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Make sure to get your World Cup Pickem game score picks in before the start of each game, especially with the Quarterfinal matchups set.
For those of you reading this that had barely seen the sport before, welcome to the best of soccer.
- Someone told Tim Howard that Guillermo Ochoa was the best goalie in CONCACAF. He took offense. Hopefully he won't internationally retire now, even if it's technically Guzan's turn.
- He was spectacular obviously, but they defense wasn't anywhere near as bad as the shot total made them look. A good chunk of the shots were allowed by design and a decent amount were due to pushing forward.
- The defense was well organized and kept Belgium from developing cohesion (which they've struggled with all tournament). Gonzalez and Besler covered well. Beasley and Yedlin were very strong given how frequently they went forward and didn't allow many runners when bunkered into the defensive third.
- If Fabian Johnson doesn't get hurt, I don't know what happens. I imagine he and Yedlin are terrorizing Hazard and Vertonghen at some point while simultaneous fighting to get back and defend them, but I don't know who the third sub is and when Yedlin comes in.
- I'm impressed Klinsmann had the balls to yank Beckerman and put in Cameron. It made plenty of sense. Beckerman might be a better team defender, but Cameron's better one on one in front of a defense and is a shitload more athletic (and taller) for the likes of Belgium's attackers (and set pieces). He played attacking mid not too long ago (at the club level) and was more comfortable pushing forward and distributing than Kyle Beckerman would have been. Cameron fit better into a stretched game. It's just a shame Beckerman didn't go hair-to-hair with Fellaini.
- Yedlin will be in Europe in the next 12 months (give or take his contract situation that I don't know off the top of my head), hopefully MLS can get a bit of a post World Cup bump with him until the end of the season at least. He was instrumental going forward, helped keep Hazard a bit honest defensively, and held his own against him defensively. He just needs to be able to track back for 90 minutes.
- Wondo was brought into the squad because he usually converts that chance in the 92nd minute. Gotta feel for him missing it. He was strong in the hold-up/runner role up when he was on the field, his doing so allowed us to actually show a sustained attack for perhaps the first time in the tournament.
- Besler has to do better against Lukaku in the build up to the first goal. He can't be let free that far up the field, take a yellow if you have to. Gonzalez had a chance to clear it and couldn't get enough on it. It should have been back breaking, but the team showed plenty of fight...even if it gave up a second in the process.
- Had that elaborate free kick worked to tie the game late in extra time, the entire world would have exploded. At least Courtois for saved us all from extinction.
- After Wondo came on, you saw the Michael Bradley we're all used to, he was creating from deep like he wants to do. He improved as the top of the triangle prior to that, with he and Jones often both pushed up at times and Jones often the lead man as well.
- Zusi was poor. He didn't have much offensively, lost the ball a bit in transition and wasn't much help on defense. Fatigue got him (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt at least).
- Bedoya had his best game of the tournament, but still struggled a tad in the offensive third. He was what we needed tracking back and important at times in transition. This was the first game where we attacked down the left for a sustained period (in the first half).
- Jermaine Jones probably had his worst game of the tournament, but he still left a stamp on the game and was solid as a box-to-box force. He's probably too old for the next World Cup, but hopefully he can make the Gold Cup and Copa America Centenario.
- Julian Green might have the best goals per minute rate in World Cup history and tied the record for touches prior to scoring your first goal, but hopefully he realizes it doesn't guarantee him anything. He's still a prospect, hopefully a shitload of pressure doesn't get placed on him (it will). If you had told me Mix Diskerud would be one of two outfield players to not see the field, but Green would, I'd have been quite surprised, and with it being a fact now, I am quite surprised.
- Dempsey did an adequate job holding up, but really took to the game when Wondo allowed him to drop back into his natural role. It's going to be tough for anyone virtually on an island against Kompany and van Buyten.
I don't get to watch Thiago Silva very often, so with that asterisk, Vincent Kompany is the best center back in the world...he can do it all.
Kevin de Bruyne was the best attacker for Belgium as well. Hazard underperformed a tad and Mirallas should start over Mertens.
Five of the eight seeded teams have made the quarterfinals. We need to figure out a way to break into the seeds in four years (even if FIFA will make sure to change the formula after the fact). It's going to continue to be a struggle to get out of groups when you have to play two Europeans and a non-Asian or CONCACAF side.
Last tournament we were the only group winner to not make the quarters. This tournament all of them made the quarters. I'm not sure what that means.
We may be out, but the tournament still goes on. My advice to my fellow US fans is to enjoy it now without the stress of a rooting interest.
What did you think of the US' final performance in Brazil? I'd love to hear from a neutral or two. Did you even watch? |
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