U.S.A v England

[Rossmci90]

I've been coaching my kids for like 20 years.

Always teach the goalies to square up behind the ball.

This guy is in the World Cup and he's playing goalie like a town recreational player.

The thing is, he got behind the ball, and got two hands on it. And inexplicably it got through him. He'll have nightmares for years if we don't get through to the next round.

 

[chicowalker]

Since you Brits seem to actually know something about the sport... should that have been a foul when Carracher (or whatever hs name is) appeared to take down Altidore?

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Jamie doesn't foul players, he just politely moves you out the way.

 

[BritPat]

Since you Brits seem to actually know something about the sport... should that have been a foul when Carracher (or whatever hs name is) appeared to take down Altidore?

Not even close

He was simply too strong.

 

[WelshPat]

Well done USA, would have liked you guys to get a win but i'll take a draw. There didn't look much between the sides tbh.

 

[chicowalker]

What determines whether it isillegal?

 

[Rossmci90]

What determines whether it isillegal?

You have to be playing the ball, not the man. So you can use strength to get someone off the ball, as long as you are trying to get the ball and not trying to just knock the guy on his ass. Also can't really grab and pull people, although you can to a certain degree.

 

[tmracht]

1-1 after a total defensive lapse 4 minutes in? I don't care how we scored thats a huge result for us. Altidore did well and Green got lucky he deflected off the post on that attempt or he would have been a total goat.

We were controlling the ball a bit in the first half then we decided to try and go route 1 the entire second half. It was calling for us to put in Torres for Clark who was out of position too often for my liking (including the goal against).

Dempsey finds a way to put the ball in the net in so many ways. To think we all wondered why Steve Nicol moved him from Defensive Mid to Attacking Mid in his first season with the Revs I guess Nicol and Mariner saw it straight away.

Tim Howard is simply the best USA player in the squad, he did all he could to keep us in the game though he was aided by some terrible finishing by the English. Though catching and holding Heskey's blast with Rooney coming for the follow up was clutch on the 2 on 1/2.

Very promissing result for both. A draw in the Slovenia/Algeria game would be excellent. But even with a win for either side isn't the end of the world now. Both sides should be able to advance if they play like they can against the other two sides.

 

[chicowalker]

You have to be playing the ball, not the man. So you can use strength to get someone off the ball, as long as you are trying to get the ball and not trying to just knock the guy on his ass. Also can't really grab and pull people, although you can to a certain degree.

so contact is ok when playing a man who has the ball even if you, as the defender, haven't touched the ball? (for ex, I thought slide tackles were fouls if you take out the man but don't get ball -- are rules different for slide tackles?)

 

[Rossmci90]

so contact is ok when playing a man who has the ball even if you, as the defender, haven't touched the ball? (for ex, I thought slide tackles were fouls if you take out the man but don't get ball -- are rules different for slide tackles?)

Well as an example, if somebody knocks the ball past you as a defender, you can use your body to position yourself between the man and the ball, without ever touching the ball. You don't need to actually touch the ball in this situation, as long as you are playing the ball as well as the man. With slide tackles, it is a foul if you don't get the ball and take the man. Of course referees can make mistakes though.

 

[tmracht]

so contact is ok when playing a man who has the ball even if you, as the defender, haven't touched the ball? (for ex, I thought slide tackles were fouls if you take out the man but don't get ball -- are rules different for slide tackles?)

Alot also depends on the referees at the time I've spoken with many different referees and there is alot of interpretation into when to call a foul. I've known a few refs who would have blown down Carragher for extending his arm from behind Altidore. Others would say it was simply shoulder to shoulder and as such not a foul as it was a 50/50 for the ball. Basically play the ball or don't play the man and you should be alright. Tug the jersey you're usually gonna get a whistle and a card. Miss the ball on the slide and hit the opponent usually a foul and a card sometimes just the fould.

 

[chicowalker]

Alot also depends on the referees at the time I've spoken with many different referees and there is alot of interpretation into when to call a foul. I've known a few refs who would have blown down Carragher for extending his arm from behind Altidore. Others would say it was simply shoulder to shoulder and as such not a foul as it was a 50/50 for the ball. Basically play the ball or don't play the man and you should be alright. Tug the jersey you're usually gonna get a whistle and a card. Miss the ball on the slide and hit the opponent usually a foul and a card sometimes just the fould.

I haven't gone back to look at it, but now that you mention it, I think the arm and the relative positionng made it look more questionable to me.

Do star players tend to get preferential treatment, like in the NBA? For ex, if it's Rooney or Messi rather than Altidore, do you think there's more of a chance that a foul is called?

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Theres such a fuss over fouls now and alot depends on what country your in also. For example you wouldn't get away with half the tackles in Spain that are made in England. You can always tell a good tackler because he'll win the ball and also take the player out.

For the keepers it's simple, you only have to breathe on one and it's a foul.

 

[Angry Man]

Great entertaining yet nerve wrecking game to watch. I really wanted to see us get a go ahead goal in the second half but at this point I'll take a 1-1 draw against England. Next game is against Slovenia on Friday which I'm greatly looking forward to. Should be a great game and we should very well win it.

 

[IcyPatriot]

The thing is, he got behind the ball, and got two hands on it. And inexplicably it got through him. He'll have nightmares for years if we don't get through to the next round.

Still having Bill Buckner nightmares Ross ...

 

[Ciara's Dad]

Slovenia will be no pushovers. I watched them in Dublin v The Republic, and I thought they played really well.
Very sound defensively and they were very skillfull on the ball. Don't write them off just yet!

Anyway, back to the morning, or should I say mourning, newspapers, to read about last nights game.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Algeria and Slovenia is an average game. Both look like they can shift the ball when they want to though.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Another keeper mistake in Englands group, this time Algerias stopper looks like he's collecting fresh air.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Absolutely!

Didn't see anything in that game to scare either England or the U.S.

It's amazing how English goalkeeping has come down from the great days. Time was when the one English player who had a shout at a World Eleven was the goalie (Banks, Shilton). Players as good as Bonetti, Stepney, Clemence couldn't get a game. And look at them now!

On the other hand, the U.S. is spoilt for choice.

American Goalkeepers Lead the Way | Major League Soccer Talk

(In my casual opinion, Brad Friedel has been far and away the best keeper in the Premier League over the last ten years.)

 

[Scouse Patriot]

USA do have a good number of good keepers, Tim Howard, Friedel as you say is often making fantastic saves (never got near Liverpools first team for some reason), Hahnemann is decent and Kasey Keller was a well known name around Europe.

To be honest I thought Paul Robinson was in with a shout to go the WC. He's had a good season along with Joe Hart. Rob Green and James are very much keepers with great reactions and shot stopping skills but are both prone to errors.