US Soccer 2009

Mr. Obvious wrote:

Seisamoiditis wrote:

There is no reason that they Rossi should have been able to walk off that field. He's a traitor and should have had his achilles snapped before he could even touch the ball. At least that’s what I would have done. I’d be ok with this result if he wasn’t the one who scored the tying goal.

People need to get over that. He was eligible to play for another country and he choose to play for them. That's all. He did not commit some personal offense to you. Sure, you can be disappointed that he didn't choose to play for the U.S. but this is really ridiculous.

I was obviously sarcastic. But, I would push him around a little more than normal.

And yet another abysmal performance by the USMNT against a top tier opponent. This time a 3-0 loss to Brazil.

I am now convinced the USA has 5 above average players on their squad:

Bradely

Donovan

Howard

Onweyu

Bocanegra

Dempsey has not impressed at all. Why not play Altidore and Adu more?

Seriously Bob Bradley..ENOUGH WITH DeMARCUS BEASLEY! He is done on the international level.

I was just coming to find this thread to complain about Beasley, haha!

In Europe, when a player screws up the way he did today, it often means the end of his international career. It needs to mean that for Beasley. What he did to allow that second goal was just AWFUL! How long has he been playing this game???? He hasn't looked good in a US jersey for three years or more. It's time to put that career to bed. BRING ON JERMAINE JONES!!!

On positive notes, I thought Spector did well again. And Donovan looked better. I don't care if he's only 19 or whatever, Altidore needs to be a 90-minute player. I don't get Bradley's strategy of subbing him out when behind. He wants to bring on more offense so he does it by taking OUT some offense and putting in a new forward...why not take out a midfielder? Altidore can score and he's proven it. So he needs to stay in the game as long as possible.

Oh, and we need to stop getting sent off. That isn't helping much either. Learn to temper our tackling with discipline.

I'd say Hejduk qualifies as above average too. He's hurt now but when he comes back, the defense will improve.

MeHereYouWhere? wrote:

And yet another abysmal performance by the USMNT against a top tier opponent. This time a 3-0 loss to Brazil.

I am now convinced the USA has 5 above average players on their squad:

Bradely

Donovan

Howard

Onweyu

Bocanegra

Dempsey has not impressed at all. Why not play Altidore and Adu more?

Seriously Bob Bradley..ENOUGH WITH DeMARCUS BEASLEY! He is done on the international level.

Why is USSF (US Soccer Federation) so damn cheap? If you don't spend the money, you will never get coaches that understand the way other countries play and what it takes to get on their level (academy's on up to the senior level).

You had the chance to get Klinsmann as the next coach of the national team, but didn't want to spend the money. Here is a guy who understands the South American & the European style of football/soccer. I am not saying he would be beating them on a regular basis, but it would be nice to go against the S.A. and European powers with a mentality (and the players) that knowing you can beat them.

My understanding is that the rule change that permits Jones to play for the U.S. doesn't take effect until early August, so he is not eligible for the Gold Cup but will be for the next qualifier at Azteca.

Dempsey is a very good player w/ Fulton but it hasn't been translating to the U.S. team at all lately. Not sure I'd consider Heydude as an above average player. He does bring some fire to the team, which seemed lacking at times today.

Altidore is still young but he will be an above average player if he continues to improve and hopefully can get time w/ Villareal next season. I think he Bradley subs him because he is not very game fit with no playing time and out from training for a while with injury. Sure would like to see Adu and/or Torres more. Beasley is done. I like Sacha and would keep him in the pool but he clearly is not very sharp at this time and I would not be playing him. I would play two forwards, too.

U.S. soccer is just not at a high level at all. There is mediocraty all over the roster. They have performed pitifully in this tournament against the best in the world. They got trashed against Italy and then today against Brazil. I assume they will get trashed by Egypt on Sunday if they play the same way. Let's face it. U.S. soccer sucks.

The opening of the Hexagonal WC2010 qualifying looked promising as we stomped Mexico and pulled off some decent matches. However, the last few matches, especially Costa Rica have shown that we simply do not have enough quality players, as many have already mentioned. Bob Bradley playing DaMarcus Beasley at left back didn't help either, and as many saw today against Brazil DMB is just not what he used to be. You can argue that injuries, not enough playing time, etc... has taking its toll on him, but the end result is HE IS NOT WORTHY of playing for the US.

What it comes down to is they need to get rid of Bob Bradley get a coach that is willing to say screw the status quo and play some young guys that are hungry to prove themselves and actually put forth 100% effort for their country.

