The Official US Soccer thread

[Stout]

I disagree about the defense because they were often out of position, made a bunch of really stupid fouls, and couldn't pass a lick. Plus, these guys are supposed to be National Team vets. Shame on them, and shame on Bradley.

 

[Zeno]

I disagree about the defense because they were often out of position, made a bunch of really stupid fouls, and couldn't pass a lick. Plus, these guys are supposed to be National Team vets. Shame on them, and shame on Bradley.

Speaking of stupid fouls, Ricardo Clark was the biggest culprit and seeing the replays of Gerrards goal is was either him or Bradley that failed to mark up Gerrard leaving him a turn from being one on one with Guzan.

The whole team as a whole was disappointing but if I had to pick one area that played better than the other it was our defense, they didn't give up an inordinate amount of quality shots despite England having the vast majority of possesion.

There need to be a lot of changes but I wouldn't change our back 4(or 5 if you include GK).

 

[Zeno]

Stuff That May Interest Stout...

Newcastle after Altidore, Bradley
Posted: Thursday May 29, 2008 10:25AM ET

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan is planning a swoop for USA pair Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore. New York hitman Altidore, 18, wants a move to Europe while midfielder Bradley, 20, has impressed for Dutch side Heerenveen.

The Sun

If it happens I hope it works out better for them than the last American at Newcastle...also if they both join Newcastle I'll join Stout on the bandwagon.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Roster for US-Spain (pretty much the same as England. Stupid MLS schedule):

GOALKEEPERS- Dominic Cervi (out of contract), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC)


DEFENDERS- Carlos Bocanegra (out of contract), Dan Califf (FC Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)


MIDFIELDERS- Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)


FORWARDS- Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Nate Jaqua (out of contract), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC), Josh Wolff (out of contract)

 

[Stout]

Newcastle after Altidore, Bradley
Posted: Thursday May 29, 2008 10:25AM ET

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan is planning a swoop for USA pair Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore. New York hitman Altidore, 18, wants a move to Europe while midfielder Bradley, 20, has impressed for Dutch side Heerenveen.

The Sun

If it happens I hope it works out better for them than the last American at Newcastle...also if they both join Newcastle I'll join Stout on the bandwagon.

Really? Where's that article from? I'd take them, but to be honest I wouldn't count Bradley a full-time starter. I love our young American stars, but like ***** learned, you have to be a step above to start in the Premier league.

And you KNOW you want to join the Toon Army

 

[Zeno]

Really? Where's that article from? I'd take them, but to be honest I wouldn't count Bradley a full-time starter. I love our young American stars, but like ***** learned, you have to be a step above to start in the Premier league.

And you KNOW you want to join the Toon Army

Here is the article....

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1213552.ece

 

[Zeno]

Roster for US-Spain (pretty much the same as England. Stupid MLS schedule):

Only change is the addition of Mastroeni. Why bother scheduling higher quality opponents if you don't bring your best players or if you just plan on running out players who are not going to be factors in 2010?

Sigh...its almost like USSF doesn't want us to get better

 

[cardfaninfl]

Why bother scheduling higher quality opponents if you don't bring your best players or if you just plan on running out players who are not going to be factors in 2010?

Sigh...its almost like USSF doesn't want us to get better

Yep. This was a perfect opportunity to put the 22 players, you envision for 2010, on the pitch with world class opposition. Not only to see how they perform against some of the world's best, but to see how well they perform together. Zeno made the point that Ricardo and Bradley don't fit together. This would be a perfect time to try the combination of Sasha, Alverez or Holden with Bradley...oops, my bad...they are not good enough to make the team. Ok..., maybe Freddie in a central mid or trailing forward with Bradley. My point is the MNT has a number of question marks that need answering, but a number of possibilities as well that need to be tested.

Excluding younger players from this opportunity and leaving them off this team is bad decision making. Stubornly playing a 4-4-2 when the team make up will force you sit one of your better players for someone of much lesser ability is arrogance in your own stupidity. Starting players that have no chance of going to South Africa, while a potential starting XI is sitting on the bench, uninjured...that moves from the arrogant, bad decision area to the you don't get it on a fundamental level realm.

