The Official US Soccer thread

[Zeno]

Looks like Argentina is just playing with the US.

Absolutely getting ridiculed in possession.

Agreed. Being completely outclassed.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Wish they'd show an overhead of the goal, Messi looked possibly offside.

 

[Shzm13]

Messi's tunnel on Bocanegra right before the goal made it slightly worse.

UofA game is pretty good, at least.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Wish they'd show an overhead of the goal, Messi looked possibly offside.

Thought it might have been a hand ball too...

We look like an MLS squad out there.

 

[Zeno]

Bocanegra & Onyewu have been HORRIBLE...clumsy & slow and then when they actually do win the ball they give it right back with a pointless clearance.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Edu and Jones look like garbage. Altidore is content trying to go 1 on 3.

At least they took Jones out, along with Spector.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Agudelo!!!

 

[Zeno]

Onyewu wins the ball then out of bounds....Bocanegra wins the ball then out of bounds

No finesse or saavy from either player.

 

[Zeno]

credit where credits due, Onyewu saved a chance on goal there

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Why is it that the most talented teams also have the biggest babies? Not ever foul warrants barrel rolling on the ground three times...

 

[Zeno]

US played much better in the second half but I can't deny we were outplayed, still a draw is a draw.

I was impressed by Timothy Chandler...looks like we have our RB of the future, now if we could just work on getting a real LB now.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

US played much better in the second half but I can't deny we were outplayed, still a draw is a draw.

I was impressed by Timothy Chandler...looks like we have our RB of the future, now if we could just work on getting a real LB now.

I was very impressed with Chandler. Kudos to him.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

credit where credits due, Onyewu saved a chance on goal there

Also have to give credit to *gasp* Bob Bradley. The team looked completely different after halftime. They were aggressive and played Argentina pretty evenly in the 2nd half. They were so outclassed in the first half though.

You have to be happy with the 1-1 draw if you are the US. It could have easily been 3 or 4-1 without some superb goalkeeping by Howard.

 

[Chaplin]

Quite a comeback in the 2nd half. Argentina came out with an A-squad and only made 1 substitution!

Timmy Howard proves once again he's one of the best keepers in the world, but man, out of all the defenders tonight only Chandler played well.

Also didn't like Bradley and especially Edu. Bradley actually reminded me of Edson Buddle when he was on the Galaxy--he would initially go hard, but if the ball got past him, he'd simply stop. A lot of the time, there was no closing on the ball, not like Argentina did when we had the ball.

Jozy was flat-out worthless (again), but at least we can be cautiously optimistic about Agudelo, who had several half-chances.

How long before Bradley figures out that we need to run a 4-4-2 to be successful? Up until now, our only serviceable forward since Davies went down has been Jozy, and why ANYONE would decide to put him up front by himself is mind-boggling.

 

[Stout]

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a striker. I also think we have a striking duo, though of course not anywhere near a great one. Agudelo's goal looked like a simple put-back on first glance, but his momentum was carrying him past the ball; it took incredible balance for him to hit it properly. And the criticism of Altidore is incredibly shortsighted and not deserved at all. Altidore forcing it 1-on-3? If there was another American player within 50 frickin' YARDS of him, I would criticize Altidore for it. I distinctly remember him looking up for help, but none was forthcoming. At that point, he'd lose possession anyway, so might as well try to make something out of it. He had no service at all in the first half and, when Agudelo came on in the 2nd, he started playing very well.

The defense did seem rough, but as far as Argentina shredding them, well, they're doing that a hell of a lot lately, and to world-class teams. They are simply that amazing. The big criticism I have for us on defense is the blind booming kicks after we get control of the ball. I get it--Argentina is scary. Still, you have to collect the ball and distribute it to the midfield on occasion. At least pick out a forward to try and hit with the long ball.

Our midfield? The best that can be said is that they played better in the 2nd half and helped the defense shut down Messi a lot when he got near the box. We need improved play there, but I think we'll get it going forward. The Holden injury is a killer here. Jones was absolutely garbage and I hope he doesn't see the field for a long time.

