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WC Qualifying Thread

TU_BLA

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Mar 9, 2012
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As we get into European WC qualifying, and CONCACAF started their games this week as well for those currently outside the HEX, I figured I would start a thread so we can discuss and keep track.

I'll start...what has happened to the Dutch? Currently getting hammered 3-0 by Turkey.
 
I remember watching the 1994 WC and an 11:00am start for the knockout round. We hit up an Irish bar in Southie to watch Ireland vs Netherlands. Freaking insane game. I don't think I've ever been that drunk that early.
 
Move to Florida. Plenty of places have happy hour from 6am to 9am.
 
I remember watching the 1994 WC and an 11:00am start for the knockout round. We hit up an Irish bar in Southie to watch Ireland vs Netherlands. Freaking insane game. I don't think I've ever been that drunk that early.

the Dutch v Brazil in 94 was awesome too. 3-2 all in the second half IIRC.
 
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Tim Ream, really Beer?halter? This dude hasn't played for relegation bait-Fulham in 2 months. Meantime, Antonee Robinson either starts for them or comes off the bench & I'm very happy to see him on the squad. Agree with Bla about K. Acosta-why?? No Wes McKinnie or Tyler Adams(hip injury) which sucks.

I'll give it up to Beer?halter, though. Lots of youngsters to prove their worth such as Horvath & Steffen; Aaronson; Musah; Dike; Weah; & Sargent, along with CP. Pulisic is starting to get his mojo back with Chelsea(when Tommy T. chooses to play him) & it's going to carry over for these friendlies & qualification, IMO.
 
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Tim Ream, really Beer?halter? This dude hasn't played for relegation bait-Fulham in 2 months. Meantime, Antonee Robinson either starts for them or comes off the bench & I'm very happy to see him on the squad. Agree with Bla about K. Acosta-why?? No Wes McKinnie or Tyler Adams(hip injury) which sucks.

I'll give it up to Beer?halter, though. Lots of youngsters to prove their worth such as Horvath & Steffen; Aaronson; Musah; Dike; Weah; & Sargent, along with CP. Pulisic is starting to get his mojo back with Chelsea(when Tommy T. chooses to play him) & it's going to carry over for these friendlies & qualification, IMO.
I think Ream is on the squad because of some injuries but also because he's already over there. There is still a quarantine issue in Europe as people in UK no longer have free reign to travel to other places in Europe. Italy also has gone into another lockdown recently to try and stem another wave of COVID which may explain McKennie. Juve is also in a heated battle for Serie A championship. McKennie has started for Juve but has recently been used as the 1st attacking sub off the bench the last few matches. He's a freaking burst of energy when he comes on too.

As for Pulisic, Tuchel needs to understand he's not the type of player that can come off the bench. He's a flow player. He needs to start on the left with Giroud/Werner up top. The skill and precision of CP's passing game along with Mount's control in the midfield is really a deadly combination and yet you don't see the 2 of them share the pitch very often.
 
Ream is on the squad as the locker room guy everybody likes and to be the player that the retired guys trust to make sure the culture stays intact.
 
I was there.
I was at two games in Dallas. The Argentina game that Maradona was cut from at the last minute and Stoichkov had a day on, then Sweden v Saudi Arabia, which was a dog, except for the people watching which was epic.
 
Just drove down for one game. Was rooting for the Dutch. Had Dutch friends with me.
 
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Germany up 2-0 over the Vikings right now. Both goals coming in the first 10 minutes of the game. Iceland has been on their heels almost the entire game only managing 1-2 forays into the attacking half of the field.
 
Ream is on the squad as the locker room guy everybody likes and to be the player that the retired guys trust to make sure the culture stays intact.
He played the full 90 today vs No. Ireland & once again had great views of the Irish goal & a couple other attacks..........from behind the play. Very happy to see CP score, even if it was a PK. Maybe this will start his (scoring) engine.
 
