The Official US Soccer thread

[Chaplin]

well using that philosophy Man U tied Newcastle and Newcastle was crushed by Arsenal so we may as well give the title to them right now right?

HELL YEAH!

 

[Zeno]

I didn't get to watch the T&T game but 3-0 sure looks a lot better than 1-0. US Soccer only has the US with 3 shots on goal though, is that right?

 

[gr000000vy]

we could have easily scored 6 or 7 in the first half. i would guess we were called offsides at least 5 times in the first half alone... playing a 4-5-1 with Ching as the lone striker up top... Dempsey out on the wide right looked very good... Donovan looked OK in the attacking mid but looked to give the ball away too many times and lacked a quality touch tonight... Cherundolo looked very good in the back pearce was a bit slow... Beasley is still missing golden opportunities left and right and Sasha is just plain horid... Bradley had a sweeeeet goal off a Donovan set piece...

overall the US played very well, loved the one touch passing through the midfield but T & T was pretty passive which just helped us out more.. For the first 10 minutes in the 2nd half they did dominate us but couldn't sustain it...

i saw a stat that we haven't lost to a CONCACAF team since 2001... don't see that streak ending anytime soon...

 

[Stout]

we could have easily scored 6 or 7 in the first half. i would guess we were called offsides at least 5 times in the first half alone... playing a 4-5-1 with Ching as the lone striker up top... Dempsey out on the wide right looked very good... Donovan looked OK in the attacking mid but looked to give the ball away too many times and lacked a quality touch tonight... Cherundolo looked very good in the back pearce was a bit slow... Beasley is still missing golden opportunities left and right and Sasha is just plain horid... Bradley had a sweeeeet goal off a Donovan set piece...

overall the US played very well, loved the one touch passing through the midfield but T & T was pretty passive which just helped us out more.. For the first 10 minutes in the 2nd half they did dominate us but couldn't sustain it...

i saw a stat that we haven't lost to a CONCACAF team since 2001... don't see that streak ending anytime soon...

I agree with everything up there. I was really impressed with the first half, even though there was a lot of sloppiness to go around. I was not impressed with the second half. We do that against a quality team, we're sunk. Thankfully, T and T are not a quality side.

As you said, Sasha doesn't give us anything and Beasley is still wildly inconsistent. I will add that Ching is completely usesless. He is a large, holding striker that's supposed to be good in the air. He isn't very good in the air and he can't hold on the long ball for jack. Yeah, you see his name in the score line, but that was a chip-in. Ball sitting up in the air, no defenders or keeper in the way...heck, I could have headed that one in

I'm happy with the result, for sure, but Bradley still needs to get his head right in which players he uses.

 

[Stout]

If we are such a bad team, I'm curious what all you guys think the Argentina result showed, if anything.

It's just been "we suck, we suck, we suck" for months now, and yet it seems like the draw with Argentina is forgotten. It may be a fluke, but I'd like to hear why all you guys are ignoring it.

IIRC they were trashing our back line guys but their final touch was missing. I think that was the game were I was going crazy because we couldn't trap them offsides, and they kept getting behind us.

 

[Gorilla]

Nice game from you guys last night. Of course the result favors my team. We were really looking forward for not only a los by T&T but a trashing by the US. A 3 - 0 result is not a "trashing" but a good spanking non the less.

The deciding game for us to get into de next round will be the home game against T&T (assuming everything goes as expected and the US wins all of their games and we beat Cuba in the second match).

Anyway, really looking forward for the next game in the US.

 

[Stout]

Nice game from you guys last night. Of course the result favors my team. We were really looking forward for not only a los by T&T but a trashing by the US. A 3 - 0 result is not a "trashing" but a good spanking non the less.

The deciding game for us to get into de next round will be the home game against T&T (assuming everything goes as expected and the US wins all of their games and we beat Cuba in the second match).

Anyway, really looking forward for the next game in the US.

If that's the case, you have a really good shot. Wish you well!

 

[Zeno]

IIRC they were trashing our back line guys but their final touch was missing. I think that was the game were I was going crazy because we couldn't trap them offsides, and they kept getting behind us.

Yeah that was the game that Howard was awesome in. He alone kept us in the game with some brilliant saves--he is probably the one truly world class player we have that we can count on from game to game.

