Ghana vs USA - 11pm (RTE & BBC1) Mod Warning Post #486#

FatherTed

Well done to the US , surprised at a lot of the comments on here about US not deserving to win. They lost their striker early, then Dempsey was crocked most of the game, then lost Besler at half time, then lost Bedoya while their best player Bradley had a poor game by his usual standards. So despite all this they won, fair play to them. Sure Ghana had more of the ball but most of their shots were well wide and Howard had 3 saves to make and only 1 was a great one and the rest were averages ones. Dempsey said after the game he had trouble breathing and probably has a broken nose. Great game by them defensively.

Seaneh

Rikand wrote: »

They were brilliant!

Guess Ghana just has more Milan players than USA does...

*chortle*, good one.

The two Milan players I'm least fond of played for Ghana tonight.

I have a soft spot for Ghana since they were robbed of a Semi Final spot in the last world cup.

Seaneh

~Rebel~ wrote: »

I think it'll start like that, but could see frustration setting in very quickly if the US are as organised defensively as they were today. Think it'll go one of two ways;
Portugal score early, and romp to victory, or,
Portugal get held off for the first 20 or 30 mins and the heads start to drop, frustration with the well drilled american system sets in, and players start to overrun the ball. Then, anything could happen.

I think who Portugal play up front will have a massive baring on the result. If they try to play Almeida and try to play direct balls to him the two giants in the US defence will just win the ball in the air every time. If they play Olivera or put Ronaldo in up there it's a whole different game.

Sure we'll see how it goes in 5 days time.

Guy:Incognito

Seaneh wrote: »

I have a soft spot for Ghana since they were robbed of a Semi Final spot in the last world cup.

Funnily enough their composure in front of goal had a bit to play in that too..........

Seaneh

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Funnily enough their composure in front of goal had a bit to play in that too..........

I'd say it was just as much their inability to defend that time too.

As bad as they were with the final ball, the defence is a shambles.

thelad95

Ghana weren't robbed against Uruguay. Suarez did what 99% of players would do in that situation. They then had a penalty to win which was bottled.

Seaneh

thelad95 wrote: »

Ghana weren't robbed against Uruguay. Suarez did what 99% of players would do in that situation. They then had a penalty to win which was bottled.

Suarez cheated. They were robbed.

Ardillaun

Boys oh boys, imagine if Mueller had got a whack of Dempsey proportions.

FatherTed

Says it all really.

thelad95

Seaneh wrote: »

Suarez cheated. They were robbed.

Being robbed is having a refereeing decision go against you or a fluky goal. Suarez broke the rules, he didn't cheat and Ghana were justifiably awarded a penalty which was then bottled. I felt extremely sorry for them that night but they weren't really robbed.

Seaneh

thelad95 wrote: »

Suarez broke the rules, he didn't cheat

So breaking the rules isn't cheating?

What?

FatherTed

Seaneh wrote: »

Suarez cheated. They were robbed.

No they weren't. You could say they were robbed if they were not awarded the penalty and if Suarez wasn't sent off.

Seaneh

FatherTed wrote: »

No they weren't. You could say they were robbed if they were not awarded the penalty and if Suarez wasn't sent off.

That's absolute bollocks. Suarez CHEATED, that goal goes in, they win, they are in the semi-finals. The reason they didn't get to the semi-finals is a direct result of Suarez CHEATING.

Corholio

Ghana were clearly the better team, USA could hardly hold the ball for longer than a minute in the second half. Just awful composure in attack and awful concentration in defence was the difference really. They were caught out badly in the first minute and then completely switched off at the corner for the 2nd. USA defended really good, but I get worried when I see people saying they played 'brilliantly', no....they defended brilliantly, they didn't play that much at all. In the group stages though, points is all that matters.

Nerdlingr

FatherTed wrote: »

Says it all really.

Jaysus, which American had the shot that ended over by the corner flag!!!?:-)

simongurnick

Ghana were awful. Too many players who think they can just rifle the ball into the top corner from 30 yards out. Headless chicken stuff!

Overheal

FatherTed wrote: »

Says it all really.

Quality vs. Quantity I guess. I did notice a few times strikers on the US side took the ball away from an attempt to instead coordinate something with the rest of the front line. Ghana meanwhile got a hold of the ball and whacked it pretty much spray and pray.

AbusesToilets

Enjoyed that game, USA barely hung in there for most of the match. They will need to shore up their midfield if they want to get anywhere, thought that Ghana waltzed through the center far too easily.

namloc1980

FatherTed wrote: »

Says it all really.

It sure does. USA 2, Ghana 1 - the only stat that actually counts at the end of the day.

briany

Corholio wrote: »

Ghana were clearly the better team, USA could hardly hold the ball for longer than a minute in the second half. Just awful composure in attack and awful concentration in defence was the difference really. They were caught out badly in the first minute and then completely switched off at the corner for the 2nd. USA defended really good, but I get worried when I see people saying they played 'brilliantly', no....they defended brilliantly, they didn't play that much at all. In the group stages though, points is all that matters.

Defense is as much a part of playing the game as attacking is. So called 'anti-football' and 'parking the bus' get criticised on two occasions. One is by fans of the opposing team when it works, or by the other set of fans if it doesn't.

Ed The Equalizer

Seaneh wrote: »

That's absolute bollocks. Suarez CHEATED, that goal goes in, they win, they are in the semi-finals. The reason they didn't get to the semi-finals is a direct result of Suarez CHEATING.

Agreed. Also because FIFA are idiots and don't have penalty goals for those situations.

Chardee MacDennis

Seaneh wrote: »

That's absolute bollocks. Suarez CHEATED, that goal goes in, they win, they are in the semi-finals. The reason they didn't get to the semi-finals is a direct result of Suarez CHEATING.

