[Rob Instigator]

yeah that shit was FUCKED up. The ref stabbed a player, then the crowd beheads the ref! what the F?

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

yeah that shit was FUCKED up. The ref stabbed a player, then the crowd beheads the ref! what the F?

what is worse is it was both just a FRIENDLY and just an AMATEUR game? To me, that is penultimate what the fuck??

 

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Given the nature of tournament football (especially international tournament football), I think tactics play a relatively minor role. Besides obviously talent, fitness, etc, the next most important ingredient for winning something like the Euros or the WC, in my opinion (besides a bit of luck) is nerve, or strength of character. No one can question the talent of a number of German players during the Low era but, you'd have to agree, there's been doubts about quite a few of them in that particular area, at least until only very recently. Spain didn't always win every tournament by playing brilliant football, but they were always unflappable in the big games. For all their diminutive stature and emphasis on flair rather than strength, they were as hard as nails where they needed to be. Ramos? Puyol? Busquets? These weren't necessarily the most technically gifted players but they were all big game ones. Add that to the ice cool intelligence of Xavi and Xabi-Alonso, and the out and out skill of Iniesta, and you have the real reason why Spain were able to dominate the way they did.

We can blame some of Germany's alleged mental fragility on Low but it was something that, until last season, also appeared to be an issue with Heynckes' Bayern. So we really have to point the finger mainly at individual players. (And Low did take them to a final, in Euro 2008.)

oh, shit! yeah i boned the dates-- i actually didn't (couldn't) watch the 2008 euros. the loss to italy was on the 2006 world cup semis and it was klinsmann's team (though reportedly w/ low's tactics who was his assistant).

i'll have to disagree with you on the tactical front. picking your formation to beat the opponent is crucial to ANY game. harnessing your player's talents in the right formation is essential as well. yes, players either choke or rise to the occasion, no question about that, but tactics, primitive as they may be vs. , are central to victory or defeat, and have made football history, even when teams weren't champions--- hungary 56, netherlands 74, etc etc.. so yes i give you the increased role of a players character no doubt but how teams are laid out and who occupies each seat (and hell, who gets called up) are absolutely vital. smart coaches win games and stupid ones lose them. knowing what your players can or cannot do-- vital. the relationship of player and coach-- ha! ask the french! a lot rests on those shoulders.

eh, im on a brief hit-and-run post here but if you get a chance to get by your office scanner... or shit, just a phone photo should suffice, the perfect is the enemy of the good eh? thanks man.

alright man thanks!

ps- okay, maybe low has just been unlucky. and maybe it DOES bug me that he eats boogers. on camera. creepy

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

ps- okay, maybe low has just been unlucky. and maybe it DOES bug me that he eats boogers. on camera. creepy

The thing is I love his eccentricities: the haircut; the slightly too tight matching outfits for him and Flick; the weirdly effete manner. He half reminds me of those celebrity lifestyle gurus you had in California in the 80s. But as you know, my default setting is to never want Germany to win, so as long as he continues to entertain me with his quirks while consistently taking Germany just far enough to ensure he keeps his job, without them actually winning anything, I'm happy.

Re the article, I'm on summer break at work so I'm not going in as much as normal. I have a meeting on the 17th though so I can scan it then (I'm the only person I know who still doesn't have any kind of mobile phone/camera).

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

So are we all going to ignore the recent beheading in Brazil?

Wow. I never knew anything about it. Just googled it. So a referee stabs a player to death during a game, then fans run on and behead the referee, putting his head on a stake in the middle of the pitch. Hard to know what to say really, other than wow. I mean where do you even start?

I loved the police statement: "Actions like this do not correspond with state law."

Ya don't say.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

lost in the semis to italy in the 2012 euros

i mean, i love the attacking style that he helped klinsmann introduce,

.

Speaking of Klinsman, all respect due to Bob Bradley but the US Men's Team is playing like a different animal, even with our b-side roster in the Gold Cup. This US-Belize game was a lot of fun, and Belize didn't look as outplayed until after the first 40 minutes. Well. They did look like the team of amateurs playing against a foreign team on their home field BUT their goalkeeper was damn good, it could have been like 15 goals by the US if that dude wasn't on it

[demonrail666]

Pep's apparently making a big move to take Barca's Thiago Alcantara to Bayern. Not sure how that'd impact on the current Bayern midfield set up if Pep does get him but he'd be a great buy, imo. He's only 22 but definitely one of Spain's future stars.

 

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Refs bailed out Mexico with a bullshit penalty kick which absolutely destroyed the morale of an otherwise surprisingly competitive Canada which may have at least been able to bring it to a draw. I still predict Mexico's decline (their rankings are still good, they just haven't passed the smell test to me in a year whereas they were HOT just a little over a year ago) in CONCACAF at a time when US is getting stronger by the game. They just haven't been themselves for the past year, just as other teams like US, Panama, and Costa Rica are rising..

Interestingly enough, I find myself totally agreeing the current FIFA rankings..

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Interestingly enough, I find myself totally agreeing the current FIFA rankings..

You do? You still think Spain are the no.1 national team even though they were comprehensively beaten by Brazil, who apparently aren't even as good as Uruguay, who they also beat? And how the fuck does Colombia get to be placed 3rd?

EDIT: Hang on. were you just referring to concacaf? (the link defers to the overall list), in which case you're probably right, although I've only really seen the top two teams play.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

The thing is I love his eccentricities: the haircut; the slightly too tight matching outfits for him and Flick; the weirdly effete manner. He half reminds me of those celebrity lifestyle gurus you had in California in the 80s. But as you know, my default setting is to never want Germany to win, so as long as he continues to entertain me with his quirks while consistently taking Germany just far enough to ensure he keeps his job, without them actually winning anything, I'm happy.

