Figure we can discuss the Olympics here. US' first soccer match vs France today. In what I view as a shocking lineup development, Slonina is not starting in goal for the US. US will be the underdog today but should advance to knockout stages as they're in a pretty weak group other than France.
Olympics
- Thread starter TU_BLA
- Start date
A fairly unimpressive first half from both teams. I’ve been impressed with Aaronson so far. I think he looks better than his brother and had the best shot of the half. A little more to the post and there would have been no kick save. The GK has acquitted himself well.
I can’t say that wasn’t a disappointing g outcome but if not for some stellar play by the French GK and unlucky hits off the woodwork the US could have scored 4 or 5 goals. Unfortunately that seems to be the story for US soccer teams, they can play 5 games and be inches from 20 goals but end up with zero goals and zero points.
I don't think the score line was completely indicative of the actual game...France certainly was better able to finish their good chances whereas the US simply could not and the French GK played outstanding. As I said, it's a rough opening match for the US but they should be able to win the next 2 and advance to the knockouts.
What I didn't have on my bingo card yesterday was 16.5 minutes of stoppage time in the Argentina v Morocco match with Argentina scoring a goal 16.5 minutes into stoppage time, Morocco fans storming the field, the match being officially suspended, and 90 minutes later have VAR rule that the Argentina goal was offside so Morocco wins 2-1. Crazy insane.
And the team to watch in this tournament might be Japan. Extremely good both tactically and technically. Just put on a clinic yesterday.
Japan's Sr. team ain't chopped liver either after whacking the US in that friendly prior to the WC. They will no doubt make some noise in '26.
Also, interesting take from Freddy Adu on US soccer. Basically goes on to say that the search for wins over player development beginning at such a young age leads the focus on the style of play to find the biggest fastest kids not necessarily the best soccer players and coaches choose winning over player development and this is the reason why the USYNTs do well in international competitions but the senior men's teams and Olympic sides do not because all of a sudden the speed and size advantages they enjoyed in the youth ranks disappear and they can't match the skill levels of Euro or South American sides.
He's not wrong. And I saw it first hand how when a team is developed the right way, you may not see wins early on but at the end of the season, those things come because your team is best equipped to handle the challenges.
He's not wrong. And I saw it first hand how when a team is developed the right way, you may not see wins early on but at the end of the season, those things come because your team is best equipped to handle the challenges.
Same conversation is now ongoing on the girls side. Especially since Spain, a side full of “undersized” women (at least compared to the Americans) won the World Cup. Clubs place the biggest and fastest girls on the top team at a young age over smaller players who might have more natural soccer ability.
And I think you're seeing that shift. Japan has won a World Cup this century...how? They had a team of very good technical players and who were superior tactically. They could pass the crap out of the ball. Brazil has been good by being technically superior. Spain was both technical and tactical in their win last year. The US is running the best athletes up top hoping they can out athlete the defenders from their opponents. That used to work in the women's game...it won't moving forward. The goal Trinity Rodman scored was one of those great team goals. Will it be that easy against an opponent better than Zambia? Probably not, but it showed some great tactical movement off the ball and good in tight passing. I think under Emma Hayes you'll see the US shifting to being a more technical team with better tactical awareness in the attack. This is where the great technical abilities of Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle will shine for the US. Plus as the athletic gap between the US and other nations begins to narrow, the US will need to be better tactically and technically if they are to keep pace.
Maybe the men's development side should take note. This is why Josy Altidore was never the imposing figure internationally the US thought he might be. He doesn't possess the technical skill needed at that level to be dominant. This is why Erling Haaland is a force on the highest stages (at least in club because Norway doesn't have enough players to get him to the highest stages internationally). He has the size and speed, but he also is excellent technically and has a tactical awareness that makes him dangerous even without the ball.
I’m going to be super critical here. Currently in the 86th minute against Zambia and the US is up 3-0 playing 11 on 10. They should have beaten this team by a dozen goals. They haven’t scored since the Zambian girl was carded and now it’s like they’re not even trying. Their finishing must improve against teams like Germany.
The ladies played much better today plus they got a little lucky. With 6 points and a +6 GD they should get out of group and win the group unless they come apart against the Aussies. I think it’s time for Lindsey Horan to hang up the boots. Today she did more harm than good.
New Zealand beat Guinea 2-1. Unless we just fall apart, I think we will beat Guinea. A draw should be the worst we could do.
Women were very clinical in their attack and they just overwhelmed the German midfield and they really brought in an attack that was really balanced and used both sides of the field.
