't do anything spectacular; doesn't catch the eye. But the analytics show that Henderson is one of the best passers and possession players in the Premier League. He's the engine that runs the whole system. Without him, Liverpool are not contenders.

Then there's James Milner. Milner is different. He runs around like a ****ing chicken and tackles anything he can reach, and plays every position at once. Don't get me wrong, Milner is a good player, but he's not Jordan Henderson. Not in his dreams.

Every football coach in the world would prefer Henderson to Milner. Every hockey coach in the world would prefer Milner to Henderson.

That's my problem.

 

[NCRanger]

This is my problem with coaching in hockey but I'm saying it in here because you guys will understand what I'm saying.

You have Jordan Henderson and James Milner, right?

You'd be hard-pressed to notice Jordan Henderson on the pitch. He sort of just...exists. Doesn't score much, doesn't do anything spectacular; doesn't catch the eye. But the analytics show that Henderson is one of the best passers and possession players in the Premier League. He's the engine that runs the whole system. Without him, Liverpool are not contenders.

Then there's James Milner. Milner is different. He runs around like a ****ing chicken and tackles anything he can reach, and plays every position at once. Don't get me wrong, Milner is a good player, but he's not Jordan Henderson. Not in his dreams.

Every football coach in the world would prefer Henderson to Milner. Every hockey coach in the world would prefer Milner to Henderson.

That's my problem.

Possession and ball control are a whole lot more important on a 110-yard long pitch than they are on a 200 foot long ice surface. When a hockey team can possess the puck for three and four minutes straight without anyone attacking them, your statistical analysis translates to hockey.

That said, as a Liverpool fan, I agree with you (Henderson vs. Milner), although Henderson doesn't go forward as much as Milner (think that's by design).

What's also funny about your analysis is that Liverpool is a lot like the Rangers in the fact that they are going to score a ton on counterattacks (transition in hockey) because of speed through the middle. Possession isn't necessarily Liverpool's game.

 

[sabremike]

At the game tonight via a $10 ticket from SeatGeek on a scouting mission on our USOC final opponent. Will be very interested to see the crowd for tonight with no Villa and rain.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Another cup final, another goddamn disappointment for the Metrostars/NYRB franchise. Even though the team has won two league titles/Supporter's Shields, which I understand is the real championship, but damn, it'd be nice to win one tournament or playoffs. This franchise chokes in big games.

 

[Don Chytil]

Another cup final, another goddamn disappointment for the Metrostars/NYRB franchise. Even though the team has won two league titles/Supporter's Shields, which I understand is the real championship, but damn, it'd be nice to win one tournament or playoffs. This franchise chokes in big games.

If you type MLS Champions into Google, let me know what comes up. Pretty sure it's Seattle and not Dallas.

The Shield is a great accomplishment and all, but you wouldn't be calling it the "real championship" if you had won 3 Cups.

 

[nyr2k2]

My once-glorious DCU has 4 MLS Cups, 4 Supporters' Shields and 3 Open Cup titles. The latter two are nice but the ones that matter most to me are the MLS Cups.

 

[Machinehead]

I'm ok with this. Now I avoid that awkward Germany/USA matchup where I'm like "hooray USA" because I'm supposed to but we all know who I really want to win.

Frankly, I already have an awful team that I can't get out of my system (not mentioning any names), and I'm not going to force myself through another one.

 

[nyr2k2]

Burn it down.

 

[I Eat Crow]

I'm sorry I'm going to go up on a soapbox here a little bit, but I need to get this off of my chest.

US Soccer needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and overhaul how they develop young talent.

I'm a lifelong soccer player. I played on some pretty damn good travel teams since I was 7 years old and well into my late teens. Also played in high school and on a D1 club team in college, and still play in a Sunday night league. What I grew up playing in the most critical developmental years (11-15 years of age) was not soccer. The literal strategy employed by my varsity high school soccer team was to send long balls towards the corner flags, let the strikers have a 50/50 shot of fetching it, and try to dribble it up the endline and cross it in and hope for the best. No link up play, no possession play. Preseason was a f***ing nightmare. First two years we had triple f***ing sessions; two of which were completely conditioning with no ball drills. No practice on technical skills whatsoever.

