The Official US Soccer thread

[Zeno]

ass whooping...wow

BTW Kljestan & Rogers SUCK!

 

[Dr. Jones]

Yeah ok scheduling a friendly against Spain three days before the Gold Cup was not a bright idea

Yep

Damn. So glad we re-signed Bradley.

Yup

ass whooping...wow

BTW Kljestan & Rogers SUCK!

Yep

 

[Stout]

That was an absolute waste of a friendly. Love how they were talking Ream up as the future, before he went out and laid a turd on the field. That game was a complete and utter failure in every sense of the word. Then again, after looking at the starting lineup, I could have predicted that.

 

[Zeno]

That was an absolute waste of a friendly. Love how they were talking Ream up as the future, before he went out and laid a turd on the field. That game was a complete and utter failure in every sense of the word. Then again, after looking at the starting lineup, I could have predicted that.

Hard to judge to judge anything when they went out and looked shell shocked from the opening whistle. I feel bad for Tim Howard, surprised he didn't just snap and strangle someone.

 

[Stout]

Hard to judge to judge anything when they went out and looked shell shocked from the opening whistle. I feel bad for Tim Howard, surprised he didn't just snap and strangle someone.

Tim wasn't without blame either. He quit on a play that could easily have led to a goal. Sure, he was frozen for a moment when the lob shot was kicked over him, but he was paralyzed when it bounced off the bar. If (Lichaj, was it?) hadn't jumped on the play like the goalie should have, he would be responsible for that goal.

 

[Zeno]

US U17's opened their tournament with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic. Great start, especially considering they left their leading scorer from qualifying home for "disciplinary reasons"(whatever that means).

 

[Zeno]

US U17's lose to Uzebkistan today...I watched most of it and they looked terrible. Their passing was horrendous.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

US Women start their World Cup play against North Korea on Tuesday, followed by games against Colombia and Sweden. It's a decent enough diversion.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Onyewu likely headed to Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, on a free transfer from AC Milan.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...nyewu-close-to-deal-with-sporting-lisbon.html

 

[Zeno]

US Women on Tuesday against North Korea. I don't watch much of the womens team anymore, I used to watch a lot when Hamm, Akers, Foudy, Overbeck etc played. I may watch some of their games.

U17's play Germany in second round on Thursday. It's on ESPN3.com...so far they have been less than impressive and they will be playing without their captain Pelosi who is suspended.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

US Women on Tuesday against North Korea. I don't watch much of the womens team anymore, I used to watch a lot when Hamm, Akers, Foudy, Overbeck etc played. I may watch some of their games.

U17's play Germany in second round on Thursday. It's on ESPN3.com...so far they have been less than impressive and they will be playing without their captain Pelosi who is suspended.

I'll try to watch some of it if it is on ESPN3.

 

[Mulli]

Wait, I thought this thread was for men's soccer.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

ESPN3 has been down for the past half an hour for me. Not sure if I'll get to watch any of the game.

 

[Zeno]

US Women won 2-0, I didn't watch a single second of it so I can't say anything more than that

 

[Zeno]

Keep your fingers crossed...

From NY Times soccer blog...

While the Goal blog strives to remain objective about the status of Bradley, who after last year’s World Cup signed a new four-year contract with U.S. Soccer, the outpouring of opinions from recent comments prompted a question to Sunil Gulati, the president of the federation. After a 4-0 loss to Spain in a friendly on June 4, Gulati gave Bradley an absolute vote of confidence. On Saturday, Gulati slipped out of Pasadena, Calif., without commenting about Bradley and — perhaps tellingly — without restating his support. (Landon Donovan — benched twice in the tournament — declined as well, saying of calls for Bradley’s firing, “It’s not my concern.”)

The question to Gulati on Tuesday was simple and straightforward: Will Bob Bradley remain coach of the U.S. national team?

His answer (in an email response) was as simple and straightforward: “We’ll have something to say later this week.”

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/

 

[Mulli]

From NY Times soccer blog...



http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/

w00t!

 

[Zeno]

That blog is a good read, it also has a list of potential replacements...

