The Official US Soccer thread

[Stout]

You know what's great? This team really has us going at in in good, back-and-forth conversation. There's definitely a positive buzz around the team, even given the loss.

 

[Zeno]

I'll have to think of the game, one of the gold cup games maybe??? He was the best player on the pitch that game. I will give you that his distribution is awful. It is the worst part of his game by far.

I still want him starting over DeMerit or Goodson.

I don't think you give Goodson enough credit. Onyewu hasn't had a game like the one Goodson had versus Italy since before he injured his knee against Costa Rica in WC qualifying.

***** only played 4 games for the US in all of 2011, no appearances during the Gold Cup...he was still trying to get fit and healthy.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't think you give Goodson enough credit. Onyewu hasn't had a game like the one Goodson had versus Italy since before he injured his knee against Costa Rica in WC qualifying.

Maybe. I just don't like Goodson over Onyewu.

 

[cardfaninfl]

And if JK is wanting someone that will purposefully give silly yet hard fouls, then yeah, I can see him favoring Jones. Problem there is, you take the good with the bad. For the tackles that supposedly sent messages like the one against Neymar, and that only cost him yellows, you'll have stupid fouls made after losing possession, or simple lashing-out fouls. I know he's better, but sometimes Jones reminds me of how poorly Ricardo Clarke handed out fouls. I realize this paragraph read as more negative, but it's not...if that's what Klinsmann wants, Jones would be that guy. I'm just cautioning what we'll get along with that physicality.

I hear you, Stout, and agree with some of your points. I'm not trying to contridict your opinion because nobody wants an American Joey Barton. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to further explain why I jumped out of my chair with excitement at that play and believe it may resonate in the future.

I remember the first "Dream Team" for US Olympic Basketball. For decades, national teams with less talent knew they could foul, harass and get inside the US kids' heads and take them out of their game. The team of pros the US gathered had Magic, Bird and Jordan on the starting team, but it also had Charles Barkley. Not because he was one of the best five in talent, but because his being on the court was a signal that if teams were going to continue their past tactics against the US - Sir Charles was going to hard foul them into the rafters, while yelling "I am not a role model."

In CONCACAF, national teams with less talent have been fouling, harassing and attempting to take the USMNT out of their game for decades. Jermaine Jones just sent a 'Round Mound of Rebound' message to every national team in the world. -- Show up my keeper, try to punk my defender, I will come from behind without you hearing me, and remind you that every player on the pitch is one 'studs UP scissor tackle' away from career threatening surgery. And I will take the booking with pride.

When things got heated in previous matches, Bocanegra would send a forearm high, Bradley would look like he was challenging the other side to "take it outside", or Dempsey would throw one of his ever present elbows during a 50/50 ball. All these things played to what the other side was attempting to get, it meant the US players were no longer thinking about soccer. Jones used the age-old 'professional foul' of upending a player from a tackle, and performed it to perfection. He also used it against a high profile youngster on a Brazilian squad, which means everyone will have heard about it. As long as Jermaine is on the pitch, other players will now have to make a choice about past tactics against the US.

 

[Zeno]

I am curious to see what line up JK trots out against Canada. Will Jozy and Gomez start together maybe? Will Dempsey continue to be a second half sub or will he get the start and then sub out after 60 or so? Will Onyewu get a chance to redeem himself or will Goodson or Cameron start?

It is great to have so many games recently...3 more to go before players return to their clubs.

Hard to believe qualifying is here already, next week!

 

[Stout]

I am curious to see what line up JK trots out against Canada. Will Jozy and Gomez start together maybe? Will Dempsey continue to be a second half sub or will he get the start and then sub out after 60 or so? Will Onyewu get a chance to redeem himself or will Goodson or Cameron start?

It is great to have so many games recently...3 more to go before players return to their clubs.

Hard to believe qualifying is here already, next week!

Absolutely! It will be really interesting to see what happens. Do we stick with 3 up front or go back to a 4-4-2? Or will it simply be a hybrid system with players like Donovan and Dempsey that can rove forward or hang back farther in the midfield? I suspect Dempsey and Altidore will start and sub out. I think Gomez will get a start.

