The Soccer Thread

[brinoch]

Odds Hugo Sanchez is the head coach by the end of the week for the 17th time ever.

Think Chepo is fine. He's done too much for the whole program.

 

I think they're going to fire him. They have 3 points through 3, but have burned 2 of 5 home games. Winning at home and drawing on the road only gets them to 16, which may or may not be enough, and there's no guarantee they win those road games (Columbus).

 

Huge road point for USA. Mexico is going to have to win on the road to place in the top 3, but I'm assuming they'll fire their coach and run through the second half of the hex again. Still, 2 draws in 2 home games is not good for them.

[brinoch]

USA is in great shape. If they can get wins against Jamaica and Panama in June, they will have effectively qualified.

[Guest]

Would gladly take 4 points after these first three games. Get 8 or 10 at the halfway point and I will feel great.

 

Yep. I was hoping for 6 through the first three games but would have been satisfied with 4, and that's what we have. Next three are at Jamaica, and home games against Panama and Honduras. Need to get at least 6 out of that and hopefully either 7 or 9.

[Guest]

Odds Hugo Sanchez is the head coach by the end of the week for the 17th time ever.

Think Chepo is fine. He's done too much for the whole program.

 

I think they're going to fire him. They have 3 points through 3, but have burned 2 of 5 home games. Winning at home and drawing on the road only gets them to 16, which may or may not be enough, and there's no guarantee they win those road games (Columbus).

 

16 would be enough to get them fourth place and a playoff with New Zealand.

 

But yeah, they're in a little trouble right now and I wouldn't be surprised at all if they fire their coach. Like you, I expect it to happen.

[ConstableRabbit]

Why is there not another match until June?

[bukie]

Why is there not another match until June?

Because professional clubs wouldn't be willing to take a year off for WCQ, so they get one week every couple months instead.

[Guest]

Odds Hugo Sanchez is the head coach by the end of the week for the 17th time ever.

Think Chepo is fine. He's done too much for the whole program.

 

I think they're going to fire him. They have 3 points through 3, but have burned 2 of 5 home games. Winning at home and drawing on the road only gets them to 16, which may or may not be enough, and there's no guarantee they win those road games (Columbus).

 

16 would be enough to get them fourth place and a playoff with New Zealand.

 

But yeah, they're in a little trouble right now and I wouldn't be surprised at all if they fire their coach. Like you, I expect it to happen.

 

Given how tight this cycle's Hex is, 16 would probably get them 3rd place, it was good for a 3rd/4th tie last time.

 

The schedule does them no favors though, 3 games in 8 days and the latter two opponents will have more rest. If they were to lose in Kingston they'd be in a world of hurt, dead last and basically needing a win in Panama 4 days later to stay within range.

[Exile on Waveland]

The back line really impressed intercepting passes all night. Beasley really turned it on in the 2nd half as bad as he was in the 1st.

 

Yeah, I thought Beasley played pretty well in the second. And as big of a fan of his as I am (I played against his brother), I would have thought long and hard about taking him off at halftime. But that proved unnecessary.

[bukie]

Zero teams have a road win 3 games in. Only Costa Rica and USA have avoided a home draw.

 

Jamaica's basically done if they don't win at least one of the next two (home v MEX,USA).

[ConstableRabbit]

Why is there not another match until June?

Because professional clubs wouldn't be willing to take a year off for WCQ, so they get one week every couple months instead.

Thanks; Love the game but don't know a lot of the scheduling/process intracacies.

[shnsajax]

Odds Hugo Sanchez is the head coach by the end of the week for the 17th time ever.

Think Chepo is fine. He's done too much for the whole program.

 

I think they're going to fire him. They have 3 points through 3, but have burned 2 of 5 home games. Winning at home and drawing on the road only gets them to 16, which may or may not be enough, and there's no guarantee they win those road games (Columbus).

 

16 would be enough to get them fourth place and a playoff with New Zealand.

 

But yeah, they're in a little trouble right now and I wouldn't be surprised at all if they fire their coach. Like you, I expect it to happen.

 

We have a legit shot to be at 10 at the half way point which would be amazing with 3 road games. The Jamaica road game is the one to steal 3 points with if there is one but it won't be easy. I expect a great showing against Panama in Seattle as it will be the 1st comfortable game they will have all cycle in terms of home atmosphere and weather. The return of Landon would be very helpful. Listening to Jurgen in the post game interview he made one subtle comment that I think was directed towards him.

