World Soccer

[NoLeft]

The Soccer Gods have struck. Running up the score (13-0) against overmatched Thailand (2019) then celebrating as if you've just kicked in the Golden Goal to win it all.....all of that was remembered and has now been, albeit partially, compensated for......

[AOD]

The USWNT, formerly the best team in the world, lacked leadership, direction and execution. Tough to win without one of them, impossible to win without all of them.

Rapinoe is a poor leader. She caused many of her teammates to share the burden of the political chip on her shoulder. That cast a pall over the entire team throughout this WC, and dulled their performance at a time when they needed to be razor sharp.

It's probably time for Vlat to go. The team lacked cohesion, and appeared unsure in many key moments. They seemed to be missing an attacking strategy and failed to score in the last 2.5 games. Sure they missed Dansby Swanson's wife, but her presence likely would not have made a difference. In this last game, which by all accounts was their best game, I can't think of a time when they made three consecutive passes that confidently moved the ball through the field. One of the reasons Naomi Gimba was lauded was due to her many attempts to lead an attacker with a long ball.

Execution failed on many fronts, but perhaps none more glaringly than in the PKs. Three failed to put the ball on frame.

I am not a Jason Whitlock fan, but there are many truths in his recent screed.

[ardilla secreta]

I don’t follow the activities of Rapinoe to have an opinion on her effect on the team’s mentality, but it’s pretty obvious she had no business being on the squad. Her corner and free kicks were weak and ineffective and her pk was awful. She had no juice and it hurt the team.

After the Netherlands game it was pretty obvious they weren’t going far this year.

[tech37]

https://www.cnn.com/sport/live-news/usw ... index.html


The United States has crashed out of the Women's World Cup after losing a dramatic penalty shootout against Sweden.
The Americans created most of the chances during the match – but were foiled at key moments by Swedish goalkeeper Zećira Mušović, who made crucial stops against Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan.


So many missed opportunities. USA took more SOGs and appeared to to have more TOP. But again, poor striking skills: USA kicked the ball all too often. However in soccer, you don't kick the ball - you STRIKE the ball. This especially in PKs.

Sweden won 5-4 on PKs.



Note: only four goals in four games for our girls. Jeepers.

Best thing is we don't hopefully have to listen to all any more of their self-serving BS every day. They lost and the sooner they get over it the better.

+ 100,000.
Jason's two-cents worth....well, maybe dime's worth.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/ja ... r-AA1eL86v

Dime's worth? Keep going DMac... wow!

[Brooklyn]

I don’t follow the activities of Rapinoe to have an opinion on her effect on the team’s mentality, but it’s pretty obvious she had no business being on the squad. Her corner and free kicks were weak and ineffective and her pk was awful. She had no juice and it hurt the team.

After the Netherlands game it was pretty obvious they weren’t going far this year.

I've watched soccer for over 60 years and believe I know it quite well. To me, the team was obviously unprepared. Sure they could run up points on smaller, less qualified teams. But they lacked the intensity, focus, and sharpness required for those finals qualifiers. Again, they "kicked" the ball at the goal mouth when they should be striking, not kicking the ball. Further, you could see that they lacked the proper conditioning and got tired towards the end of the match. This is why their PKs were so puny. I would not blame Megan for any of that. All this should be attributed to the coach as Ariane Hingst did. She knows the sport better than any of us and her views squares with mine.

[AOD]

I don’t follow the activities of Rapinoe to have an opinion on her effect on the team’s mentality, but it’s pretty obvious she had no business being on the squad. Her corner and free kicks were weak and ineffective and her pk was awful. She had no juice and it hurt the team.

After the Netherlands game it was pretty obvious they weren’t going far this year.

I've watched soccer for over 60 years and believe I know it quite well. To me, the team was obviously unprepared. Sure they could run up points on smaller, less qualified teams. But they lacked the intensity, focus, and sharpness required for those finals qualifiers. Again, they "kicked" the ball at the goal mouth when they should be striking, not kicking the ball. Further, you could see that they lacked the proper conditioning and got tired towards the end of the match. This is why their PKs were so puny. I would not blame Megan for any of that. All this should be attributed to the coach as Ariane Hingst did. She knows the sport better than any of us and her views squares with mine.