Jürgen Klinsmann
Sven Goran Eriksson
Dominic Kinnear
Sigi Schmid
Jason Kreis
Rafa Benítez
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Roberto Donadoni
Marcelo Bielsa
Louis Van Gaal
Carlos Queiroz

I'd ignore all the MLS candidates(in bold), although I think in 10 yrs or so Kreis may be a legit candidate...not a fan of Eriksson after the disaster he had in Mexico either.

 

[Stout]

Woo-hoo! Bring in Klinsmann, please.

 

[Mulli]

Woo-hoo! Bring in Klinsmann, please.

Should have been him all along!

 

[Zeno]

Online petition for both Gulati & Bradley to be removed...
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/usmnt/

If you have facebook there is this too...
https://www.facebook.com/FireBob

 

[Zeno]

Bradley Fiddles While the USA Burns

To hear Bradley go on about the “little things” of coaching (and of playing, it’s not clear to me that Bradley makes any distinction) is to be confronted, head on, with the prosaic nature of his approach, his refusal -- or maybe, inability -- to embrace the bigger picture.

After each of the games mentioned above, Bradley has told us that he and his players have learned certain things (always small things, of course) that can be used “as we move forward.” Well, we’re not moving forward. We’re sliding backward.

It’s an old phrase, but it’s a good one to describe Bradley’s view of soccer: he can’t see the forest for the trees. On Saturday, the forest that is Mexico swept down upon the USA, and like Shakespeare’s advancing Birnam Wood signaling the end for Macbeth, exposed the poverty of Bradley’s “getting the little things right” approach.

http://www.socceramerica.com/article/42722/bradley-fiddles-while-the-usa-burns.html

 

[Dr. Jones]

Meanwhile, the core of what will likely be the 2014 World Cup team sits on the bench. Twenty-four-year-old center back Tim Ream is the next great American export to Europe, capable of turning defense into attack in a moment with his potentially brilliant distribution from the back. After Ream gave away a penalty in the Panama match, Bradley benched him for the rest of the tournament, even turning to Bornstein ahead of Ream in the final. Ream's partner in central defense will likely be mammoth L.A. Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez, 22, but Bradley called up Goodson instead of Gonzalez for the Gold Cup. Jones played ahead of Maurice Edu, who was a regular contributor to Scottish power Rangers this past season at the age of 25. Those are players who will be peaking when 2014 comes around, but they need the experience of playing competitive international football together now to be ready for Brazil. That experience doesn't come from sitting on the bench.

Bradley the elder has brought in some youth, but only grudgingly. After Bocanegra took Ream's spot halfway through the Gold Cup, 22-year-old Eric Lichaj moved into the lineup at left back. He looked bad when he was moved to right back against Mexico on Saturday night, but those are the growing pains should be tolerated at this early stage. Bradley started the tournament with Jozy Altidore and 18-year-old Juan Agudelo at striker, but replaced Agudelo after two games with once-capped 28-year-old Chris Wondolowski, who, during the Panama match, miraculously punted the ball over the crossbar from three yards out. In the final, Bradley opted for a 4-6-0 alignment, with Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu as the players furthest forward. Adu was arguably the team's best player. Bradley needs to give Adu a few matches in a row to prove his worth, not pull him out of mothballs every two years like an old toy.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6707994/hard-lessons

Great article from Grantland

 

[cardfaninfl]

Great article from Grantland

I am a huge believer in "youth over experience" when it comes to preportory matches, and would love to see Bradley replaced. However, this article is myopic even with hindsight being 20/20.

The Gold Cup peformances effect how seeding is scored for the upcoming World Cup, it is not just a tune-up for the World Cup. It is THE tournament for CONCACAF, fans are paying money and national bragging rites are involved here. Wanting to put the best squad (yes, I will argue against some of Bradley's choices) on the pitch is very important for this tournament.

The Gold Cup is not simply a bunch of Friendly matches, as this writer attempts to suggest. Every fan has the privaledge to argue roster choices, and there are so many reasons to replace Boob, but to hang an accusation that we lost an opportunity to develope young talent - is wrong.

 

[Stout]

Should have been him all along!

Yamon.

 

[Mulli]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6707994/hard-lessons

Great article from Grantland

Oh man, that article made me mad. 4-6-0. Playing players who will be 33 for the next World Cup. Ugh.

I suppose we should thank Shzm13's team from Mexico for drawing attention to the problems.

Ugh.