The US Soccer program needs to go from developing good athletes to developing a program of technical wizards that know tactics, good dribbling and shooting mechanics, and vision over raw power and speed. Some athletes are born with God given athleticism. There are lots in America. More work needs to be done on developing the skills and the vision over the athleticism. It needs to start when kids are 4, 5 years old. The US will forever be behind the Brazils, Spains, Germanys, Italys, and Portugals of the world unless there's a program wide overhaul on how young players are coached and trained.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

US soccer needs to do what US hockey does with NDTP. Theres got to be way more kids wanting do soccer than hockey, and the NDTP is churning out tons of talent.

 

[Machinehead]

I'm sorry I'm going to go up on a soapbox here a little bit, but I need to get this off of my chest.

US Soccer needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and overhaul how they develop young talent.

I'm a lifelong soccer player. I played on some pretty damn good travel teams since I was 7 years old and well into my late teens. Also played in high school and on a D1 club team in college, and still play in a Sunday night league. What I grew up playing in the most critical developmental years (11-15 years of age) was not soccer. The literal strategy employed by my varsity high school soccer team was to send long balls towards the corner flags, let the strikers have a 50/50 shot of fetching it, and try to dribble it up the endline and cross it in and hope for the best. No link up play, no possession play. Preseason was a ****ing nightmare. First two years we had triple ****ing sessions; two of which were completely conditioning with no ball drills. No practice on technical skills whatsoever.

The US Soccer program needs to go from developing good athletes to developing a program of technical wizards that know tactics, good dribbling and shooting mechanics, and vision over raw power and speed. Some athletes are born with God given athleticism. There are lots in America. More work needs to be done on developing the skills and the vision over the athleticism. It needs to start when kids are 4, 5 years old. The US will forever be behind the Brazils, Spains, Germanys, Italys, and Portugals of the world unless there's a program wide overhaul on how young players are coached and trained.

Good rant.

Anybody can develop a decent pro league and put together a talented national team roster.

But what the best nations also have, that the US program lacks, is a culture from youth level.

In Germany, from the time you're a teenager, you're already learning the national team system, and the best go to the Bundesliga to prefect it. You learn German football. Just like you would learn Italian football, or Spanish football, or Brazilian football, or Dutch football. As I name these teams, their style comes to mind. The US team doesn't even have a brand you associate with it, because we've failed to get everyone from youth on up behind a specific system.

 

[Machinehead]

And speaking of Germany, and speaking of not making the World Cup, the next time Ronald Koeman needs to wipe his ass, the Netherlands' record in qualifying makes good toilet paper.

 

[Ben Grimm]

I've been told for half a century that we're going metric and that we're gonna become competitive in soccer. Nope.

 

[jniklast]

And speaking of Germany, and speaking of not making the World Cup, the next time Ronald Koeman needs to wipe his ass, the Netherlands' record in qualifying makes good toilet paper.

Fun fact: Germany has fewer losses in more than 60 years of WC qualifiers than the Netherlands had in this campaign.
The overall record is W74-D18-L2.

 

[Fvital92]

US Soccer will never be a great national team until US installs a real football culture.
There's no relegation in MLS, kids pay for playing in the youth programs, there is a salary cap in MLS and there is the myth that US are not good because the better athletes are playing american football, baseball, basketball - by now you guys should've learned that "soccer" is much more about tactics and skill than athleticism.

BUT, I must say that you guys shoud absolutely not base your model of development after Brazil. Our development is a mess, it's really a miracle we always have stars players coming out every few years. The same about the National Team, we're good now jus because we finally manage to employ a decent coach after years and years of absolete coaching.

Just follow the German model, it's the best by far in the world.

 

[Machinehead]

Just follow the German model, it's the best by far in the world.

 

[Fvital92]

That being said, Germany wont sniff the semifinals in the Russia World Cup. Mark my words.

 

[NCRanger]

Arena out (resignation)

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...a-resigns-as-us-mens-national-team-head-coach

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Congrats Swedes!

 

[007]

Negative football from Sweden, but what else would you expect from them at the San Siro? Italy didn't do nearly enough. Always the same plan of attack, and the Swedes beat them away each time. Grattis Svergie! (if that's correct!)

 

[Machinehead]