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World Cup Soccer


theeagleman5

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Tough loss...the USA just ran out of gas in OT....winning goal was a solid one by Ghana...great individual effort and our blundering defense cost the Americans again.....they will have to live with it....Ghana has knocked us out two times in a row and that's a team we should beat....oh well....Let's go Portugal!.... :geek:

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Impressive wins today for Germany and Argentina....what a matchup that is going to be at the end of next week....that game is worthy of being a final.....England goes home disappointing their fans who thought they were good enough to be a final four team...never materialized....England has some great talent but they never seem to play well together...and troubles in the net killed them....as for the Mexicans....adios, muchachos!..... :P

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A lot of folks in England were saying that their team was not as talented as Compello thought they would be. I'd say they'll give him the axe in a few weeks. I think the US Federation will keep Bradley simply because there are no better options out there right now. I think that overall he has done a fantastic job with the national team since he took over, but I'm sure they will be looking for someone that can really take us to that next level. In my opinion, the players aren't talented enough to get us there.

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I will NEVER have much respect for World Cup soccer until FIFA pulls it head out of the sand and addresses the following issues:

1. The clock should STOP when the ball is not in play: out-of-bounds, penalties, substitutions, injuries (so-called), goal celebrations, etc. Shorten the halves to 30 minutes if you want, to even things out. But teams who are leading in the score stalling out the remaining time is a travesty.

2. Instant replay on possible goals. Give each team one or two challenges a game, like in the NFL. If you lose a challenge, you lose one of your three substitutions. When goals mean so much in such low-scoring games, is it asking too much to use a little 1970's technology to get it right?

3. Simplify offsides. Even experts in the booth can't seem to decipher what the refs are calling sometimes on the field. And who cares if they're offsides, anyway? There's still a goalie to stop the shot as a last resort. The goal is untended in basketball, and you know what they call offsides there? A fast-break dunk.

4. Hold referees more accountable for their calls. As it is now, they're given more latitude in their rulings than Supreme Court justices. Dolly Bumfolly from Mali should have to at least explain why he was so clueless, if for no other reason than to expose him for the fraud that he undoubtedly is.

5. In American football, when they bring a stretcher out on the field, you say a prayer and hope the guy isn't paralyzed. When they bring a stretcher out on the field in a soccer match, it's a joke - especially when the guy jumps off of it the second they hit the sideline. Any soccer player who is taken from the field on a stretcher should be required to undergo some sort of surgery after the game - preferably without anesthesia.

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And what is this about no one except the referee knowing when the game is going to end?

Soccer needs some serious reforming of the rules.... which will never happen and as a result it will never catch on in America. That's okay with me.

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Bob Bradley has done a good job and yes....the USA just needs better players....we need to tap the hispanic and african-american communities more...unfortunately, more $$$ attracts the top athletes to football, basketball and baseball....not sure if that will change over the next 4-8 yrs but probably not....we need quicker defenders and strikers who can actually score....two World Cups in a row where our front line has scored 0 goals....not good....a coaching option out there is Jurgen Klinsman who is the former German soccer star and coach....don't be surprised if USA Soccer dumps Bradley and goes to Klinsman....he was considered the front runner after Bruce Arena was fired in 2006 but turned the job down...he got canned at Bayern Munich and lives in California now with his family....still, TheEagleman likes Bradley and we have maybe a half dozen really good players....just need more speed and depth...too many slow guys.....winning our Group was a plus but disappointed that we at least didn't get to the quarters....the draw was very favorable for the USA....it was there for the taking....but we slipped up.....next time in Brazil will be rough.....the USA won't sneak up on anyone....this was the Cup where we could have made the final four....oh well..... :(

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Eagleman comments on soccer.....the running clock is fine....and it's just tradition that the ref on the field has the final blow of the whistle....I understand the frustration....and yeah, politics can cause problems....so can incompetent officials....a lot of that in FIFA....too much nationalism which can play a part....don't kid yourself....video replay for goals and offsides....absolutely a must....television is involved in every game now and 3 officials can't possibly keep up with all of it....go with 2 referees like in hockey and four side judges...two on each side covering half the field for the flag guys and the refs each have half the field and rotate up and down like ice hockey....how can one ref possible cover 110 yards of field?....no longer possible...players are too big and fast now....that goal that England lost yesterday was a disgrace....replay should have reversed the call on the field....must be done in the World Cup, EuroCup and Champions League..... :!:

