the Polo Grounds

Back to the forum index

Linear

or they're late for the Falklands War. Either way, this has hardly resembled a futbol match.

Maybe things will settle, but a street brawl sure favors the Copa America champions.

443 views

Argentinian fans (and players) showing their asses.

I'm aggrieved that they make me consider.sidong with English rugby.

49 views

When the momentum started turning a bit, the ARG fans all started singing and dancing in unison. I couldn’t make it out, but given the history of throwing racial slurs at the England players, wouldn’t surprise me if it was ugly.

I missed the ending, but in slight defense the southern hemisphere refs were all abysmal yesterday.

The USA played pretty well in their game, but I am so disheartened by the American U20s. Five years until a home World Cup and we have a side made up of players based overseas who can’t offload or avoid stupid penalties. There is no excuse to lose by 50 to Japan while getting mauled off the park. It was actually hard for me to coach rugby the last weeks after seeing that.

52 views

been following for a while. His message “energy forward” seems especially applicable in this specific case.

His podcast is good - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sport-psych-show/id1434313037 - sometimes it’s informal, sometimes he gets very academic with guests, but I enjoy it. With several of my kids being coaches, teachers and therapists, we have conversations along these lines quite often.

And sometimes he shares thoughts on LinkedIn:

https://lnkd.in/p/eY4_tEiY

Seems to me that one of the hardest things in any competition is to play like you have nothing to lose when you have something to lose!

To bring it full circle, maybe Freeman can find a way to have our football team play *the whole season* like warriors of college football.

224 views

The player who shoots initially is clearly onside as there are defenders in front of him. But the player who redirects the ball close to the goalie has nobody between him and the goalie.

I'm not going to reiterate my critique of the offsides rule. But just when I think I understand it I obviously don't.

--
"Somewhere in Middle America"

246 views

Gordon was in front of the last defender when Rogers crossed the ball. Once the ball leaves Rogers' foot, Gordon is free to run past the defender.

The offside rule is about positioning and timing: players need to leave two players between themselves and the goal, one of whom can be the keeper, until the ball is passed. If they time their run well, they can end up one-on-one with the keeper like that and still be onside.

245 views

PK foul in the box?

I wasn't a fan of the PK call as IMO the defender was playing the ball in the air and at the last second Lamine positions himself behind the defender and draws a box contact foul.

To award a potentially game deciding goal on a ball that wasn't on-goal when the contact occurred seemed harsh.

I know the rules but IMO a yellow would have been a far more deserving call.

218 views

Speaking as a fan, I didn't love it, either, that the game hinged on bad luck, but it's never a good idea to swing like that in the box. Digne ends up kicking Yamal without winning the ball first, and that's always going to be a foul.

The game is cruel and merciless, which is all part of its charm.

216 views

He was kicking upward at the ball but the Mexican attacker got his leg in there first, leading to a penalty kick for Mexico. Very awkward for a non-fanatic of soccer, as Kane had position and had started his kick before the Mexican player's leg came across from the side. But apparently the right call (thanks VAR).

--
The 2007 ND-UCLA game was a once in a lifetime experience, I hope

120 views

- No text -

159 views

offside? Everyone seems to agree that the ball by (Croatia?) was minutely deflected by an offensive player's hair and he didn't have an defensive player other than the goalie in front of him.

Why isn't that the same thing?

--
"Somewhere in Middle America"

221 views

It was the guy who touched it next, who was, at the moment the ball hit the head, in an offside position.

It was unfortunate, but assuming the ball really did touch the dude's head, it was the right call.

221 views

but the guy who scored the goal for England was the "second toucher." Is the distinction that the "second toucher" wasn't offside when the ball was originally kicked but in the Croatia game the guy whose hair got brushed was offside when the ball was first kicked?

If so, I get it.

But does it turn on whether the kick before the "second toucher" was a shot on goal, as opposed to a pass? In England's case, I take it that had it been a pass to the guy who scored the goal he would have been offside, but because he was redirecting a shot and wasn't offside when the shot was taken by the first toucher it's not offside?

If so, I suppose that's no worse a judgment call than whether a defensive back was playing the ball on a PI call.

--
"Somewhere in Middle America"

213 views

As HCE notes, the "play" can be a shot or a pass.

In the England goal, Gordon is onsides when (edit) Rogers crosses the ball. He doesn't run past the second to last defender until after the touch.

On Croatia's overturned goal, the player who assists the goal is in an offside position when the ball nicks off the other player's head. That nick is considered "playing" the ball.

Thus, the assister was offisde as soon as he became involved in the play. That offsides offense negates the ensuing pass and goal.

109 views

On the Croatia goal, here's what we all thought happened:

A plays it to B. B plays it to C. C plays it to D. D scores. Everyone is onside when the ball is played to them, so the goal is good.

Per VAR and FIFA's new tech, though, when A played it to B, the ball actually touched X first. So, A plays to to X. X plays it to B. B is offside when X plays it, so there was "an offside in the build-up" to the goal. So, even though C and D were both onside afterwards, the goal cannot stand.

Take X out of the above, it's a goal.

148 views

Lost to Argentina in soccer, have to win twice in cricket to avoid losing a test series to India, and facing Los Pumas on Saturday.

297 views

But it sure felt like England lost this game when they "bunkered" and just allowed Argentina to pepper the goal for 30+ minutes. One ball went off post and a couple were barely saved. Argentina was down on the scoreboard but it felt like they had the winning momentum.

It just felt like England surrendered all initiative and gave a excellent team far too many box chances in the 2nd half. Against a team of quality like Argentina that strategy will eventually kill you.

383 views

It was a great strategy with which to defend a lead against Mexico while down to 10 men.

It was an awful strategy at even strength against a team with the firepower of Argentina.

277 views

My knowledge of soccer is very limited, but it sure felt like what you described.

264 views

- No text -

--
Freeman's got so much riz they need to call him Aura Parseghian

283 views

I could see families being torn asunder this evening. That kind of thing hurts, for sure.

--
The 2007 ND-UCLA game was a once in a lifetime experience, I hope

305 views

And so does England

318 views

against Argentina was stupid.

Still not coming home.

354 views

But also credit Argentina for that relentless attack. They could have scored 3 more goals in that 15 minutes.

311 views

- No text -

281 views

contemplate the 'divine" Messi.

346 views

I still like Spain in the final, though.

291 views

- No text -

240 views

This has been an AWESOME game

--
Freeman's got so much riz they need to call him Aura Parseghian

352 views

- No text -

302 views

- No text -

301 views

- No text -

307 views

powered by my little forum