Copa America

[PetryJr]

Well, that didn't last long...

 

[Stout]

We are incredibly lucky to be tied at the break. We are being used and abused. Over about the last 15 minutes, I decided to time how long each of our possessions was. The longest was 5 seconds, and that was being kind.

The gameplan sucks, and our players are clearly outclassed. We're not trying to press at all and keep lobbing useless balls into their end, needlessly turning it back over and meekly sitting back and bracing for the counterattack. I wasn't sure who the one player was for a while, then discovered it was Mapp...he is bloody useless. All he does is paw at the player holding the ball and fouls. Johnson is even weaker than Beasley, if that's possible. Thankfully he got fouled in the box to give us the penalty. Every other time, when he can press forward and use his speed, he pulls up short and is easily dispossessed.

I lay a lot of this on Bradley. By bunkering in and simply lobbing useless balls forward, he's telling the team they aren't good enough to hang, and they're playing like it. We're not attacking the ball, and thus hardly get possession. When we do get possession, we're not trying to keep it and push forward...we just lob it right back. Bradley needs to change at halftime, or we'll be toasted. We'd be down at least 3-1 if it hadn't been for Keller.

 

[Compa]

I agree with everything Stout said except about Mapp. He made a few boneheaded moves, but at least he was involved in what little attack the US had. Did Clark or Olsen even touch the ball tonight? How many times did Twellman jump and miss the aerial ball by 10 feet? When the US did actually put head on ball, there was no intention or direction, seemingly heading just for heading's sake.

Also, the first Argentina goal was due to horrible defense. I don't know if the US was trying the offside trap, but it obviously didn't work. There were more Argentines in the box then US players immediately after the kick.

I'm sorry to be negative about the one good thing for the US, but it would be really nice to see Johnson finish in the run of play. I've seen him do it in MLS, so what's the problem? It looked like he could have blazed past the defense on a few occasions, but always pulled up.

The result was expected, but it would have been nice to see some flashes of good play.

 

[SouthEndZoner]

Man, I don't know what to say.....I was hoping we'd have a better opening than that. One thing that really bugged me about tonights game was the fact that after we fell 1-2, our midfield and front line did not push forward to try to equalize. If we were already losing, we should have just pushed forward and risked a little more. What the hey....we were already losing!
There were even a couple of times when Mapp and Gomez seemed to get the ball and started to move towards Abbondanzieri's goal but NO one was accompanying them except for like 6 Argentinians. I don't even know whether to blame the players or Bob Bradley.

 

[Zeno]

I guess I am glad I didn't see it.

 

[English on tour]

watched the game last night - well beaten i'm sad to say but i think you can beat the other teams in the group!

if you make the 1/4's then who knows!

loved watching the slick passing last night and the Argies should win the cup based on that form!

 

[Zeno]

I think Argentina was everyones favorite going in to the tourney, it was unfortunate for the US that our first game was against them.

I do think we have a fair shot against both Paraguay and Colombia. 4 points from those 2 matches will put us through, 3 points may do it as well depending on how the other groups fall. I'd love to see us get 6 points.

 

[CaptTurbo]

This young team had 2 days together. Stellar performance. We will make the 1/4's.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Cmon guys our whole Copa America lives are on the line tommorow night. Predicitions?

 

[Zeno]

Cmon guys our whole Copa America lives are on the line tommorow night. Predicitions?

To be honest I don't really know what to think. I didn't watch the first game and I've read conflicting reports about just about everyone...Mapp looked good, Mapp looked lost, Bornstein handled Messi so much so that Messi moved to the left side in the second half--Bornstein stunk up the place, Ben Olsen was awesome--Ben Olsen is a hack...about the only thing I've read consistently is that Eddie Gaven was absolutely awful out there.

The US has never lost to Paraguay, they have that going for them. The team has had a couple of more practices under their belts, they know what they have to do. My heart says US wins but my gut says we draw.

 

[Compa]

I know Bradley probably wants to give other players a chance, but I would like to see the same lineup tomorrow (except for Twellman).

I predict that lack of finishing ability will haunt the US again. Prediction: Paraguay 2, US 0

By the way, it's much more fun when the US is the underdog.

 

[SouthEndZoner]

My prediction is Paraguay 1-United States 1
Paraguayan teams tend to be very defensive-minded so I think it will be a slow game no matter who we have in the lineup. I predict that Dempsey poaches one late in the first half.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

My prediction is Paraguay 1-United States 1
Paraguayan teams tend to be very defensive-minded so I think it will be a slow game no matter who we have in the lineup. I predict that Dempsey poaches one late in the first half.

