The Soccer Thread

[sethuel1]

Spain's central D pair isn't good enough to win them Euros. I know it's just a friendly, but they can't handle the ball. If Johnson wasn't doing his half-ass jogging routine out there, he would've stolen a couple of those balls they stroked around back there in the first half.

 

With Jozy up front we probably would've scored twice today.

 

Edu is so much better than Rico Clark it's not even funny.

 

Right now I'd take Eddie Lewis over anything else we've got to offer on the left side. Unless you wanted to move Freddy out there when landycakes comes back. It's obvious Freddy needs to play, since he was the best guy on the field today. DMB needs to get back into decent form with a club side before he plays major minutes for the USMNT.

 

Gooch impressed me today right up until Xavi pulled his pants around his ankles.

 

Frankie hedjuk is Jonathan Bornstein with 12 years, a switch of sides, and longer hair. Just give the ball away and run like hell.

[wolf stansson]

Bloodbath highlights.

[USSoccer]

I came to an epiphany last night at about 3:30am when I couldn't sleep.

 

The US isn't as good as any of us thought 12 months ago. Sure, it's nice that we pants Mexico when we play them here, but the only reason we beat them here is because they perpetually play us stupid. They have more talent. They have more technical skill. We might *might* be more athletic, but that's really it. If the players listen to Sven, they're going to roll through CONCACAF. We can't hang with the top 10 teams, and while we can generally handle the teams ranked around us and above, it's not like we're playing awesome ball when we do it. We still have the same technical flaws we had in 2004. We can't play the ball on the ground, our first touch is generally poor, we have only a handful of players who are willing to run at defenders, and our defenders can't pass the ball. We can't build an attack organically. We can't break down a bunkered defense. We can't shoot from beyond the 18.

 

Look at our roster. We suck at left back (Heath Pearce is our best option, and he's not really very good). Our central defenders look like they're handling a hand grenade when the ball is at their feet. Cherundolo is good. Our wing mids are either technically skilled or fast, but not really both. Combine Dempsey and Beasley and you have a real player. Either on their own is decent. Our center mids are either bad (Clark), old and bad (Mastro), young (Adu and Edu) or playing out of position thanks to stupid tactical choices (Bradley). Our forwards...man. Eddie Johnson played ok for him yesterday, and that still was bad. He should have scored twice. Jozy is going to be good.

 

And then there is our best outfield player. He's not quite fast or strong enough to be a true forward, not physical enough to play CM, and disappears when he plays the wing or in Europe.

 

Our goalkeepers are good. I suppose that's something.

 

The question is, how have we made no progress in 4 years? How are we still exhibiting the same flaws as when we started WC2006 qualifying?

[wolf stansson]

http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=724348

A few days ago Everton looked like the favourites to sign the 20-year-old international, as Bradley himself told the Liverpool Echo daily on May 29 that “it’s a great club and I think anybody would be honoured to go and play there. I know I would. We’ll just have to see what happens in the next few weeks.”

 

But Voetbal International magazine reports today that The Boro have moved faster than their competitors, even though it remains to be seen whether the Dutch club will accept their offer. Bradley, son of national side boss Bob, is under contract until mid-2009 and he recently turned down an offer to extend it. However, Heerenveen have asked Everton for 5.8 million.

 

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=790129.html#bradley+complete+midfielder

Too young to order a beer in his native USA, 20-year-old Michael Bradley is already displaying a startling level of maturity and versatility.

 

For his national team the youngster slots into a holding midfield role as if he were born to snuff out opposition attacks and purvey the prosaic disruptive arts. However, with Heerenveen in the Dutch top-flight, he finished this season as club top scorer, grabbing no less than 18 in all competitions. The haul, which helped his team to a fifth-place finish, broke the record previously held by Brian McBride for goals scored in a single season by an American player in Europe.

 

When FIFA.com asked him which position he prefers, young Bradley's response was somewhat surprising. "I see myself as being more of a defensive midfielder," said the son of national team manager Bob Bradley. "Yes, I enjoy scoring goals, but I also enjoy breaking up the play and long-term I feel I have better qualities in the centre of the field."

