Official Team USA Soccer Thread

[Boognish]

o rly?

[and1GS]

Jones has been pretty good for us...idk what you guys are smoking. It's just dumb to play 2 basically CDMs at the same time when we desperately need creativity in the center of the pitch.

[KF10]

Fck yeah Chris Pontius!

Yes!

I think I had a class with him before (ucsb). Pretty chill dude. I remember him being the team's most offensive talented player out htere. Scoring goals left and right.

It's about time he gets called up to the NT.

[Boognish]

Ya fellow gaucho here, he was a beast in college

[PANDEMONEUM]

Date: Friday, September 2, 2011
Location: The Home Depot Center; Carson, Calif.
Match: U.S. Men's National Team vs. Costa Rica - International Friendly
Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. PT

[PANDEMONEUM]

Goalkeepers:
Bill Hamid (D.C.United),
Tim Howard (Everton)

Defenders:
Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers),
Edgar Castillo (Club America),
Timmy Chandler (FC Nürnberg),
Steve Cherundolo (Hannover),
Clarence Goodson (Brondby),
Zach Loyd (FC Dallas),
Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis),
Heath Pearce (Chivas USA),
Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls)

Midfielders:
Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake),
Clint Dempsey (Fulham),
Maurice Edu (Rangers),
Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim),
Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht),
Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids),
Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew),
Brek Shea (FC Dallas),
Jose Torres (Pachuca)

Forwards:
Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls),
Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar),
Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City),
Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

[PANDEMONEUM]

Projected Starters for todays game (teal starters to b posted later)

Altidore

Shea - Donovan - Kljestan

Edu - Spector

Castillo--Bocanegra---Ream---Chandler

Howard

[PANDEMONEUM]

The U.S. MNT Lineup vs. Costa Rica tonight:

Rogers, Altidore, Shea.

Donovan, Edu, Torres;

Chandler, Orozco Fiscal, Bocanegra (capt.), Castillo;

Howard;

very interesting 4-3-3 lineup

[jerrod]

i really like how we're playing so far

[PANDEMONEUM]

the first 25 minutes, were awesome
Donovan should have scored

i actually think we need to be shooting more, when we get in the box
had a few chances, and we passed instead

the last 20 minutes, last 12 specifically
we were not checking too
and had to give wide passes, that were slow and lazy
thats the problem with a 4-3-3
those 3 up top, really have to check to and help
cant just b flyers and 1 direction players

overall im happy

imo, i think Castillo is too small to play back on D
id prefer someone bigger
Castillo is not showing any special skills
i think we could find a better person
i think, Eric Lijach (spelling?) plays the same spot as Castillo
id take him, easily

Robbie Rodgers, is not doing anything
i presume, thats where Dempsey would b playing

ive never liked Maurice Edu
but he looks to be in his natural position

[KF10]

This has been the best I've seen in a long time from the US in terms of link up & one-touch play. Very possession-orientated game from the US. It's too bad that they did not convert their opportunities.

[Wooderson]

Castillo has been awful in the second half. Gave away 3 or 4 balls in a row, the last one ending in CR's goal.

[Boognish]

US is so poor playing out of the back this half, speed of play is too slow, poor decision making, gave up a crap goal now

bah

[Boognish]

fantastic analysis from jorge ramos, wish they'd take up more of the screen with his face

[BUCKnation]

brek looks like he could be very good, but he dribbles himself into trouble a lot.

On Jermaine Jones, (sorry if this is obvious...), but why hasnt he been on the us roster to this point. He wasnt on the '10 WC team, and im pretty sure he wasnt on the '06 team. He was obviously better in the past

[ThreeYearPlan]

The U.S. had one good opportunity, Donovan's wide open miss in the 7th minute or whatever. They didn't create much of anything and Castillo is awful

[PANDEMONEUM]

Castillo is NOT ready
imo, hes too weak
we need a stronger player back there
he doesnt offer any skills that we cant find somewhere else

Rodgers didnt do anything
i presume Clint would b in that spot

Altidore looked very good today
same with Maurice Edu

4-3-3 is great, if u score those goals
but we didnt
then, the top 3 didnt drop or check too enough
which caused our D to make bad passes, cause they didnt have the options

if we convert early
it changes the game

i'll b waiting to see what formation we will use in the next game

[KF10]

Very disappointing result. Everything they did in the first half absolutely is negated due to their horrendous second half of the game. They just lost to a weak Costa Rica team (without their good players too!).

I don't think the US are ready to incorporate the "possession-game" yet. Lets see what they do against Belgium.

[PANDEMONEUM]

i like what im seeing though
wev had the chances to score
and i like how theyv developed
just gotta finish

replace castillo and rodgers with kljestan and clint
and that helps

[Foye]

Very disappointing result. Everything they did in the first half absolutely is negated due to their horrendous second half of the game. They just lost to a weak Costa Rica team (without their good players too!).

I don't think the US are ready to incorporate the "possession-game" yet. Lets see what they do against Belgium.

So does Klinsmann want to play the same way with team USA like with team Germany?

That's not going to work. You should play Italian style if you want to get the max out of your team. You don't enough offensive quality to outplay top opponents, which means you've gotta play old fashioned, a strong defense and hope for quick counterattacks.
Otto Rehagel did it perfect with Greece in 2004, Inter Milan 2009/10 is also a perfect example. USA should play that way, too, IMO. Let the other teams have the duty of making the game and then capitalize from their mistakes. It's not pretty but effective.