The Official US Soccer thread

[dreamcastrocks]

How about a 4-2-3-1?

Ream - Bocanegra-Spector-Cherundelo
------Bradley-------Jones-------
Altidore --- Dempsey --- Donovan
-----------Aguedelo-----------

Does this provide more flexibility in the middle? Maybe some of the names should change but it might allow Dempsey the freedom to roam while also providing a very aggressive attack.

Shea for Altidore and Adu for Agedelo seems to work in my very simple mind.

I thought about a 4-2-3-1, but every time they try to run it, they never seem to get the ball up the lone striker. The midfielders take the forward out of the game because of it. It would be interesting to see Altidore in the attacking midfield though. Not sure if he has the passing and crossing ability to make it work though.

 

[Stout]

Wish we had the strike partners from my Magpies on the U.S. squad. Heck, either one of them would upgrade us considerably, either Ba or Cisse. Then again, Senegal didn't do too well in the African Nations...

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Alex Morgan scored in the 88th minute and then in injury time to complete the 2-1 comeback for the US against New Zealand. That's worthy of this:

You must be registered for see images

 

[Zeno]

Alex Morgan is also going to be in SI in nothing but body paint.

 

[Stout]

Alex Morgan is also going to be in SI in nothing but body paint.

Saw the picture.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

SI interviews Donovan which gives some surprising details (he wants to play in the Olympics this summer) and some not so surprising ones (he wants to move to Everton full time).

Having Donovan as one of the three overagers in the Olympics would be a fantastic boost, but I just can't see the Galaxy agreeing to more time away.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/02/14/donovan.everton/

 

[Shzm13]

Any word on the U23 squad for next Wed's game?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Roster for the US vs. Italy friendly on Wednesday:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England), Nick Rimando (Salt Lake)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Geoff Cameron (Houston), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg, Germany), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Clarence Goodson (Brondby, Denmark), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham, England)

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona, Italy), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim, Germany), Jermaine Jones (Schalke, Germany), Jose Torres (Pachuca, Mexico), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim, Germany)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Alkmaar, Netherlands), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles)

First cap would go to Terrence Boyd should he play, and I'd expect that he will since he was pulled from the U23 camp to go on the trip. However, this would not tie him to the US (he could theoretically also play for Germany) since it is a friendly. Torres is apparently injured now but it may be too late to replace him. This will be the first time that Klinsmann will have both Dempsey and Donovan available.

 

[Zeno]

Scratch Jones and likely Torres too...both injured.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Haven't seen anything definitive on Jones but now Timmy Chandler is out for two weeks with a muscle strain. I think at this point Klinsmann will have to call in some replacements. Yikes.

 

[Zeno]

Chandler, Jones, Torres and Donovan all out for Italy match. Shea & Kljestan called in, they may make another addition Monday.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Sucks that Donovan came down with bronchitis. So still no Donovan and Dempsey tandem.

Also turns out that a few days ago Onyewu tore up his other knee and will miss another two months. Really tough break considering that he was looking closer to his vintage self, scoring on a handful of solid headers for Sporting Lisbon.

 

[Stout]

What a win!!! First win against Italy, a huge win against a European power in Europe. Wow! I'm really impressed with Johnson--he's going to be a regular. Altidore really stepped up in the second half. Bradley has to have won his place back. Williams was unimpressive, trying to just bull his way through three defenders time after time.

What a huge victory for the U.S.!

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

You must be registered for see images attach

New jersey from today's game. I noticed there was an odd jagged piece on the top of the sleeve though, might look better if they were all blue. Otherwise I dig them.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Random thoughts:

Howard -- Showed his massive importance to the MNT like he always does. Without that kick save in the first few minutes, it's a totally different game. Otherwise he didn't have to stretch out much, most balls were hit right at him. He did do well to hold on to some very hard hit ones though.

Cherundolo -- Not a particularly active game which is a good thing for him, most of Italy's attack came straight through the middle of the field. Not many attempts down his right side. He didn't link up much with Williams however.