[bukie]

Great article on tactics analysis of last night's game, for both Mexico and the US: http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/escape-from-mexico-city-how-the-u-s-avoided-a-loss

[wolf stansson]

Chris Ryan with a great diary of the game on grantland: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9103106/world-cup-qualifier-retro-diary

 

18:45 — All the U.S. attacking seems to be running through Dempsey. He's just better than his teammates. Part of that is natural ability, but some of it is because he's been playing at a higher level for longer than everyone else wearing a U.S. national team jersey tonight. The experience he gained plying his trade with Fulham and now Tottenham, playing in big matches against England's best clubs, is clearly showing. There's a brief patch where he makes a driving run, changes his mind to dump off to Cameron, and immediately demands it back in one touch from the Stoke defender. Cameron isn't quite on Dempsey's wavelength and you can see how little things like that hinder not just the U.S. team, but international teams in general. If Cameron and Dempsey play together nine months of the year there's no way Cameron doesn't know Dempsey wants that ball back right away. This is one of the frustrating things about watching international soccer for me; the product doesn't match the passion. Do I care more about U.S. vs. Mexico than Tottenham vs. Inter Milan? Of course I do. But it's hard to reconcile the drop-off in play.

Interesting. Even though I love the USMNT and don't support any clubs in any real way, he's 100% right. Even when we have our full strength squad with innate geniuses like Donovan, Bradley and Dempsey together, it's still crazy disjointed.

 

Edit - No hyperbole - THIS:

63:00 — Even if the U.S. loses, the big takeaway from this match will be this: Gonzalez should be the anchor of the U.S. defense for the next two World Cups. He's handling through balls and dangerous chip passes; he's helping his fullbacks, and clearing crosses. Just watching him patrol the back line, confidently passing to start movements, reminds me a little bit of a younger Rio Ferdinand.

That's the best comparison I've seen.

[Guest]

Here's a replay ESPN didn't give us on the PK that wasn't: http://futbol.univision.com/seleccion-nacional/videos/video/2013-03-27/mexico-vs-estados-unidos-otro?refPath=/videos/

 

That confirms what I thought might have happened in real time. Edu absolutely hit him, but it came after the ball was struck.

[wolf stansson]

Beer shower!

[Guest]

Is asking if Guzan is better than or as good as Howard a legitimate question?

[USSoccer]

Guzan is so much more positionally sound than Howard; it negates the need to be massively athletic.

 

I've rated Guzan more than Howard for about 3 years now.

[mul21]

Guzan is so much more positionally sound than Howard; it negates the need to be massively athletic.

 

I've rated Guzan more than Howard for about 3 years now.

 

Speaking of these guys, is it a rule that US keepers can't have hair? :D

[shnsajax]

I'm really hoping Guzan moves to a better club this summer. If Villa stay up I doubt they will let him go very easily.

[shnsajax]

So was Boca really that bad that once removed we see a direct improvement in our back line?

[wolf stansson]

So was Boca really that bad that once removed we see a direct improvement in our back line?

I don't think so.

Our defense as a whole has been much more stout since JK took over. Which is antithetical to the whole "Bradley was the defensive, tactical guy and Jurgen came to bring us attacking soccer" narrative, but it's true. Our D played some monster games with Boca leading the line (Russia, Italy, 2013 qualifiers) and the loss to Honduras probably would have been a draw if he had played instead of Cameron or Gonzalez because the miscues were totally a function of poor communication and indecisiveness.

 

The reason he was so controversial was more to do with the fact that he very clearly can't keep up at the international level for much longer and the relegation of Rangers only sped up that process. I think we got away from relying on him at exactly the right time. He's still got a place on this squad too, it's just contingent on him getting regular, first-team club minutes and him being okay with a reduced role.

Guzan is so much more positionally sound than Howard; it negates the need to be massively athletic.

 

I've rated Guzan more than Howard for about 3 years now.

Skip Borgless is trying to fly that flag too.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/03/27/does-brad-guzans-emergence-threaten-tim-howards-no-1-spot-usmnt

[wolf stansson]

Bolton extended Holden's contract another year and loaned him to Sheffield Wednesday for 30 days.

[shnsajax]

Bolton extended Holden's contract another year and loaned him to Sheffield Wednesday for 30 days.

 

If anyone deserves a bit of good luck it's him.

[shnsajax]

Donovan finally confirms he wants to be a part of the Nats again.

[Rex Buckingham]

Donovan finally confirms he wants to be a part of the Nats again.

 

probably just wanted to avoid playing in Azteca again... a man can only take being pelted by bags of urine so many times...

 

all jokes aside, glad we'll have him in the team. Takes a lot of pressure of Zusi and Herc, not to mention the offense as a whole