FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014

[olympicoscar]

Random Thoughts. I don't think I've yet seen the winner of the tournament. Columbia looked good, but playing Greece will do that. Netherlands looked the best, and could go a long way.

Spain is still in it, but a change in goal is mandatory. Remaining games are both winnable and 6 points is more than enough.

From group A I still like Brazil and Croatia to advance. Cameroon looks really bad. Mexico has a chance.

From group B, Netherlands and Spain to advance. Chile and Spain will clash in the key game in this group. Even a tie would be fatal for Spain. Chile did look good against the Aussies who have no chance.

I originally picked Columbia and the Ivory Coast to advance in Group C and that looks pretty good.

Group D is tough. I picked Italy and England to advance. Uruguay is in big trouble. I can't see them advancing. What to make of Costa Rico? A good team but the English and Italians are more disciplined and should both beat them. No clear favorite here, but Uruguay must beat either England or Italy and at least tie the other to have a chance. I'll go with Italy and England my first choice, though I admit to not being real happy with the English play today.

 

[night]

You can tell as soon as he felt the hands on his hips he was like "yup, time to hit the dirt".

 

[bksballer89]

That Columbia dance after the first goal was hilarious

 

[bksballer89]

28 goals through 8 games after just 13 in the same amount of games in south Africa

 

[lasportzphan]

Random Thoughts. I don't think I've yet seen the winner of the tournament. Columbia looked good, but playing Greece will do that. Netherlands looked the best, and could go a long way.

Spain is still in it, but a change in goal is mandatory. Remaining games are both winnable and 6 points is more than enough.

From group A I still like Brazil and Croatia to advance. Cameroon looks really bad. Mexico has a chance.

From group B, Netherlands and Spain to advance. Chile and Spain will clash in the key game in this group. Even a tie would be fatal for Spain. Chile did look good against the Aussies who have no chance.

I originally picked Columbia and the Ivory Coast to advance in Group C and that looks pretty good.

Group D is tough. I picked Italy and England to advance. Uruguay is in big trouble. I can't see them advancing. What to make of Costa Rico? A good team but the English and Italians are more disciplined and should both beat them. No clear favorite here, but Uruguay must beat either England or Italy and at least tie the other to have a chance. I'll go with Italy and England my first choice, though I admit to not being real happy with the English play today.

A good, quick overview... I would add that group is the most fascinating of the groups now. Looks like anyone can best anyone.

 

[ugafan6612]

CONCACAF CONCACAF CONCACAF!!!!!!

 

[RobToxin]

Chad Johnson Ochocincodemayo makes Twitter bet:

 

[Tainthappening]

Group D is tough. I picked Italy and England to advance. Uruguay is in big trouble. I can't see them advancing. What to make of Costa Rico? A good team but the English and Italians are more disciplined and should both beat them. No clear favorite here, but Uruguay must beat either England or Italy and at least tie the other to have a chance. I'll go with Italy and England my first choice, though I admit to not being real happy with the English play today.

Uruguay is going no where if Suarez does not return for England game and they already lost Pereira for the next match.

 

[RegentDenali]

"Fábio Coentrão and Hugo Almeida will be out of action for a minimum of 10 days" - Portugal doctor Henrique Jones.

If true, that's the USA and Ghana games for them.

 

[romeo212000]

So now what does the USA do without Jozy? I think Besler will be fine, and obviously Clint will, but losing Jozy is a huge blow. I don't see any way he can play before the knockout stage.

 

[ckhokie]

I'd be shocked if he plays in the remaining Group stage.

I think Wondo will get the nod on Sunday. Johannsson wasn't very effective holding the ball or creating, and once Deuce took the shot to the face, it was like his day was done also.

Regardless of who is playing up top, we need to have some pressure or at least cut off passing lanes to make it a little tougher for whoever we're playing to build from the back. Ghana had no trouble building through the back and into the midfield yesterday. Open attacks down the flank are going to be a lot tougher to deal with when its Ronaldo with the ball. Germany was able to take Ronaldo out of the game simply because they didn't let him get the ball.

 

[romeo212000]

I'd be shocked if he plays in the remaining Group stage.

I think Wondo will get the nod on Sunday. Johannsson wasn't very effective holding the ball or creating, and once Deuce took the shot to the face, it was like his day was done also.

Regardless of who is playing up top, we need to have some pressure or at least cut off passing lanes to make it a little tougher for whoever we're playing to build from the back. Ghana had no trouble building through the back and into the midfield yesterday. Open attacks down the flank are going to be a lot tougher to deal with when its Ronaldo with the ball. Germany was able to take Ronaldo out of the game simply because they didn't let him get the ball.

Bradley won't have another game where he plays that badly, and I could see Wondo getting the nod because Johanssen is not a hold up forward. I will say he did a good job making Ghana account for him, but you have to understand he was basically on an island out there with zero service.

 

[ckhokie]

Not sure what the deal was with Bradley last night, but that's about as bad as I've ever seen him play. I know playing so many defensive guys, he's not going to get a ton of help in the middle, especially on the attack, but it was like he couldn't even complete passes.

I agree he won't play that poorly again.

 

[CalamityX11]

I've been posting about Bradley's poor play, not just this game but in the last friendlies.... he needs to shape up!

 

[romeo212000]

I've been posting about Bradley's poor play, not just this game but in the last friendlies.... he needs to shape up!

You've been way off up till now. Don't feel vindicated because he had a poor game. In fact, the opposite should be true since the offense clearly stalled because he was having such a poor game for the first time in the last several matches.

 

[jarntt]

Not sure what the deal was with Bradley last night, but that's about as bad as I've ever seen him play. I know playing so many defensive guys, he's not going to get a ton of help in the middle, especially on the attack, but it was like he couldn't even complete passes.

I agree he won't play that poorly again.

I think he just did not have the foot speed to keep up with Ghana and it also wore him down. Plus the early goal and then the injuries kind of changed how we played. I agree that he won't play that poorly agian. I thought he was fantastic in the last two friendlies and I expect to see some of that in the next two matches. The poor passing and defense by him is what surprised (and worried) me the most.

 

[jarntt]

Beat Ghana, then I'll say we've evolved. But the US has not beat an elite A team in the World Cup... Ever.

SOOOOOOOOOOO...........we've evolved?

 

[ckhokie]

I think he just did not have the foot speed to keep up with Ghana and it also wore him down. Plus the early goal and then the injuries kind of changed how we played. I agree that he won't play that poorly agian. I thought he was fantastic in the last two friendlies and I expect to see some of that in the next two matches. The poor passing and defense by him is what surprised (and worried) me the most.

After the early goal, Bradly was playing behind Beckerman - who is not the guy who is going to create anything offensively in the middle. I think the move to do that took Bradley out of the game early, and being so far behind the forwards for so long, and then Jozy going down, forced his hand at times. He was never in a position to play well.

 

[CalamityX11]

You've been way off up till now. Don't feel vindicated because he had a poor game. In fact, the opposite should be true since the offense clearly stalled because he was having such a poor game for the first time in the last several matches.

idk... I saw few poor touches from him, poor passing and overcommitting at times... of course there could be plays that he was good which I didn't see(games prior to Ghana)


any case, next game he and several others, need to step up...

 

[romeo212000]

idk... I saw few poor touches from him, poor passing and overcommitting at times... of course there could be plays that he was good which I didn't see(games prior to Ghana)


any case, next game he and several others, need to step up...

There's a reason you're in the minority on Bradley.