Official Team USA Soccer Thread

PANDEMONEUM · Post #1041 » by **PANDEMONEUM** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:49 pm

1st half, we were good.
early goal really helped.
subbing altidore, didnt help.
then had to use our 2nd sub for Besler at halftime.

2nd half was really bad.
used the 3rd sub at 77th min.
and ghana used their subs late and looked fresh.
usa looked really tired.
luckily got that Brooks goal and the win....yay Zusi and his service

Dempseys goal was great
everything after that, was poor
maybe he couldnt breathe with a broken nose, idk

i thought, Brooks could have closed down the space more, on that Ghana goal
Beckerman, Bradley, Jones, were not in good positions to help or cover our defense on that goal
cant really blame them, the defensive line, will actually have to make good defensive plays on their own sometimes

with NO Altidore, do we use Dempsey up top ?
4-2-3-1

fab - cam - brooks - beas
........kyle - jones
bedoya - mb ----- zusi
..........dempsey

Bernman · Post #1042 » by **Bernman** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 1:35 am

I agree that Brooks deserves at least a little flack on the goal allowed. Cameron did his job, and Brooks wasn't covering anybody, so JAB has to shift over earlier. And Fab had a mental lapse to allow the goal scorer in behind. But tip your cap to Ghana on that one, it was a touch of special creativity that they were lacking the rest of the match.

As for your formation and lineup suggestion, I'd be fine to good with it. I mean Johannsson looked thoroughly confused out there, not so confident on that chance that fell into his lap, and is not a target player by any stretch. Klinsmann really dropped the ball depth-wise by leaving guys like Agudelo and Boyd off (in favor of Wondo who really has little use against this comp as a poacher type) who would be better suited to replace Jozy 1 for 1. Did he seriously not account for this possibility? The best alternative without Jozy now is Dempsey up top like you suggested, and no other true attacker. I fear he's eaten up on an island by a couple of Portugese savages, especially with not much as far as dribbling options to join the attack that way (never gave Neagle a shot, and the gifted spot of Green over Donovan hurt), but what else are we going to do now?

My only tweak would be to insert Diskerud into the lineup instead of Bedoya and move Bradley out to LCM. Diskerud has at least shown some efficiency at joining the attack on smart runs and then scoring off them, as well as being a threat outside the box. He's a pseudo attacking mid, then. I liked Bedoya's contribution against Ghana, but it's just a matter of him not fitting the tactics after losing Altidore.

Another change I'd consider is moving Cameron up into Beckerman's spot, who might be out of his depth against tougher comp like Portugal. He was flustered enough passing-wise against speedy Ghana. Cameron can actually make hero runs out of the back and moves the ball quickly. And then in Cameron's place would be Brooks, who upgrades the team's potency on set pieces. That wasn't a one time tendency. During the first set piece I was thinking Bedoya is option a for spot kicks and Altidore for headers?!?! That's terrible. And it got downright pathetic without Altidore, b4 Zusi and Brooks came in. Zusi gave the team a prayer and Brooks in conjunction realistic hope. We'd be down to a prayer with Zusi. However, Brooks is still relatively unproven as a defender, and we'd be jeopardizing the chemistry with Jones-Beckerman as well as Besler-Cameron. I just don't know if it's feasible then at this point. But if Beckerman is blowing dong IMO it'd be a good sub play.

Twinkie defense · Post #1043 » by **Twinkie defense** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:37 am

I like Diskerud but how about getting Zusi in there to start instead?

PANDEMONEUM · Post #1044 » by **PANDEMONEUM** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:06 am

Diskerud has 1 position central attacking mid. The spot where Bradley plays. So, imo, he only goes in if we sub or sit 1 of the mids. Kyle jones mb

On the outside we have zusi bedoya davis. Then Beasley and fabian. After that green, who we dont want to see on the field. Dempsey, johannsson, chandler. So pickings r slim.

I always think our best formation is 4-1-2-3
demp aron zusi
......jones mb
...........Kyle
Or mix for jones, or jones for Kyle
Or bedoya in, aron out, demp middle

Defensively those wings drop, offensively they have freedom to stay wide or cut in behind demp

Sent from my GT-P3113 using RealGM Forums mobile app

Twinkie defense · Post #1045 » by **Twinkie defense** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:27 am

I think we will see more guys in the midfield vs. Portugal.

Bernman · Post #1046 » by **Bernman** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 7:31 pm

Twinkie defense wrote:I like Diskerud but how about getting Zusi in there to start instead?

I'm sorry, I didn't make it clear. I did sub in Zusi, for set pieces, in addition to Diskerud. Zusi and Diskerud in, Bedoya and Altidore/Johannsson out.

