WCF: Group G: Germany-Ghana-Portugal-USA

[fulhamben]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

[FortCollinsFulham]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

It was a decent showing by the yanks sans Jozy, Besler and busted up Clint. Certainly will need to show more against stronger sides like Portugal and Germany but you're boosting up Ghana and slagging off the United States a little much.

"Ultimate smash and grab" is a little harsh in my opinion is all.

[Snibbo]

You know, it makes me angry to see Dempsey performing like that, after doing sweet to help us stay up. We must have been paying him a handsome wage during his short return spell with us, giving him top class training and physio facilities, and really, all he was doing was using us for his real target, the World Cup.

We must be the most naive club around, to let people like him and Mitroglou use as a rehab centre.

THIS POST WAS EDITED DUE TO OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE

[BarryP]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

It wasn't pretty by the US tonight but it was an excellent team defensive performance. All of Ghana's possession resulted in one more shot on goal and one less tally on the scoreboard. Given that we just survived one of the worst performances I have ever seen from Bradley and that Portugal may have lost more players going into the match I wouldn't be so quick to write the US off.

[mccscratch]

You know, it makes me angry to see Dempsey performing like that, after doing sweet to help us stay up. We must have been paying him a handsome wage during his short return spell with us, giving him top class training and physio facilities, and really, all he was doing was using us for his real target, the World Cup.

We must be the most naive club around, to let people like him and Mitroglou use as a rehab centre.

Clint only got fit after the stint with us in January/February and he even pays tribute to the club in his comments in April... he appreciates Fulham and what they did for him before and the last time he was here... He was gutsy tonight...got his nose broken in the early stages and saw the match out.

check out the GIF of both the goal and the broken nose below that...

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2014/6/16/5816060/usa-vs-ghana-clint-dempsey-scores-breaks-nose-america-wins

[Forever Fulham]

Much as I am a fan of Clint, I have to respect Snibbo's shots at him.  Dempsey didn't seem all that fit when he came back to Fulham on loan.  We needed him fit.  He took the money--however much it was--but if you are going to do that, you'd better be able to contribute from Day 1 (in my opinion).  I think he sincerely tried while on loan, but he wasn't fit.  Perhaps he truly believed he could and would contribute.  Players can convince themselves of much.  Ah, well.  FFC didn't go down because he wasn't at peak fitness.  And it wasn't up to Clint to decide if he was fit enough to contribute.  If he wasn't fit enough, whose fault was it to give him a short term contract?  Snibbo, maybe we should turn our anger to where it belongs.  Management.

Having noted that, I am over the moon at his goal just 34 seconds into the game.  A U.S. record, and one of the four or five quickest goals in World Cup history.  It was a beauty, too.  Then Altidore goes down in, what, the 23rd minute or so, clutching the back of his thigh, had to be carried off in a stretcher.  Then other Americans started to hop around and limp.  A war of attrition.  The Ghanians played with desperation to get the evener, which didn't come until late in the second half.  A fresh Kevin Prince Boateng came on as a sub, and I had visions of history repeating itself, with Ghana once again putting an end to U.S.'s run in the Cup.  Then they trotted out Michael Essian and I had more visions of a bad ending for the U.S.  That guy was probably the greatest player in the world at his position in his day.  But he wasn't the same player.  Age and time.  When the U.S. got the go-ahead goal so late in the game, and from a 21 year old, the stadium went crazy.  A beautiful set piece ending in a stylish header, powering the ball down hard off the ground, bouncing out of reach of the goalie.  First rate goal.  The player, whose name momentarily escapes me, dropped to his knees in slow motion in disbelief.  Time stood still.  And then everyone piled on, speaking in tongues.

Still, the African squad were quick and didn't seem as affected by the thick humidity and 83 degree weather (in the second half).  The U.S. played at best a mediocre quality game.  Sloppy passing. Failed to maintain sustained possession.  Even the best player, Michael Bradley, had a poor game.  This was a far cry from their performance just a week or so ago against Nigeria.  But somehow, by grit and sheer determination, they held off Ghana and picked up the all-important three points. 

