Soccer/Football - Jul 21st-Aug 7th

[The Burdened]

this is the best timeline

 

[613Leafer]

It wasn't intentional and it's a frustrating penalty to get, but that definitely was a penalty. It wouldn't have been called without video review, but that's part of the game now.

US certainly dominated the bulk of the play, but Canada did what they needed to do to win. Play a strong defensive game, and hope to sneak in a goal somehow. They certainly got lucky with the penalty call, but that's soccer.

 

[John Price]

Not sure the American coach is any good.

He's okay. He sent out a veteran team out there. Tactics also questionable. But it was his first tournament.

 

[John Price]

The penalty also was fine, regardless of how soft it was. The US had plenty of chances to put up goals and didn't.

 

[Bures Elbow]

1st half Canada actually played the better footy, moved the ball really well, they were just toothless in attack.

2nd half once the USA changed their entire front line early was Canada holding on and playing some quality defense. USA is clearly not the team of a couple years ago right now...zero ideas and felt so open to play against.

The pk was a 50/50 call, some refs would give it, some wouldnt, but it's still light years ahead of the bizarre and questionable decisions made that fateful evening 9 years ago. This win must be so cathartic for the players and fans of the team, I still vividly remember that 2012 game, Sinclair was unstoppable that day.

Sinclair in her prime was the best womens player of all time imho; Canada in those days were mostly poor/average and she would literally create chances on her own and smash in goals even against top quality opposition for fun. She had zero supporting cast around her and IS STILL the all time goal scoring leader in the womens game. Imagine if she had just a fraction of the talent from those USA/Germany/Brazil/Sweden teams behind her...how many more goals would she have scored? Can't imagine it.

 

[John Price]

If you haven't watched women's football so far take a look at this australia Sweden game, a rematch of the group play game earlier in the tournament. Sweden is the gold medal favorite now but was given a strong test by Australia in their earlier match.

 

[Cloned]

He's okay. He sent out a veteran team out there. Tactics also questionable. But it was his first tournament.

On a related note, Herdman with this Canadian women’s team would be pretty amazing. Can’t complain too much though considering all the good work he’s done with the men’s team.

 

[JianYang]

On a related note, Herdman with this Canadian women’s team would be pretty amazing. Can’t complain too much though considering all the good work he’s done with the men’s team.

Herdman seems to have a way of inspiring his players no matter the gender. I feel like the women still carry on that culture that he left behind.

Now you see it with the men. I have heard multiple times recently where the guys calling each other brothers, and that its a brotherhood. Those guys have each other's back, and don't take any shenanigans from the opposition lightly. You never got that feeling with the men's team before.

I can listen to a 1 minute interview of herdman, and even I get inspired that I can do anything lol.

 

[Bakayoko Ono]

That penalty was a terrible call.

 

[Jussi]

Not sure the American coach is any good.

Apparently he's the one the players wanted as the coach.

In addition to the US team needing a rebuild bad, they looked tactically far worse than two years ago at the WC. In general, in needs to be said that the quality of the games has been far inferior to that tournaments. Whether it's players getting old, coaching changes and teams playing more defensively., conditions causing issues, it just hasn't been as entertaining.

 

[Cloned]

Herdman seems to have a way of inspiring his players no matter the gender. I feel like the women still carry on that culture that he left behind.

Now you see it with the men. I have heard multiple times recently where the guys calling each other brothers, and that its a brotherhood. Those guys have each other's back, and don't take any shenanigans from the opposition lightly. You never got that feeling with the men's team before.

I can listen to a 1 minute interview of herdman, and even I get inspired that I can do anything lol.

He’s got a lifetime gig in Canadian soccer if he wants it. They’ll probably offer him an executive position or director of player development in a few years.

 

[Cloned]

Apparently he's the one the players wanted as the coach.

In addition to the US team needing a rebuild bad, they looked tactically far worse than two years ago at the WC. In general, in needs to be said that the quality of the games has been far inferior to that tournaments. Whether it's players getting old, coaching changes and teams playing more defensively., conditions causing issues, it just hasn't been as entertaining.

This is why management shouldn’t always listen to the players on everything lol.

I think it’s just more teams being more tactically advanced (AKA organized park the bus tactics) and having better quality of players available to execute those tactics successfully.

