I really hope I'm being too optimistic here. Look, I don't doubt their competence one bit, and honestly, I didn't catch yesterday's game, but I haven't heard a single soul complaining about the officiating. My only real fear is bias—specifically, any kind of influence from the Norwegians. For instance, if the Norwegians somehow manage to 'persuade' the officials to let the Spaniards get away with some pretty rough play, that’s something that just wouldn't sit right with us.
Adam Collins4 said:That’s exactly what I was getting at when I mentioned Bill Nye... these refs just call it however they want, and honestly, you can just ignore them because they clearly don't give a damn about who's actually out there playing.
So, what's your take—what kind of mess should we expect from today's officiating? We've got a Spaniard in the middle.
It looks like that’s the deal; they’ve got three solid shooters lined up at left back, plus Lauritsen holding things down on the right, and their pivot can definitely chip in with a goal or two now and then. So, if we can actually manage to shut down their left back—which, let’s be honest, feels like an impossible task for our defense—they won't be scoring nearly as much as we fear...
boldhound8 said:In theory? Sure, absolutely. But in the real world, where things actually happen? Not even close.😉 Honestly, I couldn't care less what we end up playing today; at this point, the specific game doesn't even matter, as long as we actually show up and play the damn thing well.🙂
When you actually look at how things played out on the court, it’s pretty clear what the tactical landscape was: out of the three best defenses we saw throughout the championship, two of them were running that rigid 6-0 setup, while only one opted for the 5-1 approach. 😕
boldhound8 said:Look, if you're running a mobile 6-0 with deep penetrations, you're basically just playing a 3-2-1 anyway.😁 I mean, honestly, there’s barely any real difference between a 6-0, a 5-1, or a 3-2-1 setup.🙂
Actually, hold on, there is a difference. A 3-2-1 is a zone defense, which means you’re naturally going to be thinner at the pivot and on the wings to maintain that density, but the catch is that moving the ball through a zone is way harder, so you can't really compensate for those gaps easily enough.
A 5-1 is more of a line defense where you have one aggressive player stepping out to mess with the ball flow.
And then there's the 6-0, which is your standard line defense, and it actually holds one major advantage over both the 3-2-1 and the 5-1: it's just much tighter along the crease.
David Taylor13 said:Having an extra four hours of downtime could actually do wonders for our players' recovery, especially when you consider that the Americans are all basically thirty-year-olds at this point. I’m just praying for some fair, consistent officiating; if we don't get that, a good result is pretty much out of the question.
People always drone on about how sports are mostly mental. Apparently, you can tap into these massive internal reserves if your motivation is high enough. But honestly, our squad has looked sluggish throughout this entire tournament—they just aren't moving with any real speed. You throw extra fatigue into that mix, and you're asking for trouble. Though, you do have a point there; I haven't the slightest clue what kind of shape the Americans are in. Let's just pray they're looking as physically drained as we are.
Loki definitely isn't playing; he tore a ligament. It’s a damn shame, but I suppose it works in our favor since they’ll have to slot in someone else, some other heavy pivot. That Johnny Jensen guy is a real bruiser—a dirty player, if I recall correctly. I can't quite remember where Hagen plays now; is he in the same position as Kjelling? Along with Kjelling, he's easily their biggest threat.
David Taylor13 said:So, does this mean we’re finally being spared from your endless, unsolicited commentary during the semifinals and the finals? ☕
Back to the actual game: - We’re probably a little more rested than the Norwegians. - Yesterday’s match was a total breeze compared to this. - It looked like the refs finally stepped in to stop Norway from absolutely pummeling us.
That's the bottom line—let's go grab that gold. 🙏
Look, we aren't any more rested than those Norwegians, so it’s going to be an uphill battle on that front, but I know these guys will leave everything they've got out there on the court.
The French officials were basically handing everything to the Norwegians, probably just because they don't want the headache of dealing with a hostile home crowd... I've had enough bad experiences with them to know how it goes.
So now, let's just pray to God that the French are the ones officiating again tonight. 😁
Vlado Stenzel was making some pretty bold claims in his interview with ESPN, basically saying the Danes actually know how to dismantle a 3-2-1 defense—something he says we’ve seen them pull off before—whereas the rest of the Scandinavians are totally lost. He specifically pointed out that Norway won't have any answers for it. Honestly? I really hope they haven't figured it out yet. If we can just sort out our own issues on the offensive end, we might stand a chance. We’re going to need some shooters who are actually having an "on" day and maybe some clever wing plays to shake things up. Personally, I’d give Valčić the nod over Lac; I just don't see us finding much luck with Lac on the floor lately.