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The last quarterfinal has been set....Paraguay vs. Spain.....tough losses for Portugal and especially Japan....to lose in penalties is horrendous....they guy who missed the lone penalty kick may have to fall on his sword tonight.... :P

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Looks like Brazil is gone...wow!....The USA could really have had an opportunity had we beaten Ghana.... :(

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Totally agree. The Netherlands' win was super impressive, but makes the US loss to Ghana sting a little more when you think of what could have been. On another note, Brazil's players played horribly once they fell behind in the 2nd half. They really showed NO heart and should be ashamed of themselves for how they played overtly dirty and whined and cried to the refs like spoiled children for every little thing. Their coach should make all of them stay on the pitch another 45 minutes since they failed to show up for the 2nd half. That won't happen though. He probably won't be around. Any other national club that makes it to the quarter finals will usually retain their manager, but not Brazil. I wouldn't be surprised if he was fired before they left the locker room.

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Yes, certain countries have no heart when they fall behind or things don't go completely their way....Brazil is one of them....Italy is another....on the other hand, Germany and the USA almost seem to thrive on adversity.... ;)

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Well, the semifinals are set....Germany vs. Spain should be a dandy.....and Netherlands vs. upstart Uruguay....hard not to be pulling for the underdogs who are the lone remaining team from the powerhouse South American region....who would have thought mighty Brazil and Argentina out and little Uruguay still playing...and to think they only got in with one of the last spots by beating Costa Rica in a playoff....problem is, they will be missing #9 Suarez who is arguably their top goal scorer...he got the red card for the intentional hand ball in extra time vs. Ghana so he's out for the next game.....TheEagleman likes a Germany vs. Netherlands final.....but at this point, nothing would shock me.... ;)

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Lots of controversy over the handball by Suarez of Uruguay with 30 seconds left in extra time that robbed Ghana of sure victory in their quarterfinal match...is a one game suspension too little a penalty for such a greivous offense?...is that type of intentional handball "cheating"....in ice hockey, if a player tosses his stick at the puck to prevent a sure goal from going into the next, a goal is automatically awarded....not the case in soccer....in this case a penalty kick was awarded which while almost automatic isn't a sure thing.....penalties are converted probably around 85-90% of the time....still, Ghana basically had the game stolen from them by that illegal handball....what are the thoughts out there?...comments?.....Suarez is being hailed as a hero in his home country...he is out for the next game but eligible for the final if Uruguay beats Holland....should he have received a 2 game ban?....he probably did what any other player would have done with the ball heading into the net for the game winning goal.....still, you have to feel badly for Ghana....it's a tough call..... :geek:

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I would feel badly for Ghana if they still didn't have a chance to win it outright before PKs. They had a huge opportunity, but failed to capitalize.

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The axe has fallen on Brazil's manager and assistant coaches. Today, two days after their quarter final loss to the Dutch, they were all fired. I thought it would have happened sooner, but the federation waited until he returned home with the team before they met with him and delivered the news.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/ ... 901?ver=us

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Ouch...coaches always pay the price even though it's the players who underachieve....nothing less than making the finals was expected for Brazil even though losing to the Netherlands should be no disgrace....i guess it is to them... :geek:

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With Brazil hosting the next World Cup, I'm sure the federation wants to waste no time in getting the team in top shape.

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On another note, Germany is going to feel the loss of the youngster, Mueller, for the game against Spain. He was instrumental in so many of Germany's goals and is truly a phenom. If Germany can get Cacau back in time, they may be okay. The would still be a quality loss but not a grievous as it would be if he were replaced by any other player. Germany is playing well as a team and that is their strength, but there are still certain players that are truly a cut above. Mueller is one of the top five players on that list.

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