 

International heights

The New Jersey-born star played the holding role to perfection for the USA at last year's FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where his match-winning goal against Uruguay helped them to the quarter-finals. He arrived in Canada days after helping the American senior side to a fourth CONCACAF Gold Cup crown; though he missed the final against Mexico in Chicago after being sent off in a bruising semi with Canada.

 

Bradley, just 20, has already amassed 19 caps for the full senior team and after two seasons in the Dutch top flight, he is attracting interest from established sides in the English Premier League, Everton and Newcastle among them.

It would take a little bit of time to adjust, but I'm confident that I could adapt and do well

Michael Bradley believes that he could be a hit in the English Premier League.

 

A move to England would well suit the powerful player, measuring in at over six-feet tall. "I'd love to play in the Premier League," he smiled. "I'm aware of the rumours currently going around, and hopefully something will work out on that score. It would take a little bit of time to adjust, but I'm confident that I could adapt and do well."

 

European lessons

A move could take place during this close season with only a year remaining on his contract at Heerenveen. However, the youngster, who left for Dutch shores at only 17 after a season with New York in MLS, sees Europe as a move that would benefit all young American players.

 

"I fully recommend moving across to Europe for other young American players. The game here is different. In the top leagues the games are tougher, quicker, faster and harder than they are in the MLS," he said. "The more guys we can get playing in these type of games, the better I think we will do as a national team."

 

Currently in an extended training camp with the USA which brought a pair of losses to England and Spain, Bradley sees the stiff competition against some of Europe's better sides as critical in the young team's development.

 

"Playing against some of the best players in the world can only help us," Bradley added after a 2-0 defeat to England at Wembley that drew heavy criticism for the USA. "Unfortunately, where we are geographically means that we play a lot of games against weaker opponents in CONCACAF. We have to: those are the games that get us to the World Cup."

 

Road to South Africa

The Americans begin their qualifying campaign on 15 June with a game against Caribbean hopefuls Barbados in Los Angeles, the return leg coming seven days later in Bridgetown.

 

Bradley, for one, is hoping it's the first step toward his debut FIFA World Cup™ in 2010.

 

"I'd love to play in the World Cup in South Africa, but it seems very far away at the moment. We need to learn lessons from these games in Europe and take them on board for our qualifiers. We're quietly confident of getting there with this squad, but there is a lot of football to be played between now and then."

 

Bradley and the Americans will have one more friendly, against Argentina, on Sunday in New York.

[USSoccer]

Dude, Middlesboro? Really?

 

Christ. We're going to waste another player's development for a bottom end EPL team playing kick and run pub-ball?

[wolf stansson]

The question is, how have we made no progress in 4 years? How are we still exhibiting the same flaws as when we started WC2006 qualifying?

I hate to turn into "that guy" but I blame the managers.

 

I truly think that we are a better side than we've shown under Bradley and the late days of Arena. I think we have guys that would make us look like a different team entirely if they got more playing time like Parkhurst, Cooper, Altidore, Adu and even lesser obvious ones like Danny Szetela, Sacha Kljestan and Kyle Beckerman. I know it's way too early to start pinning any hopes on him, but I swear this Jorge Flores kid for Chivas in every bit as promising as any player we've produced recently. Very Nery Castilloish. I know Beckerman isn't a name that gets any of us wet, but with his passing ability, there is no reason he shouldn't be playing ahead of Mastroeni or Clark. I know Cooper didn't stick at Man U but he has the touch and finishing ability to be a true center forward. I know Szetela is young and unproven, but he plays with a creativity out of the midfield that few of our guys can. Parkhurst requires no excuses to why he should play. He is flat out our best defender with ball at his feet and our smartest positionally. He should be playing.

 

I believe we are deeper than we've shown. I think Bradley is dropping the ball developing players. He only plays guys in Europe which is fine when they are the best players we can field, but these dudes in the Scandanavian leagues or the Austrian league are not as good as some of the MLS options we have. When he does play MLS players, it's the wrong ones. We don't need Ricardo Clark. We don't need Pablo Mastroeni. Bradley calls new guys in, but they are either the wrong guys or he just doesn't ever play them.

