OT: The Soccer Football Thread (USA, RBNY, PL, etc.)

[My3Sons]

I was surprised by how well organised USA were last night. England were shit (in particular Mason Mount), but the USA made it very hard to get any flow going.

That said, we should have won this game and I was mad last night. England played like they could get by on talent alone, need to respect the opponent. Maybe the occasion got to their heads.

My middle son is a big soccer fan. He was critical of the England coach. US played with some energy once they found some confidence. England was the better team but I still struggle to understand why the US can’t find 11 top players.

 

[njdevils1982]

My middle son is a big soccer fan. He was critical of the England coach. US played with some energy once they found some confidence. England was the better team but I still struggle to understand why the US can’t find 11 top players.

croatia has about 4 million people. we manage to compete.

its been a long ride for the US (and other countries) ....the divide is not just a number on a fifa ranking.

most of these national players play in top leagues. the talent is there. shockers like saudi/argentina and japan/germany wont seem so headline news in the future.

 

[Rhodes 81]

My middle son is a big soccer fan. He was critical of the England coach. US played with some energy once they found some confidence. England was the better team but I still struggle to understand why the US can’t find 11 top players.

I think it's as simple as the top athletes in the US play other sports at a higher rate. In most European countries, every sporty kid growing up wants to be a footballer. In US, they want to be a footballer with their hands, or play basketball.

There's enough money and sheer numbers on the side of the US to compete despite this, and you can see that US nationals are moving to top Euro leagues earlier and the quality of MLS is improving. Both of these will help to continue improving the overall depth of the USMNT which is critical for competing with the best regularly. Soccer tends to be a weak-link sport so you need to be multiple deep at every position to make runs in these tournaments.

 

[NJDevs26]

BTW anyone who mocks the 'play a winning lineup' strategy, just take a look at what Japan pulled earlier:

-Beat Germany
-Proceed to make five changes to their lineup against Costa Rica, ostensibly to rest people for the last group game with Spain
-Lose to Costa Rica
-Profit...for everyone else

They would have been all but through to the knockout round with a win and able to rest fifteen guys in the last game, now they'll likely need a result against Spain or to squeeze out second place on goal difference with three points.

 

[njdevils1982]

tsn is just as annoying covering canadian soccer as it is for hockey

edit: sweet 4-1 victory!

 

[markog]

BTW anyone who mocks the 'play a winning lineup' strategy, just take a look at what Japan pulled earlier:

-Beat Germany
-Proceed to make five changes to their lineup against Costa Rica, ostensibly to rest people for the last group game with Spain
-Lose to Costa Rica
-Profit...for everyone else

They would have been all but through to the knockout round with a win and able to rest fifteen guys in the last game, now they'll likely need a result against Spain or to squeeze out second place on goal difference with three points.

Well if they draw Spain, Germany is through with a 2 goal win or with a 1 goal win (depends on how high scoring those two games will be). If Costa Rica wins then they need to win.

 

[Clam Jensen]

This Portugal/Uruguay game is fantastic. Just back and forth non-stop action.

 

[njdevils1982]

This Portugal/Uruguay game is fantastic. Just back and forth non-stop action.

shame about the result though

 

[Clam Jensen]

shame about the result though

I know

 

[markog]

This Portugal/Uruguay game is fantastic. Just back and forth non-stop action.

Well I found it boring with a lot of tehnical mistakes. The game got a little better when Portugal scores. This turnament is bad in terms of quality of games which is surprising.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

I think it's as simple as the top athletes in the US play other sports at a higher rate. In most European countries, every sporty kid growing up wants to be a footballer. In US, they want to be a footballer with their hands, or play basketball.

There's enough money and sheer numbers on the side of the US to compete despite this, and you can see that US nationals are moving to top Euro leagues earlier and the quality of MLS is improving. Both of these will help to continue improving the overall depth of the USMNT which is critical for competing with the best regularly. Soccer tends to be a weak-link sport so you need to be multiple deep at every position to make runs in these tournaments.

My middle son is a big soccer fan. He was critical of the England coach. US played with some energy once they found some confidence. England was the better team but I still struggle to understand why the US can’t find 11 top players.

If soccer was far and away the #1 sport here as it is in most of the world I have no doubt the US would at least be a top team year in and year out if not straight up dominant.

If every guy in the NBA/NFL/NHL (I don't count baseball because it's not a lower body/conditioning sport) had put on a pair of cleats when they were two, never looked back, and the financial and star power incentives were there you'd see this.

Conversely, if any of our sports were that popular in Europe and South America you'd have plenty of international talent in North American leagues as well. A good example of this is certain countries in Latin America and the amount of MLB stars they produce.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Don't feel good at all about this game coming up. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[My3Sons]

If soccer was far and away the #1 sport here as it is in most of the world I have no doubt the US would at least be a top team year in and year out if not straight up dominant.

If every guy in the NBA/NFL/NHL (I don't count baseball because it's not a lower body/conditioning sport) had put on a pair of cleats when they were two, never looked back, and the financial and star power incentives were there you'd see this.

Conversely, if any of our sports were that popular in Europe and South America you'd have plenty of international talent in North American leagues as well. A good example of this is certain countries in Latin America and the amount of MLB stars they produce.

