R16: Belgium vs USA - 1st July

Hapless_Hans wrote:I don't have the knowledge to judge that, but I can't imagine Klinsmann picked really ALL the best players for the squad? There must be more ..

Have a look at how we played after the 2nd Belgium goal. Look at how we got at them and really began to focus on our attacking play. The passing was crisp and incisive, the runs were sharp and the end product was abundant. We've seen that type of play from USA at short spurts all tournament and it aws no surprise we got our goal. The Belgians had no idea what hit them. It's just a crying shame that happened too late in the game.

That's the potential USA possesses though and when they are in that zone, every team they have faced has struggled. That doesn't happen if your players are simply better.

depressed cause we had a chance to nick it but still so damn proud

if we want to make the leap to the next level though we've got to find some center mids and a number 9 somewhere man

Swanhends wrote:depressed cause we had a chance to nick it but still so damn proud

if we want to make the leap to the next level though we've got to find some center mids and a number 9 somewhere man

And being positive, US gotta find a way to play positive football while still holding that (sort of) solid, defensive shape. As Lewis mentioned, you guys had Belgium on the back foot when they actually played more positive.

I dont know McLewis.

Because the same can be said about Belgium too. If they click as a team, and they had much longer strong spells, you don't know what hit you either, and much more fundamentally so.

Where do your players play? Does any one of them play for an international top team, or in the CL, for example?

You cannot honestly tell me that doesn't mean anything.

I think I saw US teams of higher quality in earlier tounaments tbh, that's why I was asking about Klinsis selection policy.

Lucky POS, fortunately like their lucky twin bro's Uruguay they are about to run out of luck in the next round.

lm glad we have klinsmann. He really makes the best use of the talent we have, in my opinion.

We'll be better next world cup.

Wondo blew it though. lf only altidore didn't get hurt ffs..

Hapless_Hans wrote:I dont know McLewis.

Because the same can be said about Belgium too. If they click as a team, and they had much longer strong spells, you don't know what hit you either, and much more fundamentally so.

Where do your players play? Does any one of them play for an international top team, or in the CL, for example?

You cannot honestly tell me that doesn't mean anything.

I think I saw US teams of higher quality in earlier tounaments tbh, that's why I was asking about Klinsis selection policy.

There is a lot of teams that are built with the majority of the players from "international top teams, or in the CL" that did much worse that the US. Having a bunch over over rated talent that can not play as a team rarely helps.

Altidore wouldn't have made a difference

What do you guys expect?

That 2 out of 3 poster on here predicted US to progress against a vastly superior Belgium team really borders on mass delusion.

6unner wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:I dont know McLewis.

Because the same can be said about Belgium too. If they click as a team, and they had much longer strong spells, you don't know what hit you either, and much more fundamentally so.

Where do your players play? Does any one of them play for an international top team, or in the CL, for example?

You cannot honestly tell me that doesn't mean anything.

I think I saw US teams of higher quality in earlier tounaments tbh, that's why I was asking about Klinsis selection policy.

There is a lot of teams that are built with the majority of the players from "international top teams, or in the CL" that did much worse that the US. Having a bunch over over rated talent that can not play as a team rarely helps.

'over rated talent'

Hazard, Lukaku, De Bruyne.

Defenders from Bayern, Manchester City, Atletico.

ffs stop kidding yourself.

A World Cup is a cup situation, so sure like in any other cup tournament upsets can and will happen.

A second division team will beat a top team now and then but it is not to be expected, and even then the second division team will rarely manage an upset in every game.

yeah europe has really covered themselves in glory this tournament, what with the countries with the 3 biggest leagues all bowing out in the group stage... clearly we should rush to force our players into that 

Hapless_Hans wrote:Altidore wouldn't have made a difference

What do you guys expect?

That 2 out of 3 poster on here predicted US to progress against a vastly superior Belgium team really borders on mass delusion.

Would have given us a better chance. Our entire game plan going into this was designed around him and we had no one that could replace him. Our best attacker, Dempsey, had to play the entire WC isolated and out of position because of it.

lt was close, saying it wouldn't have made a difference is stupid when we were one missed sitter away from advancing.

Swanhends wrote:yeah european leagues have really covered themselves in glory this tournament, what with the countries with the 3 biggest leagues all bowing out in the group stage  

So where do the best players of the teams that are still in the tournament play.
That's right, in the European top leagues' top teams.  

USA are not the only team to prove that playing in a top club league will not automatically make you better than everyone else. If that's the case...why are England, Spain and Italy out? Why are Costa Rica still in it? Why did Mexico take Brazil and the Netherlands to the limit. Why did the USA prove so hard to beat for Germany and Belgium, teams by your own logic, that should've battered them into oblivion?

I hear there is a decent 9 out there called London Donoghee

Hapless_Hans wrote:

6unner wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:I dont know McLewis.

Because the same can be said about Belgium too. If they click as a team, and they had much longer strong spells, you don't know what hit you either, and much more fundamentally so.

Where do your players play? Does any one of them play for an international top team, or in the CL, for example?

You cannot honestly tell me that doesn't mean anything.

I think I saw US teams of higher quality in earlier tounaments tbh, that's why I was asking about Klinsis selection policy.

There is a lot of teams that are built with the majority of the players from "international top teams, or in the CL" that did much worse that the US. Having a bunch over over rated talent that can not play as a team rarely helps.

