Keeper is good. There backs are better. They might be without both there starters for the US game. I am feeling hopeful.
The only weakness in the Belgium defence is their right-back. Extremely slow, not a true r-back. Even if Kompany is injured they still have Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Lombaerts who are very capable. Kompany is arguably the best defender in the PL though, and a Belgian icon. Real problem (and chance for the Americans) is that the pitch will be extremely wet and very difficult for the Belgians to develop their "tiki-taka" style game. Will be a physical game. Fellaini, key player in this kind of matchup, was injured today in practice, not sure what to make of it. And Defour (they Bradley-style bulldog) is out with a red-card. If not, I wouldn't be very hopeful for US. I give this game a 50-50 though, based on current situation.
You can improve a popular sport. I think basketball would be a better analogy than football. Cherry picking happens. In youth soccer, we don't have offsides and I enjoy it.
Soccer can be a lot more aggressive. There a plenty of teams that constantly just play ball control and don't work to advance the ball forward enough. Flopping is a serious problem in both sports. Ignoring it because it happens is a huge mistake. Using PKs, games wouldn't be extended by much. It wouldn't really work that way, because the other team would adjust for it.
so the ref to the game is a algerian......he refed the england vs costa rica game and australia vs holland . seems to be card happy
FIFA seems to disagree. This article is from last month: http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/fifa-looks-at-golden-goal-rule The FIFA executive committee created the panel in October to help ensure a "more attractive" World Cup in Brazil after the disappointing quality of soccer in South Africa. At the time, Blatter was critical of teams' defensive tactics that resulted in seven of 64 matches ending goal-less, including six in the opening group phase. It doesn't look like they implemented any of the proposals for this year, but it's clear they are at least looking at changes.
I cannot understand why we're not favored to win versus a country that: A) Has less than half the population of Texas B) Is best known for its waffles and windmills Advantage: USA
If they start a forward, one of Zusi or Bedoya (or Davis) will start. I'd go with Zusi, too...but I still want to see Diskerud get minutes. I think he could give the some of what's been missing, offensively.
Belgians are good on paper but mentally fragile and lack chemistry. we can easily catch them snooozing if we play jurgen ball. Start zusi, give up on Bradley already. 2-0 USA.
Blatter is constantly coming up with some new crap, but the core rules haven't changed in decades, and rightly so.
The game has been more aggressive at this World Cup. Look at the numbers: 145 goals total so far, two more than the entire World Cup in 2010. Ball control is a strategy; not every team is as talented as Germany, Brazil, or Argentina. I'm ignoring the issue of flopping because I don't have a good solution for it.
Are you from belgium? I know many belgiums dislike us. But with the problems they are having forming a government it could be better to include vlaanderen to the netherlands and wallonie to france. That being said. I do not see it happening
Yes I have lived in Belgium for the past 15 years. We do not dislike the Dutch, on the contrary, admire how good they are while having a small country (just look at all the medals they get at the Olympics). But the idea of joining the Netherlands will probably never happen. The flemish would want there own country. Disclaimer: American and Belgian Francophone living in Brussels.