US men up 1-0 on Guinea 15 minutes in. US has carried play and so far have done a pretty good job of keeping the ball which is important because Guinea has some fast wingers who have shown an ability to get wide and run onto the over the top balls. So far nothing out of it. Guinea has also shown an intent to press up top when the US is playing out of the back but it has left Guinea exposed in the back and the US has shown some nice precision in the counters. Guinea GK is the only thing keeping the US from a 3 or 4 goal barrage right now.
2-0 US. Paredes with the goal. 31'. And Mihailovic was unlucky not to have his 2nd of the game just moments earlier. It was going to be a tall order for anyone to pass the US in their group with the GD and New Zealand basically needing a win vs France. US has likely secured their spot in the quarterfinals.
US Women's Gymnastics team wins gold going away. US Women's Rugby 7's wins bronze...I think I read that's the 1st ever medal for US Rugby.
In an upset, Italian women win silver in gymnastics, their first gymnastics medal since 1920 (?) and Great Britain wins the bronze. No Japan, no China, and Brazil's gymnasts had a foreboding start when their star face planted off the uneven bars during warm up. She had butterfly stitches in her face and still competed. Looked like she went a round or two with Mike Tyson. Had she been an NBA player she would have missed a month of action.
ADD: Katie Ledecky won her 1500 heat by about 27 seconds. Just ridiculous. She was a 1/2 pool length ahead just 300M in. Remarkably when you watch her swim this event, she doesn't kick hardly at all.
In an upset, Italian women win silver in gymnastics, their first gymnastics medal since 1920 (?) and Great Britain wins the bronze. No Japan, no China, and Brazil's gymnasts had a foreboding start when their star face planted off the uneven bars during warm up. She had butterfly stitches in her face and still competed. Looked like she went a round or two with Mike Tyson. Had she been an NBA player she would have missed a month of action.
ADD: Katie Ledecky won her 1500 heat by about 27 seconds. Just ridiculous. She was a 1/2 pool length ahead just 300M in. Remarkably when you watch her swim this event, she doesn't kick hardly at all.
The men were so much better today, especially on offense. That free kick for the first goal was precision personified. Aaronson’s pass tho set up goal 2 was perfect. This game gives me hope that we can medal.
Josy altidore was a lazy, lazy player. I hated watching him. I can't blame him for taking the money in Toronto. He never wanted to work. It was appalling to watch him play in person because you got to see just how little he worked.
Mallory Swanson seems to really be excelling with the new gaffer.
Before her knee injury (last year?) she was by far the best scorer on the team. She’s just now getting back into form. Dynamic player who covers the whole field.
All about matchups. I haven't seen any of the other U23 teams at the Olympics where I would worry that we were way overmatched. Even in the initial game vs France, if the US finished just 1 of the early chances they had that game might have played out differently. Argentina and Morocco are both decent but they have some holes.
My biggest worry for the US is the goalkeeping. I have not been terribly impressed with Schulte.
Morocco is now hammering the US, 3-0. Morocco's 1st goal came from a PK on a very questionable call but not questionable enough for VAR to over rule it. US had a lot of chances but lacked that clinical finishing quality. Wide and over the bar on a lot of shots. And Morocco is exposing Zimmerman for being old and slow. Goals 2 and 3 come as a result of the US pressing to find a goal and leaving Zimmerman exposed in the back. Morocco is very good but not unbeatable by any stretch. We've discussed this in other threads but the US model of player development at the youth stages, because it is so focused on winning vs actual player development, really shows up in high level international matches...because those big fast players that dominate ECNL or other high level youth competitions, no longer are able to dominate against better technical players who are just as fast.
This continues to happen and yet USSF doesn't insist on anything at the youth levels in terms of development...like not keeping score at U10 and below games. Literally, the scores in those games mean nothing.
This continues to happen and yet USSF doesn't insist on anything at the youth levels in terms of development...like not keeping score at U10 and below games. Literally, the scores in those games mean nothing.
Agree 100%. My hope is MLS-Next will provide better develop going forward on the male side. Doesn’t help the lack of development at the academy level but I do believe the training at the MLS-Next level is an improvement over ECNL.
US Women beat Japan 1-0 in extra team. US dominated possession for this game for the most part as Japan did t press and really clogged the midfield and the US just had trouble finding any space to really get into the attacking 1/3 with any pace. Japan didn't really attack at all just sitting back and really looking to find a counter...the find a couple but they never really materialized into anything worrisome. US goal from Trinity Rodman just before the end of the 1at extra time period. Nice long diagonal footing her about 25 yards out and she pushed the ball into the box and cut it back to her left foot and cracked a nice bending shot into the far post upper 90. Japan then opened things up trying to find an equalizer and generated some attack but nothing really dangerous.
Other Olympic highlights: Simone Biles won the vault individual gold medal, US 4x100 mixed medley relay won gold (swimming), US 4x400M mixed relay (track) won silver, Ryan Crouser won his 3rd consecutive gold medal in shot put. Katie Ledecky won her 4th consecutive gold medal in the women's 800M. 2nd and 3rd place were actually in the same zip code at the finish so they should feel pretty accomplished.