 

Bob Bradley's number one problem, even bigger than his failings with squad selection is how weak he is tactically. We have a lot of players who don't fit into traditional positions. Landon has no classic position. Either does Adu, Bradley or Dempsey. Look at those 4 names. Those are arguably our 4 best players. When your 4 best players aren't having their abilities maximized by the manager, that's a problem. Guys like that and Szetela, Beckerman and Jorge Flores probably don't fit into a bucket, double destroyer 4-4-2.

 

Well then FING toss it and find what does work! What in the hell was all that testing in the Copa America and all our friendlies for if not to find what works best for our players?! If he hadn't been trying to grind out results against South Africa, Sweden twice, Poland and Switzerland, maybe we'd have a better idea what our best tactical formation is!

[wolf stansson]

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/06/dortmund-signs.html

Nevan Subotic signs with Borussia Dortmund. He's the dude who is on the fence about whether he wants to play for Bosnia, Germany or the US. He is a former US u-20 and still only 19.

 

He'd be a big loss if he played somewhere else.

 

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hi_dnHO8nioqk-GVBp1KmdRub0Eg

Gio says he is going to be playing for Spurs next year. All but official. They are going to have some ridiculous offensive talent next year even when Berbatov leaves.

[USSoccer]

The question is, how have we made no progress in 4 years? How are we still exhibiting the same flaws as when we started WC2006 qualifying?

I hate to turn into "that guy" but I blame the managers.

 

I truly think that we are a better side than we've shown under Bradley and the late days of Arena. I think we have guys that would make us look like a different team entirely if they got more playing time like Parkhurst, Cooper, Altidore, Adu and even lesser obvious ones like Danny Szetela, Sacha Kljestan and Kyle Beckerman. I know it's way too early to start pinning any hopes on him, but I swear this Jorge Flores kid for Chivas in every bit as promising as any player we've produced recently. Very Nery Castilloish. I know Beckerman isn't a name that gets any of us wet, but with his passing ability, there is no reason he shouldn't be playing ahead of Mastroeni or Clark. I know Cooper didn't stick at Man U but he has the touch and finishing ability to be a true center forward. I know Szetela is young and unproven, but he plays with a creativity out of the midfield that few of our guys can. Parkhurst requires no excuses to why he should play. He is flat out our best defender with ball at his feet and our smartest positionally. He should be playing.

 

I believe we are deeper than we've shown. I think Bradley is dropping the ball developing players. He only plays guys in Europe which is fine when they are the best players we can field, but these dudes in the Scandanavian leagues or the Austrian league are not as good as some of the MLS options we have. When he does play MLS players, it's the wrong ones. We don't need Ricardo Clark. We don't need Pablo Mastroeni. Bradley calls new guys in, but they are either the wrong guys or he just doesn't ever play them.

 

Bob Bradley's number one problem, even bigger than his failings with squad selection is how weak he is tactically. We have a lot of players who don't fit into traditional positions. Landon has no classic position. Either does Adu, Bradley or Dempsey. Look at those 4 names. Those are arguably our 4 best players. When your 4 best players aren't having their abilities maximized by the manager, that's a problem. Guys like that and Szetela, Beckerman and Jorge Flores probably don't fit into a bucket, double destroyer 4-4-2.

 

Well then FING toss it and find what does work! What in the hell was all that testing in the Copa America and all our friendlies for if not to find what works best for our players?! If he hadn't been trying to grind out results against South Africa, Sweden twice, Poland and Switzerland, maybe we'd have a better idea what our best tactical formation is!

 

I tend to believe that Bradley is symptomatic of the problem rather than the problem in and of itself. The USSF is run as if you gathered all the crappy old school baseball guys in one room and told them to run a soccer federation. There's way too much "this guy paid his dues thru the system (ODP, Bradenton, etc), so he deserves callups/coaching jobs". That, to me, is the issue. Our ODP system completely sucks. You have bad coaches identifying the wrong players, and coaching them stupid. I played in ODP camps. The twin destroyer/high pressure empty bucket is an ODP wet dream. That's how they are taught. They aren't trained technically well, so when they reach a certain level they have nothing except athleticism. No real touch or instinct.

