Official Team USA Soccer Thread

[PANDEMONEUM]

i dont have any problem leaving Altidore off
Gomez is a better fit for our team

losing 2 guys we use as wingers, Shea and Donovan hurts
especially since they dont have set backups
Zusi is fine in Donovans spot
but we dont want to lose him for the game in KC, so id rather he not even play vs A&B

we need to call in some players
Wondo, Lichaj, Pontius at least

maybe give a last chance call to Chandler.....maybe

[and1GS]

Gomez has played well but I don't think he's a better fit for our team. Altidore is a very good, in form striker and our best option up top. Stupid not to include him, because we'll need him to play a huge role come WC time.

[J-Mezzy]

Yeah you don't get better by subtracting talent.

[Super Selby]

Altidore wasn't even as good as Davies

Edit: The original Altidore nets two goals to win the game

[BUCKnation]

Good for Eddie Johnson. He has been killing it in Seattle this year, he rightfully got his chance and ran with it.

[and1GS]

Eddie Johnson is not the original Altidore. He's a speedster, Altidore is a big hulking forward who relies on strength.

Davies had one good tourney then that tragic accident happened. Interesting to think of what might have been had he not been out that night. He was the better, newer version of Eddie Johnson.

I've always liked Eddie but let's not get all pumped about this one performance against a below average side. If he replicates that performance against Guatemala then I'm all behind him, but I'm afraid he'll go beasley on us and turn into a complete puss once the lights get brighter.

[BUCKnation]

Eddie Johnson is not the original Altidore. He's a speedster, Altidore is a big hulking forward who relies on strength.

Davies had one good tourney then that tragic accident happened. Interesting to think of what might have been had he not been out that night. He was the better, newer version of Eddie Johnson.

I've always liked Eddie but let's not get all pumped about this one performance against a below average side. If he replicates that performance against Guatemala then I'm all behind him, but I'm afraid he'll go beasley on us and turn into a complete puss once the lights get brighter.

We'll see, like I said he has been awesome this year for Seattle. He might be back.

[and1GS]

One thing we can all agree on, USA needs to win this match! Let's goooooo!

Also, FWIW, I think we're all pulling for Eddie. He was always that super fast forward with a load of potential who was just missing that special something. He's played abroad on some decent teams (Fulham for a brief spell as well) but always found himself down the pecking order. I hope you're right and he puts in a seasoned performance tonight!

[and1GS]

Eddie looks better now than I have ever seen him during his career, I gladly will eat my words. Calm composed and shifty, looks like when he lost some of his speed the game slowed down for him. In a good way.

[MeCarlos24]

Tim Howard great not good!

[and1GS]

lol, that was an obvious penalty on Ruiz in the box. Got caught stabbing. Poor no call by the ref.

[and1GS]

What I learned:

1) Eddie Johnson is very good out wide, kinda worthless as a central striker. Which is weird because he's good in the air.
2) Danny Williams at CDM rather than Jermaine Jones makes all kinds of sense, especially paired with Bradley.
3) Our CBs are horrible with communication. Played the trap poorly all match.
4) Dempsey's still a beast.
5) Zusi's great on set pieces.
6) Bradley is this team's #2.
7) Cameron is damn good. Physical. Kinda what we hoped Onyewu woulds till be.
8) We need a big holding striker to feed up top...ALTIDORE. Just put him on the damn roster.
9) Love Gomez effort and improvement, but only two of him Johnson and Altidore should start...and Jozy should be one of the two.
10) This team is good enough to beat Mexico any time, any where. So lol at all this "Mexico has arrived!" BS. U21 tourney means nothing.

