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American Soccer |OT| Life, liberty and the pursuit of the beautiful game

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X

Xpike

Unconfirmed Member
Osorio said:
Maybe Vergara will help his old team out.

5-1 Saprissa
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the problem is that our main creative CAM got an injury, our CB and LB are apparently injured, and yesterday our best CDM was out on suspension. It all culminated in the worst 6 minutes I've ever seen in football.

At least for the Azteca we'll have our CDM back, but I don't think he'll be doing much if our strikers don't learn how to aim.
 
M

Meier

Member
ZZMitch said:
Wow North Carolina seems abnormally high
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One of the rare states that has multiple men's soccer collegiate programs.

xbhaskarx said:
Yeah and Texas and Florida are not in the top 10, how can that be?
Both are soccer hotbeds with huge populations, I'd have guessed both were in the top five easily.
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I would imagine part of the reason that these states don't produce D1 talent because they don't have soccer teams at the colleges. Just women's. There's less impetus to continue to play soccer since they'd have to go out of state to continue it in college (also harder to get recruited OOS in general). I think there's probably a strong correlation.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
sazabirules said:
If Hamid isn't ready for the opener (Assuming it happens) I want the rookie Worra in goal.
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Dykstra was playing his first competitive game in over half a year after suffering a ruptured achilles tendon last summer.

“I won’t sugarcoat this, and my goalkeeper won’t sugarcoat this: [Dykstra] had a bad night,” said Olsen. "What you guys don’t know is that he’s been out for seven months and we rushed him back several weeks ago - our starting keeper went down and we had to use him today. He was out of rhythm and he wasn’t sharp. This is pretty normal when you have to rely on guys that are coming back from injury and have been out for almost a year, this is a normal thing. He is a very, very good goalkeeper and he’ll be back from this.”
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I guess that's a valid excuse, but it also seems like another reason why trading away Joe Willis for nothing wasn't the best idea...
 
R

Rafa=FedKilla

Banned
xbhaskarx said:
TopDrawerSoccer @TopDrawerSoccer

California is the state that produces the most DI recruits. See the state-by-state rankings:
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/commitments/state/men/2015
B-wV6iAWwAAu31V.png
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That whole article is a sham brah. I knew their classification of Texas was preposterous. All you gotta do is skim the article. I've seen better fourth grade graphs more accurately represented than this drivel. If they wanted to do actual work, they would've went through the rosters one by one. But they base it on their "database."
 
A

Askani

Member
Chris Kamrani ‏@chriskamrani 2m
RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen has been fined an undisclosed amount by MLS for remarks made Wednesday regarding ongoing labor negotiations.​
 
N

Nesotenso

Member
I see MLS teams are trying their hardest to achieve the top league by 2022 goal. First competitive game in 110 days. Absolutely nothing wrong with that....
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
Nesotenso said:
First competitive game in 110 days.
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Are you saying the playoffs aren't competitive, are you using apprentice baker's math (December 7 - March 6 is 89 days), or do you reside in Klinsmann's beach house of cluelessness where the weather is suitable for soccer throughout the winter...

MLS teams play 34 regular season games, same as Bundesliga.

I'm guessing anyone complaining about this is happy to see 12 teams in the playoffs instead of 10... after Atlanta and LAFC join maybe they will make it 14!

Pretty much every coach in Europe complains that their players get overworked with too many games on the schedule...
 
S

smokeandmirrors

Banned
xbhaskarx said:
Are you saying the playoffs aren't competitive, are you using apprentice baker's math (December 7 - March 6 is 89 days), or do you reside in Klinsmann's beach house of cluelessness where the weather is suitable for soccer throughout the winter...
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instead of making fun of bakers and other apprentices, maybe you should look at a schedule, unless you're in that same house of cluelessness that you keep bitching about wherein the season for every single team ended on december 7th and not october 26th
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
The two players who looked the most exhausted during the recent friendlies were Brek Shea and Jermaine Jones. Shea looked done before the half vs Chile and Jones by the 60th minute. Shea wasn't even in MLS last season so I'm not sure how they're to blame for him, Klinsmann just keeps calling him in because he has certain guys he favors like that (see also Bobby Wood, who doesn't play in MLS -- you can't blame them for his subpar performance -- yet was called into January camp, and then started vs Chile over Gyasi Zardes). No one told Klinsmann to call in Shea. What was he expecting from a guy who barely plays? Jones played in MLS Cup in December. And he's another one of Klinsmann's favorite guys, taking up valuable minutes at CB (away from guys like Matt Hedges and Shane O'Neill) even though he will be 36 in Russia.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
Ashton Gotz on the fast track in recruitment for USMNT

Ashton Gotz still lacks an American passport, but it’s looking all the more likely the Hamburg defender will be asked to train with the U.S. Men’s National Team next month.

