The Official US Soccer thread

[azsouthendzone]

That video is how I felt when they lost. No humor in that video just the reality that a huge opportunity was missed.

 

[Shzm13]

Everyone except the Spaniards felt that way though.

 

[Shzm13]

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One-time American soccer savior Freddy Adu is now 21 years old, and he hasn't played regularly since leaving Real Salt Lake and MLS in the summer of 2007. Since then, he's appeared in about 30 first-team games for four different clubs.

Nobody seems to want him. After being jettisoned by teams in Portugal, France and Greece, Adu tried unsuccessfully to secure a place with a middle-of-the-road Swiss club in July. He's officially still on loan from Benfica to Aris Thessaloniki until next summer, but is extremely unlikely to ever play for either.

Now Adu's desperate attempt to avoid returning to MLS has taken him to the depths of the German second division. He's on trial with FC Ingolstadt this week (photo) and came on as a second half substitute in a Thursday scrimmage against another German side in Turkey.

Forgotten Freddy to Germany

 

[Zeno]

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Forgotten Freddy to Germany

Interesting, that small club will have 2 Americans now with Buddle joining them too. What a shame for Freddy, his career is an absolute mess.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Interesting, that small club will have 2 Americans now with Buddle joining them too. What a shame for Freddy, his career is an absolute mess.

Didn't hear about Buddle.... is he on loan?

edit, found out myself by Googling. Man, I'll have to try and find another player in MLS to attach myself to.

 

[Shzm13]

Interesting, that small club will have 2 Americans now with Buddle joining them too. What a shame for Freddy, his career is an absolute mess.

Don't get the fascination for this club. They're in 17th place out of 18 2nd division teams.

 

[Zeno]

Don't get the fascination for this club. They're in 17th place out of 18 2nd division teams.

I heard they are paying Buddle double his MLS salary(it was $188K last season), I guess he wanted a payday--he is 29 that is probably the best he was going to get offered.

Adu just wants to play, beggars can't be choosers.

I think it is less about the club and more about the players situations.

 

[Zeno]

Upcoming US matches...

Jan 22 Chile Home Depot Center
Feb 9 Egypt Cairo
Mar 26 Argentina Meadowlands
Mar 29 Paraguay Nashville

I plan to go to Nashville. I am sure there will be a 2-3 more before the Gold Cup this summer.

 

[Zeno]

Didn't hear about Buddle.... is he on loan?

edit, found out myself by Googling. Man, I'll have to try and find another player in MLS to attach myself to.

May I suggest Andy Najar?

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17 yr old born in Honduras but has lived in the US since age 12, DC United Academy product and 2010 MLS rookie of the year. Not US eligible as he is going through the Naturalization process but turned down a call up with Honduras possibly indicating his desire to rep the US. Will start every game for DC as long as he is healthy.

or...

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18 years old, US U20 player...scored in his only appearance with full National Team (at 17, youngest American ever to score). Will see his playing time increase this season with NYRB with Angel no longer on the roster.

 

[Shzm13]

No talk of the Chile tie?

 

[Stout]

Well, it wasn't on so no one likely saw it.

 

[Renz]

Didn't hear about Buddle.... is he on loan?

edit, found out myself by Googling. Man, I'll have to try and find another player in MLS to attach myself to.

Buddle scores in German debut.

BERLIN -- Edson Buddle scored in his debut for Ingolstadt, a 1-1 tie with Duisburg in Germany's second division on Friday.

The American forward scored with 15 minutes remaining when he was first to react to a corner kick. Stefan Maierhofer failed to clear the ball and Buddle made no mistake with his right foot from five yards.

Buddle signed with Ingolstadt this month after his contract with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy expired. Buddle ended the regular MLS season as the second-highest scorer with 17 goals in 25 matches.

Ingolstadt remains second to last in Germany's 18-team second division, with 13 points from 19 matches.

 

[Shzm13]

Well, it wasn't on so no one likely saw it.

espn3 and Telefutura had it. Just read that it was scrubs for both teams though, so that probably explains why it wasn't picked up by big networks.

 

[Zeno]

The Chile game was a lot of young guys, a lot of guys who will be eligible for the Olympic team. The only guy on that roster who ever scored an Int'l goal before was Agudelo (and he only had 1 cap and is U20 eligible).

I have tickets for the game against Paraguay in March. That should be our full A side.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I didn't even know we had a game. I'll watch it on ESPN3 tomorrow.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Buddle scores in German debut.

miss him already...

 

[Shzm13]

miss him already...

Mediocre striker does average in MLS... Signs in La Liga

Above average striker does great in MLS... Signs with second-to-last place, 2nd division German league.

Weird.



Why didn't the Galaxy just pay to keep him?

 

[Chaplin]

Sure he had a bunch of goals for the Galaxy, but I think watching him quit on plays time and again just got to be not worth the money.

We got Juan Pablo Angel now, so Buddle is now a memory. With his age and now playing in the German 2nd league--on a team that is 2nd to last--he's not going to sniff meaningful playing time on the USMNT.

 

[Mulli]

Mediocre US striker.......no comment.

 

[Shzm13]

Mediocre US striker.......no comment.

Very meaningful post, Mulli.

Do you feel that Altidore is more than a mediocre striker?

 

[Shzm13]

Sure he had a bunch of goals for the Galaxy, but I think watching him quit on plays time and again just got to be not worth the money.

We got Juan Pablo Angel now, so Buddle is now a memory. With his age and now playing in the German 2nd league--on a team that is 2nd to last--he's not going to sniff meaningful playing time on the USMNT.

Couple Red Bull fans I know say JPA is washed up ablready. He is 35 and on a decline, while Buddle was 29, but had been improving.

Seems like you'll be getting a replacement, but probably won't last too long.

 

[Mulli]

Very meaningful post, Mulli.

Do you feel that Altidore is more than a mediocre striker?

Might be an exception. Might not be.

 

[azsouthendzone]

If you missed the Chile game you missed the best goal call ever.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog...st-U-S-goal-funniest-goal-call?urn=sow-311242

I don't get saying "the scrubs were playing." In the 4 year World Cup cycle you develop young players like Gonzalez and these games are instrumental in their growth. Game was very entertaining. If you are a fan of US Soccer or any National team these games are important. Hell most people on here gag down NFL Preseason but can't watch this?

 

[Zeno]

Good stuff from SI.com

We all raised a curious brow at that dalliance with the 4-2-3-1 formation late last year, a walk on the wild side for a man previously tied to a 4-4-2. Fans wondered if it was just a brief fling. Now they may be nodding with approval at something that looks more like a steady thing.

This 4-2-3-1 pursuit could be nothing more than a bid for tactical flexibility. The core group won't soon forget how to move and defend from a 4-4-2; the players can always slip comfortably back into it.

So given the personnel on hand, and given the global predominance of formations with two holding midfielders, this seems a prudent way forward with the Gold Cup approaching, and with World Cup qualifying only months away. The 4-2-3-1, seen again in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Chile, is the best way to maximize the talent in the U.S. pool.

The U.S. squad is brimming with holding midfielders.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/steve_davis/01/27/usmnt.4231/index.html

 

[Zeno]

Michael Bradley is going to Aston Villa on loan for the rest of the season. Now there could be 3 Americans on the field at the same time with them...Friedel, Lichaj and Bradley.

It probably doesn't hurt that the team is owned by an American.