That would be impressive, since Dempsey isn't on the roster.

 

[SouthEndZoner]

That would be impressive, since Dempsey isn't on the roster.

Yeah it would, wouldn't it! Duh....I meant Johnson.....wait he IS on this roster, right?

I've been watching so much soccer i don't even know who's playing for whom anymore...MLS, Copa America, and U-20 WC. Sorry bout that.

 

[English on tour]

i think you might sneak it 2-1

 

[Zeno]

I was just about to post about how well the US was playing and Paraguay scores. Keller should have done better on that shot.

 

[Zeno]

1 - 1 at half. I have to say the US is showing well in this match. They've had 2 or 3 good chances on goal and are playing strong defensively with 1 horrible exception. They didn't panic when they went down a goal and are passing pretty well. Hopefully we can get the go ahead goal early in the second half.

It'll be interesting to see what changes(if any) Bradley makes going in to the second half.

 

[TheKid_1]

Just in case yall wanna watch online!!!
http://www.univision.com/contentroo...html/copa_america/NOMETA_partidosEnVivo.jhtml

 

[Zeno]

WTF!?!?!? That was one of the worst goals I've seen the US give up in a long time.

 

[TheKid_1]

Our defensive backs look like dog dookie!! Oh my this is embarrasing.

 

[CaptTurbo]

How in the hell does one have a noodle leg like Twellman and make it to some sort of professional soccer level? My 17 month old daughter has more muscle in her legs than this jerk. He does everything well but finish. He will never, ever score a goal on the US team. And if he has already Im declaring he never will again. The team as a whole has no finishing talent whatsoever.

This may be the worst front line in the entire world without Donovan. Some fture we have.

Conrad should be beaten with towels and soap in the post game shower room.

We could have played another 300 minutes and still not have scored. If this is the future it is indeed scary. Heart fades away at halftime.

From now on when I type Noodleleg it wil be Twellman. Anyone see where he had a passed served up inside the 16 he ran up to it like a Jerry's kid and put nothing on it? My god how does one make money in this sport with that kind of leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CaptTurbo]

We have to be eliminated now right? -5 Jesus

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

How in the hell does one have a noodle leg like Twellman and make it to some sort of professional soccer level? My 17 month old daughter has more muscle in her legs than this jerk. He does everything well but finish. He will never, ever score a goal on the US team. And if he has already Im declaring he never will again. The team as a whole has no finishing talent whatsoever.

This may be the worst front line in the entire world without Donovan. Some fture we have.

Conrad should be beaten with towels and soap in the post game shower room.

We could have played another 300 minutes and still not have scored. If this is the future it is indeed scary. Heart fades away at halftime.

From now on when I type Noodleleg it wil be Twellman. Anyone see where he had a passed served up inside the 16 he ran up to it like a Jerry's kid and put nothing on it? My god how does one make money in this sport with that kind of leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twellman had a hat trick for the US team about a year or so ago. I agree though, he's so awful of an international player its embarrassing.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Twellman had a hat trick for the US team about a year or so ago. I agree though, he's so awful of an international player its embarrassing.

I agree and unfortunately we didnt bring Ching did we? We have no one to even take his place but he still shouldnt start against Columbia rither that or its his last chance to earn a backup spot.

BTW who was the useless bag of flesh that was served up a perfect header with no defenders around him 5 feet in front of the goalie in the middle of the net and he softly laid it to the hands of the goalie?

 

[Compa]

How in the hell does one have a noodle leg like Twellman and make it to some sort of professional soccer level?

I thought the exact same thing when he botched that opportunity. Every US player has had his share of "how can he be a professional?" moments in these last two tournaments, but Twellman is the most consistent of them all. (To his credit, he set up Clark's goal)

I agree and unfortunately we didnt bring Ching did we? We have no one to even take his place but he still shouldnt start against Columbia rither that or its his last chance to earn a backup spot.

BTW who was the useless bag of flesh that was served up a perfect header with no defenders around him 5 feet in front of the goalie in the middle of the net and he softly laid it to the hands of the goalie?

We brought Gomez and Davies, and I would like to see them both start against Colombia.

That was Moor with the header, I believe. As a fullback, he's probably not used to a situation where he's all alone in front of goal.