There's been some discussion in the Misc News thread but I thought I'd make a dedicated thread.

Currently watching USA vs. Netherlands.

USA has some great forward movement but every time they get into the Dutch area they have no ideas how to get past the defence. Just repeatedly running into a wall of defenders. Not able to convert their possession into goals.

Meanwhile both Dutch goals have come out of nowhere.

USA is gonna need a major turnaround to get to the quarter-finals.

 

Two moments of extremely lazy tracking will do this to you at this level. The dutch have come out with a plan and executed it well to be fair, but if you want to make it to the quarterfinals of the world cup you just can't be losing runners the way the US have.

Here's to hoping Berhalter drops whatever strange spiteful grudge he's developed against Gio Reyna and that the US figures out how not to sprint into a centerback at the edge of the eighteen or scuff the few shots we do decide to take. Sure would've been nice if we brought a half-decent striker to back up Sargent.

 

US scores! Can they get another in 15 mins?

Edit: lmao never mind.

 

We really saw we had a chance and said let's lose our runner in the box a third time. What a silly way to send ourselves home.

 

So I assume every neutral is backing Australia against Argentina.

Chances are they will get slaughtered, even by an Argentina which has been in bad form. But it would be hilarious if Australia could knock them out.

 

Personally I'm pulling for Argentina. One for Messi's sake, and two because that possible Brazil Argentina Semifinal looks sexy.

Looking good for Argentina through 40 minutes. No offense to the Socceroos but chasing the game really isn't where they want to be.

 

Argentina had an iffy first game, but before the World Cup they've been in phenomenal form. They won the most recent Copa America and completely blew away Italy at Wembley in that UEFA vs CONMEBOL cup. They were even on a historic winning streak before the Saudi Arabia bit. If you zoom out, this is the Argentina in qualifiers and the first couple of games were a blip

 

Yeah nah, full credit to the boys, gave it 110%. Don't think anyone here expected them to be still in the game to the last few minutes against a team like Argentina. Guess I'll start going for the Argies now, that way if they win we can claim we can only be taken out by the future champs if we make it past group stage. At least this loss was a lot easier to swallow than Italy 2006.

 

Odds on Senegal knocking England out?

I'm feeling 50-50.

 

Slow game with late Economy Maguire goal. Poor guy needs a break with all the strays he's getting hit by.

 

25 mins to go and it feels like a comfortable, in control win. This is most alien.

 

So... Brazil are gonna win the World Cup, huh.

 

And they even grabbed Dani Alves from the retirement home to let him complete his trophy cabinet.

 

This World Cup (by virtue of some group stage upsets) has set up a delicious set of quarterfinals. We're looking at The Netherlands/Argentina, Brazil/Croatia, England/France, and (if the favored teams win) potentially Portugal/Spain. Sad that we're not going to get a cinderella run like Costa Rica (2014) or even the US (02), but all are going to be great matchups for the neutral.

Brazil will stay the favorites as long as Neymar is on the pitch. As quality as they are up and down the pitch, the attack loses fluidity without Neymar's understanding of space and ability to play that final ball. If he gets injured again, they're going to have to rely on their defense (obviously excellent) and grind out some wins like they did against Switzerland.

 

I'm just glad it didn't turn out like 2018 with the three best teams by miles - France, Belgium, and Brazil - all stuck on the same side of the bracket. It left the Brazil-Belgium quarterfinal and the France-Belgium semifinal the best games quality-wise, while the third-place match and final were both washes. Brazil, Argentina, Netherlands on one side, and England, France, Spain, Portugal on the other is so, so much better.

 

Spain so boring to watch. Hoping Morocco score on the break just to inject some life into the game.

 

This tactic of taking Busquets out of the game by cutting off passing lanes to him seems to be working. Spain dominating possession, but working their way mostly down the sides of the pitch where they’re not quite the same threat. Gavi and Pedri had to drop all the way back to the the CBs just to get on the ball.

Good stuff from Morocco but they need to put away those chances when they get them.

 

Lmao, well that's what you get for playing keep-ball for 120 minutes instead of attacking football.

RIP Spain.

 

Ronaldo not starting for Portugal and looks to have fallen out with Santos similar to how he did with Ten Hag. I actually think him not playing will be better for Portugal, and definitely better for Bruno Fernandes who plays much better without Ronaldo clogging up his space

 

Lol, Spain didn't score even in the penalty shootout. How did they even manage to get 7 goals against Costa Rica?