 

[Zeno]

Excluding younger players from this opportunity and leaving them off this team is bad decision making. Stubornly playing a 4-4-2 when the team make up will force you sit one of your better players for someone of much lesser ability is arrogance in your own stupidity. Starting players that have no chance of going to South Africa, while a potential starting XI is sitting on the bench, uninjured...that moves from the arrogant, bad decision area to the you don't get it on a fundamental level realm.

There are plenty of younger players who deserve a chance to prove themselves in friendlies going in to WCQ...players you mentioned like Holden, Alvarez, Kljestan and others in Mapp, Cooper, Rogers, Szetela, Zimmerman, McCarty, Subotic etc. The excuse they give for Adu is he is too young..he's 18 been playing pro soccer since he was 14, he plays for one of the best clubs in Portugal, so what he doesn't start its not like he is 31 and was just released from a Div 2 German Team *cough*Wolff*cough*. The excuse for Altidore is alot of the same, he's only 18, he has played a lot of games, blah blah blah...he is the ONLY US forward to score a goal this year against Mexico no less. We hear no excuses for Cooper only a puzzling silence from USSF, his last game he came on the field and scored a goal in like 5 minutes.

How I'd love to see Cooper and Altidore given even half a game playing next to each other with a MF of Dempsey & Donovan on the wings and Bradley & Adu in the center or better yet a 3-5-2 with Beasley & Dempsey on the wings and a triangle of Donovan-Adu-Bradley. Does US soccer not think Donovan has the range or pace to play the entire length of the field? Or is US Soccer too rigid and unimaginative?

I can imagine what Guus Hiddink would do with this team...I assure you that the players would be put in the best position to make a difference on the field and the 4-4-2 would likely be scrapped. Hiddink was there after WC '06, he speaks English, is well established and there is no way we could not have outbid Australlia or Russia for his services. Every one of his National Teams have made it out of the group stages and he has a 52-20-19 record as an Int'l coach with 2 4th place finishes in the WC(his only team not to make it to the third place game was Australlia which lost to Italy 1-0 in the last WC on a last minute PK)....our federation could only dream to be that successful. I guess the salary for $2.5 million a year or so scared away the USSF but you have to pay for quality.

 

[Milgod]

How I'd love to see Cooper and Altidore given even half a game playing next to each other with a MF of Dempsey & Donovan on the wings and Bradley & Adu in the center or better yet a 3-5-2 with Beasley & Dempsey on the wings and a triangle of Donovan-Adu-Bradley. Does US soccer not think Donovan has the range or pace to play the entire length of the field? Or is US Soccer too rigid and unimaginative?

That actually excited me. It's what everyone (well a lot of people) would like to see. There is a pretty good chance that would be able to compete at a good level too. Unlike Wolff not being able to hold onto the ball for more than one pass.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

No Donovan against Spain, and Jonathan Spector is out 3-6 months.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/06/02/bc.eu.spt.soc.us.ap/index.html

 

[Stout]

What, Donovan's groin is still tight and he can't play in a big match in Europe? Color me not shocked. Sucks about Spector. I keep hoping he'll break out for us. I should say, be given the chance by our goofy coach.

 

[Zeno]

What, Donovan's groin is still tight and he can't play in a big match in Europe? Color me not shocked. Sucks about Spector. I keep hoping he'll break out for us. I should say, be given the chance by our goofy coach.

Yeah. He sure didn't do anything to help his reputation. It sucks that the team was without its most talented player for both games in Europe and he didn't play in Copa America either last summer. These were his best opportunities to shine against quality opponents and it didn't happen.

Sucks about Spector though. He was a sure thing to start in China for us, would have probably played during the upcoming WCQ's and now on top of that he'll miss a lot of his clubs games too. Hope it doesn't turn in to a John O'Brien or Corey Gibbs type of chronic thing for him.

