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

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xbhaskarx

Member
Michael Bradley earns high praise

For the first 45 minutes at least, Bradley was nothing short of transcendent, prompting the kind of comment that few, if any, managers of El Tri have bestowed on their American counterparts.

"Bradley looked as if he was the best player in the world,” Herrera said.
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I thought that quote was less interesting than this one:

“I didn’t necessarily look at it as so differently than normal other than now you’re playing with a guy in Kyle who does a good job of being disciplined and taking care of things in front of the defenders,” Bradley said. “It means that I’m able to have a little more freedom, have the ability to be a little more two-way and be more up-and-down. It’s certainly something I enjoy.”
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That's surprisingly close to directly criticizing Jones / Klinsmann...
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
Neeskens' son on the verge of joining Colorado

But while Piermayr is the first official signing, a legendary name in the global game could soon be in the fold as well. Neeskens, the son of Dutch great Johan Neeskens, is close to a deal with the Rapids and could even start for the Rapids this weekend.

“I’m hoping for a solution soon and to be able to join the team as soon as possible,” the 20-year-old Neeskens, who spent time in FC Barcelona’s youth ranks, told MLSsoccer.com in Spanish on Wednesday. “I’ve enjoyed my experience here so far.”

Johan Neeskens helped lead the Netherlands to consecutive appearances in the World Cup final in 1974 and 1978, falling in heartbreaking fashion each time, and played for Ajax, Barcelona and in the NASL with the New York Cosmos.

The younger Neeskens spent time in Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and holds American, Dutch and Spanish passports. He trained with Sporting Kansas City in 2012 alongside former Barcelona teammate Uri Rosell, who signed with Kansas City.
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X

xbhaskarx

Member
Toronto city council approves co-investment partnership to expand BMO Field

1400812_10152306114738887_612970560_o.jpg
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MLS Insider:
Manchester City Preps NYCFC Boss Jason Kreis: City Man
(the previous one: Toronto Rising)
 
M

Meier

Member
xbhaskarx said:
MLS Insider:
Manchester City Preps NYCFC Boss Jason Kreis: City Man
(the previous one: Toronto Rising)
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Really good little featurette. I'm so excited to see some of the EDS players in MLS. I think it'll be a big benefit for everyone involved with the clubs. I guy like Sinan Bytiqi (mentioned by first name) could really benefit from it I think. He scored 2 goals the other day to send City to the final of the U-21 League Cup but I think he'd be better served playing against older pros. Sending a guy to a team in the Championship can be kind of a crapshoot. It's worked well with the recent loans of Emyr Huws and Albert Rusnak though. Gonna be so hard for me to root against NYCFC!
 
C

CobbFC09

Member
So with the USMNT having showcased the away World Cup jerseys on Wednesday, will anyone be purchasing one? What about the home jersey?

I personally plan on getting the Centennial one.

EDIT - Dang, was thinking the Centennial ones would be on sale or something so stores could get rid of them. Seems like most just don't carry them anymore.
 
D

Delicious Waffles

Member
I'm leaning towards the home jersey but the away jersey is growing on me.

Once I decide on one of those, my next decision is who's name and number I want on it: Donovan or Dempsey?

So many decisions.
 
N

NoRéN

Member
Delicious Waffles said:
I'm leaning towards the home jersey but the away jersey is growing on me.

Once I decide on one of those, my next decision is who's name and number I want on it: Donovan or Dempsey?

So many decisions.
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Do you enjoy being a bit lazy? get the number 8.

Packed on a few lately? Number 10 is for you.
 
G

gutshot

Member
ActStriker said:
wut
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Wow. Bold move for the Union. Wenger has potential, but Jack Mac is younger and yet he already has produced at a professional level and even gotten a USMNT call-up. Maybe Hackworth just wants a more creative forward and not simply a poacher? It would also be a homecoming of sorts for Wenger, who grew up in Lancaster. Still, I can't imagine this move will be very popular amongst Union fans.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
I still think Wenger needs to move back to CB (as Zavaleta has at Chivas), unfortunately I don't see Philly using him as a defender if they just traded McInerney for him. He could be a national team caliber CB but will just be an above average forward at best...
 
B

bigwinnerx

Member
gutshot said:
Wow. Bold move for the Union. Wenger has potential, but Jack Mac is younger and yet he already has produced at a professional level and even gotten a USMNT call-up. Maybe Hackworth just wants a more creative forward and not simply a poacher? It would also be a homecoming of sorts for Wenger, who grew up in Lancaster. Still, I can't imagine this move will be very popular amongst Union fans.
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Union fan here.

Jack had a blistering opening first half of the season last year, then fell off the planet. Didn't help with his Gold Cup callup fell during his dryspell where he didn't even get to see the field.

Our off-season signings have been doing very good and our mid-field is stacked. A F for a F at this point, and a local kid (we like those), I'm not happy to see Jack go, but, I don't think it sets us back. It kinda smells like a Jack butting heads with the coach kinda move though, not unlike the Eagles cutting Jackson.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
Building the Soccer Pyramid: Cash is king for aspiring USL PRO squads

Right now, there are operational professional soccer teams in 39 different markets across the first three tiers of US Soccer – MLS, NASL and USL PRO – and if everything goes according to plan, 2015 will see another two markets enter the fold.

But if you accept USL PRO president Tim Holt’s evaluation of the North American soccer landscape, that means we’re only at 50 percent capacity.

“I think there are anywhere between 50 to 75 different markets in the United States that can support, under the right circumstances, a professional soccer team,” Holt tells MLSsoccer.com. “It’s not the craziest thing. You’re talking about another 20 to 30 markets, potentially, that don’t have professional soccer that could support professional soccer.”
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Sacramento:

Orlando’s success has certainly not gone unnoticed, particularly in Sacramento, where Republic FC president Warren Smith is sticking to the Lions’ script.