 

[John Price]

Aussies and Sweden scoreless through 1.

 

[Jussi]

This is why management shouldn’t always listen to the players on everything lol.

I think it’s just more teams being more tactically advanced (AKA organized park the bus tactics) and having better quality of players available to execute those tactics successfully.

I'm not sure if Evilo's been watching the women's tournament but I can guess he wouldn't have enjoyed it.

 

[JianYang]

He’s got a lifetime gig in Canadian soccer if he wants it. They’ll probably offer him an executive position or director of player development in a few years.

There were rumblings that the English National Team wanted him a few years ago when he was still with the Canadian Women's program. I wonder what kept him around at that point, and whether that was one of the drivers to offer him the Men's position.

 

[John Price]

US Bias aside the rest of the world has clearly caught up to the US. The US were lucky to win their women's world cup but France, Germany, England, Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, Sweden and Canada all have proper good sides ready to challenge. The US has also lost to France and now Canada and Sweden so things aren't as automatic for the US as they were in years past. The last WWC was a great indicator of that as the aging US core was able to eke out a trophy against a competitive field.

Now is the time for the US to transition to a younger generation and I'm eager to see what they have to offer.

 

[Cloned]

I'm not sure if Evilo's been watching the women's tournament but I can guess he wouldn't have enjoyed it.

The Australia Sweden game is the same thing. Sweden and Canada both sitting at 40% possession.

 

[Cloned]

There were rumblings that the English National Team wanted him a few years ago when he was still with the Canadian Women's program. I wonder what kept him around at that point, and whether that was one of the drivers to offer him the Men's position.

Almost certainly was a driver. I think they were going to do it eventually regardless, but once other federations expressed interest in him they didn’t want to risk waiting.

I hope he stays for a long time.

 

[JianYang]

US Bias aside the rest of the world has clearly caught up to the US. The US were lucky to win their women's world cup but France, Germany, England, Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, Sweden and Canada all have proper good sides ready to challenge. The US has also lost to France and now Canada and Sweden so things aren't as automatic for the US as they were in years past. The last WWC was a great indicator of that as the aging US core was able to eke out a trophy against a competitive field.

Now is the time for the US to transition to a younger generation and I'm eager to see what they have to offer.

It was just a matter of time that the gap was going to close, because the women's side had so much room to grow in almost every country (and still does). It simply wasn't very intriguing to watch the women's game in years past, so this is a good thing.

That being said, I imagine the US side will generally continue to be a perennial powerhouse going forward, with a setback every now and then kind of like how the european powers on the men's side have a setback here and there.

 

[John Price]

Sweden scar!

 

[Cloned]

US Bias aside the rest of the world has clearly caught up to the US. The US were lucky to win their women's world cup but France, Germany, England, Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, Sweden and Canada all have proper good sides ready to challenge. The US has also lost to France and now Canada and Sweden so things aren't as automatic for the US as they were in years past. The last WWC was a great indicator of that as the aging US core was able to eke out a trophy against a competitive field.

Now is the time for the US to transition to a younger generation and I'm eager to see what they have to offer.

I think the US still far and away has the best attacking talent in the world, and by a significant margin.

The issue is that in soccer, even above average defenders + a good tactical plan can shutdown great attackers. In years past, most teams didn’t have great tactics or capable defenders. Now, the women’s game has evolved to the point where several countries have capable defensive lines, plus coaches who know how to utilize proper defensive tactics.

It makes it harder to dominate a game and makes each game more of the typical coin flip you often see in soccer.

 

[John Price]

Final whistle. Sweden advance.

It will be Sweden v Canada in the gold medal game.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Congrats to Canada! Hope you win the gold.

USWNT needs to get younger. How many players under 25 are they playing?

 

[John Price]

Congrats to Canada! Hope you win the gold.

USWNT needs to get younger. How many players under 25 are they playing?

I don't think they played any. Maybe Lynn Williams but I don't know how old she is.

They brought a very veteran laden squad to the tournament. People like Morgan, Press, Rapinoe, etc. The age showed on the field.

 

[Cloned]

That penalty was a terrible call.

Meh, not a single American player argued the call. Davidson looked guilty as hell afterwards too.