tribe_pride wrote:
Just rewatched that play that you are talking about. Howard positioned himself well enough to when he realized that the guy did not have a chance to hit it (not as close as you think), he was able to dive and hold on to it. Once again it was a combination of the reaching it and holding on. A number of goalies in dry weather have bobbled or attempted to push the ball away on those plays which opens up rebound opportunities. He had no chance to catch the save before the goal which is why his punch was a good play especially getting it deep away. Just unfortunate that Muller was there who is a great finisher.
I'm sorry, I just had the same discussion with a co-worker & replayed the goal online multiple times - if you ask Howard I'm sure he'd answer he could've & should've caught versus punched the save that led to Germany's goal. The shot was a header vs a kick, that bounced toward the goal - not exactly a screamer & if you can purposely punch a ball with two hands like a baseball bunt you can surely catch it as well. I'm not anti-punch as there are plenty of times that is warranted but you can't give up rebounds and purposely punch them in the direction he did & not have the expectation that bad things could, and unfortunately for the USA, did on that play. It's like a hockey goalie opting not to glove hand a puck but direct a rebound out front. Laser kick, I get it, punch it, head a ball you can get two hands on, catch it. Watch the replay some more.
I was fine with Howard punching the ball out - there were two Germans bearing down on him. If he tries to catch and control the cross while diving like he had to to his right, he was risking the chance that a bobble was going to lead to an easy tap in goal. It was unlucky that it went to Muller, but I would have him do it again in that situation - make them earn the goal rather than poach a rebound right in front.
∞∞∞ wrote:So which teams do y'all think will make the finals? I'm going with:
vs.
No the French will surrender to the Germans.
JMU Football:
4 Years FBS: 40-11 (.784). Highest winning percentage & least losses of all of G5 2022-2025.
Sun Belt East Champions: 2022, 2023, 2025
Sun Belt Champions: 2025
Top 25 ranked: 2022, 2023, 2025
CFP: 2025
dal4018 wrote:Ghana blew its chances of getting into the sweet 16 losing to Uncle Sam in the opening match.Back to the drawing board.
F*ck Ghana..
JMU Football:
4 Years FBS: 40-11 (.784). Highest winning percentage & least losses of all of G5 2022-2025.
Sun Belt East Champions: 2022, 2023, 2025
Sun Belt Champions: 2025
Top 25 ranked: 2022, 2023, 2025
CFP: 2025
English Gardens to Champs Sports Bar at our hotel to some other restaurant in the Schwabing part of Munich back to Champs. Krouts. Krauts. Whatever. 10 + pints of strong beer. I am happy.
So you think you can make up words and it's cool? That's so fraudlacent.
I have an excuse. Fraudlacent happens when you're sh*tfaced.
JMU Football:
4 Years FBS: 40-11 (.784). Highest winning percentage & least losses of all of G5 2022-2025.
Sun Belt East Champions: 2022, 2023, 2025
Sun Belt Champions: 2025
Top 25 ranked: 2022, 2023, 2025
CFP: 2025
∞∞∞ wrote:So which teams do y'all think will make the finals? I'm going with:
vs.
No the French will surrender to the Germans.
France/Germany should be a great QF matchup as will the winner of that game versus the team that gets out of the South American quarter.
On the other side, Netherlands and Argentina should be favorites but Messi is the only one playing well for the Argentines and Netherlands/Mexico should be a fun round of 16 match up with the winner possibly playing a tough Costa Rican squad who has already surprised Italy and Uruguay before relaxing against and tying the Brits. Despite losing last year to the Belgians, the Americans are playing better now than then and if they play the way they did against Portugal have a chance to win with the winner likely going against Messi.
Skjellyfetti wrote:
just turrible job by ghana's gk. hey look! ronaldo is all alone! let me gently tap it straight to him.
Just being dead honest: When I saw that play, the one & only thing that went through my mind was that he did it intentionally & the game was rigged. It's not like FIFA has never been accused of it before. Whether it was to enhance Ronaldo or the USA, but why the goalie didn't catch that ball & that not only he punched/tapped/"bunted" the ball, but where & to who he did it - it was rigged.
