World Cup chatter thread.

[Phishfan]

It doesn't appear that either team is laying back yet.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

Germany completely dominated the ball. US looked flat and the field looked like a giant slip and slide. Luckily even with the loss nobody appeared to get seriously hurt and the US still advances.
 

[Dave Gray]

What would be considered a successful World Cup for the US?

[Cathal]

What would be considered a successful World Cup for the US?

I'm assuming just making it out of the group into the knock-out round.

[Phishfan]

I would not say where we are now should be considered success. Yes we have moved through a very difficult group and got into the knockout games but the team has looked very unimpressive doing so. Getting to the round of 8 with a good showing is what I would consider a success. Getting to the round of 16 when you are ranked that high already is just maintaining. I think the team needs to take another step.

[Spider-Dan]

I would say the game against Portugal (an upper-tier team) was pretty impressive.  Even though it ended in a tie, USA pretty much dominated the entire clock.

[CF DolFan]

It's already been a successful Cup for us. We've already done more than most experts predicted. Beating Belgium would be great although not impossible. Either way it's further experience for the team he's really trying to build.

[Pappy13]

What would be considered a successful World Cup for the US?

Already is.

[Pappy13]

It's already been a successful Cup for us. We've already done more than most experts predicted. Beating Belgium would be great although not impossible. Either way it's further experience for the team he's really trying to build.

They need a good game out of Bradley. He's coming around, but taking a long time to snap out of this funk he's in. Everyone else pretty much has come to play, he's the only one that I think has really under performed.

[CF DolFan]

They need a good game out of Bradley. He's coming around, but taking a long time to snap out of this funk he's in. Everyone else pretty much has come to play, he's the only one that I think has really under performed.

Yes ... it's difficult to put a finger on.  Although he played much better yesterday he's still not playing up to his norm.  We will need a great performance from him to do any damage against Belgium.

This game will be interesting from a professional standpoint. While we have some foreign players most are poor MLS players. Belgium might have the highest payroll in the tournament which presumably means they are playing at the highest level. This is akin to the Yankees playing Kansas City's triple A team in terms of money.

Juergen Klinsmann has been vocal about our players needing to get European experience to get better and being critical of MLS talent. Meanwhile  the MLS commisioner has responded by saying “You can’t both be responsible for the failure of the national team and then not be given credit for the success,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports on Friday.

To me ... this game is more than the soccer being played.

[Dave Gray]

They need a good game out of Bradley.

I don't even watch soccer or understand the intricacies of the sport, but over these last two games, I've noticed that "the bald guy" sucks, as compared to everyone else.  Bradley = "the bald guy".

[Phishfan]

^^^ You would be amazed to see how he has performed at other times. He is the hub in the midfield who generally is responsible for ball possession. He has not had a good first touch the entire tournament and it has affected the flow of the game. I hope he comes out of this for the next game. If Bradley plays well and Altidore is healthy (this would be a big if) you could see a completely different looking attack from the US.

[Brian Fein]

What's the word on Altidore?  Do they expect him to play in the first round?

[masterfins]

I know next to nothing about soccer, but from a defensive standpoint you have to give the US credit, as they only gave up four goals in three games.  Then when you consider they played two games without probably their best player, and another top player playing poorly, I would have to think you would have to consider where they are now a success.  Especially since Germany seemed to take it to them, and not play safe.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Yeah, I wouldn't say we played bad against Germany as much as we just played the best team in the tournament and only lost 1-0. We even had some good scoring chances. They are clearly better, but Portugal lost 4-0 to them.

We took it to Portugal, but Bradley screwed up with the giveaway and Ronaldo just made a perfect pass because he is Ronaldo.

The team is already a success to make it out of the Group of Death, but the Portugal tie still stings because it was such a missed opportunity to win the group with a tie against Germany.

That being said, we CAN beat Belgium. They are better, but anything can happen in a winner take all match. Bad giveaway. Early red card. It would be a miracle if we win the whole thing, but not if we were in the final 8.