Women’s World Cup 2019

[dweebs19]

Norway was clearly superior to Australia.

The U.S. is unparalleled from what I have seen. It will take VAR and a fluke bounce or two to deny them.

Exactly. I honestly have not seen a team that looks as good as the Americans. It would take some crazy shit for them to not win this

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Sweden was on their heels right from the start. Dunn was the only player keeping Sweden competitive. The US was better in all aspects. The win was pretty big, because it seems like the US side of the bracket is much easier than the other side of the bracket with China/Japan/Germany/Canada.

 

[zack54attack]

Close game here...

 

[zack54attack]

Rapinoe again!

 

[zack54attack]

Bring on France!

 

[Briggs is GOAT]

Tough win for the U.S. I thought that the second penalty was a bad call, but not the worst we've ever seen.

Regardless, the US team looked great through the first 30 but then majorly dropped off after that. We'll see how it goes against France, all depends on how they play really.

 

[NCChiFan]

Tough win for the U.S. I thought that the second penalty was a bad call, but not the worst we've ever seen.

Regardless, the US team looked great through the first 30 but then majorly dropped off after that. We'll see how it goes against France, all depends on how they play really.

I thought it weak myself, but she was "cleated". I also think she did a bad job of selling it, heh. Dunn had a better game. Mewis again showed why she should start before Horan. This France game will be interesting.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

The whole game was ick...like watching a Croatia men's World Cup game. Lots of fouling, the only goal scored in play was the result of a massive screwup, fouling in the box but also some terrible 'sell jobs' by the offended player. Tobin Heath plays like a chain-smoking Croat...loafs around, can't get back on defense, and is actually faster with the ball at her feet.

Alexi Lalals placed the blame on Sauerbrunn for the goal, but I thought the goalie was to blame. Sauerbrunn got the ball so late, she couldn't see the US players behind and in front of her. The only teammate she could see was to her right, and that was where the other Spanish girl was.

I thought both penalties were weak. The players could have continued action and not fallen down, but I guess its soccer. VAR makes it more of a mess, because it basically takes away common sense (much like NFL/MLB replay). I don't have too much sympathy because Spain played a very "cynical" game and all the fouling caught up to them, and on one corner Julie Ertz got thrown down in the box right in front of the ref with no call, but it wasn't a great US effort. I like Mewis in the midfield, but Dunn in defense is a disaster waiting to happen. I could see a loss to France due to Dunn and poor goalkeeping.

Do you think Rapinoe had sex with the Spanish rightback after the game? Seemed heated.

 

[Briggs is GOAT]

The whole game was ick...like watching a Croatia men's World Cup game. Lots of fouling, the only goal scored in play was the result of a massive screwup, fouling in the box but also some terrible 'sell jobs' by the offended player. Tobin Heath plays like a chain-smoking Croat...loafs around, can't get back on defense, and is actually faster with the ball at her feet.

Alexi Lalals placed the blame on Sauerbrunn for the goal, but I thought the goalie was to blame. Sauerbrunn got the ball so late, she couldn't see the US players behind and in front of her. The only teammate she could see was to her right, and that was where the other Spanish girl was.

I thought both penalties were weak. The players could have continued action and not fallen down, but I guess its soccer. VAR makes it more of a mess, because it basically takes away common sense (much like NFL/MLB replay). I don't have too much sympathy because Spain played a very "cynical" game and all the fouling caught up to them, and on one corner Julie Ertz got thrown down in the box right in front of the ref with no call, but it wasn't a great US effort. I like Mewis in the midfield, but Dunn in defense is a disaster waiting to happen. I could see a loss to France due to Dunn and poor goalkeeping.

Do you think Rapinoe had sex with the Spanish rightback after the game? Seemed heated.

I think the first penalty was a good call. Heath's foot was stepped on, but I agree that she could've played on.

Also Spain played a very physical game, but I think there was a lot of diving (particularly from Alex Morgan) that made it look like Spain was playing dirty.

And yes definitely, the Spanish right back dominated her in bed just like she dominated her on the field.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

And yes definitely, the Spanish right back dominated her in bed just like she dominated her on the field.

In all seriousness, was it just me, or did those exchanges between Rapinoe and the right back seem weird? Like on one play where the right back flopped after Rapinoe got around her but the ref blew her whistle, they had like a 20 second back-and-forth of touching each other. I got less play at my Junior High dance.

 

[Briggs is GOAT]

In all seriousness, was it just me, or did those exchanges between Rapinoe and the right back seem weird? Like on one play where the right back flopped after Rapinoe got around her but the ref blew her whistle, they had like a 20 second back-and-forth of touching each other. I got less play at my Junior High dance.

They couldn't wait man, that's all that was.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Too many games in both mens and womens are now decided by in-advertant hand balls. I'm not sure why its not standard defense to lock your hands behind back, but your arms exist and flail about for athletic balance. Teams have taken to chipping balls at chest height at players and hoping for hand balls rather than going for goal, and that is ruining the game and making these results distasteful.

Nothing worse than losing because of an inadvertant handball you couldn't get out of the way of. It isn't the spirit of the rule or the game and needs to be looked at.

