Amibguous Cad
Member
Donovan really does look like Bale out there. Why does he have to be so old =(
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US GAF: Support your national soccer team
- Thread starter xbhaskarx
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doctordoak
Member
I noticed that too...yikes!kassatsu said:
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
Clark takes one or two bad shot and you guys are bashing him? Donovan had an equally horrible shot near the end.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
I told you guys not to overreact.
I have to admit, Klinsmann called it at half-time. They kept working and tired out the Mexicans. I liked what I saw from the subs. I'm just happy we got a goal. I wouldn't have cared if we lost tonight unless we lost without scoring.
Donovan: "I think, uh... the ref maybe wasn't up to speed tonight" heh
and, finally:
Donovan: "I think, uh... the ref maybe wasn't up to speed tonight" heh
and, finally:
Amibguous Cad
Member
Much better stuff in the second half. Our "peak" players aren't that good; the class of players that are 24-28 aren't very good, but our youth look really promising.
KidA Seven
Member
Clydefrog said:
You didn't tire out Mexico. It was more of a lack of cohesion from all the subs being used that made Mexico look like crap.
I liked the substitutions of Brek and Agudelo. Agudelo can at least hold the ball up, and Brek was creative in his time out there.
Good game overall.
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
Heretic said:
Keep complaining about a performance that was over a year ago and had nothing to do with the five minutes Ricardo was on the field. If you're going to start about one player, why not complain about all the players with abysmal performances in the Gold Cup or WC? I personally think Rogers is an average player but he has had his moments. Delivering the corner to Bornstein against CR and now this.
It is too bad Donovan didn't play like that the whole match.
TheVisualizer
Banned
good turnaround by the US and good result
PROS
+Donovan was a beast tonight in all phases
+Brek Shea is a monster, kid is the future
+Agudelo was impressive as always
+My man ex-Philadelphia Union player Orozco-Fiscal did well in the back, despite idiots playing bad balls to him that forced him into pressure situations all night long
+Beckerman had a good showing on both ends
+Bum ass Robbie Rogers actually made the most of his time on the field...shocking
CONS
-Castillo wins the Jonathan Bornstein Worst Defender of the Game award, he was awful with everything, lets send him back to Mexico and forget he exists
-Germany Jones has an impressive streak going of 3 or 4 caps where he's been absolutely useless
-Buddle is not a difference-maker despite the formation
-Michael Bradley had an off game by his standards, was a little lazy on the goal conceded although it was fluky
-Torres showed flashes offensively but had some really really poor turnovers that could have killed us, still like him though
PROS
+Donovan was a beast tonight in all phases
+Brek Shea is a monster, kid is the future
+Agudelo was impressive as always
+My man ex-Philadelphia Union player Orozco-Fiscal did well in the back, despite idiots playing bad balls to him that forced him into pressure situations all night long
+Beckerman had a good showing on both ends
+Bum ass Robbie Rogers actually made the most of his time on the field...shocking
CONS
-Castillo wins the Jonathan Bornstein Worst Defender of the Game award, he was awful with everything, lets send him back to Mexico and forget he exists
-Germany Jones has an impressive streak going of 3 or 4 caps where he's been absolutely useless
-Buddle is not a difference-maker despite the formation
-Michael Bradley had an off game by his standards, was a little lazy on the goal conceded although it was fluky
-Torres showed flashes offensively but had some really really poor turnovers that could have killed us, still like him though
KidA Seven said:
Agreed, we didn't wear them out.. That's a good talking point, but we started playing more aggressively and got more mobile players out there like Agudelo, Brek, and Rodgers.. I agree with the commentator that just said Donovan was playing well the whole game, as always. The first half though there would be one US player taking on 4-5 Mexican players..
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
Heretic said:
I hate the guy as much as you do.
I just don't have a real opinion of him tonight because he wasn't on for long enough.Shea and Gatt as the wingers of the future?
Half passion, half pressure. Love it.ngower said:
HE SHOULD HAVE SCORED WHEN HE HAD THE CHANCE!!!sazabirules said:I hate the guy as much as you do.
