Countdown to World Cup 2006

[soccer10k]

0-0 halftime.

[sethuel1]

Could they have possibly had a crappier, less informative preview of Group E just now?

[soccer10k]

I doubt it.

[soccer10k]

I want to see much better play in the second half. They saw that Morocco was staying back - as the assistant coach stated - and now they need to make the proper adjustments.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

What kind of a dive was that by Keller? Did his feet even leave the ground?

[soccer10k]

Eddie Johnson needs to put that one in the net.

[soccer10k]

Shoot the ball Landon!! Another reason why he isn't a striker.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

He shot that one.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Not a good day for Keller. He probably couldn't have gotten to that one, but he has not looked sharp.

[soccer10k]

1-0 Morocco. That hurts. At best an average game for the US. A bad game is probably more accurate.

[soccer10k]

Offensively, the team stunk up until the last 15 minutes. I don't know why it took them that long to finally start attacking. Defensively, the US didn't have to stop too many chances because Morocco stayed back for the whole match. I agree with the announcers assessment that they looked rusty. I hope to see a significant improvement in the next couple matches. We have to win these next two games. I don't want to see a repeat of 1998 World Cup in Germany.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Oh so close for Convey.

 

I'm not much for analyzing players and style, but it really seemed that we played too many aerial balls that could've been put on the ground to play faster and make it easier on those receiving them.

[sethuel1]

The color guy makes me viciously angry. Not only has he been kissing ass all game, but he's used the term "1 v 1" about every 12 seconds throughout, can't pronounce Convey's name, and just said he'd give the US a 6. When they're losing, at home, to Morocco. Edited May 24, 2006 by sethuel1

[sethuel1]

Josh Wolff was terrible, unsurprisingly. Donovan had a bad game. beasley was relatively silent.

[soccer10k]

Oh so close for Convey.

 

I'm not much for analyzing players and style, but it really seemed that we played too many aerial balls that could've been put on the ground to play faster and make it easier on those receiving them.

 

I agree. When Morocco is sitting back to defend, it shouldn't be too hard to bring the ball up the field. The aerial balls were unnecessary. It's okay to play some, but relying on them is not good, especially when they aren't working for you like today.

[soccer10k]

The color guy makes me viciously angry. Not only has he been kissing ass all game, but he's used the term "1 v 1" about every 12 seconds throughout, can't pronounce Convey's name, and just said he'd give the US a 6. When they're losing, at home, to Morocco.

 

I can't stand JP Dellacamera. The guy is an idiot. If we would have won that game 1-0 then it would have been a 6. I would give us a 4 at best, probably a 3 or 2. The team didn't seem to be on the same page and ended up getting burned at the end of the game. If we play like that in Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy are going to smash us.

[soccer10k]

We have to be able to beat a Venezuela team that finished tied for eighth out of ten in CONMEBOL as well as a Latvia team that finished fifth out of seven in UEFA.

[sethuel1]

If we play like that in Germany, the Czech Republic, Ghana and Italy are going to smash us.

fixed

[stuy119]

I agree. When Morocco is sitting back to defend, it shouldn't be too hard to bring the ball up the field. The aerial balls were unnecessary. It's okay to play some, but relying on them is not good, especially when they aren't working for you like today.

 

But that's the story of U.S. soccer - keep playing balls in the air into the middle when you're clearly outclassed. It's as frustrating as watching the Cubs not take walks.

[sethuel1]

I agree. When Morocco is sitting back to defend, it shouldn't be too hard to bring the ball up the field. The aerial balls were unnecessary. It's okay to play some, but relying on them is not good, especially when they aren't working for you like today.

 

But that's the story of U.S. soccer - keep playing balls in the air into the middle when you're clearly outclassed. It's as frustrating as watching the Cubs not take walks.

 

Here's the thing: it's a decent gameplan for us. McBride is excellent in the air, and can put balls over the top down onto the feet of the support. Unfortunately for the US, the support (Donovan, Wolff, especially) can't finish.

