Open Thread: USA vs Mexico
from a "majestic" standpoint i can see what leo is getting at. There was a tiny window in which Bradley could put it based on the location of the keeper when he struck it that gave the shot a 100 percent chance of going in. Ochoa literally could not have done anything about it.
Yzerman hitting a 70 footer wasn't the same thing. That was a great hard shot at the goal but the only way it goes in is if the goalie misplays it, and Casey missed it.
The difference is that Bradley's steal created a window that was his to hit, unequivocally. Yzerman made a great shot but it was still Casey's play to miss.
Basketball is a series of small, lesser-gravity plays of brilliance, but the closest is the classic full court pass with 2 seconds left to a guy for a buzzer beater. The offense has to do a lot of things right, and if they do, there is usually nothing the defense can do to stop it. Same with a beautiful hail mary pass in football. I would put that in the same category. Baseball, probably a super long throw at the plate from the outfield is the greatest individual play of beauty and precision that a guy can make.
Their own preference, and I will not be critical of the choices available.
I think a big reason why people do not appreciate soccer goals as much is simply because they do not like the sport.
Congrats to Carl Hagelin and Ian Cole for winning the cup last night. What a great atmosphere in Nashville last night. Pittsurgh played with only 6 defensemen and none of them have gotten a single vote of any kind in Norris Trophy nominations. The whole team was very unselfish and modest afterwards (very refreshing to see in sports). I hated Crosby before but what he has accomplished in the Stanley Cup, World Championships, and Olympics has to make him one of the greatest players ever.
The atmosphere in Mexcio was also surreal. Not the best played game by either side, but very competitive. Christian Pulisic looks like the only world class player we had. He wasn't on but you can see skills that cause the opponents to be on notice all the time. Bradley drives me crazy with poor passes and fouls in dangerous areas, but he had his shooting boots on last night. Bruce Arena deserves credit for putting out a creative line up and getting a tough to get point in hostile conditions and very one sided refereeing.
Every nation only has a few "world-class players." The problem is that those elite nations have great players around those transcendant stars, the USA does not.
I think guys like Nagbe and Wood can be those amazing supports, but they still have some growing up to do. Dempsey is awesome, but he is on the downside. Altidore has not lived up to the high billing he was given.
Where are guys like Julian Green and Gedion Zelalem? Green especially is our current Freddy Adu.
Edit: Zelalem tore some ligaments.
Struttgart will be in the Bundesliga next season and Green will get lots of PT. He's young and can be one of those quality support players down the road.
FIFA rankings can be suspect but we are ranked 23 rd currently, behind Iceland, and I think that is fair. Mexico is slumping and not much better, but you saw quality set pieces, creativity, and better technical skills yesterday.
Green was talented, but over hyped. Lets hope he finds solid playing time moving forward.
There are some really exciting players coming up and I think Ramos is doing a great job with the youth national team.
Josh Sargent is one to keep an eye on. Once he turns 18 he will get looks from Europe.
It will be interesting to see what the roster looks like for the Gold Cup. Hopefully CCV gets the nod so we can cap tie him. I'd also like to see a pairing of Hydman and Acosta in the middle, but Bradley probably gets one of the overage spots.
Rumor has it that Sargent's already agreed to a contract with Werder Bremen (as always, take rumors in the soccer press with the highest degree of skepticism possible). At any rate, he can't sign until he's 18. There's some talk that a bigger club may make a run at him, but regardless, it seems like he's going to be in Europe as soon as he's able (unlike Pulisic, he doesn't have a Euro passport, so he can't sign into a European youth academy).
http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2017/05/24/35791392/source…
to get the goat of the many soccer nerds on this blog.
I know more soccer than most, dating to paulo rossi, bebeto and rosario.
My point is that soccer, the coming sport in america for 50 years now, will NEVER be a major sport as long as usa plays a 5 4 1 the last ten minutes in a game that could create history, and YES I know a point is meaningful in this convoluted tournament.
Go For History, Not a tie, to Gain National Headlines. Not a point.
That is not why soccer is a less popular sport in this country. "Yay Us We Beat Mexico" is at best a fleeting piece of interest among people who aren't fans. Losing to Mexico, obviously, is not helpful either.
Because using a certain formation to make sure you get a massively important road point is why soccer is not popular in the US...
Try not to start a post with, "I know more soccer than most," if you want to actually have a conversation.
Especially when you get Romario's name wrong (unless he's making a very opaque point about his knowledge of the dynamics of Rosario, Argentina, during Messi's childhood).
He is trolling man. You clearly know what you are talking about.
pickings
of usa soccer in usa today.
I think the 10th story online
and yes sorry romario, must of been thinking of rosario dawsow
Who doesn't mix up Rosario Dawson and Romario?
You are in over your head with this trolling thing.
A troll and a fan of Ezekiel Elliott.