[PANDEMONEUM]

i like the return of Eddie Johnson
i think his game is perfect vs CONCACAF opponents

Danny Williams and Bradley is a better combination than Bradley and Jones or Beckerman

need to find a CB replacement for Bocanegra
id like to keep playing Edu there, but hes not getting any playing time for Stoke

i like Zusi. his skills r very valuable to this team

Kljestan, was really nice to see
his combination work and possession, is a big plus
and his movement is very different than our other players
i think he can b a very useful piece

starters
formation 4-1-3-2

---------dempsey - gomez

---donovan - bradley - zusi

-----------------williams

johnson - boca - cameron - dolo

-----------------howard

Jozy, Shea, Torres, Klejstan, Jones, Guzan, Rimando

thats 18, with room for 7 more

looks like 3 of these guys have to get Bumped OUT

Eddie Johnson, Freddy Adu, Terrence Boyd

Gatt, Corona, Kyle Beckerman

Goodson, Edu, Lichaj, Parkhurst

[and1GS]

Bocanegra's pace has dwindled away to the point where he's a liability back there, I think Edu is the obvious choice to replace him. Him, Cameron, Lichaj and that other dude (fabian johnson i think it was? though i prefer chandler) would be a formidable back line. Though Cherundolo is still going strong, love when he joins the attack.

Who is dolo?

[PANDEMONEUM]

CHERUNdolo = DOLO

Yes, a replacement for Bocanegra is needed.
we have Goodson as the backup CB, but we really need to find someone better than him
Edu, would b my first choice
but, he needs time there

Fabian Johnson is all ready, close to being our best player
Chandler has dissed us too many times, forget about him
Lichaj, has NOT been called in since Jurgen Klinsman has been the coach (i think)

"dolo" and zusi have had very nice combination passing and have linked very well together on that right side

*
i think we can improve our Defense by improving our Possession
since we have so many types of Midfielders, we should use them
but NOT too many Defensive Mids

id like to see the 2 outside mids have more freedom to slide to the middle
and have the 3 mids be interchangeable, so they can move and flow with the game
then, it will b very difficult to mark them
but of course, we better maintain possession, otherwise the other team will have opportunities to counter
id like to see Williams as the Defensive Mid, protecting our back line
Bradley, Kljestan, and whoever the 3rd mid is Donovan/Zusi/Torres

id like to see the team try and possess more on our defensive 3rd
too many times its a big clear from the backline
or a pass back to the keeper then a big clear
it can be dangerous if the opponent is a high pressure team
but the top teams in the world can handle it and build their possession from very deep

i think we have a better chance of developing possession from deep on our half, over
becoming a better scoring team

[PANDEMONEUM]

U.S.A vs Russia
November 14th 2012
International Friendly
Kuban Stadium - Krasnodar, Russia
9 a.m. CT
ESPN2, ESPN3 and Univision Deportes Network

who will / should get called in ?
looks like anyone playing in the MLS, Norwegian leagues and Mexico, playoffs
will NOT b available

would like to see some new CBs, Wingers, and fringe guys get called in

[and1GS]

Oh god we're gonna get our salads TOSSED.

[Kaizen]

US schedule for the final round.

2/6 at HON
3/22 vs CRC
3/26 at MEX
6/7 at JAM
6/11 vs PAN
6/18 vs HON
9/6 at CRC
9/10 vs MEX
10/11 vs JAM
10/15 at PAN

[PANDEMONEUM]

Heres the Roster for the game vs Russia on Wednesday

GOALKEEPERS (3):
Tim Howard (Everton),
Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire),
Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (6):
Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander),
Geoff Cameron (Stoke City),
Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg),
Maurice Edu (Stoke City),
Clarence Goodson (Brondby),
Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim)

MIDFIELDERS (7):
Michael Bradley (Roma),
Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg),
Joshua Gatt (Molde),
Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim),
Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04),
Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht),
Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

FORWARDS (4):
Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA),
Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar),
Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna),
Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna)

[PANDEMONEUM]

4-3-3 or 4-1-2-3
whichever ud like to call it

i dont expect many new guys to start
but maybe 2 or 3 of them get playing time

this is what "I" would like to see

-----------altidore--------
herc------------------gatt
----------klj - brad-------
-----------williams---------
fab - edu - cam - chand