Bear Down Wildcats

If we beat Portugal, we advance. That should be sufficient motivation.

77HoyaCat4Ever wrote:If we beat Portugal, we advance. That should be sufficient motivation.

yup. doesn't matter how, but win tomorrow means we move on, even if we lose 4-0 to germany.

Longhorned wrote:Goal differential is another one of those challenges Americans face in trying to identify with this sport.

"A win is a win!"

"No it isn't."

"Well, we beat them, so we own the head-to-head."

"No you don't. You beat them, but they might beat somebody else by so many points that you go home."

"Oh. So our players should have just fallen down and writhed in pain. Now I get it."

And that's why it's called "The Beautiful Game".

ASUHATER! wrote:

77HoyaCat4Ever wrote:If we beat Portugal, we advance. That should be sufficient motivation.

yup. doesn't matter how, but win tomorrow means we move on, even if we lose 4-0 to germany.

That's the way I see it. The US should go for the win, especially if they feel they can't beat Germany. What concerns me the most though is Altidore being out. Scoring is going to be much tougher.

Start Zusi, control the midfield, lock up the central defense, dont let Ronaldo run at Johnson and get the W.

Win and we are in. If you would have given me those odds last December, after the first match, I would have gladly taken them.

I think Ronaldo is more hurt than it's being let on. USA 2-1

Fuck Portugal

Ronaldo is not 100%.

More than a punchers chance.

I love the fluidity and nuance in soccer. I also think coalition government is better than our winner take all garbage.

But what do i know.

Alieberman wrote:Fuck Portugal

Ditto .......

TucsonClip wrote:Start Zusi, control the midfield, lock up the central defense, dont let Ronaldo run at Johnson and get the W.

Win and we are in. If you would have given me those odds last December, after the first match, I would have gladly taken them.

You have to start Bedoya over Zusi. Zusi is a massive defensive liability and won't give Fabian any help with Chrissy. Do you think it's a coincidence that Ghana scored off that side after Zusi came in?

Why don't they have replay on goals where offsides calls are made / not made?

From the games I've watched, it's certainly needed. Horrible offsides called against Bosnia today cost them the match.

legallykenny wrote:

TucsonClip wrote:Start Zusi, control the midfield, lock up the central defense, dont let Ronaldo run at Johnson and get the W.

Win and we are in. If you would have given me those odds last December, after the first match, I would have gladly taken them.

You have to start Bedoya over Zusi. Zusi is a massive defensive liability and won't give Fabian any help with Chrissy. Do you think it's a coincidence that Ghana scored off that side after Zusi came in?

I wouldnt start him over Bedoya. I wouldnt mind seeing them trot out 5 midfielders and control the center of the pitch, while Cameron slides to help Johnson and Beckerman slides back to help in the center.

Doubt that happens, as Klinsy will likely keep 2 up top in some shape going for the W. Still, I think if we can control the midfield and frustrate Portugal, it makes it easier to keep the ball from reaching Ronaldo in 1v1 situations.

TucsonClip wrote:

legallykenny wrote:

TucsonClip wrote:Start Zusi, control the midfield, lock up the central defense, dont let Ronaldo run at Johnson and get the W.

Win and we are in. If you would have given me those odds last December, after the first match, I would have gladly taken them.

You have to start Bedoya over Zusi. Zusi is a massive defensive liability and won't give Fabian any help with Chrissy. Do you think it's a coincidence that Ghana scored off that side after Zusi came in?

I wouldnt start him over Bedoya. I wouldnt mind seeing them trot out 5 midfielders and control the center of the pitch, while Cameron slides to help Johnson and Beckerman slides back to help in the center.

Doubt that happens, as Klinsy will likely keep 2 up top in some shape going for the W. Still, I think if we can control the midfield and frustrate Portugal, it makes it easier to keep the ball from reaching Ronaldo in 1v1 situations.

I'm having trouble picturing your lineup here as Cameron will be starting at center back.

legallykenny wrote:I'm having trouble picturing your lineup here as Cameron will be starting at center back.

Sorry, I was talking about how if we start Zusi, we can help overload on the left side to help Johnson against Ronaldo. Cameron can slide over to help at times, while Beckerman falls right in front of where Cameron would have been.

Basically, I don't think we can let Portugal control the ball, even if that was the gameplan against Ghana. I think if we possess the ball enough we will break Portugal and adding Zusi definitely allows us more creativity in the middle to control the ball.

Like I said, I doubt it happens, but we need to control possession this game and control the center of the field again.

