A Beautiful Thread for the Beautiful Game

Yeah, Finland won. Greece controlled the game and attacked through most of it but couldn't get many decent shots away, mostly due to Finland parking the bus and Greece just sucking very hard. They can't seem to play as a team at all at the moment.

3 points don't mean anything at this stage in the qualification but it's certainly something to get the team's spirits up. Nobody seemed all that happy about it, though. Sure, they put an end to a six-game losing streak but if you win by parking the bus and getting a lucky goal from basically your only decent counter-attack all game you can't be happy. To be honest I would've preferred that Greece win this. They deserved it more.

I suppose Finland can take the positives, anyway - the defenders didn't make silly mistakes, there weren't loads of stupid fouls (there often are when Finland are under pressure), the goal was Pohjanpalo's first in an official national team game, and Finland won without their best players. (I didn't know Eremenko was unavailable. Others were missing, as well.) Hradecky did very well when he had to but for the most part the defense did his work for him.

If this is how Finland are going to go through the transition between managers - park the bus and try to get an undeserved win - I suppose we'll just have to tolerate it until the new manager sets in to establish a style that won't be quite so ugly. I just hope Finland won't win their remaining games if they play like this - it could give the manager ideas I don't want him to be thinking. The next game is against the Faroes, though, so Finland should control it and be the one attacking through most of it.

USMNT beat Peru 2-1, through two second-half goals from Jozy Altidore (who was given the Captain's armband on the night; I know Klinsmann has been a radical tinkerer of his US sides, especially for friendlies, but this was extreme!).

Jozy's first came off of a penalty called on a throw-in. Naturally, Jozy missed the initial penalty kick, but scored on the rebound. The second goal looked a little better.

The only other surprises were Tim Howard getting called back into the squad merely to be the backup option for Brad Guzan, who is looking more and more like USMNT's No. 1 option between the posts. Michael Bradley (sticking with his MLS side, which still has games to play, but will be called up for the match v. Brazil in the next few days) and Clint Dempsey (battling an injury, anyway) didn't get call-ups.

All eyes, though, are still on next month's all-important playoff game at the Pasadena Rose Bowl against Mexico to decide CONCACAF's representative at the 2017 Confederations Cup. That's gonna be a tough, tough game in a very hostile, extremely pro-Mexico atmosphere. And, as much as I want to say I love Klinsmann and am supportive of him as manager, I'm really worried for him here. After the United States' freak collapse at the end of the Gold Cup, the feeling in the air is that a loss in this game could potentially, almost certainly cost him his job.

edited 5th Sep '15 7:22:08 AM by SeanMurrayI

I don't know if it'd cost him his job, but it would definitely put tons of pressure. When does his contract end?

In other news, England has become the first nation to qualify for Euro 2016, after defeating San Marino in an away match by 6-0. Also, a penalty scored by Rooney puts him on equal standing with Sir Bobby Charlton in the top goalscorers for England.

(cue Hundred Years War jokes)

edited 5th Sep '15 11:00:56 AM by Quag15

Venezuela got stomped 3-0 by Honduras.

Ah well, my pleasant surprise over Wales winning its match makes up for that. I would like to see Bale taking his team to the Euro.

Not sure that tops the 5-1 vs Germany in the World Cup qualifiers a decade or so ago.

Klinsmann signed an extension through 2018 sometime after the US were drawn into their 2014 World Cup group, but before the tournament kicked off.

A lot of his work is set on a long-term plan to renovate US developmental programs and building up the next generation of national players to take over from the likes of Howard, Dempsey, and the already long departed Donovan and build an outfield team around Michael Bradley and, maybe, Deandre Yedlin and Gyasi Zardes, but a lot of die hard American soccer fans^note Discounting the know-nothing "casuals" who take a half-hearted interest every four years to tell me they're "embarrassed" America was beaten by "a tiny country that only produces chocolate". are deeply upset that the USMNT hasn't had anything to show for itself at the Gold Cup and are now wondering if Klinsmann's plan is working as it should.

