MLS and Sporting KC - Official Thread

[aphilso1]

I think my favorite part of WC is the third match, where all four teams from a group are playing simultaneously.  I just love that crazy "looking over your shoulder aspect," like what made Uruguay push so hard to try to win 3-0 and then feel crushing defeat even though they won 2-0 (not to mention Ghana getting redemption even in a loss for Suarez' previous hand of god shenanigans).  It's hard to top that.  But I agree elimination games are also pretty great.

[HuskerFever]

30 minutes ago, aphilso1 said:

I think my favorite part of WC is the third match, where all four teams from a group are playing simultaneously.  I just love that crazy "looking over your shoulder aspect," like what made Uruguay push so hard to try to win 3-0 and then feel crushing defeat even though they won 2-0 (not to mention Ghana getting redemption even in a loss for Suarez' previous hand of god shenanigans).  It's hard to top that.  But I agree elimination games are also pretty great.

 

There's also that element, much like March Madness, where people get excited about the 32 games over 2 days. Lots of chaos all at once.

 

This is now hitting the stage where all eyes are on that single match.

[aphilso1]

The Dutch...wow! Down 2-0 in the 84th minute, and come back to force extra time!

 

[HuskerFever]

9 minutes ago, aphilso1 said:

The Dutch...wow! Down 2-0 in the 84th minute, and come back to force extra time!

 

 

EAT YOUR DUMFRIES, THIS GAME IS GETTING MESSI!

[HuskerFever]

This is the kind of match where Argentina will steamroll the rest of the way.

 

2-1 win? Get too confident. 2-2 (4-3 PKs)? Never taking a minute for granted here on out.

[HuskerFever]

FIFA Rankings / Current World Cup Status:

 

Ranking    Team    Eliminated
1    Brazil    Quarterfinals
2    Belgium    Group Stage
3    Argentina    -
4    France    -
5    England    -
7    Spain    Round of 16
8    Netherlands    Quarterfinals
9    Portugal    -
10    Denmark    Group Stage
11    Germany    Group Stage
12    Croatia    -
13    Mexico    Group Stage
14    Uruguay    Group Stage
15    Switzerland    Round of 16
16    USA    Round of 16
18    Senegal    Round of 16
19    Wales    Group Stage
20    Iran    Group Stage
21    Serbia    Group Stage
22    Morocco    -
24    Japan    Round of 16
26    Poland    Round of 16
28    South Korea    Round of 16
30    Tunisia    Group Stage
31    Costa Rica    Group Stage
38    Australia    Round of 16
41    Canada    Group Stage
43    Cameroon    Group Stage
44    Ecuador    Group Stage
50    Qatar    Group Stage
51    Saudi Arabia    Group Stage
61    Ghana    Group Stage

[49r]

Games today were nuts!

[HuskerFever]

 

[hskr4life]

Could be natural causes, but I’d definitely investigate it a little bit with all that happened over there.  Something smells a little fishy.

[49r]

11 hours ago, hskr4life said:

Could be natural causes, but I’d definitely investigate it a little bit with all that happened over there.  Something smells a little fishy.

 

You aren't alone in that line of thought:  https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-2022-grant-wahl-dead-cause-of-death-reaction-rainbow-flag-shirt-qatar-response-updates-brother/news-story/9270289bf8b80fd55bff803f62aee216

[hskr4life]

 

[hskr4life]

Cough cough Gio cough cough… it has to be right?

[cipsucks]

On 12/9/2022 at 10:21 PM, hskr4life said:

Could be natural causes, but I’d definitely investigate it a little bit with all that happened over there.  Something smells a little fishy.

 

I agree. Was he covid vaccinated?

 

 

[cornfed24-7]

On 12/1/2022 at 11:54 AM, cornfed24-7 said:

There's also the aspect that soccer is still a rapidly growing sport here. Haven't even scratched the surface yet of what it could be in this country. And while I agree we are possibly in a golden era as well we may be able to sustain success. 

 

I'm 41. As a child I played football. I played at recess, played organized starting in 4th grade, and played through high school. I also played soccer in the city rec league from about 6y to 12y. I was a much better soccer player than football. After 12y there was no other options to play. I would have rather played soccer. My brother who is 2y younger than me got to play soccer his Senior year. It was the 1st year the high school offered it.

 

I'm a parent now. I have a toddler 2y and one on the way. As soon as he could walk we started kickin a ball around. He runs around kickin a ball screaming "GOOOOOOOOAL!" On Saturdays we go to his soccer "practice"  with a dozen other toddlers. Its a blast and the cutest thing ever. Pure. Chaos. 

 

I'll steer him and his brother away from football. I know a lot of parents like me. My wife was a college tennis player. I hope my boy finds a passion for one of those two sports.