Swimming just about done and track will be the focus for the next week or so.
Other Olympic highlights: Simone Biles won the vault individual gold medal, US 4x100 mixed medley relay won gold (swimming), US 4x400M mixed relay (track) won silver, Ryan Crouser won his 3rd consecutive gold medal in shot put. Katie Ledecky won her 4th consecutive gold medal in the women's 800M. 2nd and 3rd place were actually in the same zip code at the finish so they should feel pretty accomplished.
Swimming just about done and track will be the focus for the next week or so.
The highlight yesterday for the French besides Marchand was this guy.
variety.com
French Pole Vaulter’s Bulge Costs Him an Olympic Medal
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati has become an instant viral phenomenon after an incident involving his crotch.
variety.com
Now that’s some funny stuff right there.The highlight yesterday for the French besides Marchand was this guy.
French Pole Vaulter’s Bulge Costs Him an Olympic Medal
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati has become an instant viral phenomenon after an incident involving his crotch.
Someone posted a meme of this about this being his time to put his Tinder profile out there.The highlight yesterday for the French besides Marchand was this guy.
French Pole Vaulter’s Bulge Costs Him an Olympic Medal
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati has become an instant viral phenomenon after an incident involving his crotch.
And the men's 100M final. My God that race was probably the most exciting in that event that I've ever seen. And then you have all the idiots wondering why the Jamaican guy didn't win because his foot crossed first...and then explanations from track people about how it's the torso from the shoulders to waist that they measure by...which makes sense because you watch all of them throw their chest and lean forward at the line. And the competitors know this....the only people who don't are the ones who only watch track and field events 1x every four years.
And I'm watching the medal ceremony for the men's high bar event final. Bronze medal shared by a gymnast from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and one from China. Talk about potentially awkward.
And I'm watching the medal ceremony for the men's high bar event final. Bronze medal shared by a gymnast from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and one from China. Talk about potentially awkward.
When will US Soccer finally give up on Julie Foudy on broadcasts? God she is just so bad. Lifeless, unappealing, uninteresting. NBC really couldn't spring for them to go to France? Why not have rebecca lowe do the freakin' game? She is amazing. Julie is not.
The woman doing the egypt-france game from CT? Also not amazing. Why are they doing that broadcast from a CT studio? That is awful with very, very boring people. Put the PREMIER LEAGUE GUYS ON TO DO THE GAME! THEY WILL BE BETTER THAN HER!
The woman doing the egypt-france game from CT? Also not amazing. Why are they doing that broadcast from a CT studio? That is awful with very, very boring people. Put the PREMIER LEAGUE GUYS ON TO DO THE GAME! THEY WILL BE BETTER THAN HER!
I say bring in Hope Solo and give her a couple beers. I bet that would be one entertaining broadcast!
Both the announcers have just been complaining about everything. "This is not the replay I wanted.", "Did they really have to show that graphic, we know she was offsides" Then Julie Fowdy going off on a few things....its ugh..
This is what happens when you're relying on the international broadcast center and you're announcers aren't actually there and you don't have your own cameras and production crew controlling the feeds and views.
As to the actual game...the US has dominated but the problem of not being able to finish or taking the shot when it's there has reared it's ugly head. US forwards continually in good shooting position and then they go 8 year old wanting to dribble into the center of the 6 for the shot. Germany has had maybe 2-3 chances where I had a little anxiety and stress!!!!
And on cue, Germany makes a huge mistake and Sophia Smith steps in an chips the late charging German GK to score in the 1st ET period. What I don't like about the US is they'll go into park the bus mode and try to absorb German pressure instead of keeping on the attack and exploiting the extra space in the back as Germany pushes forward. Germany, and no one really, can match the US' athleticism on the wings. And the US is trying to bait Germany into stepping higher to press as they rag the ball around in the back. Germany is hesitant to push anyone into the attacking 1/3 when the US has control of the ball.
US in the Gold Medal Match on Saturday. Masterclass in how to kill the clock in the last 2 minutes after winning a late corner. This came on the heels of a German free kick from about 20 yards out that went into the wall and then got served back into the mixer to a wide open German attacker. She heads it and Alyssa Naeher "starfished (as my son would call it)" and came up with a ridiculous save and then a counter where Sophia Williams could have sealed the game by the German keeper made another big save and out for the ensuing US corner. I think the German attacker would have been deemed offside if she had scored, US was pushing up and the German players lagged...it would have been tight but to the naked eye in real time, I think she was off.
Will play either Spain or Brazil
Will play either Spain or Brazil
