Knockout rounds thread
- Thread starter Fk_Pitt
- Start date
That’s soccer and frankly a reason people don’t like it. But at the same time it’s a reason other people do. Spain out-possessed them 77% to 23%, meaning Morocco suffered and defended without the ball for almost 80% of the game and didn’t concede a goal. You’ll hear coaches say we have to be happy to suffer or we have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Morocco did that, got the game to penalties and won.
Frankly, we were much better vs Wales than Morocco was today. But Morocco has a few stars. Ziyech plays for Chelsea and Hakimi plays for PSG.
Against Belgium, Morocco had 33% of the ball and won because they finished a couple chances while Romelu Lukaku, who is the kind of striker we’d kill for, missed like 5 chances when he came in in the 2nd half. The reason he only played a half is he’s been injured and isn’t game fit. That makes a huge difference.
France is just unbelievable. They are doing this without the player of the year (Balon D’Or winner) in world football, Benzema who scored goals this past year at will. They are also doing it without N’golo Kante who also can be regarded as the best player in the world when healthy because he covers the amount of ground in the midfield as two players. And also without Paul Pogba who is a real jackass (think NFL WR deva) but a great player.
If they had those guys I’d have picked them to win the whole thing but instead I picked Brazil as they are almost as loaded. France still could win the whole thing the way Mbappe is playing. I just hope they beat England.
I like Morocco because they are the most western like of Muslim countries.
Portugal is loaded too.
If it wasn’t for Morocco this tourney would be all chalk, aside from Italy not qualifying, and Belgium and Germany losing. But those two losing doesn’t surprise anyone. Germany lacks a class #9 (sound familiar?) and Belgium’s window closed last World Cup. Plus they all hate each other because Courtois banged DeBruynes wife, Hazard doesn’t get along with others, and Lukaku got fat.
If you remember, we beat Morroco 3-0 in a World Cup tune up a couple months ago. Lineups weren’t exactly the same. They didn’t have Ziyech and we didn’t have McKinnie. We also had freakin Aaron Long and Cannon starting in the back line.That's football.
Defend for 120 minutes with no interest in scoring unless they can get lucky on a break. Pitt is going to see that from Indiana Friday.
That's the soccer term I think I hate the most. "Suffer." It doesn't translate well to American English. I know what they mean by it but its too harsh of a word for what they're doing.
As for Spain/Morocco, Spain got very few good chances in 120 minutes. After watching about 30 minutes, I couldn't imagine Spain scoring. Honestly, they probably could have played 6 hours and still not scored. It was very painful to watch from my perspective as I root against teams that bunker in (in most cases). Spain, similar to the US, lack that world-class goal scorer. And really across the board, they arent what they once were.
I like the word suffer because Antonio Conte, who doesn’t speak great English, uses that word a lot. And I love Antonio.
At this point I think it's pretty clear that the notion that Spain intentionally lost to Japan can be put to rest.
Unless someone also thinks that they intentionally lost to Morocco too.
Unless someone also thinks that they intentionally lost to Morocco too.
I always like hearing coaches or sports commentators using funny or unique phrases to define a strategy or what is happening live. Paul Sherwin was one of the best Tour de France commentators. He had all kinds of great lines to define what was happening in the race.
One of my favorites
He’s looking deep into his suitcase of courage.
I dont. Park the bus seems more descriptive. The word suffer is too harsh, especially for teams which choose that strategy. Like Joe says there are teams who are better than the team they are playing (like IU vs Pitt) in 2021 that chose to do that, not because they had to but because if strategy. He is wrong of course as no team chooses to "suffer" if they have better players and are a better team.
Park the bus phrase drives me crazy. It’s annoying. At least suffer makes you feel like the team is clearly aware they are chasing and defending and maybe catch a counter. Park the bus feels like a team that literally has no interest in offense and just wants to clear the ball and not even try to possess. 11 players inside the back 1/3 and clearing every ball.
Think of a Final Four with Neymar, Messi, Mbappe and Ronaldo (maybe). That is a pretty star studded group.
I really like Cristiano but he has become a victim to his old body unable to do things that it once could do. Portugal has surprising depth that I did not believe was there. I think they will roll Morocco. Spain refused to do anything other than their pass happy offense and it hurt them.
Croatia could slow down Br@zil but probably not enough. And once the first goal rolls in Brazil can just pile on at times.
Argentina will have the toughest time, I believe, and easily could lose to the Dutch.
Although England is good I do not believe they will adva past France
I really like Cristiano but he has become a victim to his old body unable to do things that it once could do. Portugal has surprising depth that I did not believe was there. I think they will roll Morocco. Spain refused to do anything other than their pass happy offense and it hurt them.
Croatia could slow down Br@zil but probably not enough. And once the first goal rolls in Brazil can just pile on at times.
Argentina will have the toughest time, I believe, and easily could lose to the Dutch.