I posted earlier on this thread about the US needing to be warriors - and today was simply not a day any showed up. I actually look at our mids as being the problem today more than our defs. And Beaz I said was done, but this was an embarrassment. He'll never play for Rangers again, and a return to the Chicago Fire is imminent. The rest of the league must be drooling over the prospect of his intelligence on the other side.

I like the post-match comments by Howard - coming as close as can be to call out his teammates by saying "it's not what we learn from a loss like this, it's what we put into practice".

The team's effort against Italy was much better than today - the 3rd goal was just exhaustion by DeMerit (who was beaten on the first goal - but that was one heck of a strike by Rossi). What effort will be shown against Egypt - who if they win they're in! I find it hard to say this, but I am hoping Egypt wins just to put them into the semis. I'm really impressed with the Egyptian spacing and workrate - they appear much more cohesive as a unit than the US right now. Is that Bradley or the players? Sadly, I'm thinking it's the players - just seems like a different vibe than the 2007 side that won the Gold Cup.

mackwamba

Fortunately, the US is in a relatively easy WC qualifying region and will probably be in the world cup for the next century. Still, against the world's best all I see is mediocrity. At one time the US did play competitively against the world's best, but for the last 4 years things have declined slightly. I just don't enjoy watching this team any more.

I haven't read the preceding posts but today, the US got clobbered by Brazi 3-0 in South Africa.

Once again the self-proclaimed kings of Concacaf have proven that they are not good for anything other than beating Mexico on US soil. I think Concacaf should spare themselves of the embarrassment and the loss of future World Cup spots and just send Mexico to international tournaments. At least they show balls when playing top-tier teams.

Mexico may not qualify for the World Cup!!

There was a time the US did play competitively against the world's best. Now that has changed. For the first time in nearly 20 years US soccer is taking a small step backwards.

It is not a midfielder that is needed, if anything the midfield is the only strength. When Donavon decides to actually play soccer he can be a dangerous threat. If Beasely learns how to dribble a soccer ball / play defense he could help. And if Dempsey chooses to take risks at the right moments instead of every moment he can be a risk. With Bradley and all the other young guys, the midfield is a good if not great one.

There is not a bona fide american striker. At all. If Ching get put into a world cup game, may as well hope for a 0-0 tie. He is a liability, at best. After that, theres Altadore, but he's not come into his own yet. Eddie Johnson was a flash in the pan. And noone else makes you think 'give this guy the ball at the top of the 18 and it's a goal'. just the threat of a goalscorer will open up the field for the rest of the team, forcing opposing defenses to pinch in a bit, leaving the wings open.

If anything, though, the true weakeness is the defense. Hejduk is awful, just awful. No way he should be a national team player. Onyewu is a big goon with speed. He can't cover the best in the world, he can't even slow them down. His boneheaded play cost the US the ghana game (yes it was a penalty, yes it was the correct call, yes he shouldn't have done it) After that there is no names that would strike fear into opposing strikers.

In my opinion there are two pieces to the puzzle missing. A shutdown defender to play next to Onyewu in the flatback, which will minimize the damage the flank backers create. And most importantly a true striker. Defense wins championships, and the best defense is a great offense. Control the clock, control the game, control the score.

Truthens wrote:

Mexico may not qualify for the World Cup!!

Let's hope they do qualify because they are the only team in the region that doesn't run away with their tail between their legs in big tournaments. Without Mexico Concacaf is liable to go 0-9 in South Africa.

Boyscoutt wrote:

In my opinion there are two pieces to the puzzle missing. A shutdown defender to play next to Onyewu in the flatback, which will minimize the damage the flank backers create. And most importantly a true striker. Defense wins championships, and the best defense is a great offense.

I agree with this analysis completely. No matter how great your defense is, you can't win if you can't score. And the US can't score off of anything but a set piece. Honestly, can anyone remember the last time our squad created a genuine goal (not a PK, corner kick, or a massive defensive mistake) against a quality opponent in a major competition? Portugal or Mexico in the 2002 World Cup might count.

Teenwolf, have you ever heard of the 2002 World Cup? And in 2006, Mexico beat Iran, tied Angola, and lost to Argentina and Portugal. The United States could have done that if they were in that group pretty easily.

Seriously? wrote:

Honestly, can anyone remember the last time our squad created a genuine goal (not a PK, corner kick, or a massive defensive mistake) against a quality opponent in a major competition? Portugal or Mexico in the 2002 World Cup might count.

Corner kicks are genuine goals. It requires a good attack to win them, followed by a great cross and a great effort on the header (or whatever.) They aren't gimmes.

colt sterling, in the 2006 world cup mexico took argentina into overtime of the knockout round, and it took an extraordinary goal for argentina to win.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VZ_P_GjMiU&feature=related

the game winning goal in the 98th minute.