Not sure I agree Brookie with your connection between conditioning and PKs. Three of the kicks were taken by players who saw 30 minutes or less of game time. Smith was a poor choice at that moment. Her eyes revealed her lack of confidence in that situation.

I suppose Trump has poisoned this topic. But I still feel Rapinoe lacked a true commitment to the team, and her presence served only to distract.

[Matnum PI]

France looks strong. I'm seeing a France-Japan final with France walking away the winners...

[Brooklyn]

I don’t follow the activities of Rapinoe to have an opinion on her effect on the team’s mentality, but it’s pretty obvious she had no business being on the squad. Her corner and free kicks were weak and ineffective and her pk was awful. She had no juice and it hurt the team.

After the Netherlands game it was pretty obvious they weren’t going far this year.

I've watched soccer for over 60 years and believe I know it quite well. To me, the team was obviously unprepared. Sure they could run up points on smaller, less qualified teams. But they lacked the intensity, focus, and sharpness required for those finals qualifiers. Again, they "kicked" the ball at the goal mouth when they should be striking, not kicking the ball. Further, you could see that they lacked the proper conditioning and got tired towards the end of the match. This is why their PKs were so puny. I would not blame Megan for any of that. All this should be attributed to the coach as Ariane Hingst did. She knows the sport better than any of us and her views squares with mine.

Not sure I agree Brookie with your connection between conditioning and PKs. Three of the kicks were taken by players who saw 30 minutes or less of game time. Smith was a poor choice at that moment. Her eyes revealed her lack of confidence in that situation.

I suppose Trump has poisoned this topic. But I still feel Rapinoe lacked a true commitment to the team, and her presence served only to distract.

No question that the team lacked 100% unity. But it is the coach's responsibility to draw attention away from personal concerns and to compel the players to focus upon the task at hand. While tRump to nobody's surprise did not help ease the tension, he, too, is not responsible for any trouble on the team. As I said before, responsibility goes to the top and it is Coach Vlatko Andonovski's who must answer for the team's failings. In soccer, unlike other sports, the coach answers. ALWAYS. Please note that German born expert commentator Ariane Hingst has been involved in the game for 37 years and her views square precisely with mine.

So what next?

If I was coach, the first thing I'll do is to openly challenge all players to summarily dismiss any extraneous notions from the task at hand. It follows that I will only hire coaches who have the same aim in mind. We want that winning Cup and will put our attention strictly upon its achievement. No distractions, no tears, no excuses. Focus on winning. If that won't work to bring back the championship Cup then nothing will.

[Seacoaster(1)]

France looks strong. I'm seeing a France-Japan final with France walking away the winners...

I think the Netherlands beats Spain.

I think Japan beats the Swedes.

I think Australia rides the home crowd and beats France. I always root for the team playing France. It’s mental health problem at this point.

I think England beats Colombia.

Basically, I’m all in for England (which may doom them), and want to see an England v. Downunda semi.

[Matnum PI]

Netherlands-Japan-France-England
France-Japan
France

[Seacoaster(1)]

France looks strong. I'm seeing a France-Japan final with France walking away the winners...

I think the Netherlands beats Spain.

I think Japan beats the Swedes.

I think Australia rides the home crowd and beats France. I always root for the team playing France. It’s mental health problem at this point.

I think England beats Colombia.

Basically, I’m all in for England (which may doom them), and want to see an England v. Downunda semi.

Well, so far I’m completely wrong. As usual.

[Brooklyn]

U.S. women national anthem hypocrisy revealed


https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/ ... 93c7&ei=20


Throughout the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the United States Women’s National Team has faced a lot of criticism after a few players chose to remain silent during the playing of the national anthem. But as one USWNT beat writer points out, it’s quite hypocritical for people to be angry about this given that they weren’t angry at other U.S. teams doing the same thing.

This week, USWNT beat writer Meg Linehan of The Athletic pointed out that several other athletes representing the United States have done the exact same thing during the national anthem but have not faced the same criticism.

“The USWNT press corps — people like me who cover this team on an everyday basis — chose not to engage in that topic because it clearly wasn’t about singing the anthem. If it had been, I might have pointed out that most of the USA baseball team didn’t sing the anthem in the final of the World Baseball Classic this year, or that the USA men’s basketball team didn’t sing the anthem in the Olympic gold medal game in 2021. I could have pointed to a significant number of USMNT players who didn’t sing the anthem at the last World Cup, or identified the same among other countries who have competed in New Zealand and Australia over the last few weeks,” Linehan wrote for The Athletic.