 

[Zeno]

I just bought my tickets to the qualifier versus Cuba at RFK stadium.

Hopefully I get a chance to see Altidore and Adu and don't have to suffer watching Ching, Lewis & Johnson.

 

[Zeno]

Eddie Johnson continues to "impress"...

These are excerpts from a Cardiff supporters site....

"Total rubbish! Can't hold on to the ball at all!"
"Should be called into the office tomorrow morning and fired immediately. I have been watching the City for over 40 years and have rarely if ever witnessed such half (& I am being generous) hearted effort in a football match. The guy is not a footballer."
"He's back to Fulham in January? Thank god..."
"Eddie "useless" Johnson"
"Well done Eddie Johnson. You've made Robbie Fowler look fit, committed, and up for the fight. I never thought a living person could do that."
"He made a right **** of himself."
Poll: "Should EJ ever wear the CC shirt again? Yes - 3 (8%), No - 33 (92%)"
"He should be hung, drawn, and quartered."
"Worst debut I have ever seen in a Cardiff shirt."
"Send the lazy, useless waster back tomorrow if we are able."
"I can't believe someone making 17k a week can be that ineffective."
"Words do not describe how utterly **** he was."
"Jones has to kick his arse all the way back to Fulham now....he is just NOT a footballer."
"He looks lost and clueless."
"He is way off the standards of park football, let alone Championship footy."
"You know when its bad, especially when the COMMENTATOR takes time to slag off his performance."
"Absolute waste of space."
"**** and not up for it."

Yet he is nearly a lock on Bradley's roster...every single match.

 

[Gorilla]

Anyone here following the US in the Futsal World Cup in Brasil ??

 

[Zeno]

Anyone here following the US in the Futsal World Cup in Brasil ??

Its really hard to get in to a competition when there is very little coverage. I've seen the scores on US Soccer's web-site but it really doesn't mean much to me, I know they lost their first game to Paraguay 5-0...thats about it.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Is this the mens national team playing in Futbal World Cup

 

[Zeno]

Is this the mens national team playing in Futbal World Cup

Futsal...its the Men National Futsal Team. Includes a lot of players that most of us have never heard of...one of them is Demarcus Beasley's older brother.

 

[Zeno]

Roster for Cuba WCQ...

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 6/5 SO), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF: 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 17/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 1/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 13/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 11/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 5/0

MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco: 1/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 19/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 5/2), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 3/0), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 0/0)

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.: 0/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 9/4), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 0/0) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 11/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 24/8)


Nice to see the inclusion of Adu, Torres, Szetela, Davies & Altidore

Still disappointing to see Hejduk & Ching...rather have Wynne & Cooper.

I hope Adu & Altidore get starts, especially since I will be at the game.

 

[Stout]

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 6/5 SO), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF: 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 17/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 1/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 13/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 11/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 5/0

MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco: 1/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 19/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 5/2), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 3/0), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 0/0)

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.: 0/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 9/4), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 0/0) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 11/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 24/8)


Nice to see the inclusion of Adu, Torres, Szetela, Davies & Altidore

Still disappointing to see Hejduk & Ching...rather have Wynne & Cooper.

I hope Adu & Altidore get starts, especially since I will be at the game.

Nice! Now, note to Bradley: good start, but remember that we're playing Cuba at home, which means you're not bringing these kids along for a ride, you're bringing them to PLAY them.

 

[Zeno]

Nice! Now, note to Bradley: good start, but remember that we're playing Cuba at home, which means you're not bringing these kids along for a ride, you're bringing them to PLAY them.

I think you'll see the same back 4 and GK. Any changes will be up front and in the midfield. I doubt Torres, Szetela & Davies see much playing time if any...Bradley is just too conservative to do much tinkering.

It is really nice to not see Eddie Johnson & Eddie Lewis being there...best part of the whole line-up now if we can just phase out Hejduk & Ching I will be happy.

Remember of those 23 only 18 will be available on game day.

 

[Zeno]

USA 6 Cuba 1..take that commies. LOL

I was at the game, what a good atmosphere, it always is at RFK. Ching got a goal but was right there with Michael Bradley for having the poorest match among our players. Bradley had a stupid yellow card in the 90th minute and will miss the next qualifier on Weds. Hopefully Adu & Altidore earned starts...we've already qualified for the next round now is a good time to get the young guys some more playing time.