If Suarez hacked Gyan down with an open goal in front him and the ensuing penalty was missed, would you still say Suarez cheated and Ghana were robbed. Out of interest sake...

kfallon

Surely cheating is when you get away with something. Suarez didn't, he was given a red card and a penalty against him.

Hardly his fault Gyan shít his pants and made a balls of the peno!

Moneymaker

I like that US team, they have a ton of heart and while it was fortunate, I wouldn't begrudge them the win.

Ghana were absurdly wasteful and got what they deserved. Comical defending for both US goals.

kfallon

You have to love Klinsmann!

atilladehun

kfallon wrote: »

Surely cheating is when you get away with something. Suarez didn't, he was given a red card and a penalty against him.

Hardly his fault Gyan shít his pants and made a balls of the peno!

He got away without conceding a goal. The punishment didn't equal the reward. His team were in the semis which was his main aim.

kfallon

atilladehun wrote: »

He got away without conceding a goal. The punishment didn't equal the reward. His team were in the semis which was his main aim.

He got the maximum punishment he could get under the rules of the game!

Some people just can't help themselves when it comes to Suarez!

GinoS

Fair play to the USA. Hope they have an ok tournament

GBXI

Seaneh wrote: »

That's absolute bollocks. Suarez CHEATED, that goal goes in, they win, they are in the semi-finals. The reason they didn't get to the semi-finals is a direct result of Suarez CHEATING.

I know this is nothing to do with last night's match, but you must have some serious issue with Luis Suarez. Why do you keep calling him a cheat, as if he is some sort of tax evader? Suarez did what every footballer worth his salt does in that situation, as mentioned above. The reason Ghana didn't get through is because their penalty-taker couldn't score from 11 metres out.

Rikand

GinoS wrote: »

Fair play to the USA. Hope they have an ok tournament

why only an ok one ?

citytillidie

Seaneh wrote: »

That's absolute bollocks. Suarez CHEATED, that goal goes in, they win, they are in the semi-finals. The reason they didn't get to the semi-finals is a direct result of Suarez CHEATING.

Are you saying no playing would have done the same thing as Suarez?

Did Suarez miss the penalty that Ghana were then awarded?

Seaneh

Jesus the Liverpool fans and their persecution complex are in to defend poor misunderstood Suarez.
I don't have a problem with Suarez, but he cheated, he is in fact a serial cheater between his diving, biting, spitting and dirty tackles and of course cheating in the biggest game in his career against Ghana in 2010. I have defended him in the past during the whole "negro" incident, but sure, I just have a problem with Suarez.

Liverpool fans have a ridiculous ability to turn every single thread into an attack on them and the team the support, it ruins this forum completely.

quarryman

Seaneh wrote: »

Liverpool fans have a ridiculous ability to turn every single thread into an attack on them and the team the support, it ruins this forum completely.

Check out the "Draw a footballer" thread. Within 3 posts the Liverpool cohort are whining that they are being targeted.... with a picture of Balotelli!

Turtyturd

This is still going...good job Suarez isn't American.

Lord TSC

Lads, this is a thread for Ghana vs USA, so I've no intentions of allowing this to turn into a thread about Liverpool, and especially about its fans.

Don't go down that route.

Ulysses Gaze

Any news on the US injuries?

I have a feeling they may regret not bringing Landon Donovan if any of their forwards are out for the next two games.

Seaneh

I'd say Altidore is a gonner to be honest, the other two just looked like dead legs and should be fine.

If Altidore is gone they are in trouble, their attacking game is completely built around his hold up play and speed, Aron Jóhannsson is probably a better footballer than Altidore but he doesn't offer the same physical presence or speed.

Paul Tergat

Fair play to the USA. Really enjoyed watching that last night. Take out the Iran-Nigeria game and it's been great so far. I think it will only get better as some teams now will need to go for it in round 2 of the group stage matches.

pickarooney

Group F is likely to be horrible all the way through. It's hard to know if you can blame the small nations who have no chance of achieving anything above a wretched scoreless draw (like Ireland, many's the time) but dammit they're hard to watch.

Chardee MacDennis

Seaneh wrote: »

Jesus the Liverpool fans and their persecution complex are in to defend poor misunderstood Suarez.
I don't have a problem with Suarez, but he cheated, he is in fact a serial cheater between his diving, biting, spitting and dirty tackles and of course cheating in the biggest game in his career against Ghana in 2010. I have defended him in the past during the whole "negro" incident, but sure, I just have a problem with Suarez.

Liverpool fans have a ridiculous ability to turn every single thread into an attack on them and the team the support, it ruins this forum completely.

i made the same point during the game in 2010, so it's nothing to do with his club.

and you still havent answered my question:

BastardPrince wrote: »

If Suarez hacked Gyan down with an open goal in front him and the ensuing penalty was missed, would you still say Suarez cheated and Ghana were robbed. Out of interest sake...

Overheal

http://gfycat.com/MajesticLinedArmadillo

Good result for the USA (sort of owed Ghana one having been beaten by them in the 2 previous world cups) but pity that Ghana will most likely be out after this. They are an entertaining team to watch - very athletic and powerful with good movement, if still a bit tactically naive with the amount of long range shots off target. Really should have won that game last night, as opposed to losing it.

Ardillaun

glasso wrote: »

Good result for the USA (sort of owed Ghana one having been beaten by them in the 2 previous world cups) but pity that Ghana will most likely be out after this. They are an entertaining team to watch - very athletic and powerful with good movement, if still a bit tactically naive with the amount of long range shots off target. Really should have won that game last night, as opposed to losing it.

Some of their crossing was magnificent - perfect height, on the run and early enough that the defenders were all going backwards and were at risk of own-goaling.