Official Team USA Soccer Thread

[Wooderson]

Bradley's make some great plays in the second half, someone up front needs to step up.

[ItsDaBrush]

the post Donovan era will be a dark day, feels like US has made zero improvements since 2002

[and1GS]

We look totally gassed. This is bad.

[and1GS]

We have absolutely nothing on the wings right now. A dead tired Johnson is better than this trash.

[Wooderson]

Defense was terrible the entire game, and everyone up front was nonexistent in the 2nd half. Rough opening match.

[and1GS]

This is pathetic, I'm dying a little inside watching this garbage.

[and1GS]

Timothy Chandler **** the bed today. You know what, that's being too generous, he had the worst outside fullback match I can ever recall from a USMNT member. Welcome to the team, hope you enjoyed getting skinned alive by a no-name Honduran.

I mean, god, how do you lose 1v1 inside the 18 that often? Pathetic. Hit the bench, I'd rather see Cherundolo.

Centerbacks sucked too. Geoff Cameron looked abysmal...you can't misjudge balls in the air as a center back. As a wingback I understand it happens, though it shouldn't, but as a center back that's priority #1, stopping through balls in the air. No patience for that amount of incompetence.

[magik9113]

i don't even know where to begin......
USA just really doesn't have enough talent to do anything competitive. I still believe they'll qualify...but as much as it hurts to say, they are no longer anywhere near as good as Mexico

[BUCKnation]

i don't even know where to begin......
USA just really doesn't have enough talent to do anything competitive. I still believe they'll qualify...but as much as it hurts to say, they are no longer anywhere near as good as Mexico

I think we have enough on offense and at keeper to be more than compete, but our defense has been so awful in recent years.

[J-Mezzy]

I think U.SA has actually regressed. I think their 2002, 2006, and 2010 teams were better than this squad. They really miss a player like Donovan

[and1GS]

We have no wingers making runs up top which is an issue, and I don't think Klinnsman has really thought through how to get the best out of Jozy/Clint up top together. Also, when you ask Michael Bradley to create, more often than not he will let you down. We need something better than that at CAM.

[Boognish]

they are no longer anywhere near as good as Mexico

I never really felt like the US was better than Mexico. Rather, we had a physical team, great keepers, and an opportunistic attack that would punish them on the counter. It's like the team was built to beat Mexico

The team in 2002 was awesome, or at least I remember it that way. Reyna, McBride, Eddie Pope, Donovan was a wonderkid, Beasley wasn't worthless, prime Brad Friedel.

Now, I'm not sure what the future holds. Michael Bradley's game has developed quite a bit, he used to exclusively look to retain possession - he's more incisive now. Omar Gonzalez is promising I think. Torres is talented. Maybe Brek Shea will put it together with Stoke. Holden can maybe stay fit?

I'm trying to think of MLS players who could do something - Sean Franklin, Chris Pontius?

We're effed when Dempsey and Donovan hang up their boots (assuming Donovan comes back at all).

Goddammit.

[PANDEMONEUM]

idk what to say about that game
it was bad

Chandler got used
Cameron made more mistakes in that game, then all of the other usa games combined
Omar was ok
Fabian was absent on the attack

Williams didnt do anything
Jones held the ball too long
Bradley wasnt his awesome self

Dempsey non existent
Altidore non existent
EJ was the only guy who seemed to b doing anything positive. he also dribbled right into the defense alot

Edu, looked good replacing Williams
Kljestan, had some very nice passes and combination work, but, we put him at LM, and we needed an attacker
Zusi, did nothing

the formation and player selection to start the game was almost Exactly what i wanted/predicted
i would have kept EJ in, and put in Gomez for Altidore
Kljestan for Jones
Edu for Williams was right

now what ?
should we make drastic changes?
do we keep the same lineup / formation ?

i would keep it the same
maybe start Edu over Williams
a WIN is a MUST vs Costa Rica

March 22, 2013
U.S.A vs. Costa Rica
7 p.m. CT
Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Commerce City, Colo.
ESPN, WatchESPN, Univision networks

then

March 26, 2013
U.S.A vs. Mexico
9:30 p.m. CT
Estadio Azteca
Mexico City, Mexico
ESPN, WatchESPN, Univision

[and1GS]

I think you have to bench Chandler after that. Talented or not, he **** the bed pretty terribly.

[GS Warriors 1]

I think we're looking at the same squad, give or take 2/3 players for CR and MEX. Klinsmann called up too many central midfielders IMO. The only winger that was called-up was Brad Davis. Klejstan and Zusi weren't good subs because they were played out of position, especially Klejstan for Johnson. I think they can play in a 3 man midfield though.

Not sure what RB will look like the next 2 games because Cherundolo recently had knee surgery and his return is TBD. As bad as he looked, it might have to be Chandler again.

[PANDEMONEUM]

i dont see too many changes
our performance was soo bad, u cant even blame anyone
(maybe chandler)

issue #1
we HAVE to keep a dedicated DM out there, to protect our back line
issue #2
if our D is pressured alot, our FBs cant move up into the attack
#2b. which creates issues with our wide play and lessens our attack in general
issue #3
we dont have an attacking midfielder
nothing we can do about that
issue #4
we are Not a scoring team

if we can possess and defend well, our FBs can move up into the attack
which gives us more of an attacking punch
if we cant do those 2 things, then we need to sit back even more and deeper, defend and counter attack with fury when we get the chance

[and1GS]

We look very worrisome and lack attacking verve from the wings. Eddie Johnson can provide that, but he seemed gassed very early. Likewise, I believe Brek can do the same but he needs to get his mind right fast.

Putting Zusi and Kljestan on the wings was just asking them for failure, and really unfair to two pretty decent central midfielders.

Any word on how Stu Holden is progressing? He's a better CAM option than we have on the squad currently.

[PANDEMONEUM]

Stu Holden
has made 2 substitution appearances


was doing some kind of scrimmage with some young players
and 1 of them slide tackled him, late and nasty
but, didnt hear about an injury from that

[GS Warriors 1]

Came out recently that Donovan is coming back in late March with LA, so count him out for the next 2 WCQ...which isn't a shock at all. We already had a feeling that he wasn't going to play in those games but hopefully he'll want to play the rest of the qualifiers starting in June, they are going to need him.

[edfmx86]

Luis Gil is having a hell of a U-20 tourny. USA and Canada tied 1-1 right now on FSC