 

So, we have guys who are system guys. That's why Kyle Beckerman doesn't get called up. He wasn't an ODP/U-17 guy. Name the last hispanic prospect for the USMNT? You can't, because the ODP camps cost money. They'd rather get the $500 from Connor Smith's parents than go looking for Juan Alvarez from Palacios, TX who has a ton more ability and talent. We don't look for foreign coaches, because the USSF is arrogant enough to think that they can take an MLS/ODP guy and make him the manager of what's alleged to be a top 20 side. We have no technical director. Our U-20 coach sucks. He's another high pressure ODP guy who got bailed out by a bunch of talented kids who probably ignored him. We emphasize the wrong traits in players all the time. That's why Parkhurst doesn't get called up-he doesn't fit the system's idea of what a central defender should be.

 

If we replaced Bradley right now with like Gus Hiddink or Luis Felipe Scolari, in 4 weeks we'd be a better side because they'd fix the stupid tactical errors that Bradley is making. We'd play more attractive soccer. Our leading scorer in 2008 wouldn't be fricking Gooch. Long term, though, the USSF needs to change how they scout and ID players. MLS youth academies will help, but realistically USSF needs a foreign director of youth development to completely overhaul the scouting system.

[wolf stansson]

Jozy Altidore on with Dellacamera and Harkes during tonight's Chivas USA vs NYRB game (which Brad Guzan is starting and playing in less than 24 hours after the Spain game):

Last 24 hours has been hectic, phone constantly ringing, but it's been a very positive experience so far.

Always been his dream to play over seas with the best players and coaches in the world, but this is where all the hard work begins.

Keeps it in perspective as a teenager by constantly working and trying to be consistent.

He loves La Liga, it's his favorite league in world football and he hopes to improve his technical ability and tactical knowledge playing in such a great league.

Isn't playing tonight because of an ankle knock in training Monday.

Playing with the Nats is an amazing experience, the goal against Mexico was his career highlight, but he is putting it behind him and wants to score many more. Feels he has a lot of things he needs to improve on still to become more consistent and get better in all facets of his game.

Credits Juan Pablo Angel with teaching him a lot about navigating the box, training techniques and mindset.

[wolf stansson]

Article about Jorge Flores and touches on USSoccer's point of US Development not targeting the right players.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Oh, Wolf is going to be pissed. No Jozy for the Argentina friendly.

 

Goalkeepers- Dominic Cervi (out of contract), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC)

 

Defenders- Dan Califf (FC Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock)

 

Midfielders- Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)

 

Forwards- Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC)

[wolf stansson]

No Bocanegra or Wolff. No addition of Altidore or Cooper. Jozy's got the bum ankle.

 

 

I'm hoping for:

 

------------------Dempsey---------------------

 

Beasley------------Adu----------------Donovan

 

------------Bradley-------Edu-------------------

 

Pearce---DeMerit----Onyewu-----Cherundolo

 

------------------Howard-----------------------

 

I guess.

 

Lewis could slot in instead of Beasley and Kljestan could slot in on the right if Bradley stupidly wants to bench Freddy and play Landon up top.

 

Whatever. We still have no clearer look at our forwards, which is what I thought was the most important objective to determine going into qualifying.

[wolf stansson]

Just how soccer starved am I living in a non-MLS city?

 

I'm contemplating going to this.

 

Will Wolf drop some cash, brave the heat and the tens of thousands of ridiculous Chivas fans with their drums and their horns and their yelling to see a Jozyless NYRB play Chivas DG in an exhibition?

 

I doubt it. We'll see.

[Jon]

Just how soccer starved am I living in a non-MLS city?

 

I'm contemplating going to this.

 

Will Wolf drop some cash, brave the heat and the tens of thousands of ridiculous Chivas fans with their drums and their horns and their yelling to see a Jozyless NYRB play Chivas DG in an exhibition?

 

I doubt it. We'll see.