Shea and Gatt as the wingers of the future?
=p
Gamecocks625
Member
love it
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
Beckerman was the most effective dmid since Bradley kept having to cover for Jones and play out of position.
-Castillo was our worst defender
-Orozco impressed me
-Castillo was our worst defender
-Orozco impressed me
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
KidA Seven said:
Chepo did the same thing in the games before Gold Cup. He put Hobbit and Aguilar in the game against New Zealand and our attack started to look sloppy. The diference this time around is that the US managed to capitalise on our defence substitutions as well. Not to mention that Salcido's age is starting to show.
Chepo obviously used this match as a test run of sorts. He was not pleased with the result, but that was the payoff for taking that risk. I rather he does this on meaningless friendlies so that he can better prepare official matches.
Amibguous Cad
Member
ngower said:
I love it. He looked like a kid in a candy store on the sidelines half the time.
Regulus, what did you think of Mexico's performance?
Clydefrog said:
Brek Shea substitution can induce panic
Amibguous Cad said:
I think that's because of the changing fortunes of MLS plus maybe some bad luck? The older generation of players (Howard, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Donovan, Onyewu, Beasley, Convey, Beckerman, etc.) panned out for the most part, then the Bradley, Holden, Adu (young for his age group, basing this on when his pro career started) generation did not. I'm not sure if that's because MLS was at a low point in the early 2000s, injuries (Davies sticks out), or many just not living up to expectations (aside from Adu: Rogers, Feilhaber, Spector, Gaven, Pearce, Bornstein, Szetela lol, etc.) but we simply didn't get enough good replacement pieces out of that age group. The current 18-23 year olds do look far more promising though.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
Amibguous Cad said:
We could have killed the game in the first half had Gio started instead of Sinha -he lost the ball too many times, not to mention that Gio brings us verticality. Our subs robbed us of any momentum. We lost depth with Peralta and Barrera's substitutions, and Salcido should have been replaced with Moreno instead of taking off Rafa. We desperately need a replacement for Castro and Torrado, too. They looked spotty in the Gold Cup final and they are obviously not National Team material.
Ochoa had a great game. The tie is a fair result.
Amibguous Cad
Member
xbhaskarx said:
I don't have the best understanding of that cohort of players, but I'm inclined to blame the mass exodus from MLS. A ton of those players left before they were ready and wound up getting not a whole lot of attention or playing time from foreign coaching staffs. Our most successful generation of players stayed in MLS until they hit their peak years and then plied their trade in the big leagues. I'm hoping Shea, Agudelo et all do the same.
Then again, it's not like Agudelo is getting a ton of playing time at New York, either. Iwish we could arrange him a transfer to a team that needs a target forward (like, say, Seattle? =P)
I had forgotten about Davies; you're right that that generation looks a whole lot better if he doesn't get into that car wreck. Maybe he can still turn it around.
My quick, personal thoughts on this:
- First half was hard to watch. I don't blame anyone in particular for the Mexico goal. It was actually one of the best goals I've seen from them, and one of those things that happens.
- Torres was not good at all. I don't know if he is confused about the new assignments he has or what. He made a lot of big mistakes. He deserved a yellow card at one point in the match and didn't get it. Mexico got a free kick for it, but I would have carded him for it.
- First half saw an incredible amount of turnovers by us. I am surprised there was only one goal. We had trouble just moving the ball around, and I'm honestly not sure what the issue was there.
- One thing that Klinnsmann said that I sincerely agreed with at the halftime conversation was that the US looked FAR more aggressive than we have in a long time, and I believe that made all the difference. We never stopped being aggressive. We were sloppy, but still aggressive. Those saves by all the players in the backfield were impressive to watch, especially the one Bradley had.
- The substitutes were absolutely masterful. Shea started rough, but he turned out to be fantastic. I don't understand how he was taller than almost everyone on the field, and couldn't get a single header instead of a Mexican player. Rogers was brilliant and he demonstrated SUPREME mastery of "being in the right place at the right time". Agudelo had some young-guy mistakes, and I think demonstrated why he's really really good but not ready to be a starter yet.