Onyewu? Hmm, now that's the big question. I imagine it will be ***** or Goodson. I don't see any way that JK goes to Cameron here.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Absolutely! It will be really interesting to see what happens. Do we stick with 3 up front or go back to a 4-4-2? Or will it simply be a hybrid system with players like Donovan and Dempsey that can rove forward or hang back farther in the midfield? I suspect Dempsey and Altidore will start and sub out. I think Gomez will get a start.

Onyewu? Hmm, now that's the big question. I imagine it will be ***** or Goodson. I don't see any way that JK goes to Cameron here.

Please please please stick with 3 up front.

I hope the lineup is Altidore - Gomez - Dempsey
Torres Donovan
Bradley Edu
Johnson - Bocanegra - Onweyu - Cherundelo

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Please please please stick with 3 up front.

I hope the lineup is Altidore - Gomez - Dempsey
Torres Donovan
Bradley Edu
Johnson - Bocanegra - Onweyu - Cherundelo

Ha, if you can make it so they have 11 field players, that would be awesome!

Take out Torres, and I like the rest.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Ha, if you can make it so they have 11 field players, that would be awesome!

Take out Torres, and I like the rest.

lol. Take out Edu for Torres.

 

[Stout]

lol. Take out Edu for Torres.

Why do you want Torres in instead of Edu or Jones? Torres hasn't shown squat for the MNT.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Why do you want Torres in instead of Edu or Jones? Torres hasn't shown squat for the MNT.

He has shown plenty on the offensive end. He rarely turns the ball over and his passing is superb. His defense is lacking though.

Besides, I only want this team to play with one defensive midfielder and that job definitely goes to Bradley, not Edu.

 

[Zeno]

Absolutely! It will be really interesting to see what happens. Do we stick with 3 up front or go back to a 4-4-2? Or will it simply be a hybrid system with players like Donovan and Dempsey that can rove forward or hang back farther in the midfield? I suspect Dempsey and Altidore will start and sub out. I think Gomez will get a start.

Onyewu? Hmm, now that's the big question. I imagine it will be ***** or Goodson. I don't see any way that JK goes to Cameron here.

I doubt we will see a 4-4-2 more of the hybrid 4-3-3 we've been seeing so far.

I think this last friendly is the perfect chance to go to Cameron again. He had a good game against Scotland(not saying much Scotlands offense had very little bite), nothing he could do about the own goal, it was headed in to his path. He is clearly behind the other CBs but it is as good a time as any to get him the experience in case he has to cover for an injured starter down the line.

Some players may be getting some rest too. This is the last friendly before qualifying starts and although Antigua shouldn't cause any problems I think you still want to run out your top 11 for all WCQs.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I prefer the 4-1-2-3 lineup personally.

 

[Zeno]

I prefer the 4-1-2-3 lineup personally.

Thats basically a 4-3-3 hybrid, the 1 is still a MF just deeper lying.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Thats basically a 4-3-3 hybrid, the 1 is still a MF just deeper lying.

Pretty much.

 

[Stout]

I doubt we will see a 4-4-2 more of the hybrid 4-3-3 we've been seeing so far.

I think this last friendly is the perfect chance to go to Cameron again. He had a good game against Scotland(not saying much Scotlands offense had very little bite), nothing he could do about the own goal, it was headed in to his path. He is clearly behind the other CBs but it is as good a time as any to get him the experience in case he has to cover for an injured starter down the line.

Some players may be getting some rest too. This is the last friendly before qualifying starts and although Antigua shouldn't cause any problems I think you still want to run out your top 11 for all WCQs.

??? That own goal was precisely his fault. He was woefully out of position, with his back to the play, which is why the ball bounced straight off of his chest and into the goal. He didn't have his man marked, he was out of position by a mile, and gave up the own goal. How is that NOT his fault? Granted, that's the only play that sticks out as a bad one, but that is quite enough.

 

[Zeno]

??? That own goal was precisely his fault. He was woefully out of position, with his back to the play, which is why the ball bounced straight off of his chest and into the goal. He didn't have his man marked, he was out of position by a mile, and gave up the own goal. How is that NOT his fault? Granted, that's the only play that sticks out as a bad one, but that is quite enough.

