International Friendlies - August 9 [P][R]

[Adi]

We got some good matches coming up tomorrow:

USA vs Mexico
Germany vs Brazil
France vs Chile
Italy vs Spain

Gonna be a good middle of the week!

[Adi]

England vs Netherlands game has been canceled due to the riots.  What's up with those riots anyways?

[neymars hair]

clarence goodson and timothy chandler have pulled out of the usa squad for various reasons. javier hernandez and clint dempsey are not playing. fairly strong squads for both teams, though klinsmann has called in a ton of far-outliers after the first 11.

What's up with those riots anyways?

not particularly informed, but i believe that this is the simple version of it: started with a protest over a specific incident (cop shooting alleged criminal). it has spiraled out of control w/rioters just generally disillusioned with everything.

joey barton has been offering fairly entertaining commentary through his twitter. of course, it won't allow you to understand the riots any better.

[gufreestyle96]

Germany X Brazil- 2 fast and young teams, will be a nice game.

[Adi]

Germany won 3-2, but the game was more representative of a 4-0 Germany win.  Germany looks great and Brazil looks like an average team.  There is no other way to put it.  Brazil is average.  Their midfield is non-existant and the curreny generation is a disgrace when compared to the past generations.

USA tied Mexico 1:1.  I only saw the second half.  Towards the end, US really picked things up and put some nice passes together. How the ref kept his red in the pocket was beyond me.



Japan beat Korea 3-0.  Kagawa with 2 goals.  Love the Japanese in football right now!

Italy beat Spain 2-1... didn't watch that one so no idea who played or what happened.  

[Palgi]

Finland won Latvia 2-0   
Estonia lost to Turkey 0-3   

[neymars hair]

Brazil is average

brazil is a team that is searching for an identity. the inclusion of ralf and fernandinho yesterday did not help. there was no cohesion in the midfield. brazil's idea of midfield play yesterday was ramires picking up the ball and sprinting 50 yds.

the attacking play was good, and very fluid at times.

alves and andre santos were terrible.

Germany looks great

goetze is the truth.

ETA:

I only saw the second half.  Towards the end, US really picked things up and put some nice passes together. How the ref kept his red in the pocket was beyond me.

i am not usually a huge fan of unnecessarily enthusiastic people, but juergen klinsmann's enthusiasm is genuinely infectious.

[carlos boozer]

brazil is a team that is searching for an identity.

I'm sure that identity will be revealed further once/if Neymar joins with Chelsea/Madrid/Barcelona.


Brek Shea is the fucking man. How about Donovan looking like an olympic sprinter? He had a few runs that blew my mind. The second half was excellent by the US.

[Adi]

Brazil is average

brazil is a team that is searching for an identity. the inclusion of ralf and fernandinho yesterday did not help. there was no cohesion in the midfield. brazil's idea of midfield play yesterday was ramires picking up the ball and sprinting 50 yds.

the attacking play was good, and very fluid at times.

alves and andre santos were terrible.

Not having a midfield is a huge problem.  Their young midfielders don't even have that much potential either.  Ramires is always going to be slightly above an average player, but nothing more.  There is no flair in the midfield and no creativity.  Without creativity in the midfield it will become almost impossible to become a very good team considering all the negative tactics in international football today.

[Adi]

Brek Shea is the fucking man. How about Donovan looking like an olympic sprinter? He had a few runs that blew my mind. The second half was excellent by the US.

Totally agree on Shea... I actually think he is the next big thing for American soccer, or should I say the first big thing.

The guy has ability, phyisical strength, and "swag."

I think Klinsmann is going to bring out the best in him.  If he can make Podolski play up to his potential, he can do the same with this kid.

[neymars hair]

I'm sure that identity will be revealed further once/if Neymar joins with Chelsea/Madrid/Barcelona.

i was thinking to myself, "brazil should recall ronaldinho for qualifying." then, i realized that brazil has already qualified. w/the same players, they will be an entirely different team in a year.

Brek Shea is the fucking man

a year ago, almost everyone, including myself, thought that it was going to be center back, or bust, for him to ever succeed in a top four league. he had a pretty terrible game against colombia, and the entire usnt fan base knee-jerked into retardation. he has been a revelation in mls and was a revelation yesterday. i hate cross-sports comparisons, but he is like lebron james in that he moves like, and has the skill-set of, someone much smaller. he has always had that, but he might be able to work out as an attacking player at the highest level.

How about Donovan looking like an olympic sprinter?

he has always looked like that as a second striker, especially against mexico.

[neymars hair]

There is no flair in the midfield and no creativity.