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Retired US Soccer / World Cup Thread (RIP)

Glad to see us win, but it always concerns me that while the outcome is still in doubt we don't value possession much. You saw at the end after it got to 2-0 that we had the ability to hold the ball.

But even JPD commented that Dempsey's goal was against the run of play. And it was. Canada just wasn't lucky enough to finish any of their chances.

We cannot afford to let Mexico, or any of the stronger sides, have the ball as much as Canada did after the first 20 minutes. Personally, I think it's a mindset. Players like Bradley, Dempsey, Cherundolo, and Donovan have the skills to keep the ball, even under pressure. But we don't seem to have the patience or mentality to do it against the better sides. I realize we often struggle to break the scoring ice in a tough match, but if you have the ball, the opponent can't score. I am concerned that against Mexico, we will not have enough possession to nullify the constant pressure they will bring in attack.
 
deacvision7 said:
Gonzalez looks good. And Opara is quality. Why aren't they getting call ups exactly? Time to shake things up.
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I've seen Opara twice in MLS this year and he was terrible. He may have been coming back off an injury though?
 
I hate anybody saying that "luck" has anything to do with scoring. God, what a stupid POV. "Oh, he was unlucky to hit the post!" No, his shot just wasn't good enough. Luck had nothing to fucking do with it.
 
Yea, even when Ike has been healthy he's been a second choice defender for San Jose. Sometimes he's first choice, but they generally have 4 CBs they like and just switch them out.
 
deacvision7 said:
I hate anybody saying that "luck" has anything to do with scoring. God, what a stupid POV. "Oh, he was unlucky to hit the post!" No, his shot just wasn't good enough. Luck had nothing to fucking do with it.
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Sometimes it can be true. You might catch a keeper on the wrong foot. Or a ball deflects off a defender. But generally I agree. Hitting the post isn't unlucky, it just isn't good enough.
 
Almost forgot. For anyone in Boston, GameOn can eat a bag of dicks. Used to be a great place(when a friend of mine was managing it). I was there last night and asked about tonight's game. No problem. I went in tonight and asked if they'd show the US game. There were about 20 people in there. They have at least 40 tv's. Sorry, we're showing the Red Sox. Can you put one of those 8 tvs in the corner where no one is sitting on the US game? Nope...Red Sox and NBA only tonight.

Well...fuck off. I used to bring a ton of people there as well. No longer.
 
Leander Schaerlaekens' grades:

Tim Howard, GK, 7: Clean sheets have been rare for the U.S. in recent months, and Howard had little to do to pull off this one, except for a series of heroic saves in the 85th minute, drawing extended name-chanting from the faithful.

Steve Cherundolo, D, 6: The tiny right back had a relatively calm night, allowing him to push forward often and well. Once there, however, his crossing was off too much of the time.

Tim Ream, D, 6.5: The young center back again acquitted himself well on the big stage, sniffing out attacks and showing his now-trademark composure on the ball. He was dominant in the air, but twice got badly beaten by his man.

Clarence Goodson, D, 7: Goodson made you wonder why he doesn't get to play more often. He was strong positionally, showing he reads the game very well, and was a threat in the air on offense.

Carlos Bocanegra, D, 6: Bocanegra was solid in the back, but he could have pushed forward more to take advantage of the space Dempsey often vacated.

Clint Dempsey, M, 7.5: Dempsey was on his game, drifting to create space and dribbling into free real estate. He combined well with his teammates, eventually sliding in Altidore's cross for the game's second goal.

Michael Bradley, M, 8: Bradley sprayed more long balls around than usual, but his accuracy was impressive. He distributed the ball well and got forward when he could. When Bradley plays like this, the U.S. is a much better team.

Jermaine Jones, M, 7,5: Jones can fly under the radar, but that doesn't make him any less useful. He sat back while Bradley pushed forward and sealed off the defense expertly.

Landon Donovan, M, 7.5: Donovan was very dangerous early on but seemed to lose his edge as the game went on. That may have had to do with the illness he suffered from earlier in the week, but nevertheless it didn't stop him from setting up both goals on nice long balls.

Jozy Altidore, F, 7.5: The much-criticized Altidore had a banner game. He put the U.S. ahead by booting the ball hard and low past Hirschfeld and earned the assist on Dempsey's shot.

Juan Agudelo, F, 6.5: Agudelo was useful, dangerous and lively on the night, working hard, pressing well and instinctively sensing when to trade places with Dempsey or Altidore. He got off three good shots in the first half and came very close to sliding in the ball that eventually rolled to Dempsey for the second goal. A nice progression from the 18-year-old.

Subs:

Chris Wondolowski, F, 6: By the time Wondo made it into the game in the 63rd minute, the U.S. had done most of its attacking. He had a shout for a penalty and a chance to make it 3-0 for the U.S.

Sacha Kljestan, M, 5: An anonymous cameo for Kljestan.

Maurice Edu, M, 6: Edu had a steady 13 minutes of work, helping to bail the U.S. out when it got itself into trouble in the back in the late going.
 
That reminded me. Wondo continued to not be impressive, even in limited action.
 
Those grades seemed rather reserved to me. Dempsey and Howard would both rate higher for me.
 
TexasDeac10 said:
Yea, even when Ike has been healthy he's been a second choice defender for San Jose. Sometimes he's first choice, but they generally have 4 CBs they like and just switch them out.
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He hasn't been healthy this season.
 
