The Soccer Thread

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Podolski puts this one away.

 

Is that his first goal against Poland?

 

You mean besides his first goal in the game?

[Jon]

Podolski puts this one away.

 

Is that his first goal against Poland?

 

You mean besides his first goal in the game?

For some reason I thought Klose was the one who finished it off. A bit of play-by-play dyslexia.

[wolf stansson]

I really hope he stays at Bayern. I think Klinssmann could do special things with him. Hittsfeld just never tried to work him into the squad like Lowe does.

 

Btw - Cooper, Cervi and Moor are all scratches tonight. They were just insurance call ups in case a few guys couldn't go.

[sethuel1]

I really hope he stays at Bayern. I think Klinssmann could do special things with him. Hittsfeld just never tried to work him into the squad like Lowe does.

 

Btw - Cooper, Cervi and Moor are all scratches tonight. They were just insurance call ups in case a few guys couldn't go.

Great. More Eddie Johnson Jog-a-thon tonight.

 

If Lando were a real team leader he's blow his s*** at Eddie for pulling that crap.

[USSoccer]

Replace "Drew Moor" with "Danny Califf" in the drinking game, folks.

[sethuel1]

what an absolute horse**** lineup

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Are we allowed to post on this one without spoilers?

 

 

Argentina should really have put away at least one of those, but we've had some credible attacks too.

 

[Jon]

Howard has been money so far. I just hope I don't jinx him like I did with Busch last night.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Howard has been money so far. I just hope I don't jinx him like I did with Busch last night.

 

He's good at soccer.

[wolf stansson]

Timmy FING Howard.

 

Jesus that is some good goalkeeping. We could be sitting down 4-0 like Mexico right now if not for the best keeper in the Western hemisphere. Putting on a show for Kasey Keller night. I like it.

 

Donovan has looked good and our midfield has looked much better. Bradley is playing well as is Deuce. Mastroeni hasn't embarassed but he isn't adding anything offensively obviously. Seeing Califf in the starting lineup was a seriously wtf moment. Put in DeMerit now. Is it too late to call in Parkhurst?

[USSoccer]

Califf has played suprisingly not disasterous. Clint looks awake, which is good. EJ still sucks. The next header he puts power on will be the first.

 

Better performance from the mids today.

[sethuel1]

Thank god Il jardinero isn't all that good. i mean, if your nickname is "the gardener", that's about as unimpressive as it gets, right?

 

Please tell me Adu's getting the whole 2nd half. Imagine if we pulled EJ, moved Dempsey up, and brought in Adu. besides the fact that Dempsey has been tracking back and saving Dolo and Califf, of course.

[sethuel1]

Oh, and Timmy rocks

[wolf stansson]

Heath Pearce has been excellent so far too.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Geez, does anything good happen when Mastroeni touches the ball?

 

Adu gets a half hour, make something happen.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Someday, the U.S. will have a forward who can finish.

 

someday...

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A red card for being an American player against a Latin team.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

A red card for being an American player against a Latin team.

 

details please? I had to flip back to Cub game

[Jon]

The rain is really coming down now.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A red card for being an American player against a Latin team.

 

details please? I had to flip back to Cub game

 

Edu got a yellow in the American half. As the play is getting ready to restart, he turns around and runs up to Mastroeni and shows him a red for no apparent reason. Mastroeni already had a yellow, so I'm guessing he forgot who he gave the yellow to.

[Jon]

The rain didn't help, but Kljestan should have been able to do more with that opportunity to win it.

 

At least I think it was Kljestan. Watching 4 seconds at a time isn't a good way to follow it.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That tackle from behind on Adu at the end was awful, how do you not book him, even in extra time.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Bad news: scoreless draw.

 

Good news: By far the best match the U.S. played in the series of friendlies. Adu had a great run, he really brings an extra element that no other player does. Tim Howard is just sick.

[USSoccer]

That was a really good game from the US point of view. Just having Donovan on the field helped create space. Imagine he and Adu, with Jozy, Clint and Beasley?

 

Bradley actually played the 4-3-2-1. I can't believe it.

 

Dempsey and Bradley had good games for the first time in a while, and they got some rest ahead of Barbados. Both needed good runs out. Clint played much more active tonight, and Bradley disrupted well and actually got forward. I know the red wasn't really Pablo's fault, but his first yellow was typical stupid Mastroeni crap.

 

EJ still absolutely sucks. If he had any skill Adu scores easily from the spot. That was a pitiful first touch after being released. His headers were that of a 12 year old girl with no legs. He no longer plays the position of "forward" as far as I'm concerned. Until he shows improvement, he is playing the position of "liability".

 

The backs played really well. Heaven help the fact that Danny Califf actually played well. Pearce was ok, and I liked DeMerit in his brief time. Klestjian, too, I thought accounted for himself well. Gooch took that header well, but was unlucky.

 

Adu just looked like a target for the Argentinians. He was marked very tightly.

 

Timmy H. is a beast.

 

Overall, a good result. Both teams had chances. Good, attacking soccer for the most part. I'd like to see that 4-3-2-1 next Sunday, except with maybe an actual forward. I still don't think we really learned anything from these three games. The only real revelation was Bradley actually changing formations, and to a lesser extent, Adu being ready to be a more signifigant contributor.

[wolf stansson]

One finisher up top would have made a world of difference. We still need someone who can take a shot from deep. We were organized and brought that trademark American work rate. Now we take 1,284,082 steps back and start qualifying. Hopefully we can keep our foot on the pedal and not play down.