World Cup 2022 - Qatar

[Nonlinear FC]

Yeah, I posted on here a few months back that there were murmurs (unnamed sources) saying that Brooks was kind of dick while on the field and was even more annoying off the field if he knew he wasn't going go start the next game.

Don't write that in pen (mentally) because it was only one report and it was couched in a lot of hedging. But it just seems really odd that a guy starting in the Bundesliga, who played big minutes last time we were at the WC, isn't even getting called into camp. ETA - In a position we desperately need depth.

[Nonlinear FC]

And to the question of Nipples... Weah (and other guys of similar SPEED and skill) create huge problems for the opposition, which is one way of unbalancing them and a form of defending. I can't have my outside backs/wingers flying up that side if I know it's truly dangerous to leave a guy like Weah unattended or too open.

A guy like Arriola, who we immediately saw lacked significant pace yesterday, isn't going to beat anyone off the dribble. You can give him tons of space without really worrying about him because you can close him down and then wait for him to bounce the ball of your (or his) shin after the 5th touch. That fundamentally changes how you set up your formation.

I think maybe folks haven't adjusted their thinking because we've been a certain kind of team (Lalas is the flag bearer for this) since the 90s. Until we made all the subs, we were pretty much dominating a Tier 2 (B) team yesterday. We no longer need to lump the ball forward and hope for a lucky break on a counter. Not as an overriding strategy, at least. We still excel at set pieces (at times) and that's absolutely fine.

But gone are the days, against 90 percent of our opposition, where we need to ugly-up the game and hope.

[The Sybian]

Already talking to Bazza about a long weekend in NYC for the Monday night game vs the USA on 21/11/2022. No more hotels in Doha, so may as well come to the US...

Do it! I’ll take the week off and go on a bender. I’m not castrating myself of the US win though.

Is this a whoosh moment or did either myself or Bazza offer to remove a nut if Wales qualified for the WC finals?

I was referencing the Welsh rugby fan who castrated himself when Wales beat England.

[Shirley]

I assumed John Brooks wasn't playing because he's terrible. I don't follow as closely as some of you guys, but it seems like every time I've seen him play the last few years, he's made some horrendous mistakes.

[Tom 1860]

Already talking to Bazza about a long weekend in NYC for the Monday night game vs the USA on 21/11/2022. No more hotels in Doha, so may as well come to the US...

Do it! I’ll take the week off and go on a bender. I’m not castrating myself of the US win though.

Is this a whoosh moment or did either myself or Bazza offer to remove a nut if Wales qualified for the WC finals?

I was referencing the Welsh rugby fan who castrated himself when Wales beat England.

Well, that seems entirely reasonable... Mike Vrabel said he'd cut his Johnson off for a SB win as a coach

[mister d]

I assumed John Brooks wasn't playing because he's terrible. I don't follow as closely as some of you guys, but it seems like every time I've seen him play the last few years, he's made some horrendous mistakes.

I always assumed he was good because of the league he played in and the fact that his mistakes seemed less awful than all his shitty partners. But I also thought Miazga was the future so my CB analysis isn't necessarily worth reading.

[Nonlinear FC]

Here's a much more solidly "reported" piece on Brooks than what I was going on before (second hand rumors coming from a couple of YouTubers.) It's still all very speculative, but, yeah, a guy that starts at Wolfsburg is certainly talented enough... And it may just be that Brooks' lack of ball control just doesn't fit GGG's overall plan.

But it sure does seem there's an issue with chemistry.

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/u ... r-the-usa/

[degenerasian]

CSA president says that 40% is untenable.

[tennbengal]

[Nonlinear FC]

rabbit hole alert!

I turned my buddy onto 11 Yanks and Tactical Manager about a year ago. And he listened and was pretty into them for awhile, until... Until GGG seemed to actually be doing a lot of what those 2 guys had been calling for, and still they are bitching and moaning after every game.

I had tuned them out many months ago, but my buddy is a bit of dog on a bone about stuff, so he's been bitching about these guys the last 4 or 5 games.