Jose Booth48 said:The French were judging... Board, Buy... They weren't exactly playing favorites, but honestly, it’s hard to be impartial when you're watching a total beatdown...😬
Man, we're talking about old-school interests here; I actually thought one of the countries making it through the semifinals (or likely to make it) was the target. 😉 Those French guys got totally screwed by Germany during the semifinals in Germany, all because of how the voting went down. It makes perfect sense that they’d want to dodge Norway, and frankly, I don't blame them for being completely fed up with the home-court officiating.
Jose Booth48 said:@Chris Lopez59/">@@Chris Lopez59
To be honest, I was watching Poland vs Norway, and it didn't look like the refs were particularly impressed by the fact that the Norwegians were playing on home soil... They've handed out seven seven-meter throws already, and God knows how many penalties against Norway; at one point, the Norwegians were practically playing shorthanded with only three players less on the court...
Just imagine the absolute meltdown in the media if something like that happened to us during a home game here in the States...
It sounds like they had a refereeing crew that wasn't exactly looking to tip the scales in favor of the Norwegians... who was even calling the game?
The number of seven-meter throws doesn't actually tell you much; for instance, if they pulled off seven incredible saves out of nowhere, that’s just good play, regardless of how biased the ref might be.
The real issue is I can't even remember who anyone on their roster actually is; the only guy who stuck in my brain was that one kid who jumps like he’s got springs in his shoes—once he gets going, he just starts tearing it up and dropping ten-plus goals, though I'm sure they'll try to force everything through him, which means they'll probably burn through a ton of possessions if they're hoping to scrape together five or six points from him alone.
Is Loki their pivot? The guy is hitting 21 goals out of 24 attempts, an 88% conversion rate, which is honestly terrifying... but wait, did he get banged up against the Canadians? It would be a massive win for us if he ends up sidelined.
Their main scorer is Hagen with 26 goals at a 51% clip—what position does he play? Probably a backcourt player, maybe left side? Tvedten seems to rely heavily on those penalty shots, while Skoglund and Strand keep their numbers up, likely playing the wings. Solberg is the one pulling the strings as the playmaker; he's leading the tournament in assists with 28, though Hagen isn't far behind with 18, and apparently, he's also a key part of their defense, acting a bit like their version of a prime defensive specialist, just in better form...
I can't help but wonder if we’ll ever actually pull off organizing something as massive as those championships put on by the Canadians, Germans, or Norwegians. 😉
The defense is honestly such a disaster lately, and it’s been an issue for ages; we just aren't stepping out to meet their players, which means we're constantly forced into those cheap professional fouls just to stop the flow of the game. Instead of actually defending, we’re all just jumping into these pathetic blocks like we’re playing volleyball or something. Look, a block might work once or twice against a decent shooter, but if you let an elite wing player get a clear run at you from seven meters for sixty straight minutes, you’re basically committing suicide on the court.🙂
Setting the defensive blocks aside for a second, I have to say that Dominic played an absolute standout game. Honestly, there was a stretch where our 5-1 defense looked incredibly sharp with him leading the charge, almost like we’d finally found the right rhythm. Now, I can't quite tell if we were actually playing out of our minds, or if we just caught those guys from Mexico while they were completely gassed and totally losing their nerve, but either way, it felt good.
Look, we could easily pull off a 5-1 defense if our guys on the wings can actually find their footing and jump effectively against those outside shooters. Honestly, the most effective defensive setups we’re seeing in this tournament are the 6-0 schemes—well, assuming you're talking about the French squad—and the reason they work is simple: they're mobile and they play deep. A 6-0 setup is absolutely flawless as long as the front line isn't just standing there like statues and actually moves with purpose. Just look at how the Danes completely shut down the Polish backcourt; their first outside shooter was held to a measly six goals, which is frankly pathetic considering what a lethal marksman they usually are. On paper, everyone thinks a 6-0 is vulnerable to perimeter shooting, but that's total nonsense if your players have the agility to move forward and back with some actual rhythm.
