Posted on 06/26/2014 7:23:27 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
Can two defensively suspect teams settle on a needed draw? If Team USA and Germany simply equal each other’s goal tallies, both sides will go through to the knockout rounds. In most cases, it would be expected that the two sides should line up in highly defensive formations and show little adventure, committing only the minimum number of men to any attack. If both sides play defensively, the draw will come regardless of any conspiracy.
The problem is, neither side is built to play the sort of boring, unadventurous soccer such a fixture requires. American fans are well aware of the struggles of Team USA to secure a back line, and Jurgen Klinsmann has settled on a system which uses two deep-lying and mostly defensive midfielders in Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman to protect that back four.
Similarly, Germany is not the Germany of soccer legend, solid and hard-working and just good enough on set pieces to score one more goal than its opponent. Instead, under Jogi Loew Germany has been transformed into one of the most innovative and exciting attacking teams in the world. Playing a 4-3-3 without any true forward, the German system arguably includes either two or three false nines. As Mario Götze, Mesut Özil or Thomas Mueller drops out of the forward position and drags a defender out of position with him, one of the others or a midfielder like Sami Khedira will see the space that opens up and make a run toward the danger zone. These runs have produced many big chances already in the tournament, and the Germans have averaged three goals per match.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
We be through!
We are in and most likely will play Belgium.
Those teams, Belgium, Korea and Russia, Algeria play this afternoon in about 2 hours.
I know but considering Germany has the best team in the world after Brazil, this is the best they could do.
Concur, but just remember Germany may be the best team out there. It seemed Klinsman’s strategy was to park the bus in front of the goal and hope for the best.
Some people are too critical, I’m happy USA is through, most all of these teams are very good, Germany, Netherlands are about the best there and Germany only beat us by a goal.
The USA team was rescued by Portugal.
I don’t envy our prospects in the Round Of 16.
Yes.
We have the same record as Portugal (one win, one tie, one loss). The tiebreaker is aggregate Goal Differential, and we won that [due in large part to Germany beating Portugal 4 to 0].
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup
Well, we need a different formation and we had better start controlling the midfield!
Germany only defeated and dominated Portugal in the end after Muller dived and the Portuguese player Pepy got into his face and sent off, maybe wrongly.
There’s definitely some teams that can beat Germany here, they barely got by Ghana, in fact, they didn’t beat them. They drew Ghana.
A worthy opponent. The US had a stellar defense but the Germans have a good attack squad.
That made the difference today.
If you told me beforehand we would survive “The Group of Death” without Altidore, I would have said that you were nuts.
As far as I’m concerned, “Mission Accomplished”, the rest is gravy.
Of course Germany was pretty safe anyway and played slightly softer to avoid injuries, cards and spending too much energy.
Before the game they had GD of 4 while Ghana had -1 and Portugal -4.
Rush Limbaugh talking soccer now.
GREAT RESULT, I’ve watched USA team since 1994 in truth in the World Cup, I guess we were there in 1990 Italia.
It’s the 3rd game, the important thing is to Survive and to Survive, we probably were a little cautious.
What if Ghana were full strength today though? Without Muntari and Boateng they were not the same.
Yup!!
We’re in second place.
Two weeks ago I would have said it was impossible to get out of Group G and now we’re playing in the quarterfinals.
We are what we are....we just don’t have the talent at this point to compete at the highest levels.
I think given time with Klinsi, that will change. He’s done a great job so far. To get this team through without Altidore is quite an accomplishment.
And Ronaldo missed a few chances that could have put Portugal thru. Great day for the US. We advance, which is what it is all about.
Well......that was pretty boring
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