Now, if Bradley ever lines us up in a 4-5-1 again, I will put out a hit on his sorry ass! I hope he took a hint from the offense that came alive when he paired Altidore with Agudelo. We don't have one of those magic forwards like Alan Shearer or one of those insanely good German strikers to pull off a 4-5-1. The only thing we can hope in this formation against a good team is a 0-0 draw.

Aside from Agudelo, that defender (Chandler?) turned in a heck of a first performance. Yeah, that immediate card made it look bad for him, but I put that down to nerves. His first cap came as a sub against an in-form Argentina. As a defender. I think he overcame that card to turn in a decent performance. Sure, he wasn't the greatest on defense, but no one was. He was a hell of a force moving forward, though, and with such a young strike duo, all that offensive support will be quite welcome.

All-in-all, I am very pleased with the game. Some promising young players and a 1-1 draw with an awesome Argentina, after having a non-existent offense in the first half. I'll take it.

 

[Chaplin]

I can see how you're sort of enamoured by Jozy after this game, but come on now. He's been the US striker for how long now, and while our defense USUALLY isn't too bad, we just do not score goals. That's a statistical fact and the only consistent thing is Jozy. The guy is not national team quality. Sorry to tell you.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Let's not go crazy. Altidore has ten goals at age 21 for the US. Very very few can say that in the history of American soccer. If in the next two years Altidore simply matches what he's done in the last two, he climbs somewhere near 7th all-time for USMNT goals within striking distance of a few more names. I understand that's as much of a condemnation of our goal scoring history as is a compliment of Altidore. However, that's just further proof that sadly the next Klose or Villa isn't walking those our door anytime soon so the US will have to make due with what it's got. Is Altidore the world class striker that you can pin your entire national hopes on? No, of course not, but he certainly beats the alternatives which are nobodies like Buddle.

 

[Chaplin]

Let's not go crazy. Altidore has ten goals at age 21 for the US. Very very few can say that in the history of American soccer. If in the next two years Altidore simply matches what he's done in the last two, he climbs somewhere near 7th all-time for USMNT goals within striking distance of a few more names. I understand that's as much of a condemnation of our goal scoring history as is a compliment of Altidore. However, that's just further proof that sadly the next Klose or Villa isn't walking those our door anytime soon so the US will have to make due with what it's got. Is Altidore the world class striker that you can pin your entire national hopes on? No, of course not, but he certainly beats the alternatives which are nobodies like Buddle.

Not true. Right now, at this moment, Buddle is a better player than Altidore. Will Jozy get better? I certainly hope so, but we've been watching him barely make a dent in games for a long, long time now. It's not like I'm saying all this stuff with only 5 games of background--he's been inconsequential for years. He can't even get time on the field at the club level.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Let's just say there is a reason why Edson Buddle has only received six caps while approaching age 30. Total.

 

[Zeno]

Now, if Bradley ever lines us up in a 4-5-1 again, I will put out a hit on his sorry ass! I hope he took a hint from the offense that came alive when he paired Altidore with Agudelo. We don't have one of those magic forwards like Alan Shearer or one of those insanely good German strikers to pull off a 4-5-1. The only thing we can hope in this formation against a good team is a 0-0 draw.

This team could play a 4-5-1 (4-2-3-1) and be effective if the coach didn't play with 3 holding MFers at the same time(Bradley, Edu & Jones). What is missing from this team is a true attacking center MF, we just don't have that creative guy who can slice up defenses with the killer pass. For awhile I thought Adu might develop in to that type of guy, he looked it in the U20's in '07 but he has fallen off the map since then (although to be fair he is playing regularly now and is only 21--all is not completely lost).

But that being said Agudelo's development is pleasant to see and he and Jozy did seem to have a chemistry building between them. Obviously the staff rates him pretty high in that they decided he would not even participate in the U20 qualifying so he could work with the full team. Lucky for us and Agudelo in that he has one of the better MLS coaches to help his development and he gets to learn playing alongside Thierry Henry.

I can't wait until Tuesday now.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

And the criticism of Altidore is incredibly shortsighted and not deserved at all. Altidore forcing it 1-on-3? If there was another American player within 50 frickin' YARDS of him, I would criticize Altidore for it. I distinctly remember him looking up for help, but none was forthcoming. At that point, he'd lose possession anyway, so might as well try to make something out of it. He had no service at all in the first half and, when Agudelo came on in the 2nd, he started playing very well.