So, yes, while I agree that the MLS website is off it's gourd with that rating, the fact that it's coming from 11 Yanks makes me chuckle. He and "Tac" aren't exactly objective arbiters of truth on their side of things, either.

[pruitt2]

CSA president says that 40% is untenable.

The CSA has been run like a house league for decades and decades. Somehow Canada had produced enough good players to take us to Olympic gold and to the World Cup, yet these morons still act like the country is #85 in the world.

[tennbengal]

rabbit hole alert!

I turned my buddy onto 11 Yanks and Tactical Manager about a year ago. And he listened and was pretty into them for awhile, until... Until GGG seemed to actually be doing a lot of what those 2 guys had been calling for, and still they are bitching and moaning after every game.

I had tuned them out many months ago, but my buddy is a bit of dog on a bone about stuff, so he's been bitching about these guys the last 4 or 5 games.

So, yes, while I agree that the MLS website is off it's gourd with that rating, the fact that it's coming from 11 Yanks makes me chuckle. He and "Tac" aren't exactly objective arbiters of truth on their side of things, either.

unless they made up those ratings...which they didn't...then I get to note that I remain tired of the agenda that MLS-stans push on the national team. That's a fucking joke of a rating.

[Nonlinear FC]

rabbit hole alert!

I turned my buddy onto 11 Yanks and Tactical Manager about a year ago. And he listened and was pretty into them for awhile, until... Until GGG seemed to actually be doing a lot of what those 2 guys had been calling for, and still they are bitching and moaning after every game.

I had tuned them out many months ago, but my buddy is a bit of dog on a bone about stuff, so he's been bitching about these guys the last 4 or 5 games.

So, yes, while I agree that the MLS website is off it's gourd with that rating, the fact that it's coming from 11 Yanks makes me chuckle. He and "Tac" aren't exactly objective arbiters of truth on their side of things, either.

unless they made up those ratings...which they didn't...then I get to note that I remain tired of the agenda that MLS-stans push on the national team. That's a fucking joke of a rating.

1000 percent. It's just a ridiculous argument at this point. It's a weirdly delusional stance. Like, I may not like it, but there's no arguing the SEC is the best conference in college football. I'm not following some CUSA team and popping off about there being no difference in the caliber of coaching, players, training, facilities, etc etc.

Really tiresome, frankly. Everyone has such an obvious agenda.

[Baloney]

Australia v Peru heading towards a penalty shoot out

[Rex]

Not really feeling the 48-team World Cup at the moment.

[DaveInSeattle]

Australia v Peru heading towards a penalty shoot out

Not sure I'm really feeling the Aussie keeper's schtick...

ETA: And just now the Peru kick off the post...

[Baloney]

Australia v Peru heading towards a penalty shoot out

Not sure I'm really feeling the Aussie keeper's schtick...

ETA: And just now the Peru kick off the post...

Not in the Bruce Grobbelaar class

[DaveInSeattle]

Australia v Peru heading towards a penalty shoot out

Not sure I'm really feeling the Aussie keeper's schtick...

ETA: And just now the Peru kick off the post...

Not in the Bruce Grobbelaar class

Shows how much I know....

[degenerasian]

substitute keeper too, changed just before the shootout

[Nonlinear FC]

Pretty impressive turn out from the Tico fan base.

[Nonlinear FC]

VAR coming into play here and not going the Kiwis way. Twice inside of 2 or 3 minutes.

[Baloney]

Costa Rica take the final spot

[degenerasian]

VAR coming into play here and not going the Kiwis way. Twice inside of 2 or 3 minutes.

I think New Zealand got robbed of the equalizer before halftime. You can't go that far back for a foul with VAR can you?
No complaints of the red card by VAR, that was an ankle breaker.

[degenerasian]

and England just thrashed 4-0 at home to Hungary. Does Southgate survive this dismal recent window?

[Nonlinear FC]

VAR coming into play here and not going the Kiwis way. Twice inside of 2 or 3 minutes.

I think New Zealand got robbed of the equalizer before halftime. You can't go that far back for a foul with VAR can you?
No complaints of the red card by VAR, that was an ankle breaker.