With U.S. Soccer scout Matthias Hamann overseeing the young German-American’s progress, Gotz is expected to be called for USMNT friendlies against Denmark and Switzerland at the end of March. His passport likely won’t be in place by then, but he will get to train with the team.

“That way, he can get to know the environment ahead of time so everything isn’t new,” Matthias told Hamburger Morgenpost.

According to Gotz’s agent, the U.S. Soccer Federation is working with Gotz to help him obtain an American passport.

“Jürgen Klinsmann called him and gave him a contact to the federation so he is trying now, with help, to get an American passport first,” Gotz’s agent, Bjorn Gerke, told SBI this week. “Other things will come after this procedure.”
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I finally watched this guy and he looked pretty mediocre. But hey at least he's German-American...
 
N

Nesotenso

Member
xbhaskarx said:
Are you saying the playoffs aren't competitive, are you using apprentice baker's math (December 7 - March 6 is 89 days), or do you reside in Klinsmann's beach house of cluelessness where the weather is suitable for soccer throughout the winter...

MLS teams play 34 regular season games, same as Bundesliga.

I'm guessing anyone complaining about this is happy to see 12 teams in the playoffs instead of 10... after Atlanta and LAFC join maybe they will make it 14!

Pretty much every coach in Europe complains that their players get overworked with too many games on the schedule...
Click to expand...

I was going off the number days Strauss wrote in his tweet, Garber fanboy.
And the issue is the longer layoff for MLS players compared to Bundeliga guys. Are German guys sitting on their asses from the end of October and joining preseason only three months later?
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
I can't believe this whole "offseason is too long" thing has actually gained traction. Hell Klinsmann fanboys started attacking Matt Besler just for commenting publicly, accusing him of not being fit, to such an extent that US Soccer had to come out and clarify that Besler's fitness level was not a problem.
The fact is Klinsmann publicly makes excuses after losses. He made that MLS offseason excuse after the loss to Chile. Even if that loss can be entirely blamed on the length of the MLS offseason (Bobby Wood starting before getting pulled at halftime, Brek Shea inexplicably getting called in at LB and looking gassed after 45 minutes, "CB" Jermaine Jones playing until MLS Cup yet still tiring in the second half: all Klinsmann pet projects who are off the hook in terms of responsibility!), what's the excuse for all the other games not during the MLS offseason?

After the Chile game:

Wins: "The US have one win from their last nine"

Goals: "It was the first time the US scored more than a single goal since the second game of the World Cup"

Defending: "have been outscored 9-0 in the second half since the World Cup. Going back to the tournament itself, 14 of the 18 goals the US have given up have come after the break."
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How many of those games can be blamed on the MLS offseason?

If only more people actually watched the games for themselves instead of just parroting Klinsmann's latest excuses (which you'll notice are never related to tactics, formations, etc. because that stuff appears to be beyond him, as Lahm warned)....
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
They won 5-0 but it's Cuba. The U-23s beat Cuba 5-0 in 2012 Olympic qualifying before screwing up vs Canada and El Salvador...
This is a very talented group, though. Joe Gallardo with a hat trick today, nice to see he's recovered from that broken leg...

Can these U-17s be the new 99ers?

In 1999, the USA, with a team that included Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, finished fourth at the U-17 World Cup in New Zealand.

Never before the 1999 tournament had the USA won a game in the knockout stage of the U-17 World Cup -- and never since.

...