More than that, Linehan also pointed out that the team was actually following the U.S. guideline for conduct during the national anthem by the book.

“I might even have pointed out that the U.S. law concerning behavior during the playing of the national anthem (U.S. Code Title 36, Chapter 10, Section 171) makes exactly zero mention of singing. What it does mention, though, is standing. That isn’t something that was debated rationally very often in the buildup to World Cup 2019, but at least there was a basis to do so,” Linehan.

It’s clear that those angry about the women staying silent during the national anthem were simply looking for something to be angry about. Because their anger was not rational.





Not singing and anything related to it is nothing more than marginalia. The key issue was as I posted above.

[Brooklyn]

Megan Rapinoe silences critics who call her ‘anti-American’


https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/me ... 3156&ei=12


Throughout her soccer career, United States Women’s National Team superstar Megan Rapinoe has received a lot of criticism as she has been a vocal advocate for social causes and the LGBTQ community, even going as far as to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial inequality in the United States. But that does not mean she was proud to represent her country throughout her career.

With her career now over after the USWNT was eliminated from the World Cup this week, Megan Rapinoe made a post on Instagram where she addressed the unfortunate conclusion of her career and expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to represent her country for two decades.

“It has been my honor to play for our country, with so many incredible women, for so many years. Thank you, a million times over,” Rapinoe said at the conclusion of her post.

These comments from Rapinoe align with what her fiancée Sue Bird – a WNBA legend – said about her during a recent segment on ESPN when Bird praised Rapinoe for her “patriotism” and made it clear that her protests during the national anthem were because she “loved her country.”

“Her patriotism has led her to lend her voice to those who need it,” Bird said in the segment. “When she started kneeling to protest racial inequality in the United States, she did it because she loved America and beloved it could be a better version of itself.”

It’s clear that Rapinoe does very much care about her country – just not blindly without seeing its flaws and trying to fix them.




Miss Megan is a true patriot!

[Matnum PI]

Miss Megan is a true patriot!

Taking a knee, racism, yes. Speaking about the WNT salaries and the LGBTQ+ community which was, by far, her cause célèbre, maybe a little less selfless than her one knee...

Sweden, Spain. Japan, Netherlands go home. More "upsets"...

[Matnum PI]

Well, so far I’m completely wrong. As usual.

You and I both. But France and England can save me!

[njbill]

The great news here in Philly is that Messi is coming to town. Will be playing the Union at Subaru Park (fka PPL Park).

The bad news is they are raising ticket prices TEN TIMES. A regular $35 seat is going for $350!!!

He better score a lot of goals. Wait. I'm rooting for the Union. He can score as long as the Union wins.

[FannOLax]

France looks strong. I'm seeing a France-Japan final with France walking away the winners...

I think the Netherlands beats Spain.

I think Japan beats the Swedes.

I think Australia rides the home crowd and beats France. I always root for the team playing France. It’s mental health problem at this point.

I think England beats Colombia.

Basically, I’m all in for England (which may doom them), and want to see an England v. Downunda semi.

Well, so far I’m completely wrong. As usual.

I'm happy that England made you right about that game.

[Seacoaster(1)]

France looks strong. I'm seeing a France-Japan final with France walking away the winners...

I think the Netherlands beats Spain.

I think Japan beats the Swedes.

I think Australia rides the home crowd and beats France. I always root for the team playing France. It’s mental health problem at this point.

I think England beats Colombia.

Basically, I’m all in for England (which may doom them), and want to see an England v. Downunda semi.

Well, so far I’m completely wrong. As usual.

I'm happy that England made you right about that game.

Yup, the blind squirrel found a nut, maybe a couple. Who do you like in the semis?

I’ll go with England and Spain.

[ardilla secreta]

Netherlands-Japan-France-England
France-Japan
France

I’m guessing you’ve never seen France take PKs!

[ardilla secreta]

The great news here in Philly is that Messi is coming to town. Will be playing the Union at Subaru Park (fka PPL Park).

The bad news is they are raising ticket prices TEN TIMES. A regular $35 seat is going for $350!!!

He better score a lot of goals. Wait. I'm rooting for the Union. He can score as long as the Union wins.

In the spirit, you have to be there to throw a battery at his noggin.