The Soccer Thread

[Guest]

This is the best 4-1 loss I've ever seen.

[wolf stansson]

OFFSIDE

Nope. Fuckin gooch.

[Guest]

OFFSIDE

 

Looked even with Onyewu to me.

[USSoccer]

Gooch held him on.

 

Take him out behind the shed and shoot him like a horse.

[shnsajax]

Really is Brazil anything more than a Round of 16 team in the next cycle?

[Guest]

Gooch held him on.

 

Take him out behind the shed and shoot him like a horse.

 

From halftime:

 

@edsbs I don't have the heart to tell you the truth about Onyewu. But I saw him running through the woods. He looked happy. He looked free.

[wolf stansson]

Pato is fat. He looks like a frat guy with a case of Red Dog under his bed.

[USSoccer]

Landon and the back four were pretty bad, Edu was bad, Jones was bad.

 

Everyone else played really well, and we finally got some reps with Clint and Landon on the field, and we looked right lethal in the last 25.

 

Encouraging.

[wolf stansson]

Hey guys...

 

 

Alexandre FAT-O!

[USSoccer]

Hey guys...

 

 

Alexandre FAT-O!

 

Remember to tip your waitress.

 

But seriously. He's fat.

[Guest]

Landon and the back four were pretty bad, Edu was bad, Jones was bad.

 

Everyone else played really well, and we finally got some reps with Clint and Landon on the field, and we looked right lethal in the last 25.

 

Encouraging.

 

Yeah, we got into a groove there for a while a bit after Clint came on. Easily could have scored a couple more goals. Between that and the Scotland game, there are a lot of positives from the last couple games.

 

Anyone know when Jozy is expected back?

[wolf stansson]

Jozy isn't hurt. Just not in game shape. AZ wouldn't release him until the 28th for some reason.

[Guest]

Ah, ok. Thanks.

[wvcbxl]

Jozy isn't hurt. Just not in game shape. AZ wouldn't release him until the 28th for some reason.

 

They were on a team-building trip in Curaçao (I kid you not) :shock:

 

Pics here: http://www.az.nl/index.php?id=81

[USSoccer]

-Verbeek wouldn't release Jozy because he has beef with Juergen for some reason, so he helf onto Jozy until FIFA regs required AZ to release him.

 

-After sleeping on it, I woke to the conclusion that Onyewu still needs to be taken out back and shot like a horse. Cameron needs to start until further notice.

[bukie]

Last night was encouraging in every way except the back line, really (well, and the final score). I'm not sure how much of that Brazil squad was A-list, but the USMNT generated just as many good chances as them, especially after Clint subbed in.

[Guest]

So with qualifying about to start, what does our best XI look like right now? I'm terrible at associating/remembering all our midfield options, especially when it's been a while since they've had meaningful competition.

[Vanilla Ice]

If everybody in our pool was available to play and healthy, who would you guys put out as your starting XI?

[Guest]

I'm sure I'm forgetting someone obvious, but I'll take a stab.

 

Cherundolo-Bocanegra-Onyewu/Cameron-Johnson

 

I haven't seen Cameron play really, but I trust those who know more than me that he's a good enough option, and Onyewu does look slow. He's still a dangerous set piece option though.

 

Jones-Holden

----Bradley------

Donovan-Dempsey

----Altidore------

 

This is where I reach the limitations of my knowledge, but I have to think that something close to this formationally is our best bet, especially with Johnson and Dolo's ability to get forward, not to mention the ground that Bradley can cover.

[bukie]

I really like Agudelo, but I'm not sure how he'd fit up front with Jozy/Landon/Clint all up in there already.

[wolf stansson]

A lot of these vary by the system you're playing, how much width you want out of your wingers and it takes into no consideration which position is best for the players, because we got some needs to fill so we plug talent where we can, but this is my rough depth chart when everyone is fit.

 

GK: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando

 

RB: Steve Cherundolo, Eric Lichaj, Jonathan Spector

RCB: Omar Gonzalez, Geoff Cameron, Clarence Goodson

LCB: Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Ream, Geoff Cameron

LB: Fab Johnson, Carlos Bocanegra, MIchael Parkhurst

 

DM: Mike Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Mo Edu

CM: Mike Bradley, Stu Holden, Jermaine Jones, Jose Torres

RM: Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Stu Holden, Josh Gatt

LM: Clint Dempsey, Fab Johson, Brek Shea, Jose Torres

 

F: Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Terry Boyd, Brek Shea, Juan Agudelo

 

My best XI would be:

 

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

--Dolo-------------------Gonzalez-----------------Boca-------------------------------Fab--

------------------------------Jones------------Bradley---------------------------------------

--Donovan---------------------------Holden-------------------------------------Dempsey--

----------------------------------------Altidore-----------------------------------------------

[USSoccer]

If everybody in our pool was available to play and healthy, who would you guys put out as your starting XI?

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

Johnson-Boca-Cameron-Dolo

-----------Jones------------

-------Torres----Bradley-------

Donovan--------------Dempsey

------------Jozy----------------

 

That team rips through CONCACAF. I refuse to consider Holden an option until he stops being John O'Brien/Mark Prior. The nice thing is that we seem to have some different options to play with depending on form. It's nice to have options.

 

EDIT: Its also nice to be able to count to XI.

[wolf stansson]

http://theshinguardian.com/2012/05/31/op-ed-buy-in-time-is-nigh/

Yep. All of it. Other than the "beat it out of you" thing.

[bukie]

Ghana v Lesotho playing a WCQ today, with Ghana at home up 4-0, the lights go out. May have to replay the game in its entirety if they can't fix it.

 

No word yet from Ghana whether this is yet another one of their time-wasting techniques.

[Guest]

Spoilered for size

 

 

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/dempsey.jpg