Ha! Costa Rica refused the U.S. a practice field or match balls. They are giving USMNT the royal finger.
I fear the crowd is going to be "stabby." Hope they have security.
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Ha! Costa Rica refused the U.S. a practice field or match balls. They are giving USMNT the royal finger.
I fear the crowd is going to be "stabby." Hope they have security.
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Is that even legal in FIFA?
Edit: Actually, they gave the U.S. access to three practice fields. They were all just extremely poor.
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Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Pathetic. An absolutely inexcusable start to this game. I don't give a DAMN about injuries/late scratches--this should NOT happen. They have five defenders and look like Spain playing Luxembourg.
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Tim Howard = ASS in this game. Oh sure, he had a few saves. Unfortunately, he was a major culprit in the 2nd and 3rd goals. 2nd goal--okay, great play in the setup, but Howard lets a trickling goal gets past him. VERY weak goal to give up.
3rd goal, as the ball rolls about 30 FRICKIN' YARDS WITHOUT TOUCHING A FOOT, I kept saying, 'Howard will get to it any minute, Howard will get to it any minute, WHERE IN THE HELL IS HOWARD???' If EVER there was a time for a keeper to anticipate a play and charge out to clear a ball, THIS was that time. Instead he turtles, allows a completely free chance for CR, then gives up a weak goal right under his arm.
Thanks for sucking, Timmy. The rest of this time did plenty of it early on; we really didn't need more suckage from you.
3rd goal, as the ball rolls about 30 FRICKIN' YARDS WITHOUT TOUCHING A FOOT, I kept saying, 'Howard will get to it any minute, Howard will get to it any minute, WHERE IN THE HELL IS HOWARD???' If EVER there was a time for a keeper to anticipate a play and charge out to clear a ball, THIS was that time. Instead he turtles, allows a completely free chance for CR, then gives up a weak goal right under his arm.
Thanks for sucking, Timmy. The rest of this time did plenty of it early on; we really didn't need more suckage from you.
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So that's what the team looks like without Bradley.
cardfaninfl
Demographically significant
The lack of depth at the center midfield positions was exposed with the absence of Michael. Without a talented, creative midfield - the players up top won't get quality chances and your defense will be under constant pressure. Hopefully Zusi, Mix Diskerud and Joe Corona will continue to improve by the time they arrive in Brazil.
Howard did seem flat-footed on the 2nd and completely agree on expecting him to aggressively challenge the ball out of the box on the 3rd. The play took so long I even began to imagine what would happen if Timmy arrived late to the ball or at the same time as the Costa Rican player. To play it passively and then let it go 5-hole was sickening. Combined with watching his performance in Everton's first EPL match this season, makes me realize his form of late is very poor.
My biggest problem was with Beasley. I've never understood the logic of putting him on the back line and not allowing younger players to secure that position. So, perhaps I am always looking for faults. But tonight showed just how horrible this experiment could be entrusting a player who doesn't possess a defender's mentality.
Putting someone on the posts during a set-piece, can actually bring that player in the way of the keeper if they don't do their job properly. DeMarcus acting surprised and reacting late, combined with Howard expecting him to make the play, caused the first goal.
The second goal was a combination of Beasley not anticipating the Costa Rican leaping to meet the ball in the air, and lack of aggression while in the box. These are characteristics of world-class defenders that are created by possessing a certain mentality and refining it with years of experience.
The USMNT has been successful when they have had great goaltending combined with opportunistic goal scoring provided by pace and aggression. With Howard's form of late, and its quality outfield players getting older and slower, this squad might be in trouble. Klinsmann should be busy on the phone this week calling young players like John Anthony Brooks, telling them they are needed, and its time to decide.
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Yeah, I have said he is best and most important player. Any word how bad his ankle is?
Dr. Jones
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Bradley out for Tuesday though no word on how long after. Altidore, Besler, and Cameron out due to that ridiculous yellow card rule. Brooks back to Europe as was supposedly the plan. Torres, Corona, Evans, and Goodson in.
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Ankle sprain for Bradley, doesn't sound that bad considering.
Bradley is still out last I heard.
The yellow card situation is far more confusing to me. No Jozy? No Cameron? No Beezler?
Bring on the Dreadlocks, I guess.
MigratingOsprey
Thank You Paul!
From all account the Jozy card was deserved and pretty stupid on him to take
However, the Besler one ........... holy crap ..... Campbell shows his Arsenal grit on this one and the Mexican ref is more than happy to oblige
However, the Besler one ........... holy crap ..... Campbell shows his Arsenal grit on this one and the Mexican ref is more than happy to oblige
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Zeno
Ancient
Yep on both counts, Jozy was an idiot and Besler was innocent. I don't see why FIFA can't intervene when there is video proof.
Campbell is the one who should be suspended.
Losing Altidore, Besler and Cameron hurts BUT the loss of Bradley is huge. I am guessing we see Beckerman in his spot and that is a HUGE downgrade.
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Yes he's out but it sounds like not too long term of an absence given how bad it looked.
Zeno
Ancient
Dos A Cero!!!!!
I so regret not going to Columbus this year.
I so regret not going to Columbus this year.
Stout
Hold onto the ball, Murray!
I was going nuts early on. It isn't baseball; chicks DON'T dig the long ball in soccer! I absolutely hated our approach to this game, and I absolutely have to tip my hat to JK for approaching the game like we did. It frustrated the hell out of Mexico, and we picked them apart for it.
Bring on the WC!
Bring on the WC!
It's a little unsettling to me.
I believe the USA being decent at soccer is a sign of the Apocalypse.
I believe the USA being decent at soccer is a sign of the Apocalypse.
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Dos a cero!!
MigratingOsprey
Thank You Paul!
indeed .... i actually wasn't upset about the missed penalty ..... let dos a cero sit in their heads for another 4 years before doing it again ....
Zeno
Ancient
I was thinking the same thing...although I will say I don't have a lot of confidence in Dempsey taking PK's about right now, after the ugly one in Costa Rica and that terrible miss last night maybe someone else should take them from this point forward.
Zeno
Ancient
Whether it was by design or not the US weathered early Mexico attacks and it deflated their confidence, the goal by Johnson just crushed them and they never really threatened after that. Hard to believe that we both outpossesed and completed a higher % of passes in the first half than Mexico.
Can't say enough about the skill Diskerud showed on the ball on that second goal, very few players in the US would have even tried that type of touch let alone succeeded. It is going to be interesting going forward, 2 qualifiers left that don't mean much--a chance for Brooks to get cap tied and a chance for Johansson to get some serious PT.
Donovan was asked after the game if he thought Klinsmann "had the magic touch." It was an awkward, stuttering pause from Donovan, who quickly deflected to "the team" had the magic touch. In part, I get that. Don't take away from the players' efforts. In part, it's pretty obvious he's not the biggest fan of his coach, probably because he's had to work his 31-year-old butt off to earn his place on the team. Not sure he can recognize in this moment how much better JK has made him just by not being his buddy and deferring to his experience.
Zeno
Ancient
Landon also said this in an interview with FIFA....
Now he needs to hold Dempsey accountable because he hasn't played well for the Nat's recently. Last night he was flopping at the slightest contact and it could easily be said he was no better than the 6th or 7th best US player on the field in Ohio. We need Dempsey to play at the level he did not so long ago to have more success as a team.
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