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All that is going to do is increase the chances of early elimination for the US or Mexico
Don't really know.
All that is going to do is increase the chances of early elimination for the US or Mexico
I'd rather that be the case than what the Gold Cup is now. Long term is much better for the US and Mexico to play the top teams to get better.
Is the game going down at Free Tail tonight?
You know it.
Here's the starting 11. Interesting formation. Edu at CB.
U.S. Soccer #USMNT lineup vs. Poland tonight is a 4-2-3-1: Howard; Cherundolo, Onyewu, Edu, Bocanegra (c); Jones, Bradley; Holden, Dempsey, Feilhaber; Altidore...
Bradley i don't think has ever used that formation......Edu at CB is interesting but I've been calling for that when Gooch was sucking. Can't wait to see JJ in action
Edu at CB was not good. I don't want to see that again. Jones was a mixed bag - great assist to Jozy but he also had a clearance that led to the 2nd Polish goal. Other than the clearence though I was very happy with him. He and Bradley played off each other very well.
I thought Dempsy and Holden did great in the mid as well.
Jozy Jozy Jozy. I know hes the best we currently have by a sizeable margin but he's got to bury some more of those chances. A striker needs to be able to put the shot on frame. He played well tonight but he needs to finish more.
Good formation. I think considering our depth at mid and our ty forwards this is a no brainer. Can't wait for the next game.
Jozy... you... are... a terrible finisher.
I thought Edu was fine at CB for his first appearance there. I like the 4-2-3-1 formation which essentially plays like a 3-6-1 with Edu able to move forward, Bradley able to move forward or back, and Holden able to play back.
Both goals came on ty clearance attempts, which is disheartening, but hey it was only the first game of the 4-year cycle. Having Donovan in there would have made a world of difference. I'd put him in there for Benny and leave Stu as the attacking mid able to drop back. Holden had some great tackles on the attacking side. He's leading EPL in tackles right now too.
I thought Jones showed what matters the most at this point: touch and good football IQ. He's clearly in our starting 11.
If WC starting tomorrow
Boca-DeMerit-Edu-Dolo
Jones-Bradley
Holden-Dempsey-Donovan
Jozy
Obviously Boca, DeMerit and Dolo are long shots for 2014. Gooch showed he is on his way back to form despite that horrid clearance attempt. Edu I think will learn CB (and frankly, we have few options back there. Maybe Spector). We need to replace our LB and RB (Spector?).
Jozy needs to learn how to finish.
Midfield is crazy full of depth.
Well I think one of our backs will be Franklin. Dude is damn good and we'll see that once the MLS season is over and he gets called up.
But yes, our midfield is very very very deep.
WIsh Jozy would finish though. So many good chances. I can live with the one off the bar but there were about another 3 I was disapointed with.
Franklin we'll just need to see in action. Omar too. I hope leading up to Gold Cup we see lots of new defenders, but we will need Boca and Dolo if we want to win Gold Cuo (a stated Bradley goal) so we cant really afford to develop our wingbacks until 2012. At some point Jozy needs to finish. Just creating chances isn't enough. Yes he is only 20, but that cantle an excuse forever.
So frustrating watching Jozy waste opportunity after opportunity. JJ is gonna be a huge factor for the US. A souped up Ricardo Clark. I know we are deeper at midfield, and god knows we need a finished forward so freaking bad, but I'm loving JJ with the MNT.
Usa aint nothing to with!!! Usa aint nothing to with!!!
Columbia game was brutal. Lichaj was good though. Otherwise I want my 2 hours back.
except in soccer.
That game felt like torture to watch.
the nt needs to hold some of their games in seattle, i know traditionally theyve been held in columbus but those sounder fans are awesome...they deserve atleast a couple.
Travel is too long from Europe.
tbh arent the flights south american players make from europe totheir home countries longer than that? it would simply be like an additional 3-4 hrs from columbus...i dont think it would be that bad.
would be worth it considering how insane those sounder fans are
Seattle is definitely the best crowd in the US, by far (though I'm excited to see what Portland puts together - they have some pretty rabid fans too. But prob won't be playing in front of as large of a crowd).
But we have quite the homefield advantage in Columbus, so it's hard to justify a move away in big qualifiers. Mexico has never beaten us in Columbus, it's our Azteca.
I do think, however, for the sake of team development we need to ignore the money and stop scheduling friendlies in places that are friendly to the opposition. Brazil in NY, Mexico in LA, Poland in Chicago, etc. This just gives away home field advantage. We should ALWAYS play Mexico in Columbus in compe ive play. For friendlies, give a place like Seattle a try for sure.
And F 'em if the travel time is too long. They'll come for the pay day.
at this point, I'd prefer if Bradley was relegated to the bench....we can't play 3 defensive mid field players in Jones/Edu/Bradley. Edu has clearly out played bradley and should play along side Jones. If Bradley was a creative midfielder, he could fit in. Holden = solid. We clearly missed Donovan in the friendlies. I want Beasley to get more callups. I miss the great speed combo of Beasley/Donovan we once had...if Beasley can get back on form at Hannover.
Edu was decent at CB but reports say he'd rather compete for the midfield role. If that's the case, he wins out over Bradley. , I'd even consider Jose Torres ahead of Bradley because he complements other players a little better. It definitely sucks for him but Bob Bradley's nepotism will finally come into question if it wasn't already there before.
As for the backline, I like Gooch/Bocanegra. Gooch is clearly not in game shape.. I'd rather him play in a lower league than Serie A if he's gonna ride the pine. 'Dolo is solid per usual. I was impressed with Lichaj and I'm wondering if he can fill the void at left back. I never really like Boca there because he gets beaten by pacy wingers way too easily.
Up top...JOZY please finish. Dempsey seems to be scoring less lately for the NATs. I really love the work EJ is putting in but he isn't finishing either. So the front line is based off hope...sadly. I'm waiting for the next McBride!
Word is that we will play a friendly in Jan against Chile in LA. Then a friendly vs Argentina in March... In Seatlle!!!! Finally some smart scheduling that should actually net us a home field advantage
Nice. I've never been to Seattle and maybe this will be a good chance to go.
Onyewu finally makes news at AC Milan
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy...-onyewu-forcesFight Between Zlatan Ibrahimovic And Oguchi Onyewu Forces Milan To Abandon Training Session
By Subhankar Mondal
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was forced to abandon training on Friday after Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Oguchi Onyewu came to blows, according to Goal.com Italia.
It’s not yet known what exactly caused the row but it’s been reported that the 28-year-old American defender grabbed Ibrahimovic by the throat after he was tackled by the Sweden international. The former Barcelona striker then tried to retaliate and the pair had to be separated by team-mates.
However, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has dismissed the fight as a minor matter.
“It was a fairly lively fight, it happens when there is a rough challenge," he told Sky Sport 24.
“The players have been talked to. The incident is now over.”
LOL Awesome.
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