Fusiondad10 said:
Glad to see us win, but it always concerns me that while the outcome is still in doubt we don't value possession much. You saw at the end after it got to 2-0 that we had the ability to hold the ball.

But even JPD commented that Dempsey's goal was against the run of play. And it was. Canada just wasn't lucky enough to finish any of their chances.

We cannot afford to let Mexico, or any of the stronger sides, have the ball as much as Canada did after the first 20 minutes. Personally, I think it's a mindset. Players like Bradley, Dempsey, Cherundolo, and Donovan have the skills to keep the ball, even under pressure. But we don't seem to have the patience or mentality to do it against the better sides. I realize we often struggle to break the scoring ice in a tough match, but if you have the ball, the opponent can't score. I am concerned that against Mexico, we will not have enough possession to nullify the constant pressure they will bring in attack.
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Good points, fusiondad. We play too many long balls at times when there's no need to. This was farking Canada, for goodness sakes. Relax and possess the ball.
 
siff said:
Leander Schaerlaekens' grades:

Tim Howard, GK, 7: Clean sheets have been rare for the U.S. in recent months, and Howard had little to do to pull off this one, except for a series of heroic saves in the 85th minute, drawing extended name-chanting from the faithful.

Steve Cherundolo, D, 6: The tiny right back had a relatively calm night, allowing him to push forward often and well. Once there, however, his crossing was off too much of the time.

Tim Ream, D, 6.5: The young center back again acquitted himself well on the big stage, sniffing out attacks and showing his now-trademark composure on the ball. He was dominant in the air, but twice got badly beaten by his man.

Clarence Goodson, D, 7: Goodson made you wonder why he doesn't get to play more often. He was strong positionally, showing he reads the game very well, and was a threat in the air on offense.

Carlos Bocanegra, D, 6: Bocanegra was solid in the back, but he could have pushed forward more to take advantage of the space Dempsey often vacated.

Clint Dempsey, M, 7.5: Dempsey was on his game, drifting to create space and dribbling into free real estate. He combined well with his teammates, eventually sliding in Altidore's cross for the game's second goal.

Michael Bradley, M, 8: Bradley sprayed more long balls around than usual, but his accuracy was impressive. He distributed the ball well and got forward when he could. When Bradley plays like this, the U.S. is a much better team.

Jermaine Jones, M, 7,5: Jones can fly under the radar, but that doesn't make him any less useful. He sat back while Bradley pushed forward and sealed off the defense expertly.

Landon Donovan, M, 7.5: Donovan was very dangerous early on but seemed to lose his edge as the game went on. That may have had to do with the illness he suffered from earlier in the week, but nevertheless it didn't stop him from setting up both goals on nice long balls.

Jozy Altidore, F, 7.5: The much-criticized Altidore had a banner game. He put the U.S. ahead by booting the ball hard and low past Hirschfeld and earned the assist on Dempsey's shot.

Juan Agudelo, F, 6.5: Agudelo was useful, dangerous and lively on the night, working hard, pressing well and instinctively sensing when to trade places with Dempsey or Altidore. He got off three good shots in the first half and came very close to sliding in the ball that eventually rolled to Dempsey for the second goal. A nice progression from the 18-year-old.

Subs:

Chris Wondolowski, F, 6: By the time Wondo made it into the game in the 63rd minute, the U.S. had done most of its attacking. He had a shout for a penalty and a chance to make it 3-0 for the U.S.

Sacha Kljestan, M, 5: An anonymous cameo for Kljestan.

Maurice Edu, M, 6: Edu had a steady 13 minutes of work, helping to bail the U.S. out when it got itself into trouble in the back in the late going.
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Leander is an enormous douche, everything he ever writes just reeks of Eurosnob. At that's my feeling before I look at his grades.

How does Ream and Goodson have a 0.5 rating difference? Anybody who watched tonight's game can see that Goodson belongs, essentially as Gooch's replacement, and Ream still has a way to go. And giving a non-existent Landon a 7.5? Stop talking Leander.
 
I like Agudelo but he didn't do a single thing tonight. doesn't 6.5 mean above average?
 
deacvision7 said:
Did he do anything, just one thing, that impressed you? He isn't up to international quality.

Guy is limited.
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Nope, not much happened. I thought he had some nice interplay with Bradley at times through the middle, which Agudelo and Jozy definitely don't offer, but Jozy and Agudelo are definitely better targets for us to hoof the ball too. Hoofing the ball up the middle is, unfortunately, our style of play.
 
Agudelo did fuck all tonight. He would be lucky to get a 5 rating by anybody that actually knows the game. He was non-existent in attack and the only shots he took were wild and off balance, and therefore had no chance of going in.

He is a great prospect for the USMNT, but he was dreadful tonight.
 
I've only read this page and saw one in the middle of the thread where I think Vad and someone else were railing the commentators so I don't know what y'all thought, but I liked the young former player whose name I have totally forgotten much better than Harksy. He was just average, but Harkes is unbearably annoying. Of course I also was talking with my friends the whole time so I wasn't paying too much attention to the commentators. What did y'all think about them?
 
I watched on Univision and muted it when I started feeling a little too El Tri or when I got annoyed with them saying "Hermaine Hones."

So I'm not really one to comment.
 
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