The Soccer Thread

[shnsajax]

I wonder how quick the plane is going to be out of Cuba after the game?

[shnsajax]

I hate brian ching. Jozy puts that ball away in his sleep.

[Guest]

That was pretty lucky. 1-0, 40th minute.

[Guest]

I hate brian ching. Jozy puts that ball away in his sleep.

 

If you're referring to that completely botched trap, yeah, that was embarrassing.

[shnsajax]

I hate brian ching. Jozy puts that ball away in his sleep.

 

If you're referring to that completely botched trap, yeah, that was embarrassing.

 

Yep! The set pieces tonight have also been sad. How hard is it to feed a ball over the first defender.

[Guest]

Fidel might want to invest in some lights.

[USSoccer]

There were some good things that happened tonight:

 

-Edu/Bradley controlled the midfield and held possession much better than Mastro/Bradley in Guatemala.

 

-Dempsey showed some signs of life with a couple real nice runs, a couple real nice passes, and a couple shots (one of which being the goal). He still jogs too damn much lately, though, and his defensive workrate is hit or miss, and this is a knock coming from a devoted Deuce fan. There were a couple times he could have made a hard run and released himself into a very dangerous counterattacking position, but he didn't. I guess that's the tradeoff of having him on the wing instead of centrally.

 

-Pearce and Hejduk were pretty good, and the defense didn't simply boot the ball away constantly. They actually built from the back, which is probably why Edu/Bradley had success-they were linking with the backs up to the wings.

 

However, there were some infuriatingly irritating things, chief of which wore the #17 shirt and played awful.

 

-Beasley was a horror show. Just bad. Yes, he's fast, and yes, he can make a good run. But then what? I'd venture to say he'd give EJ a run for his money at "Who Has The Worst First Touch?".

 

There was a play where he had the ball deep on the touch line inside the 18, and the Cuban defender fell (and maybe handled the ball). All he had to do was cross it with his right foot. He took 3 extra touches to get the ball on his left and nothing came of it. He was the worst American player on the field.

 

-Formation wise, it looked kind of like we were in a "Y", which is good, because it got old watching Ching surrounded by 6 Guatemalans trying to head cleared balls. However, why only make 2 subs, and why play Sascha out wide when he's a central player?

 

-Donovan still isn't getting involved enough. Part of that is, as improved as our Bucket mids were, they still aren't really linking/creative players. The only player that consistently tried to give Landon service was Clint. Adu solves this.

 

-Ching has a nice workrate for a guy who's supposed to score goals, but the man has no touch and little direct offensive ability. It's nice he helped set up Clint, but it was more luck than design. Jozy fixes this.

 

It's nice to have 6 points from your first two games, especially being road games, but we're still not really playing well. Our lack of midfield distribution and linking ability is really hurting our offensive players. We're winning games 1-0 that we should win much more easily.

[wolf stansson]

Bob Bradley has no marbles. None. This team has no identity and it shows. The U-20 team that showed so well last summer and the olympic team that very well could have medaled had they shown more discipline do have an identity. That's why they are successful.

 

Near as I can tell, Freddy Adu is that identity. So what if his work rate is lacking and he isn't a good defender. Attacking players are supposed to attack. Not everyone is Roy freaking Keane and not everyone has to be.

 

I liked the 4-5-1, but the wrong players were there. Put Landon on the right wing, put Dempsey on the bench and move Freddy to the middle. Obviously put Altidore up top.

 

 

We have to find a better option on the left wing than Beasley, Convey or Lewis. I've made no secret for my distaste of Beasley and his horrific touch and finishing. Drives me crazy. Ching is what he is. He has good work rate and breaks up plays better than any forward in the US pool.

 

That last sentence should say volumes of why he shouldn't play. Forwards are in the game to score. Period.

[sethuel1]

Edu was awful tonight. Lots of giveaways, many in dangerous areas. Bradley wasn't much better. At least he picked up yet another yellow card so that I don't have to see him on Wednesday.

 

The goal was complete luck. Ching wasn't trying to play that ball back to Deuce at all, and frankly the ball wouldn't have fallen to Ching if the Cuban D-man had any directional sense.

 

We still don't play any sort of free-flowing attacking football. I know, I know, we're not Spain or Brazil. But when we pick off a corner and the break upfield is populated by exactly 2 US players, that's effing pitiful.

 

Once again, with even an average keeper, this isn't a win for us. This statement could be made for 75% of our wins in the last year, I think.

 

We've also gone since February without a goal from a striker (Jozy vs. Mexico). Awful.