For the most part, it's especially a worry because CONCACAF 2018 World Cup qualifying ("The Hexagonal") is going to be immensely more competitive this cycle than last time around, and this year's finish in the Gold Cup exposes a lot of weaknesses in the squad Klinsmann is trying to put together. Secondly, the Confederations Cup is seen as a priority for the experience the tournament would build for a CONCACAF side against other top nations in venues for the coming World Cup.

I don't think the USMNT would have been better off without Klinsmann after 2014, and I certainly don't feel they'd be better off if he's out of a job come next month, but there's going to be a lot of worried supporters and staffers fretting over Klinsmann's constant tinkering of the squad and formation and where it leaves the USMNT is heading this cycle.

In other news, there's a fair bit to look forward to in the Argentine Primera this weekend, but today's only interesting games look to be 3rd place Rosario Central v. 28th place Arsenal FC and, following that, 26th place Huracán fighting for points against 7th place Independiente.

Looking fun.

edited 5th Sep '15 1:05:04 PM by SeanMurrayI

I didn't see England's game but I saw the stats just know and apparently Walcott scored two goals after coming in for Oxlade-Chamberlain fairly late on. The Ox registered an assist, as well.

I mean, sure, it's San Marino but it still counts, basically. It'll do Walcott's confidence a world of good to get a couple of goals as preparation for the next rounds of the Premier League.

Mario Balotelli could score upon a Sunday League team this weekend for all anyone cares. That's not gonna mean much when he gets set to represent Milan.

He already did score for Milan - in a friendly.

Much like a goalkeeper, a striker is very reliant on confidence. A couple of poor performances can easily have the player doubting himself, prompting further mistakes. It's common for these situations to resolve when the player gets a good game, even if it's against lower quality opposition.

Walcott hasn't been playing poorly, as such - he hasn't been given chances in the first place. He finished last season on a high, and also scored in the pre-season friendly against Wolfsburg. His confidence should thus be on a reasonable level, but with Wenger keeping him on the bench early on this season it's very likely that he's been feeling unsure about himself.

Walcott started well against Newcastle but when they had to change their approach to the game after the red card their defenders were sitting so deep that Walcott's main asset - his pace - was rendered next to useless. He also missed a chance he really should have taken.

That's why I think he was probably a bit low on confidence. Scoring two for England - even if the game was as easy/unimportant as a friendly - will help him mentally as he prepares for Arsenal's next couple of games. (I think he'll probably be benched again at Stoke, though; but I expect him to start against Dinamo Zagreb.)

Players who are out of form are often told to play a game or two for the reserves. The idea is to keep them fit while they're not set for first-team football, and also to give them an easy chance to get back to form by dominating an easier opponent. It's not the game itself that matters in that case - not even the result - but the confidence the player can take from it.

So what I'm saying is, basically, that even if San Marino amounts basically to a reserves game or friendly (even when the game part of an official tournament) any player who performs well can get a mental boost from it.

What about a 25-minute scrimmage against an overworked semi-pro side?

Many players fielded for minnows at the low, low end of the FIFA Rankings Table (last I checked San Marino are 193 of 209) aren't even so much as full-time professional footballers and only play part-time as they hold down other menial jobs. Looking good, compared to teams on that level, doesn't amount to anything significant, when having to prepare for serious, professional opposition in the England top flight.

It might give a boost, if one were preparing to face off against actual professional football club reserves, but I wouldn't go much higher than that.

edited 6th Sep '15 9:19:28 AM by SeanMurrayI

Yeah, maybe I overstated it. Basically what this game will do to Walcott's confidence is better than nothing, but not by much.

I know how poor San Marino are, BTW. I read up on them a couple of years back when they were getting soundly beaten by Finland. Well, and they are, of course, always cited as the default example of a national side everyone should expect to beat.

Qatar 15 - Bhutan 0

Looks like Qatar really doesn't want to be the first country to qualify to a World Cup only by hosting it. They only have one more chance.

