The Official US Soccer thread

[Stout]

Yep...he is just recovering right now.

That would explain his absence then. I imagine he's our starter once he returns to health.

 

[Milgod]

Eddie Johnson has at least been playing some good football (In Wales, not England I might add). Goals might not be free flowing, but he has impressed at Cardiff.

 

[Zeno]

That would explain his absence then. I imagine he's our starter once he returns to health.

Its conceivable he could lose his job to Spector who is playing at RB and CB for West Ham with a little more frequency now that he is fully fit. If Spector is capable of playing LB, which he does on occasion for his club, I guess he may take Pearce's spot and Cherundolo will be safe.

I'm not overly concerned with the back 4 though...its who is partnered in the center with Bradley(its been Kljestan recently with mixed results) or who plays up top aside from Donovan (Ching just isn't very good--2 games ZERO shots on goal).

 

[Zeno]

Eddie Johnson has at least been playing some good football (In Wales, not England I might add). Goals might not be free flowing, but he has impressed at Cardiff.

Yeah, EJ has had a couple of good weeks, and managed 1 goal but its hard to forget how he simply underachieved for over a year for both club and country and yet we watch other guys playing consistently not getting the chances he has been given.

Wales...England...same difference

 

[Milgod]

Yeah, EJ has had a couple of good weeks, and managed 1 goal but its hard to forget how he simply underachieved for over a year for both club and country and yet we watch other guys playing consistently not getting the chances he has been given.

Wales...England...same difference

Ha! I agree about Wales and England, although not sure most people here would!

Johnson hasn't lived up to his promising start to International football for sure but it's Ching I have more of a problem with. The guy has NEVER impressed me, not in the slightest.

My team, Leeds, have recently signed Grella. He hasn't played much yet, but has looked handy for the spells he has been on.

 

[Zeno]

CONCACAF qualifiers this week.

Saturday
Costa Rica at Mexico
Honduras at T&T
US at El Salvador

Wednesday
T&T at US (in Nashville, I'll be there with my wife--her first soccer game)
Mexico at Honduras
El Salvador at Costa Rica

We should get the maximum 6 points out of those 2 games.

I'd like to see Mexico get no more than 2 points from their games because then they'd be ready for a total implosion. Nery Castillo already lost it at a press conference this week.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Eddie Johnson? Really? I guess that one goal he has in England must have really pumped up Bradley. Otherwise I don't have any issues, although I'd like to see Wynne & Cooper get more chances.

Brian Ching is wasted space. The fact he is on the roster is shocking. I can think of about 12 other players currently in MLS that I would rather have.

 

[Chaplin]

Brian Ching is wasted space. The fact he is on the roster is shocking. I can think of about 12 other players currently in MLS that I would rather have.

I agree that he shouldn't be there, but do you really think it's shocking? I don't think Bradley is very good at choosing players.

 

[Zeno]

Brian Ching is wasted space. The fact he is on the roster is shocking. I can think of about 12 other players currently in MLS that I would rather have.

I am not a fan of Ching but I can't think of 12 forwards better than him in the US pool. Altidore, Davies, Cooper should be ahead of him on the depth chart but after those 3 its gets pretty muddy as to who is better than him...Buddle? maybe Casey? not really an upgrade--pretty much a wash Arnaud? maybe Twellman? injured and no better or worse

 

[Zeno]

I agree that he shouldn't be there, but do you really think it's shocking? I don't think Bradley is very good at choosing players.

Agreed. Altidore should be a lock to our starting 11 and Adu should have as much a chance as Kljestan to earn playing time.

Dempsey, Donovan, Howard, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Bradley are all locks...5 spots should be up for grabs.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Agreed. Altidore should be a lock to our starting 11 and Adu should have as much a chance as Kljestan to earn playing time.

Dempsey, Donovan, Howard, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Bradley are all locks...5 spots should be up for grabs.

I'm not sure if you meant those guys are locks this weekend or just in general, but Tim Howard has to sit out the next one due to picking up too many cards. Guzan is getting the start.

 

[Zeno]

I'm not sure if you meant those guys are locks this weekend or just in general, but Tim Howard has to sit out the next one due to picking up too many cards. Guzan is getting the start.

Just in general, if we had no suspensions or injuries those 6 will start every time.

Guzan is not a lock for this weekend though, talk is Hahnemann may get the start because he has more actual match time recently than Guzan. I think 3 straight starts for Reading or something like that.

 

[Zeno]

Guzan starts, Onyewu is out with a minor injury and of course Brian Ching starts at forward.

 

[Zeno]

The US was very lucky to get a point. I thought Bob Bradley was about to accomplish something that Multinovic, Sampson & Arena didn't---lose to El Salvador.

Ridiculous. Same old same old, problems stringing passes together, poor clearances, failure to put shots ON GOAL.

If Bradley doesn't start Torres over Kljestan in the next match he needs to have his head examined. In fact Kljestan was so awful he should fall below Torres, Adu, Mastroeni & Edu at this point.

