Soccer • Football • Voetbal • Futbol • Calcio 2011/2012

[Gibonius]

Originally Posted by dganderson

That US - Brazil game was insane. What a finish.

Wow, I turned it off after the red card-double PK bullshit, then turned it back to see the US down 2-1 in extra time. Great job US to pull that one out, there is some justice in the world after all.

 

[HelloIDistance]

That was one of the best matches I've watched. That goal was absolutely insane. 120 + 2 minutes of stoppage time.....wow.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

The USA-Brazil game represents all we love about sports.

 

[soxpats]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

The USA-Brazil game represents all we love about sports.

It was unreal. USA deserved the win and what an amazing series of events for that to happen. Awesome!

 

[El Argentino]

Was really excited to read about the outcome of this one... and more dubious FIFA refereeing against the USA. Was anything ever determined about that one ref in South Africa who just seemed to have it in for the US? I want to say he was Nigerian...?

Screw you, Sepp. Screw you.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Holy Canoli, this U17 third place game is fantastic. As an U16 I wasn't too far off from National Team eyes, and I can imagine the thrill for these kids playing in front of 100,000 people now that the stadium is full in anticipation of the final. Great stuff, on ESPNU here in the US.

 

[the shah]

from 1-3 to 4-3 this is madness

 

[NewYorkIslander]

3rd place games are always entertaining.

 

[pebblegrain]

Originally Posted by dganderson

That US - Brazil game was insane. What a finish.

For some reason I was compelled to tune into a streaming broadcast even though I haven't watched a single WWC match this year.

This was the wildest **** I have ever seen, male or female. Maybe the Korea matches in 02 were more energetic with the huge crowds but this was off the chain...

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

As an U16 I wasn't too far off from National Team eyes, and I can imagine the thrill for these kids playing in front of 100,000 people now that the stadium is full in anticipation of the final. Great stuff, on ESPNU here in the US.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

You're an asshole aren't you? I was captain and leading scorer for EDP for the state of New Jersey u-15, and then as a u-16 leading scorer for NYC Select. Scored in the Dallas Cup, the USA Cup playing against several top youth clubs from Europe. QPR, AC Milan, PSG, and Ajax academy squads. But what do I know?

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

You're an asshole aren't you? I was captain and leading scorer for EDP for the state of New Jersey u-15, and then as a u-16 leading scorer for NYC Select. Scored in the Dallas Cup, the USA Cup playing against several top youth clubs from Europe. QPR, AC Milan, PSG, and Ajax academy squads. But what do I know?

You could have made it all the way if you didn't get injured though, right?

 

[El Argentino]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

You're an asshole aren't you? I was captain and leading scorer for EDP for the state of New Jersey u-15, and then as a u-16 leading scorer for NYC Select. Scored in the Dallas Cup, the USA Cup playing against several top youth clubs from Europe. QPR, AC Milan, PSG, and Ajax academy squads. But what do I know?

I knew I liked you.

 

[venessian]

Originally Posted by El Argentino

I knew I liked you.
+1. The thread-******** is really annoying. Very nice win for Mexico today. What a scene at Azteca!

 

[El Argentino]

Originally Posted by venessian

Very nice win for Mexico today. What a scene at Azteca!

It was a decent game to watch, but at around 42 minutes through the first half, you could just see that the altitude had gotten to Uruguay's midfield. That typical fire and bite disappeared, and they were walking around for the first time all tournament.

The MX captain, Bresino or whatever (#4), seems like a class-act. Hope he goes big.

Manager Sergio Batista seems to have taken on board - albeit a little late - the clamour to provide more of a link between his midfield and attack, and will dump his 4-3-3, which may as well have been a 4-3-1, for all the interest Carlos Tevez and Ezequiel Lavezzi were showing in their roles. Esteban Cambiasso will drop to the bench and some tweaks will be made which are expected to see Argentina line up on Monday against Costa Rica in their must-win last group game in a 4-2-1-3.

Messi will be the '1' in that formation, behind a front three of Tevez, Ãngel Di MarÃa and - at last - a player who resembles a target man, Gonzalo HiguaÃn. Javier Mascherano and Ever Banega will retain their places in the midfield. It's not quite what most would like to see, and I suspect plenty of others would drop Di MarÃa, push Messi further up and have Javier Pastore in that playmaker's role. All the same, it's a formation that should give the attack more focus, especially if HiguaÃn is told to stick somewhere near his starting, centre forward, position.

Batista's getting there... finally... but still