Association Football Thread

[Flex]

St. George slayed the dragon.
USA tamed Iran.

Bring it on!!!!

FUCK YEAH!!!!

[gkbill]

Hello,

I'm very happy the US moves on! I hope Pulisic and Sargent are healthy enough Saturday. This wasn't our best game - hopefully players are happy to get the result but know that kind of effort won't help moving forward.

The subs for the US were really bad - why no Reyna?

[Flex]

Hello,

I'm very happy the US moves on! I hope Pulisic and Sarent are healthy enough Saturday. This wasn't our best game - hopefully players are happy to get the result but know that kind of effort won't help moving forward.

The subs for the US were really bad - why no Reyna?

Yeah, the subs were baffling. Some of it was probably forced because of the injury subs, but Gregg has to be smarter about subbing (a common theme throughout the games). Reyna's absence continues to baffle as well. Hopefully they're just trying to get him to 100% for the next round. In any case, we're probably pretty screwed if Pulisic AND Sargent are both out fort Saturday. Netherlands is maybe the best draw we could get from potential matchups tho. Not an impossible hill to climb, but definitely a challenge that we'll need to be in good shape to face.

As I think I said above, for me getting to this point was the goal. Everything from here on will be gravy. That doesn't mean we can't do more, but given the context of the lows of 2018, to get to this point with a totally rebuilt national team and development system - not to mention a domestic league that's finally going in the right direction - and doing it with such a young group, whatever happens from here on I feel really good and optimistic about the future of U.S. soccer - both its development broadly speaking and the future of this particular national team. What we've seen isn't a flash in the pan or an unlikely miracle or a dead end or anything else, it's actually a quality team that's the product of a real american structure for developing (and attracting) talent. Fuckin' finally.

[gkbill]

Hello,

I'm very happy the US moves on! I hope Pulisic and Sarent are healthy enough Saturday. This wasn't our best game - hopefully players are happy to get the result but know that kind of effort won't help moving forward.

The subs for the US were really bad - why no Reyna?

Yeah, the subs were baffling. Some of it was probably forced because of the injury subs, but Gregg has to be smarter about subbing (a common theme throughout the games). Reyna's absence continues to baffle as well. Hopefully they're just trying to get him to 100% for the next round. In any case, we're probably pretty screwed if Pulisic AND Sargent are both out fort Saturday. Netherlands is maybe the best draw we could get from potential matchups tho. Not an impossible hill to climb, but definitely a challenge that we'll need to be in good shape to face.

As I think I said above, for me getting to this point was the goal. Everything from here on will be gravy. That doesn't mean we can't do more, but given the context of the lows of 2018, to get to this point with a totally rebuilt national team and development system - not to mention a domestic league that's finally going in the right direction - and doing it with such a young group, whatever happens from here on I feel really good and optimistic about the future of U.S. soccer - both its development broadly speaking and the future of this particular national team. What we've seen isn't a flash in the pan or an unlikely miracle or a dead end or anything else, it's actually a quality team that's the product of a real american structure for developing (and attracting) talent. Fuckin' finally.

Hello,

Agreed on looking forward to seeing the bulk of this team advancing very deep in 2026. As for now, agreed as well getting here was the point - moving past Holland will be a bonus!

Claudio and Gregg's wives played together at UNC when I was there so I can't imagine it's personal or other. If it's injury, I still would have risked him today as it was win or go home.

[Heston]

Well done USA but what kind of name is "pool of sick?"

[Flex]

Well done USA but what kind of name is "pool of sick?"

we play hard, we party harder

[revbob]

Well done USA but what kind of name is "pool of sick?"

we play hard, we party harder

Id like to see them beat the Dutch.

[gkbill]

Hello,

Germany, Belgum, Denmark out. Japan and Morocco win their groups. This has been crazy but very fun!

[Marky Dread]

Hello,

Germany, Belgum, Denmark out. Japan and Morocco win their groups. This has been crazy but very fun!

Yep a crazy days football but exciting and fun.

[Flex]

Agreed all around. Very exciting last few days, and woohoo Japan! (Sorry Olaf)

[Olaf]

MVP for Germany so far: Costa Rica.

MVP for Costa Rica so far: Japan.

MVP for Spain so far: Germany.

[Olaf]

Agreed all around. Very exciting last few days, and woohoo Japan! (Sorry Olaf)

Yep, kudos to Japan for a great performance.They beat both Germany and Spain, so they totally deserved to win that group.

[Marky Dread]

MVP for Germany so far: Costa Rica.

MVP for Costa Rica so far: Japan.

MVP for Spain so far: Germany.

Tough stuff mate. Winning and losing in the same match. Football is a cruel mistress.

[Olaf]

MVP for Germany so far: Costa Rica.

MVP for Costa Rica so far: Japan.

MVP for Spain so far: Germany.

Tough stuff mate. Winning and losing in the same match. Football is a cruel mistress.

Cheers mate. I thought Germany played fairly decent for 2 1/2 matches, but that second half against Japan eventually came back to haunt them. Still, quite an improvement to last year's Euro. They just found their confidence a bit too late.

[Marky Dread]

MVP for Germany so far: Costa Rica.

MVP for Costa Rica so far: Japan.

MVP for Spain so far: Germany.

Tough stuff mate. Winning and losing in the same match. Football is a cruel mistress.

Cheers mate. I thought Germany played fairly decent for 2 1/2 matches, but that second half against Japan eventually came back to haunt them. Still, quite an improvement to last year's Euro. They just found their confidence a bit too late.

I could watch Musiala all day. What a gem of a player real class.