I don't know the exact wording, but I assume it's very similar to how they are now calling advantage... Waiting to see how it plays out, often with at least one pass before the team loses possession and the foul is called.

But, yeah, that seemed a little bit much.

[pruitt2]

and England just thrashed 4-0 at home to Hungary. Does Southgate survive this dismal recent window?

There's a World Cup this year.

No one really cares about the Nations League.

[degenerasian]

and England just thrashed 4-0 at home to Hungary. Does Southgate survive this dismal recent window?

There's a World Cup this year.

No one really cares about the Nations League.

A World Cup where they're going to crash out early. Best strike force in the world and Southgate plays 5 defenders and 2 DMs and Hungary still puts 4 past them.

[HaulCitgo]

Maybe they dont have the worlds best strike force?

[The Sybian]

Maybe they dont have the worlds best strike force?

Not unless Jesus Ferreira and Gyasi Zardes switch over!

No commentary on last night's debacle? I guess there isn't much to say, the game was destined to be a shit show playing in a mud pit. I feel bad for Haji getting his one start in that match. He had a nice move to get off his one shot, and he just didn't get his foot around it. Musah had a fantastic game, and El Salvador's goalie made some really nice saves. Other than that? I thought the red on Arriola was very harsh. A yellow was appropriate. Handball in the box was really blatant, but whatever. Just such a waste to have to play these two games in the leadup to a World Cup.

[degenerasian]

Maybe they dont have the worlds best strike force?

I'd like to see a better one than Kane, Grelish Saka, Sancho and Abraham.

[mister d]

Brazil is pretty stacked and none of their forwards' faces are 3x too long?

[degenerasian]

Brazil is pretty stacked and none of their forwards' faces are 3x too long?

True, especially if Vinicius Junior gets going. But they don't really have a No. 9 like Kane.

[Brontoburglar]

I guess France no longer exists

[mister d]

Uh, check a map, buddy.

[A_B]

Brazil is pretty stacked and none of their forwards' faces are 3x too long?

Been true since Ronaldinho retired.

[Nonlinear FC]

Maybe they dont have the worlds best strike force?

Not unless Jesus Ferreira and Gyasi Zardes switch over!

No commentary on last night's debacle? I guess there isn't much to say, the game was destined to be a shit show playing in a mud pit. I feel bad for Haji getting his one start in that match. He had a nice move to get off his one shot, and he just didn't get his foot around it. Musah had a fantastic game, and El Salvador's goalie made some really nice saves. Other than that? I thought the red on Arriola was very harsh. A yellow was appropriate. Handball in the box was really blatant, but whatever. Just such a waste to have to play these two games in the leadup to a World Cup.

I turned it off and went to bed at halftime. I hate playing ES and Guatemala (two dirtiest teams in the region) and having it in a mud pit just made it horrible to watch.

And I know exactly how Horvath felt on that goal. I've been there MANY times. Because you have no real first step, you have to play off your normal line. Just got buggered by a remarkable shot.

[pruitt2]

Maybe they dont have the worlds best strike force?

I'd like to see a better one than Kane, Grelish Saka, Sancho and Abraham.

You'll have to convince me that Sancho, Saka and Grealish are not just products of the British media hype machine. Grealish was good at Villa, but tell me how their 17 combined goals make them scary for any defence.

[sancarlos]

and England just thrashed 4-0 at home to Hungary. Does Southgate survive this dismal recent window?

There's a World Cup this year.

No one really cares about the Nations League.

The fans care.

…The mood outside the England camp has shifted sharply – the atmosphere at Molineux was toxic, with chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing”…

[Nonlinear FC]

Not really the correct thread, but I don't feel like starting a new one. 2026 Venues are going up right now:

Western Region

Vancouver
Seattle
San Francisco
LA
Gaudelajara



Central

KC
Dallas
Atlanta (central??)
Houston
Monterey
Mex City

Eastern

Toronto
Boston
NYC/NJ
Philly
Miami

[pruitt2]

I'm heading downtown to line up for tickets!!!

For sure, BMO field gets another stand - there's room for a further 10-15,000 seats there.