We are 17 minutes in, and I'm watching with my 2 month old son.
- To summarize: Sloppy pitch. Slow match. And Germany are attacking with such intention, I'm thinking they are marching into Paris. The German attack off the wings is carving the US back four to absolute shit, but they're not finishing. I don't know if it's because of the rain or soggy pitch, or what.
- The US once again gets the benefit of a questionable no-call.
- I still hate Taylor Twellman. He's a shit color man.
- The US' first true attack came to nothing.
- Apparently, the US back four have seemingly learned to not leave Howard stranded.
- The German possession control has been amazing. Even despite the rain falling, and the deteriorating pitch.
- Great tackle by the referee there.
- The US looks moderately lethal on the counter, except that there's no support for the man up top.
- The US is giving Germany all kinds of space going forward. That's gonna bite them soon.
- Ironically, on the anniversary of the beginning of the Berlin Air-Lift, that seems to be the way the US will get ahead. Go over the top.
- Tim Howard should be playing the old Beckenbauer role.
Half-time thoughts:
- The US are chasing this match. Like their other matches.
- Germany look composed, menacing, and threatening whenever they have possession. If only they could finish.
Second half:
- Klose coming on, Germany may have their edge now.
- Defensive shape shouldn't be a worry, Taylor. They should work on remaining organised and composed. Gonzalez and Howard aren't enough.
- Did they just say that if results stand, the US would play Monaco in the knockout? I'm sure Berbatov would love to pick the US back four apart.
- And so it begins, Klose has way too much space.
- The only way Bradley could have been more late on that challenge, would have been for him to be Paul Scholes.
- Nice goal for Muller. It was coming, it was just a matter of time.
- I have to credit Klose for that goal. He has completely unwound that US back four.
- Germany are into siege mode.
- Klose is just the walking epitome of cool. He's just composed, focused, and nothing is rattling him.
- The US are showing impatience, and carelessness with possession.
- The German counter is fantastic. Support for the forward man, so rare.
- And as we draw onto 79 minutes, the match moves into its familiar metronomic tempo. Steady, consistent, and intricately German.
- Germany just keeps pushing forward. Heavy touches in the box are their undoing in the second half.
- At this point, if the US has sealed qualification for the knockout, maybe it's time they start to slow up. Even though those players should play as though Portugal were level with them on goal differential, whether true or not.
- What a run for the US. What a great bit of awareness and tenacity for Lamm to stop what would have been a goal.
Post-match:
- Germany look good going into the knockout.
- The US still have a long way to go, but Klinsmann is laying down some very strong roots. For the US to make it past the round of 16, they need to do something about their positional awareness. They need to do something about not leaving Tim Howard in the cold, to defend goal on his own. His midfield and back four need to pay more attention to how much space you give attacking players in their final third, and allowing the play to get into their final third, in the first place. If the US could shore up this big issue, they'd be formidable on the counter-attack.
Post-post-match:
- The US was lucky that Germany couldn't finish. The Germans could have easily destroyed the goal differential between the US and Portugal. Easy. Sloppy sloppy luck.