“We’re following that same game plan,” Smith tells MLSsoccer.com. “Year one: Roll out a strong brand, get 6,750 per match on average at our facility. Year 3: Earn the right to acquire an MLS franchise. Year 5: Open up a downtown urban-core stadium.”

Smith (right) has a fairly sophisticated understanding of the Sacramento area that dates back to his college days at UC Davis, and plenty of experience managing a professional sports team in California’s capital. He spent eight years with the Sacramento River Cats, Forbes’ 2012 most valuable minor-league baseball franchise.

Even so, the Republic spent a year running the numbers before formally applying to USL for a team, and they liked what they saw. The Sacramento metropolitan statistical area houses 122,000 registered soccer players, according to Smith, and Nielsen ranked Sacramento ninth in Spanish-language viewership during the 2010 World Cup.

In short, Smith says, Sacramento “speaks for itself” as a soccer community.
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San Diego and Las Vegas mentioned as potential USL Pro expansion cities...
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
ESPN's 30 for 30: Soccer Stories airs April 15 - featuring two-feature length films and six 30-minute films

http://espn.go.com/30for30/soccer

FILM SCHEDULE
APRIL 15, 8 P.M. ET
Hillsborough: In Britain's worst sporting disaster 96 died and hundreds were injured.

APRIL 22, 7 P.M. ET
The Opposition: Politics changed the outcome of a World Cup qualifier between the Soviet Union and Chile in 1973.
Maradona '86: In the 1986 World Cup, Diego Maradona reached his apotheosis, redefining what is possible on the pitch.

APRIL 29, 7 P.M. ET
Ceasefire Massacre: In 1994, as Ireland played in a World Cup match in New Jersey, terrorists attacked fans at a tiny bar in Ireland.
The Myth of Garrincha: Mané Garrincha was told he wasn't physically fit to play pro soccer. He proved them wrong.

MAY 6, 7 P.M. ET
Mysteries of the Rimet Trophy: Ottorino Barassi, an Italian soccer official, tries to protect a valued treasure from the Nazis.
Barbosa: The Man who Made Brazil Cry: In only moments, goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa forever earned the title: The man who made Brazil cry.

JULY 1, 8 P.M. ET
White, Blue and White: Ossie Ardiles left Argentina to play soccer in England. Then, on April 2, 1982, Argentinian troops descended on the British-ruled Falkland Islands.
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C

Clydefrog

Member
C

Cornballer

Member
- Sciaretta takes a stab at the roster: 23 Tickets For Brazil
THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL TEAM may have walked off the field at University of Phoenix stadium feeling slightly dejected after squandering a two-goal lead against Mexico. But Jurgen Klinsmann and co. can take heart knowing they did not waste an opportunity to learn new things about the team.

The most significant takeaway? The U.S. needs to build the midfield, or maybe even the whole team, around Michael Bradley. Whenever Klinsmann has a personnel or formation or tactical decision to make, he should figure that whatever helps Bradly out the most is probably the best option.

For example, there's no question that Jermaine Jones' resume surpasses those of other American players. But Kyle Beckerman brought out the best in Bradley, at least for the first 45 minutes on Wednesday. The chemistry was there and it most definitely could lead to either a Bradley-Beckerman partnership in Brazil or a different role for Jones where he has to plays strictly in the defensive midfield similar to Beckerman. That is something that could be explored heavily in the send-off series

Another lesson: The 4-4-2 formation is a viable option moving forward. On the few occasions where Klinsmann has started a game with the 4-4-2, it has worked out. Fans may recall the success the team had with the 4-4-2 in a friendly win over Slovenia in 2011—and then wonder why the team abandoned it.

The argument in favor of the 4-4-2 also centers around Bradley. While Klinsmann has preferred the 4-2-3-1 formation for most of this World Cup cycle, the configuration constrained Michael Bradley with limited space and two more lines in front of him. When Bradley is playing the central attacking role in a 4-4-2, he thrives with the freedom to attack and makes excellent use of the space.

Klinsmann learned something else against Mexico: His central defense pairing may not be up to snuff—especially Omar Gonzalez. The Los Angeles Galaxy defender was partially at fault for both Mexican goals, and Jurgen Klinsmann might explore other options in the middle. This might result in either Clarence Goodson moving off the bench and into the starting lineup or Geoff Cameron moving centrally from right back.

On the other hand, Michael Parkhurst had a very strong game at left back. His versatility allows him to play all across the backline, and I now believe he is not only on the inside track to reach Brazil, he could very easily be a starter. His stock skyrocketed after the Mexico game.

Also, of note is the very strong play of Chris Wondolowski, who may have done enough to surpass Eddie Johnson for one of the last roster spots. Yes, Johnson scored a goal that was wrongfully disallowed, but Wondolowski simply played better and was so much more than a mere poacher (which has been his reputation).

In addition to his goal, the San Jose Earthquakes striker combined well in the midfield, moved well off the ball, and was part of a dominant American performance during the first 45 minutes. Aside from Johnson’s nice finish on the goal he should have been awarded, Johnson too often drifted out wide and took himself out of the action.

So Klinsmann may have seen his team blow a dos a cero lead, but the learning experience was more valuable than anything that could have shown up on the scoreboard. Here are my up-to-the-minute selections for the 23-man World Cup roster, starting with a few definitions.
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Roster via the link.
 
Z

zroid

Banned
Urgh, TFC missing too many key personnel this weekend. This one's gonna be even rougher than last week's, I reckon...
 
C

Cornballer

Member
Danny Williams with another goal for Reading in a 1-0 win over Charlton this morning.

Also, Cameron is starting at RB as usual for Stoke as they face off against Chelsea. Match kicks off in a half hour.
 
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