[USSoccer]

First things first, the field was crap. It looked like they were playing indoor out there.

 

Secondly, O'Brien looked real good.

 

That's about it as far as the positives go. Hopefully this will wake them up, because that was pathetic all around. You don't give up game winners in the 90th minute, ever. There was no reason to have 9 of your 10 position players get caught waaaay upfield when you know Morocco is going to counter. That was tactically stupid. You can't have mental breakdowns like that at a World Cup.

 

The lineup Arena used was bizarre. I'll be interested to see the 11 he thorws out vs Venezuela, because tonights was a hodgepodged mess.

 

Reyna is soft.

 

Donovan is really overrated. So is Eddie Johnson. You have to bury headers like he had. We have no one who can finish with any consistency.

 

Convey looked ok.

 

That's all I have. I was really bitter during this one, for some reason. Just very dissapointing to not beat a team like that. I know Morocco is decent, but if you want to be a top class team, you win that game.

[sethuel1]

First things first, the field was crap. It looked like they were playing indoor out there.

 

Secondly, O'Brien looked real good.

 

That's about it as far as the positives go. Hopefully this will wake them up, because that was pathetic all around. You don't give up game winners in the 90th minute, ever. There was no reason to have 9 of your 10 position players get caught waaaay upfield when you know Morocco is going to counter. That was tactically stupid. You can't have mental breakdowns like that at a World Cup.

 

The lineup Arena used was bizarre. I'll be interested to see the 11 he thorws out vs Venezuela, because tonights was a hodgepodged mess.

 

Reyna is soft.

 

Donovan is really overrated. So is Eddie Johnson. You have to bury headers like he had. We have no one who can finish with any consistency.

 

Convey looked ok.

 

That's all I have. I was really bitter during this one, for some reason. Just very dissapointing to not beat a team like that. I know Morocco is decent, but if you want to be a top class team, you win that game.

 

I'd give em a 6.

[USSoccer]

I agree. When Morocco is sitting back to defend, it shouldn't be too hard to bring the ball up the field. The aerial balls were unnecessary. It's okay to play some, but relying on them is not good, especially when they aren't working for you like today.

 

But that's the story of U.S. soccer - keep playing balls in the air into the middle when you're clearly outclassed. It's as frustrating as watching the Cubs not take walks.

 

Here's the thing: it's a decent gameplan for us. McBride is excellent in the air, and can put balls over the top down onto the feet of the support. Unfortunately for the US, the support (Donovan, Wolff, especially) can't finish.

 

When a team packs 8 back in defense, you can't play chip and run.

[USSoccer]

First things first, the field was crap. It looked like they were playing indoor out there.

 

Secondly, O'Brien looked real good.

 

That's about it as far as the positives go. Hopefully this will wake them up, because that was pathetic all around. You don't give up game winners in the 90th minute, ever. There was no reason to have 9 of your 10 position players get caught waaaay upfield when you know Morocco is going to counter. That was tactically stupid. You can't have mental breakdowns like that at a World Cup.

 

The lineup Arena used was bizarre. I'll be interested to see the 11 he thorws out vs Venezuela, because tonights was a hodgepodged mess.

 

Reyna is soft.

 

Donovan is really overrated. So is Eddie Johnson. You have to bury headers like he had. We have no one who can finish with any consistency.

 

Convey looked ok.

 

That's all I have. I was really bitter during this one, for some reason. Just very dissapointing to not beat a team like that. I know Morocco is decent, but if you want to be a top class team, you win that game.

 

I'd give em a 6.

 

JP, is that you? Are you serious? I'd rank that a 3, and only because O'Brien looked good. No one else deserves higher than that.

 

BTW, John Harkes really upset you tonight, huh?

[sethuel1]

Cherundolo should never have tried to posess that ball the Morocco scored from. It should've gone out of play as soon as he got a foot to it. or back to Keller.