 

If Frankie Hejduk is among your better players....I can't even finish this statement.

 

I EXPECT MORE. EVERYONE SHOULD EXPECT MORE. WE'RE WINNING AND THAT'S GREAT BUT WINNING UGLY ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE COUNTING ON CONTINUING.

[USSoccer]

I EXPECT MORE. EVERYONE SHOULD EXPECT MORE. WE'RE WINNING AND THAT'S GREAT BUT WINNING UGLY ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE COUNTING ON CONTINUING.

 

Isn't this the thing, though? The USSF is happy with effort and results, but not process. They point to efforts like 2006 v Italy and say "See the heart?" when anyone with a fricking brain can look at that game and say, "gee, if we had a playmaker or a striker we win?". They point to 2002 v Germany and the effort there, and ignore that we had at least 3, maybe as many as 5 really, really, really good attacking players on the field, and it had jack to do with heart or effort or fighting and everything to do with form, tactics, and identity, and taking your game to the opponent.

 

Edu was not great, but Beasley's crapfest (another missed open goal! WTF!?) overshadowed my opinion of anyone elses. I really did think Bradley was ok in the role he's been stuck with for the 'Nats. As long as Daddy won't let him play box-to-box we're stuck watching him play White Mastroeni.

 

I also did count like 3 combination plays in the attacking third tonight, which was 3x the number of them we had in the last 2 games. So that's something. But again, players like Clint and Landon are going to look like quasi-crap without quality linking midfield play.

 

We now have like a 5 point lead on qualifying for the Hex, and we have 3 home games left. There's no pressure in that. Jozy, Freddy, Sascha, Holden and Benny should be playing in every one of the home ties at least.

 

EDIT:

 

Bob Bradley created a nice excuse for himself over the summer. He could have featured Jozy, Freddy, et al in that trio of really useful friendlies and gotten them valuable experience against top competition. Instead, he can fall back on "it's a World Cup qualifier on the road in Latin America, we need to take the veterans who know how to win" and now when the F are these guys going to be ready and "good enough people" to feature?

 

I hate Bob Bradley.

[wolf stansson]

We still don't play any sort of free-flowing attacking football. I know, I know, we're not Spain or Brazil. But when we pick off a corner and the break upfield is populated by exactly 2 US players, that's effing pitiful.

This is my number one problem. That's what I mean when I say we don't have an identity. He's playing 10 men behind the ball, sometimes 11 and we have the talent to form our own attacking style. Instead we choose to play like a second rate England going route 1 and not playing to our strengths. We have the talent, we just don't have the manager to get them to play the way they should.

[Guest]

Bob Bradley created a nice excuse for himself over the summer. He could have featured Jozy, Freddy, et al in that trio of really useful friendlies and gotten them valuable experience against top competition. Instead, he can fall back on "it's a World Cup qualifier on the road in Latin America, we need to take the veterans who know how to win" and now when the F are these guys going to be ready and "good enough people" to feature?

 

I hate Bob Bradley.

 

He better play some of the young guys at least in the three home games and probably in all four games since the US should have a spot in the next round locked up after the next two games (home dates against T&T and Cuba). Not sure if he actually will, but there's no point in not doing it.

[sethuel1]

Bob Bradley created a nice excuse for himself over the summer. He could have featured Jozy, Freddy, et al in that trio of really useful friendlies and gotten them valuable experience against top competition. Instead, he can fall back on "it's a World Cup qualifier on the road in Latin America, we need to take the veterans who know how to win" and now when the F are these guys going to be ready and "good enough people" to feature?

 

I hate Bob Bradley.

 

He better play some of the young guys at least in the three home games and probably in all four games since the US should have a spot in the next round locked up after the next two games (home dates against T&T and Cuba). Not sure if he actually will, but there's no point in not doing it.

Considering that he can't play any young guys in the game this Wednesday since he already declared the roster and none of them are on it except for Sacha Klejstan, things aren't looking good.

[wolf stansson]

http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/tias-special-guests/the-game-dont-care/#more-1087

 

Adam Spangler kicks it with Deuce London style. Cool read.

[wolf stansson]

Oh btw, Jozy hit a hat trick in a friendly Friday night for Villarreal.

http://yankedaround.wordpress.com/2008/09/06/altidore-hits-a-hat-trick-in-villarreal-friendly/

 

I just found that site today and I must say I like it.

[sethuel1]

You know what...even though i couldn't be more pissed off about who the USMNT is going to trot out tomorrow, I'm getting the itch. Tomorrow night I'm gonna be ready to rock and roll.