Skjellyfetti wrote:
just turrible job by ghana's gk. hey look! ronaldo is all alone! let me gently tap it straight to him.
Just being dead honest: When I saw that play, the one & only thing that went through my mind was that he did it intentionally & the game was rigged. It's not like FIFA has never been accused of it before. Whether it was to enhance Ronaldo or the USA, but why the goalie didn't catch that ball & that not only he punched/tapped/"bunted" the ball, but where & to who he did it - it was rigged.
Didn't think of that initially...but that is an extremely bad *mistake* to make.
Skjellyfetti wrote:
just turrible job by ghana's gk. hey look! ronaldo is all alone! let me gently tap it straight to him.
Just being dead honest: When I saw that play, the one & only thing that went through my mind was that he did it intentionally & the game was rigged. It's not like FIFA has never been accused of it before. Whether it was to enhance Ronaldo or the USA, but why the goalie didn't catch that ball & that not only he punched/tapped/"bunted" the ball, but where & to who he did it - it was rigged.
It was that level of badness. The only thing I can think of (which is not a good excuse but it is what it is) is that the Portuguese player was right with him and he thought that punching it out with 4 of 5 Ghana players around was a better idea than trying to catch and possibly bobble the ball right there with Portugal right at his body. That would be a wrong decision because goalies are protected so much on the jump balls like that when they try to catch it but that was my only other thought.
Costa Rica beat Italy and Uruguay and tied England in a game that didn't matter to them and they didn't push at all. Costa Rica earned that right by winning the Group of Champions. Costa Rica is the team that we beat 1-0 in qualifiers in the snow game and then they beat us on their crap field 3-1. They finished 2nd behind us in CONCACAF qualifying. They are a solid squad that is playing well at the right time. That said, Belgium is probably the match up more countries who finished 2nd in their group would want to face.
To me, CR has the best chance of CONCACAF to move on to quarters with US probably being close behind and then Mexico (just because they are playing a solid Dutch team)
bluehenbillk wrote:
Just being dead honest: When I saw that play, the one & only thing that went through my mind was that he did it intentionally & the game was rigged. It's not like FIFA has never been accused of it before. Whether it was to enhance Ronaldo or the USA, but why the goalie didn't catch that ball & that not only he punched/tapped/"bunted" the ball, but where & to who he did it - it was rigged.
It was that level of badness. The only thing I can think of (which is not a good excuse but it is what it is) is that the Portuguese player was right with him and he thought that punching it out with 4 of 5 Ghana players around was a better idea than trying to catch and possibly bobble the ball right there with Portugal right at his body. That would be a wrong decision because goalies are protected so much on the jump balls like that when they try to catch it but that was my only other thought.
I wouldn't doubt it was rigged either. That keeper has to catch the ball there, it was a simple pop up and keepers make that play all the time. Just catch it, it was that simple. And not only did he gift wrap it for Ronaldo, but there were three Ghana players that formed a perfect triangle around Ronaldo and each of them showed no interest in getting anywhere near him. Granted, maybe they just thought like we all did that the keeper would simply catch the ball, but goodness that was brutal. However, I don't think FIFA rigged it. But maybe those Ghana players didn't trust that the Ghanian government would come through with the money they were promised for the World Cup and thought they would guarantee some action for themselves on the side. Match fixing has been a problem in some sections of soccer, no reason for it not be here.
Costa Rica beat Italy and Uruguay and tied England in a game that didn't matter to them and they didn't push at all. Costa Rica earned that right by winning the Group of Champions. Costa Rica is the team that we beat 1-0 in qualifiers in the snow game and then they beat us on their crap field 3-1. They finished 2nd behind us in CONCACAF qualifying. They are a solid squad that is playing well at the right time. That said, Belgium is probably the match up more countries who finished 2nd in their group would want to face.