I guess I didn't notice much on TV how deep Michael Bradley plays in the midfield, he is almost like another centerback. He was disruptive but his passing was off and to me it looked like he wasn't timing his runs properly...the belly aching to the ref is getting old thugh as are the stupid fouls when you are up by 5 goals and there is about a minute to play.

For about 20-25 minutes Sacha Klejstan was the best player on the field. He just hit a stretch where everything he touched was perfect, too bad he didn't get a goal, he deserved it. He didn't hit s short stretch where his passing was off but overall I think it might have been his best game in a Nat jersey.

Bocanegra plays solid defense and never panics but his distribution on long passes is AWFUL.

Met Jay DeMerit, a very cool guy...he is out with a hamstring injury.

 

[gr000000vy]

looked like a pretty good atmosphere type match.....well i'm hoping now that they have qualified we will get to see some of the youngsters play... I'll be at the US v Guatemala match that will mean absolutely nothing....

glad to see beasley getting some goals and i think he had a pretty good match... the run on the second goal was just so sweet.....

 

[Stout]

Great to see Altidore get in on the scoring. He really showed his quality out there. Torres, too, looks pretty solid. Man, he had a laser strike that just missed, and it was from distance. That would have been an amazing goal. Hopefully Bradley is smart enough to start the kids in the next match. He was smart enough to get Torres capped, which is a good thing. I agree with all that was said already, too, and it was a great match.

 

[Gorilla]

hey guys! nice win by the US yesterday. We blew out a great chance to secure the second spot in the group yesterday. We tied 0 - 0 to T&T with them playing 10 men for most of the game. Now we need the US team to beat T&T on wednesday so we can keep our hopes alive.

 

[Zeno]

Roster for T&T

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Troy Perkins (Valerenga, Norway);

Defenders: Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (Midtjylland, Denmark), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Michael Orozco (San Luis, Mexico), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany), Marvell Wynne (Toronto);

Midfielders: Freddy Adu (AS Monaco), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Brian Carroll (Columbus), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Brescia, Italy), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca, Mexico);

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Villarreal, Spain), Charlie Davies (Hammarby, Sweden), Chris Rolfe (Chicago)

Rogers & Mastroeni were originally on there but due to injuries were replaced by Rolfe & Carroll. Kenny Cooper turned down an invite citing a virus and a sprained ankle...and that he wants to help his club get to the playoffs (whcih might bite him in the butt).

Surprised Beasley is staying and not going back to Scotland and surprised Hejduk keeps getting called up.

 

[Zeno]

hey guys! nice win by the US yesterday. We blew out a great chance to secure the second spot in the group yesterday. We tied 0 - 0 to T&T with them playing 10 men for most of the game. Now we need the US team to beat T&T on wednesday so we can keep our hopes alive.

Well the US is bringing in a mostly inexperienced team to play on the road...3 of our starting back 4 won't be there and our starting GK is back in England, Landon Donovan(most important player for the US attack), Dempsey & Bradley(less important--he isn't irreplaceable) are also out.

It might be a rude awakening for the young guys. They'll be hungry but T&T has everything to play for and will likely pull out all stops.

My guess as to the lineup we see....

-----------Guzan-----------

Wynne-Orozco-Califf-Pearce

------Edu---Kljestan--------

Torres-------Adu------Beasley

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

Thats just my guess though based on where Bradley has been lining guys up. He may start Hejduk over Wynne and may go Rolfe or Davies over Torres.

Its kind of a two edged sword as you'd like to see Adu & Altidore on the field at the same time as Dempsey & Donovan and with our starting back 4 providing cover but at the same time you want to see as many youngsters get as many chances to impress as they can.

 

[Stout]

Throw the young guys into the fire. I like it, as long as you then start meshing them with the vets in the next round of qualifying. It's exactly what's needed, IMO, if it pans out that way.

 

[Zeno]

Edu, Orozco & Hejduk have been awful tonight and Bradley's first 2 subs are Adu & Torres, I don't get it.

Anyways, its the young guys and about what I expected, T&T is at home, desperate for a win and more experienced.

5 minutes left and down 2-1 so there is still a chance to salvage a draw.