wurrl kerp

[Sobchak]

Don't understand benching Beckerman. Team got shredded in midfield. Good job. Donovan would have been useful but Jurgen was butthurt and left him home.

What was Jurgen butthurt about? I thought, even if Lando thought he was playing well in practice, Jurgen was just making cold calculations with the roster.

[fallenchicken]

Jurgen Smurgen. Just goes to show you a cool name isn't everything. I like Germany's coach. He's always wearing a black jacket and is handsome like the devil.

[badfo]

I had a much longer post written but then went to eat a sandwich. I came back and realized I sounded a bit like a mad man. This one is still long.

Anyways, Jurgen and Donovan have a pretty long history, probably almost a decade. Jurgen's lived in SoCal since he retired from playing and did some work with the Galaxy. He even brought Donovan in on loan the season he coached Bayern Munich. Donovan was one of the reasons Jurgen took the job with the US.

Fall 2012, Donovan announces he's taking a break from soccer for a few months since he hasn't had a break for a decade. Jurgen pissed. Donovan comes back. Jurgen pissed. Donovan works his way back into the team, named best player and top scorer of 2013 Gold Cup. Jurgen softens his harshness. Donovan plays well to finish out qualifying.

Then the pre world cup comes along and Jurgen says that Donovan just isn't as good as the rest. I think this is where people have a problem because it's a flat out lie. Nobody believes it. He brought scrubs like Brad Davis and Chris Wondolowski.

It wasn't a position issue either because part of Donovan's brilliance is he can fit almost anywhere He plays wide, in the center of midfield, underneath the striker or as the striker. And he's one of the best defenders on the team on top of it, and one of the few players on the US with speed to stretch a defense (this isn't Jurgen's fault, most of the fast players the US has that are any sort of quality are injured or just had terrible seasons).

Worst is Jurgen brought a player, Timothy Chandler, who had refused call ups for a year or so and refused call ups for long periods before that. This is what Jurgen was so butthurt about with Donovan but it was fine with Chandler? He walked right into the starting line up for the US in the pre-WC games.

I think it was a personal issue or it was because Jurgen was scared that Donovan was outperforming Dempsey. Dempsey's age means he can't play across the field like he used to, and it's limited how the US can use him. Donovan came in the second half of 2013 and outperformed Dempsey in that role, hands down. But Jurgen had gone all in with Dempsey, named him captain (over Donovan, but also over Howard, which was more controversial, and over Beasley, who along with Donovan has seniority over everyone in the team (Donovan got his first appearance in 2000, Beasley in 2001, Howard in 2002). Also over Bradley, who is the team's best field player and a natural leader.

I sound like a mad man anyway.

TL:DR - I think Jurgen left Donovan off the team for reasons unrelated to his ability or his positive presence in the locker room.

[pano]

lolBrazil

[fallenchicken]

Handsome like the DEVIL.

[badfo]

I kind of feel bad after how much of a financial disaster this world cup was for the Brazilian people.

[Pewps]

BRAZIL BLOWN THE FUCK OUT

B
L
O
W
N

T
H
E

F
U
C
K

O
U
T

[fallenchicken]

What if there had been one of those crazy soccer riots where a couple people get beheaded.

[pano]

Impotent Dutchies can't score. @Grommok

(edit: i'm tipping them to go to the final though)

[pano]

Nop, too impotent. lel

[isgrelindisguise]

I'm glad Argentina is moving forward. I'd rather see a South American team take it than a European one, even if Germany is going to walk all over them.

I think penalties are a bullshit way of determining who wins a game. I think its worse than a tie, and ties are terrible.

[Pewps]

Fuck South America, I want a Yurop country to win

[badfo]

They way I always look as penalties is as a punishment for the teams for failing to beat each other. I like that approach.

[Sobchak]

I'm undecided on PKs, but it's especially weak after a 0-0 game. I feel like I essentially watched a coin toss to decide the winner. Great plays from Argentina's goalie though.

[isgrelindisguise]

They way I always look as penalties is as a punishment for the teams for failing to beat each other. I like that approach.

Except one team always leaves the pitch feeling like they accomplished something.

It's disgusting.

[pano]

C'mon Deutschland. Do it for pano. HNNNNG

[Thaed]

Selkath betting ring for the final?

I'll put fifty cents on Germany.

I don't intend on paying anyone.

[badfo]

They way I always look as penalties is as a punishment for the teams for failing to beat each other. I like that approach.

Except one team always leaves the pitch feeling like they accomplished something.

It's disgusting.

Well the solution is to make them take penalties forever but GENEVA.

[fallenchicken]

Instead of penalties, after 120 minutes, they should be able to use their hands and fight each other. The card system goes out the window.

[pano]

uber alles

[badfo]

The Germans always win.

I'm claiming a partial championship because half our team was German.