Three years after Donovan won the Golden Ball and Beasley the Silver Ball in New Zealand, the young duo helped the USA reach the quarterfinals at the 2002 World Cup, the most impressive American World Cup performance in history. 1999 alums Oguchi Onyewu, Bobby Convey and Kyle Beckerman would also go on to full national team careers and senior World Cup appearances.
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C

Cornballer

Member
Are you going tomorrow, xbhaskarx? I'm skipping this one, but I'll be there for the opener in March. I got my season tickets in the mail yesterday. :D
 
N

Nesotenso

Member
Klinsmann has had issues with the length of the MLS off season even before the Chile gain and the comments Matt made only confirmed when he said that guys came into camp unprepared.

The US recent stretch of bad play is down to a number of things and some of JK's calls can be questioned. But the biggest reason they kept losing? It's because the US rarely dictates a game and is usually chasing the ball around. The failure to ever keep possession results in more running than is actually needed.

And unfortunately the MLS and its college educated coaches suffer from the same issues.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
This was Klinsmann's third January camp, he didn't complain about guys coming in to camp unprepared at the previous ones. In any case he's been around long enough that it's on him as the coach at this point to make sure his players are prepared.

And plenty of people watched that Chile game. Instead of just repeating the post-game "unprepared" excuse, how about naming players that YOU think looked unfit? At the time, not post-excuse, in this thread, I said Shea and Jones looked tired and should be subbed out. I'd like to know how the length of the MLS offseason is responsible for either of those. Bobby Wood looked like crap but not necessarily unfit. But again not related to MLS. If anyone else has other names, why don't they actually say them instead of just "Yeah what Klinsmann said!!" ?

The US always runs a lot, Bradley and Donovan were like top three in distance covered at the 2010 World Cup. Even if they couldn't dictate the game they could win by counterattacking. Now under Klinsmann they just look tired and give up late goals.

The bottom line is we needed a coach who will actually provide the players with technical instruction and focus on tactics, to take the team to the next level, and we got the one European coach who is obsessed with fitness and armchair psychology (motivation, comfort zones, etc.).

Everyone should have seen it coming, it wasn't just Lahm sounding the alarm:
Brazilian midfielder Zé Roberto said one of Klinsmann’s half-time talks toward the end of his reign consisted only of, “You have to score a goal.”
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The guy sounds like an AYSO coach when he's yelling during games, it's frankly a bit embarrassing. "Zusi, run!"

Also, the US players were apparently good enough to win games in 2013. The team set single year records for wins (16), winning percentage (.761), and consecutive wins (12). What changed between 2013 and the last eight months? Not the length of the MLS offseason, that's for sure. One thing 2013 DID have that the last eight months didn't (aside from 30 minutes of pretty decent quality soccer vs Ecuador) is Landon Donovan. Completely dominating the 2013 Gold Cup (those consecutive wins mentioned above), coming up with a goal and an assist to beat Mexico in Columbus... speaking of Klinsmann's calls that can be questioned.
 
N

Nesotenso

Member
No one knows what the results of the tests were at the start of camp. Maybe they came in less fit than before. Is Klinsmann personally going to have spell out for grown ass men that they have to take care of themselves? And it was less about players looking unfit but straight out failing to have any semblance of control in the first half against Chile.

US runs a lot. Fat lot of good it does them.

And Landon Donovan call being questionable is just lolworthy. The same dude who by his own admission didn't have the legs and was laboring in MLS before the WC. Majority of the 2013 wins came against Gold Cup opposition. US haven't really produced the change of style JK has wanted. And I don't think the talent level has shown anything to suggest they can play a possession oriented style.
 
The Chosen One

The Chosen One

Member
Nesotenso said:
And Landon Donovan call being questionable is just lolworthy. The same dude who by his own admission didn't have the legs and was laboring in MLS before the WC. Majority of the 2013 wins came against Gold Cup opposition. US haven't really produced the change of style JK has wanted. And I don't think the talent level has shown anything to suggest they can play a possession oriented style.
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Early on JK said he would bring on more Latin, technically sound and creative players. Instead we're ending up with an endless stream of mediocre german american players. Do we really need to be giving Jermaine Jones meaningful minutes at CB when he'll be nearly a grandpa by the next World Cup?

JK is stressing fitness when fitness has never really been a problem for the US national team over the last 20-25 years. The problem has been our technical ability, creativity, and being able to control a game tactical for long stretches. So far it doesn't seem JK has made any noticeable strides forward with the long-term development/improvement of our national team. Last year we managed to advance out of a tough group in the World Cup, but it was done very ugly, pretty much in the same fashion we have the last 12-14 years.

