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Replies: 23
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Junkie [501]
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Michael Bradley cost us that one
Jun 22, 2014, 9:05 PM
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His shot deflecting off a defender from 4 yards away on an open goal and his sloppy passing and ball handling all night (and all tournament) was the dagger at the end. That tie feels like a loss, but we are still very much in it for the round of 16. Before the WC started I thought Bradley was our best player. I still think he can do better but my beliefs in Bradley have been heavily damaged.
The US was unlucky tonight, but lucky vs. Ghana so karma has won again.
USA! USA! USA! Shock the world. Beat Germany and win the group!!!
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Orange Blooded [3516]
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Re: Michael Bradley cost us that one
Jun 22, 2014, 9:17 PM
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I said the same thing and knew that when he tried to possess the ball instead of just clear it to the flag it would spell trouble...he has been a huge disappointment so far. Who would we bring in to play the middle if he were yanked?
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Junkie [501]
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I think we stay with Bradley
Jun 22, 2014, 9:25 PM
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Because sadly there isn't a better answer. I can't think of one. This is America not Germany or Spain. We don't have top flight EPL players on the bench.
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All-In [38422]
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Re: I think we stay with Bradley
Jun 22, 2014, 9:33 PM
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Help me out here .
EPL ?
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Junkie [501]
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EPL
Jun 22, 2014, 10:02 PM
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Is English premier league. Which as you know is the best. Think SEC.
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Hall of Famer [24949]
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no because EPL actually is the best***
Jun 22, 2014, 10:34 PM
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Commissioner [991]
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absolutely correct
Jun 22, 2014, 10:10 PM
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He is there to help maintain possession for the US midfield, and he cant even maintain his own possession. A cone may have done more out there tonight.
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CU Guru [1038]
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Michael Bradley has played like garbage both WC games so far
Jun 23, 2014, 6:43 AM
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inaccurate passes to other players. Missing balls kicked right to him allowing the other team to get possession behind him, giving the ball up way to easy.
In the Ghana game the announcers called him out because he was playing so poorly. In the Portugal game he was playing slightly better but still not at a WC level. He's sucked. He missed that wide open goal shot by just giving the ball a little tap rather than kicking it hard. Then he gave the ball up easier than a slut on prom night that led to Portugal scoring the tying goal. That should have been a W and the USA should've already been locked in for the knockout stage. That's a tie that feels like a loss.
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All-TigerNet [13038]
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MB has probably been our best player leading up to the
Jun 23, 2014, 7:08 AM
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WC. He was really good the first 30 or so minutes yesterday, but aside from that he's had a complete disaster of a WC. It's really a shame because he can be so good at times.
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CU Medallion [50703]
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Nobody is blaming the player who tapped the ball to
Jun 23, 2014, 8:46 AM
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him instead of blasting it toward Portugal's end of the field? I know little about soccer strategy, but I had to coach Rec ball a couple of times and always told my players to get the ball as far away from the goal we were defending as possible with so little time left in the match.
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CU Medallion [64563]
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At that stage of the match it's all about ball retention.
Jun 23, 2014, 9:07 AM
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Simply put, you keep the ball away from your opponent.
The last thing you want to do is allow the opponent to get behind the defense.
The US did a lousy job of ball retention against Ghana in the first match and an equally poor job of it yesteday as well.
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Commissioner [991]
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all that would do is give the ball back to them
Jun 23, 2014, 9:45 AM
[ in reply to Nobody is blaming the player who tapped the ball to ] |
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It takes seconds to get the ball back down the field, at that level of skill you are doing nothing just trying to play kickball. At that point in the game you play keep away.
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All-TigerNet [13190]
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I actually coach soccer...or did
Jun 23, 2014, 4:31 PM
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You do exactly what the rec league coach said. You knock the ball down the field, let Wondo chase it, and get everyone else behind the ball so you don't have C. Ronaldo running at your back line with the ball.
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CU Medallion [64563]
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That may work in Rec league....
Jun 23, 2014, 4:41 PM
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or even against some high school teams but certainly not against top-tier collegiate or EPL level teams.
The ideal strategy is ball retention (i.e., keep the opposing team from possessing the ball by retaining it yourself), and the US did a d@mn poor job of it.
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Standout [312]
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Re: That may work in Rec league....
Jun 23, 2014, 5:54 PM
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That first goal was a gift. It was poor defense. The second goal, Bradly of course lost the ball there, but the game was still not lost. It was lost when the 3 defenders were waiting for the final whistle to blow instead of playing the final ten seconds of the game.
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Commissioner [991]
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I know a thing or two as well
Jun 23, 2014, 9:50 PM
[ in reply to I actually coach soccer...or did ] |
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You do that against a team with any skill whatsoever, and the ball will be back down inside your 18 box in seconds. I am not saying have only 3 guys back; I am saying that possessing the ball is much more important than playing kick ball.
To think otherwise really makes me wonder about the level of soccer coaching going on. That is AYSO middle school coach who wants to win rather than teach his players skill and forethought that will help them in the long run.
We lost our formation, the defense were waiting to hear the whistle, and we gave up possession at a terrible spot on the field, and someone should have been marking Ronaldo even if he had decided to go to the bathroom.
None of that means you should continue to give up possession for field position. This is not Football where field position is a part of the game, LOL. Field position only means something if you have a free kick.
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Orange Blooded [4896]
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I don't follow much soccer but his ball control
Jun 23, 2014, 9:28 AM
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seemed bad. He stood out among USA in his lack of control - even more so in the final minutes. To the point I was wondering if he was throwing the game.
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All-TigerNet [13038]
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His strength is great vision and fantastic touch on his
Jun 23, 2014, 9:39 AM
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passes. He has a skill set that nobody else on the team can provide. He also had a nice few years in the Serie A (top Italian league) playing with Roma (one of the bigger clubs there). He's been arguably the best player on the USMNT the last couple of years.
Unfortunately he's been pretty poor in the WC so far. I don't know if the increased ball pressure has hurt him or what. We don't get pressed by other teams as much when we play Panama, Honduras, CR, Jamaica, etc in the hex during WC qualification so this might be something he's not quite used to right now.
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Hall of Famer [24440]
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i didn't think tim howard had a great game either. that
Jun 23, 2014, 12:37 PM
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first goal was obviously caused by the mis-hit by the defender (who was that?), but i'm not sure what howard was doing on that play. he just looked frozen and unable to react. not much he could have done differently on that second goal unless he had decided to come out.
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CU Medallion [64563]
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Geoff Cameron
Jun 23, 2014, 1:55 PM
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He was actually responsible for both Portugal goals IMO. Not only did his careless boneheaded mistake lead to Portugal's first goal, he was completely out of position to defend the cross and Varela was, therefore, easily able to head the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer.
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Oculus Spirit [81887]
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Hall of Famer [24440]
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seemed like he committed very early on that first goal. but
Jun 23, 2014, 3:22 PM
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i'm not the best goalie in the world, so... 
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110%er [6219]
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Let me preface my comments that I know little to nothing
Jun 23, 2014, 4:11 PM
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about soccer, but Bradley caught my eye all night for being slow to the ball and, often times, downright careless with his passes. I complained to my girlfriend and she proceeded to tell me what an idiot I am... But I really felt that way.
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CU Guru [1052]
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Re: Michael Bradley cost us that one
Jun 23, 2014, 9:52 PM
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Dude, our entire game, meaning offense and defense, runs through Michael Bradley.
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