The US has a big population base including plenty of kids who play soccer. Compared to some of the kids who play lacrosse or track and field or whatever sports only exist professionally in Europe our soccer kids shoukd have a decent path to success. It’s been years and years and the US is minimally better. I guess the governing body just hasn’t made an effort.

 

[Satans Hockey]

The US has a big population base including plenty of kids who play soccer. Compared to some of the kids who play lacrosse or track and field or whatever sports only exist professionally in Europe our soccer kids shoukd have a decent path to success. It’s been years and years and the US is minimally better. I guess the governing body just hasn’t made an effort.

Pay to play is a big issue, this explains it well if you're interested...

Pay to play: The problem with soccer in the US

Soccer in our country has never reached its full potential, and may never be able to. A country that pays great attention to athletics and excels in major sporting events, has failed to deliver on numerous occasions in the world’s biggest sport. Let’s get straight to the point: soccer in the US...

www.wjpitch.com

 

[Clam Jensen]

Let’s go boys

 

[Jack Be Quick]

The US has a big population base including plenty of kids who play soccer. Compared to some of the kids who play lacrosse or track and field or whatever sports only exist professionally in Europe our soccer kids shoukd have a decent path to success. It’s been years and years and the US is minimally better. I guess the governing body just hasn’t made an effort.

It's my understand that the training, coaching, and facilities hold back the US as well.

But let's be honest, if a kid has a shot at d1 soccer vs football or basketball there simply is no choice.

I'm pretty sure USA soccer has tried, and you see the investments all over the place. It's just that 95+% of people able to compete at a high level of sport here won't choose it. And you often times know who those kids are by middle school, high school the latest.

And even if you're the best we've produced this decade, Pulicic was still coming off the bench half of the time for Chelsea this season.

The infrastructure simply isn't there. It could be eventually, as in a looooong way down the road. But the shiny new MLS stadiums aren't going to do it. You'd need elementary and middle schools in key areas to go all in.

Minnesota doesn't just produce the most hockey players because it's cold. Half the country is cold. It's because it's their culture.

How you form hotbeds of soccer like that I'm not entirely sure. I'd say Texas or Florida would be good candidates due to their large Hispanic populations, but football and Jesus are neck and neck in popularity in those places. Maybe SoCal? But they've been trying that for decades and when Mexico rolls into town it's practically a home game for them. NYC is trying but the suburbs don't seem to be buying in as much and we don't produce many athletes outside of a few guys in the NBA anyway. Then there's the space issue here. Good luck finding a regulation field.

In otherwards I don't have an answer on how to grow the talent level here and am not sure there is one, much to the chagrin of a few of my buddies.

 

[Satans Hockey]

GOALLLLLLL YESSSSSS

 

[Clam Jensen]

Wooooo!! Took a knee right in the nads.

 

[My3Sons]

It's my understand that the training, coaching, and facilities hold back the US as well.

But let's be honest, if a kid has a shot at d1 soccer vs football or basketball there simply is no choice.

I'm pretty sure USA soccer has tried, and you see the investments all over the place. It's just that 95+% of people able to compete at a high level of sport here won't choose it. And you often times know who those kids are by middle school, high school the latest.

And even if you're the best we've produced this decade, Pulicic was still coming off the bench half of the time for Chelsea this season.

The infrastructure simply isn't there. It could be eventually, as in a looooong way down the road. But the shiny new MLS stadiums aren't going to do it. You'd need elementary and middle schools in key areas to go all in.

Minnesota doesn't just produce the most hockey players because it's cold. Half the country is cold. It's because it's their culture.

How you form hotbeds of soccer like that I'm not entirely sure. I'd say Texas or Florida would be good candidates due to their large Hispanic populations, but football and Jesus are neck and neck in popularity in those places. Maybe SoCal? But they've been trying that for decades and when Mexico rolls into town it's practically a home game for them. NYC is trying but the suburbs don't seem to be buying in as much and we don't produce many athletes outside of a few guys in the NBA anyway. Then there's the space issue here. Good luck finding a regulation field.

In otherwards I don't have an answer on how to grow the talent level here and am not sure there is one, much to the chagrin of a few of my buddies.

I get all that. It still doesn’t add up to me. You are talking about 11 guys. There are plenty of athletes a bit too short to play basketball or a bit to slender to play football. I’ve had this discussion with my boys and they agree with you but the stats just belie the results.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Gimmie a break with that offsides

 

[My3Sons]

US needs to press in second half. They aren’t built to park the bus.

 

[NJDevs26]

US needs to press in second half. They aren’t built to park the bus.

Hopefully they learned from the Wales game...hopefully. Especially since Pusilic always seems to be on borrowed time injury-wise.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Hopefully they learned from the Wales game...hopefully. Especially since Pusilic always seems to be on borrowed time injury-wise.

And he's subbed out, damn

 

[NJDevs26]

Guess it was inevitable with all the times he seemingly had to fight through or just escaped injury. Doesn't exactly enhance their chances against the Dutch if he's out - they're calling it an abdominal injury - assuming they do get through. Wales waved the white flag against England (two quick second half goals, Bale subbed off) so no chance of winning the group.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Doesn't exactly enhance their chances against the Dutch if he's out -

Lets win this first