Its one thing to reach for a ball, but 90% of these they can't get their arms out of the way in time. I love the game, played for 22 years and can't stand it. Its stupid. My team lost that way one time in my career and its easily the worst taste left in my mouth. It doesn't feel fair or just. Its cheap, and making games about VAR incidental hand balls cheapens the game.

 

[zack54attack]

Hell yeah Rapinoe!!!

 

[zack54attack]

Damn, France gets one back.

 

[zack54attack]

Bring on England!

 

[Briggs is GOAT]

US got dominated today, I think France is probably the best women's team in the world, but they got it done.

England is most-probably an easier match up for the United States, though I'm sure they'll bring the fight.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

US got dominated today, I think France is probably the best women's team in the world, but they got it done.

England is most-probably an easier match up for the United States, though I'm sure they'll bring the fight.

I don't think the US got dominated. They could have put the game away 3-0 if not for a questionable offsides call. France tried to pour it on at the end to tie up the game, but they didn't really have that many legit scoring chances despite all their shots. I can only recall Naeher making one save where I thought "wow, that was good!".

I thought with Dunn in the backline, France would spend the whole game getting 1-on-1's with the goalie, but that never happened. You can tell France has some good individual players, but I wasn't really impressed with any of them. The US kind of did whatever they wanted for most of the game. I thought the sketchiest moment was when the ref could have called O'Hara for a handball in the box, but she waved it off.

On the other side of the bracket, I watched a bit of the games. Netherlands has a really good player in Lieke Martens, but Italy didn't seem to be much of anything. I was surprised that Sweden beat Germany, because Germany took an early lead and are usually tough, and the Swedes didn't accomplish anything against the US.

 

[Briggs is GOAT]

I don't think the US got dominated. They could have put the game away 3-0 if not for a questionable offsides call. France tried to pour it on at the end to tie up the game, but they didn't really have that many legit scoring chances despite all their shots. I can only recall Naeher making one save where I thought "wow, that was good!".

I thought with Dunn in the backline, France would spend the whole game getting 1-on-1's with the goalie, but that never happened. You can tell France has some good individual players, but I wasn't really impressed with any of them. The US kind of did whatever they wanted for most of the game. I thought the sketchiest moment was when the ref could have called O'Hara for a handball in the box, but she waved it off.

On the other side of the bracket, I watched a bit of the games. Netherlands has a really good player in Lieke Martens, but Italy didn't seem to be much of anything. I was surprised that Sweden beat Germany, because Germany took an early lead and are usually tough, and the Swedes didn't accomplish anything against the US.

Well the offsides call was correct. She was just barely offsides, and I think the offsides rule is written poorly, but she was still offsides.

You are correct in saying that France didn't have many good chances, as the United States maintained their defensive shape well. Still, France dominated possession, and for a stretch of the game the US couldn't get even a few passes off without being dispossessed. I think the O'Hara hand ball was pretty much 50/50. There was space between her arm and her body but she didn't intentionally make contact with the ball. Sometimes that's called, sometimes it isn't, I think it would've been fair either way.

I haven't watched any games outside the US ones, so I can only give an opinion on Sweden. I think Sweden is solid, they didn't give the US much trouble, but they were sitting a couple important players in that match. I think if that's the final match up it'll be a tough game, with the US being favorites of course.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Well the offsides call was correct. She was just barely offsides, and I think the offsides rule is written poorly, but she was still offsides.

Agreed. I've seen 'barely offsides' not called a lot in this tournament, whereas in the men's game its called if the guy is on the opposing half of the pitch.

Still, France dominated possession, and for a stretch of the game the US couldn't get even a few passes off without being dispossessed.

Compared to 2015 USWNT, this team is kind of disorganized in the midfield. Back then, people complained that Lloyd and Holiday/Cheney didn't "mesh", but they were still very good players. I don't think this 2019 team is as strong in the midfield, especially in terms of passing and playmaking.

I think the O'Hara hand ball was pretty much 50/50. There was space between her arm and her body but she didn't intentionally make contact with the ball. Sometimes that's called, sometimes it isn't, I think it would've been fair either way.

Yeah, I thought it could have gone either way. I think France made some strange on-the-ball decisions. I remember one play where the French girl mishit the ball so badly that it ended up blasting O'Hara in the stomach, who was nowhere near the goal.

 

[Briggs is GOAT]

Agreed. I've seen 'barely offsides' not called a lot in this tournament, whereas in the men's game its called if the guy is on the opposing half of the pitch.



Compared to 2015 USWNT, this team is kind of disorganized in the midfield. Back then, people complained that Lloyd and Holiday/Cheney didn't "mesh", but they were still very good players. I don't think this 2019 team isn't as strong in the midfield, especially in terms of passing and playmaking.



Yeah, I thought it could have gone either way. I think France made some strange on-the-ball decisions. I remember one play where the French girl mishit the ball so badly that it ended up blasting O'Hara in the stomach, who was nowhere near the goal.

I think Lloyd should be getting more time. Alex Morgan really hasn't been good outside of the Thailand game (who wasn't good in that game). Maybe it'd be wise to put Lloyd in for her if she's struggling, idk.