Portugal is also going to miss two starting defenders and their target forward Hugo Almeida. Bruno Alves another defender didn't practice today and will decide tomorrow if he is in the starting 11. Not to mention that I have seen a recent report that the Portugal keeper has a thigh injury and will miss the game (not exactly confirmed). That is alot of injuries to starting players that U.S. NEED to take advantage of.

I wouldn't be surprise is that the only change is Wondo for Altidore. I have never been a Wondo fan as a complete player but the guy seems to find the ball with his head more often than not. Save AJ/MIx/Zusi as late subs.

I also wouldn't be surprise to see a 4-2-3-1
-------------Dempsey------------
---Bedoya-----Bradley---Mix/Zusi
--------Jones-----Beckerman-----
Beasley--Besler--Cam------Johnson

Germany is vulnerable to the counter attack. They have the speed to recover but when you're constantly bringing that many guys up to attack, no matter how skilled you are, you can get beat on the counter. Especially against a team with the speed and strength of Ghana. I think I can get behind what JK did a bit more when Altidore went down after watching Ghana expose this part of Germany's game. Portugal isn't the same type of speed and strength threat that Ghana is. I'm excited to see the US being a bit more aggressive. Hopefully we don't set another World Cup record for team clearances.

"Fellaini marry me" sign...held by a guy with his apparent girlfriend sitting next to him

Fuck Russia

Yes!!!

Fuck Russia!!!!!!

I haven't see any definitive articles yet, but I wonder if Dempsey is going to start in today's game.

I think the initial reaction would be 'well of course he's going to start, particularly with the Altidore injury' but I do wonder a bit. His nose injury combined with horrid conditions might not really make a 90% Dempsey or even 80% Dempsey possible.

Now typically you might just start him, see how he goes and sub him after ten or twenty minutes if it's really not going well. The problem again is Manaus; having and using all three subs appropriately is going to be a very important subplot in this game. Nobody playing there can just afford to throw one of their subs away. So I think this might be an interesting subplot to keep our eyes on.

anyone know a good, high quality streaming option for the u.s. game today?

(don't have an espn login any more, and cut the t.v. cord a bit back)

same here. I don't want to have to watch univision, if possible, but I will (at work).

Its on ABC

So live streaming is obviously Univision and the usual vipbox and first row. Univision is of course the best option but its in Spanish.

You can use BBC live stream, but they block any IP accessed from across the pond. But you can use Hola unblocker (Chrome browser extension) to trick into letting you use it (I use it to watch Netflix UK, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, etc because they have a lot of good stuff not available in the States)

https://hola.org

.http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/27450323

If you want the UK broadcast

CalStateTempe wrote:same here. I don't want to have to watch univision, if possible, but I will (at work).

I didn't even know it was on Univision. That works for me.

NYCat wrote:Its on ABC

It is? I thought it was on espn? tvguide.com says espn, not abc....now I'm confused

I think it's on ESPN.

Interesting to see the false nine formation.

Chicat wrote:I think it's on ESPN.

Yes my bad

OSUCat wrote:

Interesting to see the false nine formation.

Like it, more bodies in the midfield is useful versus Portugal

Doesn't this game deserve its own game thread?

CatzManiac wrote:Doesn't this game deserve its own game thread?

We're just waiting for you to start it up...

Looks like Jurgy is looking for a quick goal before subbing someone (Zusi) out for defensive reasons. Want the win, settle for a tie

Chicat wrote:

CatzManiac wrote:Doesn't this game deserve its own game thread?

We're just waiting for you to start it up...

I don't want to anger the karma gods

CatzManiac wrote:I don't want to anger the karma gods

Haha, I don't blame you. But what if a CatzManiac thread is exactly what we need karma-wise to put us over the top???

For those needing a live stream: http://deadspin.com/your-ultimate-guide ... socialflow

1-0 Portugal

Horrible

That was kind of awesome.

Well that was fucking terrible.

We look like shit.

Longhorned wrote:That was kind of awesome.

Commie

Good punch in the nose to show USA just how much you're ready to wilt after all that talk.

At least we had one week to dream

Ugh, I could have cleared that kick.

Bob Bradley ball

Longhorned wrote:Good punch in the nose to show USA just how much you're ready to wilt after all that talk.

Hey, not very American.

At least we'll finally get to see an attack

Now we're writhing in pain. That always brings good outcomes.

thenewazcats wrote:At least we'll finally get to see an attack

I may be wrong, but l don't think we have ever won a world cup game when the opponent scored first.

No, we haven't Catnap. They mentioned that early in the broadcast. But maybe it's not over. We're getting chances.

thenewazcats wrote:No, we haven't Catnap. They mentioned that early in the broadcast. But maybe it's not over. We're getting chances.

Thanks, missed that, must have been out of the room.
Sure sounds like a USA home game, kudos to the crowd for representing.