 

My point is we are still in the infancy of soccer in this country where kids are being brought up in the sport. Where as a place like Belgium it is established. The future for US Soccer is bright!

 

A timely article with some data points to back up this sentiment

 

"Put in other mathematical terms, that is nearly 300% growth in the last 40 years.

There is no other sport in America that has taken off as quickly over the last 40 years as soccer among high schoolers."

 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/12/football/soccer-popularity-us-world-cup-spt-intl/index.html

Edited December 12, 2022 by cornfed24-7

[HuskerFever]

20 hours ago, hskr4life said:

 

 

 

[hskr4life]

1. This should have stayed within the team.  This whole thing has blown wayyyyy up and looks awful.

 

2. The fact that Gio was told ahead of time that he would have a limited role is discouraging.  I know a lot of people didn't like GB, but I thought he did ok.  However, why he would tell one of our biggest and youngest talents that he's going to have a limited role is beyond comprehension.

 

3. Gio's statement was good-- I just hope that we can all move on from this.

[aphilso1]

well then.  anyone who feared GB would still be at the helm in 2026 probably doesn't need to worry about that anymore.

[Dean Smith]

I find it hard to believe that GB expects to be back the way he threw Gio under the bus.  There seems to be blame to go both ways but you can’t coach a team that doesn’t trust you and no one’s trusting him at this point. He has to go. And why would you tell one of your very top players your role will be limited?

[aphilso1]

14 hours ago, Dean Smith said:

I find it hard to believe that GB expects to be back the way he threw Gio under the bus.  There seems to be blame to go both ways but you can’t coach a team that doesn’t trust you and no one’s trusting him at this point. He has to go. And why would you tell one of your very top players your role will be limited?

I was wondering the same thing.  All I could come up with, was that GB implied something different than GR inferred.  Perhaps Berhalter just meant that Gio was not in the first eleven, essentially relegating him to a sub in two matches and a starter in one other for the group stage.  And perhaps Gio heard Berhalter's words and thought that meant he was on the end of the bench.  

 

It's not completely outlandish that Reyna, recovering from injury, wasn't penciled in as a starter.  He can basically play three positions naturally in this system and each of those three positions was covered by a very capable player (LW Pulisic, RW Weah, #10 Musah).  I know you had mentioned previously liking him as a False 9 but I'm not convinced.  So really, he was competing for time with three players that were also very talented but in better fitness.  It's not the fact that Gio wasn't in Berhalter's first eleven that was the glaring mistake, it's the miscommunication of that vision that is the issue.  Clearly Berhalter didn't communicate his point very well, if Gio took the conversation so poorly that he decided to pout and not put in any effort at practice.  Especially in this type of setting where the coach isn't the primary talent developer (that happens at the player's club throughout the year), his ability to motivate is supremely important.  Ultimately I believe this poor communication will lead to Gregg being shown the door early in this next WC cycle.

[Dean Smith]

13 hours ago, aphilso1 said:

I was wondering the same thing.  All I could come up with, was that GB implied something different than GR inferred.  Perhaps Berhalter just meant that Gio was not in the first eleven, essentially relegating him to a sub in two matches and a starter in one other for the group stage.  And perhaps Gio heard Berhalter's words and thought that meant he was on the end of the bench.  

 

It's not completely outlandish that Reyna, recovering from injury, wasn't penciled in as a starter.  He can basically play three positions naturally in this system and each of those three positions was covered by a very capable player (LW Pulisic, RW Weah, #10 Musah).  I know you had mentioned previously liking him as a False 9 but I'm not convinced.  So really, he was competing for time with three players that were also very talented but in better fitness.  It's not the fact that Gio wasn't in Berhalter's first eleven that was the glaring mistake, it's the miscommunication of that vision that is the issue.  Clearly Berhalter didn't communicate his point very well, if Gio took the conversation so poorly that he decided to pout and not put in any effort at practice.  Especially in this type of setting where the coach isn't the primary talent developer (that happens at the player's club throughout the year), his ability to motivate is supremely important.  Ultimately I believe this poor communication will lead to Gregg being shown the door early in this next WC cycle.

It doesn’t sound like It was a miscommunication. The phrase that seems to have been used is “role will be limited.” It appears to be blame on both sides but Greg why would you do that? 

[HuskerFever]

 

[49r]

Curious.  Must be moving on to a club in a higher division?

[49r]

[hskr4life]

That would have been… something.

[49r]

https://www.thebluetestament.com/2022/12/30/23533065/cristiano-ronaldo-was-very-close-to-move-to-sporting-kansas-city-kc-saudi-arabia-heinaman-mls