Goodson/Bocanegra -- I can't be too harsh considering the team just posted a clean sheet on the road against Italy, but this pairing looks slow which I think is a concern moving towards WCQs. However, they did do well in the air, and the communication got significantly better as the game progressed.

Johnson -- Excellent performance at left back which we all know has been a sore spot. He moved forward well and certainly brought some danger as evidenced by the cross to Altidore on the goal. He was quick to get back on defense as well although he must make sure he is in sync with the rest of the defense so not to keep the opposition onside. Yes there were some giveaways which he will have to work on, but that was one of the better performances at LB we've seen from the US lately.

Williams -- I thought he had a poor game until the last 15 minutes or so when his defensive abilities shined. He had some very ill advised passes, and lost the ball a few times attempting to rush by the defender along the wing. Given that his skills on defense obviously surpass those on attack, he may work better as a CDM next to Bradley. I believe this is closer to his role with Hoffenheim.

Shea -- He had an energetic start, but faded too quickly. I don't know if the long MLS and international schedule has gotten to him, but fatigue seems to be the story with his last few US games.

Dempsey -- Is a pimp.

Bradley -- Was a destroyer in the defensive midfield, he was everywhere. Easily one of the best players that day for the US, and he showed exactly why he's unquestionably the best defensive midfielder in the US pool. He's nearly as big of a lock for a US starting spot in my mind as the likes of Dempsey and Donovan, and with games like that I bet that Klinsmann would agree.

Edu -- A quieter game, but he paired well with Bradley. Plenty of hard work on defense, but his distribution was lacking. Like Williams, he had a few turnovers which he will have to work on if he wants to keep a starting spot.

Altidore -- Definitely one of his good days. He held the ball up well several times, including on the Dempsey goal of course. Hopefully scoring a couple goals for his club team plus this performance will mean he'll keep getting playing time in the Netherlands.

Subs -- Spector did great in the minutes he got, making some crucial blocks on what could have been dangerous shots. Kljestan I thought had a bad performance. Getting subbed into a situation where your team is holding on to a 1-0 lead, you'd better hustle like crazy and disrupt the tiring attackers. He did neither of those, getting burned badly along the wing more than once. Nice to see Boyd get his first cap, we'll see how his club situation goes.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Dempsey's goal -- HD here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCW61Eycwps&feature=channel_video_title

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Diskerud deflects Adu's long range shot during the US U23's 2-0 victory over Mexico

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Olympic Qualifying Roster:

GK - Bill Hamid, Sean Johnson
D - Perry Kitchen, Ike Opara, Zarek Valentin, Kofie Sarkodie, Jorge Villafana, Sheanon Williams
M - Freddy Adu, Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, Michael Stephens, Amobi Okugo, Jared Jeffrey
F - Terrence Boyd, Brek Shea, Juan Agudelo, Joe Gyau, Teal Bunbury, Tony Taylor

A few of the omissions like Josh Gatt were because their home clubs would not release them (they don't have to for U23s).

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...added-to-official-us-u-23-olympic-roster.html

 

[Zeno]

Olympic qualifying starts tonight against Cuba.

Should be a talented US team.

 

[Zeno]

4-0 at halftime. Totally dominant US performance so far.

 

[Zeno]

6-0 US, Corona with a hat trick and Adu with a golazo.

I had tickets for the whole group stage but work has me out of state. Sure wish I would have made it.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Joe Benny Corona!

 

[Zeno]

US plays Canada tonight.

Unfortunately Agudelo has a torn meniscus and is done for the tournament. Bunbury replaces him in the lineup.

 

[Zeno]

First half and 0-0. Not much success on the attack, very little rhythm.

Opara and Jeffrey have been awful IMO. Lucky Canada doesn't have a goal to be honest.

 

[Zeno]

About 20 mins left and Canada up 1-0. US is being outplayed.

Hamid was most at fault on the goal but the nonexistent US attack is killing the team.

I have to question taking off Corona at half in a tie game. Jeffrey could have come out instead if they insist on Gyau playing.