-------Demps
--------Mixx
----Brad----Zusi
---Becks---Jones
Beas-Bes-Cam-Fab
---------Tim---------

PANDEMONEUM wrote:Diskerud has 1 position central attacking mid. The spot where Bradley plays. So, imo, he only goes in if we sub or sit 1 of the mids. Kyle jones mb

Yeah, but Bradley can play a little wider and behind Diskerud. CAM is actually Bradley playing out of position. He's a box to box central mid. You want him back a little further to wreak havoc on the opposing attack and then start the counter. At some point we might want him to just pester Ronaldo without the ball if our d isn't sufficient enough. Diskerud can stay forward behind Dempsey outside of nipping at the heels of the Portugal mids. That should give us enough space in the center of the field for build up and hope that Demps isn't just consumed up top.

GS Warriors 1 · Post #1047 » by **GS Warriors 1** » Sun Jun 22, 2014 9:32 pm

Howard
Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley
Jones, Beckerman
Bedoya, Bradley, Zusi
Dempsey

Lineup that packs the midfield. It's a look that certainly doesn't surprise me at all. Lets go USA!

Reckless · Post #1048 » by **Reckless** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 1:10 am

What has happened to Michael Bradley once he come to Brazil? He has looked lost

GS Warriors 1 · Post #1049 » by **GS Warriors 1** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 1:35 am

WTF Bradley?!?! We paid the price for an inexcusable turnover in the midfield. 30 seconds left, just boot the **** ball somewhere! Also, where was Gonzalez in the box? He was only subbed in for that very reason and he was nowhere to be found. Cameron got beat on the header and he had a really poor attempt at a clearance that led to the first Portugal goal, just awful.

Getting the point is fine but with how it went down, it feels like a lost opportunity.

Little Italia · Post #1050 » by **Little Italia** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:42 am

I honestly feel like we lost this game. Worst way to end a game

Chuck Newhouse · Post #1051 » by **Chuck Newhouse** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:50 am

Reckless wrote:What has happened to Michael Bradley once he come to Brazil? He has looked lost

Other than World's Cup's I don't watch much soccer but I think Bradley has looked worse than any other player in the entire tournament!. Shaqiri from Switzerland has also sucked!

Twinkie defense · Post #1052 » by **Twinkie defense** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:25 am

Bradley was very good today. If you want to single out one person (which I don't, we got a point and are in the drivers seat) how about Cameron?

Steven1562 · Post #1053 » by **Steven1562** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:39 am

Where is this man kicking this ball :lol:

..... kick it anywhere kick it out of bounds .... run with it 39 seconds left and he kicks it to the other team :nonono:

Point forward · Post #1054 » by **Point forward** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:31 am

If John "2 blunders per game" Brooks owns our forwards, Fabian "Can't guard a chair" Johnson slices us up, Jermaine "Invisible Man" Jones obliterates our midfield and Julian "Not 12 yet" Green scores 2 on us, I am ready to slit my wrists. In the USMNT, the German-Yanks show everything they didn't while playing BL ball.

Higga · Post #1055 » by **Higga** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:28 pm

Steven1562 wrote:

Where is this man kicking this ball ..... kick it anywhere kick it out of bounds .... run with it 39 seconds left and he kicks it to the other team

God that picture just makes me angry/depressed all over again...

Post #1056 » by **magik9113** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 6:18 pm

I thought Bradley played well vs Portugal. For 94 minutes.
:banghead:

Cameron's clearance was the worst thing I've ever seen
:banghead:

Clint Dempsey LEGEND
:bowdown:

britblazerdude · Post #1057 » by **britblazerdude** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 6:42 pm

OMG that Bradley picture will give me nightmares. Also, the US really should go through. Almost every result gives the US an advantage.

and1GS · Post #1058 » by **and1GS** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:32 pm

Point forward wrote:If John "2 blunders per game" Brooks owns our forwards, Fabian "Can't guard a chair" Johnson slices us up, Jermaine "Invisible Man" Jones obliterates our midfield and Julian "Not 12 yet" Green scores 2 on us, I am ready to slit my wrists. In the USMNT, the German-Yanks show everything they didn't while playing BL ball.

Not really trying to trash talk, but did you see that Arsenal video with Per where some guy tweeted 'Milk turns faster than Mertesacker" - so they refrigerated some milk, had him turn around and then check if the milk when bad :lol:

Fabian's been really great for us, but I've heard he doesn't do **** in the Bundesliga. Any insight there? I would watch the German league, but I already pay $100+ a month just to watch EPL...

Chuck Newhouse · Post #1059 » by **Chuck Newhouse** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:41 pm

Twinkie defense wrote:Bradley was very good today. If you want to single out one person (which I don't, we got a point and are in the drivers seat) how about Cameron?

I do want to single out one person and I don't know why you or anyone else wouldn't? I actually watched him really closely because I couldn't believe how bad he played in the first game and he did 2 good things and about 10-12 bad ones.

Ya Cameroon sucks but that's not really what I was talking about or I would have used the word team in my comment.

and1GS · Post #1060 » by **and1GS** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:43 pm

Firstly, Cameron doesn't 'suck,' he's our second most consistent defender and has been exemplary for a solid year now. Secondly, he had the blunder of all blunders and really should be more at fault than Michael. He also didn't get goalside on that final goal (though where was Omar? thought we brought him in to play as the third CB...).