this is the whole thing, "realistic contenders"...right now we're realistic contenders for the wooden spoon, again. most Quakes fans would be happy with a team that was realistically contending for a playoff spot. just get us in the game...make a couple of big, bold player moves that signal a shift in culture, a desire to get in the game...a hunger to win. Quakes have a long way to go. The energy around this team is (still) completely flat and disinterested. Signing Baldisimo sounds like it might a small step in the right direction (or maybe a like for like replacement for Judson?), but does it really move the needle much in terms of signaling a culture shift in SJ? Of course not. Quakes should be out front selling their big bold vision for how we plan to take the league by storm next year...and then signing the players we need to support the vision. Instead...this offseason has been awfully quiet so far. looks like we're on track for another same old, same old Quakes season.
This seems to be a kind of "rope-a-dope" strategy teams are trying. 1st half, let your opponent have the ball and sit back, try to frustrate them and get them a bit tired. 2nd half, come out and play much more aggressively. That's what Wales did to the US. I was really surprised how much different the 2nd half was to the 1st half. The US was so dominant in the 1st half, and then 2nd half, Wales looked like the better team. Belgium did not impress me against CA. They were lucky to win that one. I think the US could play very competitively against Belgium. And they are one of the top-rated teams (FIFA ranking - #2?)
Belgium is widely considered as the worst team of the "big squads" in pot 1 due to the fact that they have an aging golden generation and the "new" generation is meh at best. Their back line was great in 2015-2018 but now they're approaching 40 and are slow. Courtois and De Bruyne are the two players keeping them afloat at the moment.
During the 1H, i also thought Wales was playing rope a dope. They looked like they were trying to conserve energy. It will be interesting to see if they do that against England and Iran, or if it was just early WC jitters.
Man that Germany - Spain game was good. Two heavyweights going toe to toe. I thought it was brave of Germany to try to take the game to Spain in the 2nd half by high pressing them, knowing that one misstep and they could go down and would likely be eliminated. They could have also bunkered and tried to set themselves up to back their way out of group stage with a 0-0 tie but chose not to.
This is one of the more violent mass confrontations I’ve seen in quite awhile. It must have been a cup game in Russia, because after this it went to a shootout. 6 players had been ejected, but they were all bench players. 𝖹𝖾𝗇𝗂𝗍-𝖲𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗄 𝗍𝗈𝖽𝖺𝗒! 🤯⤵️ pic.twitter.com/6PWiFmO0ud— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 27, 2022
Apparently, since they are in Russia, who is banned. Hubby says that countries that did not make the World Cup are running their domestic leagues. But I didn’t verify that…
Serie A in Italy stopped until January 4th. Even though Italy didn’t make it ,there are many foreigners playing in the league. I believe the second , third and fourth divisions are playing though.
I'm betting Mexico will fire Gerardo Martino soon and he will head back to MLS. Either Atlanta or wherever.... Just a hunch……
Mexico could still go thru, though seems unlikely. I think they'd need Argentina to lose or draw against Poland while they beat Saudi Arabia. And if Argentina draws, I think they'd need to beat Saudi Arabia by 3 goals.
Yeah not sure they will win by that big of a margin. Either way , if Mexico gets eliminated today or next week, Tata is going to be available and there are only so many MLS who will be replacing their coach within the next 6 months. I doubt a Liga MX club team would hire him as most Mexican fans already want him gone.
Yes! Solid game by the US. Clearly the better team. If we only had a #9 though. Sargent was not terrible but not good either. Haji Wright was terrible.
Tata will be relieved of his duties for us today. He will not be retained. Some names though to replace him... Matias Almeyda #Facepalm
I boo that ******** every chance I get. The best generational Mexican players ever we have at our disposal and this guy pulls a Covello and plays a bunch of jackoffs. To leave Carlos Vela and Chicharito off the squad is blasphemous, fileable offense, and worthy of a lynching.
Mexico - man that late Saudi goal was brutal. Not sure what would have happened if the 2-0 score had held. I think it would have gone all the way to the "fair play" tiebreaker, and not sure who was ahead on that.
Saudi goal had no impact (except perhaps demoralization and celebratory delay). Mexico could still have advanced with a third goal of their own, based on total goals scored. Poland was leading the fair play tie-breaker when its game concluded, so Mexico would still have been out if they had prevailed, 2-0.