'over rated talent'

Hazard, Lukaku, De Bruyne.

Defenders from Bayern, Manchester City, Atletico.

ffs stop kidding yourself.

A World Cup is a cup situation, so sure like in any other cup tournament upsets can and will happen.

A second division team will beat a top team now and then but it is not to be expected, and even then the second division team will rarely manage an upset in every game.

I actually never predicted that the US would move past. I actually see that there were to many issues with the team. That all said and all Did someone fore get to tell
Croatia
Spain
Chile
CÔTE D'IVOIRE
Italy
Engalnd
Uraguay
Bosnia
Portugal
Ghana

Everyone of those teams are stacked with players from German, English, Spain and Italian leagues. Like I said, sometimes you can have all the supposed top rated talent you want and if you can not play as a team it gets you nothing.
Really do not see that a 2-1 win creates the overwhelming knowledge that these amazing Belgian superstars are a vastly better TEAM. Or even that some of those players are that much better. How many of the world class players from Belgium and these other teams did nothing this world cup?

Gil wrote:Witsel and especially Fellaini were absolutely atrocious today. Zero impact on the game.

No tackles won, no interceptions, no chances created. Nothing.

lmao no surprise here, LVG gonna sell him or staple his ass to the bench this season

Radja Nainggolan biggest snub of the tournament with scrubs like Fellaini out there

McLewis wrote:USA are not the only team to prove that playing in a top club league will not automatically make you better than everyone else. If that's the case...why are England, Spain and Italy out? Why are Costa Rica still in it? Why did Mexico take Brazil and the Netherlands to the limit. Why did the USA prove so hard to beat for Germany and Belgium, teams by your own logic, that should've battered them into oblivion?

Because, quite simply, in football more so than in other sports an absolute difference in quality doesn't mean absolute certainty the team with more quality will win. The margins are narrower as motivation, intensity, day form, momentum factor in heavily.

You can never expect the favourites to 'batter' the underdogs 'into oblivion' in football, but you can, on the whole, expect the favourites to progress. As they have.

There's only, what, 8 countries who's ever won the whole thing. In 18 tournaments.

6unner wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

6unner wrote:

There is a lot of teams that are built with the majority of the players from "international top teams, or in the CL" that did much worse that the US. Having a bunch over over rated talent that can not play as a team rarely helps.

'over rated talent'

Hazard, Lukaku, De Bruyne.

Defenders from Bayern, Manchester City, Atletico.

ffs stop kidding yourself.

A World Cup is a cup situation, so sure like in any other cup tournament upsets can and will happen.

A second division team will beat a top team now and then but it is not to be expected, and even then the second division team will rarely manage an upset in every game.

I actually never predicted that the US would move past. I actually see that there were to many issues with the team. That all said and all Did someone fore get to tell
Croatia
Spain
Chile
CÔTE D'IVOIRE
Italy
Engalnd
Uraguay
Bosnia
Portugal
Ghana

Everyone of those teams are stacked with players from German, English, Spain and Italian leagues. Like I said, sometimes you can have all the supposed top rated talent you want and if you can not play as a team it gets you nothing.
Really do not see that a 2-1 win creates the overwhelming knowledge that these amazing Belgian superstars are a vastly better TEAM.

do the 16 saves howard had to make vs the 4 courtois made then?

yeah well B Mac exactly. It's no coincidence the only real top player the US team has is their goal keeper.

Not sure if I would call Fabian Johnson a top RB but he was definitely amongst the best of this WC.

True BC, but funnily his replacement today improved their game, no?

Anyway, sorry if I come off too harsh here, I'll stop now.

That poll result on top of the thread made me a bit argumentative.

someone helps me, am i missing something about Witsel?

B-Mac wrote:

6unner wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

'over rated talent'

Hazard, Lukaku, De Bruyne.

Defenders from Bayern, Manchester City, Atletico.

ffs stop kidding yourself.

A World Cup is a cup situation, so sure like in any other cup tournament upsets can and will happen.

A second division team will beat a top team now and then but it is not to be expected, and even then the second division team will rarely manage an upset in every game.

I actually never predicted that the US would move past. I actually see that there were to many issues with the team. That all said and all Did someone fore get to tell
Croatia
Spain
Chile
CÔTE D'IVOIRE
Italy
Engalnd
Uraguay
Bosnia
Portugal
Ghana

Everyone of those teams are stacked with players from German, English, Spain and Italian leagues. Like I said, sometimes you can have all the supposed top rated talent you want and if you can not play as a team it gets you nothing.
Really do not see that a 2-1 win creates the overwhelming knowledge that these amazing Belgian superstars are a vastly better TEAM.

do the 16 saves howard had to make vs the 4 courtois made then?

16 saves allowing 2 goals from the amazing Belgian players or 4 saves allowing 1 goal from some kid playing in the 4th division in Germany.

Don't get me wrong I actually believe that Tim is one of the best Keepers in the world. Lukaku also had a great game. As for the rest of the world class Belgian's. Not really that impressive against the "second division team".

Mr Nick09 wrote:someone helps me, am i missing something about Witsel?

So is everyone else

6unner, think of it like Arsenals cup semis against Wigan. Not that impressive either.

i desperately want to like him because he is tall and carries the ball so well, but whenever i watch him, it doesnt click.