 

[gr000000vy]

This was Landy's chance to put himself into the shop window for Europe play, but no.... instead he flies back to Toronto and doesn't play because of the turf...

the only thing i came away with from the US/Eng match up was how weak we are at striker.... Adu showed he needs to start... i just wish Jozy was called up....

 

[Chaplin]

Incredible--you guys complain when Donovan DOES play, and now you're complaining when he doesn't. Making a lot of sense there guys.

 

[Stout]

Incredible--you guys complain when Donovan DOES play, and now you're complaining when he doesn't. Making a lot of sense there guys.

Wait, who complains when he plays? I might sometimes complain ABOUT his play, but I have never and never will complain that if he DOES play. He has a history of shying away from tough European contests like this, and he hasn't helped his cause one little bit. Why doesn't he deserve criticism?

 

[Milgod]

Wait, who complains when he plays? I might sometimes complain ABOUT his play, but I have never and never will complain that if he DOES play. He has a history of shying away from tough European contests like this, and he hasn't helped his cause one little bit. Why doesn't he deserve criticism?

I see kind of where you are coming from but at the end of the day it's a friendly.

Why bother risking yourself when you have a ****** when you could rest a bit for the Argentina game?

 

[gr000000vy]

Why bother risking yourself when you have a ****** when you could rest a bit for the Argentina game?

Because the Argentina match is played on turf at Giants Stadium and the England match was way more important to USA than a typical friendly.. he had a real chance to show up Beckham.. get his 100th cap... put himself in the shop window... and do us all proud in a European country.....

 

[Chaplin]

Because the Argentina match is played on turf at Giants Stadium and the England match was way more important to USA than a typical friendly.. he had a real chance to show up Beckham.. get his 100th cap... put himself in the shop window... and do us all proud in a European country.....

I'm not sure how injured he is, but there is the possibility, however slight, that he actually is injured.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

His groin was clearly bothering him towards the end of the LA/Kansas City game a week and a half ago.

 

[Zeno]

Incredible--you guys complain when Donovan DOES play, and now you're complaining when he doesn't. Making a lot of sense there guys.

I've repeatedly said Landon Donovan is our most talented player, I just get incredibly frustrated when he tends to miss the matches against our best opponents or frequently skips road trips. He may very well be legitimately injured but its tough to defend the guy.

This team would not have beaten England with Landon in the lineup but they may have created a few more dangerous chances. It would sure be nice to see him matchup in the midfield against Spain too...

I'm more frustrated than anything...sort of the way I felt about John O'Brien (who still is one of my favorite Nats of all time).

 

[Chaplin]

If Donovan does have a groin injury, which I definitely believe (since he didn't play on a Beckham-less squad this past weekend), that definitely hurts his greatest strength, which is his open-field speed.

 

[Zeno]

Altidore was sold to Villarreal in Spain for $8 million, most ever paid for an American.

He won't leave until July 1st when the transfer window officially opens.

 

[Zeno]

I still don't think Bradley knows what he wants to do with this team. He takes Adu & Cherundolo off at the half and brings in Beasley & Hejduk. If you insist on making a halftime sub take out Lewis and bring on Beasley--Hejduk stinks, no reason for him to even be in the camp let alone on the field.

Then the biggest head scratcher later in the match he brings in Josh Wolff. WTF???? Haven't we seen enough of him? He's another one who shouldn't even be in a Nat camp.

The US looked better but still has a lot of work to do.

As for who was at fault for the Spanish goal, take your pick, Bradley for whiffing on the tackle then Onyewu or Bocanegra for seeming to get in each others way and neither stepping up to challenge.

This is a game I do believe Landon could have made a difference in...it sucks he wasn't there.

 

[cardfaninfl]

As for who was at fault for the Spanish goal, take your pick, Bradley for whiffing on the tackle then Onyewu or Bocanegra for seeming to get in each others way and neither stepping up to challenge.

***** got schooled by a great move. Carlos should have better awareness or "feel" for the location of his teammate. Hejduk has to collapse faster in support. Guzan needs to anticipate better when to charge off his line. But honestly...it was a great individual effort.

If only EJ could have finished that header.