Best Of, I don't think Bhutan could ever beat San Marino.

The official FIFA rankings have them tied for last.

Who, Bhutan? I'm seeing them listed quite a bit higher than that at 164th.

Bhutan used to be, more or less, dead last in the rankings, and if anybody isn't entirely familiar with the story about that, then there's a fantastic documentary called The Other Final that you need to look up right now...

For the record, bottom of the FIFA rankings table is pretty much a tie between Caribbean nations Anguilla and Bahamas.

I Googled the Coca-Cola FIFA world ranking yesterday and the site (which looked official) had Bhutan and San Marino sharing the last place. I looked again just now and saw what you said. I must've landed on an old version yesterday. I think I clicked on the first result, though. Oh, well. My bad.

Seeing Didier Drogba in an all-blue Adidas strip, wearing No. 11, with THE "Drogba Legend" Banner on display might make this look like Chelsea highlights at a glance, but Drogba made his first start in an MLS game last night for the Montreal Impact (his second appearance overall, after coming on as a substitute a few weeks back) and surely made an impact by netting a hat trick. Total beast.

Argentine Primera soccer was fairly eventful yesterday, as well, with Huracán snatching a point from Independiente on 90 minutes, on the nose. Still 26th of 30 in the league and 28th of 30 on the crooked relegation table that's meant to keep River Plate and Independiente from being relegated... again. El Globo hovering just above the precipice.

Today's marquee matchup is a HUGE one. 1st place Boca Juniors host 2nd place San Lorenzo. San Lorenzo have a chance to retake top spot with a win; Boca, on the other hand, could stretch their lead at the top to five points. Still waiting on Fútbol Para Todos to announce a YouTube live stream for this, though.

EDIT: Here we go. Boca-San Lorenzo, 5:15 PM (EDT) kick-off, serious business.

Setting up private chat here: https://cytu.be/r/TroperCoven

Watch live on Youtube with 20,000+ other strangers here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPbZkTV8euc

edited 6th Sep '15 2:17:43 PM by SeanMurrayI

Iceland has qualified for the first time ever to the Euros! Also, the Czech Republic is qualified as well.

From the same group, Turkey has defeated the Netherlands 3-0 (!) The Netherlands might not qualify, if Turkey wins the final two matches in the group.

edited 6th Sep '15 3:39:51 PM by Quag15

San Lorenzo back at #1. Again, Pope Francis's Divine Intervention...

Colossal 2nd half stoppage time fuck up by Boca Jrs.

Good for San Lorenzo. Also, River won handledly its match. About time they went back to victory for the first time since their return from Japan. That jet lag had hit them hard.

River's been doing Huracán huge favors these last two weeks. First, they share points, then they hammer down one of the only two teams beneath them in the fight to avoid relegation.

And both clubs are going to have really important derbies ahead of them in the next league round. Huracán will be hosting historical rivals San Lorenzo; both clubs now obviously going to be desperate for points for completely different reasons. And River will play Boca, and that needs no further elaboration.

edited 6th Sep '15 9:41:30 PM by SeanMurrayI

Huh. Brazil 1, Costa Rica 0.

Mind you, Brazil was without Neymar. However, Costa Rica had a goal completely stolen. I am not biased. I pinky swear

Scotland 2 - 2 Germany at HT.

Wowzers.

Considering Germany's privileged position in its group, I don't think a tie would be too alarming.

EDIT: Only 30 seconds after posting this, Germany scored Goal Three.

edited 7th Sep '15 12:58:04 PM by MyFinalEdits

Albania 0-1 Portugal

Doing fuck all, almost suffering a goal, doing shit substitutions, having oldies like Miguel Veloso playing... and fat Veloso had to score at the 90+2 minute mark through a header after a corner.

Man, the NT makes us suffer so unnecessarily.

Well, if we at least draw against Denmark a month from now, we'll qualify before the final match of the group. Which is good, for a change.

edited 7th Sep '15 1:41:23 PM by Quag15