He played the full 90 today vs No. Ireland & once again had great views of the Irish goal & a couple other attacks..........from behind the play. Very happy to see CP score, even if it was a PK. Maybe this will start his (scoring) engine.
It’s clear that he struggles when they transition to just three in the back. He probably knows he isn’t in the plans. He’s a locker room guy.
 
Not a bad performance today but the competition was questionable again.

The official under 23s though - load of garbage versus Honduras. Good thing nobody cares about Olympic futbol.
 
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Not a bad performance today but the competition was questionable again.

The official under 23s though - load of garbage versus Honduras. Good thing nobody cares about Olympic futbol.
Back to Twellman's take...if no one cared then teams like Germany and Brazil wouldn't put so much into the qualifying effort. And if one of those sides didn't qualify the coach would be fired in a heartbeat. I'm not saying Kreis should be fired but there needs to be a long look at how the side is put together. I'm not sure a single one of those defenders should have been on the field.
 
Not a bad performance today but the competition was questionable again.

The official under 23s though - load of garbage versus Honduras. Good thing nobody cares about Olympic futbol.
Northern Ireland isn't a bad side overall. I think they qualified for Euros and were in the final groups and play in games for the last world cup. Obviously not among the top handful of sides in Europe, but it wasn't like we were playing Cyprus or Malta or Moldova.
 
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Not a bad performance today but the competition was questionable again.

The official under 23s though - load of garbage versus Honduras. Good thing nobody cares about Olympic futbol.
I saw a bunch of PC Police on Reddit pointing out that American soccer DIDN’T miss the olympics because the Women’s team were reigning champions... I kept wanting to point out that it was the U-23 side that missed the squad and unlike the USWNT the best players for America aren’t playing on the Olympic qualifying squad. (Partially because it’s not a FIFA event)
Its like when we were sending college kids to the olympics before the Dream Team stepped in and said, “everybody sit the F down. We got this in the bag”
 
Northern Ireland isn't a bad side overall. I think they qualified for Euros and were in the final groups and play in games for the last world cup. Obviously not among the top handful of sides in Europe, but it wasn't like we were playing Cyprus or Malta or Moldova.
Perhaps but the announcers suggested their personnel was essentially their B team for the friendly.
 
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I was there.
I was in town but didn’t see any games. I was taking my kids to the Disney parks on a trip that was planned way ahead of time. I saw lots of fans though. My general hot take on the fans, the Mexico fans were the friendliest and having the most fun, the Dutch were standoffish and didn’t seem to want to be there, the Irish were friendly but had...hygiene issues.
 
I was in town but didn’t see any games. I was taking my kids to the Disney parks on a trip that was planned way ahead of time. I saw lots of fans though. My general hot take on the fans, the Mexico fans were the friendliest and having the most fun, the Dutch were standoffish and didn’t seem to want to be there, the Irish were friendly but had...hygiene issues.
A lot of those charters from Europe were out and backs. They literally flew in, bused to the game a few hours early, then back to the plane after the game. Some of those guys had been drinking for two days straight without a shower or change of clothes.
 
Daryl Dike news & rumors........Everton appears to be first in the transfer news for Dike's services, along with ManU, West Ham & 3 or 4 others in the EPL. Orlando City smells blood and the xfer price has doubled from $10 to $20 million US. Everton apparently believes in his potential with the Brit press buzzing. Dike will surely end up in the EPL somewhere, either thru transfer or Barnsley winning that 3rd place playoff. Love it!
 
Daryl Dike news & rumors........Everton appears to be first in the transfer news for Dike's services, along with ManU, West Ham & 3 or 4 others in the EPL. Orlando City smells blood and the xfer price has doubled from $10 to $20 million US. Everton apparently believes in his potential with the Brit press buzzing. Dike will surely end up in the EPL somewhere, either thru transfer or Barnsley winning that 3rd place playoff. Love it!
I posted a little on that over on his own thread including the Everton rumor popping up on Wednesday. MLS already turned down $20 from United for him which seems insane but two weeks later the price goes up 10 percent courtesy of Everton. Should be interesting to see the ceiling on him. He would sit at either club. At least at first.
 
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