- Landon Donovan turned on BEAST MODE in the last 25 minutes or so.
- THAT WAS A FUCKING RED CARD AND YOU KNOW IT.
- Klinnsmann never had a down spirit, even when everything looked horrible. That kind of confidence in himself and his team is somewhat inspiring. As much as I appreciate Bob Bradley's efforts, it was nice to see a coach that wasn't afraid to make necessary substitutions.
- First half was hard to watch. I don't blame anyone in particular for the Mexico goal. It was actually one of the best goals I've seen from them, and one of those things that happens.
- Torres was not good at all. I don't know if he is confused about the new assignments he has or what. He made a lot of big mistakes. He deserved a yellow card at one point in the match and didn't get it. Mexico got a free kick for it, but I would have carded him for it.
- First half saw an incredible amount of turnovers by us. I am surprised there was only one goal. We had trouble just moving the ball around, and I'm honestly not sure what the issue was there.
- One thing that Klinnsmann said that I sincerely agreed with at the halftime conversation was that the US looked FAR more aggressive than we have in a long time, and I believe that made all the difference. We never stopped being aggressive. We were sloppy, but still aggressive. Those saves by all the players in the backfield were impressive to watch, especially the one Bradley had.
- The substitutes were absolutely masterful. Shea started rough, but he turned out to be fantastic. I don't understand how he was taller than almost everyone on the field, and couldn't get a single header instead of a Mexican player. Rogers was brilliant and he demonstrated SUPREME mastery of "being in the right place at the right time". Agudelo had some young-guy mistakes, and I think demonstrated why he's really really good but not ready to be a starter yet.
- Landon Donovan turned on BEAST MODE in the last 25 minutes or so.
- THAT WAS A FUCKING RED CARD AND YOU KNOW IT.
- Klinnsmann never had a down spirit, even when everything looked horrible. That kind of confidence in himself and his team is somewhat inspiring. As much as I appreciate Bob Bradley's efforts, it was nice to see a coach that wasn't afraid to make necessary substitutions.
platypotamus
Member
Amibguous Cad said:
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Solid second half, Shea, Agudelo, and Rogers in particular looked strong off the bench. Donovan was a beast as usual.
I totally agree with Klinnsman that the goal was just one of those goals that happens and wasn't really any sort of failure, particularly on Bradley's part. Dude manages to get his foot up and at that ball around him like that, get an amazing lucky touch on it, not much Bradley could have done
I don't know how much blame you can place on Buddle for not making an impact. The formation for the first 60 wasn't really offering much support. Bradley can't play that CAM/off-striker role, and the whole midfield was just leaving Buddle out to dry. Every time he received the ball it was with his back to the goal with no support.TheVisualizer said:
The entire flow of the game changed when the attack mids changed to Shea-Torres-Donovan and Agudelo actually had players to interchange with. I wouldn't mind seeing him get another shot with a more attack-minded midfield.
Also, I wouldn't mind if that was the last international appearance for Jones, I know he looks the part but he just doesn't fit in. Especially with Holden coming back in the next 3-4 months, there just aren't going to be enough spots in the midfield for him.
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
Buddle had no service compared to Agudelo.
Squirrel Killer
Member
What's really odd is that there are more frames of animation in the Bradley .gif than the Klinsmann one.Clydefrog said:ngower said:
Amibguous Cad
Member
platypotamus said:
I'm not sure I would call it lucky- I was confused by how nonplussed the announcers seemed. That was a masterful effort, one of the best I've seen all year. If it happened in MLS, it would be a goal of the year candidate for sure, even with the spectacular year we're having for golazos.
Either way, it's great that it required a stroke of luck/genius to beat our defense, and that it was the only goal scored all night. Mexico didn't look as offensively dangerous as they have, but we also didn't have any head-scratching defensive errors either.
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