OT: Soccer Tuesday Open Thread (Also, USMNT v Panama Open Thread)
Today’s Schedule
This One Right Here
10:00p USMNT v Panama - beINSports
World Cup Qualifiers
2:35a New Zealand v Fiji
5:00a Australia v UAE – ESPN3
6:35a Japan v Thailand
7:00a Korea Rep v Syria – ESPN3
8:00a Iran v China – ESPN3
9:00a Uzbekistan v Qatar
1:30p Saudia Arabia v Iraq
4:00p Bolivia v Argentina – beINSPortsenEspanyol
5:00p Ecuador v Colombia – beINSports
5:00p Honduras v Costa Rica – beINSportsConnect
6:00p Chile v Venezuela – beINSportsenEspanyol
7:00p Trinidad and Tobago v Mexico – beINSports
8:45p Brazil v Paraguay- – beINSPortsenEspanyol
10:15p Peru v Uruguay – beINSPortsenEspanyol
World Friendlies
2:45p Netherlands v Italy – beINSports
2:45p Ireland v Iceland – beINSportsConnect
2:45p Portugal v Sweden – beINSportsConnect
3:00p France v Spain – ESPN2
March 28th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
FUCK PANAMA
March 28th, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^
Fuck Panama's time zone, too.
david lee roth and van halen would say.....
FUCK beIN SPORTS
Logged in just to upvote and give thanks. Thanks!
Data free on verizon? I don't know if I want to know how they do it.
March 28th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
Just saw that Messi got suspended for 4 of Argentina's 5 remaining qualifiers. They are only 2 points clear of Chile who is currently in 6th place and would leave them out of the tournament. I can imagine that in those 4 matches, there may be some *ahem* creative officiating to help Argentina sneak in.
March 28th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^
FIFA with the epic troll job announcing this 6 hours before kick off. This also just adds more fuel to the hatred between Chile and Argentina since the Chile FA is the one who sent the video to FIFA.
4 matches for swearing seems excessive.
March 28th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
for a game that starts at 10pm, dont ya think?
Two options.
1. Wait to post the entire "today's schedule" thread until later in the day when half of the games have already been played.
2. Post two seperate threads. This schedule thread, and the specific game thread.
I just did it this way to get the games in and save threads. I can always post more soccer threads.
March 28th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
I once went to a Panama vs USA friendly in Carson, CA. I sat next to a really annoying guy wearing cargo shorts. He claimed to be some kind of scout.
All match he would drop really annoying lines like, "I was texting with him last night" or "I had dinner with his brother." Not once did he mention anything techinical, it was usually a second hand account of talking to someone that knows a player.
Its pretty stupid that a US qualifying match is going to be on a chanel 95% of the country doesn't have. Sweet planning there for growing the game Gulati.
Not Gulati at all. The home team controls the broadcast rights for qualifying matches. USSF controls the home matches for USMNT which is why they're with a major provider (Fox). Gulati/USSF don't control Panama's distribution rights. Panama has the ability to sell the match to any distributor, and in this case they sold it to BeIN.
BeIN sports is actually a midly positive advancement from days gone by. A match like this was either not broadcast or on PPV. BeIN was on my Comcast (although not in HD) package, and now that I'm with DirecTV I could upgrade if I want the channel. Not great, but still better than "back in the day."
Hey, I actually get Telemundo and Universo.
Looks like SD, though. Maravilloso.
So Messi will miss today's game against Bolivia... due to a "4 game trip to Boliva"
No one has access to beIN sports unless you live in Panama or pay for the station separate?
I would also assume that you will be able to find a stream somewhere?
Have Verizon FiOS in DC metro area, and beIN is part of the sports package w FS1 ,FS2, ESPNU, etc etc. It just showed up one day a year ago or so, previously it was by subscription only. Actually I kind of like it, has EFL Championship, Serie A, La Liga, etc.
Between EPL on NBC, Bundesliga on FS, and BeIN with its variety, there is a lot of good, quality, very-watchable soccer on the weekends now. On top of that there's also MLS on like four channels too.
I have that go90 app on my phone (Verizon service) and they usually run those games.
IIRC SlingTV has Bein.
midseason international friendlies should be banned.
Thoughts on the matchup vs Panama tonight?
I'm not sure if we will have the same success against Panama. Panama is more equipped to take advantage of iffy play in the middle of the pitch since they can crowd the middle more with their 4-3-3.
Interesting point from Matt Doyle:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/03/27/armchair-analyst-tactical-prev…
I've rewatched the win over Honduras twice now and remain kind of stunned at how open the US allowed the central midfield to be. We all called it a 4-4-2 diamond (which it was), but at times it was a 4-1-5. Part of it felt like Arena was challenging captain Michael Bradley to hold that part of the field down all by himself, and part of it felt like he was daring the pure attackers – mostly Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore and Christian Pulisic – to just go out there and score every time they got into the final third.
By the time it was 4-0, however, he had the troops ease the foot off the gas:
Alejandro Bedoya's night was fascinating, and underappreciated. His ability to slide inside in support of Bradley, but still get to the touchline in support of his fullback, more or less locked the game down for the US. Still though: He was an outside player primarily tasked with moving inside – necessary in the 4-4-2 diamond, but not all that customary in the modern game.
That's partially why I suspect the diamond may not be the choice on Tuesday. Panama flood the central midfield more than Honduras does, so putting more numbers there from the start makes a certain amount of sense for the US.
Doyle's write-ups are almost always on point. I'm expecting a much closer match tonight.
Chandler has been abysmal for the USMNT in his past appearances, especially in the tropical venues. Maybe not inviting him is one of Arena's discretionary changes. I'm ok with it.
Having so many defenders pick up injuries in such a short amount of time is always going to put you in a bind.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:00 PM ^
March 28th, 2017 at 10:01 PM ^
Nice to see Villafana get the nod again after the Honduras game. Hopefully he holds up in a tougher environment,
Not sure I like Jones as a starter in this match. Personally would have chosen Bedoya, with Jones as a spark off the bench if needed. Jones tends to go rogue at odd times, which might leave a lot of space for our makeshift backline to cover.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^
Cagey first couple minutes. Villafana and Zusi getting tested early. Not good on the passing end, too many giveaways.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:26 PM ^
This announcer sucks. It's not retreating it's called keeping possesion.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:32 PM ^
March 28th, 2017 at 10:36 PM ^
Always seems like a disadvantage for us when the other team speaks the native language of the ref crew.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:32 PM ^
Panama fouling quickly to disrupt rhythm. Good strategy so far.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:39 PM ^
Thank you Timmy.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:42 PM ^
Zusi really blew that one...
March 28th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^
USA!
March 28th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^
Pulisic is so fucking good
March 28th, 2017 at 10:46 PM ^
Dempsey gets the goal, but that was all Pulisic.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^
Puli!!! And Demps with the classic poach.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:49 PM ^
This is what natural talent and training in Europe will do. There is nobody on this roster that has on ball skills of Pulisic.
March 28th, 2017 at 11:56 PM ^
I can't remember ever seeing a US player that could take on multiple opposing players and beat them by himself. That's huge for this team.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:49 PM ^
SHIT! 1-1.
March 28th, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
wow that sucks
March 28th, 2017 at 10:52 PM ^
Shoot, with our height advantage we shouldn't be losing throw-ins to the box...
March 28th, 2017 at 10:54 PM ^
Welp.