Ian Darke was commenting and had a raft of interesting statistics to share, such as these two:  The U.S. had never before won the first game of any World Cup it had played in; and no substitute had ever scored for the U.S. in any World Cup game.  Two more records broken.  When Jozy went down with a probable hamstring injury, likely taking him out of the Cup, I couldn't help but wonder if Klinsmann and his staff were immediately thinking about calling up Landon Donovan, making nice, and getting him onto team warmup within the next 24 hours...  I suspect I wasn't alone in those suspicions. 

So Portugal got its head handed to it by Germany, is in shock over such a brutal one-sided loss, has a few injuries and a red carded starter.  Maybe the U.S.'s odds have improved a bit.  I'd rather Portugal didn't start its upcoming game against the U.S. full of confidence and brio, fresh off a big win.  Nothing like a big loss to make players start doubting themselves.

[FFC1987]

Was very impressed with the USA overall. Thought the midfield was brilliant and the game turned slightly when Altidore was forced off. What did people make of Bradley's performance?

[fulhamben]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

It was a decent showing by the yanks sans Jozy, Besler and busted up Clint. Certainly will need to show more against stronger sides like Portugal and Germany but you're boosting up Ghana and slagging off the United States a little much.

"Ultimate smash and grab" is a little harsh in my opinion is all.

hardly, Ghana were camped in the usa's half for 85 mins of the game. they dominated in every aspect other than goal scoring. big it up all you want but it was a smash and grab.

[FFC1987]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

It was a decent showing by the yanks sans Jozy, Besler and busted up Clint. Certainly will need to show more against stronger sides like Portugal and Germany but you're boosting up Ghana and slagging off the United States a little much.

"Ultimate smash and grab" is a little harsh in my opinion is all.

hardly, Ghana were camped in the usa's half for 85 mins of the game. they dominated in every aspect other than goal scoring. big it up all you want but it was a smash and grab.

Put it this way, I don't think many had the USA down to win after Ghana scored...luckily they had no end product but they were camped in the USA half for the majority of the half. Taking nothing away from the USA as they showed HUGE character to overcome the equaliser and the pressure to take the points.

[TrexFFC]

Was very impressed with the USA overall. Thought the midfield was brilliant and the game turned slightly when Altidore was forced off. What did people make of Bradley's performance?

Yeah I did not think the midfield was brilliant whatsoever. The midfield giving up possession all the time was what made our defense have to work so hard in the first place. 

[FortCollinsFulham]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

It was a decent showing by the yanks sans Jozy, Besler and busted up Clint. Certainly will need to show more against stronger sides like Portugal and Germany but you're boosting up Ghana and slagging off the United States a little much.

"Ultimate smash and grab" is a little harsh in my opinion is all.

hardly, Ghana were camped in the usa's half for 85 mins of the game. they dominated in every aspect other than goal scoring. big it up all you want but it was a smash and grab.

Yawn. For all their massive domination Ghana had a whopping one more shot on net and possession was 60-40, not some 80-20 laugher. The majority of the Ghanaian possession resulted in shots from 35 yards out, hence the large number of missed shots by Ghana (something like 15-16 misses). They had the run of play for sure but pull it back a couple notches. No one is "bigging it up," just stating this was a very "American soccer" type win

[FFC1987]

Was very impressed with the USA overall. Thought the midfield was brilliant and the game turned slightly when Altidore was forced off. What did people make of Bradley's performance?

Yeah I did not think the midfield was brilliant whatsoever. The midfield giving up possession all the time was what made our defense have to work so hard in the first place. 

I thought Beckerman and Bradley battled very well considering they were bombarded at times. Admittedly Bradley gave the ball away cheaply a few times hence my question. Ultimately though, his defensive work and movement was decent.

[Denver Fulham]

Ghana had three shots on goal. Most of their possession advantage was in low-danger spots, serving in deep crosses that the U.S. comfortably cut out. Without our only target striker and one of our starting CBs, and with Dempsey playing much of the match with a broken nose, we did fine. Possession in the midfield was too sloppy, but Ghana hardly "dominated" the match. They got sucked into the match we wanted to play, and lost on a late set piece. It was very American. Or, from their standpoint, Fulhamish.

[fulhamben]

Yep ultimate smash and grab. Dissapointing for me as I want Portugal to go out. Can't see the yanks finishing above them

It was a decent showing by the yanks sans Jozy, Besler and busted up Clint. Certainly will need to show more against stronger sides like Portugal and Germany but you're boosting up Ghana and slagging off the United States a little much.