To me, CR has the best chance of CONCACAF to move on to quarters with US probably being close behind and then Mexico (just because they are playing a solid Dutch team)
Glad we move on, but I think we looked like crap. Seems like team USA has regressed slightly as the WC has progressed. Maybe it was the weather, more likely it was just playing a far superior team. Either way I am not too encouraged about our chances as we cant seem to control the ball against any quality teams. I only recall one good scoring chance (that last attack in the final minutes when that weak shot was takein inside the box) and I think that is what worries me the most.
SDHornet wrote:Glad we move on, but I think we looked like crap. Seems like team USA has regressed slightly as the WC has progressed. Maybe it was the weather, more likely it was just playing a far superior team. Either way I am not too encouraged about our chances as we cant seem to control the ball against any quality teams. I only recall one good scoring chance (that last attack in the final minutes when that weak shot was takein inside the box) and I think that is what worries me the most.
We looked good (and our best) against Portugal and that was the 2nd game. I think the players mentally were in a different spot in the Germany game.
Belgium is not necessarily as good as Portugal. The players will be feeling more like they were in the Portugal game against Belgium in that they need to play well and control the ball. Although Belgium went 3-0 in their games, they came out of a very weak group and didn't appear to play great team ball. I wouldn't bet my life savings on a victory, but if we play like we did against Portugal, we have a good chance of winning.
SDHornet wrote:Glad we move on, but I think we looked like crap. Seems like team USA has regressed slightly as the WC has progressed. Maybe it was the weather, more likely it was just playing a far superior team. Either way I am not too encouraged about our chances as we cant seem to control the ball against any quality teams. I only recall one good scoring chance (that last attack in the final minutes when that weak shot was takein inside the box) and I think that is what worries me the most.
We looked good (and our best) against Portugal and that was the 2nd game. I think the players mentally were in a different spot in the Germany game.
Belgium is not necessarily as good as Portugal. The players will be feeling more like they were in the Portugal game against Belgium in that they need to play well and control the ball. Although Belgium went 3-0 in their games, they came out of a very weak group and didn't appear to play great team ball. I wouldn't bet my life savings on a victory, but if we play like we did against Portugal, we have a good chance of winning.
Quite frankly, giving up only one goal to an excellent German squad is impressive in my book. And that was with them controlling the ball more than 60 percent of the time. They made it out of the group of death, so it only goes to show people how far US soccer has come. Anything from here on out is just gravy.
SDHornet wrote:Glad we move on, but I think we looked like crap. Seems like team USA has regressed slightly as the WC has progressed. Maybe it was the weather, more likely it was just playing a far superior team. Either way I am not too encouraged about our chances as we cant seem to control the ball against any quality teams. I only recall one good scoring chance (that last attack in the final minutes when that weak shot was takein inside the box) and I think that is what worries me the most.
Offensively looked better against Portugal.
Defensively looked better against Germany. Against Portugal had that one AWFUL defensive whiff that led to Portugal's early goal, were beaten by the header goal with about a half min left in OT, and Howard had that 1 uncharastically slip right through his fingers that hit the bar (although he made up for his f up by deflecting the rebound over the goal as he was falling backwards). Against Germany thought the defense and Howard had their best game. Noticed Gonzalez? had a number of really good plays stopping German goal scoring opportunities. I don't remember him in prior games.
JMU Football:
4 Years FBS: 40-11 (.784). Highest winning percentage & least losses of all of G5 2022-2025.
Sun Belt East Champions: 2022, 2023, 2025
Sun Belt Champions: 2025
Top 25 ranked: 2022, 2023, 2025
CFP: 2025
You can tell the crowd is unsettled and possibly bordering on angry. If Chile pulls off the improbable, I think you get the teams/personnel out of there ASAP while the crowd is still stunned. Don't celebrate on the field and simply enjoy victory elsewhere; the same goes for the Chilean fans (who should avoid wearing red).
Last edited by ∞∞∞ on Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
vs.
Fraudlacent is what happens when you lose control of your mind. DUH! 