That is desperation. I'm just glad that Chivas is playing Barcelona at Soldier Field in August. Not so I can go, but rather so I can make some nice money off of it.

 

I really love how predictable Ticketmaster is in regards to releasing 100-level endzone tickets for matches at Soldier Field. Getting first row seats has been quite easy.

[sethuel1]

Just how soccer starved am I living in a non-MLS city?

 

I'm contemplating going to this.

 

Will Wolf drop some cash, brave the heat and the tens of thousands of ridiculous Chivas fans with their drums and their horns and their yelling to see a Jozyless NYRB play Chivas DG in an exhibition?

 

I doubt it. We'll see.

That is desperation. I'm just glad that Chivas is playing Barcelona at Soldier Field in August. Not so I can go, but rather so I can make some nice money off of it.

 

I really love how predictable Ticketmaster is in regards to releasing 100-level endzone tickets for matches at Soldier Field. Getting first row seats has been quite easy.

Aren't 100s already gone because of the presales?

[Jon]

Just how soccer starved am I living in a non-MLS city?

 

I'm contemplating going to this.

 

Will Wolf drop some cash, brave the heat and the tens of thousands of ridiculous Chivas fans with their drums and their horns and their yelling to see a Jozyless NYRB play Chivas DG in an exhibition?

 

I doubt it. We'll see.

That is desperation. I'm just glad that Chivas is playing Barcelona at Soldier Field in August. Not so I can go, but rather so I can make some nice money off of it.

 

I really love how predictable Ticketmaster is in regards to releasing 100-level endzone tickets for matches at Soldier Field. Getting first row seats has been quite easy.

Aren't 100s already gone because of the presales?

No, there are plenty left. At least in the endzones. For this presale, they're releasing the sections towards the corners in the endzones first. One by one. That's often how they do it, but for general onsales without presales, they start with the sections behind the goal and then work towards the corners. But they go through an entire section pretty much before starting with the first row in the next section. I've already grabbed 4 first row seats in 154 and 4 first row seats in 120. Hopefully I can pick up some more later. They just started in 154, but they're already on row 4. Looks like I should've checked before I left work.

[USSoccer]

No Bocanegra or Wolff. No addition of Altidore or Cooper. Jozy's got the bum ankle.

 

 

I'm hoping for:

 

------------------Dempsey---------------------

 

Beasley------------Adu----------------Donovan

 

------------Bradley-------Edu-------------------

 

Pearce---DeMerit----Onyewu-----Cherundolo

 

------------------Howard-----------------------

 

I guess.

 

Lewis could slot in instead of Beasley and Kljestan could slot in on the right if Bradley stupidly wants to bench Freddy and play Landon up top.

 

Whatever. We still have no clearer look at our forwards, which is what I thought was the most important objective to determine going into qualifying.

 

This was a complete waste of 3 games.

[shnsajax]

Less than 12 hours till the 1st match. I honestly have no clue as to who is going to win this.

[Jon]

Saturday

10:50 AM- Switzerland vs. Czech Republic A (ESPN Classic)

1:30 PM- Portugal vs. Turkey A (ESPN Classic)

7:30 PM - Fire vs. DC United (FSC)

 

Sunday

10:50 AM- Austria vs. Croatia B (ESPN2)

1:30 PM- Germany vs. Poland B (ESPN2)

6:30 PM - US vs. Argentina (ESPN Classic)

 

 

That's a lot of soccer for me this weekend to try and fit around the Cubs games.

[Jon]

I missed the entire first match, but based on the highlights, it looks like that was an absolute heartbreaker for Switzerland.

[Jon]

Ronaldo nearly had a beautiful free kick goal to break the scoreless tie late in the first half, but it hit the far post.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Boy is Portugal annoying to watch. Don't come down with a 50/50 ball? Fall down. Get dispossessed? Fall down. Play defense and have someone back into/towards you? Fall down.

[Jon]

Pepe puts Portugal up 1-0 in the 61st minute.

[Jon]

Jon Busch had a fantastic first half for the Fire. They lead it 1-0 at Toyota Park.

[USSoccer]

Not Spain is going to win the tournament.