The criticism of Altidore (that I made anyway) was during the game in the first half, and deserved. Yes he was the only one forward, but that was the game plan. It's not like the 4-5-1 is a new gameplan. If you are going to play a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1 or whatever you want to call it, the striker needs to be making runs. Altidore didn't do that at all in the first half.

Yes, you need to blame some of it on Donovan and Dempsey, but Altidore wasn't free of criticism in the first half. No one was, except Howard. You don't have to go 1 on 3 and try to score. Pull it back and wait for another opportunity. Just like Onweyu doesn't have to clear every challenge/tackle he wins.

 

[Stout]

The criticism of Altidore (that I made anyway) was during the game in the first half, and deserved. Yes he was the only one forward, but that was the game plan. It's not like the 4-5-1 is a new gameplan. If you are going to play a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1 or whatever you want to call it, the striker needs to be making runs. Altidore didn't do that at all in the first half.

Yes, you need to blame some of it on Donovan and Dempsey, but Altidore wasn't free of criticism in the first half. No one was, except Howard. You don't have to go 1 on 3 and try to score. Pull it back and wait for another opportunity. Just like Onweyu doesn't have to clear every challenge/tackle he wins.

Do you forget that Altidore did make a run and had a shot early? Or that our midfield and defense just blasted the ball blindly so that he had no chance to do what a forward in a 4-5-1 is supposed to do? Or that, when he did get a ball in a forward position (twice, I think) he was swarmed by superior numbers with absolutely no friendly players within 50 yards? What did you expect him to be able to do in that scenario?

I'll grant you, Altidore isn't well suited to playing a lone striker role in a 4-5-1. Few strikers are. No one, not even the best striker in the world, will thrive when he gets no service and no support. Just isn't going to happen. Aside from Altidore not being the optimal player in such a formation, our team is terribly unqualified to support the striker in that system. We're just woefully inept at delivering the long ball and maintaining possession in the midfield to make it happen.

Edit: To your first bolded point, I must agree. The team played poorly. Much as he had no chance to shine, Altidore did not put in enough of a creative effort to get anything done on his own.

As to your second bolded point, it is impossible to accomplish. When you are outnumbered on the ball 1-3 and no support is forthcoming, you will be dispossessed. No ifs, ands or buts. Why not try and make something happen? It isn't as if the entire defense, that is already around you, will let you hold up and wait for support--support that is nowhere in sight, I might add.

 

[Chaplin]

Do you forget that Altidore did make a run and had a shot early? Or that our midfield and defense just blasted the ball blindly so that he had no chance to do what a forward in a 4-5-1 is supposed to do? Or that, when he did get a ball in a forward position (twice, I think) he was swarmed by superior numbers with absolutely no friendly players within 50 yards? What did you expect him to be able to do in that scenario?

I'll grant you, Altidore isn't well suited to playing a lone striker role in a 4-5-1. Few strikers are. No one, not even the best striker in the world, will thrive when he gets no service and no support. Just isn't going to happen. Aside from Altidore not being the optimal player in such a formation, our team is terribly unqualified to support the striker in that system. We're just woefully inept at delivering the long ball and maintaining possession in the midfield to make it happen.

Edit: To your first bolded point, I must agree. The team played poorly. Much as he had no chance to shine, Altidore did not put in enough of a creative effort to get anything done on his own.

As to your second bolded point, it is impossible to accomplish. When you are outnumbered on the ball 1-3 and no support is forthcoming, you will be dispossessed. No ifs, ands or buts. Why not try and make something happen? It isn't as if the entire defense, that is already around you, will let you hold up and wait for support--support that is nowhere in sight, I might add.

The Altidore that doesn't make runs and can't hold the ball is the Altidore that's been on the team for years. How do you account for that? Why is that ok?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Buddle left the team to go back to FC Ingolstadt.

 

[Stout]

The Altidore that doesn't make runs and can't hold the ball is the Altidore that's been on the team for years. How do you account for that? Why is that ok?

Valid criticisms, but he's the best option up front still. Agudelo looks to be another option there, but we need two. If we get Davies back, we could have three, and then maybe we can think about making Altidore a reserve striker.