As for Ching, he made a couple of nice plays late in the game but basically was fricking worthless. Altidore is so much more of an offensive threat, its apparent to everyone except for Bradley I guess.

 

[Stout]

The US was very lucky to get a point. I thought Bob Bradley was about to accomplish something that Multinovic, Sampson & Arena didn't---lose to El Salvador.

Ridiculous. Same old same old, problems stringing passes together, poor clearances, failure to put shots ON GOAL.

If Bradley doesn't start Torres over Kljestan in the next match he needs to have his head examined. In fact Kljestan was so awful he should fall below Torres, Adu, Mastroeni & Edu at this point.

As for Ching, he made a couple of nice plays late in the game but basically was fricking worthless. Altidore is so much more of an offensive threat, its apparent to everyone except for Bradley I guess.

Pretty much agree with everything you said. Yes, Ching showed a few good plays, but how ridiculous does he look on the ball? I think I could look more coordinated out there. YOU'RE A FORWARD, CHING! PLAY LIKE ONE!

Kljestan was worthless too, I agree, but so was Califf. I mean, he was AWFUL! Granted he hasn't played in a while and he was a late plug-in, but I don't think I EVER want to see him in a match again. Pearce wasn't much better. Hejduk had ups and downs, but I don't want to see him as a regular. This is the side we need to see:

Howard

Cherundelo (when healthy) Onyewu Bocanegra ?????

Beasley Bradley Torres Dempsey

Altidore Donovan

 

[Zeno]

Oh well, as long as I don't get called in to Fargo to help with the flooding I'll be in Nashville for the game on Wednesday night. I already have my tickets, hopefully I see Kljestan sitting on the bench and Califf is with him...somehow I doubt Ching will get benched so I am not getting my hopes up there.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Of course Jozy scores minutes after entering the game. Bradley is a moron. What a waste...

 

[Chaplin]

That was as humiliating a point as we've ever gotten in the past several years.

The way we gave away balls in the first half was inexcusable.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Torres and Altodore better start Wednesday or Bradley should be fired.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Bradley continues to prove that he'll never be the coach to take this team to the next level. It's the same story, and at best we have the same makeup as usual: world class goalie, decent defense, average mids and no ability to be a real offensive threat.

Ching just adds nothing and has no upside. Altidore may not be a world class forward yet, but he is our best option at forward by a wide margin for the short term and the long term. I still think Adu must play every national team match. Yes, he is small, but he is one of the only American players who is a consistent offensive threat and one of the few who can create on his own.

I cringe to think of our early Cup exit next year if things continue the way they are.

 

[Stout]

Torres and Altodore better start Wednesday or Bradley should be fired.

Agreed. Didn't they do a segment about Jose Morinho hinting he might coach here? I didn't catch it, but I'd welcome him to coach us up.

 

[Zeno]

Agreed. Didn't they do a segment about Jose Morinho hinting he might coach here? I didn't catch it, but I'd welcome him to coach us up.

I saw it and screamed FIRED BRADLEY--Mourinho or Hiddink would do wonders with our program. The problem is USSF would NEVER go for it, he would abuse too many fragile egos.

Bradley hasn't called anyone to task or accepted any responsibility for last nights shameful performance. Rather he's praised their "chemistry" and "heart" for coming back from 2 goals down.

 

[CaptTurbo]

I dont think the coach really matters. After watchign premier league games for the past several months, watching the US play is just .....well......dreadful. I mean its night and day talent wise. I see even the worst premier league teams rarely turn the ball over on a pass. Meanwhile the US rarely connects on a pass and when they do its ugly the ball bounces all around and out of control.

Meanwhile the worst premier league player can cath the ball on his foot blindfolded with ease and fluidity.

 

[Stout]

I dont think the coach really matters. After watchign premier league games for the past several months, watching the US play is just .....well......dreadful. I mean its night and day talent wise. I see even the worst premier league teams rarely turn the ball over on a pass. Meanwhile the US rarely connects on a pass and when they do its ugly the ball bounces all around and out of control.

Meanwhile the worst premier league player can cath the ball on his foot blindfolded with ease and fluidity.

See, I do think the coach matters. Our last two coaches have been American, and they're just plain limited when it comes to international coaching. Bring in a quality foreign coach with proven success, that will not settle for average or sub-par play (ahem, *cough cough* MOURINHO!), and our team will change for the better. If nothing else we can get rid of this idiot that cannot select a side to save his life. And, if we make the move now, we can improve enough to hopefully advance come World Cup time.

 

[azsouthendzone]

I dont think the coach really matters. After watchign premier league games for the past several months, watching the US play is just .....well......dreadful. I mean its night and day talent wise. I see even the worst premier league teams rarely turn the ball over on a pass. Meanwhile the US rarely connects on a pass and when they do its ugly the ball bounces all around and out of control.

Meanwhile the worst premier league player can cath the ball on his foot blindfolded with ease and fluidity.

This comment is regurgitated hundreds of times over by folks trying to prove that they know the game. You are a soccer, um I mean football, expert. Funny how the English didn't even qualify for Euro though even though they pass like badasses.