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Guys, the World Cup starts tomorrow. Tomorrow! And before that starts, we get another D.C. United game as well as two US Open Cup matches tonight. We are living the dream!
D.C. United Stadium Bill Now Online For Public Comment | DCist.com
It wouldn't be Wednesday without some kind of stadium news. This isn't anything significant, but then again when it comes to the stadium it's always significant.
Talking Strategy: D.C. United vs Montreal Impact | DCUnited.com
Molly Bruh talks to United goalkeeping coach Preston Burpo about the Montreal Impact. Burpo wants to see more Chris Rolfe; I couldn't agree more.
Central Winger: How Jurgen Kinsmann is using USMNT diamond to multiple outcomes | MLSsoccer.com
Devin Pleuler digs deep on the USMNT's recent formations. I don't really agree that the 4231 deployed against Nigeria was a diamond - unless we're changing what that means for soccer - but that's not really the point. The discussion of strategy vs. tactics and the passing diagrams here are what's important, and they're very fascinating.
American Exports: Nantes look to secure USMNT's Alejandro Bedoya amid growing interest from rivals | MLSsoccer.com
Alejandro Bedoya may be one of the least-discussed USMNT regulars in recent memory. A major factor is that he plays for Nantes in Ligue 1, which is a very good league to be a starter in but is not a league people talk about much here. In any case, he did well enough that Nantes wants to give him a raise and/or extension.
It’s Brazil’s World Cup to Lose | FiveThirtyEight.com
Nate Silver's numbers match what everyone else is already saying. Still, that doesn't make this piece worth skipping. One good point Silver makes: Brazil hasn't lost a match on their home soil that they truly cared about was in the semifinals of the 1975 Copa America. It's also worth noting that Silver - unlike some other stats-driven analysts out there - takes pains to note that his numbers are not perfect due to soccer's lack of discrete situations.
10 rules for not being a gross misogynist during the World Cup | SBNation.com/soccer
Kirsten Schlewitz shouldn't have had to write this article, but that's the world we're in. Basically, please try your best to avoid being an asshole.
Mexico's World Cup lineup is out and it has holes | SBNation.com/soccer
Ryan Rosenblatt takes a look at El Tri's starting lineup, which has already been announced by Miguel Herrera because he doesn't care what you think. Injuries have hit an already shallow pool of central midfielders to such an extent that left winger Andres Guardado will be playing centrally. Have fun with Luka Modric, guys!
Philadelphia Union fire coach John Hackworth | SBNation.com/soccer
Regular readers are probably aware of my opinion of Hackworth, but to sum it up: Hackworth's real weaknesses are not his near-constant tactical meddling. Rather, it's his inability to pick the right tactics for the right occasion and the fact that his players often look unsure of what to do with themselves from game to game (sometimes even from half to half or minute to minute).
There's a bit of Underpants Gnome about Hackworth: He comes up with a plan, ???, profit. The ??? stage should be where he clearly describes what he wants his players to do and works with them in training on the best ways to make that vision come true. You know, the important part of coaching.
Official: Chivas USA extend forward Erick "Cubo" Torres' loan to end of season | The Goat Parade
This is very good news for Chivas USA, a team who sorely need it. Make no mistake: Without Cubo, this Chivas team is as bad or worse than United was in 2013. I'm serious.
Match Preview: Houston Dynamo versus Laredo Heat in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup | Dynamo Theory
The 4th round of the Open Cup starts in Houston, where the badly listing Dynamo won't get an easier chance to break out of their bad form than a home game against the PDL (read: semi-pro) Laredo Heat. Then again, Laredo will rightly consider this a golden opportunity to make history given the Dynamo's current plight: 389 minutes without a goal, four straight losses, and a crippling injury crisis. Dominic Kinnear will field more starters than he usually would at this stage of the USOC, but largely because he has no other alternatives.
US Open Cup: Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes kick off 4th round | Matchday Preview | MLSsoccer.com
This covers the Dynamo game as well, but we'll focus on the Quakes and their battle for supremacy in northern California with the Sacremento Republic. Sacremento is a USL-PRO expansion side drawing crowds most MLS teams would be happy with, and they're also San Jose's USL affiliate. This should be a good one, especially with Mark Watson saying that the Quakes could field more regulars due to the World Cup break.
That probably covers everything, so the floor is yours. What other MLS coach/South Park comparison can you make? Or perhaps you have something entirely unrelated you want to talk about? Either way, go for it.