Re the article, I'm on summer break at work so I'm not going in as much as normal. I have a meeting on the 17th though so I can scan it then (I'm the only person I know who still doesn't have any kind of mobile phone/camera).

oh shit man sorry i didn't mean to get all pushy. don't sweat it.

i used to not mind germany win/don't win but i wanna see a great squad go far. nowadays that im bundesligaed i suppose i favor them more.

also: thiago silva-- WTF is guardiola cooking up? javi martinez at the back? (i wouldn't mind the loss of boateng actually-- he's good but not tat good-- and badstuber is probably ruined for life plus he had a terrible temper anyway always getting yellow cards)

i can't wait to SEEEEEE!!!!

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

all respect due to Bob Bradley

a nice man of good character, but in football terms just a dude who played in princeton in the 60s or whenever-- in other words, a nobody with LITTLE and irrelevant experience.

i gotta see the klinsmann squad again but this concacaf golden cup sounds pretty ridiculous to my spoiled ears. call me when they play a serious team. say a friendly with argentina?

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

You do? You still think Spain are the no.1 national team even though they were comprehensively beaten by Brazil, who apparently aren't even as good as Uruguay, who they also beat? And how the fuck does Colombia get to be placed 3rd?

EDIT: Hang on. were you just referring to concacaf? (the link defers to the overall list), in which case you're probably right, although I've only really seen the top two teams play.

The FIFA ranking to me is an all things considering, and at this point, while I predict Spain's decline, that one loss in the Confederation Cup doesn't knock them off the top of the list just yet. Yes, I was referring to CONCACAF, but I posted a link to their rankings too. Mexico is number one BUT they are falling just as US is rising.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

i gotta see the klinsmann squad again but this concacaf golden cup sounds pretty ridiculous to my spoiled ears. call me when they play a serious team. say a friendly with argentina?

We beat Germany 4-3 a few weeks ago

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

We beat Germany 4-3 a few weeks ago

oh shit, i was moving house at the time.

i'll check out the highlights & see what i can gather.

[!@#$%!]

ok, so far i see this:

Germany: ter Stegen, Jansen (Aogo '46), Mertesacker (Wollcheid '46), Howedes; Reinhartz, L. Bender (Westermann '46), S. Bender (Kruse '46), Draxler, Podolski, Schurrle (Sam '68), Klose


--


none of them is in the first team. regardless, beating germany's 2nd or 3rd squad is not bad at all. sure is better than losing!

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Whats impressive at this point isn't necessarily the caliber of opponents beaten, but the increasing development of skilled offensive playing, smart defense, and a scathing attack. We've been scoring an average of 3.6 goals per game over the past 4 months, THAT is very new for the US who traditionally have had NO problem on defense but a hell of a time scoring goals.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Whats impressive at this point isn't necessarily the caliber of opponents beaten, but the increasing development of skilled offensive playing, smart defense, and a scathing attack. We've been scoring an average of 3.6 goals per game over the past 4 months, THAT is very new for the US who traditionally have had NO problem on defense but a hell of a time scoring goals.

i wouldn't say "no problem on defense' but attacking football is way more fun.

clint fucking dempsey! awesome!

alright. i'm still not sold because we have so many shit players but here's hoping.

laters!

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

i wouldn't say "no problem on defense' but attacking football is way more fun.

clint fucking dempsey! awesome!

alright. i'm still not sold because we have so many shit players but here's hoping.

laters!

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Clint Dempsey err.. !@#$%! again.
US defense was about THE ONLY thing keeping them in the 20s and mid-teens in the FIFA ranking over the past few years, the only thing keeping us winning and getting runner up in the Gold Cup, and the only thing keeping us in the past three world cups, because simply put, we couldn't score a goal to save our lives, but we were damn good at stopping others from doing the same. The typical story line of every US win under Bradley was that the other team had more possession time, more kicks on goal, more strikes in general, and looked more or less like they were going to win until US got a clutch stop. Hence why defense was the name of our game, but under Klinsmann we've developed some offensive skill.

I agree, I am reserving judgment until the World Cup Qualifiers begin again, but the US team is definitely looking better than we have in 10 years so there more to look forward to than not

[Rob Instigator]

why don;t you guys post awesome futbol animations????

[demonrail666]

just for you ...

 

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

i used to not mind germany win/don't win but i wanna see a great squad go far. nowadays that im bundesligaed i suppose i favor them more.

also: thiago silva-- WTF is guardiola cooking up? javi martinez at the back? (i wouldn't mind the loss of boateng actually-- he's good but not tat good-- and badstuber is probably ruined for life plus he had a terrible temper anyway always getting yellow cards)

i can't wait to SEEEEEE!!!!

It's the other Thiago. Alcantaro, not Silva. He's not as well known but Pep apparently loves him. Man U want him too.

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Whats impressive at this point isn't necessarily the caliber of opponents beaten, but the increasing development of skilled offensive playing, smart defense, and a scathing attack. We've been scoring an average of 3.6 goals per game over the past 4 months, THAT is very new for the US who traditionally have had NO problem on defense but a hell of a time scoring goals.

You and el Symbols are better placed to know but I think these periods where USA start to look good occur quite frequently. Its problem seems to be with consistently producing young players good enough to keep the momentum going. Mexico are in a dip at the moment but they've got some great young players waiting to emerge.

[Rob Instigator]

I am forever grateful.....