 

Probably gonna lose my voice by the 2nd minute

[wolf stansson]

http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/tias-special-guests/the-game-dont-care/#more-1087

 

Adam Spangler kicks it with Deuce London style. Cool read.

For those of you who have seen complaints about the structure of us soccers youth development but don't know exactly what were talking about , read the latest Dempsey entry at http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com and read about the struggles non-wealthy families have being involved.

[USSoccer]

http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/tias-special-guests/the-game-dont-care/#more-1087

 

Adam Spangler kicks it with Deuce London style. Cool read.

For those of you who have seen complaints about the structure of us soccers youth development but don't know exactly what were talking about , read the latest Dempsey entry at http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com and read about the struggles non-wealthy families have being involved.

 

I would love to see that contrasted with like the Michael Bradley story.

 

My parents were divorced and didn't make a lot of money. Try as they could, we could never afford half the crap that select teams want you to do. It's insane.

[wolf stansson]

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/

*Remember this summer when USA/Galaxy forward Landon Donovan talked about giving Europe another try? England was the most discussed possible destination, but two sources told the Insider this week that German club Bayern Munich was also interested and that early-stage discussions did take place. There were several obstacles, though, including MLS's reluctance to relinquish its best American player and the league's concern about weakening the marquee Galaxy.

 

I know you and Klinsi are tight, but don't push it with me, Landy. If you go there and fail, you are dead to me. Also, on a squad where Lukas Podolski can't get a game, you think you will?

 

On a team with ZeRoberto, Van Bommel, Schweinstager, Ribery, Altintop, Toni, Klose and Podolski in the midfield and up top I just don't have much faith he'd have the balls to compete for a spot. He's certainly good enough, but I don't like his German track record.

 

It could work because I think he'd fit well with Klinssmann's system and the way they played last week, they look like one of the best teams in Europe, but we all know Landon's history. They are in for Arshavin this winter already and if you ask me, he and Landon are the same player and Landon actually has a little more pace. Arshavin showed up big at the Euro's and Landon showed up big in '02. Obviously you'd rather have the guy who has done it recently on the world stage, but factor in price and I'd much rather they go for Landon.

[reggiemiller rules]

Looks like the Premier League has its own Shawn Kemp.

http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=857822

[shnsajax]

http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/tias-special-guests/the-game-dont-care/#more-1087

 

Adam Spangler kicks it with Deuce London style. Cool read.

For those of you who have seen complaints about the structure of us soccers youth development but don't know exactly what were talking about , read the latest Dempsey entry at http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com and read about the struggles non-wealthy families have being involved.

 

I would love to see that contrasted with like the Michael Bradley story.

 

My parents were divorced and didn't make a lot of money. Try as they could, we could never afford half the crap that select teams want you to do. It's insane.

 

Its really insane the cost of this. I was on the highest level select team in Texas that won the state title and every state tournament we entered. Traveled to Minnesota for international tourney, and to Mexico as well. It would cost around $5,000 per person a year to be on the team and travel. Every other weekend you go to Austin, Houston, Dallas, ect for a road game and the other weekensd they would come down here. I didn't play very long on it because of the expense. Of course that was the best year winning 5 titles and 3rd in the biggest one.

 

Outside of that I was getting college coaches asking me to mail them tapes because they didn't have it in their budget or availability to come down to South Texas to scout. The number of Men's university soccer teams in Texas is very small. outside of SMU and Texas A&M I don't think any other D1 school has Men's soccer. Title IX has really screwed Men's soccer IMO.

[wolf stansson]

I was just thinking. Not that I want all theseguys on the senior squad, but I think this XI beats the one you'll see tonight:

Reis

Wynne Parkhurst Califf Robinson

Holden Adu Feilhaber Rogers

Altidore Cooper

Bn Masteoeni Davies Davis etc

 

Pretty sad when you think a second squad could smoke the first team.

[shnsajax]

I was just thinking. Not that I want all theseguys on the senior squad, but I think this XI beats the one you'll see tonight:

Reis

Wynne Parkhurst Califf Robinson

Holden Adu Feilhaber Rogers

Altidore Cooper

Bn Masteoeni Davies Davis etc

 

Pretty sad when you think a second squad could smoke the first team.

 

Far more creative and athletic.

[shnsajax]

I still want to see more Sztela and even Zizzo. Zizzo impressed me last year at the u-20. Then again the 6-1 game last season over Poland is probably my favorite thing I have seen from the US in over a year.

[shnsajax]

During the homeless world cup do they put the players up in a hotel?