Forget about playing mindless, aggressive defense. If we can just lock down the goal and actually play some smart, tactical handball on offense—maybe someone like Balić will finally have a lightbulb moment and realize why he isn't topping the assist charts despite being the best out there—we've got them right where we want them. We absolutely have to shut down their shooters and prepare for their style. Honestly, it's a blessing that crazy Kjelling isn't at his absolute peak right now. I’m going to go dive into the Handball Europe stats to see what I can find...
swiftbison2 said:I didn't catch the game myself, but I think I read somewhere that Balić only got about 15 minutes on the floor 🤔 while Metličić was out there for almost the whole thing.
EDIT—my bad, I totally mixed up the numbers, I have no clue who actually played how much.😵
The stats say he played 22 minutes, which isn't actually that terrible... but unfortunately, Metličić looked pretty gassed out there... I honestly feel for him because it's like nobody can step up to cover for him on defense.👎 It's obvious we don't have a real alternative when it comes to the offense, but man, we really need someone to pick up the slack on the defensive end.
swiftbison2 said:They probably are worn out; I mean, they aren't exactly in their prime anymore, and our key players were resting yesterday... But man, those Norwegians really laid into 🙏 🙏 🙏 It was brutal...🙏 Honestly, I don't see any way the Canadians are taking home the Dance... 🤷 They just won't be able to find any openings against that defense... maybe, if everything goes their way and we get some terrible officiating... 🤷
I didn't catch the game... I don't think Balic and Metla got much rest, did they? And I heard Mrkvaljevic got injured during the match; it would have been a nail-biter if he’d actually been fit, especially since Rakcevic had to head out early... it would've been tight...
swiftbison2 said:👍👍👍 They’re playing out of their minds and honestly deserve to finally get their hands on a medal🙏
Look, this is a national team that had the talent to win gold way back when; they eventually managed to scrape some bronze, but they always seemed to choke in the semifinals. I mean, remember back in Germany when the Poles absolutely demolished them in the semis? That was a rough one, wasn't it?
William Myers9 said:Game two:> The Canadians pull off a win, maybe getting a little lucky in what turns out to be a total grind of a match.
Game three: If we come out swinging tomorrow with everything we've got—kind of like how the Danes absolutely dismantled us by running up the score in the first twenty minutes of the half—we could build a decent lead. Once those jittery Norwegians realize they haven't won a game in two outings, and you throw the pressure of a home crowd on top of that, they're going to start cracking under the weight of their own mistakes. From there, we should just be able to coast, maintain a comfortable gap, and cruise to a calm finish.
That sets us up to face either the Germans or the Swedes, who, let’s be honest, are a much better matchup for us than the French.
Man, talk about a wild path to first place.😂 The only way this actually happens is if Team USA completely implodes and everyone else loses their minds in the process...
Just a quick thought, that 36:26 score where Denmark took down Poland probably says something significant; it suggests our own embarrassing loss wasn't just on us, but that there’s a direct link to how the Danes play. After seeing them perform like this, I'm starting to think they're being pushed as the top favorites for the EP, and honestly, a Denmark vs. France final is looking more and more likely
If the French can't find a way to shut down the Danish momentum, they're in trouble. If they actually manage to focus on the midfield and neutralize shooters like Boesen, Jeppesen, and Søndergaard—and maybe even Boldsen if things get desperate—Denmark is going to absolutely tear them apart from both wings. They aren't like the current American or Polish squads that rely so heavily on the perimeter. Unless some kind of absolute miracle happens and we somehow stumble our way into the finals, I'll be rooting for those Danish masters 🙏
Samuel Baker3 said:So basically, we play the Danes, then the Norwegians, and then we face the French, who are probably going to be sitting there waiting for us first.
And once again, we’re just staring at an empty podium. 🤣🤣
That semifinal matchup looks incredibly shaky. I can't stop thinking about that game against the Canadians; the Norwegians let in way too many goals, but let's be real, the Canadians aren't exactly an offensive powerhouse capable of tearing them apart. It feels like they just checked out mentally. It's also pretty telling that their match was played today—the Norwegians likely knew that even if they lost, it wouldn't matter much, except now their point distribution isn't looking great...
I'm just praying the Norwegians are exhausted. Their defense looks similar to Denmark's—they look a lot tougher on paper, but their offense lacks that same punch; they don't have the class or the depth, so I highly doubt they'll be able to blow anyone out of the water.
At this point, we just need to lock down our own net; stick to a 3-2-1 formation and pray Alilović stays sharp, because he's easily our most critical player right now.