Although England is good I do not believe they will adva past France
Morocco has given up 1 goal in 4 games (to Canada). They are trying to Greece or Marshall their way to a championship.....but because they have the best players as Joe would have you believe.
A
I don’t think Busquet ever took a PK for Barca. His choice to be on the squad was controversial in Spain. Enrique didn’t choose two perceived better defensive midfielders who are younger. Busquet now only is a part-time starter for Barcelona, and Xavi said publicly the only reason he plays is that they have a dearth of options there. He has started using DeJong there, who plays an entirely different position for the Dutch. Balde has beaten out Jordi Alba as LB at Barca yet Enrique started Alba 3 times.
If the US is looking for a new manager, I am pretty sure Enrique will be available very soon.
And Luis Enrique required each of them to take 1,000 PKs during training. His choices to take them were puzzling at best. Players who don’t take PKs for their teams.
I don’t think Busquet ever took a PK for Barca. His choice to be on the squad was controversial in Spain. Enrique didn’t choose two perceived better defensive midfielders who are younger. Busquet now only is a part-time starter for Barcelona, and Xavi said publicly the only reason he plays is that they have a dearth of options there. He has started using DeJong there, who plays an entirely different position for the Dutch. Balde has beaten out Jordi Alba as LB at Barca yet Enrique started Alba 3 times.
If the US is looking for a new manager, I am pretty sure Enrique will be available very soon.
Those penalties were so weak. Zero conviction in any of the strikes. I have always said that I love how MoMo Salah takes a penalty. He lines up 5-10 yards back and attacks the ball like it owes him money.
Spain deserves absolutely what they got. Morocco though, played tremendous team defense though for all 120 minutes, they fully deserved to go through.
I don’t think you need a classic #9 necessarily, but you do need a goal scorer. CR7 never has been a CF and always has played RW. Mbappe plays mostly on the left for PSG. Messi played mainly on the right for Barcelona.
I also don’t think France misses Benzema. He is a polarizing figure on that team because of his involvement in the extortion plot against a teammate. He hasn’t scored in 4 Champions League matches this year despite the fact that Real Madrid, as always, was in a group of guppies with Celtic and Shaktar Donetsk.
Portugal’s downfall, if they have one, will be their CBs. The fact that Pepe still starts is incredible. Their MF is excellent and Bruno Fernandes is playing lights out. Their GK has been solid. And they are doing it without Diogo Jota, one of their top forwards.
I also don’t think France misses Benzema. He is a polarizing figure on that team because of his involvement in the extortion plot against a teammate. He hasn’t scored in 4 Champions League matches this year despite the fact that Real Madrid, as always, was in a group of guppies with Celtic and Shaktar Donetsk.
Portugal’s downfall, if they have one, will be their CBs. The fact that Pepe still starts is incredible. Their MF is excellent and Bruno Fernandes is playing lights out. Their GK has been solid. And they are doing it without Diogo Jota, one of their top forwards.
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No, Fox and FIFA wanted Morocco, to capture the Arab tv audience.
Giroud is one of my favorite players. Always has been. For whatever reason, maybe his lack of pace, he’s never first choice. At arsenal he was a super sub and at Chelsea he was 3rd choice and all he ever did was score goals when given a chance. He is so incredibly smart and his movements off the ball are so good. A friend of mine texted me ESPN’s top XI players of the World Cup from like 5-6 pundits, and none of them had Giroud…until the last guy, Rob Dawson, at the end of the article. It’s because of Giroud and Mbappe that France don’t miss Benzema.
Maybe the decades long nation-wide refereeing conspiracy against Pitt actually includes a component that cheats for Morocco!
After a poor performance from Belgium the future is starting to look unknown as the old guard may start their send offs. Hazard announced his retirement from international soccer.
I honestly thought he wasn‘t even playing until the Camera accidentally caught him in the same view as A player with the balL.
For those who didn't see it, 0-0 at the end of regulation. Neymar puts Brazil ahead with a really nice goal in the first period of extra time. Croatia levels in the second half of extra time. Croatia makes their PKs, Brazil misses their first one and their fourth one, and that is that.
The transfer and injuries put his career in a downward spiral. He’s a great player but man does he get absolutely destroyed in games. I think he was the most fouled player every year or some stat like that.
He’s one of the best dribblers of a generation. Pulisic has those qualities too. When Pulisic was in form at Chelsea 2 years ago, Ajax fouled him over 12 times. It’s a champions league record. And some Chelsea fans say Pulisic is injury prone. Well dribblers like him get absolutely beat on.
Croatia did their homework and completely influenced that PK round. Those two down the middle is nuts. But the slotted one by #18 was perfect. It nearly caught the inside of the post it was perfectly placed.
Antony was getting taken down pretty hard today. I really like him and can see a player that will develop significantly. He just has to become a more prolific goal scorer.
Neymar should have taken the 1st PK. You cant save your best taker for last because they may not get one. Remember the Ronaldo controversy a few years ago.