I really hope we see better performances by the Copa America next year.
 
N

Nesotenso

Member
The Chosen One said:
Early on JK said he would bring on more Latin, technically sound and creative players. Instead we're ending up with an endless stream of mediocre german american players. Do we really need to be giving Jermaine Jones meaningful minutes at CB when he'll be nearly a grandpa by the next World Cup?

JK is stressing fitness when fitness has never really been a problem for the US national team over the last 20-25 years. The problem has been our technical ability, creativity, and being able to control a game tactical for long stretches. So far it doesn't seem JK has made any noticeable strides forward with the long-term development/improvement of our national team. Last year we managed to advance out of a tough group in the World Cup, but it was done very ugly, pretty much in the same fashion we have the last 12-14 years.

I really hope we see better performances by the Copa America next year.
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agreed. I don't think Jones is going to be playing CB for long though. Especially if Besler, Brooks and Gonzalez are called in.
 
A

Arials

Member
The Chosen One said:
Early on JK said he would bring on more Latin, technically sound and creative players.
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Who are these technically sound and creative latin style American players who Jurgen is refusing to call up? Klinsmann has gone out of his way to bring in Miguel Ibarra. It's not his fault if not many of those kind of players exist.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
Youth Report: From Ben Lederman to Lynden Gooch

Bummer for Ben Lederman...
KIDZ KORNER
These are children. I am reporting on their situations as part of an overall look at the state of American soccer players playing abroad in 2015. Let's all keep everything in context, OK?

Joshua Pynadath is a seventh grader from San Jose, California. Two years ago, he became the first American—as well as the first player of Indian descent—to be admitted to Real Madrid’s famed youth academy. Last week , the San Jose Mercury-News published an update on his family’s unique journey.

Ben Lederman hasn’t played for Barcelona since November as part of the club’s injunction that retroactively disqualified more than a dozen academy players. On Friday, four players were given the OK to return to their respective teams. However, Lederman and five other internationals remain in purgatory.

One American who is playing at Barcelona is U.S. under-14 forward Konrad de la Fuente, a Miami native. He has featured frequently for Barca’s Infantil A, including in this weekend's 4-1 win over Jabac i Terrassa. He apparently scored the fifth-best academy goal three weeks ago—so, there’s that too.
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It also looks like Kenny Sayef is unlikely to play for the US:
Gent's Kenny Sayef: "My dad asked me to play for Israel NT & not USA NT" right before he died cc: @BrianSciaretta
 
M

Meier

Member
Orlando City has looked good in attack but Collin just got merked. Straight red for a last man foul that drew a penalty.
 
M

Meier

Member
Orlando City SC ‏@OrlandoCitySC 11m11 minutes ago
62' Kaká shoved down outside of the Houston box, but a very debatable no call. Kaká then exits for Carlos Rivas.

Orlando City SC ‏@OrlandoCitySC 9m9 minutes ago
64' An Carlos Rivas elbow comes up on Luis Garrido. Rivas is given a straight red. Orlando now down to 9 men. #ORLvsHOU 0-3.

Well this one certainly got away.
 
B

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
Meier said:
Orlando City SC ‏@OrlandoCitySC 11m11 minutes ago
62' Kaká shoved down outside of the Houston box, but a very debatable no call. Kaká then exits for Carlos Rivas.

Orlando City SC ‏@OrlandoCitySC 9m9 minutes ago
64' An Carlos Rivas elbow comes up on Luis Garrido. Rivas is given a straight red. Orlando now down to 9 men. #ORLvsHOU 0-3.

Well this one certainly got away.
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Sounds like an MMA match
 
C

Cystm

Member
xbhaskarx said:
The new Quakes stadium was pretty great, even though it was raining quite heavily by the end of the game... just hope the scheduled regular season games will take place.

Here is a nice pic (not mine):
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I hope fans are really stoked to have a nice field to be at.
 
E

Esch

Banned
Just saw the Revs up close and personal at O'Hare. Wasnt able to get a pic cause I'm in a hurry but I dapped up Lee Nguyen and wished them good luck for the season
 
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