The official 2018 World Cup thread

[TheBigLug]

Meanwhile we've had a few idiot fat yanks that can't even understand a basic elimination bracket.

Imagine not going to the world cup when Costa Rica and Panama are qualifying ahead of you. I mean, i'm not even saying it to try to annoy the Americans. It just really is p1ss poor isn't it?

[Sparked_26]

Imagine not going to the world cup when Costa Rica and Panama are qualifying ahead of you. I mean, i'm not even saying it to try to annoy the Americans. It just really is p1ss poor isn't it?

That really is horrific.

At some point they probably are liable to make a better go
of it. At grassroots level they must have more kids playing football than here and that’s conservative. They could have up to a million more. Even if they think it’s a ‘girls’ game. It’s pure numbers. Even if those kids go into another sport the catchment area is so vast.

But Scotland would qualify from that region, ffs. Per capita the US must be one of the worst football playing nations of all time.

[TheBigLug]

That really is horrific.

At some point they probably are liable to make a better go
of it. At grassroots level they must have more kids playing football than here and that’s conservative. They could have up to a million more. Even if they think it’s a ‘girls’ game. It’s pure numbers. Even if those kids go into another sport the catchment area is so vast.

But Scotland would qualify from that region, ffs. Per capita the US must be one of the worst football playing nations of all time.

Me and a friend went to USA to do some coaching for some "Soccer camp", we were only about 18 ourselves. It was just an opportunity to go over for a month via the club we played for at the time. It was based just out of Santa Barbara and had kids aged about 9-16 coming from different parts of California to attend. They were supposedly meant to be talented kids from different teams.

Honesty, the quality was even worse than i expected. It's really strange, as you say, law of averages should state that some of them would be very good, given the population, but they were just all technically very poor.

I think it has to be something that is just ingrained in the culture. Kids from countries where footy is the major sport are kicking footballs literally from the time they can walk aren't they? There's always a footy in the garden somewhere. Just like i'm certain your average kid in USA can throw a basketball shot significantly better than your average British kid.

But as you say, on sheer population alone, it's incredible that USA has never produced a footballer that is anywhere near world class. I mean, they're still a country that has competed in world cups for years and years, so it's not like it is a completely rare sport there.

I used to really like watching USA play though. They made up for their lack of ability with great team spirit and hard work. They were always fun in the world cup. Now they don't even seem to have that.

[LoadedWraps]

He allowed one Columbian to headbutt Sterling and didn't give yellow cards to them after they stood in his face screaming for 10 mins after the penalty

So yes shady but probably not in the way telmundo is saying

LMAO.

Fair take.

[F l i c k e r]

The problem with the US was the policy made after 2010 that valued number of club level starts over quality of club level starts.

Led to Bradley leaving Roma and Dempsey leaving the Prem for the MLS and their lead had resulted in the younger players not challenging themselves to play in europe. To actually get better. (Ref: Brek she’s failing at stoke because of his bum mentality)

The likes of Pulisic, Weah, Weston etc. idk how they wound up in Dortmund, PSG and Schalke but as long as American kids continue going to europe, the national side will inevitably get better.

Atm they suck because it’s filled with guys who play in a league equivalent to the France 2nd Tier.

[TheBigLug]

The problem with the US was the policy made after 2010 that valued number of club level starts over quality of club level starts.

Led to Bradley leaving Roma and Dempsey leaving the Prem for the MLS and their lead had resulted in the younger players not challenging themselves to play in europe. To actually get better. (Ref: Brek she’s failing at stoke because of his bum mentality)

The likes of Pulisic, Weah, Weston etc. idk how they wound up in Dortmund, PSG and Schalke but as long as American kids continue going to europe, the national side will inevitably get better.

Atm they suck because it’s filled with guys who play in a league equivalent to the France 2nd Tier.

Bradley is one player from USA i really did rate and surprised he never went on to bigger things

Well actually he had a decent spell at Roma but i saw him at Heerenveen when he was still young and he looked like a hell of a player. I was always surprised no biggish clubs picked him up at that point.

[Sparked_26]

Me and a friend went to USA to do some coaching for some "Soccer camp", we were only about 18 ourselves. It was just an opportunity to go over for a month via the club we played for at the time. It was based just out of Santa Barbara and had kids aged about 9-16 coming from different parts of California to attend. They were supposedly meant to be talented kids from different teams.

Honesty, the quality was even worse than i expected. It's really strange, as you say, law of averages should state that some of them would be very good, given the population, but they were just all technically very poor.

I think it has to be something that is just ingrained in the culture. Kids from countries where footy is the major sport are kicking footballs literally from the time they can walk aren't they? There's always a footy in the garden somewhere. Just like i'm certain your average kid in USA can throw a basketball shot significantly better than your average British kid.

But as you say, on sheer population alone, it's incredible that USA has never produced a footballer that is anywhere near world class. I mean, they're still a country that has competed in world cups for years and years, so it's not like it is a completely rare sport there.

I used to really like watching USA play though. They made up for their lack of ability with great team spirit and hard work. They were always fun in the world cup. Now they don't even seem to have that.

That’s a great point about the ball in the garden.

The other day I was at my mums and there was my nieces frozen plastic wind shifter type ball maybe about size 4 and she had a little basketball hoop. My bro in law and a mate were there.

We were doing a bbq and within 10 mins the game was to keep it up the frozen ball for at least 3 transitions between players and then head the ball into the hoop. We’re all in our 30’s now and haven’t played anything more than 5 a side for ages but we actually did quite well, lol. None of us are even good but I suppose we’ve all been kicking balls since we were 4.

And England are traditionally the weakest technically out of the established footie nations.

I reckon the true barometer of average footy talent is probably not the actual talent that makes it but pissed up men in their 30’s messing around with a ball at a bbq.

I’m imagining what we did with a ball our Brazilian equivalent would do with an orange and our American cousins couldn’t do with a balloon.

[MOTHERDUCKER]

LMAO.

Fair take.

I saw Maradonna saying the Columbia got robbed by the ref and the guy should not be allowed to ref big games like this because he's from the United States.

Maradonna.. probably the most notorious cheat in footballing history

[MOTHERDUCKER]

And England are traditionally the weakest technically out of the established footie nations.

Do you think that's started to change though? i thought technically we were actually superior to Columbia and played far smarter the i have ever seen an England team play (buying free kicks/slowing down play)

Was refreshing to see Stones/Maguire and co play with the ball at the back rather then launching it into row Z or half way up the field like old England CB's

I just saw Mpappe had a Ronaldo poster (he was at Madrid) in his room when he was younger.. I am starting to feel old as **** now

[Sparked_26]

Do you think that's started to change though? i thought technically we were actually superior to Columbia and played far smarter the i have ever seen an England team play (buying free kicks/slowing down play)

Was refreshing to see Stones/Maguire and co play with the ball at the back rather then launching it into row Z or half way up the field like old England CB's

I just saw Mpappe had a Ronaldo poster (he was at Madrid) in his room when he was younger.. I am starting to feel old as **** now

I think we’re getting there.

But it’s mixed. Delle Alli is a typical English player who has to play a certain position.
RLC is very technical and despite his physicality is not really a typically English player.

Sterling can receive the ball in tight spaces and turn as can Lingard. It’s variable though, I don’t think Rashford has brilliant technique I struggle to know how England can use him . Kane has great technique. Dier bless him is an absolute clogger.

Maguire, Stones and Pickford have shown good technical ability at different times.

Trippier is good. Danny Rose relies on athleticism as does Kyle Walker.