Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 533586)

I think it's a fair question. A bad pass in the middle third that leads to a quick counterattack can be really bad. A bad pass when you're taking a risk on an attacking move in the final third is not the same thing at all.

England has really talented attacking players, including Saka and Sterling on the wings. Neither really did much in the game. You've got to credit Robinson and Dest, the US outside backs, for that, although they didn't do it alone. Berhalter gets props for a defensive plan that really limited the English attack, which is why you saw their centerbacks, Stones and Maguire, passing it back and forth between each other so much.

OTOH, while it was a huge game for us, England was hoping it was the second game of seven, and I think their coach figured that if he got through with a draw and clubbed Wales like a baby seal, they'd be first in the group and on their way.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533593)

Umm, I thought US lost v England? Cite please. All these years I assumed your criticisms about what Sebby “said” were factually supported. I guess I better go back and read all that?

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533595)

Oops. Looking back, I see that I did mis-read your post. I’d say I’m sorry but I would hate to contradict my signature line.

Originally Posted by Did you just call me Coltrane? (Post 533589)

I don't see a rating for Reyna.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533593)

Umm, I thought US lost v England? Cite please. All these years I assumed your criticisms about what Sebby “said” were factually supported. I guess I better go back and read all that?

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533594)

Thank you. You repeatedly show why you were selected as the admin instead of that Flower, you provide content instead of snark. Question: In basketball there are turnover stats. I’m not sure that stat would mean anything in soccer, but is that a thing anywhere?

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533596)

It’s conventional to address your post as “Con’f to Hank” when apologizing so the others won’t read the post and you can avoid the contradiction.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 533599)

There are many stats in soccer, and it's hard to know what to do with them. If you want to pick a fight on Twitter, take a strong position on xG and see what happens.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 533598)

England has never beaten the US in the World Cup. Every so often they try again, but they haven't done it yet. Hopefully they get another chance this month.

eta: Just a reminder that the US has gone farther in this World Cup than Colombia, Chile, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Germany or Italy.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 533599)

There are many stats in soccer, and it's hard to know what to do with them. If you want to pick a fight on Twitter, take a strong position on xG and see what happens.

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533591)

My apologies. I should have said, “As previously noted by my esteemed colleagues Coltrane and Oliver, it is hard to find too much fault with a individual defender when the U.S. defense collectively held England scoreless. Unless you are Hank, who makes the brilliant point that it is theoretically possible that one defender was awful, but that the others were so good they were able to prop him up and maintain the shut out. Of course, Hank also admittedly knows little about the game and also thought the U.S. lost that game, so it is theoretically possible that his arguments are built on faulty premises.” Totally my bad.

Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 533602)

England has never beaten the US in anything, except maybe surrendering at Yorktown.

Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 533602)

England has never beaten the US in anything, except maybe surrendering at Yorktown.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533603)

I’m off Twitter until my President is reinstated.

Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 533602)

England has never beaten the US in anything, except maybe surrendering at Yorktown.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 533584)

"Budweiser" and "concentration" don't get used in the same sentence much.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 533585)

Some people who know well liked his performance against England and thought he was the best US player in the Iran match.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 533610)

Hank was asking about Weston McKennie, with the rainbow hair, though.

ETA: I don't know anything about futbol either, but he's seemed good to me??

Originally Posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone (Post 533611)

You have red, white, & blue rainbows? Patriotic!

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 533610)

Hank was asking about Weston McKennie, with the rainbow hair, though.

ETA: I don't know anything about futbol either, but he's seemed good to me??

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533613)

no, this guy has a single color, maybe yellow?

Originally Posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone (Post 533611)

You have red, white, & blue rainbows? Patriotic!

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533615)

Our night sky contains 50 stars, organized in tight rows. #heartland

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533616)

So the entire defense sucked today, or is sports more complicated than what you said last week?

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533617)

Our defense was picked apart today. The defense didn’t necessarily suck. But the Netherlands basically had three good chances, and scored on all three. Why that happened, I will leave to the sporting experts such as yourself.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533618)

Thanks for having my back my brother!

But my point isn’t so broad, I just meant we got served today but that doesn’t mean the entire midfield and defense sucked, just like the fact we tied England didn’t mean our whole defense was golden.

Can you understand that?

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533619)

You are trying to make some abstract point, whereas I am talking about the actual U.S. game, which I suspect you did not even watch. While I think “sucked” is too strong a term, I think the ENTIRE defense of the U.S. was suspect, Matt Turner excepted. We were disorganized, didn’t keep our shape, did not close down the attacker with the ball, and there always seemed to be at least one Netherlands player wide open in the box. On the third goal, the Netherlands player who scored was standing on the back side of the six yard box, literally with his hand up, completely unmarked for what seemed like forever. I actually yelled, “Is someone going to cover the guy with his hand up?” We made it too easy for them, and not just on defense.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533620)

So the round of 16 a 1 from a group plays a 2 from another? Are the groups selected randomly or is there seeding?

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533621)

It’s alphabetical.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533618)

Thanks for having my back my brother!

But my point isn’t so broad, I just meant we got served today but that doesn’t mean the entire midfield and defense sucked, just like the fact we tied England didn’t mean our whole defense was golden.

Can you understand that?

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533620)

So the round of 16 a 1 from a group plays a 2 from another? Are the groups selected randomly or is there seeding?

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533618)

Thanks for having my back my brother!

But my point isn’t so broad, I just meant we got served today but that doesn’t mean the entire midfield and defense sucked, just like the fact we tied England didn’t mean our whole defense was golden.

Can you understand that?

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy (Post 533626)

Somewhere I saw some really good suggestions for making soccer more interesting.

First, the player positions are too complicated and there are too many. Maybe just have 3 players forward on offense, two on defense, and one in the goal.

Then, the field and goals are way too large, so maybe shrink them down.

And the ball is way too big, and maybe use something to hit it with instead of kicking and heading it all over.

Finally, cover the field in ice.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533628)

I basically took Con law pass/fail, so 'lil help- if Trump can throw out the constitution what impact would some dumb court decision have? For that matter, I have a kid in law school, should I tell him not to bother taking con law?

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533628)

I basically took Con law pass/fail, so 'lil help- if Trump can throw out the constitution what impact would some dumb court decision have? For that matter, I have a kid in law school, should I tell him not to bother taking con law?

Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 533629)

Tell him to pay on credit.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 533628)

I basically took Con law pass/fail, so 'lil help- if Trump can throw out the constitution what impact would some dumb court decision have? For that matter, I have a kid in law school, should I tell him not to bother taking con law?

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 533633)

Never mind, I couldn’t get the image to not be ginormous.