The player that scored drifted over from a wide position hard to tell if that was his responsibility or the wide player(Cherundolo). Plus if a ball is headed directly in to your path and you have no chance to react it is tough to place blame for the own goal. He did have one other blunder in that game that sticks out when he was slow to step out and played a guy onside and Howard was forced to make a save. Otherwise his play improved dramatically in the second half, of course that could have been the lack of Scottish attack. Might as well let him play against Canada that fields a lot of MLSers that he has seen on a regular basis and build some confidence, I'd rather that then have him make a mistake in a WCQ.

Just watched the own goal again...Cameron was initially marking him then stepped toward the ball, leaving his man open...yeah not good. The player did drift wide of him when that happened and the only US player near him was not goal side making it an easy chance.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I wouldn't be surprised if they rest a handful of starters against Canada to keep them fresh for the two WCQs. Maybe even Bradley or Donovan who log a ton of minutes. I'd like to see Parkhurst in the back as well after subpar games by Cameron and Onyewu at CB.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Very fun read.....

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7996322/is-us-men-national-soccer-team-making-progress-new-coach-jurgen-klinsmann

U.S. Men's National Team: Baby Steps to the Elevator

Most of the time, when a "promising," "up-and-coming," "dangerous" team is developing into an elite power, its progress resembles the climb of an elevator. The floor and the ceiling rise at the same pace. The team gets better when playing at its best, but it also gets reliably better when playing at its worst. Wins that once seemed crazy to think about (say, the Thunder rolling the Lakers) start to feel routine; losses that once seemed fairly normal (say, Manchester City hacking up a game to Everton) start to feel inexplicable and devastating. That's part of what getting good is: raising expectations at both ends of the spectrum, as well as all the points in between.

That sounds obvious, right? Well, for fans of the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team, maybe not so much. The USMNT has been "up-and-coming" for essentially the entire career span of the current generation of players, but rather than rising like an elevator, we seem to be stuck in a weird elevator-like contraption, one in which the ceiling keeps rising while the floor stays in the same damn place. We1 can knock off Spain (I'll never forget you, 2009 Confederations Cup), we can beat Italy in Genoa (I'll never forget you, day three months ago), but we also have a habit of making Costa Rica look like a world power and squeaking out draws against El Salvador by the last lucky atom of Frankie Hejduk's ear. We can go 14 games against Mexico with only two losses, then lose to Mexico three straight times by a combined score of 296-3.2

 

[Dr. Jones]

Fabian Johnson came out during warm-ups with an undisclosed injury......

 

[Zeno]

Fabian Johnson came out during warm-ups with an undisclosed injury......

I guess now is as good a time as any to figure out if Castillo can play better than he has shown so far with the team.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Well that was an uninteresting half

 

[Dr. Jones]

Castillo has been active, but needs to keep the ball moving.

Not happy seeing Gomez the one who is making the crosses from the left.

Need to get Bradley forward more. He and Jones need to switch spots IMO.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Lots of good movement by Castillo coupled with too many scary giveaways.

 

[Stout]

I guess now is as good a time as any to figure out if Castillo can play better than he has shown so far with the team.

Castillo has been active, but needs to keep the ball moving.

Not happy seeing Gomez the one who is making the crosses from the left.

Need to get Bradley forward more. He and Jones need to switch spots IMO.

Johnson had a slight calf strain, they said. Oh man, he needs to be ready for qualifying!

Castillo shows flashes, but he still makes dumb mistakes. Gave away the disallowed goal and keeps dribbling into pressure.

I agree that Bradley needs to play forward. Burying him in defensive midfield simply wastes his passing and scoring talents. He must be our Claudio Reyna, and he can't do that from so deep.

Jones is playing well. He's still not consistent enough for my taste, but I can finally see some of what JK sees in him.

What is all the love for Torres? He has completely sucked in this game, I haven't seen him do much of anything in the last few games, and they're gushing over him, about how you just can't take him off the field. Um, why? Today, I've watched him give the ball away, cross directly out of play, hold the play up with acres of space in front of him on a break, and make no significant contributions to the match. He's working hard, that's about all you can say for him. Oh, and he's supposed to be an offensive threat. He hasn't shown a damn bit of that. Period.