"Ultimate smash and grab" is a little harsh in my opinion is all.

hardly, Ghana were camped in the usa's half for 85 mins of the game. they dominated in every aspect other than goal scoring. big it up all you want but it was a smash and grab.

Yawn. For all their massive domination Ghana had a whopping one more shot on net and possession was 60-40, not some 80-20 laugher. The majority of the Ghanaian possession resulted in shots from 35 yards out, hence the large number of missed shots by Ghana (something like 15-16 misses). They had the run of play for sure but pull it back a couple notches. No one is "bigging it up," just stating this was a very "American soccer" type win

???????? What you on about? I said they were camped in your half not that they had 80 percent of possession. And it was lucky that they fluffed so many good chances wide or it could have been a very different story. And the very american performance is e/actly why I wanted at least a point for Ghana. Germany and Portugal will win easily against that style of play meaning Ghana will be out by the time they play Portugal.

[YankeeJim]

Fulhamben, not having a go at you, just curious, what did some American ever do to you? Was the lack of a capital on the name of the country a Freudian slip?  You managed a capital for all the other countries.

With your best defender and best striker out, exactly how much of an attack did you expect? Dempsey, for God's sake, got kicked in the face and still soldiered on in 83% humidity. Its tough to breath at that humidity and temperature much less play WC football with a broken nose at the same time. How many of current day footballers would have done that?   Good grief!  fp.gif

[fulhamben]

The capital is all down to the device I use, I generally don't bother with them but my hudl occasionally throws them in. And I have nothing against the yanks. I think it was a great win for them considering they were largely out played. I take heart when a few try to tell me it wasn't a smash and grab when it clearly was, and I really want Portugal out. I really can't see america doing anything but lose to the Germans (hudl  doesn't do capitols for america for some reason) and Portugal, where as I think Ghana could have given Portugal a game. Which they won't now as Germany will beat them and that will be that for them

[Forever Fulham]

Interesting perspective on cheating tactics in the game from American sports press:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/16/sports/worldcup/for-us-soccer-team-honesty-may-not-be-the-best-policy.html?emc=edit_th_20140617&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=53324807&_r=0
Not sure if you can open this link when outside the U.S.

[YankeeJim]

The capital is all down to the device I use, I generally don't bother with them but my hudl occasionally throws them in. And I have nothing against the yanks. I think it was a great win for them considering they were largely out played. I take heart when a few try to tell me it wasn't a smash and grab when it clearly was, and I really want Portugal out. I really can't see america doing anything but lose to the Germans (hudl  doesn't do capitols for america for some reason) and Portugal, where as I think Ghana could have given Portugal a game. Which they won't now as Germany will beat them and that will be that for them

Fair enough on the spelling issue. If there is one team that I felt the US had a shot at in its group it was Portugal.  They play that soft style football that is prevalent in Mediterranean countries & I thought they'd wilt in Manaus. Well, that and CR has a knock that slows him a bit. Effort makes up a lot for the lack of ball skills. Thumping and bumping is a very strong part of the US game which is why we have done well against southern European squads and crashed against the likes of Germany. The US doesn't normally wilt under pressure. I don't think the US has ever had a match like that second half against Hull.

[Forever Fulham]

Jermaine Jones plays right to the edge of carding.  No, he goes past that edge at times.  He's going to get a yellow or worse before this is all over, I think.  Not a goon.  He's skilled.  But he's a loose cannon.  But until that day comes when he's sent off, he'll continue to put a real spine in the American team's defense.

[YankeeJim]

Jermaine Jones plays right to the edge of carding.  No, he goes past that edge at times.  He's going to get a yellow or worse before this is all over, I think.  Not a goon.  He's skilled.  But he's a loose cannon.  But until that day comes when he's sent off, he'll continue to put a real spine in the American team's defense.

I've always said he is a red card waiting to happen. Yet, he's never seen red for the US. He is a hard nose to be sure and I think putting him in front of DaBeaz was a good move cause as much as I love Beasley. he weighs about 92 lbs. I suspect Portugal will move folks around and try to get CR on Beasley whenever possible. Still, I'd rather have him in than Chandler who is a Senderos type of player...a brain fart every game.