The Soccer Thread

[shnsajax]

El Salvador 1

 

Mexico 0

 

Clint, once again I love you.

[USSoccer]

I think thats actually an upgrade. Demerit is good

 

A bit of redemption from clint, but just a great play by Boca there.

[USSoccer]

Spector should have won a spot tonight.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm trying to find a stream, can someone tell me what minute we're in?

[Guest]

I'm trying to find a stream, can someone tell me what minute we're in?

 

81st.

[USSoccer]

I'm trying to find a stream, can someone tell me what minute we're in?

 

82nd

[Hairyducked Idiot]

atdhe.net has a good stream.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Someone tell Honduras to give up, we are way better than them.

[USSoccer]

STOP BUNKERING

[Jon]

phew.

[Exile on Waveland]

I'll take it.

[Guest]

I would kill for El Salvador's lead over Mexico to hold up.

[shnsajax]

Spector should have won a spot tonight.

 

Easily, at least I hope.

[USSoccer]

Whew.

 

Howard: 6.5

Spector:6.5...should be an automatic 1st choice if healthy.

Boca: 6...great effort on the goal

Gooch: 6.5...really good tonight

Dempsey:3.5...he was horrible all night.

Clark: 7...MOTM. He was fantastic. Really impressive.

Mastro: 2...nothing on the day, was way too far upfield and not square on the HON goal

Donovan: 6.5....he was really good, apart from set pieces

Casey: 5.5...workmanlike effort. could be a good squad piece

Altidore:4.5....was pretty bad, and if Deuce hadn't been awful, would have stood out more

 

Benny F: 6.5...really good; should earn a start in SA

Demerit:5.5...solid backup

DMB: N/A

 

Bradley: 3. Stupid choice going with Pablo, but good on him for putting Benny in at the half.

 

I'm stunned at how bad Clint was. He needs to be benched, both to rest him and wake him up. You don't try and Cruyff three guys when your D-Mids are out of position and you're in your own half. How he missed that sitter, I have no clue. Good hustle setting up Boca, but Christ, hasn't been good in his last five games in WCQ, and it's not anyone's fault but his. He looks too much to contact instead of fighting for 50/50 possession, gets way too cute when he shouldn't, and though

I like the shooting from distance, you have to put them on frame.

 

The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get because if it weren't for his horrid play, I'd be pretty damn happy because there were a ton of good things tonight. Rico Clark played strong, and I know he's up and down, but that was a solid 90. Benny finally came back and played huge, calm, composed...he's the guy we want partnered with Mikey B, and his 45 minutes was so, so huge. Casey played way better than I thought he would despite 2 days in camp. Spector locked down his side, was dangerous in the attack and actually knew how to keep the ball on the ground. Even Bornstein was good. BORNSTEIN!

 

And Honduras is no patsy. This could have been a night of all positives, and instead I'm pissed because one of our best players has been regressing as a Nat, and it's my favorite player to boot.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

This looks like a pretty undeserved PK coming up for Mexico.

[USSoccer]

This looks like a pretty undeserved PK coming up for Mexico.

 

Loved Blanco's celebration, though.

[Jon]

Blanco equalizes.

[shnsajax]

I got the impression tonight that Altidore was pretty much not insync with any of his teammates. Either a lack of communication or miss understanding each other. Jozy seemed to want to run the entire night towards goal rather than come back and setup the next pass.

[USSoccer]

HAHAHAA MEXICO

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Nice going you schmuck, no one was going to notice the ball bouncing off your hands like that.

 

Who is this trying to get the penalty spot moved back? Sanchez didn't shave his head, did he?

[Jon]

I got the impression tonight that Altidore was pretty much not insync with any of his teammates. Either a lack of communication or miss understanding each other. Jozy seemed to want to run the entire night towards goal rather than come back and setup the next pass.

He also just seemed slow. Not ready yet. And then there were his touches, especially early.

 

Wish I had been following a webcast of the Mexico match...

[USSoccer]

Mexico is going to be in an evil mood when we get to the Azteca

[Guest]

Nicely done, El Salvador.

 

Fifth-place Mexico has a very nice ring to it.

[brinoch]

Some thoughts:

 

o Adding Feilhaber in at the half was the right move. He should have started (or Torres or Adu), but better half a loaf than none.

 

o Coaching still sucks. We got pretty lucky, in some ways. Now, good play tends to make its own luck, in a sense, but running out crappy players like Mastroeni and Casey just isn't going to cut it. Subbing in Beasley made no sense. He didn't do a whole heck of a lot out there, and he was woefully exposed (again) when he tried to play defense.

 

o DeMerit was really very good. *Very* good in his time out there. I was really impressed.

 

o Spector should be in the starting XI.

 

o With Spector, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Onyewu and DeMerit, you have a good selection for the back four. Left back is still questionable, but those are the best five defenders. Question is health, of course, but I'd go with Boca-DeMerit-Onyewu-Spector. You could also go Spector-Boca(DeMerit)-Onyewu-Cherundolo. Bornstein was decent today, but he's not to the level of the others.

[sethuel1]

Hot damn that was fun.

 

Lot of beer showers from angry Hondurans after each goal and at the end of the game. A 7-year old near me took a cup to the head at the final whistle. Her mom went pretty much apeshit.

 

I think I may be partially to blame, considering after every goal i'd yell, "Donde estan ahora, catrachos?"